ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE LIBRARY
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FAREWELL TO THE LIBERTY TREE The 400-year-old Liberty Tree, beloved by generations of Annapolis students, finally succumbed to age and storm damage ...... 14
READING, WRITING & S!JOHN'S COLLEGE POKEMON Thro groups of St. John's alumni ANNAPOLIS ·SANTA FE are involved with alternative schools that stress student-initiated learning ...... 16
RECENT GRADUATES COOL JOBS Dane Owen (SF98) imports Japanese arts and antiques; Hillary Fields (SF97) writes romance nov- Deirdre O'Shea (A98) thinks for Priceline.com...... 2L 24, 28
How the Santa Fe art tutorials work...... 8
From the Bell Towers: The search for a new p..resident in Santa Fe; Newton's apple comes to SJC; Philanthropia reports success in fundraising; the College Creek shoreline gets a new marsh ...... 2
The Finding the music in ancient Greek...... 9
~chola1·sn11>: Annapolis tutor Beate Ruhm von Oppen has been working to uncover the actions and motivations of a hero of the German resistance ...... 10
Alumni Profiles: Patti Nogales (A82) has written a book about metapnors; William Lang (A69) is a rare book librarian ...... 12" 22
ru.uia_puu.:::i, news of what's to come in Santa Fe ......
(JJ ..0 ..0 Q ~~c~~·.~·~·· Association: Awards of 1'. a.1.uu.uu., how the -5"' C2
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...... 7 Frolll the Bell To-wers ...
NEW GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE APPROVED •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Presidential Search Underway overnance Committee of the the Polity of the college in accordance Committee. Second, that the Tilles (A59); Jonathan Zavin (A68); oard of Visitors and with the committee's recommenda Management Committee will have Charles Watts (Board member and for Novernors, chaired by Glenda tions. The amendment reads: executive authority over the college mer president of Bucknell University); Eoyang (SF76), met this fall and pro Effective January !, 2000, there shall as a whole with respect to certain Eric Salem (A77, Annapolis faculty posed some changes in the way the be a Management Committee for the matters, outlined below, but not over representative); David Levine (A67, college is administered. The commit college composed ofthe Presidents curricular matters assigned to the Santa Fe faculty representative); and and Deans ofboth campuses. The Instruction Committee. The tee's proposals were presented on ex-officio, Harvey Flaumenhaft, Chair ofthe Management Committee Management Committee will lead col both campuses in October and dis Annapolis dean, and James Carey, will be appointed annually by the lege-wide strategic planning efforts; cussed by the faculty and staff. Santa Fe dean. The committee is Members of the committee also visit Board of Visitors and Governors. coordinate advancement efforts on charged with recommending a candi ed each campus and met with faculty, With the advice ofthe Committee, and the two campuses, including external date or candidates and with consulting staff, students, alumni, and adminis in a collegial manner, the Chair shall relations and publications that repre with "all ... appropriate persons on trators to answer questions. The pro exercise executive authority over the sent the college as a whole, develop both campuses." Final candidates will posals centered around an amend college as a whole with respect to mat ment initiatives, and capital cam ters assigned by the Board of Visitors paigns; approve policy for financial meet with members of the faculty and ment to the Polity that would estab and Governors. All otherprovisions of aid and admissions for each campus; lish a Management Committee to with the Instruction Committee on the Polity, including the duties ofthe oversee alumni relations efforts; man oversee certain college-wide matters. both campuses. According to Presidents and Deans, will remain in age a process for consolidated "While recognizing the importance of Ms. Anderson, a national search has fall force and effect, except as resource planning, including review having two presidents, one for each begun, with an advertisement in the modified hereby. This provision will of campus-specific budgets, prepara campus, the committee attempted to Chronicle ofHigher Education and let terminate in five years from the date tion of a college-wide budget, and address issues of concern about col ters to the presidents of more than a ofits adoption unless renewed by an implementation of a college-wide hundred liberal arts colleges to solicit lege unity and effective strategic plan affirmative vote ofthe Board of information management system. nominations. Alumni are invited to ning. The process entailed much dis Visitors and Governors in the year With the resignation of John cussion of arguments for and against prior to its expiration. Agresto as president in Santa Fe, the forward ideas for nominations to Ms. the proposals. The Board also passed several Board also appointed a search com Anderson (c/o Division of Medical After presentation of the major resolutions. First, that Christopher B. mittee to look for and recommend a Education, Association of American arguments at the meeting of the Nelson (SF70), president of the new president. Search Committee Medical Colleges, 2450 N St. NW, Board of Visitors and Governors in Annapolis campus, will serve as the members are: Brownell Anderson, Washington, D.C. 20037). • November, the Board voted to amend first chair of the new Management Chair; Susan Ferron (SF77); William -by Barbara Goyette
"WHY SHOULD THAT APPLE ALWAYS DESCEND PERPENDICULARLY TO THE GROUND?" avingrecentlymourned the loss of the Liberty Tree, St. John's hopes to the shade of some apple trees. AB they sat chatting, Newton told Stukeleythat soon acquire a new tree that is rich in history, grown from an apple "he was just in the same situation, as when formerly, the notion of gravitation ae:scE~naleafrom a tree on Isaac Newton's estate in England. Newton was came into his mind. It was occasion'd by the fall of an apple, as he sat in contem inspired to formulate his theory of universal gravitation bywatching an apple plative mood. Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the from one of his trees fall to the ground. A gift from the 1999 graduating class, ground, thought he to himself. Why should it not go sideways or upwards, but the apple is being cultivated at Historic London constantly to the earth's centre." Town and Gardens, a restored 18th century tav John Conduitt recorded a similar story ern with a period garden and orchard in about Isaac Newton. ""Whilst he was musing in a Edgewater, about five miles south of Annapolis. garden it came into his thought that the power A seedling should be ready for planting on the of gravity (which brought an apple from the tree Annapolis campus in about two years. to the ground) was not limited to a certain dis The idea for the apple tree actually came tance from the earth but that this power must before the demise of the Liberty Tree, accord- extend much farther than was usually thought to Kelly O'Malley (A99), senior class gift co Why not as high as the moon said he to himself leader along with Sarah Dawson Hood (A99). & if so that must influence her motion & per "Isn't it ironic?" she says. "We had no clue. haps retain her in her orbit." There were jokes that there would be twu his The apple tree is said to have died toric trees. Now, I guess there will be only in but grafts were taken before it died. An one." apple from a tree descended from the miginal The class came up with the idea for the gift one on the estate was for the college, after reading about the Newton apple tree in :E and the curator Manor. the Farmers Almanac. Miss searched ~ The is Flower of Kent, a very old on the web until she came up with a source fm variety of cooking apple. the apple tree: the National Trust in England, The arrived enclosed in a recycled toy who agreed to provide an apple from Woolsthorpe Manor, Newton's estate. box. Since the nearby historic site of London Miss O'Malley said the students were considering other gift ideas such as a Town had experience cultivating apples for its own orchard, the college new scoreboard for the gym. "That failed miserably," she said. When Jonathan asked the site's director, Greg Stiverson, whether they could cultivate the Pezold (A99) stood up during a class meeting and suggested the apple, everyone seedling. London Town horticulturist Mollie Ridout agreed. The apple was sur loved the idea immediately. The apple itself was free, and the cost of postage was prisingly large for an old variety, according to Ms. Ridout. When she cut the only 15 British pounds, so the students used the remaining class gift money to apple open, she discovered it held only two seeds. In order to maximize their make a donation to Newton's former estate, and to set up a fund for the college's chances for producing seedlings, she sprayed them with a fungicide and then music library. placed each one in a separate sand-filled ziplock bag in a separate refrigerator Newton's early work on gravitation was done in 1665 and 1666 when he was where they will spend the winter, in an environment that mimics the natural con 22 or 23 years old. He was staying at his mother's house in Woolsthorpe, where ditions of cold stratification. In March, she will put the seeds in potting soil and he had gone to avoid the plague. It was there that he saw the apple drop. Seve1·al transfer them to a greenhouse on a heat mat. Ms. Ridout says she has had a 953 reliable accounts describe such an event, although there is no indication that the success rate in germinating apple seeds. apple fell on his head. The first was recorded by William Stukeley, an eccentric When the Newton apple tree is ready to be planted at St. John's in a few archeologistwho visited Isaac Newton on April 15, 1726. According to years, the college will decide on an appropriate spot for the tree. • Stukeley's memoirs, after dinner they went into the garden to drink tea under -by Beth Schulman Front the Bell Tow-ers ...
SWIMMING POOLS THE LEGACY OF LEO STRAUSS cholars, disciples, former students: on November 12 and 13 they con verged on the Santa Fe campus to explore the legacy of political philoso AND GREAT Spher Leo Strauss, still a controversial figure mme than a quarter century after his death. The conference, entitled "Contemporary Obstacles to Leo Strauss's PROSPERITY Experiment: Is a Return to Classical Political Philosophy Possible Today?" com memorated the lOOth anniversary of the philosopher's birth. But it also com oc1Jmernts from the past can pro memorated the special relationship between Strauss and St. John's College. charming insights into anoth- Strnuss first became involved in the co Hege through his friendship with er time (and interesting takes on Jacob Klein, one of the first tutors in the New Program. Klein, who served as punctuation as well). The following let dean in Annapolis in the formative years ofl949-1958, maintained a close rela ter written in February 1909 and asking tionship with Strauss, who was at the New School in New York and at the alumni to contribute to the New University of Chicago. Gymnasium illustrates the point. Of particular note is the reference to a At Klein's invitation, Strauss spent the last years of his life as a tutor and swimming pool in the building (now known as Iglehart Hall)-a long-stand tutor emeritus on the Annapolis campus. Graduates of the '60s and early '70s ing campus myth whose truth is now borne out. The pool was a small one will remember the "talks" for students and faculty, Strauss intense behind his suitable for doing laps. The reading room seems appropriate for SJC, but thick glasses, cigarette holder invariably in hand. how about the bowling alleys and rifle range???? Numerous St. John's students and faculty studied with Strauss at the University of Chicago or in Annapolis, including current Annapolis dean Fellow Alumni: Harvey Flaumenhaft and tutor David Bolotin of Santa Fe. You have heard of the great New Gymnasium, for we told you last sum In addition to his biographical ties with St. John's, Strauss's preoccupation mer that one was to be built, costing $25,000, but we have exceeded expec with the conflict between the classical understanding of the political, social, and tations, and all told the price will be about $40,000. The dream of years has natural sciences and the modern direction makes his work especially relevant to come true and no place of our size has any such building. It has been practi proponents of classical education. cally completed. Commenced on Sept. 15th, it will be turned over inside of The conference originated as the brainchild of Santa Fe tutor David two weeks. And it is a beauty, far surpassing the most sanguine expecta Bolotin. After consulting with Santa Fe Dean James Carey and President tions of the most optimistic. Description would be vain, for you will not Agresto, Bolotin and tutor Alice Behnegarworked together to formulate the five believe it until you see it. However, think of this, it covers more ground topics around which the discussion was structured, and to solicit participants than any TWO other buildings here, precisely 160 x 97 feet. There is a from the ranks of the scholars familiar with Strauss' s work. Funding for the con great main floor with gallery and running track ( 120 x 60 feet), bowling ference was provided by The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and The alleys and rifle range, big locker room, shower baths, swimming pool, sec Earhart Foundation. retary's office, trophy room, reading room, locker room for visiting teams Carey, Agresto, Graduate Institute Director David Levine, and tutors and a large spare room. Every convenience is within the and for Bolotin and Joshua Kates all participated in the conference, as moderators and drill, exercise, big meetings and dances, we are behind no one for facilities. panelists. Other notable scholars included: Nassar Behnegar and Christopher You will be proud of it, but it has drained the College purse dry and we need Bruell of Boston College; James W. Ceaser of the University of Virginia; Werner lockers, gymnastic apparatus, etc., to make the equipment accord with this Dannhauser, professor emeritus at Cornell University; Hillel Fradkin, fellow at splendid building. It will cost $2500. It is up to the Alumni to provide it. the American Enterprise Institute and former vice president of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation; William Galston of the School of Public Affairs at Will you help? You have asked that St. John's show activity, here it is, and the University of Maryland; Richard Hassing of the Catholic University of the greatest year for many a long decade, moreover we are now going to America; Steven J. Kautz of Emory University; Wilson Carey McWilliams of show the banner year of our history next year. Here's what you have asked Rutgers University; James H. Nichols, Jr. ofClaremontMcKenna College; for. Don't fail us. Give us what you can and as soon as you can. Help us Thomas Pangle of the University of Toronto; and Abram Shulsky, national secu yourself and get others to help. Don't lay this aside, answer rity affairs consultant. today, NOW. The two-day conference was divided into five panels: The Challenge of Yours for the great Prosperity ofold St. Johns, Modern Liberalism, The Challenge of Modern Social Science, The Challenge of signed by members Historicism, and Strauss and Political of the board, Life Today, for a total of 12 hours of dis R.P. cussion. Question periods were lively by the presence of scholars in the T. audience, Michael Grenke R.C. from the Annapolis campus, William R. J. Shapiro of the Oxford College at Emory B.V Cecil, University, and Robert Faulkner of E. B. Iglehart. • Boston College. And although the con ference took place the weekend after fall seminar papers were atten OnAmmst dance from Santa Fe faculty and stu dents was high. director of Student Although none of the panelists were willing to comment on any "final" conclusions of the all involved seemed satisfied that the ses sions had been ~~~~r:TT~ Susan
ence or12;m11zer 0 demic observers ana paneusts were the level of the discus sion. -- usually al these sorts of confer ences., there are one or two interP:stinP-
Publication of the papers present ed at the conference is being consid ered.~ by Caroline Knapp, SFOI Front the Bell To-wers ...
MELLON FOUNDATION AWARDS PROGRAM TO FUND ST. JOHN'S $350,000 INTERNSHIPS FOR CURRENT •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Faculty Groups to Study Geometry STUDENTS
he Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded St. John's College a t. John's makes fewer promises ships will be funded yearly for under Tthree-year, $350,000 grant for faculty development. Summer study Sto its students about the graduate students. Internship hosts groups for the faculty, led by dean of the Annapolis campus Harvey specifics of the rest of their lives will be both on campus and in the Flaumenhaft, will explore the roots of modernity in classical Greek geometry than other colleges-the college professional community in and near and its revolutionary transformation by Descartes. Beginning in the summer doesn't say you will be prepared for a Annapolis. The internships will run of 2000, the grant will provide stipends for a total of 36 participants in the successful career in law (although for one semester, two semesters, or 93 of alumni are lawyers), or in aca study groups, which will be held on both the Annapolis and Sante Fe during the summer. During the sum campuses. demics (although 123 become pro mer, internships can be farther Eight Annapolis tutors will participate the first summer and seven the fessors), or in business (although 213 are in a business-related field), afield-the college is envisioning a subsequent two summers. In the second and third summers, the study nationwide program. Students will groups will also be held in Santa Fe. The seven participants will include St. or in farming, or the ministry, or research, or urban planning, or any work with mentors in such fields as John's Santa Fe tutors and a few members of the faculty of Thomas Aquinas research, medicine, law, finance, College in Santa Paula, California. of the myriad other fields where social services, education, journal The first part of the program will be piloted in Annapolis and begin by Johnnies find themselves. "We will ism, political action, art, and his studying the works of classical Greek geometers who lived in the third not prepare you for careers, but we will give you the chance to discover a toric preservation. Stipends will be century B.C. The focus will be Book One of Apollonius's Conics, with some vocation," said Eva Brann in an arti paid to the students, funded by the selections from Euclid's Elements. cle a few years ago. Both campuses college through the grant. The second part of the program will begin with a consideration of the have active Placement offices, where writings of classical Greek mathematicians Apollonius and Pappus with a "Students who are studying the students learn how to write a view to geometrical problem-solving, and will then examine the arithmetical great books will go into the world resume' find internships. look for problem-solving of Diophantus. After that, the group will address the works and do great deeds as a result of this grad school programs, research of early French mathematicians: Viete, on the analytic art of problem great gift," said Annapolis president careers, and get coaching on fellow solving, and Descartes, whose seminal work provided the Christopher Nelson at the December Geometry ship applications. foundation for analytic geometry, calculus, and mathematical physics. awards ceremony in Baltimore. The Now the Annapolis campus is The grantwill also have more far-reaching effects. Part of the grant will Hodson Trust, which awards grants able to offer students an internship be used to finance a conference on the subject to be held in Annapolis early annually to four Maryland colleges program that will provide more in 2003. In addition, Mr. Flaumenhaft plans to revise for publication the (St. John's, Johns Hopkins, Hood, experience in the working world, so manuscript of his book Insights and Manipulations: Classical Geometry and and Washington), also provides St. that the transition to life-after-SJC Its Transformation in the light of his experience in the study groups. John's with scholarship endowments will be smoother. Thanks to a "I hope the study will lead to a better appreciation of what was lost and that support student financial aid. $1,184,558 grant from the Hodson what was gained in the transformation of classical geometry, concepts that Trust, the college will start the Internship program administra represent a pivotal point in the St. John's curriculum, in the mathematics Hodson Internship Program. The tor Donna Jay says she is looking for component of the sophomore year," says Flaumenhaft. Because mathematics program will provide internships for alumni interested in serving as men is at the heart of the rise of modern science and technology, the faculty study career development and funding for tors and employing students in groups will also address the broader questions about its place and summer study that is directed toward internships. Contact her in the significance in the human enterprise. • eventual admission to graduate or Placement Office at 410-626-2501 or by Beth Schulman professional school. Up to 25 intern- via e-mail: [email protected]. • Frolll the Bell To"\Vers ...
NEWS FRoMcf/)HILANTHROPIA ST. JOHN'S PROGRAMS FORTHEREST OF THE WORLD (AND ALUMNI TOO) PHILANTHROPIAREPORTS EARLY SUCCESS Summer Classics in Alumni giving has increased dramatically over last year Santa Fe The Summer Classics progranI in Santa Fe, where participants can read hilanthropia, the new alumni group whose and go to seminars on the great books, Paim is to inspire their fellow alumni to sup then attend the Santa Fe Opera and port St. John's financially, reports tremen sightsee in the region, will be held this dous success in its first six months: in the last half summer from July 16 to August 5. of 1999, the number of alumni donating to the Each week of Summer Classics fea college increased by an astonishing 343 over the tures a seminar on opera, coinciding same last year. with the Santa Fe Opera's perform ''These initial results are very exciting. Our ance schedule. The slate also includes volunteers across the been working DillllO~>onnv. science, very hard to re-engage alumni with the college and art. The seminars are as follows: and these results reflect that effort. I know that Week I - Sundav. Julv 16 - St. John's alumni do strongly support the col lege's mission; our task is to translate that gener Ermione/Rigoletto al support into financial support," says Shakespeare: King Lear hllarntnropta chair Marta Lively "The Herodotus: The Histories most important statistic for us is the peTcentage Dante: of alumni who give to the college, not necessari Austen: Persuasion ly the total amount nrised. A high percentage of Charlotte Bronte: La Villette alumni giving sends a strong message to the Weekll-Sundav. philanthropic community. Corporations £ ~ and fmmdations look at alumni giving as an ..... Opera: Elektra indication of11owwell the college is fulfilling its was one of the more than 50 volunteers Plato: The Republic mission, so higher almnni translates Annapolis, Santa Fe, and Wasl!lin1gton Cosmology into more support from these outside souTces." Marguerite Yourcenar: of media to Week III - Su:ndav.
mganizat10n. All appr1oa<~rn~s have met with great success. nurmJtgn atten1cun1g Alumni A nationwide teleuhone canmaieu has been ori;!,·amzed Association events. believe that the alumni can continue to be an part of the while the college becomes an Mahabharata lives. case you missed this message, you can read it The the website click on "Alumni ·oflcons Advancement.") The Bear in Modern llllann1rojprnL n:as also recruited volunteers in reunion classes to contact their classmates and talk to them about found the of alumni the A work- shop in October brought other alumni. interest the phonattton alums about the ways in which donations classmates" and ex121t:1ng· thm,g fm the who don't have a lot Dream ·will be offered in a seminar to allocate is that thev helu the colle!!e whatever and vvill be per are in formed outdoors on the St. campus IJy Shakespeare in Santa Fe. says, Fm more call 505-984- "This has me a chance to call all those old familiar 6104 or e-mail names, to find out what been and to pass on some of the class news."Annapolis campus class leader comdinator is Sharon (A65); Santa Fe class leader coo:rdinatm is Paula Maynes (SF77). Class leaders are: 1959 IS - Bill and Carol Tilles; 1974 - Valerie Kozel and Lee Zlotoff Smithsonian Institution and will offer and Celia David and David Wallace( SF); 1979 - Eloise "'•h1 rh;c. I rH1T' at the
Collingwood (A) and Gary Edwards and Susan Eversole n.J..UHJL!J"'u" campus June 7-11 this for information on the 1989 - Brett Brad and :::itepname year. The theme of the visit is ( 505-984-6099) in Santa Fe for information on San Takacs (A); 1994 - Mike Afflerbach and Sarah LiveTsidge American Classics; seminars for par Francisco. (A) and Natalie Arnold and William Blais (SF). tic:rpants will be led by St. John's tutors 1111cu1uuvprn kicked off its communications effort Looking to the second half of the fundraisingyear, Carl Page and Thomas May, and will ·with a calendar mailed to every alumnus/ a of the college Philanthropia hopes to continue alumni through featrne readings from the teattu:rmg elegant, evocative black and white photos of its reunion network and phonathons, and to increase aware Federalist, de Tocqueville, l:!..n1ersm1, the two campuses. "The calendar was us as alumni ness of the college's financial state and need for alumni sup W 1110'.nrnri, and Washington. Valerie to remember and reflect on all the best things about St. port thrnugh additional print brochures and an expanded Pawlewicz (A89) is working for the " says Tom Stern (SF69), who worked on the design. website. "It is wonderful to see so many alumni become Smithsonian coordinating study tours Last fall alumni also received a brochure titled more involved in the college. The next six months will be and seminars all over the She "Strengthening the Community" presenting argi.unents for critical for us," says Lively. "We will have to work hard to was insti·1unental in getting this pro '--'"""L'-"'-"~'u"" alumni involvement in the college. In explain maintain the level of enthusiasm and involvement that we gram set up. For more information, ing the theme for this year, Philanthropia chair Marta Lively have enjoyed to date. However, all of us are dedicated to contact the Smithsonian Associates at says, "Philanthropia hopes that almnni will always feel that making Philanthropia a permanent and active part of the St. 877-EDU-TOUR; www.si.edu/tsa/sst. they are a part of the college on many levels-through giv- John's community."" Frolll the Bell To-wers ...
THE RESTORATIVE POWER OF THE MARSH ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• College Creek gets new grass to prevent erosion and increase wildlife habitat
he second semester of my soph seven to ten years, once the roots of next several years to see omore year wasn't much fun. the grasses have become established. whether one kind is The winter seemed to drag on The whole underlying structure is becoming dominant, too long before spring came; I wrote underwater." The biologs are tele whether the grasses a complicated essay about Augustine phone-pole sized rolls held together intermingle, or whether and Plato that the tutors didn't seem with once they are placed in any other sort of grass to understand; my seminar was so big the water, you just pull the fibers invades. Spartina prop I had trouble entering the conversa apart in order to plant the marsh agates by spreading tion, compounding a feeling of frus grass. While the grass is growing and roots and also by cross tration at the way some of my favmite spreading its rhizomes, it is held in pollination and forming books (Chaucer, Shakespeare) were place by the logs. seeds. "The grasses are being discussed; I missed my The grasses Blits and Maistrellis basically indistinguish boyfriend who attended a college in used in the project reflect the compo able," notes Blits. New England; I got a lot of headaches sition seen on the rest of the creek. In "Some people at Richard and spent the afternoons dozing in a its "natural" state, the creek has Stockton College of New red leather (or was it plastic?) chair three zones: cordgrass in front, a Jersey are developing a on the lower level of the library. My mixture of bullrush and needlegrass set of genetic markers so main solace was College Creek. I in the middle, with hibiscus on the that we'll be able to tell liked to take a canoe out from the shore, and up on land, marsh elder the genotypes apart. Boathouse and paddle across the and pepperbush, says Maistrellis. In This is a tool like the creek, poking into the little tidal bays one section of the project, the area DNA analysis used in and watching for wildlife in the adjacent to the King George Street forensic work." marsh grass. That was the onlyplace Bridge, Maistrellis is conducting a Several students I could feel really alone enough to competition study "straight out of worked on the project Students in boots and bare feet pause during an think-even though the Rowe chapter three of Darwin," he says. In with Blits and Maistrellis afternoon of marsh-making (top). The grasses Boulevard and King Gemge Street sections demarcated by white PVC last summer, and both planted by the King George Street bridge will traffic whizzed by on either side. pipe, Maistrellis planted four differ tutors hope that lab help stabilize the shoreline and provide habitat 'I\venty-eight years later, the ent strains of spartina (cordgrass): classes will visit the {lower). marsh is still there, forming a sooth the plants that originally grew on the emerging marsh as part ing sight from the St. John's side of creek and were dug up by the con of their classwork-the observation of visiting. I've seen bluegills and a College Creek. Not only is that sort of tractor at the start of the project and living things as they relate to other long-nose gar. There's greater diver environment pleasing to the eye and stored until it was time to plant; a things can be expanded beyond the sity, greater numbers of the kind we restorative to the soul, it is healthy variety called Bayshore, bred by the usual watching of squirrels and trees would expect to see in a healthy ecologically: the land remains unde USDA for restoration; a spartina cul that students are accustomed to. marsh." veloped, the tidal zone grasses tivated from local seed and grown at "College Creek is much more Marsh grasses along CoUege cleanse the runoff into the creek by Anne Arundel Community College productive and cleaner now than it Creek help keep shorelines from filtering out nutrients, and fish, and Providence Center (a local center was ten years ago," says Maistrellis. eroding and in general improve the birds, and other creatures find a for the developmentally disabled); "This marsh, even though it's small, environment-as well as restoring the home in the midst of a mainly urban and a kind called Delaware Tall, will help continue the improvement. area. which is (not surprisingly) from I've already seen schools of small fish troubled souls of school-weary This year, two tutors, Nick Delaware. Maistrellis and a group of in the grasses, and a great blue heron Johnnies.• Maistrellis and Kathy Blits, together students will watch the plots over the and a green neck heron have been by Barbara Goyette, A73 with a group of students, are working on establishing a marsh grass colony on the Boathouse side of the creek. JOHNNIES AND LONGTIME FRIENDS FROM ANNAPOLIS The docks and walkways around the Boathouse have been rebuilt (thanks RAISE BIG BUCKS FOR FIGHT AGAINST CANCER to a grant from the Hodson Trust) so hree friends who met in Annapolis over 15 years ago alumnus (A88), for the 8th Annual John Hancock Fantasy that getting the shells and other came to the plate at historic Fenway Park in Boston Day to raise money for the Jimmy Fund, the official chari boats used by the crew team into the to take their swings against cancer. One Saturday ty of the Boston Red Sox. The three of us had played fm water will be easier. On either side of last October, Andrew Klipper (A80) was joined by Jim many years together in Anne Arundel County softball the new ramp and dock, the creek Gormeley, an Eastport resident, and myself, a fellow leagues, but had not been together in more than 10 years. bottom has been regraded into sever It was a fitting reunion to renew our friendship back out al terraced levels. green cord- on the field-and what better place than Park? grass is in small bundles on the lower and the tutors have Andrew was our team's Andrew to grow a three-leveled marsh. has won a recent battle with cancer and is a vibrant marsh grass along the survivor. He wanted to show children with cancer that tidal shores of the C1Jtesap1~a.J<;:_e you can indeed thrive with the disease. We suited up for and its tributaries has become popu- action in the locker room at Fenway lar over the 15 years. It's an in the cage behind the Green .cuv.u""'"''-' alternative to the more traditional to bat to see how we would do. Each '~n~.-'r"T'n,-.-.- ~ . which is in solid contact with the ball. I even hit the wall, to rocks or wood bulk11eads at which netted an additional from event sponsor, the water's edge. The St. Hancock. ect has some nvists on the usual Our efforts netted us over $ and marsh creation methods used. "The we were able to field a team of nine batters who weTe way in which the structure is held in required to raise per batter to 15 until the plants can become against the fabled Green Monster. The total for the established is differem," says Kathy day was over $325,000-a record for the event. Annapolis Blits. "'Usually stones are used, but alumna Kascha Piotrzkowski (A76) and husband Paul we used biologs made of coconut Andrew Klipper (A80) at the plate during the john were on hand to support the team. • fiber so they will decompose over Hancock Fantasy Day at Fenway Park. by Justin Burke, A88 Letters ...
..... an the sun at one focus. What was the course for sweep ing out equal areas in equal times? Lecture What I propose is that the junior math manual In the last issue of The Reporter (Fall 1999) I be re-worked and re-directed toward solving the wrote suggesting books by Kenneth Boulding about same questions from astronomy that Newton was economics which alumni might enjoy (and almost attacking. This would provide ample motivation and any one of which might be a futme candidate for the concrete application of the subject, as well as draw "great books" list). I have nowverified that ing together different strands of the Program. It Boulding actually gave a lecture at St. John's in would require learning concrete formulations of Santa Fe in October of 1968-at Charles Bell's invi Newton's force laws and putting them into practice tation, I believe (they had been friends for a long on projectile motion, orbiting bodies, etc. My own experience has been that physical application prob Unfortunately, since I had graduated the previ lems are generally more illuminating and rewarding ous I missed the lecture, the title of which was to the student than pure theory as expressed in "Mechanism and " A few months later euswJn··ueua proofs, "With the rare exceptions Boulding published a short (two-page) article in the known as math majors. Friends' Journal (he was a lifelong Quaker) on a sim Mr. Forester and the Student Committee on ilar subject. I have now obtained a copy of that arti Instruction may disagree with some of my conclu cle, but my attempts to find a transcript or tape of sions/pronouncements. My only response is that I the lecture have been unsuccessful. come by them through ten years of college math If anyone has any interesting recollections teaching, a body of empirical knowledge which nei- about that lecture, I would be very pleased to hear ther I nor anyone else can to anyone else. Johnnies might not like differentiating 5x2 and from them. would rather contemplate the "meaning" of the -Rick Wicks SF68 theorems, but that road is only reached after a long and arduous algebraic climb. As for "taxation without representation," that was a democratic principle espoused by colonists compelled to obey laws they had not voice in mak I am writing in response to the article in the ing. Last I checked calculus was neither democratic Summer 1999 issue by Sean Forester (A99) on the nor compulsory. shortcomings of the junior math manual and what appears to be alack of overall vision in St. John's -Damon llllingston, A84 approach to the study of calculus. As a college math instructor currently teaching calculus to enlisted I am writing in response to the Summer 1999 sailors in Japan I have some personal insights I article on the debate about offering advanced The cover of the Fall 1999 Reporter should would like to share. French (i.e., translation). have stated that John Agresto has been president According to the article, after the Instruction Firstly, mathematics is not a collaborative pur of the Santa Fe campus from 1989 - 2000. suit. Quantitative reasoning does not strengthen Committee eliminated advanced French as being and flourish m1der the influence of divers views and inconsistent with the school's philosophy, the idea critical judgments the way, say, a Greek play might. of a special French study group was fmther rejected The Reporter welcomes letters on issues of This is both the bleakness and the beauty of mathe (this time by students and tutors) because is was elit matics. So calculus, albeit the foundation of modern ist, might lead to "specialization" and (worse) "fos interest to readers. Letters may be edited for clarity mathematics, physics, astronomy, engineering, and ter competition." and/or length. Those under 500 words have a better (current) economics, presents an intrinsically frus This seems rather heavy ammmrition. Does the chance of being printed in their entirety. Please trating and perhaps unmanageable challenge to the school, in fact, run the risk of a two-track curricu address letters to either campus: tutorial method. Studying calculus proofs is some- lum-beginners and advanced-across the board? Is Arm<1tpcms - The Reporter, Public Relations even math majors don't do until their ultimate there a problem with "competition" at St. John's? St. John's College, Box MD Isn't the aim of the Program to read-to the extent unde1l"grad1Lrnt:e course in analysis, while physicists 21404 or e-mail [email protected]. possible-the great books in the original? and the rest "don't bother with that stuff." Reading La Rochefoucauld's "'The Princess of Fe - The Reporter, Public Relations How then are we to integrate an historically Cleves" and "Phedre" in junior-year French class in Office, St. John's College, I 60 Camino Cruz Blanca, and subject into Santa Fe greatly enriched my St. Santa NM 8750 I or e-mail [email protected]. the curriculum, no pm1 intended? I believe the I doubt that French grammar wou There's a form for letters on the website at answer in Newton's have left as enduring www.s1ca.eau; click on " then click on original motivation for developing what for him was worth the a mathematical tool used to solve big questions to let other students "Contact the Reporter:' about the heavens. Specifically he wanted to know why the should move about an ellipse with
NEW IN SANTA
new faculty members have been appointed in Annapolis: with a dissertation on Kant's view of nature. He has published articles on mat Black received a BA in history from the University of Toronto, and ter and mechairism in Kant, and on teleology in Kant as it relates to evolution. did graduate work in political science at Boston College, where he He has taught at Indiana University, Notre Dame, Mary Immaculate Seminary, has been teaching. He is completing a doctoral dissertation on Rousseau's cri Allentown College of St. Frances de Sales, Virginia Tech, and most recently at tique of science. In collaboration "With a professor of French, he is associate edi Radford University. tor of the Bulletin ofthe Rousseau Society. Mark Sinnett received a BA in mathematics with minors in physics and Kor11•'""""'°'n received a BA in philosophy from Whitman College, fol chemistry from Texas Christian University, followed by an MA in mathematics lowed by an MA and PhD from Emory University, with a dissertation that was from the University of Texas at Austin; a Bachelor of Divinity from the an Aristotelian treatment of species and evolutionary biology. He has pub University of St. Andrews in Scotland; and a PhD in systematic theology from lished articles on the nature of species and on Thoreau's Walden. He has Cambridge University, with a dissertation on theological paradox in Eric taught at Seattle University, Emory University, and most recently at the Voeglin. He has published articles on Eric Voeglin, Paul Tillich, method in University of Central Arkansas. Austrian economies, ai1d theological implications of the role of proof in mathe Nathan Dugan received a BA in government with a minor in French from matics. He has written a book on Socratic dialect in the authorship of the College ofWilliam and Mary, followed by a PhD in political science from Kierkegaard which "Will be published soon. He has taught mathematics at the University of California at San Diego. He wrote his dissertation on educa Concordia Lutheran College, the University of Texas at Austin, Kansas tion in Plato's Laws, with emphasis on the civic role of the judging of music. University, and San Jacinto College; and he has taught theology at Cambridge Daniel Kolb received a BA in philosophy from Washington University, fol University. lowed by an MA from Northern Illinois University and a PhD from Notre Dame, continued on page 12 The Progralll ...
TALKING ABOUT ART How the Santa Fe art tutorials work
hinking back on my time at St. John's, I am beginning to realize that Judas. The painting T the senior year art tutorial was one of the most enriching experiences seemed to us charged in all four years. It taught me how to look and how to see. And yet with anger and fore Annapolis alumni (and Santa Fe alumni who graduated before the art pro boding. Yet the result gram began in 1993) might not know anything at all about the structure of of one student's sketch the program. es in the practicum was The art program has two complementary components: the tutorial and a picture in which the the practicum. In the tutorial, students spend the semester looking at and two central figures discussing about 35 different paintings. The list changes from year to year reached for each other just like the seminar reading list (see sidebar for the paintings being studied with such love and ten this year). derness that an There is a manual with reproductions of the paintings, slides of the unknowing observer paintings are projected to help students see subtle aspects of each painting, would identify the and the discussions are conducted in the usual seminar style. The first few drawing as one of a tutorials are often somewhat awkward, just like in sophomore music tutorial mother and her child. when students are faced with a new subject matter that seems to demand a Each practicum new way of talking. Initial impressions, such as "I like it," or "It's pretty," or held something new for "I don't get it - it just looks boring," are simplistic. But without many artis us: exciting insights tic terms to work with, more insightful discussions come slowly. into the paintings and The series of ten practica help immensely by providing a vocabulary of into ourselves. With meaningful terminology. Students begin to bring words such as "weight" the experiences gained and "tone" into the tutorial discussions with more and more understanding in practica to guide us, and confidence. The first practicum is designed to increase awareness of the the tutorial discussions spatial relationships in a painting. Working with Giotto's The Kiss ofJudas, came alive. The Senior students use charcoal to sketch their main impression of the painting onto a Art Program gives stu clean sheet of paper. They are encouraged to recreate all the main images dents access to great they see and to do their best to capture the "mood" of the original work. art in just the same way Then, putting the original painting away, they sketch their impressions of that our normal semi the first sketch onto a second sheet of paper. This process is repeated one nars and tutorials give more time, and then they engage in a discussion about the process as well as us access to the great the results. books. Yet the art pro I served as an art assistant for my class, a role that allowed me to observe gram, not unlike the each student's work in progress. Some worked awkwardly, trying to get it music program, also "right." Others reveled in the chance to explore a new medium. But each enhances our educa person held up a final sketch with new insights into the original painting. tion with an under The final sketch was, of course, the most abstract and in most cases the least standing of a medium detailed. The images that were powerful enough to appear in the final sketch of communication that told us a great deal about how the original was affecting us, even if we had is not based on words. not noticed. For example, our initial discussion of The Kiss ofJudas centered Here is a brief description of the nine other practica: around the bitter betrayal that formed a wall of tension between Jesus and Practicum II: Compositional Analysis with Black Squares - Using con gruent small squares cut from black paper, we made art by pasting our squares onto white paper. First one square, then two, then three, up to five. Each time, we tried the exercise symmetrically and asymmetrical ly, always keeping the edges of our black squares parallel with the edges of the paper. Practicum III: Superposition and the Discovery ofthe Vanishing Point - Students find a place on campus where or walkways illustrate parallel lines that appear to converge in the dis tance, such as the halls in Peterson or under the ESL balcony. Sitting with backs turned to this view and using a china pencil, each student traces the images that appear in his or he1· mirror. The end result is a drawing, on the that accurately shows the properties of a "van- ishing " used a real setting to help us construct this
l"h"CHAT1TI IT students are now able to create "~~"' ~•n •r from scratch with full understandin!!: of the linear and
series colored papers are mounted next to one another. able to tell whether the small orange square inside a the same color as the orange square inside a green one. Practicum VI: Form Value - We start out using our charcoal to fill a _ _ _ one end to black at the other, paying close attention to the infinite sub-
"The Kiss of Judas" by Giotto continued on nextpage The Progrant ...
MASTER CLASS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Annapolis tutor AmirthanayagamDavid (A86) Greek Suslan Borden
studying is musicae-the origi nal music, the art of the muses," he says. "The pattern of stresses in Ancient Greek musicae is Plato guage nasses, described: rnov- music of ancient Greek as he discusses his work on toward ae:re<~men.t. accent and stress in ancient Greek pr1onuncu1t11on David's discoveries about and their relat]on to meter in the nerformance ancient in his I have a and I take ques- "The Dance of the Muses: tions. It's sort of like a master class or a lecture or Choral perto1rn1," says Dav1d. "I Poetics." ~ Aritu.ror.ie which the classes ended up ~ are trans1atmg, but I also read Homer. I find it the language and he origi- i most amazing thing-it's got an I to graduate school find that my voice and my entire bearing change to study Plato, and was partic when I start reciting it; people tell me it's almost ularly eager to learn to read the like they're witnessing a possession." dialogues in the original Greek. of Plato, I again loved to read him. He became a Possession or not, what people are witnessing "When I was a student at St. John's, I was very much better friend when he stopped being my is Dav1d's interpretation of the relationship frustrated that I couldn't look across at the Loeb master." between the placement of accent marks and the and read Plato," he says. With Homer, however, Dav1d has had no such placement of stresses in spoken Ancient Greek, a It was a class on the Odyssey with Dav1d ambivalence. "Coming away from graduate school relationsbipthat had not been thoroughly Grene that switched Dav1d's focus to Homer. "It as a Homerist," he says, "Homer and I have not explored before David took up the challenge as was a wonderful class," he recalls. "I took it upon had to have a divorce." of his graduate work at the University of myself to read the Odyssey a couple of times David received his PhD from the Committee Chicago. straight in Greek-it was like a hazing; I learned so on Social Thought in 1998 and became a tutor that "I set out to show how the place where a word much in that time. 'It is a fool who says he knows fall. But after seeing the popularity of his sopho is stressed is related to where the accent marks are Greek' is now one of my favorite sayings. more language lectures and learning that he spent placed," explains Dav1d. "I presumed there must "After that class, my interest in Homer over twelve years studying Ancient Greek at Chicago, be a connection, because there is no other lan took my interest in Plato, although I am still you have to ask: is it hard for him to return to the guage in the world where the accent marks don't always going back and forth between them. But I world of the St. John's tutorial where language coordinate with the rhythm of the words." The learned that, for a student of Plato, the most inter mastery is a low priority and lectures are the rare result of his endeavor reveals a musical language. esting object in the world is Homer. You come to exception? Not at all, he says: "This is a language "Every Greek word comes with a built-in melody, recognize that the Iliad and the Odyssey are post tutorial, not a Greek class." • and when you combine lines of Greek verse you Platonic in a certain way; they are written by automatically compose a melody," he says. "When someone who has really seen something, who has For those who knew Amirthanayagam David you read a word in Greek, by correctly interpreting gone through the dialectic and has come up with a as David Amirthanayagam in his student days, the accent marks, you will know whether the word very finished work. There is nothing primitive David explains that he followed a Tamil coming is falling on the downbeat or the upbeat, and about Horner." of-age custom ofswitching.first and last names. He instantly the words of ancient Greek sound like Dav1d describes himself as being "Plato's ser made the switch on September 21, 1989, when he vant" in his early days of graduate school. "It was recognizable music with counterpoint." became an American citizen. And yes, David did very frustrating," he says of that time, "but once I Although David gives his talks to language marry Anne Boyle (AB 6). They live in Annapolis was no longer banking my future on Plato, once I tutorials, he points out that the accents of Greek with their daughters Guenevere, age 5, and became free of the need to come up with a theory tie into the music tutorial as well. "What we're Rosalind, age J.
tle variations along the way. We then perform a compositional study of Practica IX and X: Life Drawing- For two class sessions, students are sketching eggs. Bright lights help us to find shadows and highlights on the invited to the art studio for drawing sessions with nude models. First we eggs. This is a particularly exciting class, because usually all the students practice sketching quick 30 second impressions of the model's pose, trying walk away feeling proud of at least one drawing. to forget about the ideas of "right" and "wrong" and let our charcoal follow Practicum VII: Perspective in Practice - Happy with the success of our the lines of the figure in spontaneous strokes. Increasing the time allowed egg drawings, the class is ready to embark on a more complicated composi for each drawing from one minute sketches to five minute sketches, ten min tional exercise. Most classes go to the Library Placita, where each student utes and so on, students learn to relax their ideas of what an arm looks like, finds a spot to sit where there is a good view of a building. Using rulers, char or a nose, and instead focus on capturing the geometric relationships of the coal, and straightedges (and erasers, of course), we drawwhatwe see. This model's body. Students who professed a fear of art at the beginning of the practicum is terrific because it allows us to incorporate our understanding of semester walk away proud of their work, and experienced artists in the class perspective (the large square tiles on the placita have parallel edges that practice their skill within a new context. But more important than the prod recede to a vanishing point) with our knowledge of form and value (we use ucts is the process by which we learn to see beauty in a new way. • our experience with the eggs to make the columns above the Library steps look real). Most importantly, this is our first chance to create a unique work The Santa Fe artprogram owes much ofits success to its director, Michele and to look at a drawing from the true perspective of the artist. I noticed that Beinder, and her husband, tutor Steve Houser. This couple has worked very many students in my class stayed on the placita long after class was over, and hard to develop the program and keep it alive, and it is due to them that so I even noticed a few who returned later in the week to do a second drawing. many Santa Fe alumni have benefi,tedfrom an education enriched with an Practicum VIII: Line Copying and Master Drawing - Working from sev appreciation for art. eral black and white life drawing sketches presented in our art manual, stu The Summer Classics program in Santa Fe runs a class in the visual arts dents try to recreate the original drawing. By imitating the strokes of master that serves to give alumni and others interested a similar experience. artists, we are able to gain the basic techniques of figure drawing. by Amber Boydstun, SF9 9 Scholarship ...
ACCOUNTING FOR HEROISM •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Annapolis tutor Beate Ruhm von Oppen has by a.figure from German Resistance movement some
Barbara Govette
happen when the nation as read Hitler's book secretly under the bedclothes a whole realizes that this war is with a torch. It had been given me our rliff<>-r<>nrhr f,.,.,,...,,, the she says. After her education in
-''--'-'J-"'-'"-H'-'-• she made her in r.u1g-1
Moltke was executed Nazis less than four mon Clt)ClJ.H;:Jl- urri-i-incr the letter. institutions .L ~ ·... .,."r_ ...... ,,"'r nephew of a famous Prussian had died from natural causes, but the truth had • ._, Moltke became a leaked out). The Nazis couldn't touch the bish
to the Third Reich a pv,pLLILCL.<· Bntwhen un1w;rs1tv that is almost inconceivably difficult to ue1rns-H1srnn~a by reports of that se1·m4Gn--p1nnt ine: totalitarian rule, the slaughter ed and disseminated leaflets protesting Nazi incursions into and occupation of su:rrounding policies, the Nazis rounded them up and execut countries, propaganda powerful enough to ed five of them, along with the professor who convince a populace of the necessity of nation had helped them. The group became known as al action and to mislead about seemingly obvi "The White Rose." The writer of the anony ous events. Moltke worked tirelessly from mous account treated the protest as very within the Nazi regime to undermine the ill significant-not as a sign that German morale effects of its outrageous policies, and, perhaps was disintegrating but as a sign that there were more effectively, to bring together a group of people in Germany who recognized the evils people including religious leaders, military that were going on and who would be willing to officers, civil seTvants, intellectuals, and address the issues that would face the nation socialists, to address the problems of how after the war. The Teport had been smuggled to Germany was to come to terms with itself and Sweden and then sent on to British Intelligence. the rest of the world afteT its inevitable defeat. Miss von Oppen recognized the importance of Moltke and his associates didn't use the word the report when it circulated in her department. "Resistance," but it has been thrust upon She found out only after the war, after she them by history-they were active within the became interested in Moltke for diffeTent rea country in opposing Hitler's regime in a vari sons, that he was the author. ety of ways. As a result of his deeds, Moltke was Years later in the 1960s, Miss von Oppen arrested in 1944, and executed a year at the Institute for Advanced 1945. Studies at Princeton working on a book about The story ofMoltke's sacrifice has fasci- the significance of the religious factor in the nated tutor Beate Ruhm von German resistance. The book "didn't ha1pp1~11, for many years. In Letters to a she says, she explored the topic in a book ofletters from Moltke to his wife that lecture series and Two se1tecre<1, u au;:-i.ta.vc~L, and edit- she was puonsnea m nngnsn. Bonhoetter, a Protestant ministeT and
ti on of the letters was l-'""-'""-''.U'-·'-'- impnca1tea in a number of 1991 an enlarn:ed edition was pu.blJLSh.ed plots and actions against the Nazis, including this a an elaborate scheme to smuggle Jews out of time letters from Moltke's mother 1Jo1ro1thv-to disguising them as intelligence her in South Africa. was nublished in officers. BonhoeffeT and Moltke had worked German. to~;etJ1er on occasion and both were executed in 1945. To Miss von Moltke as a case juxtaposed with Coincidence in the Office Bonhoeffer. Miss von fast heard of Moltke in 1946 when his farewell letters to his wife, written shortly before his execution, were published, but she had The Currents ...... actually handled an intelligence communication from him before that- "Moltke was a shining example," she says. "He'd been against the Nazis unaware that she was dealing with a she would spend many years since before they came to power and he did what he could against them." ~ to understand. She became friends with Moltke's who was living in She had left school in Berlin in 1934, on her 16th birthday, because she Vermont. had all her husband's letters in her attic; she agreed that found the nolitical situation increasingly troubling. "As a sub-teen I had Miss von Onnen should select, and translate them for publication. Letters to Freya (Alfred A. Knopf, 1990) covers the war period from 1939, when Hitler was on the brink of attacking, to Moltke's death in 1945. They chronicle the day to day contacts Moltke made-he tried to find like-thinking men and women in all parts of Ge1·man life who recognized the horrible effects of the Nazi regime and who wanted to work together after the war to heal Germany and Europe. As a lawyer who specialized in international he worked for the government in the Abwehr-the military intelligence service-and tried to make sure prisoners of war were treated properly. He argued against the practice of taking hostages. He traveled to Scandinavia, France, Holland, Belgium, and Turkey to establish contacts and attempt to Nazi it he remained exquisitely sensitive to the feelings of his wife, who was struggling to run the fami- i{rP:ismL in Silesia, and to bring up their two young sons. discussed K:reisau's extensive her oe1~K1:~ep11mr, whether to have the children say grace at the how the flower On Several were killed in the been hatched a group of civilians and renercussions were and 1V11ss von says, n-r•"'h'•h 1uone of the first to hear of the failed assassination <;1.ux;mp1.. of the 20th I was so excited that I could not about it and all could manage to do was the from the German news agency on my boss's desk. started bustling and everyone was very excited. The opinion from on high the next day was that it was good that that attempt had :;:: :5!"' failed; Hitler's death would have interfered with the demand for cil c unconditional surrender." .s:: .£. Moltke was not involved in the plot to kill Hider (he Beate Ruhm von Oppen, a tutor since 1960, with "A Life in Germany." favored a revolution, not a coup d'etat). In fact, he had been under arrest and imprisoned for six months at the time of the plot. But he ents. They were of Scottish descent but their families had been in South was among the many brought to trial in the wake of the attack. "The Nazis Africa for many decades. Her father, Sir James Rose Innes, was a liberal had wanted him out of circulation," says Miss von Oppen. "They rightly sus judge-finally chief justice of the Union of South Africa-who worked for the pected the intelligence service of carrying on work against the regime. They advancement of the African people before apartheid. gave Moltke's group a name-the Kreisau circle, after his estate." After Dorothy watched as Germany fell into economic despair after World months in the prison at Ravensbruck, Moltke was taken to Berlin and put I, under indictment, tried in the Peoples Court of Roland Freisler (known as War as the Weimar Republic came into being, as countless elections Hitler's "hanging judge"), and sentenced to death in January 1945. His final shuffled the agendas of Germany's 29 political parties back and forth. letters to his family stress his Christian faith and celebrate it as the cause of Although there were years-1924 through 1929-when the political and eco his condemnation. Moltke went to church very rarely but was nevertheless nomic situation seemed much more hopeful, she saw with increasing alarm driven in his moral assumptions by the the rise of the National Socialists after the Wall Street crash in 1929 once tenets of Christianity. He had been in regu- more devastated the German lar contact with the religious leaders, both economy. "As Hitler rose to Catholic and Protestant, who opposed M o/tke worked tirelessly from within power in 1933 and 1934, she Nazism. A letter he wrote four years earlier got more and more despon sums up his view: "We must, it seems to me, the Nazi regime to undermine the dent," says Miss von Oppen, do all we can to instill [in the children] into effects of its outrageous policies. "although as a Christian their very flesh and blood the principle that Scientist she probably would- there must be an accounting for every action n't have admitted to despon and that all men are equal before God, so that whatever happens to one dency. Nevertheless, she was human being concerns all others too ... " distressed by the dramatic and tragic events. She says she felt 'uprooted,' and that she no longer belonged in the country." With four sons of military A Mother's Influence age, she worried when she anticipated the war that she knew must come. When Miss von Oppen first started working on Moltke's letters at Dorothy died in 1935, unexpectedly, at the age of 51. Miss von Oppen Freya's house in Vermont in 1978, Freya showed her another set ofletters says the physical cause may have been a brain tumor (as a Christian those from Moltke's mother Dorothy to her parents in South Africa. These Scientist, she was undiagnosed and never saw a doctor); "the metaphysical letters, in English, served as background for Miss von Oppen's investigation cause was a broken heart," she says. Dorothy never lived to see her son's into Moltke, and she hoped that she could do a collection of them some devotion to his fellow man, his constant efforts against a regime he loathed time. ruling a country he loved, and his sacrificial death. Although he was not "To understand the son, it helps to know the mother," she says. Several himself a Christian Scientist, he was heavily influenced by the degree of his years ago, she was ready to begin the task. In choosing which letters to mother's faith. Her letters serve to illustrate a critical three-decade period include in the collection, ultimately called A Life in Germany, and in decid- in German history, and to foreshadow the thinking of an important figure in ~how to edit she looked for clues about the mother's character that the post-war consciousness. found their way into the son. The most important is Dorothy von Ironically, Dorothy's letters were written in English and had to be trans Moltke was a Christian Scientist, to that faith lated into German for publication there. Miss von Oppen hopes that an Helmuth Adolf von Moltke. The two met in when American publisher will find them of interest. "It would be highly mother were visiting Europe and had stopped for a stay at K:reisau, the desirable to publish the originals," she notes. The German edition of Moltke estate. in 1905, after Helmuth's father died and he letters has received solid reviews from four papers, includ- inherited K:reisau. Helmuth much of his time in Berlin, where he ing Die Zeit, Berliner Zeitung, and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The served in the upper house of the Prussian parliament, did public relations Frankfurt review, by historian Rainer Blasius, begins and ends with refer for the Christian Science church, and became a healer and teacher. Dorothy ences to the son, recognizing the letters as important in their own right as bore five children; Helmuth James, the future Resistance leader, born in an intelligent woman's take on the times as well as illuminating about 1907, was the oldest. Helmuth James. For the background the story provides about Moltke, who The period from 1905 to 1935 was extremely busy politically in . would go on to become a hero during World War II, the work is invaluable Germany. Dorothy took a lively interest in it all and chronicled the weekly don't we always want to understand what makes a man able to act with such changes from the Kaiser's reich to Hitler's rise in letters home to her par- courage?• Scholarship ...
Suslan Borden METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING
' are you going to do prose, a concern that she examined in a a computer is never going to laugh at you believe freedom. Most people, with a degree from St. junior year preceptorial with Chaninal1 you. I used to compare the computer to when they're experiencing pain, want John's?" This was the Maschler on catharsis and a senior year a Cuisinart. The Cuisinart itself can't it to go away," she says. "But this question Patti Nogales' (A82) father preceptorial with Howard Zeiderman do anything rnc>rn,r>hFVr shapes their view of that kept asking her after she graduated. on Heidegger. attachment on it, but depending on pain, so that it's acceptable ...... ,_,.,'"'-"-"'"'the fact that she spent But her thoughts about metaphor which attachment, it can be rather Nogales says four years wrestling with "the big ques- served a far more practical purpose powerful," she says. "When you give Metaphorically Speaking had a long ." she could think of no answer. after St. John's, when she found herself students an example like they gestational period" its birth was not at Eighteen years Nogales has in a number of teaching positions, from laugh, and when they "It was done quite a few things with her remedial math teacher at a private high laugh, they are in a much lege to explore some degree: she taught high school math school to T.A. at Stanford University to better position to learn." thing I am interested and philosophy, studied and taught computer teacher for older students at Nogales notes that it in for such a long writing, taught and pursued a degree an Illinois community college. is not unusual for time," she says. She in rhetoric, studied computers and «When I was teaching computer metaphors to invoke thanks a long list of artificial intelligence, taught classes in classes, I would tell my students that laughter, as well as other people for their how to use computers, wrote a comput turning on the computer or loading emotions. "In my case '-vith her work, from er manual, published duee computer software was like playing a record on a as a teacher, humor was tutors Chaninah books, developed and taught bilingual record player," Nogales says. "This useful. But metaphors Maschler and Howard computer education classes, got a mas gave them the whole idea of input and can also invoke feelings Zeiderman to her com ters degree in English, studied psychol output and helped them get their foot of comfort as they mittee members and ogy and linguistics, got a PhD in philos ing." She explains that a metaphor can transform the advisors to her babysit ophy with a minor in cognitive sci give a structure to something you don't unknown into some ters, and, of course, her ences, and, finally, had her dissertation know how to look at. "In a new field thing familiar. And family. published as a book: Metaphorically you're given a lot of information, but they are often used by NowthatNogales Speaking (Cambridge University you don't lmowwhat to do with it. politicians for their ability to has her PhD, is the Press). When someone gives you an analogy or invoke anger or security." As an exam answer to her father's question any "I :first became interested in a metaphor, they express this unknown ple, Nogales discusses Lincoln's clearer? What is she going to do with metaphor because I used to write thing in terms of something you know. famous line from the Gettysburg her degree? "In the present I have an poems," Nogales says. "I saw that This allows you to relax and get com address: "That this nation, under God, urge to reconnect," she says. "I am m£~ta~ph4:>rs were both in fortable, and then it gives you a model shall have a new birth of freedom ... " planning to visit relatives in Spain and ~·rr·1rin,rr and in the reading that for drawing conclusions." "Lincoln addressed the nation Venezuela [where she grewup but has es1)ec1a!Lv after I got to St. John's; Nogales recalls that her older com when the in He said, not been for ten years]. I also have a it seemed that often the critical tool in puter students were wonied about 'look, this is birth.' Ifit's the yebLIITLili2: for to stop fiction was mi~rnpnor. breaking the machine, about its cost, is now in context and Lincoln is and to adds she was also con- and about "A lot of saying that the nain is meaninclUI and ceTned with the limitations oflogic and things hadn't uLU.U'-..LU?
continued.from page 7 In Santa tluee tutors who Ca:rolina in Santa Fe last year have now become tenure-track doc ...... u .... uu., Louise members of the faculty: Eastern recently won the first- K~~h:lmJi:~vc:~rreceived her BA in mathemat toral studies at the award for for heT work, "Bosque ics from Wellesley College and her MS in mathe of snecialization is quantum
.LijJ•WL.JU.._," from the Santa Fe Reporter (no matics from Massachusetts Institute Carlos Flm·es is a 1992 graduate of 1·elation to this She lives in Pecos Je11rnter Otsuki Reed College Connecticut College where on 200 acres of mountain wilderness and and then went on to earn her J\1A and PhD in Averroes, Maimonides
writes about nature. Ms. is wo:rlung on a JLjiJl!=',LJl;:)H literature from the scholar in book about and the sacred in at Irvine. She was an assistant onJiesscff ~vilege, and the She is a Buddhist. ,_,,,,~.._,L..,..., and American Literature Umversitvfrom 1991-97. the Katholieke Universiteit at u~.UV'LH, on of Ghent on Substance and Rernuvu Modes of Uncreated gn:Lduate of the received a MA in
1".t:l{"'tA111Thr U this fall: ~.HJLU.'-LU.Lv of Cornell 1n•·"'°""'°,.t'"·"h'~.,. 0 he was a summa cum laude in chemistry. In 1992 he received a PhD from the 1urndui 1g in a chorus of cries and calls ,.,,.. ..,..h;..,,., the at ... and was the Coordinatm of Mathematics and Science at the School of the Art Institute of Cranes call from below Chicago. then Nietzsche." rrW'n>rlHClTQo of St. John's and climb He received a PhD in ""·""·"u- 1,...,."""'""'''T of Texas at Austin in with a dissertation titled "Definition in Aristotle." He comes to St. from the School of of frost ,, ...... ,.... I/Jina and grass clumps standing alone. Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton. ANNAPOLIS HOMECOMING
he last Homecoming of the century whose Reunion lunches drew big crowds- T first two digits are 1 and 9 proved worthy of 1934 and 1939; 1944 and 1949; 1954; millennial status-the festivities of October 1959;1964; 1969; 1974;1979;1984;and 1-3 brought well over 500 alumni, spouses, 1994. Notable for their spirit and numbers significant others, and children to Annapolis. were the tenth reunion 1989ers-31 strong Was there a theme to this party? Does "fun" returned to campus to compare notes on count? From the extremely colorful and whimsi graduate school, married life, babies, and cal brochure to the seriousness of seminars, this jobs. Homecoming was about all that makes St. John's Seminar offerings included program the college it is. Even the wounded Liberty Tree, authors Kant, Euclid, Shakespeare, surrounded by an orange plastic fence studded Montaigne, and Homer. Extra-program with '"No Trespassing" signs, couldn't suppress offerings were Isak Dinesen, Maimonides, the crowd's good humor. Here's what was going Proust (tutor David Townsend and 19 alum on: ni bravely tackled Swann 's Way), The Class of 1994 Homecoming Lecture on Wordsworth, Lee, and Milton's "Galileo Agonistes" by Curtis "Areopagitica." Members of the classes of' 64, Saturday night brought the Homecoming Wilson. Mr. Wilson was also honored at the '69, and '74 were invited to a seminar on Scott Dinner in Randall Hall. Jeremy Leven (A64) Decade of the '40s luncheon on Saturdav for his on_gurnl ,rl,a,,,. ... -,~i--•nn of the New received the Alumni Association Award of Merit 50 years as a tutor. story on page 18). After there was a Two par- choice of either a the Great ties followed or a rock in the Coffee Shop. lecture-in Festivities concluded with the President's Brunch at the pn~sHlertt West Annapolis. whether emotion and intuition
A choice of activities was available after seminar: an afternoon tea waltz in the Great Hall ·with Elliott £UCKe:rrnan;
Leizman crew for more than 35 years; Jntzer.stanamp, and
member of the Board of Visitors and Governors Violence in Charles Melson IL-'-'---'Jl'"""-' who has been active with the college - The War That WouldNotEnd: US Marines years. (For more on the awards, in Vietnam 1971-73; and William Kowalski Association Newsletter on page (SF94) -Eddie's Bastard.
inducting Jacob Klein and iiluuuu Program will run 9 Eva Annapolis President 14. Morning semi- Chris Nelson (SF70), David Levine ,,-,,--.-11,n·""' the world of Jane (A67) and Cary Stickney (A75) will Eva Myers (SF72). Mr. 14- William Darkey will join Ms. Brann and Myers in the afternoon to discuss the Summer Alumni Program. This year's reunion of Austen's era, Cowlner. classes are 1975, 1985, 1990 and . • Shelley and Samuel 1995. Week 2, from July 17 through re~ns1trat101n materials will focus on the question: What is the best education? be members of the reunion classes this Selections will be fromprogram books. The morn spring. Ifyou are not in a reunion class and would ing seminars will examine classical works in educational philos- liketo receive a please contact the Santa Fe ophy, and afternoon seminars will read works by John's own tutors and .n.rnu.u.uOffice(e-mail;[email protected]) or phone 505-984-6103. '"\Vrien the seed that would In the late VV become the Liberty Tree was 1800s, the pollinated, fell to the ground, local chapter of and germinated, the East Coast of the the Daughters United States was an undisturbed for of the est. No white Europeans had landed on American its shores. Patuxent and Conoy tribes Revolution lived in small villages, farming and propagated a fishing, in the area where the river now baby Liberty Tree known as the Severn met the estuary and in 1889 it on now known as the Chesapeake Bay. the opposite side of front When the tree was barely full campus, near what is now grown, about 90 feet tall with a fuU the Greenfield In leafed crown and a tulip poplar's char 1924, the good ladies erect acteristic gnarled branches, Annapolis ed a fence around the was designated the capital of the Liberty Tree to prevent sou colony of Maryland. A year later, in f venir-hungry tourists from 1696, the colony's first school was I "' stripping the trunk of its bark. founded-King William's School. The ~ When the tree seemed to be in failing health, its huge trunk hollow tree stood near the highest point in ~ from decay, a landscape architect named John Withers traveled from New town, where Annapolis' powder house Jersey to clean the cavity and fill it with 5 5 tons of concrete-"the greatest would hold colonial-era munitions, and where, in another 50 years, the single accomplishment of tree surgery in the world," he claimed in 1907. colony's governor would choose to build his governor's mansion. When storms battered the almost 400-year-old tree in the 1970s, the When American patriots began to stir up protests against Britain, the local company hired by the college to care for the Liberty Tree strung guy tree was a significant landmark. It became the meeting place of the Sons of wires to support its endangered limbs. They fertilized and pruned the tree, Liberty, revolutionary types like_ Samuel Chase and Daniel Dulaney. Under treating it to all the latest methods available to geriatric the tree's protection, they ranted against British injustice and planned poplars. insurrectionary actions to protest the Stamp Act. They hung various officials When Hurricane Floyd whipped through Annapolis on in\effigy from the tree's branches. When they won victories, they draped the September 16, 1999, it thrashed the area with 12 inches of tree's boughs with festive banners. rain and 65-mph winds. Thousands of trees were downed or When the state of damaged-including the Liberty Tree. Following the storm, Maryland granted the newly the college called in Bartlett, the company that had cared chartered St. John's College for the tree since the 1950s, to examine a crack that had the grand unfinished gover developed in the first main branch and extended down into nor's mansion and four the trunk. The news was bad: the damage was severe. The acres ofland in 1784, the largest main branch could crash down at any time, pulling tree stood on what was _,_ the already brittle tree apart, Bartlett's experts reported. a cleared area in what would become the college yard. When Francis Scott The tree whose shade sheltered French soldiers on their Key graduated in the way to Yorktown in 1781, Annapolis officials honoring .._ _,_ was known as "The Lafayette on his return to America in 1824, Civil War pris Ancient Tree," so remem oners recovering from the trauma of battle, p1c:n11cKin~ bered by his classmate Annapolitans dressed in their Victorian finery, gun-toting Shaw who wrote a poem cel students practicing their formations in ebrating the tree's the tree past whose huge trunk strolled endurance. Klein and Winfree When persons unknown the tree under which inebriated set the tree on fire in clad players defeated St. semors and alumni married-couldn't it be its sal- saved? A team of administrators'"'"'""'"'"' -5 GnnstOJ)fliE~r Nelson ~ the blaze. When school ex1p101aea two of students. Six :rooms , gunpowder in the tree's hol looked as thoui!h the cracked branch low trunk a few decades An orange fence whose radius measured the the the tree by destroying insect ---·~~~.,..,~ of the tree 100 was erected around the tree. The tree survived storms, lightning strikes, pranks, decay, and infestations. experts were consulted, including- local a:rborists
_c.., _c ~ Cl.. and the National Arboretum. The state of Maryland sent several of its tree care peo ple to evaluate the situation. Everyone had the same bad news-the tree was too badly damaged; it should come down. Soon the media found out and there were stories in all the local papers and TV news shows about "The Nation's Last Liberty Tree." There were Saying stories on National Public Radio, on BBC Radio, on local and national talk shows. Concerned people called from all across the country with sugges Goodbye tions: put some bolts through the crack, support the tree with a scaffold, Befitting the tree's inject the tree with an agent that would turn the wood to plastic, fertilize the long and dignified life, the college held a ceremony to mark its end. AB huge pieces of machinery-a crane, sev tree with a special infusion. eral backhoes, trucks-were brought to campus, as a TV One of the experts who cares for the state of Maryland trees gave the col news helicopter circled overhead, as a dozen or so micro lege some hope; he suggested calling in a specialist on tree structure (as phones were hooked up to the podium, and as television opposed to tree physiology-the Liberty Tree looked healthy cameramen jockeyed for position, several hundred stu enough with its full, green leaves and extensive root system, dents, faculty, staff, alumni, and townspeople gathered to but what was in danger was the way it was held together). On say goodbye to the tree. October 5, almost four weeks after the storm, Russell Speakers included the governor, Parris Glendening; Carlson, an arborist from Delaware, examined the tree for Louise Hayman, from the Comptroller's office; the county about five hours. He went up in a crane to measure the executive of Anne Arundel County, Janet Owens; the mayor amount of solid wood in the trunk, major branches, and of Annapolis, Dean Johnson; and Chris Nelson. Tutor Peter smaller branches. Ten days later he submitted his report. Kalkavage sang the National Anthem. The Naval Academy "The tree is in danger of massive structural failure," he said. sent its color guard. A little girl who had mailed the college In some places it had less than 5% solid wood; he found fur two dollars to save the tree placed a wreath at the foot of the ther that the "entire tree now consists of a hollow shell of "Son of Liberty," the 110-year-old descendant in front of the wood, sometimes only two or three inches thick. .. much Greenfield Library. below the safe threshold level." Trimming the Liberty Tree Connecting the idea of would not work, he So much of the crown would national liberty that the tree have to be removed, the tree would not only look like a stalk symbolized to the notion of the of broccoli, it would enter a "death spiral" since not enough liberal arts as at the col- leaf surface would be left to generate nourishment. (The full Nelson said, "A liberal edu is available online by links from the college site: cation frees the individual from w.s3ca.edu-click on "Liberty Tree Update."). It was not the limitations of thinking about the damage from the storm that determined the tree's means, and helps him to think it was its brittleness due to its age and the amount of about life's purposes. To distin in its trunk and branches. from evil, you must obvious. but nevertheless difficult. vourselves from the In statement :released on October President Nels on said: "With sadness in our accepted the
urnmH)IlS of a number '-"'-"'-'-LUAV'U- dJl.UVJl.Jl.~l~, and we have determined that the Liberal education has to do ·with that kind ofliberation. The down." There were letters to the editor the paper its citizens experitmc:1ng to the but in the seemed to kind of liberation. The power understand that the tree had to be taken down. It had lived to choose one's own ends in a more than twice as as the oldest of its species. In its f government of the people and I "' weakened state, it was a clear to students and to any- __r::; '"' one else who happened onto campus. continued on page 17 ~
__r::; ::!2"' iii c __r::; .2, READ ING, WRITING & POKEMON ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Two groups ofSt. John's alumni are involved with alterative schools based on the Summerhill model.
Sus3an Borden
at does it take to penned in all day. It's the intensity of here see people every day pursuing make a school? Most everybody's journey jangling around things they really love. They aren't people would list in that building." seeing someone being forced to classes, teachers, a principal, Hiner describes a similar scene learn, but seeing what learning real textbooks, classrooms, desks, at the New School: "Some kids play ly is: sitting for an hour or two and and a curriculum as necessary capture the flag or football or they thinking hard about something or components for any K-12 expe paint or do papier mache. There is being part of a debate during after rience. Johnnies might add constant activity: some reading, noon tea. They see all these great books and class discus some sitting on the sofa talking to Most of the time you don't need sions for the pre-college set. some more traditional kind someone to teach you. Children But at some schools, all these em~n11ng--b11tit's all all learn children say are superfluous; at these working on different parts of the schools, only freedom is essen self. We are not iust intellectual tial. Students are free to choose their activities-not from a list created teachers-but from their own hearts and heads. On that
with friends. In the United States there are about 20 such schools .. TWo the Fairhaven School in
discussion with staff members and fellow students. ened to include all But when students are left to 1Ja•~.-:>.1.•u.u;:>, their ,...,,", '"~ rr to ~,,~~'-""~ don't fit neatl academic skills to the subject categories you'll find at foraging outside the local public school. Wells says for edible plants to lawnmowers. that popular activities at Fairhaven wading up the include video games, Nintendo, Anyone who's read A.S. Neill's stream and looking at fossils. The teacher told her she could study any Lego, a weekly rendition of "Whose classic, Summerhill, ·will have a good opportunity for learning is every thing she wanted as long as she dis Line Is It Anyway," movie watching, idea of what these schools are all where if a student is turned on and cussed her progress with her. "That about. Students are encouraged to swinging on a tree swing, wading up interested. Every moment holds was the greatest gift," Hiner says. "I a stream, sandbox play, reading pursue their passions and teachers some kernel of awakening for the was the kind of kid who used to read books, endless discus student whose eyes are open. When encyclopedias. I wanted to study the sions, Pokemon, talent you're driven from there's Mongolian invasion of China and shows, fashion con very little resistance to learning in the Visigoths." tests, painting, pottery, any situation. The students here are The second experience was woodworking, dancing, inspired to forage through life look Hiner's math class, where the electronic experi ing for what fascinates them and to teacher frequently gave timed math ments, chemistry pursue it, to penevere even if that tests: 25 problems in 5 minutes. "I experiments, requires some drudgery or crossing would try to block that class out," history, music theory, deserts to get to that oasis that fasci she says. "I would sit in the seat clos lessons, and nates them." est to the door and hunch over my sewing. '"You can posi Hiner agrees. "So much is desk praying 'please forget, please tively hear the hum of pening here, everyone is learning forget this test.' My fear of math activity," says Wells. different things. Ifyou're ten years (which didn't get cured until St. "It's not that chaotic old and you see a friend of yours who John's) was in part due to that horri pent-up energy of kids is sixteen reading the -writings of ble experience." on the playground Two students face off, friendly-style, in an interage Jung and Freud, you walk up to him The third experience was who have been exchange common at the Fairhaven School. and you say 'what's that?' The kids Hiner' s reading Louisa May Alcott's Little Men, in which Jo starts a instruction with a minor in philo you talking to me about when you school. "She takes a little violinist sophical education. "It was a won start your school. Why don't you just boy who's an orphan and doesn't derful time, a great time," she says. do it?'" The New School opened that make him study math, doesn't make "I discovered that my thinking was September. him do anything. She just loves him way on the edge, way out there. I and lets him play his violin," Hiner realized that everything in education A Sudden A~'ak!en1lllg recalls. "After those experiences, I was based on a traditional h-iPr!lr..-.hv For Wells, the path to Fairhaven knew what school should be like." on top down manage came not from a directed search but ment, on education as a from a sudden awakening. She process of providing remembers when she first heard information. That's not about the philosophy of schools like what St. John's is and Summerhill and Sudbury Valley. "It that's not what I am was as if someone had thrown this either." huge ball into my lap. I was stunned I) with the first After receiving her and amazed and could only stutter graduate of the School. PhD, Hiner traveled all objections: '"What about over the east coast vis Shakespeare? "What about the really iting private schools. creative minds of our culture? How have come up with on my own, "I read Summerhill will the students get the opportunity where I would have gone?" and I knew it had to to encounter them?' I slowly but Today, Wells has a better idea of where she's going. '"I continue to see work," she says. Then surely realized that what I value, myself deeply involved with a friend showed her what I'm drawn to and find fascinat Computers can become such a part of their lives an article about the Fairhaven and I have a fantasy of ing may not be what you value or that students at the Fairhaven School wind up regu- Sudbury Valley starting a school like this in New find fascinating. I did a retrospective lating how much time can be spent at them. School in York City," she says. "I think it of my educational life and began to Framingham, would be fascinating to try to create see ways I had lost opportunities, Massachusetts, a school that is run an environment like this in an urban been handed subjects, topics, College added another dimen along the same lines as Summerhill. setting. It seems it would be appro themes ... Who knows what I would sion to her thoughts on education: It was the school she priate because so much is available "St. John's, with all its emphasis on had been searching in a city if you bring do"'W71 the walls conversation, the testing of ideas, for. "The founder of the school." the need to separate yourself from there-he'd start a Hiner also has a deep commit yom: ideas, the call to dissect things ment to her school. "l can see myself and get to the tTuth and fundamen ninetyyears old to after- tal principles-this had a lasting noon tea. l have the extralOTd.n1m:y effect for me; conversation had gift of getting to live my life's dream. become the essence of what school- was little more than It's one hundredtimes better than was all about." a dream for Hiner anything I imagined After St. John's, Hiner until 1-1.,.1hr••!lir·v doing and it's cne hundred times of all in a California 1995. "I was home harder than what I imagined as a .l:'-'J.V 15 . _ _ carries ·with it the awesome re:spi)11:s11J,ll11tv about what the purposes which we dedicate a >-. campus planted. m ltH:>'J; one on ttill given the nation's bicen- tennial in 1976; one in Kew Gardens in also from the 1976 propaga- tion effort. Last spring, the state took from the a small piece of the Liberty Tree wood cm1 call Tree in hopes of cloning baby trees, one for each state. That effort is ,,,...... :1.0.,,.~wnr or e-mail office at 410-626-2507 or [email protected]. at the University ,.f1\Jf" ... ulanrl Some mementoes will be the college is still considering options. Goyette SS lumn honor a ps and name ur orar ciati n Homecommg in Annapolis al decisions is in trouble," but he the Alumni Association St. , to be a member of the alum- Colle2e oresented the ni cohort. M-::.·H-i-.e~\M<: the third hon- Matthews, and Charles Watts hon ~ "' ornry alumni. I -5 Sharon ~ where £,,, 0 remem- t5 bering that as a student, "he was a: his spirit, and his wisdom in advising cool:' Even in his St. john's days, students. heart is very Leven, a clinical psychologist who Christensen, and Barbara Leonard compare notes on the of said Matthews, who retired last year. "I wrote the movies Creator in 1985 and I {right). feel blessed to be a part of St. John's. Don Juan DeMarco in 1995, combined There's not a day that goes by that I academic pursuits with the perform don't think about it. I always wanted ing arts-he penned 'The Perils of St. working on adaptations of them for influence on his life. He recounted a students to know that this is their John's," a satirical production, in 1965. the screen. "Throughout his career he number of SJC anecdotes. One time, home away from home:' leven's first novel, Creator, was writ has paid tribute to St. John's;' said he said, he told Mr. Sparrow, his math The final honorary alumnus to be ten in 1980; he told Bishop it was the Bishop. "Now it's our turn to pay trib tutor, that he had worked until 4 a.m. officiallywelcomed to the community thesis he had wanted to write 15 ute to him:' on a problem but couldn't do it; Mr. was Charles (Charlie) Watts.A long years earlier as a senior. He has since Leven told the gathered alumni Sparrow answered "I guess you didn't time member of the Board of Visitors written two other novels and is that the college has had a great work long enough." He remembered and Governors, Watts was formerly how "absolutely overwhelmed" he the president of Bucknell University was by Mr. McGrath's recitation of and dean of Brown University. "He is Shakespeare. One day, Mr. McGrath already one of us;' said Alumni read something out loud that Leven Association president Allan Hoffman. couldn't find anywhere. It turned out Watts credited Harrison Sasscer to be from the stage directions to (A44) with "leading me out of the one of the plays-"1 realized that any swamp of D.C. and toward St. john's thing he read sounded amazing!' College:' He also remembered for Leven said, "I work in a world that is mer college president Richard Weigle: filled with sophistry and hubris," but "We fought together, mostly on the noted that his St. John's experience is same side of issues." always with him. At the Alumni Association annual meeting, Wendy Allan brook, a former tutor and assistant dean, was named an honorary alumna. She is currently chair of the musicology department at Berkeley. While at St. John's, she worked on the music manuals and gave a number of lectures on Mozart. "I harbored a secret fear that I had exiled myself from paradise" in leaving St. john's, she said, but always contin ued to use the first person when thinking of the college. She thanked the Association for her use of "we" official. John Christensen. director of was named an honorary his tenure, the rate has doubled. He has served on the Campus Committee and was active in planning the restoration of McDowell Hall in 1989 (he wrote a book on the building as a result). In Association president Allan thanking the Association, he said, Hoffman with Charlie Watts (top) "Anybody whose job depends on the and Jimmy Matthews (lower), ability of 18-year-olds to make ration- named Honorary Alumni. HE ASS F ? •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• he Alumni Association has a stated goal: To reach more the community for a vari alumni more and in more rich and interesting ways. ety of contributions. This is not new; it grows out of the mission, Awards range from por which has informed the work of the Association Board for many years. traits of past l'"\!'"~><::1rl,,,.ni"c l'\.e1cer1uv we have restated it in these and (we hope) small gifts for Gls as action-oriented terms.As a first step in this process, we included a range of auestion in the last Reborter. We asked. can the Alumni nus receives a Keg1ster all alumni. This docu- ment is funded the and the Association. Association I 7% of its uuu~1;:1.- ed funds in reserve to "11'-''""'"'"'V per year to support cover this ,...,,,.,.;,..,.-1;,.. administrative purposes activities. The Alumni Association expense. Board allocates funds from this Various communica total to support tions absorb about 22% of we do. that dues the annual These to the Alumni include the Alumni Association are sepa- rate from donations dues mailer, letterhead made the the Annual Fund brochure. In the near some of these funds will support an official of the '""'"''"".I:.''"· Association website and other electronic communications. goes to pay for ,.,...,.,,,.~,1'• 14•,.,. The remain in!! 33% of the Association dues are used to support expenses, financial aid, and one on each campus and the sprirg croquet celebra- instructional expenses at the tion in forall alumni to renew old friendships and to discover new ones among alumniof many different Only about 5% of the rev classes. enues are us~d for :administra This budget summary provides a picture of what~he Association has done tive purposes. Board members pay in the past to pursue its mission. With that in mind/What MORE can the their own expenses for Association do for you?" attending meetings, so dues You can respond calling the Alumni Offices in Annapolis, Roberta Gable Dues are Spent are used to cover phone, (A79), at 410-626-2531; or in Santa Fe, Tahmina Slalizi at 505-984-6103; by mail, and materials that are writing The Reporter, St.John's College, Box 280f.Annapolis, MD 21404; or required to support the Association. One reason that the administrative costs e-mailing the Alumni Association newsletter edZor, Barbara Goyette (A73) at are so low is that we receive tremendous support from the college through the [email protected]. services of the Alumni Directors on both campuses. Their long hours of cre - by Glenda Eoyang ative work are provided by the college at no cost to the Association. Chapter activities are primarily funded by the chapters themselves, but the Association does budget approxi mately 6% of its dues income for chap "'j ter development. Because the college covers the cost of and that a large number have some professional flexibili- tutor visits, the Association contribution 11 "'"''"' n"' an network can be dedicated to a varietv of activi- in Plans are for the group to meet at least t' engage in a wide range of activitiS secure and sa+,.,f;.,;,.,.., from to ;> about books. to talk and who do it so well. He Like many alumni from te '70s sees a connection with the '-'-'''""J::.'"'• and '80s, Bob has reached ::iJoint of his n""''""'n,n::iu conversation was and transition in his life. In the part of his persona Twice each year, once on each cam a successful career in hean this in his life. pus, the Association hosts the Senior rh".:lnt-o.- nrl"..:irle:>nt in management, he ch Col. John Lane writes: 1935 "NationsBank bought Bank of Richard S. Woodman writes: America. We're changing our name "My brother Robert-class of 1937- to Bank of America. We're now the and I are still alive and I'm still largest bank in the U.S. and the third active practicing law here in upstate largest in the world. I am continuing New York." to run distributing, computing, and networking for the bank." ~nib be, and founder of the Napoleonic Society of has the Ellen ._, in business admin- Snibbe Napoleonic istration in 1996 from California _,_._._._._._.,._,._._ ..i, and State and a masters in and information science in 1998 from magazines, pistols, guns, San Jose State Universitv. She is at and music. The L'lapo1e<)m_c :,oc1ety has 1250 members in 22 countries. Next year the sail a three-masted luxury schooner edition New Yorker carried a to Corsica, Monte Ian Harris (A) is now the chair "The f umiture Pl11ilc~so1pt1er~" Cannes, Paris, and finally, Waterloo, of the Educational Policy and Lawrence Weschler chronicled W'.i:>ir1h10.1'"~7P.t•'c; to attend the annual re-enactment of Community Studies Department of ca1pitali~;;t" to furniture _ _ the famous battle. the University ofWisconsin we1r1t1E~r!i!•er contracted Parkinson's disease at the age of 40; he found t-h1in1.r1na about art, pieces of furniture based on almost Milwaukee School of Education precise measurements of lines, angles, and planes, helped give his life where he has taught for twenty-three focus. A young New cabinetmaker named Scott Schmidt is able yea1·s. He has taught courses in com 1946 to his concepts into Influenced by a variety of art forms and his- Last May, Peter Weiss and his munity education, modern philoso toric movements, Weinberger's pieces epitomize the intersection of mathe wife Cora helped to organize the phies of education, male identity, matical exactness (remember how the tutors always stressed that the word Hague Appeal for Peace, which and nonviolence in education. He is mathematica, the objects of mathematics, means "the knowable things" in brought 10,000 people from around the author of Peace Education and and being. Several of Weinberger's pieces are in daily use at the world as well as Kofi Annan and Messages Men Hear, Constructing the college. Christopher Nelson (Sf 70) works behind his Weinbergef' other luminaries to the Netherlands Masculinities and is co-editor of designed desk in the president's office (pictured). There are also small tables for a week-long conference on the Peacebuildingfor Adolescents, in the dean's office and in the Mitchell Art Gallery. theme "Time to Abolish War-Peace Strategies for Educators and Is a Human Right." He also authored the article "Legal Theories Community Leaders. He received and Remedies" in the Encyclopaedia the 1997 Peace Educator of the Year Award from the Consortium for 1970 1974 of Violence, Peace and Conflict, pub Steven Hanft (A) writes: "Me: Mary Geoghegen Jolles (SF) lished this summer by Academic Peace Research. dutiful husband of Ruth Sievers, my has recently been given the princi Press. "It's a steal for $650," he partner in life since 1980; proud palship of a second school in writes. father of Sam, who has been keeping Colebrook-she is now principal of 1968 us young since his birth in 1988." both Colebook Primary and "We spent a pleasant day this Fr. John Emerson (SF) is living Elementary Schools, with a total 1948 spring hiking by the Mendenhall gla in Europe and writing a biographical staff of 50, housing grades K-8. Raphael Ben-Yoseflives in cier and doing a bit of tour-guiding dictionary of the Cardinals of the John Rees writes: "Three chil Israel, where he owns and runs a by car with Tom Geyer (A69) (and nineteenth century. dren under 5: Katherine, 4; Daniel, manufacturers' representative firm member of the Board of Visitors and 2; and Maxwell, 1, make life joyous dealing mainly with heavy mechani Governors) who was traveling by and busy. I recently saw Geoff Cockey (A) who drove through cal and electrical equipment such as cruise ship here in SE Alaska. The 1971 John Stark Bellamy II (A) is Orlando with 30,000 lbs. of frozen boilers, large pumps, fans of 5000 other 'visitor' is my fourth grand astonished to announce the publica OJ. Who knows what tomorrow may HP, turbine generators, etc.-mostly child (and first grandson) Isaiah tion of his third book, The Corpse in bring?" sold in power stations, refineries and Cross," writes George Partlow (A). chemical plants. the Cellar and his listing in Who s Paula Hartman Cohen (SFGI) Who in America (2000 edition). is writing for the University of Linda Belgrade-Friehling Massachusetts-Amherst news office 1969 (SF) is a pediatrician in Northern full time, after serving as a freelance 1951 Joseph Baratta (A) is teaching Virginia, outside of Washington, reporter for Newsday and the Alfred Franklin writes: "This world history and international rela D.C. Her husband, Ted, is a cardiol Chicago Tribune, and as a writer for summer myself, Ray Starke, and tions at Worcester State College in ogist. But in their "spare" time, Ted PBS science shows. Son Dan is now Herman Small met at Melbourne Massachusetts. has a rock band, and Linda helps on his own, working as a computer Beach, Fla., for the '2nd mini alum with art and lyrics. Their first CD is engineer in NY, so Paula welcomed Hazel (A69) and Larry ni meeting.' The time is now to plan available through the website: off the chance to switch gears and move Schlueter (A67) have a new CD out for the 50th in 2001. Help wanted." trax. com. to a vibrant, academic community. called "John Saroyan Live and She can be reached at UMass News Pick.in' in New Orleans," available Office, Amherst, MA 01003-602.0 or 1960 from them at home: 112.0 Bordeaux [email protected]. Street/New Orleans, LA 70115. 1972 In June 1999 Sarah Robinson Bradley Arms (A) has recently Munson retired from the Arlington Andrew Garrison (A) reports relocated to Simsbury, Conn., from (Virginia) Public Schools where she that his psychotherapy practice is Dallas to take the position of Senior 1975 had taught English as a Second very active. He is teaching a course Vice President for Health Care Leslie Johnson (SF) writes: "I Language to elementary school stu on American Utopias and preparing Delivery Transformation with have been working for the past ten dents since 1987. another on problems of the self. CIGNA. Alulllni Notes ... years as a staff research attorney for Thomas Dean Wise (SF) is now a might also be working on the (Stabler) (SGI76) and Peter Talty the Superior Court in Butte County, computer network engineer for the English translation of a Children's (SGI87) and their two girls." California, but checking the Daily University of California. Bible which is to be published by the Journal classified ads for that "tropi Marion Freistadt (SF) German Bible Society. If anyone out cal paradise" job opening I've been announces the birth of her healthy there is interested in biblical texts 1980 waiting for. I live on 12 acres in son, Sha.fir Davim Wittenberg, on and/ or would like to share favorite Guy Jennings (A) has been Chico with my husband, two teenage September 25, 1999. devotions or stories please feel free married to Laura for 14 years and stepchildren, my little girl, Addie, to e-mail me at D.Sullivan@ has two sons: William (10) and and several other families-our 'land DaimlerChrysler.com." Graham (6). He was named out partners.' Hope to see lots of friends 1979 Marilyn Schaefer (SGI) writes: standing attorney by the U.S. at the 2000 reunion." Deana Tosheff Sullivan (A) "I retired in 1998 after teaching 28 Department of Justice Tax Division. Michael Hendry (A) is now reports: "After eight years in Berlin years in the City University of New Lisa Lashley (SF) writes: "I am teaching the classics at Bowling and Frankfurt I am now in Stuttgart, York. Have been doing a lot of read still living in Santa Fe, where I'm Green University in Ohio. where I work as a business translator ing, some painting, some traveling. teaching elementary music at St. Peter and Mary Kniaz (A) and at DaimlerChrysler. After leaving St. Saw Comedy ofErrors at the newly Francis Cathedral School and can their five children (ages 3 to 18) are John's I studied business, then got a reconstructed Globe in London toring for Wednesday morning mass moving to Hopkinton, Mass., as German accounting degree, and am recently. Spent a great morning in at St. Francis Cathedral Church. Peter takes a position as Director, now preparing for the CPA exam. I Southampton last year with Linda Took up snowboarding two years ago Information Systems, in the Boston Area. • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1976 Adam Wasserman (A) is enjoy THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GIG ing a year-long "sabbatical" from his government day job. His project Deirdre 0 'Shea and some other Johnnies are involves analyzing generational thinking up a storm/or Walker Digital Corp. change in the former Soviet Union. He's had to take his first classes-and by Roberta Gable exams-since finishing graduate school 20 years ago: the horror! eirdre 0' Shea (A98) didn't graduate with much of are the docu Otherwise, life in Vienna, Va., is Da plan, but now she has a very cool job. ments that go to good. When she was a senior, O'Shea worked for Palate the patent attor Pleasers (caterers in Annapolis) as an assistant baker and neys to get the apprentice pastry chef. She hung around town for the ball rolling on summer after she graduated but had a keen intention to new patents. Gene Glass (A) and his wife "get out of Dodge," so decided to seek employment as a Every other Susan are living in the small rural baker in one of three places: the San Francisco Bay area, month or so, they all get together for big brainstorming town of Carroll, Ia. Gene continues where she grew up and still had family and friends; sessions. O'Shea and Van Luchene, as well as Avik his work as a clinical psychologist, Portland, Ore.; or New York City. In the middle of the Mohan (A96), Keith Bemer (A98), Kathleen Van while Sue teaches both aerobics (for summer she had the pleasure of driving Abe Schoener's Luchene (A99), and Hardison Wood (A98) all get to do adults) and drama (for high school 1961 Chrysler across country for him (Schoener, A82, is this for a living. Mohan and Wood both work in the students). They are involved in com a tutor on leave, toiling in the vineyards of the Napa Priceline.com side of things: it's a website of "buyer munity theater productions and Valley). There she found herself in one of her three tar driven commerce" where, in a reverse auction, you bid Gene has professional acting jobs get areas, but she wound up moving back to New York. on things like airline tickets instead of just rolling over occasionally in Des Moines. Gene is It had turned out she was going to be something and paying what the airline thinks they can get out of recently online at [email protected]. other than a baker. Back in April she had had, in a coin you. Andrew Van Luchene ("our fearless leader," says He veTy much enjoyed the hospitali cidental kind of way, a conversation with Andrew Van O'Shea) has been working on a scheme involving easier Luchene (SF96) who was working for Walker Digital ty of alumni Rick (A) and Carol change transactions at fast food places, among other Katrina Plaut (A 79) and their chil Corporation in Connecticut. Walker Digital came up things. dren this past summer in with Priceline.com-it's essentially a company that After starting out as an intellectual property devel Massachusetts. invents businesses. Van Luchene had come down to cam oper, O'Shea is now with another Priceline group. At pus to do some employment recruiting and Heather • , is director Priceline Perfect YardSale she's going to be developing for the Agency for International Deutsch (A98), who was working in the placement web strategy and marketing for some of the ideas she Development in Mozambique. office, asked O'Shea to hang out and chat with him while came up with previously. she pursued some urgent errand. O'Shea wasn't interest do Johnnies fit in so well at a cutting ed in the jobs he was talking about, so the conversation like Walker Diirital? O'Shea's take on it is that you need advanced to what she was planning to do. She told him and creative-all about baking and about how it involved exploiting bio mllt:~i:rP._ And she fm food. He np·rcr1<>cii.orl ~u~uu~uio.,, she could go far in not a the intellectual nronertv dodge. So she went ahead and in those areas to come to technoloQ:ical stuff. of what she sees the pn:~ruc~tame sonaetnrntg like: intel- the ropes, then 1-r1J.1-.a-r"'\r1.o·u.r million." ln:5teaa--s11r1)n:se--s111e fit. school teacher. She's lie school invention analvst .. , she In a way, yes. The company " that up solutions p uJ>1Jlshed in to business in various industries and boldly ro~ots:te1os. to be the best teacher she possibly can. After l3 years as a trial figure out innovations where no innovator has gone n11t1stung her lunch the inter- and 4 years as a development officer before. They read, they research, they push the hell out view for this story. Her fortune cookie said: "You are for non-profit organizations, of the envelope; then they write "disclosures," which yearning for perfection." 111 Alulllni ... and am learning to play the bagpipes the geometric center of the roughly Anastasia Kezar (A) writes: (Scottish Highland). I am also a Girl triangular Negev desert. Naturally, "Life is good in the Glen-of-Burnie. Scout leader with a small but active we are always very happy to hear I've finally finished advanced gradu David Stahl (A) is a visiting junior troop." from any Johnnie who happens to ate studies at Hopkins and I've instructor in computer science at come our way!" recently been promoted to Program Dickinson College and a senior soft Donna M. Contracto1· (SF) Manager in Child Psychiatry at ware developer at Stoner Associates writes that she is now a tapestry Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical cen in Carlisle, Pa. artist with galleries throughout the Daniel Van Doren (A) writes: ter-this really means lots more staff, country, one in Santa Fe. "Devendra "My son Benjamin ( 5 years has spread sheets, crisis diversion and started kindergarten and loves it. (SF78) and I just took a two week meetings:). After ten years I proba- The hardest part for us was seeing to Ireland to celebrate our 20th bly need to admit I even Geoff Garner and his wife him off on the big school bus (he anniversary! Two Jaidev, 18, is (A84) e-mail: "Our three-year as I do a daily MSE. I hear from lots loves that too). Our younger son, at St. John's this year, 8, is in tour in Sicily is drawing to a dose, i and can be reached Ross ( 2 years has started pre- third l!'rade. Tu-o onlv childTen." and it has been great. Our daughters at [email protected]. Long Live Inga school and enjoys it immensely-no Madeline (8) and Adele (4) are doing problems with separation there." Wong!" well with Italian school. We still Lenore Parens (A) (Lenny ) is have a lot of traveling we want to fit Barbara (A) writes: still a freelance developmental edi in during the next 9-10 months. We "During and afteT a prolonged tour tor of college math textbooks and are about to take off on a vacation Sean Mulholland (A) lives in of the social sciences in graduate multimedia. She is, through no fault which will include Naples, Rome, Arlington, Va., and has two sons: a school, I've been working in a non of her own, in Dallas, Tex., Pisa, Florence, and Venice. In three-year-old and a one-year-old. He profit organization that raises aware with her trophy husband, Josh Rome, I will be a delegate to the teaches Latin and Greek at Maret ness of the accomplishments in Parens (A84), and her son, Rafi. Anglican Synod, representing our School in Washington, D.C. music (call for a free annotated David Walworth (A) writes: parish in Taormina. I was pr<)m,otea MichaelN. Fried (A) writes: "I resource guide! 1-800-634-6044). "Still designing boats on St. Croix. to Lieutenant Commander last sum As I was a failed southerner in my just received my PhD from the Cohn Michelle and I, along with the mer and I'm still finding the childhood, I'm now surprised to find Institute for the History of majority of St. Croix, survived be a lot of fun. Next summer we will Philosophy of Sciences and Ideas at myself (as my partner, Jessica points be moving back to Norfolk, where I Hurricane Lenny just fine. Had the Tel-Aviv University, having written a out) an avid booster of the city of will be assigned to the carrier eye gone about 20 miles further dissertation on Apollonius' Conics. Durham, N.C., for the past nine Roosevelt for two years. In Norfolk, Otherwise, I continue to work at the years. Come and see us!" north, it might have been a different Mary plans to start the process of Center for Science and Technology Christian Holland (A) has story. I still find that a thorough applying to Episcopal seminary. teaching at Ben-Gurion University of returned from 12 years residence in grasp of Euclid continues to come in (SF) writes: l the Negev-and I, my wife Yifat, and Europe. He is in his second yeaT of handy on a daily basis while design 1·ecently attended the induction of two daughters, continue to live at doctoral stuuy in comparative litera ing boats. Archimedes and his bath Alex Farnsworth (SF) into the Kibbutz Revivim-located roughly at ture at Emory University in Atlanta. tub, of course, is ever present." Society of Charles XII in Stockholm, EX Lang (A69) takes care ofrare books Sus3an Borden skJohnnies how memories, lection of early chililien' s literature Elkins' kit and caboodle of a library? their college educa- however, just is over 13,000 volumes and includes Like many Johnnies, he says, he had ion has served enough to figure books by Beatrix Potter, Kate always liked books and when he was them in their working out what the text Greenaway, and Robert Lawson trying to decide where to spend his life and you'll get some was. "The incunab (author of Ben and Me). A collection working life, he to in thoughtful responses. ula make up a var of over 20,000 books in Anglo Drexel University's library sciences Some say they rely on the ied collection and a American common law includes a "The MLS degree was a keen abilities lot of the books complete run of editions of one-year course went full time. they discovered in fresh Blackstone as well as works that I started with the attitude of 'what man language and fine- Blackstone d.Tew on and five do I have to lose' and discovered I tuned in lab. Carta manuscripts. One of the more Others say they'd be unusual holdings of the nowhere without the decrees, collections is an early 20th- century physical opportumty to ability to express them of sermons," Lang library, left to the library by William run the Free Libraif s art selves well, an says. "But we do Mcintire Elkins. It includes impres ment. There I had a budget, the they trace back to semi have a certain num sive collections of Charles Dickens, chance to build a collection, some nar. And there are a few who credit ber of classics in and I concen Oliver Goldsmith, and Americana. say oveT the quality of services we their success to the critical thinking trated on those." Among those clas "The Elkins family earned theiT for gave to the public, and the opportu skills they claim were developed dur sics, he says, are a Greek Aristotle, a tune with the founding of street rail nity to become involved with other ing all-night discussions in the cof beautiful Pliny, the first edition of roads in Philadelphia," Lang says. people's intellectual work. What you fee shop. William Lang (A69), gives letters of Cicero, a wonderful "Elkins built a great big house with do is always changing, and I just got a more concrete answer: he used his Lucretius, and, of course, a marvelous paneled library with hooked on it." " Greek on the job to read a bit of Aristophanes' Clouds. open shelves, glassed-in shelves fOT Visitors to the Free Library of Aristophanes. Lang estimates the :rare books his collections, a globe .... It was a Philadelphia this spring (March 15- Lang runs the rare books department's holdings at around huge room-70 feet long, and in his fune 30) will see one ofLang's department at the Free Library of 100,000 volumes, but notes that the will he specified that his library exhibits. This one is entirely devoted Philadelphia. The Aristophanes he number is far from precise. "With a should go to the Free Library. His to the Roman poet Horace. It will read in Greek was part of an exhibit collection that has been around for family understood that to mean include his works in Latin and vari on the library's collection of as long as ours [ 100 years], we have everything: the paneling, book ous translations, andfeature books incunabula: books printed before long since lost track." Within the shelves, oriental rugs, the whole kit from among the veryfi,rst editions 1501-within 50 years of rare books department are several and caboodle." printed in the fifteenth century as Gutenberg's Bible. He didn't have to notable collections. The incunabula How did Lang end up presiding well as many 16th, 17th, and 18th resurrect all of his Chase and number about 1000 volumes. A col- over roughly 100,000 rare books and century editions. _ ...... ·Notes .. . Sweden. The Society seeks to pro in the field with only my modest we will live at 702 Miller's Way/ mote Swedish customs and values skills as a linguist. Annapolis, MD 21401." Valerie 1991 throughout the world. Other mem Currently, at age 35, I am hus works at the Smithsonian designing Sapna Gandhi (A) writes: "I bers include the King and Prime band to my lovely wife Renee and educational trips. She has worked found a great job teaching ESL at a Minister of Sweden. It was a great daddy to precious little Molly ( 1 yr., with Jeremy Leven (A64) on a local elementary school! I teach chil honor! Alex was admitted to the 4 mos.). Telluride Film Festival seminar and dren from Bosnia, Somalia, China, Society for his journalism on Just under two years ago, I will work with Warren Winiarski India, Iraq, and Mexico. What a Swedish subjects." joined the U.S. Army as Specialist (A52) on a Napa Valley Food and change from teaching at the Erik Harder (A) is living with Masilon. After eight grueling weeks Wine seminar. Look for "An1erican University! Would love to hear :from his vvife, Karen, and their 3-year-old of basic training and 63 even more Classics at St. John's College," a :friends." Timothy, in seacoast New grueling weeks at the Defense June, 2000, Smithsonian ..-.-nn.inchn•.o_ Qn,rl all share the last Language Institute in Monterey, I Je11niter Hoheisel (AGI) writes name "Mueller-Harder." Erik is graduated as an Arabic linguist. I am that she, Eric, Will, and Luke thrilled to announce his newweb now completing my training as an Hoheisel are alive and well in New Boaz Roth (AGI) writes: Praxis News Digest-today's intelligence analyst at Goodfellow Jersey. Jennifer "'Will be teaching "March 1999: Married. December news listed by topic Air Force Base, Texas." "Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance 1999: Expecting!! St. John's has http://pnd.praxisworks.com/ Mary Helen McMurran (SF) Thought" -interdisciplinary, discus taught me not to waste time!!" received her PhD :from NYU in sion-focused seminars with an Alec Berlin (SF) e-mails: "I'm November 1998 and is now teaching emphasis on primary texts (sound living in Brooklyn and working as a at the University of Chicago. familiar?) at Villanova University :freelance guitarist in and around NYC-jazz bands, rock bands, Jewish Mfra (SF) starting in the spring of 2000. Eric music bands, country bands, you ·writes: "Any Johnnies passing is in his third year as a pastor at name it. More importantly, I record through Copenhagen are welcome to Oaklyn Baptist Church. Both boys ed my first album of original jazz, give me a call. I've been here for Bob DeMajistre (A) and his are enjoying their enrollment in 'Crossing Paths,' in September. I wife Anne welcome Elena school and in Hoheisels' basketball approximately 11 years now, with my really love the way it sounds-it has a DeMajistre, born August 2, 1999. husband and three children-Tara training camp. nice blend of styles and a good bal Jana Giles (A) is teaching at the (7), Tess (10), and Tai (4). I'm grad Paul (A), Matthew (A92), and ance of composed and improvised University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez ually inching my way towards a Daniel Speck's (A96) Henry of music. Anyway, I expect to release it campus. "Presently I've got all com research degree in literary theory Pelham Family Estate Winery is one sometime after the first of the year. position courses: one advanced (fun) and if it weren't for the weather, I'd of Canada's top producers of premi Stay tuned. In the meantime, my e and three basic (less fun)," she say things here are just peachy-I'd um VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) mail address is alecberlin@hot writes. "In the advanced class we've love to hear from Febbies and other wines. mail.com. I'd love to hear from any Johnnies. Keep an eye out for the got a lot out of Leslie Marmon Garfield Goodrum (A) writes: and all." short film 'Teis and Nico' which just Silko's Ceremony and next we'll try "I have been a vegetarian for the last Lani Markholm (AGI) writes: won eight international prizes. My Henry Petroski's The Pencil: A five years, having had my eyes "In 1997, I traveled for business on daughter Tess is one of the little History ofDesign and Circumstance. opened back then, by my now-wife, behalf of the U.S. Information stars ... the proud parent reports." I'm trying to go to the beach more to the cruelty of factory farming to Agency to Ethiopia, Kenya, Ivory Al Haffa (A) is looking forward and assign fewer papers, to endure animals and its harm to the environ Coast, and Senegal. In 1999, I to Mr. Berns' visit to Phoenix feeling homesick and keep abreast of ment. I am still a fiscal conservative, became a Department of State the news. Saludos a todos." Jana's e College, where he will speak about however. I am fully against tort employee as my agency was taken mail address is [email protected]. censorship and Mark Twain. reform! (I'm sure Ray Gifford's head over by the State Department. Also Jeff Falero (A) e-mails: Andi·ew Sloniewsky (A) is spinning!) Life in Arlington, Va., in 1999, I pilgrimaged to Israel and "Everything is going well here at reports that his second daughter, is not as sweet as it was in Annapolis had quite an amazingly wonderful Stanford. It really is an incredibly Julia Natalya, was born in May. or Vermont, the latter being where I time." dynamic place." Todd Masilon (A) sends a went to law school and met my wife, Dianne J. Cowan's (A) e-mail Katarina Wong (A) writes: "I report covering 20 years: "Since Lucy Wheeler Goodrum (Smith address was misprinted in a recent just wanted to let folks know that I Reporter. Her correct address is leaving St. John's, I've done stints as College '92). Hello to all my old graduated :from the Harvard Divinity diannec@pciwiz. corn. a high school teacher (Geometry, friends!" School with a Master in Theological Latin, Etymology, Literature) on Stefanie Takacs (A) writes: "I both the east and west coasts. I also Studies concentrating in Buddhist am enjoying working in Manhattan time teaching gang members Studies last June and I am currently for a textbook publisher. As a man in LA's inner city. The bulk of my teaching art at the University of aging editor, I welcome e-mail from Oliver and Ashley Vietor (A) however, has been spent earn Iowa. I can be contacted at any Johnnie interested in freelance welcomed their second daughter, ing an MA in the Linguistics of [email protected]. As the Lucy Waring, to the world on writing opportunities." Her e-mail American Sign Language from Grateful Dead song goes, 'what a September 25, 1999. address is [email protected] Gallaudet University in Washington, long, strange trip it's been."' Jennllc~r ...... ,,..., .... ,.._ ...... _,,_(SF) and Burch has been D.C. Directly after I started on Lovan Ely (A, degree in 95) has Curtis Ward were married on June 5, in Boston for the last seven years a PhD track in theoretical linguistics completed his first year of med 1999, in Farmington, New Mexico. helping to run a high-end bread bak- at UCLA. Unfortunately, after three school at St. Matthew University After Jennifer completes her PhD ery. "It's great to be of the years, I tii·ed of the of acade- School of medicine in sunny Belize. at Cornell Boston scene," she writes. took a second MA and called it he's gotten his on" · "I married David Vermette even. In addition to classes at UCLA certification (Belize is on the second barrier reef in the two anda ago. We're Lovan says, sea divers wel- come!" Get in touch at writes: my Masters in named executive director of the And1·ew l"e1ru14~re;:ra!)S Architecture, Mike Mflerbach ~~+ 1 ~,,~~·T Roundtable while Elizabeth acoustic research related to the Dllonolc>2'1Cal ri<>"""" 1 ""''"'""~"'i- of nor PhilanthrOJJ'Y magazine. son." mal young children as well as a AnthcmyF. Chiffolo is to linguistic development attorney and managing editor of the book pro of two deaf children in a Andrew is a public librarian in gram at Fordham University Press I was also lucky enough to get the Valerie Pawlewicz (A) writes: Fairfax, Va. They can be contacted at and has recently compiled and edit chance to study the Navajo language "Leo Pickens (A78) and I are buy 6166 Leesburg Pike/Apt. C307I ed Pope ]ohn XXIJI· In My Own with a native speaker as if I were out ing a house. By the new millennium, Falls Church, VA 22044. Words (Ligouri Publications). Aluntni Notes ... Peter Bezanson (A) recently got a new job working for The Humanities and Sciences Academy of the United DANE OWEN: CREATING SUCCESS OUT OF NECESSITY States. The job is a Johnnie dream t. John's College attracts many people who feel come true-he was hired (specifically Owen that he sell Tansu, a unique form ofJapanese they "missed out" in their formal education and because he had a SJC background) to cabinetry that is considered both folk art and fine art. Sbelieve they can learn best from the great books. teach all aspects of a high school Great Jackson restores and sells Tansu in Chicago and Sometimes they have gone from unsatisfying scholas Books curriculum (from calculus to curated a show on the art form at the Graham tic careers to successful roles in society-in business, The Meno and everything in between). Foundation in Chicago in 1996. family, or other endeavors-before discovering St. He encourages any current or former Although Owen planned to work at selling jewel John's and rearranging their lives to study at the col St. John's student who is interested in ry and tea pots at the flea market only as a part-time lege. And sometimes their experience at St. John's teaching the Great Books at the high job while a student, he became increasingly interest causes them to rearrange the rest of their lives. school level and working with students ed in Tansu and other Japanese antiques. He gave up one-on-one or in small groups to con Dane Owen (SF98) changed course both before his restaurant jobs to concentrate on his new interest. tact him. The academy is growing rap and after St. John's. A native Californian, he began a The preoccupation is quite Johnny-like-Owen had no idly and opening new campuses, so career in restaurant formal education in the area of they should be hiring regularly. Peter's management in Los Asian arts and antiques, but has e-mail address is: bezanson@ Angeles while in his read. He is also a fan of Samurai mail.mc.maricopa.edu. early 20s. Because films and a student of Brenton Him·ich.s (AGI) is he was CU51avpom1tea the martial arts. Assistant Head ofHillbrook School, college he Soon Owen was able to an independent K-8 school in Los attended after high his flea market experience selling Gatos, a town at the southern school, he had Asian into a business. He 50 miles south of decided to leave opened his own on Palace San Francisco. He completed an MA before t2;r:aai11at:m,g-. Avenue time he was a sen- at the Stanford University Graduate In the restaurant ior. The is a beauti- School of Education in 1998. business he became ful space filled with a stunning His focus was education administra successful as a som array of Japanese furniture. table tion and policy. melier-a wine stew ware, screens, ceramics, ard. His expertise in paintings, textiles, Knnonos, wine the restaurant he was managing into an eclectic collection of antiques. Owen also sells fine the pages of Wine Spectator magazine. But surpris rugs and specialty Japanese fermented tea. He and ingly, even two hours of daily wine tasting did not his friends renovated the space themselves. It is a Sarah Van Densen (A) prevent Owen from making his way to Santa Fe to ._,,__,.,_""--'-'-''-'-environment-fortunate for Owen who married Ethan Flynn and had a enroll as a freshman at St. College. most of his time there. The beautiful Henry Barlock An alum Owen gave him a (last year Owen took four Flynn, on 3. She is now in her to colleQ'es. tellinQ' him she thouQ'ht St. John's sound- work has off: Shibui was successful in first year at the University of ed .__, its first year, beatin~ the dismal odds of small busi- School of Medicine. 1 1 "''-"""'c' ""' in Minnesota, liberal arts school for men, he returned the book and grnw, Owen would commented that the school didn't seem riirht for like to his business to other cities. For the at all. his friend pomt:ed mo1nent, he concentrates on the of inSantaFe. the he offers and a better under- arrived in Santa he Ha,,.__u_au y standJ,ng of Tansu and Asian folk art. Shibui hosts lec- on for work with the top restaurants in town, tures, and educational programs various that he is alive and well and at the where he worked as waiter rather than manager to art sometimes in with other New of leave time for his studies. As someone exnen- leries. Owen has organized and lectured on Jm)a11ese Music in Boston. "I am in the enced in fine restaurants, Owen was able to earn screens, on Japanese folk art in straw, Graduate Theoretical Studies for his tuition and and on and on Tibetan rugs. Owen continued to pursue other interests, Owen travels across the search of ex< which was desirninir and "".:>o:ir-in,-,. pieces for his and clients. He also travels far and had h-rrrn .--.-1-.1· wide via the Internet on his hunt for the nPTfP,.,t- Tansu chest and other antiques. He has not, -uvuc;t,c; for ms:pn~at1on or savvy, Owen says the col- in Neuroscience from Georgetown_ lege was instrumental in the financial neces- University. doctoral dissertation sity for his becoming an entrenreneur. He was deter- focused on a common but incurable mined to <'11ll'\n continuedfrom page 2 8 the period and read extensively on Nevertheless, wealthy Rafe details of life in the given time and she counts Sunderland, a very Travels. As for the writing of place. herself lucky proper (and very romance novels, Fields says, "Part For her first novel, a swash to have had handsome) scion of of it is in spite of St. John's, and buckling romance about a female her book read British society, part of it is because; it's hard to tell pirate, Fields investigated the life in the first determines to which is which." of pirates in England and the West place, since an marry this unwant Fields is on her way to becom Indies in the 18th century. Fields author usually ed burden off, sight ing successful. In January 1999, St. describes the plot of The Maiden's sends a manu unseen. Jezebel her Martin's Press published her first Revenge: "Lynnette Blackthorne, script to hun self, however, has novel, The Maidens Revenge. She once a sheltered aristocrat's daugh dreds of edi other plans for her has finished her second book, ter, better known as Captain tors, who future-and the Marrying Jezebel. Her third novel, Thorne, commander of the sailing make highly instant Rafe set during the Crusades, is in the ship Maiden's Revenge, is a driven subjective Sunderland lays works. Still, Fields is a young and leader and a woman never bested in decisions. eyes on this beauti struggling artist. "Being a romance battle. She takes what she wants After buying ful, independent novelist," she says, "means getting and lets no man get in the way. the first man minded young a very small advance and praying However, she's destined to find uscript, St. archaeologist, so like hell that people will pick up the much more than plunder when she Martin's Press does he. book and like it enough to read clashes with Captain Daniel invited Fields to write another. Hillary Fields will be in another one." Bradley, a merchant who's every bit With this commitment, she was Annapolis to sign The Maiden's Her books may very well attract her match on the high seas-and in able to quit her day job and work Revenge over Homecoming history buffs in addition to romance love." full-time on Marrying Jezebel, a his Weekend in October of 2000. It's readers because they are set in a The hardest part of the novelist torical romance set in 19th century available in stores now, but as specific historical context. Not only life, Fields says, is getting the first Egypt and England. It's due out in Fields warns, beware-these books does this enhance the stories, but it book sold. Since she worked with October. The main character is are highly addictive.• provides Fields the opportunity to literary agents, she knew the Jezebel Montclair. When her uncle by Jessica Godden (SF02) and study history. She has to research process of approaching publishers. dies, Jezebel's new guardian, the Alisa Murray Smith (SFGI9 9) Obituaries Stanley N ordstrum John William Wood Carl Lyon E. Director ofBuildings and Grounds, Santa Fe Class 1919 Class of 1934 John William "Jack" Wood, a World Monsignor E. Carl Lyon, founding he Alumni Association of St. John's College wishes to express its War I veteran who may have been St. pastor of St. John the Baptist T affection and respect for Stanley Nordstrum, who died in late John's oldest alumnus, died in Catholic Church in Silver Spring, November. Mr. Nordstrum, supported by his wife Sis, served the December in Annapolis. He was Maryland, died in August. college faithfully as the head of Buildings and Grounds on the Santa 100. ~fr. Wood attended the Croquet Monsignor Lyon was also a former Fe campus from 1965 to Match last May, where he hit the executive director of the 1979. opening ball. At the age of 9 3 he was Washington Catholic Youth Born in 1915, Mr. the croquet champion at Ginger Organization. Born in Indian Head, Nordstrum spent his early Cove, a retirement community in he graduated from St. John's in 1934 years and most of his adult Annapolis. Mr. Wood, born in 1899, and became a social worker in life working on his family attended St. John's when it was a Baltimore. In 1946, he was ordained farm in Iowa. That envi military school. After graduation he into the priesthood. He served as ronment nurtured the served in the Army during World associate pastor of the Shrine of the character of the man War I and then attended the Naval Blessed Sacrament in Washington whom generations of stu Academy for two years. His career for 14 years before being appointed dents came to know and was as a metallurgist; he worked at first pastor at St. John the Baptist in love. the Naval Experimental Station, for 1960. At the time, 175 families were Stan was even-tem Westinghouse Co., and for the registered in the parish; the number pered. Even when stu Annapolis Metropolitan Sewage had grown to 1900 families when he dents behaved outra Commission. During his retirement, retired in 1987. Survivors include geously, inexperienced Mr. Wood was very active and played two brothers and two sisters. staff misunderstood instructions, and the desert weather failed to several sports in addition to volun cooperate, Stan maintained his patience. His warmth and humor pro teering with the Boy Scouts and the vided a solid anchor for his staff and for the larger college communi Anne Arundel Medical Center. He is ty. survived by a granddaughter and a Stan was resourceful. At a time when the college struggled to great-grandchild. George Udel, founder of the cover basic expenses, Stan and Sis discovered creative ways to stretch Baltimore Film Forum and promoter the college's dollar. They recycled and reused before the idea became of film in the city, died in November. fashionable. They both pitched in to make sure things got done. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Many winter mornings in the upper dorms began with the sound of and raised in he graduat shovel on concrete as Stan and Sis cleared the walkways before any Dr. George J. Weems, a retired fami ed from St. John's, then studied film one else was awake. ly physician, died in January in and creative writing at _ Stan was understanding. He was often perplexed by the social Prince Frederick, Maryland. Born in Hopkins, New York University, and and ethical questions students asked themselves. His common sense Prince Frederick, he graduated from the New School for Social Research. and traditional to life choices had served him well, but he St. John's and from the University of He served in the Signal Corps never let his ethical sensibilities turn into bias or prejudice against Maryland Medical School in 1937. in Japan from 1951 to 1952 and students who did not share his views. He was willing to talk about and He established his medical practice developed an admiration for the to listen to students' dilemmas of all kinds. in Huntingtown, Maryland, and Japanese filmmakers. In 1954, he Stan was committed to the college. He came to St. John's by invi then served in an Army medical unit met his future wife, Joan Erbe, at a tation of Mr. Weigle. Stan and Sis knew most of the students by name overseas during World War II. He showing of a Marx Brothers double and cared about the future of each one. They also expressed concern returned to his local practice after feature at St. John's. He worked as for the stability and future of the institution they came to call home. the war and continued as one of the an editor and cameraman for WJZ As the Santa Fe campus grew from a hope to a living Stan and last country doctors in the area, TV, as a systems analyst for the Sis provided the caring and safe atmosphere that created a communi retiring in the 1990s. Dr. Social Security Administration, and ty out of a collection of would-be scholars. Weems served as medical then as a relations specialist Since his retirement in 1979, the college has missed his and examiner and as a Calvert County for the Creative He became sustaining presence. with his passing, we will all miss the cer- Commissioner. Surviving are two involved with the Baltimore Film tain knowledge that there is someone who was able to turn bricks and sons, two daughters, five grandchil- Forum in 1969 and helped expand mortar, adobe and chamisa, into a nurturing community. and one brother. the film scene in Baltimore bring- Mr. Nordstrum is survived by his wife, Sis, of Albuaueraue. and Cinema to the Charles his children Bob and Mary. and other programs. He is survived by Glenda Eoyang (SF7 9) for the Alumni Association by his wife, three children, and one grandchild. 172, Sr. Vice Commander 1991-92 Connecticut and the Hartford of the Old Rail VFW Post in Mt. and Charter Member of the Society, his worked for the Atlanta Public T-n~"tTA-r>cl1t-u of when he was awarded the Brnnze Star. Before to western he worked as an Alice Whelan who worked in Environmental Sanitarian with the in Santa Fe for 13 years, Anne Arundel Health Born in 1915 in ,,,r,., ... -i-.....,,,,.,,.-r Member of the Viet Nam Veterans of America uu<:L1.11-c.1. Calllpus Life ... JOHNNY JARGON ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• A sampling ofsayings andphrases diverse as the student population may be, Here's a sampling of favorite jargon from • Being qua being, banana qua banana, Johnnies tend to develop common charac current and former students: substance qua substance, etc. eristics and a specialized vocabulary ~ • What do we mean by ... ? • Nous nousing itself. Johnny jargon. Sometimes the words and phrases • What's the Greek on that? are not unusual in themselves, but they develop a • Let's get back to the question. • Who has another translation? special meaning at St. John's. Sometimes the • Can you point to the text on that? • The question you're actually asking is .... vocabulary itself is distinct-where else would you • Can you say/do that again? have sports teams named in ancient Greek? • Could you clarify that? A request to the St. John's alumni e-mail list • What's at stake here? serve for favorite jargon stirred up many memo • Does that wash? ries. Lee Mendelson (A89) remembered Natty Bo • The "aha!" moment. (National Bohemian beer, for those not familiar • Your point is that which has no with Baltimore/Annapolis swill). He once stored part. 50 cases of Natty Bo in his room in Campbell dur • Nar (for Seminar) ing sophomore year in preparation for a huge '" The application of personal party. possessive adjectives to Another discussion began after Sam Stiles the texts, for example: (A54) sent the following post: «In the early fifties "I have to read my we said in seminar, 'Now take, for example, this Phaedo by seven." ashtray,' (fairly large heavy glass ones) as an exam • "Thomas" or "Tommy" (for ple of a very material object. I wonder what filled Thomas Aquinas) its place in metaphysics when smoking in semi JFs (for January Freshmen) nars was banned?" In some seminars, Coke cans '" Guerilla Seminars followed ashtrays, while in others the material • It's for Reality. example is usually a water bottle. Chris Quinn (SFGI) demonstrates a johnny gesture. by Alisa Murray Smith, SFGI9 9 PLATO IN THE MIDST OF BUREAUCRACY he registrar on the Santa Fe finishing his undergraduate studies, fall, he led a community seminar on Community Seminar Series on campus has a lot more on his he served as an Army officer on Adrienne Rich's poem exploring Montesquieu. He is enjoying his new T mind than schedules and tran active duty. He refers to this time in aspects of the cave analogy from role at St. John's, in particular the scripts. Ken Howarth is someone his life simply as "a learning experi Plato's Republic. Participants fact that "in the midst of the bureau who also thinks about Plato and ence." He found out about St. John's addressed "what light [Rich] shed cratic shuffle, we can still break into poetry and Sanskrit. Howarth is a from his parents, who moved to on Plato shedding light on things." a conversation about Plato." 111 rare alumnus who has completed Annapolis while he was in college. In the spring, Howarth will lead a by Amber Boydstun, SF9 9 both Master of Arts programs - in "It was the comprehensive nature of Liberal Arts and in Eastern Classics. the program that interested me," he He graduated from the Liberal Arts says. From the beginning, he had an program in Annapolis in 1996. He idea that he would like to study the decided to enroll in the Eastern classics of both the Western and FASTS Classics program and moved to Eastern traditions. Santa Fe, in 1997. After His role as Tegistrar allows working for a produce brokerage in HowaTth to pursue a vai·iety of inter Santa Fe has joined the Annapolis campus in Santa Fe, he for and was ests in a setting that Temains intel- tundra1smg for Oxfam America, a hunger relief organization that hired as the college registrar. serves 28 countries around the world. The fundraiser, however, .,,,,.L.lHLUOl.'U.UJ;:;. "I'm veTy Howarth received his BA in pleased to be a part of the communi differs from the average fundraiser. Students were not solicited for ponnca1 science from Davidson " he says. "The staff and faculty financial contributions. Instead of money, students were encouraged to Collee.-e in North Carolina. After are great, and I love with forfeit a meal from their own meal plan to provide one for those less the students." He finds the most fortunate. With the cooperation of the respective campus food service offices, the money saved from all the students' fasts was donated to Oxfam. This fundraiser is not only because it enables people to give from the heart without to reach into the pocket, but also ~ , lS intense and the chore of run- because a fast engenders a sense of on each campus. ning the office keeps him busy. Additionally, now that Santa Fe has entered into friendly competition Diane Martinez, the much-loved with Annapolis, the fundraising builds one more connection between registrar who retired last the campuses of the curriculum. trained Howarth in all aspects of the Tutor Tuck introduced the idea of the fundraising fast at office. "Diane did a great job to get Annapolis and it has been successful on that campus for seven years. me up to speed," he says. And They were able to break the record this year with an impressive 317 although he has made several meals. Santa Fe, in its first year, surpassed Annapolis with 355 meals. changes in operations, such as uti However, some Annapolis students, faculty, and staff gave cash dona lizing computer software specific to tions with the result that Annapolis raised over two and a half times the the work of the registrar, he amount Santa Fe did. acknowledges that the job Martinez Needless to say, both campuses are quite proud to be able to did still serves as his standard. together contribute over $1,300 to Oxfam America, and look forward In addition to his duties as regis to breaking this record in years to come. trar, he continues to be active in the by Abigail Weinberg, SFOO academic life of the college. This WRONG NAME, RIGHT ADDRESS ad news-good news time. The Colonial Day in Annapolis in bad news is that the little white 1926-found in a store house by the Campbell parking ('"excuse me, antiques lot that has always been known as shop," says Gable) in Johnson House" is really Pennsylvania. An old 45 rpm not the Reverdy Johnson House. recording of the "Ode to St. More about that later. The good John's" has been framed, as news: Alumni now have a real home has an old admissions pro on the Annapolis campus. The motion piece from days gone Alumni Office has relocated to the lit by titled "This Splendid tle white house in back of Intensity." Much of the fur Humphreys; Alumni Director niture in the parlor comes Roberta Gable (A79) and her assis- from the home of Mrs. Kaplan. Mrs. Kaplan, widow of tutor Simon Kaplan, tant Lynn Yarbro are happily died last spring at the age of 105 and left her house and furniture to the col ensconced and are rapidly making it a lege. Yarbro is particularly fond of Mr. Kaplan's steamer trunk, marked "S. center on campus for all alumni. Kaplan," in which he brought all of his worldly goods to America in the ''It's a wonderful house for hold 1930s. ing all sorts of parties and meetings Gable is attempting to compile a list of everyone who's lived in the everything from stafflunches to pre house, including tutors, students, and directors of residence. The building ceptorials," says Gable. There are also served at various times as the music library and the infirmary. (Former rur() main rooms downstairs, an office denizens of the house are invited to contact the college with information and the parlor. There's also a teensy the alumni office phone is 410-626-2531; e-mail [email protected]). kitchen. Upstairs, there is a student One name not on the list of those who lived in the house is Reverdy workroom (the yearbook will be put Johnson (SJC class of 1811), senator, attorney general under Zachary Taylor, "C together there, and student aides will and minister to Great Britain. The house did belong to Reverdy' s brother, .....Q,) (/] be busy mailing various postcards John (SJC class of 1820 )-no slouch he was the last chan- (I) and communications to alumni) and cellor of the state of Marvland and an accomnlished 1urist John and his wife v & <;.) 'tjl v a small confeTence room. 0 IZ tS 'tjl ~ The ambiance is decided 0 ,...; .$: (I) U] C'l ..... ly St. John's-esque. Agewise, sided abode was behind it in the gar ..s:::: ~ <;.) ..... 0 0 Q,) the house dates ...... H den. After death in ~ H ~ 0 from the first of the lived in the little house. It "C '!) 0 u 18th ,-.,pr11tn1•-.;r v 1Z o U] until 1918. (/] ~ u 00 (I) ;.::l ;.::l C'l floors are crooked ..0 ..0 ?'1 ;::j ;::j 0 staiTs look like the way into 11.i 11.i i:;Q ~ Batman's and have think before you walk ~ doorway between office and the because it's inches too short for a six-foot person," says the tallish alumni director. ''Whenever of stature comes in we have to shriek to alert them. It's one of the hazards of living in a house this old." ~ the house to St. The interior decoration deserves special mention. Gable and ~ Ban to move it to Yarbro have scoured the college archives and the Alumni Office :2, campus and use it for faculty housing. files for photos and other memorabilia to display. On the walls So on campus it is-but not as the there are photographs galore, even a gallery of tutor photos taken by Robert Gable and Lynn Yarbro in the par- Reverdy House. instead as the Vivian Ronay (A65). There are two panoramics, one from 1918 and lor of the Chancellor Johnson House, in Chancellor Johnson one from 1926. There's a poster from when St. John's hosted front of a tableau of alumni pmn:u:s. to SJC alumni. FIELDS: ROMANCING A~~~~~~~~ ·······••@••··············· ...... Fields (SF97) became she says, the novel was tongue in and Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz completing the romance novel and addicted to romance novels cheek, but she grew to love it. and Guildenstern Are Dead) that she then returned to New York with the while in high school. She once Fields continued to work on the realized that writing might be a manu:scr1pt. She landed a read aloud from a n51·np1rh51,,-.1< novel while she was at St. John's (she strong career possibility. "The erary agency, but althOU!:.!:'h romance her friend was engrossed spent her first year in Annapolis, the intensive focusing on a single "Writ en-1oveawo1rK1m2 with authors nu:en1arn1~ to rest in Santa ing project, a single out, she found that she had make fun of what Fields' favorite changed my outlook and my little time left over her own 'Wfit- she o aspect of her stud- she says. "I had never felt so V\711en ..., be frivolous non- ies at St. was rn'iT"UTi"1>All,P. life as I did while .,.,,.,..,i-,.,,,,.,. about the book deal she'd been uT11"·1 nno- papers. To my essay, difficult and she decided to return to the 1 her O'Wll '""·n..- ""' it was. I had never felt so accom- she found that p.u..,...ivu. or <.:aiiau1e papers tended to mimic the of the author of the book she was ti on." Pr,on1rfu··p Came off do better and sotmclmi:?: like Austen herself. ., she does include references to But it was the Great like ..., the senior much as pv:i;,.1.u.1.>c ..--ic-t,-.,itl"' and Gulliver's on her own essay process shesaid.iviiu•vviu~ romance. At subiect was Hamlet spent three more months in Santa Fe continued on page 25