Sigma Tau Delta

Eastern Region: Fall 2006 Newsletter

Contents: Fall Greetings from the Regent Page 2:

chapter attend, they are likely to come back— Continued: as they say, “once is not enough”! Fall Greetings from the Regent If you have questions about the convention or Hello, from Rindge, NH where the logistics of bringing a chapter, please don’t Eastern Region the hills have turned to a combination of colors, just past hesitate to contact me; I can also offer some help with ideas for fundraising to defer the Book Corner the peak of foliage season, that Donald Hall called “tweed.” As I look out on Pearly Pond and towards cost of the trip. Mount Monadnock, I’m reminded of how quickly time Page 3: moves along—and as the new Eastern Regent, I’m And don’t forget about the Regents’ Common Reader Award for up to four chapters in the finding out how quickly deadlines for conference paper Greetings from the submissions, Regents’ awards and such sneak up on me! Eastern Region. Details are at http://www.english.org/pdf/awards/awd_com ASR I do hope you are all considering submitting papers and mRdr.pdf .

original works for the upcoming convention in Pittsburgh. 2007 Sigma Tau For those of you whom I have not yet had the Chapter sponsors, we’d love to have you attend and chair Delta Convention: a session or two! Since this year’s event is in our own pleasure of meeting, I’m Dr. Sarah Pittsburgh, PA region, I’m hopeful that it will be easier, both financially Dangelantonio, a Professor of English at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH. I’ve and logistically, for more chapters to attend. If your chapter hasn’t yet had the pleasure of attending a been here at FPC since 1990, and I’m Page 4: presently serving as Humanities Division convention, I encourage you to give it a go this year. Even if only one person is able to attend, he or she will be Chair. I’ve been involved with ΣΤ∆ since I Conference Recap: a wonderful representative of your institution and was inducted as an undergraduate in 1983; Snapshots of chapter—my experience has been that once a single (Continued on page 2)

Portland member or a group of members from a

Page 5: Fall Student Representative Report

Guest Speaker – Good day, Eastern members of Sigma Tau great literary sights as Mark Twain’s house; Sharon Olds Delta! This is an exciting year for the society. however, the location is only tentative With the assets of Sigma Tau Delta growing This year also makes the little hairs on my every year and the board members in good neck stand to attention for another reason— Page 6: standing, the society should be going through the annual international convention held in some significant growth in the next few years, Eastern Region’s own city, Pittsburgh, PA. Guest Speaker – including a new website with merchandise The program is star-studded with such literary David Rakoff ordering capabilities, and the high school- giants as poet Sharon Olds and essayist David

based National English Honor Society (NEHS) Rakoff (look further in the newsletter for more gaining a significant number of members. on them). Moreover, there are many events set Quick Reminder: Many other wonderful ideas are being realized up for members such as the Bad Poetry and Big Money! by new members of the board. Dry T-shirt Contests which are sure to bring the laughs. Looking forward to seeing you Page 7: As for regional excitement, Dr. Sarah come spring, Dangelantonio has filled the role for Eastern Region Regent and has great plans. One thing Dodge Poetry we are working on together is a regional Festival caucus. This will be a type of miniature conference where members of Sigma Tau Page 8: Delta in the Eastern Region can meet and share their work in a nice informal setting. Award Winners -Keith Leonard, Eastern Student Rep. Right now we are looking into Hartford, CT as [email protected] it is central to the Region and has such

Page 2

Quotable Quotes: (Continued from page 1: Fall Greetings from “Did you know that it is possible if you read a the Regent) poem enough times, if you read it over and

over without stopping, that you can make the “When I am... I’ve been a chapter sponsor since 1992; and author begin to spin gently, even completely now I am delighted to serve as your Regent affectionately, in his grave?” for the next 3 years. myself… or -from Billy Collins, “The Norton Anthology during the night I hope some of you will email and introduce of English Literature” when I cannot yourselves and let me know how I can be of help to you and your chapter. Keep me posted about upcoming induction ceremonies and the sleep, it is on such occasions like—who knows, I might be able to come and participate! Email me at that my ideas [email protected]; let me know about your flow best and chapter’s activities—if you want to write up an article for inclusion in the next regional most newsletter, we’d be pleased to include it. abundantly. Enjoy the remaining days of autumn When and how weather—rumor has it that a nor’easter may be approaching this weekend—makes me these come I shiver just thinking about it. Cheers to you know not, nor all. can I force

them.”

-Wolfgang Amadeus

Mozart

“Poetry begins in delight and Eastern Region Book Corner: ends in wisdom.” Tracy Kidder’s Home Town

-Robert Frost

“The one thing The Student Advisors to Sigma Tau Delta have by such literary greats as Dickens and Henry that does not asked the regional student representatives to James, and boasts Sylvia Plath’s alma mater, abide by include a section for regional authors in the Smith College. Kidder says of the town, "It's newsletter. This issue’s selection is Tracy one of the few civilized parts of . I majority’s rule Kidder’s Home Town for its vivid portrayal of like the way it looks, the sense that history is a person’s small town New England. surrounds you in a constructed landscape. It's

picturesque, authentic. It's where people grew conscience.” In Home Town (1999), Pulitzer Prize winner up or wish they had grown up."

- Tracy Kidder digs beneath small town of

Northampton through the lives of a tycoon, a Tracy Kidder has also won a number of other

criminal, a college professor, a judge, and at awards other than the Pulitzer Prize including the center a home town police officer, to the National Book Award, and the Robert F. uncover the quintessential New England Kennedy Award, among others. He is also the landscape. Northampton itself is a scene of author of The Soul of a New Machine, House, considerable literary interest. It holds a rich Among Schoolchildren, Old Friends, and most history dating back to the 17th century, is recently Mountain Beyond Mountains. Kidder home to Mount Holyoke, which was climbed lives in Massachusetts and Maine.

Page 3

Quotable Quotes: Greetin gs from the ASR “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me Greetings, Eastern Region! As I write this, and I may warming my chilled bones with cappuccino remember; from the café, I look around my room and notice my fish, Heraclitus, whom I have involve me and forgotten to feed for the past two days, stacks I’ll understand.” of books begging for my attention and stacks Chinese Proverb of notebooks awaiting my careful study of them. I hope everyone else is suffering less from the procrastination syndrome than I am in the middle of this highly chaotic part of the “My best semester. I can’t believe Halloween is almost thoughts always here. I hope everyone enjoys the tricks and come a little too treats of the day. I look forward to seeing -Janine Surmick everyone in Pittsburgh in the spring. late.” Hopefully, my fish will be well fed and my Eastern Region, ASR Nathaniel work will be completed by then. Hawthorne Cheers!

“Keep away from the people who try to belittle your 2007 Convention: Pittsburgh, PA ambitions. Small people alway s do I imagine by the time anyone may read this This year the convention will be in Pittsburgh, that, but the the beginning of October will have passed. Pennsylvania, and it will be held at the Hilton That means the November deadline is really great Hotel. The theme will be “confluence.” My dictionary tells me that means “a meeting or approaching for submissions. So let’s all get make you feel to sending in our submissions (check on the gathering of two or more things.” Seems that you, too, are fitting for the city of bridges, (English people website for details) and be “confluent” (sorry,

are so clever aren’t they?). And don’t think I had to) at Pittsburgh. great.” that just because you’re from the same region

-Mark Twain you’ve seen all there is to see. Pittsburgh The following articles were written with the holds many interesting sights for the intension to make your mouth water a bit and intellectual mind including the Heinz History encourage you to join us at the convention this

Museum, Henry Clay Frick Art & Historical spring.

Center, Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Here is a nice little picture of what will greet and Art, and Heinz Hall (home of the you when you get there.) Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra). If one has a taste for a bit of modern on their palate, they can check out the Andy Warhol Museum.

Page 4

Convention Recap: Snapshots of

Quotable Quotes: P ortl and

By Julie Oliver seeing, our time in Portland passed quickly. “It is always Our first night there, we had dinner at a with the best As Sigma Tau Delta members know, the last Chinese restaurant downtown, and then made week of March isn’t just the harbinger of our way back to the convention hotel to hear intentions that spring in Massachusetts, it’s the time of our Mark Salzman, author of True Notebooks, talk the worst work annual pilgrimage to the Annual International about his work leading a creative writing Convention. Whether they boarded a plane or workshop for young men in prison for violent is done.” helped drive the van, past attendees have offenses. Salzman was an animated speaker,

participated in a tradition that has spanned our telling stories about his experiences with his -Oscar Wilde chapter’s eight year history. This year eight students as well as his frustrated attempts to

students—Keith Leonard, Steve Bruso, become a Zen master and a professional cellist “Don't use Colleen Wimberly, Julie Oliver, Jessi Ulmer, before becoming a writer. That evening, while words too big Brian O’Connor, Jolene Wagner, and James some of us heeded the call of jet-lag, an Wilcox—along with chapter sponsors adventurous group navigated the for the subject. Professors Glen Brewster and Elizabeth Starr, neighborhoods of Portland and ended up at Le Don't say made the long journey across the United Bistro Montage, a local hot spot. States to attend the 2006 Sigma Tau Delta 'infinitely' when English Honor Society Convention in Another highlight of the convention was you mean 'very'; Portland, Oregon. After six hours of plane hearing Ted Kooser, then-U.S. Poet Laureate, otherwise you'll travel (and an unplanned but exciting layover talk about and read from his work. Some in Las Vegas for Brian and Julie), we found students also had the opportunity to attend a have no word ourselves in the lovely green spring of the smaller session with Kooser the next day left when you Northwest. The light rain showers were where they were able to ask questions about want to talk frequent and unpredictable (though you could his writing process. Apart from hearing our count on rain when you left your umbrella at peers present papers, our free time was spent about something the hotel), and the city was full of blooming visiting the famous Powell’s Bookstore, really infinite.” tulips and mossy trees. It was completely heading out of town to get a glimpse of the appropriate, then, that this year’s convention surrounding mountains and fir trees, shopping -C.S. Lewis theme was “green,” a word which, as at cool stores, and having tea in the city’s described in the convention’s call for papers, Chinese gardens. “If the English “is a cultural construct, a linguistic entity, a political predisposition, just as the other colors All in all, we had a great time in Portland and language made are, a form of creative nonfiction, the prose of at the convention itself; the best part, as usual,

perception disguising an even more was having the opportunity to spend time with any sense, a fundamental poetry, a symbolic expression.” each other. We are grateful for all of the catastrophe support we received from the English would be an Westfield State College was well represented, department and the Westfield State College

with students presenting original poetry as community, which helped cover much of the apostrophe with well as papers on pedagogy and literary cost of students’ convention fees and travel. fur.” criticism. Making us particularly proud was -Doug Larson Brian O’Connor, whose essay “Unbearable We’re all looking forward to this spring’s

Circles: Vicious Returns” won the third place convention in Pittsburgh, the home of Andy

Critical Essay Convention Writing Award. As Warhol and legendary composer, Henry a group, we enjoyed hearing each other’s Mancini. Famed African-American work, asking and answering questions at playwright August Wilson is a native of the student panels, and meeting other English city, as well as Fred Rogers (better known as majors from colleges and universities all over Mr. Rogers) and “Mr. Roger’s the country. Neighborhood.” Also, don’t forget to visit Carnegie Hall, the setting of Willa Cather’s There was much to do and see, both at the famous short story, “Paul’s Case.” convention and in the city itself. Between panel readings, keynote speakers and sight See you in Pittsburgh!

Page 5

Quotable Quotes: Let’s Get Physical: On Pittsburgh “A man thinks Keynote Speaker, Poet Sharon Olds that by mouthing hard By Keith Leonard, Eastern SR words he understands As I read through this year’s common reader, Strike Sparks by poet Sharon Olds, it continually hard things.” strikes me that the head guys and girls on the from The Upswept Room

Herman Melville Sigma Tau Delta board are nothing less than

brave. Really they seem to be saying, “Don’t let Diaphragm Aria

the Greek lettering fool you, we’re one serious “Teachers open group of badasses,” for it takes a certain amount It’s curious and sweet to slip it out the door. You of courage to invite Sharon Olds to read her and look inside, to see what’s there, enter by poetry at your conference. And here is why. like a treasure hunt, dimestore toys and dolls tucked into the root-floor of the woods, yourself.” There seems to be a lack of middle ground for or tilt up a stone in the yard and find, -Chinese Olds’ critics—they either praise her gut- in the groove of her path, the flame-brown newt. wrenching honesty and blunt physicality, or (like Now I Proverb her fiercest critic Helen Vendler) claim her read the shallow cup of dregs, poetry to be self-indulgent and pornographic. shreds like clothes torn away in “Good teaching And maybe both sides have their point. Holding eagerness, cloth of the bodies, which rips her doctoral degree and standing on the steps of to a cloud of threads. Here our daughter is one-fourth Columbia, Olds asked herself some of never picked her finicky way, preparation and wonderful, vital poetic questions to begin her here our son never somersaulted, career: three-fourths here only our not-children advanced, and dropped, and surged forward “Is there anything that shouldn’t or can’t be theater.” and were cut down, there a coil written about in a poem?” and more generally, of tail, here a ladyfinger, a -Gail Godwin “What has never been written about in a poem?" curl, a bone of the twin. When I have reached into myself and glistened out the dome, Sharon Olds found the resulting concoction in "There are no I search its planetarium sky candid language and in-your-face imagery, for its weather, ivory nimbus, reach great things, shocking readers with the publication of her first of summer showers—these are the heavens only small things book, Satan Says (1980). She then continued to under which the grateful bodies with great love. produce collections through the following went to earth, dense with contentment, decades including The Dead and the Living moving, together, for those hour-long Happy are (1983), The Gold Cell, (1987) The Father, moments, in a mattery paradise, those." (1992), The Wellspring, (1996), Blood, Tin, I gaze into the cumulus Straw (1999), The Upswept Room (2002), and of spermicide, I bless the lollers who -Mother Theresa finally a collection of all these in Strike Sparks stay in that other sphere as we come (2006). like surf on the shore of it.

Thus, as our common reader this year we have the summation of one of today’s most daring poet’s prolific career.

Page 6

Quotable Quotes: Winning Wit: David Rakoff takes

“It is a fair, on the World even-handed, By Janine Surmick, Eastern ASR Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of noble Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread adjustment of To become a talented or renowned author, an Count, The Never-ending Quest for Artisanal individual must demonstrate a sense of flair or Olive Oil, Other First World Problems, and things, that personality in voice to stand out in the word- Fraud. while there is playing game of writing. Described as, infection in “Possessing a wicked wit and a sharp, elegant In addition to his insatiable wit, Rakoff’s writing style, [David Rakoff] has become stories emphasize the genuine quality of being disease and known as one of the country’s most potent human. Rakoff is unique in that his works are sorrow, there is humorists,” by the Oakland Tribune, David both meant to be read as written works and nothing in the Rakoff’s humor and sense of wit distinguish spoken over the radio. Dave Weich, from him among other essayists, journalists, actors, Powells.com, says, “Whether investigating elf and radio personalities. Likewise, these populations in Iceland, impersonating Freud in world so qualities will lead Rakoff to the 2007 Sigma a Manhattan department store window irresistibly Tau Delta Convention in Pittsburgh, where he display, attending a New Age retreat hosted contagious as will join us as one of the keynote speakers in by movie star Steven Seagal, playing a two- laughter and March. day guest part on a popular soap opera, or tracking down three long-forgotten straws of good-humour.” The Canadian-born humorist has written for his prechemotherapized sperm (at the age of -Charles New York Times Magazine, GQ, Outside, and twenty-two, Rakoff was diagnosed with Dickens Vogue, to name a few, has frequently been a Hodgkin’s disease), he brings to his satire a voice on the radio program, This American rare, compulsive blend of humor and Life, and has held roles in Strangers with compassion.” “If Art relates Candy, One Woman Shoe, and Capote, among other theatrical productions and David Rakoff’s words of wit and wisdom are itself to an movies. greatly looked-forward to, expected, and Object, it anticipated in Pittsburgh for Sigma Tau becomes Additionally, David Rakoff publishes Delta’s convention in March. descriptive, divisionist, Quick Reminder: Big Money! literary.”

Here’s a quick, little riddle for all those Here are a few examples of the awards you -Robert English majors out there: What doesn’t grow can win:

Delaunay on trees, can’t be found while leafing through

a book, and most college students need? Eleanor B. North Poetry Award Please tell me you’re not stumped. The answer Frederic Fadner Critical Essay Award is money!!! And guess what? Sigma Tau Herbert L. Hughes Short Story Award Delta loves giving it away. This year they Judson Q. Own Best Writing of any Genre have given out more than ever and are looking Award to top that next year. So here’s a tip: go to the Elizabeth Holtze Best Personal or Informal Sigma Tau Delta website (www.english.org) Essay Award and get yourself some scholarships or awards. If you click on either the “Forms” or And that’s just from the ΣΤ∆ journal, The “Opportunities” buttons on the side of the Rectangle. There are many more involving page you’ll be surprised to find a number of anything from best website to best chapter. So nice little forms just begging to be turned into let’s make some money!!! a nice fat check looking for a home in your pocket. So do yourself a favor and take five (P.S. The editors have included a list of the minutes out of your busy lives and check it 2006 award recipients from the Eastern out. It might be worth a couple grand. Region on the last page of this newsletter).

Page 7

Quotable Quotes: Wordstock 2006: The Dodge Poetry

Festival “I don't want my books to exclude anyone, Though the lull of putting more convention- On Thursday, teachers of any level and high but if they have praising articles in this newsletter is enticing, school students were given priority seating at to, then I would Sigma Tau Delta is about more than our all events throughout the day, as the day was rather they annual meeting. One of those things is the set aside for them. Friday, “Teacher Day,” promotion of English excellence. Assistant was catered to those mostly interested in excluded the Student Representative Janine Surmick found education from elementary school through that at this year’s Dodge Poetry Festival in people who feel college. Saturday and Sunday events were New Jersey. open to everyone. Over all four days they are too approximately 20,000 people were estimated

On September 28–October 1, 2006 on the to have attended the festival. smart for them!” grounds of the national historic Waterloo -Nick Hornby Village in Stanhope, New Jersey, a collection The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival has of poets, musicians, and storytellers came been held biennially since 1986. The festival “An ordinary together to celebrate what the New York integrates poets and audiences in Times quips as “Wordstock,” by celebrating conversations and discussions emphasizing man can the voice and tradition of poetry at the 11th poetry. About ten stages are set up throughout surround biennial, Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival. the grounds, allowing for a variety of himself with two performances and discussions. In 2004, the The four-day long festival of the largest festival attracted almost 19,000 people. thousand books poetry event that takes place in North During the first two days of the festival, over and America, hosted a variety of poets, from local 4,500 students and 2,000 teachers attended areas to those from overseas, as well as readings and discussions designed with their thenceforward workshops for high school and college interests in mind. have at least one students and educators. A highlight of the place in the festival occurred on Friday afternoon during Poet Billy Collins, a frequent participant at the the Poetry Sampler. The tent was packed with festival writes, “A poetry summit such as the world in which it eager audience members awaiting featured Dodge dispels, at least temporarily, the notion is possible to be poets to read their works. Among the featured that poetry is the most neglected of the arts, happy.” poets were Taha Muhamid Ali, Billy Collins, the poor little match girl of literature. The Lucille Clifton, Mark Doty, Jorie Graham, and spectacle of crowds of people shouldering -Augustine Brian Turner. past one another in all directions, the long Birrell lines of book-buyers, the rapt attention to In addition to poets such as Andrew Motion, readers, the outbursts of applause, and even England’s Poet Laureate, regional poets like standing ovations are enough to convince you Lois Marie Harrod, Diane Lockward, Peter that poetry has somehow been restored to its Murphy, and Len Roberts also spoke as the ancient prominence and might even be a force Festival Poets on Friday afternoon. to be reckoned with.”

Throughout the festival, Yarina, a group of

Ecuadorian musicians, strolled the grounds, presenting the music of the Andes. Additionally, there were performances by the Paul Winter Consort, Sekou Sundiata’s Band, and Glen Valez and Lori Cotler.

Page 8

Quotable Quotes: Congratulations to the Eastern Region "The reading of 2006 Award Winners! all good books is like a Junior Scholarship ($2,500) The Rectangle/Review Writing Awards conversation Lynsey Rae Pope, Mount Vernon Nazarene Elizabeth Holtze Creative Nonfiction Award with all the University, Alpha Mu Omega ($300), Mary Colleen Patterson, Slippery Rock University finest men of Junior Scholarship Runner-up ($500) past centuries." Andrew Erkkila, The College of New Jersey, Frederic Fadner Critical Essay Award ($300) Alpha Epsilon Alpha Hannah Meyer, Messiah College -Rene Descartes Senior Scholarship Runner-up ($500) The Convention Paper Awards S. Pearl Brilmyer, University of Scranton, Mu 3rd Place, Critical Essay ($75), Brian Omicron O’Connor, Westfield State College “One of the ridiculous Regnery Scholarship ($2,500) 3rd Place, Creative Nonfiction/Personal Essay Maya Stoilova, The American University of ($75), Jillian Bateman, Ithaca College aspects of being Paris, Kappa Sigma a poet is the 3rd Place, Original Drama ($75) huge gulf Regnery Scholarship Runner-up ($500) Melanie Martin, Slippery Rock University Judith Ann Hicks, University of Scranton, Mu between how Omicron Outstanding Sponsor Award ($500) seriously we Alvernia College, Kappa Pi Somerville Teaching Award ($2,000) take ourselves John Zachary Monahan, University of Chapter Web Site Award ($200) and how Scranton, Mu Omicron Old Dominion University, Nu Upsilon generally we are Essay on Convention Theme ($100) ignored by Maya Stoilova, The American University of everybody else.” Paris, Kappa Sigma

-Billy Collins, Regional Scholarship, Eastern ($1,000) "New York Lynzie Biggs, Alvernia College, Kappa Pi Times" Project Grant Winner Slippery Rock University ($300), Sponsor: Robert Crafton, Project: The Eta Delta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta will spend "Wear the old March 4–12 volunteering at 826 Valencia, a coat and buy the non-profit youth literacy project. 826 new book." Valencia helps students ages 8–18 develop creative writing skills through workshops, -Austin Phelps tutoring, and publishing an annual compilation of student work. The Eta Delta Chapter will work closely with the students as they have for the past three spring breaks to help students revise project drafts, supervise layout, and promote Sigma Tau Delta's motto: Sincerity, Truth, Design.