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NO. I, 2000 $5 ' • ' ' r t Survival of the fittest With this century-old Natural History Museum tribute, KU scientists once defended evolution. The battle is on again. •»••••••••••••••»••••••••••••••••••••••»••••••••••••»••••»•••• HAS YOUR TOLERANCE FOR vim CHANGED SINCE YOU LEFT KU? {yfovs family's well-being deserves a mature appreciation of risk and reward. • The University of Kansas Alumni Association and the NestEgg Funds announce a whole new way to invest, a simple but sophisticated approach to mutual funds that can help you and your family achieve a workable balance of risk and reward - with just one easy, convenient, cost-effective decision. • Best of all, the NestEgg Funds involve no "sales loads."* FOR MORE INFORMATION & A PROSPECTUS CALL: U800.272.2115 THE BEST TOMORROW DAY. Q ^Kansas. Alumni* ••••••••••• ASSOCIATION KANSAS ALUMNI CONTENTS FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 20 3 FIRST WORD Special Delivery C! 1ORUS By day a Montana mail carrier, alumnus Gene Bernofsky has earned acclaim for his powerful films 6 ON THE BOULEVARD aimed at preventing ecological disasters. Schedules of KU events By Rex Buchanan 8 JAYHAWK WALK Fantasy football, ghostly 22 Page 20 Biological Warfare research, Jonathan In the wake of a controversial vote by the Kansas Kozol's visit and more Board of Education, KU scientists suddenly find 14 SPORTS themselves forced to defend fundamental theories ranulous resninen. of science, including biological, geologic and cosmic all-time KU athletes evolution. Our package includes an essay by and more Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway outlining the 18 OREAD READER Chris Lazzarino holds University's responsibility to "fight long and hard" out hope for hope for good science education in public schools and 19 OREAD WRITER scientific literacy among all citizens. Megan Maaejowski pon- By Chris Lazzarino ders the dropped chalupa Essay by Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway 36 ASSOCIATION NEWS Page 22 Board nominees, high- Cover photograph by Wally Emerson flying Jayhawks and more 38 ASSOCIATION 30 CALENDAR The latest on Adams Ground Crew Alumni Center, chapter and Kill' events Eileen Hawley, voice of Mission Control and wife of U CLASS NOTES astronaut and alumnus Steve Hawley, offers insights Profiles of KC mayors, an into the tension and loneliness endured by families of outdoors writer and more space travelers. By Eileen Hawley Deaths in the KU family 54 SCHOOLWORK News from academe 60 HAIL TO OLD KU New Year's bereaved VOLUME 98 NO. 1, 2000 KANSAS ALUMNI As a mentor for a KU student through KU student is waiting to hear from you.This fledgling 'Hawk Students talk about Awill soon graduate and enter a whole new world of respon- sibility. A little encouragement and some helpful hints from you 'Hawk to 'Hawk could make a big difference in this Jayhawk's future. "My mentor is a third-generation pharmacist. I can tell from his e-mail that he really enjoys his work and it's In your career, you've walked the walk and talked the talk. inspiring to know that there is such a Why not share what you know with that KU student who's just professional tradition in his family.The starting out? It only takes a few minutes to correspond by e-mail experience and wisdom he offers will or talk over the phone occasionally, maybe schedule a lunch or have a big impact on how I pursue two.You don't have to promise a job or help out with class own career." assignments. Just give some advice, answer some questions, tell leth Deterding, sophomore in phar- your story. iacy, about her mentor, David Rankin, p'63, Phillipsburg The 'Hawk to 'Hawk How-To • Participating mentors and students must be Alumni California sends me one almost every Association members day. He gives me business hints and • Correspond with your student through e-mail, letters, also reminds me that there is more to by phone or in person life than just work. He really has a pos- itive attitude and encourages me to g If you're ready to talk to a deserving 'Hawk, fill out the enclosed reply card or call the Kansas Alumni Association at - Kari Murphy, junior in business, about her mentor, Scott Herring, c'86, Her- 1-800-584-2957 mosa Beach, Calif. to sign up as a 'Hawk to 'Hawk mentor. really encouraged me as Or sign up online at an undergraduate. Our contact gave www.ukans.edu/~kualumni/hawk-to-hawk.html me insight into what he actually does and ideas of what to think about e I -Troy Dinges, first-year law student, .-.Kansas about his former mentor, Bernie Alumni* Nordling, 1*49, Lawrence ASSOCIATION Founded in 1883 FIRST WORD 5Y JENNIFER JACKSON SANNER 1 or as long as I wild range of jazz history notes and resolve them neatly, making can remember, perfect melodic sense in the end. The cat could jam. my dad has Wright also sang a gorgeous operatic tenor and played alto kept a standing saxophone. But his true virtuosity was as a music scholar. Dan appointment at 10 o'clock Saturday Gailey KU director of jazz studies, says Wright could name a mornings. Smartly attired in his velour bathrobe, he scuffs to tune even without hearing the notes. "I could describe a tune I'd the living room in his slippers, turns the radio to jazz and sits in heard—no artist, no title. If I could describe the groove of the his blue chair. He says little. He munches raisin toast, sips coffee tune or guess who I thought was playing, he'd dig around for a and reads the newspaper. But mostly he listens to jazz. And, few moments and find it without fail." until late last fall, to the voice of Dick Wright. Wright's mission to promote jazz as an American art form At 10 o'clock Saturday, Nov. 27, funeral mourners in also took him on the road. For decades he drove throughout the Lawrence said goodbye to Dick Wright, f'53, g'56, who died region to emcee live performances (in fact, he presided over Nov. 23. The next Saturday at 10, radio fans throughout the those Sunday concerts I once dreaded). Jim Monroe, director of region heard a tribute to Wright on KANU-FM, the University's the Topeka Jazz Workshop, calls his longtime friend "irreplace- public radio station, where for nearly 40 years, Wright, 68, able." Onstage, Monroe says, Wright praised local musicians as had been the sage of "The Jazz Scene," his beloved Saturday much as international stars. And he never asked to be paid for morning program. his travel or his time. "The Jazz Scene" set the national standard Dean Hampton, for jazz broadcasting and became a KANU publications director mainstay. Wright himself was a mainstay in for the Kansas City the KU department of music and dance, 1 Jazz Ambassadors, where he had taught his popular Introduction says that along with to Jazz course for 26 years and had donated his boundless gen- an astounding 30,000 jazz recordings to help erosity and knowl- form the University's Archive of Recorded edge, Wright will be Sound. In 1996 he retired as associate profes- remembered for his sor of music, winning a Governor's Arts humility: "He knew it Award and a Chancellor's Award for teaching all and never told excellence. These high honors followed a you so." 1993 award for distinguished service from the Last September International Association of Jazz Educators. and October, Wright Retirement for Wright, however, was a rel- lectured and sang to ative term. He remained in the classroom, audiences in teaching one course each semester while Lawrence and Kansas supervising individual studies for advanced jazz students. And City, Mo., sharing jazz history as part of the JazzTrain Project, a he remained in his volunteer post at KANU, broadcasting each series of events through April sponsored by KU's Lied Center, Saturday so thousands of faithful fans could continue to listen the Gem Theater in Kansas City's historic 18th and Vine district, and learn. On Oct. 23, Wright signed off with his familiar and the State Ballet of Missouri. "Happy Sounds." No one could have guessed the broadcast Wright helped orchestrate the project, the final refrain in his would be his last. lifelong anthem to jazz. The very idea of a prominent homage to A few years ago I joined my father among the legions of jazz thrilled Wright, who remembered well a time when such a Saturday morning listeners. As I shuttled kids to soccer and celebration was unthinkable. "When I was in school, jazz had no the grocery store, I pictured Dad in his chair, enjoying Wrights place in academia. It was considered gutter music," he said in soothing show. I used to tease Dad about his square tastes, grip- September, as he struggled with illness yet continued to keep ing as he and Mom dragged my brother and me on Sundays to every lecture date. "If you wanted to play it, you had to sneak Topeka Jazz Workshop concerts, where we sat through unintelli- around in practice rooms or off campus. I'm thankful for how gible tunes played by old guys named Stan Kenton and Clark far we've gone. This whole year is pretty astounding." Terry. Now that I'm older, Dad and I still go to concerts, but I no The series culminates in Donald Byrd's "JazzTrain" April 7-8 longer complain. I have listened to "The Jazz Scene," and I have at the Lied Center. The dance-theatre piece sets Byrd's choreog- learned. raphy to original music composed and performed by legendary The echoes of Wrights broadcasts linger, as do the classroom drummer Max Roach, guitarist Vernon Reid and pianist Geri lectures he shared with thousands of alumni.

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