THE MAGAZINE of RICE UNIVERSITY WINTER 2002 Owls Are Erudite
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
-44 THE MAGAZINE OF RICE UNIVERSITY WINTER 2002 Owls are erudite. No one quite knows when this became almost universally accepted. Perhaps the whole thing began with the owls of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom. In more contemporary times, owls can be found in the Winnie the Pooh stories, Walt Kelly's famous Pogo cartoons, and those ubiquitous Harry Potter books. The list goes on and on. Owls also have played a significant role at Rice since the beginning. A trio of Athenian owls graces our academic seal, which was created by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1912. Rice athletes were dubbed the Owls in their very first season of play. Depictions of owls can be found everywhere on campus. And owl statues in various media often serve as thank-you gifts for visiting dignitaries. The variety of owls on campus doesn't usually include Arctic snowy owls (although check out Yesteryear), so we thought we'd import one by wildlife photographer Eric Dresser as a properly seasonal cover for this winter's Salt.iport. To order prints of the snowy owl on the cover, contact the photographer at 315-765-9772 or visit his website at http://ecdphoto.tripod.com. THE MAGAZINE OF RICE UNIVERSITY • WINTER 2002 yport FE AT UR ES 18 UNLIKE ANY IN EUROPE Nearly a century after Edgar Odell Lovett adopted European ideals of education to lay the foundation of Rice University,Rice has returned the favor by helping mold Europe's first private research university. BY JOHN B. BOLES 28 OUT OF THE MAELSTROM It was a day like any other for Bill Forney—until a terrorist-piloted jet crashed into the World Trade Center, just two floors above him. BY DAVID D. MEDINA 32 FAIRY GODMOTHER What would you do if a 16-year-old wayward nephew showed up at your door? Marsha Recknagel followed her heart. BY DAVID D. MEDINA 38 TAKING THE HONORS Students in the Rice University Scholarship Program investigate options in academia. BY DAVID THEIS 43 ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL Epic fantasy may define The Lord ofthe Rings, but Jane Chance finds it illustrates many very real truths. BY CHRISTOPHER DOW DEPARTMENTS RETURN ADDRESSED 5 THROUGH THE SALLYPORT 16 ON THE BOOKSHELF 46 WHO'S WHO 49 SES & ACADEMS 51 SCOREBOARD 53 YESTERYEAR WINTER '021 FOREWORD THINKING llyport Our last issue was just going to press when the events ofSeptember II shocked the world. Much has happened in the intervening months, though the complex WINTER 2002, VOL. 58, NO. 2 and volatile crisis triggered by the terrorist attacks has yet to be fully resolved. Published by the Division of Public Affairs Whatever the outcome,clearly the situation is not Rice's story. It is not really even Terry Shepard, vice president just America's story. It is an international story being played out on a global stage. EDITOR It definitely concerns Bill Forney'96. Forney was working on the 85th floor Christopher Dow of One World Trade Center on that fateful morning. "Out of the Maelstrom," by David Medina, relates Forney's harrowing escape as the twin towers were hit CREATIVE DIRECTOR then crumbled to dust,debris, and memory around him. Forney was lucky as well Jeff Cox as resourceful, and we can be thankful that, as ofthis writing, we have no reports ofany Rice alumni losing their lives in the attacks on the World Trade Center or ART DIRECTOR the Pentagon. Virginia Barach Ifthe attacks on September II are evidence that moments ofaberration can cause catastrophic change, we have the official opening ofInternational Univer- EDITORIAL STAFF David D. Medina '83, senior editor sity Bremen just nine days later to demonstrate that measured and rational M. Yvonne Taylor, associate editor development also are at work in the world. International University Bremen, Tanine Allison, assistant editor Lorrie Lampson, production coordinator which its founders modeled in large part on Rice,is Europe's first private research university, and John Boles, professor of history and a leading chronicler of all things Rice, details its founding in "Unlike Any in Europe." DESIGN STAFF Christine Jackson, designer Back at home,Rice continues to help its own students grow and evolve with Tommy LaVergne, photographer unique and ongoing programs aimed at challenging our excellent undergradu- Jeff Fitlow, assistant photographer ates. Witness the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program, which involves juniors and seniors in the kinds of sophisticated research projects that a generation ago THE RICE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES were restricted to professors and graduate students. Even better, it brings E. William Barnett, chair; J. 1). Bucky Allshouse; together students from practically every academic area to encourage basic D. Kent Anderson; James A. Baker, III; Teveia Rose Barnes; Raymond D. Brochstein; Albert Y. comprehension ofa wide range of disciplines. Writer David Theis talked to some Chao; James W. Crownover; James A. Elkins, ofthe program's students and faculty to sketch a portrait ofthis innovative effort. III; Lee Hage Jamail; K. Terry Koonce;Cindy J. Sometimes,though, the most important faculty—student interactions do Lindsay; Frederick R. Lummis, Jr.; Michael R. not Lynch;Robert It. Maxfield; Burton J. McMurtry; take place within the hedges or within the confines ofestablished programs. They Robert C. McNair; Steven L. Miller; William can come right out ofleft field and wind up becoming a personal mission. That's Robert Parks; W. Bernard Pieper; Harry M. Reasoner; Karen Hess Rogers; William N. Sick. what English professor Marsha Recknagel discovered when she answered her door one day to find her troubled teenage nephew standing there,asking for help. David Recknagel's ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS Medina's "Fairy Godmother" highlights genesis as a writer, Malcolm Gillis, president-, Zenaido Camacho, how she abandoned her writing to care for and raise her nephew, and the way in vice presidentfor Student Affairs,Dean W.Currie, which her efforts story that runs as deep vice president for Finance and Administration; unfolded in a true-life as her family Charles Henry, vice president and chiefinforma- history. Recknagel's revealing memoir of her five-year struggle to rescue her tion officer, Eric Johnson, vice presidentfor Re- nephew,If Nights Could Talk, has been highly praised by critics nationwide as a source Development; Eugene Levy, provost; Terry Shepard, vice presidentfor Public Affairs, Scott compelling portrait of the search for identity, trust, and forgiveness. W. Wise, vice presidentfor Investments and trea- And finally, we wind up with a bit of fantastic history and fun. English surer, Ann Wright, vice presidentfor Enrollment:, Richard A. Zansitis,general counsel. professor Jane Chance has long studied and taught the work of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially The Lord of the Rings. Her recently rereleased books on the subject Sallyport is published by the Division of Public provide Affairs ofRice University and is sent to university insight into the reasons the story continues to resonate with successive alumni,faculty, staff, graduate students, parents generations ofreaders and why many are calling Tolkien's masterwork one ofthe of undergraduates, and friends ofthe university. greatest books of the 20th century. EDITORIAL OFFICER:Office ofPublications,5620 So,whether you are interested in real-life events, personal drama,or fantasy, Greenbriar, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77005. we hope this issue has something to catch your eye. We also hope that the year Fax:713-348-6751. E-mail:sallyporterice.edu to come brings greater peace and security to the world and that people POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rice everywhere find happiness, growth, and prosperity. University, Development Services—MS 80, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892. ©20132 RICE UNIVERSITY 2 SALLYPORT RETURN ADDRESSED And now the Owls stand at 5- the MOB and other Rice students 1, undefeated in conference play, was particularly rich and memorable with 6 games to play. And four or in light of their propensity for such five of those are very winnable. questionable delicacies as "veal bird." Could we possibly be headed to our Outside of this unfortunate error, I first bowl in 40 years? We can only thought the article was a worthy hope! tribute. ERIC FOSTER '85 SARAH TUBA '76 Lewisville, Texas Beaumont, Texas Ijust couldn'tstand the thought that I recently received the fall 2001 issue UH bested us in thatlast SWCgame, of Sallyport and recounted my own so I decided to tinker a bit with his- memories ofBert Roth and the MOB tory. Actually, the error resultedfrom half-time show for the Rice-Texas a misreading ofthe 2001 Rice Foot- A&M game of 1973. I was a mem- ball Guide. The chart on page 97 ber of the MOB as a freshman in listing the Bayou Bucket wins has 1972, and I recall that the MOB "(Last SWC game ever)" indented planned the same half-time show for SWC FUMBLE beneath the linefor Rice's 1994 vic- the 1972 Texas A&M game, which tory, making that information look was played at College Station. The The last SWC football game ever like it is appended to the 1994 line MOB's guardian angel was certainly was not "notable win" or "1994 rather than being a precursor to the looking out for the MOB on the 31-13 victory" as stated in the fall 1995 line. My apologies. This year, morning ofthat game. As the MOB 2001 Sallyport. The last SWC foot- the Owls ended up 8-4 but unfortu- gathered outside the RMC for the ball game ever was in 1995, and nately did notget invited to a bowl bus trip to College Station, a severe Rice lost the game in the last minute, game. thunderstorm was rolling through after leading UH the whole game.