• General Books • Bowdoin Authors • Chamberlain Titles • T-shirts • Sweatshirts • Shorts • Pants • Outerwear • Hats • Children’s Clothing • Women’s Wear • Insignia Gifts Wear Clothing • Women’s Outerwear • Hats Children’s BOWDOINBOWDOINFall 2004 Volume 76, Number 1 OnlineOnline www.bowdoin.edu/bookstorewww.bowdoin.edu/bookstore BowdoinBowdoin FieldField WorkWork ininBelizeBelize shop online anytime or call toll free at 1-800-524-2225 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. EST Paperweights • Blankets Throws Clocks Mirrors Bowdoin Chair • Diploma Frames • Glassware • Pennants • Banners • Gift Certificates • Decals • and much more • Non-Profit U.S.Postage BOWDOIN PAID Bowdoin Bowdoin College College Brunswick, Maine 04011 fall2004 contents BOWDOINeditor’s note staff Knowing how to do things is becoming a lost art. The four children in my own Volume 76, Number 1 household — who range in age from 11 to 15 — worry about this from time to Fall, 2004 What Makes Laffey Run? 12 time, especially the boys. One of them said recently that he feels that his genera- MAGAZINE STAFF By Edgar Allen Beem Photographs by Mark Alcarez tion will be helpless when it is their turn to run things. He said it genuinely wor- ried him and that, although it helped a little to know that we could teach him Editor Alison M. Bennie Steve Laffey ’84 returned to his hometown of Cranston, Rhode Island, after much of what he wanted to know, he was also kind of concerned that knowing twenty years of success in other places. Concerned about the state of would set him apart and make him therefore responsible for everything. Associate Editor things when he returned, he decided to run for mayor. Having taken on Matthew J. O’Donnell just about every special interest in town and now running for a second It’s a funny concept — that it might be better to be ill-equipped in a situation Design two-year term, Laffey shows no signs of backing off. than to know enough to have to be the one to take charge. But it doesn’t really Pennisi & Lamare Falmouth, Maine surprise me, coming from a 14 year-old boy who can play the guitar, solve an algebraic equation, hit a baseball, and make an iMovie — but who has never Obituary Editor Welcome to the Monkey House 18 mowed the lawn. We seem to spend more time coaching our children to be the John R. Cross ’76 By Claire Allum Photographs by Claire Allum and James Marshall best soccer players they can be, or talking to them about which colleges we think Contributors they should attend, than we do teaching them to balance a checkbook, take out a James Caton Leslie Shaw, visiting assistant professor in the department of Sociology & loan, or cook a meal. And I think that the result is that they feel they are not self- Susan Danforth Anthropology, has been taking Bowdoin students to dig in the jungle of Scott W. Hood sufficient and that their futures as grown-ups can be rather daunting. Mario N. Lopez ’06 Belize since 1998. Claire Allum joins Shaw at the dig at Maax Na, also Alix Roy ’07 known as "The Monkey House," for a look at what her students learn. We have long known at Bowdoin that one of the biggest differences between entering first-years and graduating seniors is that they have discovered that they Photographs by Mark Alcarez, Brian are people who can take on challenges with confidence. They know they have Beard, Dennis Griggs, James Marshall, Seth Affoumado, and Bowdoin College Bob the Bowdoin Builder 26 the learning skills to tackle a new language, research ground-breaking science, Archives. By Selby Frame Photographs by James Marshall or write a novel — and that how they apply the skills they have developed here is up to them and may take virtually any form in any profession. BOWDOIN (ISSN, 0895-2604) is pub- Machinists like Bowdoin’s Bob Stevens aren’t common at undergraduate lished four times a year by Bowdoin institutions, and guys like Bob Stevens just aren’t common anywhere. Selby College, 4104 College Station, But it isn’t all just academics, as clearly as that is our mission. Students on our J- Frame introduces us to a Bowdoin scientist’s secret weapon, someone who Brunswick, Maine 04011. Printed by Board learn to weigh evidence, resolve disputes, and impose consequences that are Dartmouth Printing, Hanover, New can make just about anything. Hampshire. Third-class postage paid at fair and grounded in principle. Students who lead teams and organizations learn Hanover, New Hampshire. Sent free of to motivate others, inspire success, and garner consensus. The examples go on charge to all Bowdoin alumni/ae, par- and on — there are even opportunities here to learn to throw pots, develop photo- ents of current and recent undergradu- ates, faculty and staff, seniors, and graphic prints, knit a sweater, or make sushi. Students who have never taken a selected members of the Association of dance class know that they are welcome in that department, as they are in every Bowdoin Friends. realm of the College. Bowdoin’s inclusiveness is one of its greatest virtues in that Opinions expressed in this magazine way. Boundaries are intentionally blurred here, to great and lasting effect. are those of the authors. So maybe I should just take my son to see Bob Stevens, who could show him how Send class news to classnews@bow- doin.edu or mail to the address above. Departments to make some tools (they say about Bob, “ask him the time, and he’ll make you a Advertising inquiries? Please e-mail watch”). Or Leslie Shaw, who could make sure he knows how to look for scorpi- [email protected] or fax 207- Mailbox 86 725-3003. Please send address changes ons in his shoes and tell him the best way to make it up a jungle hill in a Jeep. Bookshelf 10 to the mailing address above. Send College & Maine 2 Accomplishment is a cumulative process, and Bowdoin is a great place to begin. ideas or letters to the editor to that address or by e-mail to bowdoinedi- Weddings 30 [email protected]. Class News 35 AMB Obituaries 74 Cover: Spider monkey in the jungle in Belize. Photograph by Claire Allum. Interview 87 BOWDOIN FALL 2004 1 college&maine news college&maine news Dump and Run Raises $22K Bowdoin Launches Improved Web Site Oldest Bat May Belong to Bowdoin for Local Charities owdoin’s 2004 “Dump and Run” sale in June set new records, as an estimated owdoin has launched a redesigned Web pleased with the result.” sport thought to have been inspired day in a game between the Brunswick B 100 truckloads of cast-off student posses- site (www.bowdoin.edu) aimed at The principal goals of the redesign by a British game called rounders, Sunrise Club and a team from B A sions were diverted from the local landfill, improving the timely flow of information effort were to improve the flow of informa- baseball developed over the past century- Bowdoin—the first known instance of a and $22,000 was raised for local charities in while better reflecting the academic mis- tion and compliance with Web standards and-a-half as the U.S. “National College-fielded baseball team. Tradition the process. sion, breadth and depth of programs and and “best practices,” while more accurately Pastime.” With many millions of in those days included the awarding of Dump and Run is a waste-prevention activities, and the energy and beauty of its reflecting the intellectual and residential Americans either playing on a team or the bat and ball used in the game to the program that keeps many of the good, 210-year old campus. The new site — life of the College. Accordingly, navigation following one with near-religious devo- winning team. After the Sunrise Club usable items left behind by college students which was designed, developed, and imple- and search functions on the site have been tion (as we well know beat Bowdoin by a now- out of landfills. The items are collected, mented completely “in-house” — was improved, the presentation of news and here in the Northeast!), unthinkable score of 46- sorted and tagged, then sold at a giant yard launched August 20. events has been enhanced, and information the history of baseball 42, they received the bat, sale. Proceeds are divided among communi- “Bowdoin’s new Web site is a strong tes- on academic department pages has been always hits close to home. and kept it for many years ty non-profits that provide volunteers to tament to the creativity, innovative thought, expanded. The redesigned site is compliant Never more so for before turning it over to help with the event. and technical abilities of our students, facul- with standards consistent with the Bowdoinites, as an the local historical society The sale featured thousands of perfectly ty, and staff — groups that were all involved Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It ancient baseball bat found in Brunswick, who then good student cast-offs as varied as computer in its development and implementation over provides additional opportunities for pho- in the closet of Bowdoin presented it to the printers, televisions, stereos, furniture, many months,” said President Barry Mills. tography and graphics, and will ultimately baseball coach Mike Bowdoin Athletic “We believe it will be a very useful tool for improve the site management system used assistance of many members of the Bowdoin Connolly’s office may Association around 1920 members of the College community, for by individual departments to make changes community,” said Mitch W.