sub termgrades {
    my ($period, $quarter) = @_;
    $sth = $dbh->prepare_cached(
            qq{SELECT *
               FROM quarters 
               WHERE userid = ? AND period = ? 
                     AND gradetype = ? and quarter = ?}
            )
        or &error( "2",  "$userdata[0] quarter $quarter grades "
                   . "database search failed: $DBI::errstr" );

    $sth->execute( $userdata[0], $period, 2, $quarter  )
        or &error( "2", "$userdata[0] quarter grades "
                        ." database search failed: $DBI::errstr" );
    return $sth; # perhaps ... see text
}