October 2014

Trip to Turkey Proves To Be a Delight

Our tour group arrived by bus in the For most of us, the high point of the trip pany wouldn’t be letting us do this, right? picturesque Aegean coastal city of Ku- thus far had been a hot air balloon glide After our balloon was fully expanded, sadasi, not far from Ephesus, the most fa- over picturesque villages and fairy tale we were told to climb aboard. Most of us mous archaeological site in Turkey. We rock formations in Cappadocia, “land of boarded on our own, but a few with short had already spent a week in Turkey visit- the people with horses.” To travel here legs were hefted into the basket by the ing well known tourist sites in Istanbul we we had flown from Istanbul to Kayeria muscular crew. Once aboard, our pilot had heard about— Hagia Sophia, the Blue and then driven an hour to our Cave Mustafa, introduced himself and put us at Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Hotel—some rooms are caves— in the vil- our ease by making jokes about his quali- Bazaar. lage of Urgup At dinner our tour leader fications. “You don’t need to worry, he We had also visited Cappadocia in cen- told us to be ready by 4 a.m. the next said, I am a fully qualified pilot. I just re- tral Turkey, and mostly recently, Ephesus, morning for our balloon ride. ceived my certificate yesterday—over the the jewel in the crown of Turkish archae- Before sunrise, we were on our way to internet. “ ology. In addition to the visual delights the balloon-launching site. As we arrived, Soon we were noiselessly gliding over of these places, we had also tasted some of huge flames of heated propane gas were small villages. One of the villages was the wonderful culinary delights for which rising into several balloons. It must be where Mustafa grew up and where his par- Turkey has become famous. safe, I assured myself, or our tour com- Continued on Page 2 The Turkish Adventure Continues Continued from Page 1 ents still lived. We waved as we passed over but no one was up yet. In between the villages, were clusters of fairytale chimney rock formations, caused by an- cient volcanic eruptions. Scores of other balloons were now floating in the air, some so close they were almost touching. “That’s called kissing,” said Mustafa. While floating over a valley of chimney rocks, he asked: “Do you want to go lunch at a home of the matriarch of a small that most of the people on this tour of down for a closer look?” Yes, yes, we all village, but the balloon ride remains the Turkey were Asian-American women said. And soon the balloon descended memorable event of the day. from Oahu. Nearly all of them were re- smoothly. Small groups of people waved Sadly, we later learned that our young tired and many were high school friends at us from below. pilot, Mustafa, had died in a freak accident who had later taught at high schools in As our gliding came to an end, Mustafa a few weeks after our balloon ride. A jeep Waikiki. told us to prepare for the landing by hold- overturned in which he was a passenger. After changing into robes, Ren, the ing on tightly to the sides of the gondola. Another high point of the trip was our other guy, and I each took a shower and As the gondola hit the ground, it bounded visit to a Turkish bath while at the lovely then were shown to a sauna where we a few times and was then quickly subdued coastal resort of Kusadasi. The bath was steamed for 15 minutes to relax our mus- by the ground crew. optional; most of the women went but just cles. Afterwards, we were shown into a Soon after we landed, Mustafa appeared two of us guys decided to take the plunge. large marble bathroom that could have behind a table with bottles of Turkish bub- As we walked down an alley toward the held several more people. After a few bly and champagne glasses. We toasted Rina Turkish Bath, I heard one of the minutes, a hefty Turkish woman, Elena, him for his excellent piloting skills— as women nervously ask: “Do we have to get came in, and pointed at Ren as if to say, well as our safe return to earth. The day naked,” I thought to myself, how else are “You first.” was filled with other activities, including you going to get bathed? I should mention He lay down on the marble slab where he was sitting, a towel wrapped around his waist. Soon Elena began slinging huge dollops of suds over his back using a cloth resembling a pillowcase filled with suds. I watched somewhat bemused, as Ren’s en- tire body, except for his head, was com- pletely submerged in suds. Elena then scrubbed him vigorously on both sides with a loofah. She followed the scrubbing with a massage. Each time she pushed her large hands on his back, Ren let out a slight moan. When finished, she motioned for him to stand up, whereupon she poured a basin of water over his head, first warm, then cold. She winked at me as she pored over the cold water; Ren shuddered from the shock. He left the room for the next station. And now I was next. I especially enjoyed being wrapped within the comfort of the warm suds. Lena also scrubbed me vigorously with a Continued on Page 6 2 PCC Gets a New President AGAIN The president’s office at Pasadena City terim president, but first she had to agree College has a new tenant again. The move not to seek the permanent position. Even came after Dr. Mark Rocha retired at the though faculty, staff and students urged end of August. board members to keep Sugimoto on as Bob Miller, the former assistant superin- the permanent president, they appointed tendent and vice president for business Dr. Mark Rocha to the top spot in 2010. and college services, will fill in on an in- Rocha’s time as president was tumul- terim basis until the Board of Trustees tuous from the start. He started butting finds a permanent replacement. heads with faculty over issues that nor- The board has not had a very good mally would have been resolved by record for choosing presidents since Dr. Shared Governance. Rocha, however, did James Kossler retired after spending 19 not like Shared Governance and often ig- years at the college with 12 years as presi- nored what the faculty and staff recom- dent. Miller will be the fourth president in mended. the last seven years. The cancellation of the Winter Interses- The presidential musical chairs began sion caused an even bigger rift. This time when Dr. Paulette Perfumo was chosen to students joined faculty and staff to protest replace Kossler in 2007, even though her the schedule change which would leave name did not appear on the list of the top many students unable to transfer units to four candidates selected after a six-month four-year colleges in time for the fall term. search. However, Rocha never backed down and Bob Miller After a dismal performance as presi- the Winter Intersession stayed off the the Board of Trustees and the taxpayers dent, Perfumo was paid for one year of her schedule while he was president. for $403,826 plus an added $16,000 to pay contract by being allowed to work as a Morale at the college was tumbling, but for his legal fees. special projects administrator for the col- it hit an all-time low when everything the Now enter Bob Miller who has a big lege from her home in Northern Califor- staff suggested was disregarded by the ad- job to do between now and when yet an- nia. As an added perk from the board, she ministration. other president is hired. got to keep the $54,000 Cadillac DeVille The faculty took two votes of no confi- Miller graduated from PCC in 1975, that she purchased with a car allowance dence in Rocha, and the Associated Stu- and he worked full time at the college provided by the district. dents voted no confidence as well. until 1985 when he left to take a position Dr. Lisa Sugimoto, vice president of However, the board of trustees continued with Intelecom, a telecommunications student and learning services, was next to to blame a disgruntled faculty for the col- company. He served as vice president of step in as interim president in 2009. Un- lege’s problems. marketing, sales and member services for like Perfumo, Sugimoto’s name was one Rocha gave PCC one black eye after an- more than 19 years. of the top four selected to replace Kossler. other in the community, but the board Miller returned to education and PCC in The board appointed Sugimoto as the in- members responded by extending his con- tract through 2017. 2005 as associate dean of academic sup- Negative stories about PCC went inter- port. Four years later, he was named in- national when Oscar winning screenwriter terim dean of educational services. From Dustin Lance Black agreed to be this there he moved to vice president of educa- year’s commencement speaker only to tional services, and then to assistant super- have the invitation withdrawn because the intendent and senior vice president of college was concerned about its reputation business and college services. after the board heard about a stolen sex Miller has a BA in administration, busi- tape featuring Black. The administration ness from the University of LaVerne, an eventually apologized to Black and invited MPA in public administration from Cal him again. He accepted the apology and Poly Pomona, and a doctorate of public agreed to speak. administration from LaVerne. In addition to the negative stories that In an interview with the Courier, Miller made the news, a lot of employees’ lives pledged to improve communication on were irrevocably changed during Rocha’s campus. He said the college has a lot of tenure when they were put on administra- work to do. “I believe that together we tive leave without warning and then just have the opportunity to make PCC better disappeared from the college. than it ever was,” Miller said. “I pledge When Rocha officially retired on myself to this effort.” The next move belongs to the Board. Dr. Mark Rocha Aug.31, he took with him a paycheck from 3 The photo on the left shows the lower falls of the Yellowstone River in Yellow- stone National Park. Above, Elvio and his grandson, Gabriel, take a moment to pose with the Crazy Horse Monument in the background. Gabriel is showing off a souvenir rock he got off of the sculpture. A Close­UpLook at the American West By Elvio Angeloni Utah, testaments to the erosive power of ice and wind that has resulted in amphithe- For most of my teaching career, I aters, canyons, spires, walls and cliffs in was fortunate to be able to take stu- glorious red, orange and yellow. The dents on field trips through much of spires at Bryce are called “hoodoos” and the American West, involving Indian have been likened by Native Americans reservations, archaeological sites, mu- and colonists to ghostly humans frozen in seums, etc. My wife, Ceci, decided time as a punishment for their sins. that it was about time we took the These canyons are called “amphithe- family, including grandchildren and aters” because of their shape. When you friends Robert and Lily Bowman on are looking at one, it is as if you are stand- one of these trips—through the Rocky ing on the edge of a balcony peering Mountains—in June, one of the best down, with the taller spires being closer months to go. and the more eroded, shorter ones farther Anyone who travels through the away. Eventually, as nature takes its West will appreciate the inherent course, the ground below you will erode beauty of the landscape, the geological into new spires while the pinnacles far- record with its colorful strata that re- thest away will disappear. In other words, flect the history of the earth, the amaz- these amphitheaters are constantly on the ing legacy our forbearers have left us move—in the direction behind you. Even- in the form of the national park sys- tually, because you are looking eastward, tem, and the rich cultural traditions the amphitheater will move inexorably to that continue to exist among Native the western edge of the Colorado plateau. Americans. Bryce is a great example of how geology The first stops on our journey were helps us to understand what has happened Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon in Continued on Page 7 4 Visiting Margaret Mead’s Samoa By Joanne Kim

After an eventful winter of surgeries and daily hospital visits, my husband Myron and I thought about taking it all lightly and going away to some happy, care-free places. When we got a flyer for a 29-day getaway cruise from San Pedro and back, with no air-hassle, do-what-you-want ocean cruise to Hawaii Islands and the South Pacific, we decided it would be our timely break, and we just jumped on it. So our month-long voyage began on Myron’s birthday. The voyage ran destination stops at four major islands of Hawaii and five exotic is- land hops in the South Pacific —- Samoa (formally Western Samoa), American Samoa, Moorea, Tahiti, and Bora Bora. Of course, all along, a vision danced in my mind of seeing Paul Gauguin’s strong and vibrant color paintings in Tahiti and re-vis- iting Margaret Mead’s Samoan world as she portrayed it in her field reports. Mead in the South Pacific since 1962. A Dutch- throughout the island, with each village went to Samoa at the age of 24 and her man first sighted Samoan islands in 1722 having at least a church or two. book, Coming of Age in Samoa was pub- and then the first Christian missionary In addition, each village has an impres- lished in 1928. Nearly nine decades after John Williams of London Missionary So- sive, large round covered-roof structure her first visit, we were touring Samoa in ciety was dispatched in 1830. After nine that seems to serve as a community meet- her footsteps. The Princess ship, with over years of peaceful and productive mission- ing place. The structure has no walls since 3000 passengers and a crew of 1,500 , ary activities, Williams was sacrificed by Samoa is in a tropical zone. We saw sailed smoothly, crossing the equator and some cannibals. Margaret Mead talks churches of many different Christian de- navigating the vast South Pacific ocean about some of the Samoan girls staying nominations: Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, waters after leaving Hawaii, docking at with Christian pastors and getting edu- Presbyterian, LDS, etc. Statistics show Apia, Samoa’s capital, first of its many cated. that fully 95 percent of Samoans are said ports of call. Mead visited Samoa almost a century to be Christians and one wonders whether Samoa is the first independent country ago, and the villages still retain much of Samoans’ warm hospitality and kind per- their small and old looks. sonal characteristics are due to the Chris- Our guide told us that it tian teachings or their innate personal is not uncommon for a traits. Samoan family of three In Coming of Age, Mead states Samoans or four generations to preserve their own cultural, ethical her- dwell together in the itage in their Christian teachings. It is fair same house. Some of to say, therefore, that most Samoan girls these houses still have no see no mental struggle over their tradition form of room divides in- and the western culture. They are just side. happy with their lives. In these environments, Of course, the dirt roads that Margaret the life of a family looks described have disappeared. Buses, vans, pretty much a continua- trucks, taxis run briskly throughout the is- tion of an old-style com- land taking advantage of the many paved munal or group living. roads. Scenes of many villages dot the Notwithstanding these landscape around the island; we were still-remaining traditional lucky enough to tour them. One can see ways, there are a many schools with many students wearing Joanne snapped this photo of Myron in front of the Robert markedly high number uniforms. Louis Stevenson museum of Christian churches Continued on Page 6 5 More Things To Enjoy in Turkey . . .

Continued from Page 2 loofah and put her full weight into the massage that followed. Elena reminded of the phrase that travel commentator Michael Palin applied to Turkish masseurs: “most masseurs are men of few words but many pounds.” Elena was a woman but the rest of the comment ap- plies. What now I wondered? Soon a younger, slimmer, and more attractive woman entered and led me to another room where there was a massage table on which she indicated I should lie down on my stomach. “Merhaba,” (hello) I said. “Merhaba” she replied. “What is your name,” I asked. “Anna,” she said. “Mine is Alan.” She then left the room for several minutes. I felt somewhat awkward look at her, I could only see her bare feet fore she dug her elbow into my back, after with my head fixed into an uncomfortable padding about the table. Her hands were which stood up on my back. I didn’t headrest at the end of the table. strong. To show my appreciation of her know the word for painful, but I did think When Anna finally returned, I lifted up massage I said, “Cok guzel,” (very nice), of the phrase, “chok para,” meaning too my head to see her pouring oil on her which used can also mean very beautiful. much, as in the price is too high. hands. She then began to massage my She laughed and said something that I did- After finishing with my back, she said back, legs and feet. Though I wanted to n’t understand. I said the phrase again be- Continued on Page 12 Rediscovering Robert Louis Stevenson

Continued from Page 5 built a mansion and died in Samoa. He (Teller of Tales)” by the islanders and was a sickly child and never enjoyed a politicians alike. Although we were told that the govern- good health in adulthood. As the Scottish Stevenson was always afraid of having ment subsidizes eight years of public edu- winters were so harsh and unforgiving, he long illness, but on Dec. 3, 1894 he suf- cation, we could not tell whether those moved to Hawaii with his American wife, fered a stroke after a long day of writing children in uniforms are public school or Fanny. That was followed by a further and died shortly afterwards. Before his parochial school students. Our guide in- journey to Samoa to re-locate as the native death he wrote to a friend in London, say- formed that unemployment is still a big Hawaiian queen, so the story goes, tried to ing “I have had splendid life of it, grudg- issue that has been dogging the nation for win his heart. ing nothing, regret very little . . . would a long time. Some lucky ones work for Stevenson was a good story-teller but hardly change any more of my time.” He the government while many youngsters also he was evidently a good listener, lis- is buried about a mile up from the man- just relax sitting under the shade or swim- tened good to his wife who suggested the sion, with his beloved boots by his side ming or surfing as there are not enough move to the South Pacific. The tropical per his wishes. The memorial script he jobs for them. temperature and moisture helped his asth- penned for his tombstone reads: We headed a he winding road through matic condition. forests and spectacular ocean views, fi- In 1889 Stevenson paid $4,000 and Dig the grave and let me lie. nally arriving at Vailima, a foothill town purchased 400 acres of property in the Glad did I live and gladly die. up the mountain where Robert Louis foothills of Mount Vaea, where he built a And I laid me down with a will. Stevenson (1850-1894) built a mansion large, imposing mansion. This be the verse you grave for me. halfway on the Vaea Mountain. Of His time there was happy and produc- Here he lies where he longed to be course, Stevenson’s Treasure Island is his tive. He wrote nine books in four years. Home is the sailor, home from the sea. best known work which brought him His study faced the ocean and cool breezes And the hunter home from the hill. world fame and good fortune. touched all his skin as they still do for vis- I knew that one cannot separate Steven- iting tourists. son’s work from his propensity for travel It was the most magnificent home in all The estate, called Villa Vailima, is now a and adventure. I also knew that this sea- of Samoa, so much so that the governor of Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and is faring writer/adventurer travelled widely Samoa lived there before independence. open to the public. in the Pacific Ocean. But I didn’t know he Stevenson was revered as “Tusistala 6 Old Faithful, Pictographs, and Spectacular Scenery Continued from Page 4 rooming houses, bars and even a billiard before—and what will happen in the fu- hall with the original elaborately carved ture. table. There is much that is original here, Driving up scenic highway 12, we including a gold processing plant with moved on to Green River, a desolate town some of the machinery still running. (The whose only reason for existence seems to dream is to have the plant fully function- be as a truck stop along Interstate 70—ex- ing once again.) cept for the fact that it has the wonderful Taking S.R. 287 north through the beau- John Wesley Powell Museum, dedicated to tiful Wind River Reservation (home of the the explorations by its namesake of the Shoshone and Arapaho, our next destina- Green and Colorado Rivers. The technol- tion was Jackson Wyoming, the take-off ogy of the time is on display, including point for a river-rafting trip with the Grant historic boats and full scale replicas, while Tetons as our backdrop. a video conveys the risks involved in ex- Moving north to Yellowstone National ploring unknown lands and, in many Park, we spent two days (the absolute places, treacherous waters. minimum) to see geysers (including Old Continuing north on SR6/191, we pro- Faithful) sulfur springs, waterfalls and ceeded to Price, Utah, home of the College wildlife, including bison, moose and elk— of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum, half no bears this time—and, of course, the of which is devoted to Paleolithic hunter- amazing recovery from the fires of 1988. gathers and their prey, including mam- They say it will take 100 years for Yellow- moths and mastodons, while the other half stone to return to the way it was, but a is devoted to dinosaurs found in the area video shows how very few animals died in (although most of those found by the uni- Devil’s Tower located in Wyoming was the fires and how the regeneration process versity paleontologists are on display in declared a National Monument by began almost immediately afterwards. We other museums around world). Teddy Roosevelt. were also made aware of the fact that we Former museum director, Don Burge, sent the museum the donation he had were visiting an active volcano that could liked to recount to my students the time promised.) blow at any time. Knowing that geologi- when Steven Spielberg called him for ad- Dinosaur National Monument in north- cal processes occur in very slow motion vice on how to portray the raptors in his eastern Utah is fascinating because of its and optimist that I am, I figured that we new movie, “Jurassic Park.” Don was display of thousands of dinosaur bones could get out in time. chagrined when he found that Spielberg embedded in a hillside where they were Traveling east from Yellowstone, we made his raptors twice as large as any ac- originally found—-with the visitor’s cen- visited Cody, whose primary features are tually found. In the long run, it didn’t ter built around it. the Irma Hotel and the Buffalo Bill mu- matter because, as everyone knows, the South Pass City, Wyoming (situated at the seum. At the Irma, we were lucky enough movie made a ton of money and, just after south end of the Wind River Mountains is to be invited in to see the Irma suite by a th it was released, a raptor was found that a restored gold-mining town of the 19 patron that happened to be staying there. matched the size of the one in the movie! century in a beautiful setting with a brook Irma was the daughter of Buffalo Bill and (And, by the way, Steven Spielberg never running through it. One can walk through Continued on Page 8

How lucky for Elvio’s two grandsons, Gabriel and Not everyone who visits Yellowstone has a special guide who Giovanni, to have a grandfather who takes them on such shows them this view of the lower falls. wonderful adventures. 7 So Many Things To See in the American West

Continued From Page 7 the hotel is still its largely original, creaky self. The museum is actually five muse- ums in one (the entry ticket is good for two days), including the Buffalo Bill mu- seum, the gun museum, the museum of Western art, the American Indian museum and the natural history museum. Crossing the Big Horn Mountains, we vis- ited Devil’s Tower (a flat-topped piece of rock that rises over 1200 ft. and featured in another Spielberg movie, “Close En- counters”). Moving on to South Dakota, we visited the town of Deadwood. Once the com- mercial center of the Black Hills, the en- tire Victorian city has been restored and is on the National Historic Register. Dead- wood is also a jumping-off point for visits to Mt. Rushmore, the Monument being built in honor of Crazy Horse. Begun in 1947 and at least many decades away from nent visitor’s center, including a labora- Postscript: We did not do everything I completion, the rock sculpted feature is so tory and museum, has been built around used to do with students for lack of time big that all of the presidents on Rushmore the working site. Guided tours are avail- (19 days instead of 22) and I have not in- would fit inside the head of the Sioux war- able. cluded everything that we did, even on rior. Our trip home included a stop to view this trip, for the sake of brevity. I would In the southern part of the Black Hills, pictographs that have been made famous gladly make available the original PCC we took in (or were taken into) Jewel for providing “evidence” for some ob- itinerary for anyone interested. I also have Cave (whose name is self-explanatory) servers that our planet has been visited by two separate itineraries (11 days each) for and The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs aliens. The site is not marked, so that the American Southwest for anyone inter- where excavations continue to recover ice finding them is only possible by word-of- ested. Who knows? Ceci might even talk age mammoths and mastodons trapped in mouth. If our national park system is a re- the family and me into taking those trips a deep waterhole. Of course, the animals flection of our humanity at its best, the once again and I would have to write new were all males, since females with their bullet holes in the Native American im- reports. young apparently knew better. A perma- ages from a thousand years ago show us at our worst.

Elvio and his wife, Ceci, take in one of many magnificent The photo shows a close-up view of the excavation of a wooley view during their trip. It’s nice to have a husband who mammoth at the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs. knows all the special places to see.

8 Scholarship Recipient Tells How PCC and Support from Retirees Association Changed His Life By Alan Lamson quirements; he expects to graduate in the maintaining a 3.8 grade average. He has al- spring of next year. ways loved cars and electronics and is a The Foundation Board heard PCC student, Marcus was introduced by Alan Lamson, skilled auto technician and welder. Some Marcus Franco, speak about his difficulties chair of Retirees’ Scholarship Committee day he hopes to open his own business. as an ex-felon as well as the success he has that has awarded Marcus an Osher Scholar- Marcus dropped out of high school in enjoyed at PCC in the Auto Technology pro- ship for two years in a row. Lamson said Wyoming at 16 because he got a girl preg- gram, which he has now completed. He is that “when the Foundation office said that nant and had to get a full time job to support now working on his general education re- we could renew our Osher scholarship for her and his daughter. At 18 he discovered the same student, I he had cancer and underwent multiple sur- asked our scholarship geries in Los Angeles. He is still recovering committee if they from the cancer. would want to select While in Los Angeles, he was involved in Marcus for a second an accident where another person was killed. year. They enthusi- Though the accident wasn’t his fault, he was astically agreed that charged with involuntary manslaughter and we should. And the given a sentence of over six years. entire Board ap- While in prison, he earned his G.E.D. and proved.” volunteered as a clerk for the prison. De- Marcus expressed spite the many negative influences in prison, his great appreciation including gangs and the mistreatment by the for the two Osher guards, he kept telling himself that he scholarships awarded needed to stay positive in order to turn his to him. He said it life around felt so good that oth- once he got out. ers believed in him. Especially moving was his comment He also spoke about about how he and other inmates divided up his wonderful experi- books to read, even copies of Reader’s Di- ences as a student at gest, since there weren’t enough to go Marcus Franco, center, presents a sculpture he made to Dorothy PCC, where he has around. There were, he said, few positive Burns, Retirees Association President, and Alan Lamson, chair of the earned his Auto Tech- influences in prison but these books were scholarship committee. Marcus gave the gift to thank the retirees for nology Certificate, treasured. their support. While still under prison authorities, he was accepted for the California Department of Watchdog Group Sues PCC Over Forestry and Fire Protection and trained as a fire fighter, a job he loved because it allowed President’s Retirement Package him out of his prison cell and gave him some valuable job experience. calls the $400,000 a “settlement and release of Not everyone was happy with the severance It was during this time, just before he got claims,” without revealing what the claims package that the Board of Trustees negotiated discharged, that he learned he was approved with Dr. Mark Rocha when he retired from were. CalAware argues the closed sessions to go to Pasadena City College. Being at PCC. were about compensation beyond the amount PCC, he said, has turned his life around and Californians Aware, a non-profit, watchdog Dr. Rocha was entitled to under his contract, group that works to ensure that government and that the closed session agendas were mis- given him a second chance. agencies conduct their business in public, has leadingly worded to avoid public awareness of Despite the difficulties of his life—the filed a lawsuit against the college and the the planned award. cancer and his prison sentence—Marcus said trustees for illegally meeting in private to dis- The suit wants the board to rescind the ac- he keeps a positive outlook about his future. cuss the president’s retirement package. The tion it took on Rocha’s retirement package, and “Some doors have been closed to me,” he group alleges that the board of trustees violated it also asks that Dr. Rocha be ordered to return said, once people know he was in prison, but the state’s open meeting laws when it met in the $400,000. In addition to that amount, “other doors have opened up” as a result of closed session to discuss the details and vote Rocha received $16,000 to cover legal costs. his experiences at PCC On the positive side, on the financial package. The Ralph M. Brown After Dr. Rocha announced his retirement, he has recently been discharged as a model Act requires that the item going to be discussed several newspapers covering the story wanted parolee. “I am determined to continue and by the board to appear on the agenda with any to know how the board members voted on the finish my studies for a better future not only action taken in a public. issue. The college said it was not required to for myself but for my daughter as well.” On its website, CalAware said it argued in its reveal that information. After a lawyer for Cal- Knowing his story, who wouldn’t want to petition that the approval was hatched in two ifornians Aware informed the board that it help Marcus Franco? would be in violation of the Brown Act if it re- closed sessions labeled as dealing with “antici- President Lonnie Schield hugged Marcus fused to disclose the information, board Presi- pated litigation” without explaining what liti- after his presentation, which was greeted by gation was anticipated, or why, or who the dent Anthony Fellow announced that the vote enthusiastic applause from the audience. potential plaintiff was. The board’s attorney to approve the package was unanimous. 9 In Memoriam Woody Olsen, Former Chairman of the English Department, Died at 99 Woody Ohlsen, former Chair of the Eng- Comments by Alan Lam- lish Department, died at the age of 99 on son. June 14 of this year. Woody and his wife I first met Woody Ohlsen Marie came to California from Michigan in in 1969 when he had just re- 1945 after Woody received a Master’s de- turned from a sabbatical gree in English at the University of Michi- leave in England where he gan. was doing research for his After getting a junior college credential at book on the Bible, Perspec- UCLA, he was hired by Dorothy Dixon to tives on Old Testament Lit- teach English at PCC in 1946. Then in erature. I was 26 and had 1956, she recommended that Woody be ap- been hired the previous year pointed chair of the department. by Frank Hammond along Woody held that position until his retire- with several others. Frank ment in 1977. During that time he wielded served as interim department considerable influence at the college, helping chair while Woody was on to select Armen Sarafian as president in sabbatical. 1965. He was a strong supporter of his fac- I’m not sure when I first ulty and resisted attempts by the administra- met Woody, but I do remem- tion to make him more supportive of ber our first conference. In after he and Marie moved to the Vista de management. those days the chair sat in on classes of all Monte retirement center when she began to After he and Marie retired, they moved to the new teachers. I remember being nerv- show signs of dementia. Santa Barbara where Woody soon began ous when I walked into Woody’s office for But Woody had a lighter side as well. He teaching in the Adult Education program at his review of my class. He put me at ease by loved to chat up waitresses, which he did Santa Barbara City College. He continued asking that I call him Woody. I’m sure he whenever we would go out to eat. to teach in the program even after he and made some suggestions for improvement in He would never forget their names, par- Marie moved to a retirement center. my teaching and he commented that I dis- ticularly the attractive ones, and he usually He was 97 when he taught his last class. missed the class five minutes early. But suggested that we go back to the restaurant In 2005, he won a statewide award for his what I particularly remember is his advice where his favorite waitress worked. Some- teaching. about student papers: “Say, listen,” he said, times a waitress would give him a hug and “don’t get hung up on grading student pa- he was ecstatic. He often enjoyed recalling pers.” What a relief. He must have known it. Perhaps she fancied him? No wonder his that I was up late every night poring over the favorite joke was that his favorite sex was papers that constantly flowed from my four oral: he loved to talk about it. composition classes. As much as Woody loved flirting with the By the time that Woody retired in 1977, ladies, his true love was Marie. He would my wife Sheila and I had become close often comment that she was the most beauti- friends with him and Marie, especially after ful woman he had ever met—and also one of they moved to Santa Barbara. Several times the best kissers. After she passed away sev- a year I would call and ask: “Is our room eral years ago, Woody would say he often available?” It usually was, and we would saw her in his dreams and spoke with her. stay overnight at their house. He didn’t really believe in an afterlife, Woody was a serious person. He ran the but he held out the possibility that he might English department with a strict hand, often see Marie again. putting notes in teacher’s boxes to see him Woody stopped teaching when he was 97. about some problem. He said that he had trouble speaking and And he loved serious works of literature, hearing the responses from his students. He like the Greek tragedies, the “Iliad,” and was also concerned that his memory wasn’t Helen Oakley “Moby Dick,” which he considered the what it used to be. Teaching was what kept Right before the newsletter went to the greatest American novel. He taught these Woody alive. When he stopped, I thought it printer, we received word that Helen and other classic works in a course he cre- wouldn’t be long before he joined Marie. Oakley passed away. Helen was a Serv- ated at PCC called Masterpieces of Litera- Woody will be fondly remembered by ture. He also taught them in his adult ice Clerk in Facilities. She worked at those of us fortunate enough to have taught education courses in Santa Barbara. PCC for 21 years. She retired in 1990. when he was at PCC; he was one of great He continued to teach these courses, even ones from an era long since gone. 10 Chuck Havard, Former Counselor in Disabled Students’ Programs and Services, Passed Away By Kent Yamauchi he created a life where he sought to make the most of every moment, whether serv- Chuck Havard. a counselor and dis- ing students at work, being a loving and ability specialist in our Disabled Student devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Programs and Services, passed away on or quietly crusading for the preservation Dec. 8 . He retired from Pasadena City of our fragile environment. College in 2005 after serving our students Chuck suffered through two serious and the college for more than 30 years. medical conditions (heart and cancer) If you were at PCC during any of the since his retirement, yet true to his form, years that Chuck was, I am sure you ei- bounced back with vigor and determina- ther knew him or knew of him. A com- tion. But, such physical assaults weak- passionate and caring person, he was ened his abilities, but not his resolve, to always supportive of his students who enjoy life. routinely referred to him as “my” coun- After a brief illness, and with little suf- selor. fering, he passed away at home sur- He never allowed his situation (being a rounded by his wife, Dorothy, his two quadriplegic since a gymnastics accident daughters, Christine and Joanna, and his in his early 20s) to define him. Rather, grandchildren. We miss Chuck dearly. Phyllis Brzozowski Spent 23 Years at PCC Phyllis Clare Miller Brzozowski passed An avid traveler, Phyllis spent several the Ventura Library and was a member of away May 7, 2014, at Emeritus in Ran- summers with Global Volunteers, teach- the Unitarian Church in Ventura. cho Mirage, CA. Phyllis was born in ing English in Poland, Russia, China, and She is survived by her brother, Richard Findlay, Ohio, September 30, 1924. Ghana. Miller, along with many nieces and Phyllis married Stanley Brzozowski who While re- nephews. Phyllis was dearly loved by preceded her in death in 1972. siding in her friends and family. Education was primary in her life. She Ventura earned her Ed.D. in Higher Education after her Consider Honoring from Nova Southeastern University in retirement, Florida. She taught in the School of she de- A Friend or Colleague Business and Economics at Cal State Los voted When members of the college staff Angeles before coming to Pasadena City much of pass away, friends and relatives often College. She taught business and market- her time wonder how best to honor those indi- ing-merchandising courses for 23 years at and energy viduals. PCC. Prior to her teaching career, she to The Many times, special scholarships are worked in retail management. Friends of established in the name of the deceased. The college foundation can help set up a scholarship in the name of someone A Special Invitation Just for You you want to remember. If you retired from PCC, we want you to come to the If you don’t want an award named after the person, you can also donate Fall Mixer at the home of Lisa Sugimoto money to an existing scholarship in that Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. individual’s name. 431 S. Parkwood Ave. If the deceased retired from PCC, you Pasadena, CA 91107 could also contribute to the Retirees As- sociation scholarship in that person’s RSVP Acceptances Only name. If you have any questions or you want Sally Shuster (626) 798-3744 to name a scholarship or donate money Terri Marsala (626) 449-5717 in someone’s name, contact the PCC Foundation at (626) 585-7065.

11 More About Board of Directors for 2014

Turkey Trip Elvio Angeloni Altadena Continued From Page 6 Norm Abbey Pasadena to turn over, which I did somewhat awk- Joseph Barnes Pasadena wardly, trying to position the towel to cover what needed to be. This part of the Mikki Bolliger, newsletter editor Burbank massage caused me to tense my muscles, Dorothy Burns, president Pasadena especially as her hands worked their way Bruce Carter Monrovia up my legs. “Softer,” she said, which I took to mean, relax. I tried but my mind Lisa Davis, secretary Los Angeles kept thinking, “I’m ticklish right there.” Kay Dabelow Cambria After the legs, she moved to the head of the table, poured some more oil into her Virginia Dedeaux Altadena hands, and began to rub my stomach, an- Bill Goldmann, past president La Canada other ticklish area. As she stretched to Sherry Hassan Los Angeles move her hands down my stomach, she leaned her breasts on my face. They were Harry Kawahara, past president Pasadena covered, but nevertheless— there they Alan Lamson, web editor Pasadena were. I kept thinking, “Cok guzel,” but kept the words to myself. Mary Ann Laun Arcadia Despite the pleasure of the massage, it Terri Marsala, treasurer Pasadena was with some relief when Anna finished Marion Murphy, historian Arcadia her ministrations. But before dismissing me to the showers, she spread a thick Donna Mitoma Pasadena cream on my face, which hardened into a Patsy Perry Altadena mask. When I looked in a mirror, the image I saw reminded me of a native Mike Riherd Altadena witch doctor from the pages of National Pat Savoie Altadena Geographic. Sally Shuster, 2nd vice president Pasadena During our two weeks in Turkey, we en- countered other delights besides the bal- Lisa Sugimoto Pasadena loon ride and Turkish bath. Our tour was billed as a culinary/culture tour, so we were delighted by the wonderful cuisine that most of us had never tasted. Istanbul We Want To Hear From You now has a number of chefs with interna- tional reputations. Should you visit Istan- If you enjoy reading about the trips of other retirees, you can bet everyone would bul, you must try the Meze By Lemon like to hear about your travels. If you haven’t been traveling, how about letting Tree restaurant of Gencay Ucok, across everyone know what you are doing these days. Sometimes we lose track of our the street from the Pera Palace hotel. friends after they’ve retired, so it’s always nice to find out what’s keeping them Gencay, owner and chef, combines tradi- busy. tional Turkish flavors with a flourish. His You can send a typed copy to Mikki Bolliger c/o PCC Retirees Association, 1570 small restaurant is usually fully booked, so E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91106 or you can e-mail your story and make reservations early. photos to Mikki Bolliger at [email protected]. We are waiting to hear from you. We’ll be checking the mailbox every day. Scholarship Fund Needs Donations

Times are tough, especially for students who are trying to make ends meet in these tough economic times. Each year the Retirees’ Association prides itself in being able to support outstanding students who need help to continue their education. However, without your help, we won’t be able to give as many scholarships. Remember, you can earn air miles by putting your donation on your credit card. Just call the foundation office at PCC and tell them it is for the retirees’ scholarship.