Laetsch Final Dmd 030713

Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Watson “Mac” Laetsch Botanist, UC Berkeley Administrator and Fundraiser, Partner in International Development Interviews conducted by Lisa Rubens in 2010 and 2011 Copyright © 2012 by The Regents of the University of California ii Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the West, and the nation. Oral History is a method of collecting historical information through tape-recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. The tape recording is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The corrected manuscript is bound with photographs and illustrative materials and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and in other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ********************************* All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between The Regents of the University of California and Watson “Mac” Laetsch, dated March 15, 2012. The manuscript is thereby made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Excerpts up to 1000 words from this interview may be quoted for publication without seeking permission as long as the use is non-commercial and properly cited. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to The Bancroft Library, Head of Public Services, Mail Code 6000, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000, and should follow instructions available online at http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/collections/cite.html It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Watson “Mac” Laetsch: Botanist; UC Berkeley Administrator and Fundraiser; Partner in International Development” conducted by Lisa Rubens in 2010 and 2011, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 2012. iii Mac Laetsch, 2012 Photograph courtesy of Ven Vu iv Watson “Mac” Laetsch Oral History List of Donors Mr. Michael D. Desler Mr. Bud Tavers Mr. Carl J. Stoney, Jr. Mr. Francisco Hernandez Mr. H. Dubose and Mrs. Nancy T. Montgomery Mr. John P. Stock Professor and Mrs. Vincent H. Resh Roger and Jeane Samuelsen Professor Thomas Charles Leonard Mr. Jack Dold Mr. Matthew and Mrs. Marcia Allen Mr. Richard C. Otter Mrs. Mary Jane Dold Professor Henry Miller Professor Henry Miller, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hutchison Mr. Barry Lawson Williams Deborah and Wayne Cole Janet and Alan Stanford Professor Alexei V. Filippenko Charles and Mary Laetsch Dr. Alexander Lucas Dr. Bertram Harold Lubin and Ms. Vivian L. Scharlach Mr. Alexander L. Florence Mr. David A. and Mrs. Paula Y. Stetler Mr. Harry R. Agler Mr. Lester E. and Mrs. Mary De Wall Mr. W. Bruce and Mrs. Joyce Laetsch Mrs. Sharon S. and Mr. John C. Shenk Mrs. Shirley B. Conner Ms. Marilyn M. Boring Ms. Nancy Lusk Professor and Mrs. Charles B. Faulhaber Professor Lewis J. Feldman Professor Randy H. Katz Professor Robert L. Middlekauff Sonja Weissman v Table of Contents—Watson “Mac” Laetsch Interview History by Lisa Rubens xi Introduction by Robert Middlekauff xiii Interview #1: September 3, 2010 Audio File 1 1 Family background—Birth in Bellingham, Washington, 1933—Remembering the impact of Pearl Harbor—Relocating to Indianapolis and then Fort Benning while father serves as a US Army Air Forces chaplain—High School years in Indianapolis; named Outstanding Boy Scientist of Indiana for a study of athlete’s foot fungus—Reflecting on family life and religious upbringing. Audio File 2 19 More on family dynamics—On having a distinguished family lineage—Interest in football and current events in high school—Attending Wabash College 1951- 1955 and pursuing a triple major: botany, zoology and history—Current interest in history—Remembers seeing Senator Joseph McCarthy Senate Hearings in Washington, D.C.—Choosing Stanford University for graduate school. Interview #2: September 10, 2010 Audio File 3 28 Continuities and disruptions in history: War II as a generational divide in science and technology—Assessing strengths and weakness of Stanford—Studying with plant physiologist Winslow Briggs—Applying for a Rhodes and Fulbright Scholarship; noting an Ivy League bias in picking Rhodes Scholars—A year in India on a Fulbright Fellowship: Studying plant biology; touring the country; introduced to Nehru; meeting future wife Sita Capildeo—A year in Indianapolis: teaching, marrying, serving in the military. Audio File 4 44 The influence of substitute teaching on future classroom experiences—Recalling Sita’s difficulties coming to the US—Sita’s family background from India to Trinidad—Sita’s father a distinguished solicitor and MP—More on military service—Traveling across the country with a pregnant wife to resume graduate work at Stanford—The virtues of married student housing—Earning a PhD and taking a job in the Department of Biology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1961. vi Interview #3: September 15, 2010 Audio File 5 62 Establishing a lab at SUNY Oyster Bay; teaching at Stony Brook and reflecting on a new university reluctant to be experimental—Studying sugarcane tissue in Trinidad—Experiencing discrimination in housing and hiring—Recruited to UC Berkeley’s Department of Botany, 1963—A period of growth at Cal and in the Department of Botany—Observations about the field of Botany in the 60s— Serving on the Chancellor’s Committee on Visiting Lecturers to Negro Colleges and Universities—The Free Speech Movement at Berkeley. Audio File 6 82 Reflecting on the impact of political upheaval at Cal—More on faculty in the Department of Botany—Founding the California Native Plant Society, 1964-1965. Interview #4: October 27, 2010 Audio File 7 95 A recent trip to Bhutan: Taking Mark Twain’s autobiography; recounting history of engagement with Bhutan since 1980—Serving on the US-Indo Sub Commission on Education and Culture—Organizing Bear Treks to Bhutan— Reflecting on changes in Bhutan since 1980—Cal’s connection to Bhutan—Royal politics in Bhutan—More on the current economic and political issues in Bhutan—More reflections on the 1964 Free Speech Movement at Cal— Involvement with curriculum innovation—Creating a graduate program: SESAME, Search for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education. Audio File 8 114 More on SESAME—University and department committee appointments, teaching and research, 1967-1969—Producing two reading anthologies: The Biological Perspective: Introductory Readings with Richard Strohman and Papers on Plant Growth and Development, with Robert Cleland—Evaluating new courses in biology—Chairing Campus Committee on Natural Land and Water Reserve System; serving on the system wide committee. Interview #5: November 5, 2010 Audio File 9 121 More on co-authoring a science anthology—Receiving the Distinguished Teaching Award—Origin and early years of the U.C. Botanical Garden—Serving as Director of the Garden—Acquiring Mather Grove—Making the Garden more accessible to the public—Developing programs for the public schools— vii Expanding the Garden for teaching and research at the university—Successive directors of the Garden and reflection on the value of academic leadership and plant collecting for research—Reporting to the Chancellor—NSF funded program for high school biology teachers—Serving on the Advisory Committee for the Lawrence Hall of Science [LHS]—Original vision and leadership of LHS— Developing science curricula used nationally and internationally in a variety of venues—Reflections on Frank Oppenheimer—Forming the Association of Science and Technology Centers [ASTC]. Audio File 10 141 Serving on the council of the American Association of Museums—Initiating research on ethnologies of museums visitors—Working with supporters of LHS— Overlap of programs between the Botanical Garden and LHS—Hiring the first full time development officer for a campus unit. Interview #6: November 9, 2010 Audio File 11 151 Shared interests among science faculty and initial involvement with LHS— Problems with the building and exhibits—From Associate Director of LHS to Director; simultaneously director of the Berkeley Botanical Garden—Evaluating LHS in the university organization structure—Programmatic development and funding from the National Science Foundation for innovative science curricula used nationally—1972–1980 a period of growth—The Equals Program to enrich science for young women—The museum store and other money makers—More on ASTC—NSF sponsored trip to India to evaluate science centers—Reflections on the international growth of science centers and exchange programs in the US— Consulting internationally on science centers—Promoting science centers and science literacy—Explaining the value of science literacy and education. Interview #7: November 24, 2010 Audio File 12 168 Publishing Plants: Basic Concepts in Botany, 1979—Reflecting on the

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