Alumni Magazine Winter2003

Paper Trails

ANDREW SILK’S LEGACY I L.A. STORY: JOHN CARROLL I DAVE BARRY’S RULES A Natural Fit There was a time when prominent newspaper journalists were associated with large universities with graduate programs, like Columbia, Missouri, Northwestern, and Syracuse. Times have changed. As Dennis Stern ’69 points out on page 38, there is increasing specialization in the newspaper business. Haverford is not about specialization. In the true spirit of liberal learning, the College does not offer a major in journalism or communications (nor do Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore, for that matter). There are no journalism courses. Even so, Haverford has produced what seems to be an inordinate number of journalists for a college its size. Haverford prepares students for a lifetime of asking questions, a lifetime of thinking analytically. Haverford and journalism are a natural fit.

Haverford also delivers exposure to Haverford alumni who’ve gone on to Jill Sherman careers in journalism. The Silk Journalism Panel (see p. 27), is the annual Vice President for on-campus opportunity for the bi-college community to meet Institutional Advancement and hear from journalism’s front lines. Stephen Heacock Editor, Executive Director of There’s also some history. Felix Morley ’15, left the editorship Marketing & Communications of the Washington Post, where he’d won a Pulitzer Prize for Tom Ferguson editorial writing in 1936, to serve as Haverford’s sixth president. Production Manager, Class News Editor Haverford alumni have claimed four Pulitzers in the past 20 Brenna McBride years: David Wessel ’75 in 1984; Dave Barry ’69 in 1988; Staff Writer Roy Gutman ’66 in 1993; and Jack Rakove ’68 in 1997. Hilary O'Sullivan The person who perhaps best represents journalism on campus Office Manager Felix Morley today is director of athletics and associate dean Greg Kannerstein Acquire, LLC (1894-1982) ’63. Greg uses skills he honed as a newspaper reporter in Graphic Designer Philadelphia and Montgomery, Ala., to bring us “Scoreline.” While his care- Contributing Writers fully crafted prose keeps the Ford faithful apprised of athletic endeavors, he Dave Barry ’69 Edgar Allen Beem also provides rich reminders of Haverford’s history, traditions, and its con- Jude Harmon ’03 nections to the world beyond 370 Lancaster Avenue. Greg’s guidance has Steve Manning ’96 Garret McVaugh ’04 helped dozens of Fords get started on their newspaper careers. Still others Bob Mong ’71 work for magazines, broadcast media, and other outlets. Michael Paulson ’86 Joe Quinlan ’75 Are newspapers still relevant in this age of the Internet and 24/7 cable Louise Tritton news access? I hope the stories and profiles we’ve gathered here help Virtual Communications answer that question. The common thread of a Haverford education pulls Committee Norman Pearlstine ’64, Chairman them all together. In David Wessel’s words, Haverford affords students Editorial Advisory “confidence, it trains them to ask good questions, it fosters critical thinking. Committee Haverford is the best journalism school there is.” Violet Brown Emily Davis ’99 J. David Dawson Delsie Phillips Jennifer Punt Willie Williams Stephen Heacock Executive Director of Marketing & Communications Haverford College Marketing and Communications Office 370 Lancaster Avenue Haverford, PA 19041 (610) 896-1333 ©2003 Haverford College The Alumni Magazine of Haverford College Winter 2003

23 PaperFEATURES Trails 16 Crusade for Truth The Boston Globe breaks one of the 27 most significant stories of our time. by Michael Paulson ’86 23 Taking the Lead in L.A. John Carroll ’63 brings quiet leadership DEPARTMENTS to the Los Angeles Times. The View from Founders by Joe Quinlan ’75 2 3 Main Lines 31 A Legacy in Print 27 6 Reviews The Silk family and its tradition of journalism at Haverford. 8 Notes from the by Brenna McBride Alumni Association 9 Ford Games 31 Good News How the Dallas Morning News is working 13 Faculty Profile in a crowded media environment. 43 Class News by Bob Mong ’71 60 Moved to Speak 34 Paper Chase Nicholson Baker ’79’s quest to save old newspapers. by Edgar Allen Beem 34 38 Paper Trails Notes from the workplace.

Paper 38 Trails

Haverford Alumni Magazine is printed four times a year: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Please send change of address information to: Haverford College in care of Jeanette Gillespie, 370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041, or via e-mail: On the Cover [email protected]. Photography by Acquire, LLC. C Haverford Alumni Magazine is printed on recycled paper. The View from Founders by Tom Tritton, President On Cooperation

Most of us enjoy the spirit of com- ments (e.g., astronomy, geology, religion, petition we have with other colleges and uni- art history, among others) that a small versities. Regular readers of this magazine school might be unable to sustain without will immediately recognize our indecorous dividing the tasks. This approach makes so lack of restraint in boasting about this much sense and adds so much to the expe- College. Numerical counts are especially rience here that I’m surprised more places attractive when displaying our competitive- don’t emulate us. Maybe our Quaker roots ness: the number of books in the library; the provide better lubrication for successful SAT scores of our students; the quantity of interaction than those with lesser origins! and Alterity.” This multidisciplinary course computers on campus, etc. Less quantita- Tri-college cooperation is also impor- focuses on classical perspectives on language tive, but no less appealing, are the famous tant. Although Swarthmore is a bit further and meaning, and examines case studies of and accomplished alumni whose stories we away than Bryn Mawr, we all nonetheless interpretation that embody, amplify, or chal- love to recount in our publications. This realize that there are big gains to be made lenge these concepts. The course gives spe- president is also prone to crowing about the through collaborative projects. We do so cial emphasis to the ethical dimensions of scholarly awards, prizes, grants, papers, in Magill Library via a single electronic card the reader’s experience, as students are invit- books, and other accolades garnered by the catalog for the three collections; in aca- ed to ponder literary critic Hillis Miller’s faculty. And of course, who can resist the demics through a unified tri-college online hopeful admonition that “literature is the outcome of athletic competition as a surro- course listing; and in technology by sharing most serious and responsible form of writ- gate for determining the better school on a high-speed Internet pipe for all our data ing,” for it often seeks to serve “the democ- any given day (FYI: Haverford has won the and networking with the outside world. racy to come.” coveted Hood Trophy for four straight years). Blue Bus service was escalated a couple of I’ll confess that I have a hankering to Beguiling as statistics, figures, records, years ago to facilitate student movements teach a course some year on science fiction, victories, and related competitive compar- among the three campuses. We also real- possibly with an emphasis on biology and isons might be, in the cold light of reflection ized—and it seems so obvious in retro- life science in the SF literature. In the spir- most of us also realize the enduring value of spect—that it is more efficient to move one it of cooperation, English Professor Maud cooperation. Franklin Roosevelt had it about faculty member than 15 students, so we McInerney (herself a medievalist) and I have right when he said: “Competition has been trade course assignments with faculty on discussed doing this course collaboratively shown to be useful up to a certain point and the other campuses to enrich student expe- and even have developed a few surreptitious no further, but cooperation, is the thing we rience with new professors (I think of it ideas for the content and syllabus. Do you must strive for today.” Or as the Beatles put irreverently as “Swaps with Swat”). suppose that the College’s Educational it: “All you need is love.” Faculty members with complementary Policy Committee will approve? Academic cooperation abounds. Most interests commonly teach courses jointly. Assuming that comparisons are useful, recognizable to alumni (and equally attrac- We also have some interesting juxtaposi- I’ll close by noting that, whereas in com- tive to prospective students) is the long- tions of administrators with faculty, who col- petition we seek to gain an advantage over standing collaboration with Bryn Mawr laborate on imaginative courses that would someone else, in cooperation we work College. It seems nothing short of miracu- be much more difficult for either party to together. Admittedly, each approach has an lous that the two colleges manage such a create alone. One example that comes to appropriate time and place. Yet, there is a thriving cooperation without contracts, mind is Athletic Director Greg Kannerstein flavor of equity about cooperation that is memoranda of understanding, or other legal ’63 and History Professor Alex Kitroeff, who at once both very Quakeresque and very niceties. Without the slightest doubt, each teach “Sport and Society,” which examines Haverfordian—the right kind of train- of our well-earned distinctive characters is the evolution of sport during the 19th and ing/education for students working on not in the least bit threatened by close part- 20th centuries. As you might imagine, the “peace and global citizenship” or “inte- nership. We have multiple models: joint course is immensely popular since it deals grated natural sciences” (or for that mat- departments (e.g., French, Career with the intersection of social change, spec- ter for those simply planning to get along Development) where a single unit serves tacle, and high performance. Another sam- with others). So, the next time you are on both colleges equally; counterpart depart- ple of collaboration is Provost David Dawson campus, please go to an athletic event or ments (like chemistry, philosophy and a and English Professor Steve Finley, who are an interscholastic debate and cheer for host of others) whose dual existence extends offering a new course through the Haverford to win, but be sure to also go to the intellectual community for students and Humanities Center called “Interpretation a class and give an even bigger cheer for faculty alike; and non-counterpart depart- and the Other: Meaning, Understanding, the win-wins of cooperation.

2 Haverford Magazine Main Lines

A Record Year for Admission

It is taking some heavy lifting to nar- row the field for Haverford’s Class of 2007. Nearly 3,000 high-school students applied last year, the largest applicant pool in the College’s history. The exact number of applicants, 2,981, was nearly 15 percent more than the previous year and 6 percent more than the previous record. Director of Admission Delsie Phillips attributes this success to the College’s vital network of volunteers, her dedicated staff, and her award-winning mini-CD. Admission CD-ROM “Our staff and alumni volunteers were Wins Gold highly visible,” she explains, “and we trav- eled to as many college fairs, schools, and Haverford’s Office of Admission re- enrollments of 2,000 students or less and recruiting events as time and money would cently received national recognition for was one of only 14 submissions to be allow. We sent out more than 33,000 CD’s its CD-ROM, “A Place To Grow.” named “Best of Show,” for “exhibiting the and handed them out at every venue. We The disk, which includes an interactive highest production standards, creativity also hosted more groups on campus and video, the College viewbook, links to areas and professionalism.” were able to increase our mailing and e- of Haverford’s web site, and a printable appli- This national competition is sponsored mailing contacts using sophisticated cation, was among the winners of the18th by Admissions Marketing Report, part of recruitment technology. A lot of this can Annual Admissions Advertising Awards. the HMR Publications Group (www.hmr- be attributed to plain hard work. We are, Produced by Barrington Communica- publicationsgroup.com), which reports like other institutions, enjoying the begin- tions of Los Angeles, Haverford’s CD-ROM on marketing news and information from ning of a Baby Boom cohort, but that alone won a gold medal in the video viewbook across the country in the fields of admis- doesn’t account for a 15 percent jump in category for colleges and universities with sions and healthcare marketing. one year.”

Whitehead Wins in New York On Feb. 1, 2003, John Whitehead ’43, emeritus member of the Board of Managers and honorary co-chair of the “Educating to Lead, Educating to Serve” campaign, received the Robert L. Payton Award for Voluntary Service at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District II Achievement and Recognition Awards cere- mony at Tavern on the Green. The award is given annually to “an individual who demonstrates leadership in advancement programs, furtherance of the philanthropic tradition, and pub- lic articulation of needs, goals, and issues in education.”

Winter2003 3 Main Lines

Conroy Represents Writers’ Workshop in Washington

Frank Conroy ’58 took part in a White House ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 27, to accept the National Humanities Medal for the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop — the first university-based organization to be presented the Medal. Administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Medal “honors individ- uals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human- ities, broadened citizens’ engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to important resources in the humanities.” In 1987, when Conroy became the fifth director of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, then University President James President George W. Bush stands with the recipients of the 2002 National Humanities O. Freedman predicted, “his appointment Medal in the Oval Office on Feb. 27, 2003. From left: Joseph McDade, who accepted the insures that The Writers’ Workshop will award on behalf of Frankie Hewitt of Ford’s Theatre; Ellen Carroll Walton, who accepted remain the most distinguished program of the award on behalf of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union; Dr. Donald Kagan its kind in the country.” of Yale University; author Patricia MacLachlan; Brian Lamb of C-SPAN; Art Linkletter of the United Seniors Association; Frank Conroy ’58, who accepted the award on behalf of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; and Justice Clarence Thomas, who accepted the award on behalf of Dr. Thomas Sowell of the Hoover Institution. White House photo by Paul Morse.

Faculty Notes

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foun- human faces when the brain uses both Assistant Professor of Peace Studies and dation Teacher Scholar Award for 2002 hemispheres to process the information. Anthropology Martin Hébert presented has been awarded to Karin Åkerfeldt, Richard Freedman, professor of music, his paper “Peace Studies and Popular Cul- associate professor of chemistry. Only six attended the conference on Music and ture: Addressing Militarism in the Class- awards were made this year and only one Melancholy, 1400-1800, at Princeton Uni- room” at the Peace and Justice Studies other to a teacher at an undergraduate versity October 26-27. He contributed the Annual Conference, held at Georgetown institution. paper “Listening to Melancholy: Lassais University October 4-6. Hébert also Professor of Physics Suzanne Amador un triste coeur and the French Medical attended the Canadian Association for Kane’s article “Quantitative Chirality Mea- Tradition.” Latin American and Caribbean Studies in sures Applied to Domain Formation in The selection committee for the Mellon Montreal October 24-26, where he pre- Langmuir Monolayers” appeared in Vol- New Directions Fellowships selected from sented “From the Exchange of Saints to ume 18, Issue 25 of the journal Langmuir. Haverford Laurie Kain Hart, associate pro- the Zapatour: Pilgrimage as a Political Rit- Rebecca Compton, assistant professor fessor of anthropology, and Michael Sells, ual in Rural Mexico.” of psychology, contributed “Interhemi- professor of religion and Emily Judson At the Annual Meeting of the Ameri- spheric interaction facilitates face pro- Baugh and John Marshall Gest Professor in can Academy of Religion, held in Toronto cessing” to the November issue of the Comparative Religion. Each fellowship car- November 22-25, Assistant Professor of journal Neuropsychologia. The article ries with it a semester of leave and a $5,000 Religion Tracey Hucks chaired a session details the results of Compton’s study, grant that may be used to defray research, for the Womanist Group, honoring the which confirms that it is easier for people travel or educational expenses related to work of Delores Williams and her book to recognize emotional expressions on the proposed fellowship. Sisters in the Wilderness.

4 Haverford Magazine 2003 Honorary Degree Recipients Americas, especially Brazil. Because of his contributions to Brazilian social science, The College will confer honorary resettle slaves in Africa, is in its second Maybury-Lewis was awarded the Grand degrees on the following four recipients year of operation and has a mission to Cross of the Order of Scientific Merit in during Commencement Day exercises on increase the diversity of students pursu- 1997, Brazil’s highest academic award. In Sunday, May 18, 2003: ing scientific and technical careers and the spring of 1998 he was awarded the Hafsat Abiola, a Nigerian whose father, give them high quality academic training. Anders Retzuis gold medal of the Swedish the elected president of Nigeria, was Prior to taking his current position, Society of Anthropology and Geography denied the opportunity to form a govern- Bourns served as head of George School by the King of Sweden. ment, deposed by a military takeover, and for 21 years and spent his life preoccu- Willie Ruff, hornist and bassist of the died in prison in June of 1998. Her moth- pied with issues of social justice, nonvi- Mitchell-Ruff Duo. He graduated from er worked for his release during the olence, and conflict mediation. He is also Yale as both an undergraduate and grad- imprisonment and was gunned down by a Quaker, a sailor and shipbuilder, and a uate student and has been on the faculty agents of the military in 1996. Hafsat grad- furniture maker. at the Yale School of Music since 1971, uated from Harvard in 1997 and estab- David Maybury-Lewis, born in Hyder- teaching music history, ethnomusicology, lished an organization memorializing her abad, Pakistan in 1929. He received his instrumental arranging, and an interdis- mother’s life called the Kudirat Initiative bachelor of arts degree from Oxford Uni- ciplinary seminar on rhythm. He is also for Democracy (KIND). She has served as versity in 1952. Four years later he earned the Director of the Duke Ellington Fel- the president of the International African his Ph.D. in anthropology from Oxford lowship Program at Yale which brings Students Association, as a Fetzer Fellow, University and then emigrated to the together world-class musicians, college and on the boards of the State of the Unites States in 1960 to join the Harvard students, and young musicians from the World Forum and the Special Olympics. University faculty as a cultural anthro- new Haven public schools. Ruff has writ- She currently works on issues of women pologist. His interests encompass cultur- ten widely on Paul Hindemith, Duke and youth leadership programs, conflict al survival of tribal people and ethnic Ellington, and Billy Strayhorn and has cre- resolution and prevention programs, and minorities. He has authored several books ated the interdisciplinary “Planetarium supporting multinationals in developing including Dialectical Societies: The Ge for the Ear” on the musical astronomy of their roles as global citizens. and Bororo of Central Brazil and The the 17th-century scientist Johannes David Bourns, head of the Paul Cuf- Attraction of Opposites: Thought and Kepler. He has also written on music and fee Charter School in Rhode Island. The Society in the Dualistic Mode. Through dance in Russia, jazz in China, and is at school, named after an 18th-century his work Maybury-Lewis has chronicled work on a book, Six Roads to Chicago Quaker who spearheaded a movement to the lives of the indigenous peoples of the exploring cultural life in that city.

Ken Koltun-Fromm, assistant profes- Assistant Professor of Anthropology Margaret Schaus, reference librarian, sor of religion, traveled to the Association Zolani Noonan-Ngwane attended the has received a $20,000 grant from the Del- for Jewish Studies Conference in Los American Anthropological Association mas Foundation to continue work on Angeles, December 13-17. He chaired two conference in New Orleans November 20- FEMINAE, a database index on medieval committee meetings: one for the Works 24, where he contributed his paper women and gender. in Progress Group and one for Aesthetics. “Anthropology and Changing Geograph- Professor of Philosophy Kathleen Naomi Koltun-Fromm, assistant pro- ics of Migrancy in Rural South Africa” for Wright attended the SPEP (Society for Phe- fessor of religion, presented a paper on the the panel “New Directions in Southern nomenology and Existential Philosophy) oral transmission of Biblical interpretive African Research.” annual meeting at Loyola University in traditions between Jews and Christians in Robert Scarrow, professor of chem- Chicago, October 10-12. She presented her third and fourth century Persian istry, was a co-author for the article “The paper “Gadamer Between Hölderlin and Mesopotamia at the Association for Jew- First Example of a Nitrile Hydratese Heidegger.” ish Studies Conference in Los Angeles, Model Complex that Reversibly Binds December 13-17. She also chaired a panel Nitriles,” which appeared in Vol. 124, called “Jews and Romans in Society and Issue 38 of the Journal of the American Imagination.” Chemical Society.

Winter2003 5 Reviews

by the Investigative Staff of the Boston Globe

Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY, 2002 When the Boston Globe began reporting on the child sex the trust that their roman collars afforded them, to repeatedly abuse scandal of Rev. John Geoghan it had no idea that it had molest the children of low-income, single mothers who uncovered what would become the greatest scandal ever to naïvely welcomed the priests into their homes. Undoubtedly, rock the American Catholic Church. In August 2001 the Globe these mothers believed that Geoghan would be the filed a legal motion to unseal the Geoghan papers father figure that their sons lacked, and more he that were so jealously protected by high-rank- would instruct them in the ways of the Church. ing church officials. What began as one article Geoghan’s depravity knew no limits and he indeed about one pedophile priest soon snowballed instructed his young victims, requiring them to into the startling realization that the Boston arch- recite their prayers even as he molested them. diocese had knowingly transferred from parish Profiles of other priests similar to Geoghan, to parish more than 70 pedophile priests over the including Paul Shanley, Joseph Birmingham, last 50 years. The investigative efforts of the Globe’s and Ronald Paquin, reveal individual strategies select staff, including Haverford alumnus Michael that varied one from the other. The common Paulson ’86, laid bare hundreds of confidential denominator is the cold, calculated way these memos, letters, and legal documents that incon- pedophile priests used their socio-religious trovertibly attest the culpability of the Catholic hier- status in the communities they served to vio- archy in the pedophile priest-shuffling scandal. At late the innocence of their victims. the center of the scandal was Cardinal Bernard F. Perhaps the most disturbing element of Law who wrote warm letters of thanks to priests like this crooked story is how bishops intimidated and threat- Geoghan while simultaneously paying out millions in hush ened victims’ families who confronted the hierarchy in an money to keep victims silent. Law coddled and protected the attempt to remove the pedophile offenders from their parishes. pedophile priests, and showed only contempt and disdain for The Church’s desire to avert scandal paved the way for repeat their victims and the victims’ families. offenders to seek new prey in fresh parishes where unsus- Betrayal offers a chilling account of how pedophile priests pecting parents couldn’t protect their children from the preda- gained access to the children they would molest. The Rev. John tory pastors. What’s worse, because the victims’ cases were Geoghan became the most infamous example of predatory settled privately out of court and sealed with legally binding pedophiles who manipulated their proximity to children, and hush money, the magnitude of the problem was kept under

Edited by Emma Jones Lapsansky and Anne A. Verplanck Quaker Aesthetics: Reflections on a Quaker Ethic in American

Design and Consumption, 1720-1920 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PRESS, 2002 Long-time Haverfordians sometimes lament the absence 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. on campus of such Quaker luminaries as Isaac Sharpless, Two introductory chapters set Rufus Jones, and Douglas Steere, believing that exploration the context for this scholarship. of Quaker concerns may be lacking without them. Yet, even Readers who are familiar with the a cursory look at Quaker Aesthetics shows that Quaker schol- claim by present-day Quakers arship and dialogue are alive and well on our campus. Edited that “you are likely to receive a by Emma Lapsansky, professor of history and curator of the different definition of Quaker- Special Collections at Haverford, and Anne Verplanck, cura- ism from every Friend you ask” tor of prints and paintings at Winterthur Museum and an will appreciate the difficulty of associate professor in the Winterthur/University of Delaware summarizing Quaker beliefs. Program in Early American Culture, this book examines the Undaunted, Emma Lapsansky finds in this dilemma a com- visual evidence for what might be called “Quaker material plexity and depth that makes the task irresistible. She allows culture.” As written in the preface: “The defining tension for that “Quakerism is steeped in a number of contradictory val- Friends is how to live ‘in the world but not of it,’ and their ues: equality and separateness, intellectual preciousness and relationship to both the creation and consumption of mate- anti-intellectualism, an emphasis on excellence and a focus rial goods is a dramatic manifestation of that tension.” This on humility, an appreciation for high-quality workmanship book takes the original approach of looking for evidence of coupled with a ban on ostentation (p. 3),” and is curious to this tension in the writings, dress, furniture, houses, por- see how these play out in the lifestyles of the Quakers traiture, meetinghouse architecture, and professions of described later in the book. Quakers in the Delaware Valley, predominantly during the In the second chapter, J. William Frost, professor of

6 Haverford Magazine wraps. That is until the watershed events of 2001 that brought authority of the Roman Magisterium. Demanding reform, the Church to its knees, as district attorneys all over the coun- many Catholics insisted that the Vatican reconsider its stance try demanded the immediate release of all Church documents on a range of issues from the gender-exclusivity and celibacy pertaining to local priests who had been accused of pedophil- of the priesthood to the place of homosexuals in the Church. ia over the last 50 years. Many church officials, particularly With the same desire for preserving power that led to the sex Cardinal Egan of New York, resisted the legal demands of the scandal, the Pope issued orders banning Catholics from coa- state that chastised the Church for presuming itself above lescing to express dissent with the Church’s teachings and pas- civil law designed to protect the most vulnerable citizens of toral methods. Harvard Medical School faculty, Dr. James E. American society. Muller, started a group called Voice of the Faithful in Wellesley, At the end of the day, a crisis that had its epicenter in Mass., which has gained force and spread to other areas of the Boston had produced tremors all over the nation. Metropolitan country where educated Lay people sharply criticize the areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Vatican’s culture of orthodoxy. In prosecuting inquisition New Orleans soon began reporting similar incidents of Church against groups such as these, the Vatican has struggled to pre- cover-ups. The Globe estimated that more than 1,500 priests vent a schism in a Church that is increasingly torn over the over the last 50 years have sexually abused tens of thousands possibility of reform, and the manner in which it should be of minors in America alone. What would happen to the Boston executed. Archdiocese would be indicative of a larger trend through- An undercurrent of dissent has characterized American out the United States, and even abroad. Catholicism since measures were proposed during the Second Suddenly, after having dismissed the pedophile crisis as Vatican Council (1962-1965) that empowered the laity to par- distinctly American, the Pope called for an emergency meet- ticipate more fully in the liturgical and sacramental life of the ing of the American prelates in an attempt to reign in an Church. As the laity’s responsibility for maintaining the Church increasingly agitated American Church. Many speculate that increases due to the ever-diminishing number of religious, they Law wanted to resign, but was forced to maintain his office will expect a greater role in governing the Church. Betrayal by the Pope who feared the creation of a precedent that could offers ammunition to those who counter the Church’s arro- be invoked to oust bishops in other dioceses across the U.S. gance of power, revealing how the hierarchy’s culture of secre- Shocked to the core by what can only be described as betrayal, cy reversed the gospel imperative to uplift the weak and hum- the laity of the American Church rose in angry protest to the ble the mighty: A must-read for anyone who cares about the way the hierarchy, particularly the Vatican, was attempting to future of the Catholic Church in America. usurp the energy of the people by reaffirming the unmitigated —Jude Harmon ’03

Quaker history and director of the Friends Historical Library Edward Hicks; and Quakers and Modernity – a topic eclecti- at Swarthmore College, focuses on the writings of George cally illustrated by trends in dress, the art exhibits of Sara Tyson Fox, William Penn, Robert Barclay, Rufus Jones, Amelia Hallowell, and a comparison of present-day interpretations of Gummere, and others to trace the evolution of “plainness” 18th-century historic sites. The authors represent a broad, into “simplicity” in Quaker material culture. According to impressive range of affiliations with museums, educational, Frost, the commitment to plainness was a denial of popular and historical institutions. Each chapter is sprinkled liberally social and religious practices in 17th century Britain and with quotations from original sources and with plates which America, and included dressing without ornamentation, illustrate details of craftsmanship and style. In short, this book avoiding use of titles in speech, worshipping without music is a rich adventure in history, faith, and material culture. or programming, living thriftily, and abiding by the peace Quaker Aesthetics will appeal to many members of the testimony. He argues that these practices enabled early Haverford community. It provides a succinct summary of Quakers to identify themselves to one another and to the Quaker beliefs for the layperson. It highlights intriguing details broader society. Later Friends, fearing that the distinctive- about the lives and material culture of prominent Quakers in ness caused by these strictures was contrary to the spirit of the Delaware Valley, many of whom have connections with their faith, advocated living by moderation and utility, i.e. Haverford College. It illustrates the wide range of practices simplicity. By the 20th century, a wider range of personal and life choices that fall under the rubric of Quakerism. Finally, lifestyles had become acceptable. it gives us the tools to challenge and interpret our own choices With these thumbnail sketches of Quaker beliefs as a back- in light of this history. Of course, that leaves me wonder- drop, the remaining nine chapters of Quaker Aesthetics are ing…should I be wearing Quaker gray or Haverford scarlet organized around three topics: Quakers as Consumers – reflect- and black? For further reflections on this and other more seri- ed in the furnishings of Quaker households during the late ous topics, I highly recommend Quaker Aesthetics! 18th and early 19th centuries; Quakers as Producers – expressed —Louise M. Tritton broadly in the architecture of meetinghouses and residences (Resident of 1 College Circle, and and more narrowly in the ethical and practical struggles of artist member of Haverford Friends Meeting)

Winter2003 7 Notes from the Alumni Association

Dear Alumni and Friends:

I admit it—I am a newspaper junkie. more. As they inquire and enquire, they When I am traveling, I buy the local paper, have become conduits of knowledge, regardless of the locale. When I don’t read spokespersons, and have even been a newspaper for a few days, I become dis- deemed “the fourth branch of govern- oriented and crabby. Whether it be the ment.” sports section, the obituary section, or the I am pleased an honored to have front page, I find myself constantly gravi- Haverfordian journalists as friends and col- tating to newspapers. They are a source of leagues, and am even more delighted that information, inspiration, humor, and serve we have the opportunity to read articles for me as a lifeline between my job and the by or about some of them in this issue. My These individuals are but a few of the world that surrounds us. first-year hallmate Kate Shatzkin ’87, and many Fords who have distinguished them- This love of newspapers is an old one. I my fellow Alumni Association member selves, and who have provided outstand- recall reading Newsday backwards as a Chris Lee ’89 are featured on pages 25 and ing copy in this issue of our alumni mag- young boy; after all, the box scores were 40, respectively. I first met Joe Quinlan ’75 azine. I hope that you enjoy, even if you at least as important as the Watergate-relat- when I was a student on some panel; he are not reading the issue backwards! I ed headlines. Today, I still read the paper graciously pulled me aside after a meal in remain, backwards, only this time it is the op-ed the Dining Center, and we have been Sincerely, section that is the first to be perused. friends ever since. Juan Williams ’76 is a To no one’s surprise, Haverfordians have gem of a human being, and has repeatedly immersed themselves in journalism. Our spoken to my political science students. I passionate interest in the world around us recently bumped into a former student Robert M. Eisinger ’87 and our intellectual curiosity make us nat- who told me that Juan’s discussion of the [email protected] urally suited to the profession. Journalists media and politics was the highlight of his are recorders of history, but they are much college career.

Alumni Association Executive Committee

President Members and Liaison Responsibilities: Christopher J. Lee ’89 Robert M. Eisinger ’87 Ty Ahmad-Taylor ’90 Washington, D.C. Vice President Northern California Anna-Liisa Little ’90 Jonathan LeBreton ’79 Technology Pacific Northwest Melissa M. Allen ’86 Regional Societies Southeast Bradley J. Mayer ’92 Eva Osterberg Ash ’88 Pacific Northwest [ex officio] Communications Committee Sarah G. Ketchum Baker ’91 Christopher B. Mueller ’66 Maine Central U.S. Paula O. Braithwaite ’94 National Gifts New England Ronald Schwarz ’66 Multicultural Washington, D.C., Metro Heather P. Davis ’89 Admission Chicago Rufus C. Rudisill, Jr. ’50 Multicultural E. Pennsylvania Senior Alumni If you would like to nominate James H. Foster ’50 Ryan Traversari ’97 an alumnus/a for the Alumni Connecticut Reunions and Awards New York City Association Executive Michael E. Gluck ’82 Committee, please contact Washington, D.C., lambda Student Representatives: the Alumni Office at Garry W. Jenkins ’92 Karen Vargas ’03 (610) 896-1004. New York City Career Development continued on page 12 8 Haverford Magazine Ford Games by Garrett McVaugh ’04

Tino’s Greatest Hits Jennifer Constantino ’04 wants more than to be remembered as a great volleyball player

and a great student-athlete; she wants a volleyball championship for Haverford.

For Jennifer Constantino ’04, volleyball is a way of life. But for the 5’ 11” outside hitter from Ridley High in Folsom, Pa., there is more to life at Haverford than just volleyball. “I’ve never had to choose between doing things that I want to do. I’ve always had all my options there, and I’ve always been able to do whatever came across that I wanted to try. I can’t really speak for other athletes, but for me per- sonally, I’ve found a great balance here at Haverford.” These are words from a stu- dent-athlete who has set the standard for balancing the rigors of a challenging aca- demic workload with the responsibility of being a team leader on the court. Amy Bergin, in her first year as head coach of the volleyball team, echoed Jen’s senti- Jennifer Constantino ’04 is known as “Tino” on campus. ments: “Most importantly, I believe that student-athletes get twice the education. is known among teammates and friends, big one for Jen, but it is one that she has Not only are they getting academic lessons was very interested from an early age in not regretted. When she came in as a frosh, in a classroom but they are also getting life the small-school atmosphere that Tino, like many Haverford students, had lessons on the court/field. Competitive ath- Haverford provides. A story she likes to perceptions of Haverford as a kind of letics teach one how to deal with pressures tell is of her first visit to a tri-co campus Utopia. Three years later, she realizes that and competitors. They also learn how to as a young girl. Her grandmother worked whereas that vision was not the case, it has push themselves to their limits, mentally in the Swarthmore bursar’s office, and done nothing to diminish the school in her and physically.” Constantino and her family went to visit. eyes. “Even if things haven’t always been Constantino’s commitment to a diver- Upon seeing the campus, Jen told her perfect, I think people have always tried sified college experience started well before father that Swarthmore was where she to make it as good as it can be, and I think she became a student at Haverford. With wanted to go to college. Over a decade later that people are passionately involved here, athletic scholarship offers from top vol- the dream had not waned, and when it and that means more to me than having a leyball schools such as Georgia Tech and came time to choose colleges Constantino perfect ‘Haverbubble.’” Jen has been able academic interest from many others, was left with a difficult choice. “When I to mold her initial perceptions of the school Constantino had her options open. She went to choose schools, and it came down into a pragmatic appreciation of Haverford. came to Haverford because she saw it as a to the last moment, I was choosing This appreciation is due in large part to place where she would be able to expand between coming to Haverford or going to Constantino’s excellence in academics and her horizons in every direction. our close rival down the road, Swarthmore. extra-curriculars. However, her athletic “[Haverford] was just somewhere where I When push came to shove, I went back accomplishments have gained her fame could see myself being genuinely happy and re-visited both schools, and I stayed both on and off campus. In just three sea- for the next four years, and getting a lot with the volleyball team at Haverford one sons, she has become the Haverford leader out of both academically and athletically.” more time, and it just felt right here.” in nearly every offensive statistical cate- Indeed Constantino, or “Tino,” as she The choice to come to Haverford was a gory, including kills, kills per game, attacks,

Winter2003 9 Ford Games

attack percentage, points, and points per U.S. House Representative Curt Weldon game. Constantino led the Centennial last summer after serving as a summer Conference with 3.84 kills per game and research assistant to Haverford professor .324 attack percentage in the 2002 season, Stephen McGovern in 2001. giving her 1,348 for her career. She is one In addition to Conference accolades for of only three players in Haverford history her athletic and academic achievements, to record 1,000 kills in a career. During Constantino was named to the 2002 the 2002 campaign, Tino continued her Verizon College Division Academic All- success, leading the team offensively in District II Volleyball First Team. She has attacks and kills. She is also the owner of also been named to the AVCA All-Mid the single-match records for kills with 35, Atlantic Region team twice during her which she set as a freshman. During that career, as well as being team MVP in her same year Constantino recorded 537 kills, freshman and sophomore years. Jen also a school record. Coach Bergin notes that received the prestigious Archibald Jen’s offensive success is in her ability to MacIntosh Award in 2001, awarded to the understand the game, and the opponent’s top scholar-athlete in the freshman class. defense: “She notices many weaknesses of Coach Bergin describes Constantino as the opponent and tells her team. All this “smart, patient, and feared,” sentiments leads to defenses fearing her. She may not which are surely echoed by all defenses be the hardest hitter, but she is one of the throughout the league. smartest, quickest, and determined hitters While Constantino’s statistics speak for Constantino in action on the court. on the court. But most of all she has a won- her as one of the premier volleyball players derful time playing.” in Haverford history, she has always been volleyball programs.” She also understands the importance able to keep her own success in perspec- Tino and her teammates have all bought of defense, last season leading the Fords tive. “It’s an incredible honor to be on the into that philosophy, and the volleyball with 3.87 digs per game, while owning the list of people who have achieved 1,000 kills program has achieved a level of success Fords’ record for digs in a match with 38, in their career, but I don’t necessarily see unparalleled in its history. The Fords com- set this past season against Conference it as a personal achievement, because for piled a 22-10 overall record in 2002, while rival Gettysburg. Bergin again has high every kill that I had in the context of a going 8-2 in the league. In the past two praises to sing about Constantino, this time game means that someone on my team had seasons, they have beaten conference foes in the defensive department. “An excel- a perfect pass, and someone else set the McDaniel, Gettysburg, and Franklin & lent defensive player is one who notices a ball to me. It was a team effort for every- Marshall for the first time in history. Tino play develop on the other side of the net. thing.” The sentiments reveal that is very optimistic about the prospects of An excellent defensive player has excel- Constantino’s main goal while at Haverford the 2003 volleyball season. “We have a lot lent body control to receive hard hits as goes far beyond the realm of individual of very serious volleyball players, and we well as soft ones. An excellent defensive statistics and accolades. Her goals lie with have a lot of very young talent, so I see all player knows the offense’s tendencies and the success of the team, and the ultimate our goals becoming extremely reachable puts herself in the right position to receive prize of becoming Centennial Conference in the near future.” The addition of Coach the ball. Jen has acquired all of these. She Champions. Her words do not beat around Amy Bergin to the program has helped may not be the quickest defensive player the bush: “My goal has always been to win position the Fords one step closer to their on the team but she reads offenses very the league championship.” These are goals goal. The attitude on the team has well which gives her that edge.” which directly parallel those of Coach changed, and the players and coaches are And her achievements have not gone Bergin: “Each year, the program’s goal is on the same page. “We have an under- unrecognized. Constantino has been the to win the Centennial Conference and have standing on the team; as long as they recipient of many awards acknowledging players named to the All-Conference team. respect themselves, their teammates, and her academic and athletic accomplish- This should lead to an NCAA berth with their coaches, everything should fall into ments. She was named to the First Team players on the All-American roster. Our place. With that said, we have achieved a All-Centennial Conference in 2002 for the immediate goals include the physical and common ground of commitment and ded- third time in her three-year career. Only mental aspects of the team, which will lay ication. I have high expectations of my two other players have ever been so the foundation for the program. This pro- team and they have high expectations of named, indicating that Constantino’s dom- gram should be well-respected and feared. me. If we stay on this level, we will achieve inance is on a league-wide level. She has Over the long-term, we should be known all goals.” also been recognized as a top scholar-ath- nationwide for our academics as well as Constantino had positive things to say lete, being named to the Conference Fall for our volleyball program. This program about the change at the helm: “We’ve real- Academic Honor Roll. A political science should be nationally ranked year in and ly come together as a team, and I think and economics double major at Haverford, year out – we really are on the verge of we’re all having a lot more fun playing vol- Constantino served as a summer intern to becoming one of the greatest Division III leyball this past season than we’ve had in

10 Haverford Magazine the past, and when you’re having fun, the future. “When I was a prospective stu- about the game of volleyball shows that when you’re playing, you play with a pas- dent, I saw the talent that was already on she has become one of the most knowl- sion, and as a team, and everything just the team, and got to talk to players on the edgeable players on the court which, in seems to come together. We’re in great team like Steph Frank and Alisha Scruggs, turn, forces her to become a better volley- shape; we’re learning new things, and I and saw where they thought the program ball player. She is not a selfish athlete by think the coach and player are on the same was going. So, I think we have followed any means. Once she understands one page in terms of what they want to accom- our goals pretty well, and looking back, I aspect of the sport, she shares it with her plish.” Having goals is the first step to suc- think we have followed where I thought teammates. Having this respect and knowl- cess, but the Fords have taken it one step we were going be, and I do see us winning edge allows her to love the game even further and acted on those goals. They have a league championship and going to more, which brings out such a competi- committed themselves to a strict strength nationals, and I’ve seen that since the day tive attitude. This is a great attitude toward and conditioning regimen, both during the I first walked in as a freshman.” the sport, toward competition, and toward season and now in the offseason. However, It is safe to say that Constantino has had her teammates and her coaches. She’s one despite the physical pain, the player’s a huge impact on both the Haverford sports of those players and the type of person you commitment has been kept in perspective. scene as well as on Haverford life since her want around you; she is a ball of positive Coach Bergin is clear on her expectations matriculation here in 2000. She has given energy with a smiling face.” from her players, but also ensures that they much of her time and energy as a student Over the years, Constantino has become are having a positive experience while per- trainer in the athletic department, work- a familiar face on the Haverford campus, forming: “The athletes are expected to give ing closely with other student-athletes. Jen both in the classroom and on the court. In every ounce of energy, focus, and attention is also a very active member of the both of these areas she has excelled, but during practices and conditioning sessions Haverford College Athletic Association Jen is the first to admit that it was a team both in and out of season when they are Executive Board, and has represented effort. Perhaps she sums up her success at practice . . . all this must be done Haverford at the Apple Conference, a con- best when she says; “It makes it easy to because they want to and enjoy it . . . they ference on issues facing student-athletes, succeed when you know you have people play the sport because they love it and have for the past two seasons. Jen has also been who are willing to help you do it. fun in the process.” named a co-captain for the 2003 volley- All of this dedication is a reason why ball squad, along with Jelyn Meyer. Bergin In the rare moments that he’s not playing the Haverford volleyball program was praises Jen’s leadership capabilities: “She Nintendo Mario Kart or working for the Haverford Athletic Department, junior enticing to Constantino when she was has earned the respect from all teammates English major Garrett McVaugh ’04 of looking at colleges. She saw that there was and coaches due to her dedication to bet- Hamilton, N.Y., plays varsity cricket, cap- a lot of potential for the Fords’ program, tering herself as an athlete and a person. tains the College’s golf and ice hockey and that it was poised to make strides into Her non-stop hunger for learning more clubs, and deconstructs literary criticism.

Jen Constantino ’04 in the Haverford Volleyball Record Book - all records held or shared unless otherwise noted

KILLS ATTACK ATTEMPTS ATTACK PERCENTAGE Match (5 games) Match (5 games) Match (min. 15 attempts) 35 vs. N.C. Wesleyan at St. Mary’s-Md.; 81 vs. Johns Hopkins; Oct. 23, 2000 .632 * at Washington College-Md.; Sept. 29, 2000 (22 kills) Sep. 28, 2002 (12-0-19) Match (4 games) Match (4 games) * tied with Jelyn Meyer ’04; .632 vs. 26 vs. Wellesley at Smith-Mass.; 57 * vs. Wellesley at Smith-Mass.; Ursinus; Sept. 29, 2001 (13-1-19) Oct. 15, 2000 Oct. 15, 2000 (26 kills) Career (kills-errors-attack attempts) 26 vs. Kings Point-USMMA; * 2nd to Jelyn Meyer ’04; 60 at Smith- .305 2000-02 seasons (1348-306-3414) * Sept. 10, 2000 Mass.; Oct. 14, 2000 (13 kills) * 2nd to Steph Frank ’03 (630-113-1685, Match (3 games) Match (3 games) .307) - 1999-02 19 * vs. Neumann; Oct. 20, 2001 51 vs. Franklin & Marshall; DIGS * 2nd to Jelyn Meyer ’04; 21 vs. Oct. 11, 2000 (15 kills) Match (5 games) Muhlenberg; Oct. 18, 2000 Season 38 vs. Gettysburg at Ursinus; Oct. 5, 2002 Season 1320 2000 season (537-132-1320) Match (4 games) 537 2000 season (.307 attack pct.) Career 27 vs. Michigan-Dearborn; Career 3414 * 2000-02 seasons Sep. 1, 2001 * 1348 2000-02 seasons (.305 attack pct.) (1348-306-3414) * 2nd to Steph Frank ’03; 28 vs. West KILLS PER GAME * 2nd to Kristyn Linger ’00 (1017-659- Chester; Nov. 7, 2002 Season 3764) - 1996-99 Match (3 games) 4.44 2000 season (121 games) 24 * vs. Neumann; Sep. 10, 2000 Career * tied with Kristyn Linger ’00; 24 vs. Smith 4.11 2000-02 seasons (328 games) at Swarthmore; Oct. 9, 1999

Winter2003 11 Notes from the Alumni Association continued from page 8

Senior Class Challenge LAMBDA List-serve AAEC’s Class of 1998 Steve Schwartz, past parent and LAMBDA, the Alumni Association’s Challenge former Chair of the Parents' Fund, will network of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans- In an effort to encourage annual donate $10,000 to the Parents' Fund in gender, and interested alumni, has been giving participation by the members honor of the Class of 2003 if the Class maintaining an e-mail list-serve. To sub- of the Class of 1998 at the 5th Reunion can surpass the standing record of 66% scribe, send the following message to (May 30-June 1, 2003), the Alumni participation set by the Class of 2001. [email protected]: subscribe lamb- Association Executive Committee Parents and students are welcome to da-alumni, your name, and class year. promises to contribute at least make a contribution online at For more information about this and $50 for every member of the class https://www.admin.haverford.edu/online other LAMBDA activities, please contact who makes a gift to the Haverford -donations/donate.html; for more infor- the Alumni Office or Theo Posselt ’94 at: Fund by June 30, 2003. mation please contact Elaine Haupt, [email protected]. [email protected]. Alumni Weekend 2003 John Whitehead ’43 Haverford on the Web May 30-June 1 Challenges the Classes The Haverford website is a valuable All alumni are invited to celebrate of 1999, 2000, 2001, resource for alumni. View photos of Alumni Weekend; classes ending in recent events in the Alumni Photo a “3” or “8” will officially reunite. and 2002 Gallery, register online for this year’s Highlights of the weekend include: John Whitehead will match any Alumni Weekend, sign up for e-mail • All-Alumni Awards Ceremony increased gift (any amount above last forwarding, update your address and • Class Lectures and Discussions year’s gifts) to the Haverford Fund made contact information, obtain Career • Scarlet Sages Breakfast this fiscal year (July ’02 – June ’03). Our youngest alums are the key to Development information, and see what • Special Guest Speakers raising total alumni participation. your classmates are up to on your class’s • GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Luncheon own webpage. Visit: www.haverford.edu Thank you for your support. • Sporting/Recreational Activities and click on “Alumni.” • Class Dinners and Social Gatherings Regional Societies • And much more! Great things are happening in your area! Detailed information will be “Welcome Freshmen” parties, infor- mailed later this spring. Registration mal alumni gatherings, visits from faculty, information will also be available staff, and President Tritton, campaign online at: www.haverford.edu. celebrations, and much more! For complete information about these or any upcoming alumni events, visit the online Regional Events Calendar, accessible from: www.haverford.edu. Click on “Alumni,” then “Regional Events.” This calendar is updated frequently, so be sure to check back often. Also, the Haverford Alumni Office recently has been visiting several key cities around the country (San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Chicago, Boston, Phila- delphia, Pittsburgh, and Charlotte) in an ongoing effort to recruit Regional Leaders to host future alumni events. Do you have an idea for a successful regional event? Are you interested in learning how to become a Regional Leader? Contact the Alumni Office at 610-896-1004 for details.

12 Haverford Magazine Faculty Profile by Brenna McBride History… and Her Story Emma Lapsansky is motivated by her love of the past,

her present spirituality, and her goals for the future.

Emma Lapsansky, a faculty member since 1992.

It seemed inevitable that Professor of why.” It didn’t matter how he addressed Her attitude was also affected indirect- History Emma Lapsansky would pursue his other patients, both male and female; ly by her father, who, not wanting to raise her chosen field of study. she wanted to be called Mrs. Jenkins or his children entirely in the city, bought a She has been intrigued by the past for nothing at all. farm to take the family every summer. She as long as she can remember. As a child in Her family’s stories filled a void left received much of her “spiritual energy” Washington, D.C., her bedroom in her empty by Lapsansky’s classroom experi- from the farm, witnessing the birthing of family’s Victorian home had a fireplace bor- ences. “I was raised in an African-American cows and pigs and the growing of crops dered by blue delft tiles; she would look family,” she says, “and I was always aware from the earth. at the tiles and wonder about their origins. that when I opened a textbook, there was “I lived a bifurcated existence,” she Her house was crammed with books of all nothing in there about what I knew to be laughs. “My mother put our Mary Janes kinds, tomes owned by her mother, grand- true. There was nothing about black poets, on us and took us to museums, and my mother, and great-grandmother, each with doctors, or lawyers.” In college she father took our shoes off us and took us their own secrets. Her mother shared her endured mediocre-to-poor history teach- to the farm.” Years later she would com- interest in architecture and historic cos- ers and thought, “It’s got to be more inter- plete her spiritual journey to Quakerism, tume with her children, and took them to esting than this.” sending her children to a Friends school Washington's many museums. Now, as an academic, it is Lapsansky’s and joining a local Meeting in Lansdowne, Lapsansky was also raised in a family job—and pleasure—to show just how Pa., (as well as teaching at the oldest with deep respect for its own history, and interesting history can be. Her research Quaker college in North America). she thrived on stories of the women who branches off into myriad directions—fam- Following in the footsteps of one of her came before her. There was a great-grand- ily and community life, Philadelphia urban great-grandmother Patience’s sons, mother, Patience, who took immense pride development, material culture, communi- Lapsansky entered the University of in having put 10 of her 13 children ty planning, Quakerism, and American Pennsylvania in 1963, where, after a year through college (two died in infancy). One social history—but all are rooted in her off to join the civil rights movement in of Patience’s daughters, an early feminist fascination with the past. And all aspects Mississippi, she received a bachelor’s degree educated at Oberlin at the turn of the 20th of her work are imbued with her Quaker in American history in 1968, a master’s in century, went to great lengths to ensure spirituality, which she owes, largely, to a American civilization in 1969, and a Ph.D. that her personal physician treated her with grandfather’s early influence. in American civilization with a concen- respect. “She always paid him in cash so “My grandfather was a very traditional, tration in American social history and he would never know her first name and Drew University-educated, conservative material culture in 1975. Her dissertation, couldn’t call her Jeannette,” says Lapsansky, kind of Methodist minister,” she remem- an architectural and sociological study of a self-described “gregarious recluse” whose bers. “When I was eight or nine, and an ethnically and racially diverse words come swift and easy when relating becoming cognizant of religious things, he Philadelphia neighborhood as it trans- such tales. “He would have to call her Mrs. said to me, ‘Let me tell you that heaven formed from a suburb into an urban com- Jenkins.” One time, however, she fell ill and earth are not places you go when you munity during the years 1752 and 1854, and didn’t have any cash handy, forcing her die. They are states of being you create by became her first book, Neighborhoods in to pay with the dreaded check. “Thereafter, what you do here.’ Only later did I realize Transition: William Penn’s Dream and Urban he started calling her Jeannette, and she that this is not what they were telling us Reality (Garland Press, 1994). immediately fired him—and told him in the Methodist church.” “I chose a street in Philadelphia, which

Winter2003 13 Faculty Profile

is now South Street but was then Cedar room anecdotes, and the excitement of Her most recently published academic Street, that was a border between the city bringing ideas alive for students at all lev- work is the book Quaker Aesthetics: and the suburbs, and I talked about its els. It seemed a good life; it still does.” Reflections on a Quaker Ethic in American transition from being at the edge of the At Haverford, Lapsansky not only teach- Design and Consumption, 1720-1920, a city to being absorbed into the city,” says es but also curates the College’s Quaker compilation of essays she co-edited with Lapsansky. “I wanted to see how it went Collection. Housed in Magill Library, it is Anne Verplanck, curator of prints and from being green grass—my father’s one of the most extensive collections of paintings at the Winterthur Museum in world—to built environment, my moth- Quaker history in the world. She oversees Delaware (see review, p. 6). Released by er’s world.” She lured that same mother the care and maintenance of 40,000 books University of Pennsylvania Press in 2002, into being a research assistant, and togeth- and several hundred thousand manu- the book of 11 essays describes how er the two pored over city directories, scripts, and helps meet the needs of the Quakers have held to their belief in “plain maps, newspapers, insurance surveys, and few thousand researchers from around the living” while actively consuming fine mate- even the wills of some residents from the world who travel to Haverford each year rial goods. “It’s a way of reopening a dis- 18th and early 19th centuries. to use the collection’s resources. The staff cussion that began in 1652 about what The book reveals a distinct contrast is currently involved in increasing the col- constitutes the outward way of being between public opinion of the suburbs lection’s presence on the Internet. “We’ve Quaker—what constitutes simplicity, shar- then and now. “At that time, the city was just hired a two-year person,” she says, ing of resources, good stewardship, and where you lived if you had the money and “whose job it is to set a prototype for how the struggle that the Society of Friends has influence to do so, and the suburbs were we scan and code letters to make them had over the last 200 years to define what where people escaped after they had com- available and searchable on the Internet.” they mean by that,” says Lapsansky. mitted some crime in the city,” says “There’s an essay by me, for example, Lapsansky. “The city had no jurisdiction The goal of Friendship where I talk about presentation of sim- over them out there.” She also found that plicity or plainness to a modern world.” neighborhoods did not become segregat- Co-op was to serve as a Other essays discuss the dress, interior ed by race or class until the advent of effec- model living situation where home designs, and architecture created or tive public transportation: “It wasn’t until purchased by Quakers in the 18th, 19th, the 1880s and 90s that public transporta- a diverse blend of people and early 20th centuries. tion made an attractive suburb, where you Her next accomplishment, due out from could live in the country and still get to created an environment of Penn State Press by the end of 2003, is A the city easily.” sharing and mutual support. View to Encourage Emigration: Benjamin While pursuing her doctorate, Coates and Colonization, 1848-1880, a study Lapsansky joined Temple University as an Within the community many of 19th-century Quaker abolitionist Coates assistant, and then associate professor of races and religions came as told by more than 100 letters exchanged history. She remained there until 1990, between him and prominent African- when Haverford came looking for her. together, gender roles were American and white abolitionists in the era Later, she would reflect that it was her fate equitably defined, meals of the Fugitive Slave Act and the Dred Scott to join the College: “Twice, in succession, decision. The letters, purchased for the I unknowingly bought houses built by were shared, and resources Quaker Collection in 1999, were annotat- prominent Quakers. About 15 years ago, ed by Haverford students trained in History long before I even thought much about were pooled. 361, “Seminar in Historical Evidence,” Haverford College, I purchased a house which requires them to analyze documents built by descendants of Abraham Pennock, from the College’s Special Collections. who matriculated at Haverford in 1843, “What the letters show are both the big and whose great-niece taught my daugh- ideas and the small people having the big ter in second grade. That teacher is also ideas,” says Lapsansky, who introduces the the niece of the Roberts for whom letters with an essay putting their contents Haverford’s Roberts Hall is named. in the context of the African-American “Our little lives are all in the stars,” she world. She describes Coates as “an inter- smiles. esting, complex fellow,” a peacemaker If her life was in the stars, then her deci- within the abolitionist movement and “the sion to enter teaching was definitely in the hub of a very complex wheel” that includ- blood. “My mother was an elementary ed abolitionists both white and black, con- school teacher, all her siblings were col- servative and radical, and Quaker and non- lege professors—my mother’s sister taught Quaker. at Atlanta University and knew W.E.B. An ongoing book project for Lapsansky DuBois,” she says. “The conversation at (“I’ve been working on this most of my family gatherings revolved around class- life, it seems”) explores a 20th-century

14 Haverford Magazine Emma Lapsansky currently teaches or has taught the Quaker cooperative in the Powelton Village Dakota at the geographical center of the following classes in history: section of West Philadelphia, which thrived country. She is passionate about travel, and during the late ’40s through the early ’70s. her role as a historian has allowed her to Established by some staff members of the spend at least one night in all 50 of the Colonial North America American Friends Service Committee, the United States and in four continents. She’s Surveys the political, economic, and com- Friendship Co-op was an “intentional gone south of the equator in Kenya, and munity aspects of North America, with community,” a group of people who choose taken the train across America three times. an emphasis on the areas that became the to live together under a common philoso- She aims to visit the remaining continents United States and the varieties of peoples phy. The goal of Friendship was to serve (she needs to see South America and and cultures that helped shape the con- as a model living situation where a diverse Australia, but doesn’t mind missing vergence of cultures blend of people created an environment of Antarctica) and ride all 30,000 miles of sharing and mutual support. Within the passenger railroad track in North America. History and Principles But for now, she’s content to simply trav- of Quakerism Lapsansky still meets with el from her home in Lansdowne, Examines the development of Quakerism Pennsylvania, to her office at Haverford, and its relationship to other religious local public school teachers where she writes essays and articles for movements and to political and social life, to demonstrate innovative such publications as Pennsylvania: A especially in America. Includes the roots History of the Commonwealth (Penn State of the Society of Friends in 17th-century methods of using historical Press, 2002), the upcoming Historical Britain, and the expansion of Quaker influ- objects in their classrooms. Dictionary of America and Encyclopedia ences among Third World populations, of Colonial America, and numerous schol- particularly the Native American, Hispanic, And she delights in her arly journals. She continues to consult to east African, and Asian populations. local museums and historical societies. She dealings with her students, may be interviewed again for historical Topics in American History: helping them write their series and documentaries, as she was for The American West in Fact PBS’ “Africans in America” and “Woman and Fiction (Spring 2002) papers and theses, of Steel,” the story of 19th-century Quaker The American western “frontier” has recommending them for industrialist Rebecca Lukens. She still caught the nation’s imagination as myth meets with local public school teachers to and symbol, photograph and painting, cos- internships and graduate demonstrate innovative methods of using tume and politics, definer and redefiner schools, and involving historical objects in their classrooms. And of gender and race, and technological chal- she delights in her dealings with her stu- lenge. Through individual and group read- them in her research. dents, helping them write their papers and ings, discussion and bibliographic explo- theses, recommending them for intern- ration, the class pursues the elusive “truth” community many races and religions came ships and graduate schools, and involving of the American western frontier. together, gender roles were equitably them in her research. defined, meals were shared, and resources On the home front, Lapsansky plans to Seminar on Historical Evidence were pooled. be married in May to her companion of Consideration of the nature and forms of “They wanted to rehearse living in a more than a decade, Dickson Werner, who historical evidence and of critical tech- multicultural community,” says Lapsansky, is also a member of Lansdowne Meeting. niques for handling it; an essay interro- who lived in Powelton Village during the She glows with pride when speaking of her gating/exploiting material and visual arti- last years of the Co-op and counts several children: Jordan, a gaffer in Los Angeles facts as evidence; and an essay involving former residents among her friends. “This who’s worked on such films as Murder by a “professional” exercise in historical edit- wasn’t easy in the 1940s, and they won- Numbers; Jeannette (Nette), a fourth-year ing, to wit: fashioning a critical edition of dered how world peace could be achieved medical student at the University of a manuscript source. if diverse people could not live together. California, San Diego; and Charlotte, a pro- So they worked very hard to create a com- gram assistant at Breakthrough TV, an Lapsansky’s publications include: munity of people from a variety of cultures international non-profit that seeks, through Neighborhoods in Transition: William Penn’s and backgrounds, and to provide leader- popular media methods, to raise aware- Dream and Urban Reality (Garland Press, ship equality for them all.” ness for social justice causes. And she is 1994); Quaker Aesthetics: Reflections on a Lapsansky has so far interviewed about deeply devoted to her extended family, Quaker Ethic in American Design and 40 former residents of Friendship, and attending frequent reunions and keeping Consumption, 1720-1920 (Co-editor; most of these interviews were conducted a photographic journal that begins with University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002); during her extensive 1989 road trip her great-grandparents in the late 19th cen- and A View to Encourage Emigration: through the United States, where she trav- tury. Emma Lapsansky may have a happy Benjamin Coates and Colonization, 1848- eled 10,000 miles, pasted stickers from present, and anticipate a bright future, but 1880 (to be released in 2003). each state she visited on the back of her a part of her will always be wedded to the Subaru, and had her picture taken in South rich mysteries of the past. Winter2003 15 How the Boston Globe's investigative team broke one of the most explosive stories of our time. Crusade forTruth

by Michael Paulson ’86

16 Haverford Magazine Commonwealth Avenue is the grandest of Boston’s boulevards, stretching a red biretta on a silver tray – a visible reminder that dozen miles from its beginning at the Public Garden, a prince of the church was in residence. The cardi- where swan boats ply the lagoon each spring and nal and I sat at a grand mahogany table that has a summer, past the Victorian brownstone mansions plaque at the head, where Pope John Paul II sat dur- of the Back Bay, through the student enclaves that ing his visit to Boston in 1979. Staring down at us surround Boston University and Boston College, from the four walls were the portraits of all the pre- and into the swath of suburbs stretching to the west. ceding bishops of Boston, and the Virgin of When I was little we used to walk over to Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas. Commonwealth Avenue each year on Patriots’ Day As our conversation began, I asked the cardinal to watch the marathoners go by, clenching the morn- a version of the open-ended question I had often ing Globe as we tried to match the numbers on the asked high-ranking officials – senators, governors, T-shirts to the names of the runners. I must have and so on – when I started a new beat – “tell me traveled up and down that avenue hundreds of how you think my newspaper has done covering times, sometimes driving along the carriage roads, you in the past.’’ Big mistake. Law, who had once sometimes riding the rickety famously called down “the power of God” on the Green Line streetcars, but it Globe, snapped something like “I don’t see why I wasn’t until I returned to should talk about that,’’ and then launched into a Boston as a reporter that fond reminiscence of how nice it had been when I ever noticed, on a rise he was a bishop in Missouri and the papers there above Comm. Ave., had run explanatory features about Catholic holi- barely visible behind days. Emboldened either by courage or some kind the shrubbery, the of naïve stupidity, I launched into an explanation Italian Renaissance- of current trends in religion reporting – how I style palazzo that expected to write less about institutional matters Boston’s first cardinal, and more about what academics called “lived reli- William Henry O’Con- gion,’’ about how faith and spirituality affected peo- nell, had built in the ple’s daily lives, but the cardinal sharply cut me off. 1930s as a residence for “Who decides that’s what readers want?’’ he asked. the Roman Catholic arch- “Your elite editors?” Fortunately, we were inter- bishops of Boston. rupted by a phone call, and when the cardinal I first entered the mansion on Feb. returned, we moved on to safer subjects. 2, 2000, an encounter that was memo- But over the course of the next two years, the rable mostly because it was dominated cardinal and I forged what I suspect was the best by an argument – the only argument, I working relationship he had had with a local news- believe, that Cardinal Bernard F. Law and paper reporter. I ever had. After a career covering politics Of course, I wrote plenty of stories he didn’t like, and government for newspapers around the and some of the folks around him repeatedly made country, I had just come back to Boston to it clear they didn’t trust me, even chastising me for cover religion for my hometown paper, and failing to refer to the cardinal as “His Eminence’’ in I was eager and enthusiastic as I could be. I phone conversations and “Bernard Cardinal Law” had just read Ari Goldman’s book, The Search in print. The first time I attended a meeting of the for God at Harvard, in which Goldman, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the cardinal a religion reporter for the New York expressed disapproval when I appeared in the hotel Times, described his relationship with lobby the night before the meeting wearing jeans. Cardinal John J. O’Connor of New York. (The next year when I showed up, I had contracted I had hoped that Cardinal Law and I laryngitis, meaning I couldn’t ask any questions, might similarly develop some kind of ongoing con- which the cardinal found quite amusing, and, I have versation about Catholicism in Boston, given his to admit, so did I.) status as the spiritual leader of two million Catholics Law made it clear to me that he was uncomfort- in eastern Massachusetts, and mine as the lone reli- able with a variety of aspects of my job. At one point, gion reporter at the largest newspaper in that same when I asked him why he was so hard to get on the region. When I entered the house, I was greeted, as phone, he told me he didn’t like to be quoted in sto- all visitors to the mansion were, by the sight of a ries where he was just one of many voices, espe-

Winter2003 17 Crusade for Truth

cially if others were theologians, because most difficult issue of his tenure in Massachusetts Catholics on sexual ethics those kinds of stories didn’t acknowledge Boston.” This is what Cardinal Law said and matters of morality, admitted that dur- his special teaching authority as bishop. to me then, in late 2001, about the issue ing his first year as archbishop of Boston But there were some remarkable of clergy sexual abuse: “The act is a terri- he had given Rev. John J. Geoghan a new moments, too. On Christmas Eve 2000, ble act, and the consequence is a terrible assignment, in suburban Weston, Mass., Cardinal Law actually stepped out of the consequence, and there are a lot of folk despite knowing that Geoghan had been procession at midnight Mass and leaned who have suffered a great deal of pain and accused of molesting seven boys. into my pew so he could whisper into my anguish. And that’s a source of profound Eileen McNamara, a Globe metro ear how much he had appreciated a pain and anguish for me and should be for columnist, was intrigued. “Will Cardinal lengthy and complex story I had written the whole church.’’ When I asked him Bernard F. Law be allowed to continue to about the changing nature of confession. about reinstating abusive priests, he said, play duck and cover indefinitely?’’ she asked in one column. “Will no one require Law, who had once famously called down "the power the head of the Archdiocese of Boston to explain how it was that the pastors, bish- of God" on the Globe, snapped something like "I don't ops, archbishops, and cardinal-archbish- ops who supervised Geoghan never con- see why I should talk about that," and then launched fronted, or even suspected, his alleged into a fond reminiscence of how nice it had been when exploitation of children in five different parishes across 28 years?” That column, he was a bishop in Missouri and the papers there had which ran on July 22, 2001, was followed run explanatory features about Catholic holidays. by another the next week, July 29, in which McNamara took on the confiden- tiality order protecting certain documents And then, in the fall of 2001, Cardinal Law “Any time that I made a decision, it was in the case. “The danger is that if the accepted my invitation to speak at the based upon a judgment that with the treat- church settles before trial – projected to annual convention of the Religion ment that had been afforded and with the be at least six months away – depositions Newswriters Association, which that year ongoing treatment and counseling that of members of the church hierarchy, was meeting in Cambridge. After I intro- would be provided, that this person would including Law and his closest advisers, will duced him, he went on at some length, in not be [a] harm to others.” never see the light of day. The result will front of all my colleagues from around the What Cardinal Law and I both knew be that men who could be responsible for country, about what a fair and thorough throughout the fall of 2001, but never dis- the cover-up of criminal conduct will never reporter I was. cussed, was that the Globe’s Spotlight Team be brought to account.’’ A month later, in November of 2001, was quietly but aggressively pursuing an Those columns piqued the interest of Cardinal Law picked up the phone and investigation into the contemporary and Martin Baron, who had been carefully read- called me to tell me how much he had historic scope of sexual abuse by priests in ing the paper in anticipation of his new job, appreciated a piece I had written after an the Archdiocese of Boston, and into the starting July 31, as the editor of the Globe. interview with him on the occasion of his way that Law, his aides, and their prede- “Why did we need to settle for competing 70th birthday. The cardinal had never cessors had responded to allegations of accounts of documents that were unavail- phoned me on his own initiative before – abuse against those priests. We both knew able to us?’’ Baron asked. “Why shouldn’t in fact, although he had always been cor- that a legal tug-of-war between the Globe they be available to us? Shouldn’t we dial and pledged accessibility, he had rarely and the archdiocese over information about explore challenging the confidentiality returned my phone calls. But on that day the church’s handling of abusive priests was order that sealed all those documents?” he said he decided to call as a “friend,’’ a already underway. But neither of us had Within days of Baron’s arrival, the Globe word that frequently signals trouble any idea that the stories that would result called its lawyers, who began researching between reporters and the people they would set off a chain of events – revelation, the prospects for getting the documents cover, and perhaps I should have seen that revolt, and reform – that, in one grueling unsealed. And in August of 2001, the Globe at the time. year would lead to the biggest crisis in the filed a motion in court arguing that an I clearly remember the birthday inter- history of Catholicism in the U.S. “intense and legitimate public interest” in view because it was a Catholic feast day – ------the sexual abuse controversy and Cardinal All Saints Day – and the cardinal’s house The Globe’s investigation into clergy Law’s “indisputable status as a public fig- was unusually quiet because most of the sexual abuse in Boston was sparked by a ure” should be enough to grant the paper staff had the day off. The cardinal and I routine court filing that contained a star- access to discovery documents. had a long chat about his record, and about tling admission: Bernard F. Law, the spiri- The archdiocese fought the Globe’s his hopes for the next five years, and I tual leader of the fourth largest diocese in motion as aggressively as it had fought remember I asked him about his handling America, the man who was arguably the every lawsuit by a plaintiff alleging clergy of sexually abusive priests, which I pope’s closest ally in the U.S. and who sex abuse. The church argued not only that described in the next day’s Globe as “the every day instructed two million the newspaper was not entitled to the doc-

18 Haverford Magazine uments, but also that the paper had no right molesting children, and the church knew bishops chose to protect priests even after to ask for them – that it had no standing in that. Some of his victims had complained horrific allegations were made against them. the case. The church also argued that giving to church officials, and the church knew One priest had seemed to defend incest and the Globe access would violate the church’s that. At least one pastor complained, and bestiality. Another was allegedly drunk rights under the First Amendment, since the church knew and ignored that. The so- when he fell asleep behind the wheel and its relationship with Father Geoghan was called treatment and evaluation of Geoghan caused a car accident, killing a 16-year-old governed “by canon law and the teachings was performed by two doctors, one a fam- boy he had allegedly molested a few hours of the Roman Catholic Church.” And, the ily physician with no experience or expert- earlier. One priest had been accused of ter- church argued that publication of articles ise in pedophilia, and the other a psychia- rorizing and beating his housekeeper, based on these documents would deny it trist who also had no expertise in another of trading cocaine for sex, and a the right to a fair trial – that the Globe only pedophilia and who himself had settled a third of enticing young girls by claiming to wanted the documents so that “it can con- lawsuit for allegedly abusing a female be “the second coming of Christ.” Those tinue to generate further articles and edi- patient. priests kept their jobs for years, and in torials which are potentially prejudicial to Another investigative reporter, Stephen many cases, when they ultimately retired the defendants.” But in late November, after Kurkjian, two project writers, Kevin Cullen or were forced out, they were sent sympa- a three-month court battle, Massachusetts and Thomas Farragher, and I joined the thetic or laudatory notes from Law. Superior Court Judge Constance Sweeney, Spotlight reporters shortly after the story These revelations have led to unprece- a product of Catholic schools, ruled in the broke. Guided by two outstanding project dented criticism of the church by laypeo- Globe’s favor on every issue. She conclud- editors, Ben Bradlee Jr. and Mark Morrow, ple and clergy. A new national lay group, ed that the paper should have had access we have written more than 900 newspa- Voice of the Faithful, formed in Boston to to these documents in the first place, and per stories, as well as a book, Betrayal: The press for structural change in the church. that the paper had every right to ask for Crisis in the Catholic Church, (see review, Local priests organized for the first time, them now. And she dismissed the First p.6) about the tragedy of clergy sexual forming the Boston Priests Forum, and the Amendment arguments made by the abuse in Boston, around the nation, and decision in December by 58 local priests church, saying that clerical status “does not in the world. Our basic findings, supple- to call for Law to quit drew attention automatically free them from the legal mented by the good work of many other around the world. duties imposed on the rest of society or nec- reporters around the nation, are now famil- The results are still unfolding, but have essarily immunize them from civil viola- iar: over the last several decades more than already been dramatic. Massachusetts and tions of such duties.” The church appealed 1,000 American priests groped, fondled, other states changed their statutes to Sweeney’s ruling, but the Globe won again, masturbated, and raped thousands of require that clergy report allegations of sex- and in late January of 2002, the Geoghan American minors, violating the law, their ual abuse to law enforcement or social serv- documents were released. promises of celibacy, and the trust that so ice agencies. The Vatican approved new Well before the documents became pub- many Catholics had placed in their clergy. church law for the U.S. requiring the lic, the Globe’s Spotlight Team had begun Equally troubling, their bosses, bishops removal from ministry of all abusive trying to determine whether the Geoghan who, according to Catholic teaching, are priests. The Archdiocese of Boston began case was an anomaly or an alarm bell. The the direct successors to Jesus’s apostles, training thousands of schoolchildren to team, including editor Walter V. Robinson repeatedly and knowingly allowed abusive resist and report inappropriate touching, and reporters Matt Carroll, Sacha Pfeiffer, priests to remain in jobs where they had and also began training church employees and Michael Rezendes, uncovered an aston- access to children. My job, as religion and volunteers to respond to suspected ishing truth: more than 100 Boston priests reporter, was not to chase which priest abuse. Numerous priests and bishops, had been accused of molesting minors over abused which kid, or which bishop knew including Law, resigned or were ousted for several decades. And the church’s own doc- what when, but to explain what this all their roles in the scandal. At least 10 grand uments, obtained by the paper through means about the past, present, and future juries around the nation launched inves- public court files, leaks, and ultimately of the world’s largest religious denomina- tigations. And a church-appointed com- court-ordered disclosures of formerly secret tion. The clergy sexual abuse scandal mission, headed by former Oklahoma Gov. church records, made it clear that in many opened a Pandora’s box of issues that had Frank Keating, has begun a wide-ranging of those cases, the church’s bishops had been percolating in the Church for decades examination of the scope and causes of the knowingly allowed abusive priests to – gender, sexuality, power, and authority sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests. remain in jobs with access to children. – and those are issues I expect to be writ------The first Spotlight story was published ing about for as long as I’m on this beat. Haverford, I’ve often thought, made me on January 6, 2002, two weeks before the Over the course of the last year, hun- a journalist, or at least allowed me to fum- court documents were released, showing dreds of victims have come forward to tell ble my way toward a career in journalism that the church had essentially ignored, for their stories, to their families, to counselors, in a way that would have been much more three decades, a mountain of evidence that to the news media, and to lawyers. The difficult at a larger university, where stu- Father Geoghan, a supervisor of altar boys resulting litigation has forced the Boston dent newspapers seem to require a cer- and friend to single mothers, was a serial, archdiocese to release thousands of pages tainty of ambition that I simply didn’t pos- recidivist pedophile. He had admitted of files, showing that over and over again, sess at the age of 17, when I arrived at

Winter2003 19 Crusade for Truth

college, wearing braces, not really need- son, Andy, a former Bi-College News edi- have never been involved with a story that ing to shave, and thinking that I would tor who had died in 1981 at the age of 28. has resonated so deeply, so immediately, grow up to become a scientist. I spent Leonard Silk helped in several ways, but and so persistently with readers. Nearly about half my years at Haverford prepar- most important was simply by introduc- three-quarters of metropolitan Boston is ing for a career as a research biologist, and ing those of us who were at Haverford in at least nominally Catholic, and the church the other half studying to be a doctor. But the mid-’80s to two Philadelphia Inquirer has long been one of the most influential somewhere in the back of my head I must reporters, Jane Eisner and Bill Marimow, institutions in the state. But from the have known neither profession was really who were mentors the likes of which I had moment of publication of that very first my calling – I had neither the talent nor never seen – they offered advice when we story about Father Geoghan, our readers the affinity for research science once it got didn’t know how to handle a story and have let loose with fury, sadness, and pain. more complicated than the color separa- career counseling when we didn’t know Everywhere I go, people want to talk about this story, regardless of their religion, their The majority of my correspondents have praised the age, or their newspaper-reading habits. They call, and write, and, some even show Globe for its work, sometimes in extraordinarily up at our offices. But mostly they e-mail. I’ve received thousands of e-mails from generous terms. But a vocal minority frequently readers all over the world, many of them objects, either to individual stories, turns of quite emotional, filled with personal sto- ries of anger and betrayal, of hurt and phrase, or to the reportage as a whole. hope. Some readers have become regular correspondents – often I don’t even know tion of high school chromatography, and how to find a job. And they modeled a their names, but every few days or weeks, the closer I got to medical school the less level of professionalism and passion that they send me a note to tell me they’re fol- I wanted to go. I don’t remember getting made this career seem not only possible lowing my stories on the Internet, and much guidance from Haverford official- but also desirable. want to share their thoughts. Some are dom – I seem to recall that the career plan- I graduated with a bachelor of arts in quite vitriolic, others very kind, and many ning office had proudly purchased a fancy biology, but immediately set about trying to express passionately held beliefs about computer program that inexplicably find a job in newspapers. For five years, I faith, leadership, morality, sexuality, and advised me and several of my friends to covered local government and regional spirituality. become podiatrists. But at some point I issues for the Patriot Ledger, in Quincy, There seems to be something about the woke up and noticed that, despite major- Mass., starting out with the assignment of ease and impersonality of cybercommuni- ing in biology, I was choosing to spend writing at least one story a day about a cation that facilitates a kind of reductionist, much of my time and energy on the Bi- town with one traffic light and the world’s and often hostile, use of language. My e- College News. It was as much of a sign as I largest cranberry bog. Then I went to South mail address runs at the bottom of my sto- was going to get. Texas, covering presidential and local pol- ries, giving readers ready access to my com- I credit a few professors with helping itics for the San Antonio Light for 15 puter, and forcing me to develop a much me find my way. Hortense Spillers, a months before losing my job when that thicker skin. The majority of my corre- Haverford English professor who drew me newspaper closed. For seven years, I spondents have praised the Globe for its into her classroom because of our shared reported for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, work, sometimes in extraordinarily gener- passion for Faulkner, forced me to develop covering city hall, state government in ous terms. But a vocal minority frequently focus and speed by demanding frequent Olympia, and the federal government in objects, either to individual stories, turns but very short argumentative papers. Bob Washington, D.C. But always I wanted to of phrase, or to the reportage as a whole. Washington, a Bryn Mawr sociologist, come back to Boston to work for my Some readers seem to view printed dis- infected me with his enthusiasm for hometown paper, and when a friend at the cussion of certain controversies – such as observing and thinking about trends in paper called to say the religion job was the role of women in the church – as evi- human society. But mostly I benefited from open and to suggest it might be a good fit dence of bigotry, and the Globe’s sustained the encouragement of the two editors who for me, I jumped at the opportunity. coverage of sex abuse is viewed by them as preceded me at the helm of the Bi-College ------a form of ideologically driven persecution. News, Caroline Nason, Bryn Mawr ’84, In nearly 17 years since I graduated I received e-mail messages that were filled who fostered my love for the craft of news- from Haverford, I’ve covered a lot of dra- with invective – “Go fuck yourself, bigot,’’ paper writing, and Penny Chang, Bryn matic and important stories – a white man is a prime example – as well as some that Mawr ’85, whose reporting zeal and who set off a furor in Boston by falsely were cleverer. One correspondent put in courage I am still trying to emulate. I was blaming a black man for the murder of his the subject line of his e-mail: “You’re either also fortunate to be a Haverford undergrad pregnant wife, a sexual harassment alle- a Anti-Catholic bigot or an idiot...’’ and then when Leonard Silk, a New York Times eco- gation that brought down a governor in in the text box he declared, “…and given nomics columnist, chose to start investing Washington state, the impeachment of Bill that you work for the Globe, there’s a very in Haverford journalists as a tribute to his Clinton and the trial of Microsoft. But I good chance you’re both.”

20 Haverford Magazine Perhaps the most sensitive issue for opportunity, too, to thank you for your understood,’’ and then in September, he readers seems to be the question of courtesy during these years.” The com- reiterated his concerns in The Tablet, a whether homosexuality played a role in ment was so unexpected, and the roar of British Catholic journal, writing, “After this crisis. The Globe has several times camera shutters so loud, that there was months of media blitz most Americans, reported that the preponderance of victims actually a debate over what he said, and to including normally well-informed who have come forward are adolescent this day some reporters insist the cardinal Catholics, have a similarly skewed, or at boys, and that most experts believe there said “thank you for your criticism.” least very imprecise, understanding of the is a higher percentage of gay men in the The Globe itself has been criticized, in a clerical sex scandal which erupted in priesthood than in the general population. variety of ways, over the course of this January – not of the terrible nature of the But we have also reported that experts extraordinary story. Just a few days after misconduct itself but of its exact scope, agree that there is no link between homo- the first story broke, a priest who worked the time frame when it largely occurred, sexuality and child abuse. The e-mail on as an aide to Cardinal Law e-mailed me to the legal issues involved, and the record of this subject can be quite tough. “Why don’t object to the amount of space – four pages how different bishops handled it at differ- you tell the truth – that the sex scandal in – that the Globe had devoted to reporting ent times.’’ I have no idea how Steinfels the church is homosexual behavior by gay on a key set of documents released by the could know what most Americans think priests,’’ one reader asked me. “You are a court. “This is incredibly heavy-handed – I have not seen polling on this question captive of the gay rights lobby like the rest and out of proportion to the coverage that – but his criticism echoed that offered by of the politically correct Globe.’’ The this story deserves,’’ the priest wrote. We Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, president of the Catholic Church teaches that homosexu- did not agree – and neither did our read- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who ality is “objectively disordered,” and a sig- ers, who, when polled on the question, said declared in June, “During these last nificant fraction of the e-mail I receive they found the amount of coverage to be months, the image of the Catholic hierar- seems to reflect the impact of such teach- about right. chy in this country has been distorted to ing. A California man wrote me to express A year later, a small group of victims an extent which I would not have thought concern about his own parish priest, say- complained that we paid too little atten- possible six months ago.” Our response is ing, “We have an openly gay, or fruit, call tion to women victims, and declared, in a simple: our coverage has been fair and them what you will. I will not let my 11- statement I still find difficult to compre- complete. If bishops have been damaged year-old son alone with him for 5 sec- hend, that “hostility toward survivors has by the crisis, which they certainly have, onds…I see no reason…to take a chance. been the most consistent feature of (the that damage is self-inflicted. We have been I have faith in God – the Father, the Son Globe’s) coverage since the scandal broke.’’ quite clear that much of the reported abuse and the Holy Ghost – but not in my parish Our coverage did focus on male victims, took place in the 1970s and 1980s, and we priest.’’ On the other hand, the editor of a but not exclusively so, and our focus was have discussed how bishops responded, or gay travel magazine has been writing me, guided by the reality that every scholar and failed to respond, in great detail. And, we questioning the basis for a portion of the lawyer we interviewed, as well as our own believe, the results of our reportage speaks crisis. “Why are “abuse” and “molestation” reporting, found that the vast majority of for itself: the bishops themselves have bandied about to describe mutually desired known victims are male. acknowledged by their actions that until activity?’’ he asks. “Sex puritans have trou- In the world of media criticism, Peter the Globe started writing about this issue, ble admitting that adolescents can want Steinfels, a former religion reporter for the more than 400 priests who were alleged and pursue sex – they need not be “molest- New York Times, was nearly alone in his abusers were still working in parishes in ed” or “abused” in order to have sex.’’ I persistent critique of the sex-abuse story the U.S.; that the church had no national never know quite how to respond to these in general and the Globe’s coverage in par- policy for preventing or responding to the sentiments, but mostly I do so through my ticular. He began in February 2002 with a sexual abuse of minors; that bishops rou- work, by trying to use a heightened aware- column in the New York Times in which tinely declined to report alleged abusers to ness of the extraordinarily broad range of he seemed to defend the church, writing law enforcement; and that secrecy was views of the church’s plight to remind me “By and large, Cardinal Law seems to have often a higher priority than safety. always to be fair and even-handed. succeeded” in removing abusive priests A few critics have gone to amazing ------from ministry after adopting a new policy rhetorical lengths in their desire to criti- The last time I saw Cardinal Law was in 1993. But that argument quickly crum- cize our work. Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Dec. 16, three days after he stepped down bled – within months of Steinfels’ column, Maradiaga of Honduras, who is considered as archbishop of Boston. I was seated, along Law, under immense public pressure, had a possible successor to Pope John Paul II, with a handful of other reporters, at ousted 27 priests who were still serving in accused the Globe and other American another grand conference table in Brighton, 2002, despite facing allegations of abuse. papers of “persecution of the church,’’ this one at a church library just down the (Three have since been restored to duty telling an Italian monthly in June that the hill from the mansion. The cardinal, stand- after the church decided the accusations U.S. media had behaved with “a fury which ing beneath a crucifix in an otherwise were not credible.) reminds me of the times of Diocletian and unadorned room, stunned the gathered In April, Steinfels wrote in Common- Nero and, more recently, Stalin and Hitler.” news media by declaring, before launch- weal, a Catholic magazine, that “Horrid And Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard Law ing into his prepared remarks, “I take this facts have been mixed with half-truths, half School professor with close ties to Cardinal

Winter2003 21 Crusade for Truth

Law and John Paul II, delivered to several It’s an opportune moment for us to address to snack on pretzels, rather than the Dove audiences around the world a speech in the issue, and it’s a grace and an aid as we bars supplied to those reporters who had- which she denounced the Globe for “cre- look to the future.” And Pope John Paul n’t incurred the bishops’ wrath. ating a climate of hysteria.’’ In a version II made a similar point last April, declar- Later that day, the Globe, along with delivered in Rome last November, she ing, “We must be confident that this time each of the other six Boston news organi- declared, “All I can say is that if fairness of trial will bring a purification of the entire zations that had sent crews to Dallas, was and accuracy have anything to do with it, Catholic community, a purification that is offered a five-minute interview with awarding the Pulitzer Prize to the Boston urgently needed (if the Church is to preach Cardinal Law – the first time he and I Globe would be like giving the Nobel Peace more effectively the Gospel of Jesus Christ would exchange more than a greeting since Prize to Osama bin Laden.” in all its liberating force).” our phone conversation just after his birth- day seven months earlier. We met in an office suite at the Fairmont Hotel, and I As I turned to go, he said to me, "Michael, I wish we spent my five minutes asking about his were back in Israel together." A kind wish for a more plans – he insisted he would not resign – and his thoughts about what had gone peaceful time, perhaps, when he and I could talk wrong. At the end of our brief conversa- about anything other than clergy sexual abuse. But tion, as I rose to leave, the cardinal seemed to want to talk some more. He asked me an odd wish, too. The Middle East was in the middle to tell him what I knew about a deadly car bombing that day outside a U.S. consulate of its own violent crisis, not exactly a place for a in Karachi; he had spent that day in meet- peaceful retreat, even for an embattled archbishop. ings and hadn’t had time to watch the news. And, then, as I turned to go, he said to me, “Michael, I wish we were back in Comparisons to Hitler and bin Laden My relationship with top church offi- Israel together.’’ A kind wish for a more hardly seem to dignify a response, except cials, which I had worked hard to build, peaceful time, perhaps, when he and I for the fact that they come from a top car- has unquestionably been damaged by this could talk about anything other than cler- dinal and a Harvard law school professor. story. In all sorts of ways, church officials gy sexual abuse. But an odd wish, too. The Perhaps Rodriguez and Glendon should have tried to stymie the Globe’s reporting, Middle East was in the middle of its own consider the words of Rev. Andrew Greeley, through direct obstruction, such as resist- violent crisis, not exactly a place for a who in June wrote in the Chicago Sun- ing the release of court documents, and peaceful retreat, even for an embattled Times, “No one in the media donned a cler- through criticism, suggesting that the story archbishop. And stranger still is that it was ical collar and abused a child or a minor. is overblown. In June, just before the bish- a mistaken memory: Cardinal Law had No one in the media reassigned a habitu- ops were to meet, the bishops’ conference been accompanied to the Holy Land by a al child abuser. In fact, if the Boston Globe invited numerous religion reporters to a Globe reporter years before, but it wasn’t had not told the story of the church’s hor- briefing about their draft plan, but the con- me. In the end, for Cardinal Law and me, rific failures in Boston, the abuse would ference decided not to invite the Globe, there would be no peaceful journey. have gone right on. There would have been claiming there wasn’t space in the room no crisis, no demand from the laity that for us. After I complained, they offered to Michael Paulson ’86, the religion reporter the church cut out this cancer of irre- let me listen by speakerphone, but that for the Boston Globe, can be reached at sponsibility, corruption and sin, and no wasn’t enough for us, so we decided to [email protected]. He is a member of a charter for the protection of children. The ignore the briefing, found someone who team of Globe reporters that has written Globe did the church an enormous favor.” agreed to leak us a copy of the document, more than 900 stories on clergy sexual abuse Some church officials seem to agree, and ran a story in the paper the day the since January 2002 and that co-authored although the sincerity of their remarks is briefing was to be held. The bishops con- Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic up for debate. Bishop William S. Skylstad ference was livid and promised to punish Church, (Little, Brown & Co.) which was of Spokane, the vice president of the U.S. the Globe – a spokesman declared in an e- published in hardcover in June 2002 and in Conference of Catholic Bishops, told me, mail to me “the Globe shows a complete paperback in March 2003. Paulson and his “A boil has been lanced, and I do feel lack of accommodation…which will have colleagues have been honored for their work strongly that this is a time of grace for us, to be factored into our future dealings.’’ So with the Associated Press Managing Editors’ as painful and difficult as this moment is. when the bishops met in Dallas, I was Freedom of Information Award, the The fact is that the pain and the hurt were barred from the room in which the bish- Goldsmith Prize for investigative reporting, there, under the surface, for those who ops sat. I was able to watch on closed-cir- the George Polk Award for national report- have been carrying around this for years, cuit TV. Some of my colleagues were gen- ing, the Selden Ring Award for investigative and opening this up helps us to minister erous enough to help me get the reporting, the Worth Bingham Award for to that situation as best we can, and begin documents and description I was denied, investigative reporting, and The New York the process of healing and reconciliation. so my only real punishment was that I had Times Company’s Punch Sulzberger Award.

22 Haverford Magazine Taking the Lead in L.A. by Joe Quinlan ’75

John Carroll ’63 has brought egalitarian leadership and editorial acumen to the Los Angeles Times. And it’s working.

He may run America’s largest metropolitan daily of the search committee, who was also a senior exec- newspaper. He may chair the selection committee utive for the Tribune Company, which was buying for the Pulitzer Prizes. He may even be the most Times Mirror, which in turn owned both the Sun admired newspaper editor in the country, at least and the Los Angeles Times. by his peers. “He asked me to put Harvard on hold and con- But he doesn’t throw Oscar Night parties. Or have sider the Times job.” PR agents book him on Charlie Rose or “Nightline.” So, the book idea went back in the drawer and Or write big books on the side, at least not yet. Carroll shipped west, knowing full well the chal- Try to Google him and you’ll find the pickings lenge he faced. thin. Perhaps no surprise, since he’s spent most of his The Los Angeles Times was wrestling with a cir- four-decade career in putting out daily papers in culation and pricing issues, a controversial incur- Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Lexington, Ky. sion by advertising types to its news side and a per- His biggest fans, in fact, are his own reporters and ception that meaningful local coverage was less than editors—all of whom invariably underscore the same a priority. It was a turnaround challenge of the first attributes: his dedication to journalism, especially order. Add internal political struggles—former pub- the daily sort that still gets delivered to your doorstep. lisher and founding family member Otis Chandler Meet John Carroll ’63, editor of the once-vener- openly criticized Times management—and it was able journalistic cash machine know as the Los clear the paper would be no easy fix. Angeles Times. It’s a job he took less than three years “People warned me,” says Carroll, “it’s a battle- ago, when the paper was in crisis and when many in ship that will take a decade to turn around. The the news business, smitten with dot-com fever, had bureaucracy will kill you.” already written off big city papers. His soft voice drops down even lower…“I think Since he speaks so rarely and so reluctantly about we’ve proven them wrong.” himself and his career, let’s let him explain how he Carroll points to tough decisions and manage- wound up in Southern California… ment changes—10 of the 14 names on the paper’s “Back early in 2000, I was ready to leave the Sun masthead have changed in little more than two years. after 10 years. And I was close to accepting an offer Departments are not only talking together—they’re from Harvard to run the Nieman fellowship pro- working together. gram for journalists. “From day one, John was out in the newsroom, “We’d even done some house hunting up in proving by his actions that he was what we need- Cambridge, and I was working on the outline for a ed…what we craved…a real journalist,” says Richard book. Lee Colvin, former Times education writer who now “At the last minute, I got a call from a member directs the Hechinger Institute at Teachers College,

Winter2003 23 Taking the Lead in L.A.

Columbia University. into the pressroom and a bomb scare—to in terms of minority hiring; Carroll notes “He was down in the cafeteria the first support the investigation. The Herald won that, “Every editorial employee except me week, sitting with a real mix of people and a Pulitzer Prize for reporting. University works for an African-American because listening to what they had to say. It wasn’t reforms were put in place. And Carroll col- both the managing editor and editorial like some politician popping in for a photo lected enough material for the book he still page editor are black.” op.” intends to write. Placing Latinos is more problematic, “It may not be a revolution, but it’s the Of his own battle of Lexington, Carroll Carroll says, explaining that “Hispanic pro- kind of shift that actually works best for recalls, “They don’t have to like you. But motion and hiring are about 20 years this type of organization,” Carroll reflects they do have to pay attention and read you behind where they should be.” And though on his work in Los Angeles. “And our read- if you’re going to be a success. the Times persists in outreach at schools ers seem to be noticing the improvement as “To our pleasant surprise, we actually and colleges, it’s Carroll’s view that a gen- well, and that’s the real test.” sold more papers than ever during the peri- eration will pass “before substantial Simply put, Carroll’s improvements have ods of controversy.” progress is made.” made the paper more readable—and more And though blamed for Kentucky bas- Carroll traces his own social interests relevant to Southern California. Always ketball being placed on probation, Carroll and concerns back to student days at lauded for foreign and national coverage, was actually welcomed back last year and Haverford. Though the son of a prominent the Times sometimes paid scant attention inducted into the state’s journalism hall of newsman, he was not active in student to local crime, metropolitan and regional fame. journalism like classmate Ghiglione. news. Under its new editor, the paper’s “It’s been wonderful and amazing to “Haverford made a huge impression on Metro section explored Southern California track John’s professional growth over the me—even more than I knew at the time,” with new commitment, resources and smart years,” observes Loren Ghiglione ’63, cur- he says. I remember when I was in high writing. A fading lifestyle section was killed. rent dean of Northwestern’s Medill School school and, through a friend, meeting Bill And trenchant Steve Lopez, a former Time of Journalism—and legendary Haverford Cadbury, who was a professor and later magazine and Philadelphia Inquirer writer, News editor four decades ago. dean at the College. He made a big and was hired as lead columnist. With Carroll “For a long time, he was a sort of very positive impression on me, but it in charge, the Times simply seemed more strong, but quiet leader at mid-sized wasn’t easy for me to get admitted. Frankly, connected to Los Angeles. papers, but now he’s got a much larger I wasn’t the greatest student. And while I And to its staff as well. As Colvin stage, both with the Times and the can’t say I was the last member of my class remembers, “Years ago, top editors liked Pulitzer Committee. He’s right in the mid- admitted, I was on the waiting list for a to keep their distance from the troops. dle of all the forces that are impacting very long time. They especially liked their private dining newspapers—the economy and technol- “My experiences at Haverford have rooms. Well, John Carroll did something ogy and diversity and war coverage—you served me well, both personally and pro- that nobody had ever thought of—he made name it. I can’t think of a better person fessionally. And it wasn’t just the academ- the private rooms available to any reporter to be in that position—to set an example ics. It was, more than anything, learning who thought they might need to impress a for all of us.” to make a distinction between societal source. It may sound like a small thing, Perhaps the most crucial example for rights and wrongs. That’s what Haverford but it made a huge impression on the Carroll to set is how a savvy manager tran- instilled in me more than anything else. reporting staff. He’s a true small d democrat. sitions from running established eastern “I think the same thing happened when And it’s something that comes through papers to supervising coverage for the rad- my daughter (Kathleen ’89) was a student, almost effortlessly.” ically diverse city that is Los Angeles. For and it seems to still be the case today.” “John Carroll cares about things that to grow his newspaper, the editor must After graduating, Carroll was hired as are important—things like schools and make inroads to new arrivals and those a cub reporter for the Providence (R.I.) equality and how government deals with who don’t traditionally see the Times as Journal, but within a year, he began a two- these issues,” says Chris Lee ’89 a part of their L.A. experience. year stint in the Army. Washington Post newsman who interned Says Carroll: “Here in Southern Cali- “Sometimes I think I would have been for the editor in Lexington. “He wanted fornia, we’re really on the leading edge of better off if I had been in the Army earlier his paper to be fair, but also not to be afraid the changing face of America and and then come back to college to finish of covering tough issues in detail, even if it Americans. There are incredibly large num- up. I think I was too young to appreciate ruffled feathers and even if embarrassed bers of emigrants from all over the world all that I had while I was in college, and I some politicians who could cause trou- here. We’ve got well over 100 languages think I was a little too old after I graduated ble.” spoken. You can drive down the freeway to take the drill sergeant seriously.” The Carroll commitment to tough and listen on your radio to Lakers games— Discharged in 1966, the Baltimore Sun issues was on full view at the Lexington in Farsi.” hired him the young reporter, eventually Herald in the mid ’80s. The paper revealed Accordingly, Carroll looks toward a sending Carroll to the Middle East and a scandal-plagued University of Kentucky newsroom that someday reflects the diver- then to the White House during Richard basketball program; its reporters and edi- sity he sees on the streets of Los Angeles. Nixon’s first term. tors defied death threats—even a shot fired The Times already has accomplished much Though first, he had a war to cover.

24 Haverford Magazine “I got to Vietnam at the end of 1967, when the war was still going full steam. It was totally different from today, where The Ford reporters are herded into briefing rooms and shown videotapes. “Back then, reporters went directly into Network combat—we traveled with the troops pret- ty much everywhere—in helicopters and Like many Ford journalists, Kate Shatzkin ’87’s on planes and on the ground. That’s the career path has been influenced by John Carroll ’63. way it was done. “And my experience was that the troops In the spring of 1994, coming off a “John Carroll has been good friend of in the field were always glad to see us, to yearlong Knight Fellowship in Law at mine,” she explains, “and he interviewed share their stories—even if the generals Yale, one of the most prestigious jour- me on campus when he worked at the back in Saigon were less than thrilled with nalism fellowships, Kate Shatzkin ’87 was Lexington Herald-Leader. He also hired the media.” poised to resume her career at the Seattle me at the Sun and started me on the Considering Pentagon media manage- Times, where she’d spent four years writ- metro desk. I really liked Seattle, but I ment circa 2003, Carroll speaks tersely: ing about everything from environmental was very interested in court reporting and “They can control the flow a news in short issues to food. police reporting and I had the opportu- war,” he said. “But I don’t think the pub- She never made it back. nity to do the prison beat in Baltimore. lic will stand for such sanitized informa- As a junior at Haverford, Shatzkin and To come here and work for people like tion for very long.” her best friend Lisa Greene (BMC ’87) John and Bill Marimow added an invalu- In 1972, Carroll made what was per- met then-Philadelphia Inquirer journalist able dimension to the situation. I know haps his biggest career move, giving up the Bill Marimow and John Carroll ’63, who they like to hire good people.” lone wolf, star reporter life to become an had moved from the Inquirer to the Marimow, who became editor of the editor, joining the Inquirer and trading cov- Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader, at the Silk Sun in April 2000, feels he lucked out with erage of Nixon for a Nixon favorite, Frank Journalism Panel (see p. 27) at Haverford. this particular hire. “Simply put, Kate is Rizzo. As Shatzkin, Greene, and Marimow all great,” he says. “Her work ethic is up there “Anyone who moves inside gives up remember it, there was a pointed debate, where the air is rare. She is an extremely something. When you’re a newspaper with Carol Leonnig (BMC ’87) joining meticulous, incisive reporter, a fluid writer. reporter, there’s that rush you get when you the fray. Marimow was so impressed that An excellent person. I was elated to learn pick up the paper and see your name and he promptly hired all three women – who she was coming here because, truth be your words; the rewards are both immedi- worked together on the Bi-Co News along told, I thought she would go somewhere ate and concrete. with Michael Paulson ’86 – as part-time like the New York Times.” “As an editor—and this is at any level— stringers for the Inquirer. In Marimow’s assessment, Shatzkin’s the rewards are both indirect and incre- “Lisa, Carol, Michael, and I all knew work at the Sun has comprised several mental. Other than getting out the paper that we were going to be professional challenging beats, including the prison itself, I like knowing that I have a hand in journalists when we were together at the beat, the courts and “page one-caliber the career development of my staff. But it’s Bi-Co News,” Shatzkin says. stuff” on nonprofits. One of her early sto- not something you can tote up at the end Shatzkin’s first full-time job out of col- ries focused on Jackie Bouknight, impris- of the day or even a month. It’s a bit like lege was at the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, oned for allegedly covering up the disap- being a teacher, I guess.” Mass., where Paulson had cut his jour- pearance of her son, who’d been abused A lingering irony in Carroll’s newsroom nalistic teeth. “I figured if Michael did it, in the foster home system and returned career is that his management titles—cur- I could go there,” she says. “It was like a to his mother. “I had read about this case rently Executive Vice President and boot camp for journalists, a story a day while I was at Yale and decided to pursue Editor—may sound more bottom line than and more if you wanted to excel.” it when I got to Baltimore,” Shatzkin says. journalistic. Shatzkin and her friends excelled. “No one could find the son and Jackie Said one media critic recently: “Many Sixteen years later, Greene works at the made efforts that seemed helpful to the of the people running our big news organ- St. Petersburg Times, Leonnig at the authorities, and then she fell silent. She izations seem more interested in having Washington Post, Paulson at the Boston ended up pleading the Fifth and the lunch with Warren Buffet or dinner with Globe (see p. 16), and Shatzkin at the lawyers argued that she was protecting Barry Diller than they do in their own Baltimore Sun. In fact, Shatzkin’s husband, her son from the foster system. The police product. They seem more intent in being Sun religion reporter John Rivera, and maintained that the boy was dead. I got seen as media moguls and getting big con- Paulson have become friends; the two the lawyers to petition to reopen the case tracts than in serving the reading and view- often see each other at the same meetings and she received due process and won her ing public.” and press conferences. How Shatzkin came adult’s right to liberty – she got out of In spite of his own titles, Carroll devotes to the Sun is a testament to friendships prison – and some people think she got the overwhelming majority of his time to forged and careers launched at Haverford. away with the perfect crime. But Jackie

Winter2003 25 Taking the Lead in L.A. news, leaving business to, well, the busi- became one of the dozens of Haverford stu- ness types. dents who benefited from Greg’s journalistic The Carroll File “My own view is that that at too many pipeline to John, Loren Ghiglione and oth- 1963 papers, editors are being drawn into busi- ers. Chris Lee ’89, mentioned earlier, is Providence (R.I.) Journal-Bulletin, ness planning and are paying way too much another. state staff reporter attention to it. They ought to be editing.” John kindly took me out to lunch, and even Indeed, such views were considered old- listened quietly as I talked, I’m sure, way too 1964 – 1966 fashioned in the late ’90s when dot-com much. He’d just been hired by the most U.S. Army fever dominated the news business. Careful admired editor in the country, Eugene 1966 – 1972 not to gloat, Carroll explains his colleagues’ Roberts, to supervise local coverage for the Baltimore Sun, local reporter, Vietnam Internet hunger: “People got way ahead of Inquirer, the #2 paper in town. correspondent, Middle East corre- themselves. Before the bubble burst, there I told John my professional goal was to be spondent, White House correspondent were some influential people who said that the Bulletin’s city editor when I was 30. He the website would become the business and reached for a napkin and started scribbling 1972 – 1979 Philadelphia Inquirer, the paper would fade away. a chart with numbers. He looked up, smiled several editorial positions “A lot of money was lost before the faintly, and pointed to the sheet: “Your prob- world realized that for now at least, a web- lem,” he said softly, “is that the Bulletin won’t 1979 – 1991 site can work as an extension of a paper be there in 10 years.” Lexington (Ky.) Herald/Lexington or magazine, but not as a stand-alone busi- I gulped hard but kept a straight face. Herald-Leader, several executive roles, ness. After all, the Bulletin was 150 years old and including editor, vice president, and “We’re all going to be reading newspa- its demise was unthinkable. To me at least. executive vice president pers for a long time. At least if I have any- Nine years later, the Bulletin folded. By 1991 – 2000 thing to do with it,” Carroll adds with a then, John was editing the Lexington (Ky.) Baltimore Sun, senior vice and editor; smile. Herald. I was in New York, a senior pro- vice president of Times Mirror in 1998 ducer for national affairs at MacNeil-Lehrer, Author’s Note: the nightly news show on PBS. When we 1994 I first met John 30 years ago as a cocky reported the Bulletin’s closing on the pro- Named to Pulitzer Prize board Haverford junior who’d just finished a sum- gram that night, I remembered the napkin. 2000 – Current mer reporting stint for the Philadelphia And I smiled. And I vowed to listen—hard— Los Angeles Times, executive vice Evening Bulletin. His classmate, Greg when John Carroll ever talked about the president and editor Kannerstein ’63, had introduced us and I media again. — J.Q. ’75

The Ford Network argued that she’d been damaged and abused very serious beat about the approaches to ed out her experience. The flexibility of by the foster system herself and served 7 power and social change,” she says. “Some doing high-level academic work while years in prison, which is longer than many characteristics of nonprofits are like the pri- working for both the Bi-Co News and part- people serve for manslaughter.” vate sector and people want to know why. time for the Inquirer is an opportunity she Shatzkin then covered high-profile cases It’s public money but nonprofits are often still relishes. on the city court beat, leaving her no time not in public buildings. Lots of the records “I made some very conscious decisions to pursue prison stories. This assignment are not made public.” about how I was going to use my time at was followed by a stint of investigative Shatzkin still keeps in touch with Haverford,” she says. “I was able to do reporting, from 1996 through 1999. Greene, though their careers haven’t things I never would have been able to do During that time, she ventured into the crossed paths since their days together at at a large university. Today, I look back and “arcane, secretive system of lawyer disci- the Inquirer. “We still keep in touch regu- think it’s great that Haverford students work pline” while doing a story on unscrupu- larly and check out each other’s stories,” hard and know they can do this. I was driv- lous lawyers in Maryland. She also did a Greene admits. “Kate, as you might or ing to work today and I heard Juan series on chicken producers both on the might not expect from a best friend, has Williams ’76 on NPR interviewing Howard Eastern Shore and nationally. This work been totally supportive of my efforts and Lutnick ’83 and Tom Barbash ’83 about and her work on the city court beat were my abilities as a reporter. It took me a bit their new 9/11 book – all Haverford peo- nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. longer to get to a big paper after taking ple! I’m impressed with journalism tradi- Her current beat, nonprofits as a signif- time to get married and have kids, but Kate tion at Haverford. The liberal arts are often icant sector of public policy, as an engine has always encouraged me along the way.” undervalued, I think, but they shouldn’t of change and of issue development, fits A Kansas City, Mo., native, Shatzkin be. It’s a perfect foundation for a journal- well with her life as a working mother found the liberal arts experience she sought ism career.” (daughter Leah is 2 years old and she’s at Haverford. Courses in art history and — S.H. expecting a baby boy next month). “It’s a some English taken at Bryn Mawr round-

26 Haverford Magazine A Legacy in Print The family of the late Andrew Silk ’76,

a renowned journalist and social activist, Andy Mathieson ’05 wasn’t expecting the encourages generations of Haverford and frantic, frazzled environment of a New York Bryn Mawr students to follow in his Times–style newsroom. A hopeful journalist footsteps. by Brenna McBride who admires humor columnists like Dave

Barry ’69 and occasionally contributes his own witticisms to the Haverford/Bryn

Mawr Bi-College News, Mathieson applied for a summer internship with The School

Administrator magazine to get some experience with a professional, monthly publi-

cation. He knew the Arlington, Virginia-based magazine, edited by Jay Goldman ’78,

had a small staff of what Goldman liked to call “three-and-a-half people” and

approached each issue at its own pace. It met his needs.

Winter2003 27 A Legacy in Print

During the course of the summer, “From the beginning, we believed that the 1973-74 academic year. He relished Mathieson assisted the magazine staff with being involved in current events was a the challenges of putting the paper to bed copy editing, coded articles to be processed great career path,” says Mark Silk, Andy’s every week, and the pressure of delivering by the graphics designer, edited book older brother, a former staff writer for the stories on time. reviews, wrote his own reviews for an Atlanta Journal-Constitution who now holds These were the years when the News internally published packet delivered to a seat at the Center for the Study of served as a breeding ground for some of the American Association of School Religion in Public Life at Trinity College today’s most notable journalists, such as Administrators, and started compiling the in Hartford, Conn. Dave Wessel ’75, economics columnist for annual index of the year’s articles. He sat Bernice Silk remembers how her hus- the Wall Street Journal, and Joe Quinlan in on editorial and design meetings, where band would initiate conversations about ’75, former Emmy-winning senior pro- his ideas and opinions were encouraged his day at the Times and about the news ducer for the “MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour” by Goldman and staff. He was sent on of the world every evening at the dinner and past executive producer at Time Inc. assignment to cover an AASA talk on table, during Andy’s youth in Montclair, News Media. school safety and drug prevention, where N.J. “Andy was a talker,” she says. “He Quinlan is currently the president of he was impressed by school super- Q*com, which provides strategic intendents’ ongoing efforts to tack- advice on a range of media-related le these issues. Mathieson knows that his experience issues, but he still thinks affection- “I was overwhelmed by the array wouldn’t have been possible if he ately of the man who gave him his of responsibilities and the amount first column. At Haverford, he was of trust the staff had in me,” he says. hadn’t been able to support himself involved in student government, “I didn’t feel at all led around or with a stipend from the Silk Fund working in the public relations office, patronized.” He feels privileged to and serving as a Customs person, and have been involved in setting a didn’t feel comfortable committing “nationwide agenda;” copies of The School loved to participate in these discussions.” himself to the responsibilities of a regular Administrator are found in the offices of Leonard even helped Andy get a summer reporter or editor at the News. “But Andy school superintendents and principals job at the Times as a copyboy. came up with a solution,” he says. “‘Write across the country. And he takes particular “He loved the excitement and gratifi- a column,’ he said, ‘even if it’s every other pride in the September 2002 issue focusing cation of seeing himself in print,” says week, and write about stuff going on in on spirituality in schools. He played a large Bernice. the world.’ Thus was born ‘Q and Co.’” role in the production of this issue and, Andy was already picturing a future as Quinlan remembers his class as a preco- Jay Goldman tells him, it has elicited an a reporter, but he planned to major in phi- cious one when it came to journalism. enormous response from readers. losophy in college—a program counted “Several of us had already worked at news- Mathieson knows that his experience among Haverford’s best in the 1970s. It papers before coming to Haverford, and wouldn’t have been possible if he hadn’t was more than academics, however, that knew we wanted to work in the business. been able to support himself with a stipend attracted Andy to the College, Bernice But Andy was clearly the best among us, from the Silk Fund, instituted by former recalls: “He fell in love with the place, the both as a reporter and editor. He had such New York Times business columnist atmosphere, Quakerism, honesty, the a big mind and restless spirit, not to men- Leonard Silk and his wife Bernice in mem- down-to-earth environment. He met the tion quick wit, in that little body of his.” ory of their son Andrew ’76, a respected kind of people who appealed to him.” Chuck Durante ’73, now a partner at journalist who died of lung cancer in 1981 One of these people was Juan Williams the Wilmington, Del., law firm of Connolly at the age of 28. Andy Mathieson means ’76, a senior correspondent at National Bove Lodge and Hutz LLP, was editor of to follow in the footsteps of another Andy, Public Radio and former host of NPR’s the paper when Andy began as a reporter. a talented writer and committed social “Talk of the Nation,” and author of the He was impressed with the positive activist with an unshakable belief in the bestseller Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil changes his successor brought with him. often-underestimated power of the print- Rights Years, 1954-1965. Williams and “The year Andy was editor-in-chief, the ed word to change the status quo. Andy bonded over their mutual interest in News broke free of its reliance on the Andy’s father, Leonard, had been a journalism, and Williams’ admiration of stodgiest, least visually appealing elements newspaperman since his high school years. the New York Times in general and Leonard of the New York Times,” he says. “He At the University of Wisconsin, he edited Silk’s column in particular. “I was origi- brought a visually imaginative approach the campus humor magazine and wrote nally intimidated by him,” says Williams, to the design, and demonstrated an alle- music reviews for the New York Times, “not only because of who his father was, giance to the basic principles of dogged because it was the best way to obtain free but because he was so clearly focused on reporting. And as an interviewer, he knew records. He wrote for his hometown news- journalism as a career.” how to ask uncomfortable questions in a paper, the Atlantic City Press, and for Andy joined the Haverford/Bryn Mawr way that was not confrontational.” Business Week before joining the New York News as a writer; his skill and persever- “Andy’s writing had a strong social and Times as the author of the business page’s ance earned him the position of managing political consciousness, and showed his twice-weekly “Economics Scene” column. editor in 1972 and editor-in-chief during compassion for all people,” says Juan

28 Haverford Magazine Williams. “He understood that he had a and magazines not available at most news- I—I, who had been told that I was different voice and a power he could express with stands, many from overseas,” he says. than other visitors because I felt so deeply his pen.” “He’d be up reading until midnight, not about South Africa?” Back in the United Dave Wessel and Andy Silk were drawn just for his assignments.” States, he would transform his experiences to journalism for many of the same rea- Andy graduated magna cum laude and into a book, A Shantytown in South Africa. sons. “We wanted to shine light in corners Phi Beta Kappa, and received a prestigious In 1979, he joined the staff of the of the world, take readers from their com- Watson fellowship, which would allow him Norfolk Virginian Pilot, where he forged a fortable, sheltered lives and bring them to to pursue an individual project outside the friendship with Jane Eisner, now a social places they would never go.” And although continental United States. It was natural issues columnist for the Philadelphia Andy wrote about intercollegiate issues that he would return the country that had Inquirer. “He had a high moral compass, such as Haverford’s path to coeducation, weighed on his mind and soul since he’d and was upset about anything that wasn’t Wessel saw how he cast his gaze far beyond left. Even though the apartheid conflict right,” says Eisner, who lived around the campus. “He was always looking for a way had now heated to a dangerous degree, corner from Andy in Norfolk. “At a time to think outside the boundaries of Andy returned to South Africa to investi- when the Pilot was going through changes, Lancaster Avenue.” gate working and housing conditions of we were the ‘young whippersnappers’ with No one anticipated just how far outside black migratory laborers. new ideas.” Eisner left the paper in 1980 these boundaries Andy’s thoughts lay, until On Sept. 23, 1977, Andy was preparing to join the Trenton, N.J., bureau of the he announced his intention to spend his to leave for the funeral of activist Stephen Inquirer, and it was here that she received junior year as a visiting reporter in South Biko. He had been interviewing residents of the call from a mutual friend that Andy Africa, covering the apartheid situation. a squatters’ town called Modderdam near had been suffering from a racking cough. Of everyone, his family may have met this Cape Town, and needed to go there to He was soon diagnosed with lung can- decision with the least amount of cer. He was 27 years old, and surprise. Aware that I might reenter the world had never smoked in his life. Mark Silk was familiar with In typical Silk fashion, he Andy’s interest in author George of tumors and platelet counts at any time, used his writing as an outlet for Orwell, who had fought in the his pain both physical and emo- Spanish Civil War and immersed the trials and setbacks in the world that tional. He chronicled his tests himself in the world of that coun- once filled me with anxiety now appear and treatment in a lengthy, can- try’s poor and disenfranchised. “For did article for the New York Andy, South Africa was a way to fol- to be the most exquisite luxuries. Times Magazine, where he low in Orwell’s footsteps. In the revealed that, despite a favor- 1970s, apartheid was the obvious great evil; retrieve his notes from a friend’s house. Yet able prognosis, he knew the disease could it made sense that he was drawn to that.” he didn’t have a permit to enter the town, recur at any time. “Aware that I might reen- Leonard and Bernice Silk had also wit- an infraction that brought the police to ter the world of tumors and platelet counts nessed Andy’s involvement in the Vietnam escort Andy home. Suspicious of Andy’s at any time, the trials and setbacks in the anti-war movement as a teenager, and desire to keep them away from his room world that once filled me with anxiety now knew of his commitment to combating and from “personal” items, the police appear to be the most exquisite luxuries. injustice. The Silks themselves had previ- searched his desk, drawers, wardrobe, trash “I now know what a friend—who had ously visited South Africa, and Leonard can, and suitcase. They eventually confis- seen battle in Iwo Jima—meant when he put his son in contact with staff members cated tapes and notes of his interviews; said early in my recovery, ‘One day you will at the Pretoria News and the Rand Daily none had been conducted illegally, but sev- look around and discover that the sky is Mail. eral sources had wished to remain anony- more brilliant and the flowers more fra- Juan Williams was awed by his friend’s mous. grant than they have ever been before.’ ” willingness to put himself on the line in Concerned for his subjects’ welfare, Andy’s optimism in the face of his odds order to get the true story of apartheid and Andy spoke with a friend who chastised redefined the word “undaunted.” He set- its victims. “He considered it the big story him for his secretive conduct. “Either you tled in southern Connecticut and became of our time,” he says. “He seized the oppor- decide to work completely openly, or you editorial page editor of the Greenwich Time. tunity to tell stories that would open peo- function like a spy,” his friend told him. He married his longtime girlfriend, Nancy ple’s eyes.” “If you are caught, you accept the conse- Perlman. “Andy was prepared to act as Upon Andy’s return for his senior year, quences.” At the friend’s urging, Andy con- though everything would be all right,” says he picked up where he left off with his tacted his American consulate and Mark Silk. “It took a huge amount of men- studies and lived in a group house that arranged to board the next flight out of tal strength to fight through the physical included Chuck Durante. Durante credits South Africa. hardships.” Andy with introducing him to NPR’s “All “Was it right to run, and let others On Dec. 12, 1981, Andrew Silk died in Things Considered,” and marveled at his straighten out the confusion I was leav- New York Hospital. He was 28. roommate’s passion for the printed word ing?” Andy wondered in an article called At first, Andy’s family and friends dealt in all languages. “He read journals, papers, “Flight From South Africa.” “How could with their grief and confusion in their own

Winter2003 29 A Legacy in Print

way. Some chose solitary outpourings of erous of Leonard,” says Paulson. “It was The Silk Fund helps encourage these emotion. Some brought groups together inspiring for those who were just starting future Andys not only through the sym- to reminisce about the man they had lost. out to interact with successful, skilled peo- posium, but also through a stipend award- And some, like Jane Eisner, turned their ple.” ed to Haverford and Bryn Mawr under- sorrow into action. In 1982, Eisner and These campus visits would, in 1984, graduates who obtain journalism internships her husband—who had been inspired by evolve into the annual journalism sym- during the summer. The Fund provides Andy to become an oncologist—visited posium that continues to this day. for compensation to be paid by the par- the Soviet Union to meet with Jewish refus- Organized by the Silks (Mark took over ticipating newspaper, and the stipend sup- niks. It was a dangerous time to be in the Leonard’s duties when the latter died in ports students’ travel and living costs. country; they were almost refused 1995) and Pam Sheridan, director of pub- Originally limited to the two newspapers entrance, and were followed once inside. lic relations at Haverford, the event brings that employed Andy, the Virginian Pilot “But we saw it as a fitting tribute to Andy,” together a panel of top-flight journalists and the Greenwich Time, the internships says Eisner, “who tried so hard to fight from news sources throughout the coun- can now be served at newspapers, maga- social injustice.” She wrote a magazine try to discuss their careers and issues per- zines, and news organizations across the story about her trip, and acknowledged taining to today’s business of news cover- United States. Andy in her introduction. age. In the past, members of the panel “I couldn’t have afforded to work at The Soon, the Silks and several of Andy’s have debated religion and the media, the School Administrator this summer without classmates started to circulate ideas for a impact of new technology, coverage of the help of the Silk family,” says Andy way to more permanently memorialize presidential elections, and tragedies such Mathieson. “I like to think that my future their son, brother, and friend, a way that as the Oklahoma City bombing and 9/11. career path started in my little shared desk would, preferably, involve his alma mater. The symposiums benefit curious students, space at the magazine, and I’ll always know A group of Andy’s friends, including Juan but are also open to members of the in my heart that it was the Silks who made Williams and Dave Wessel, appealed to Haverford/Bryn Mawr communities and this possible.” then-president of Haverford Robert Stevens the surrounding area. The first Andy would have beamed with to support a program, funded by the Silks, “The success of the panel is largely pride. that would offer guidance, assistance, and based on the quality of the journalists who advice to Haverford and Bryn Mawr stu- volunteer their expertise,” says Bernice dents interested in journalism careers. Silk. “It’s a credit to Leonard and to Andrew Silk Journalism Interns “Because neither school had a formal jour- Haverford that they take it so seriously, nalism course,” says Bernice Silk, “we felt and welcome the opportunity to introduce 1982 Paula Block like we were providing something sub- students to journalism in a realistic way.” 1983 Penny Chang stantial to the students.” Many of Andy’s closest friends—such “We made it clear to Robert Stevens that as Jane Eisner, Dave Wessel, Juan Williams, 1984 Beth Liebson providing such a program would be an and Joe Quinlan—have been frequent 1985 Sarah Allen ’87 important statement about Haverford,” guests of the symposium since its first year. 1986 Kate Shatzkin ’87 says Juan Williams. “He understood that “It’s always an honor to come back and 1987 Thomas Hartmann ’88 what Andy stood for was the best of the discuss the sort of timely, weighty topics school’s values, and what the school was that have been chosen over the year, and 1988 ——— teaching its young people.” Stevens agreed, to meet different generations of students 1989 Colette Fergusson ’90 and plans for the Silk Fund’s initiatives interested in the craft,” says Quinlan. 1990 ——— began to take shape. “There’s always a tinge of sadness for me 1991 Brad Aronson ’93 In the beginning, Leonard Silk arranged personally, because I know what a kick to bring a cadre of journalists to campus Andy would get out of running those dis- 1992 Eric Pelofsky ’93 during the first few weeks of the school cussion groups.” 1993 Aparna Mukherjee (BMC) year to advise Haverford/Bryn Mawr News “Andy lives on through his friends,” 1994 Ellen Chrismer staffers on the direction their paper should says Williams. “It’s critical that we who 1995 ——— take. A variety of reporters from the knew and loved him can convey what he Inquirer (such as Jane Eisner) and other was about, and share his mission of using 1996 Abby Reed ’99 newspapers would also meet with students your powers for a greater purpose.” 1997 Ryan Isaac ’98 at different times throughout the year, “When you’re in your 20s and some- 1998 Daniel Lathrop ’99, answering questions and offering career one close to you dies, it’s a searing expe- Jill McCain (BMC) counseling. Michael Paulson ’86, now an rience,” says Wessel. “Everyone who knew 1999 Ivan Weiss ’01 award-winning religion reporter for the Andy saw his unrealized potential, and to Boston Globe, was on the receiving end of see it lost…you want to do something to 2000 Nicole Foulke (BMC) these guidance sessions when he was an keep the flame alive, prevent his memory 2001 Rekha Matchanickal (BMC), editor for the News. from vanishing, and encourage future Monica Hess (BMC) “It was incredibly helpful, and so gen- Andy Silks.” 2002 Andrew Mathieson ’05

30 Haverford Magazine Good News PHOTO: DAVID WOO/THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS In a chaotic environment of converging

(and competing) media, the Dallas It should come as no surprise that my role Morning News has established itself in this newspaper theme issue is to be Dave as a vital contributor to the public Barry’s straight man. The juxtaposition is ele- debate. by Bob Mong ’71 gant. He’s older, but his hair is brown, and

he looks 30ish, while, charitably, I appear 50-plus with gray-white hair. He writes

humor; I help run a large metro paper. Just the other day, I noticed a Dave quota-

tion on a newspaper industry daily calendar: “We newspapers are very big on prof-

its these days. We’re a business, just like any other business, except that we employ

English majors.” Hey, I’m an English major, and I’m big on having a decent profit

margin. Is there any more to say?

Winter2003 31 Good News

Let me begin with a story about having Mexico and South America, science, civic issues newspapers write about. the right temperament for this job. I’ll con- lifestyles and coverage of Texas. Nearly As the world becomes increasingly veniently use another editor as an exam- two years ago, I challenged our staff to complex, many papers simply haven’t ple. become the best in the country covering taken advantage of the strengths they have Deborah Howell is an excellent editor education. We’re not the best yet, but we’re for providing context. Instead, they con- who ran the St. Paul Pioneer-Press for many making significant strides in that direc- tinue to tell readers “what” happened years, during which the paper won two tion. rather than “what happened and why.” Pulitzer Prizes. After one of them, she Fortunately, our market has been sup- Go into virtually any community in walked into her office prepared for her portive of our improving newspaper. In America, and the local newspaper employs readers’ warm accolades. A stack of mes- 1980, our circulation was around 280,000 the majority of reporters on the street cov- sages welcomed her arrival. Problem was, daily and 350,000 Sunday. Today it is ering news and issues. If you are a good the Pioneer-Press had published the wrong 525,000 daily and 785,000 Sunday. I think editor, it matters how you deploy those snow-plowing schedule in the paper, and it’s important to note that markets do reporters. How an editor answers that all over St. Paul people were digging out respond to improved content. question makes a huge difference in how from under what the city tractors useful the paper is to its readers. had deposited on their cars. Journalism at its best is the main Deborah handled the complaints As the world becomes increasingly way Americans gain perspective on and forgot about the Pulitzer for complex, many papers simply haven’t events from their neighborhoods to the time being. the United Nations. Good papers try As exhilarating as it often is to taken advantage of the strengths to explain what influences are at preside over a big city paper, I’ve they have for providing context. work shaping these events. Poor learned it is wise to maintain a papers, often unwittingly, portray healthy dose of humility, even in Instead, they continue to tell readers situations as one disconnected frag- the face of good news about your ment after another. paper. “what” happened rather than For me, newspapers should A few years ago, the Columbia “what happened and why.” unabashedly be from someplace. Journalism Review named us one of They should reflect the region where the five best papers in America. they reside. For us, that means put- When I first heard about this, I was gen- Yet, the competitive landscape ting bureaus in east Texas, Houston, uinely elated. We had worked hard for 20 becomes more challenging each year. It Austin, San Antonio, the border with years to make the Dallas Morning News a is true that every decent newspaper has Mexico, Lubbock and Oklahoma City, as distinguished paper. We built it person by a strong core readership that is loyal to well as publishing comprehensive cover- person, department by department into that product. But the core reader is aging age in and around Dallas. something pretty good. Now we were get- and younger readers are not nearly as It means placing more reporters in ting the kind of recognition we thought drawn to newspapers as previous gener- Mexico than any other U.S. paper. Why? we deserved. ations. Newspapers can’t grow without Because Mexico is a local cultural, political But the other side of me was wary. I attracting more of these younger occa- and business story. By the way, one of our don’t think you can be any good in a job sional readers. most talented reporters in Mexico is like this if you preen and fail to see the Many of these readers are strapped for Brendan Case (Haverford Class of 1993), many problems and deficiencies you and time and find the morning a tough time who covers business issues out of Mexico your institution have. to read. and Latin America. I dashed off a note to the staff congrat- For them, newspapers are also about Brendan is one of many specialists we ulating them on the ranking and remind- the last mass medium in an era of high- have hired to get at issues with more ing them that we are still far from the paper ly targeted media. Newspapers are often sophistication and nuance. The big issues we want to be. about common interests and furthering of the day are usually interrelated and When I started in Dallas in 1979, we community dialogue at a time of spe- interdependent. Explaining these issues only had 170 journalists in our news- cialized, focused “communities of inter- clearly is the hallmark of great modern room. Mediocrity was everywhere. Today, est.” reporting; and specialty reporters with deep we have more than 625 journalists, many More subtle issues challenge us as well. training often get at the heart of things bet- of them national leaders in their fields. Newspapers are perceived by some ter than generalists can. Our company believes that there is a younger audiences as “authority” in a We recognize that there is a large read- strong market for high quality journal- world raised to question authority. Much ership for deep reporting, as long as it is ism. has also been written about the link interesting. Newspapers that consistently Like a college, a good newspaper is the between citizenry and newspaper reader- produce content that readers can’t find any- sum of its various departments. I believe ship. As voter numbers decline, so does where else will to prosper. But this unique we have generally accepted national class newspaper readership, partly, I suspect, and unduplicated news is the most diffi- departments in sports, business, religion, because many people care less about the cult content to develop. It requires the col-

32 Haverford Magazine lective will and skill of the newspaper driv- a newspaper. Editors must train themselves for information has only grown (along with ing toward this goal. to listen closely. the advertising pie). Newspapers continue To continue to find new audiences, Most of our communities are becom- to compete robustly in this heated envi- newspapers must improve the way they ing more diverse each year. Texas is now ronment. cover major issues. You are no doubt aware more than 30 percent Hispanic. Our Asian It is also true that these media are con- that many books and articles have been population is growing rapidly. The African- verging. It is not uncommon for one of written in recent years lamenting the way American population holds at about 10 our reporters to write for the paper, the the press covers everything from religion, percent. At the Morning News, 45 percent paper’s Internet site and appear on our 24- the military, higher education, politics and of our employees are minority, and we are hour state cable news channel – all on the big business. far more alert to our community because of same day. These real and perceived flaws must be this diversity. Our readership is now about Theories abound on where this is head- taken seriously, but the situation is far from 25 percent minority. ing. But as the quality media compete in a hopeless. Take higher education coverage If our reporters’ sources don’t continue world of increasing tabloidization, I don’t as an example. The press and the acade- to expand to better reflect today’s Texas, think the serious folks should give in to my have much in common. Both infotainment, trivialization and have strong First Amendment the noisy, shouting talking heads. ties. Both live by words and ideas. It is also true that these media are There will remain a wide audience Yet the relationship is often converging. It is not uncommon for one for strong reporting skills, sophis- strained by university adminis- ticated analysis and accessible con- trators who fastidiously avoid the of our reporters to write for the paper, text. press and by newspapers that Americans are overwhelmed cover higher education superfi- the paper’s Internet site and appear with information and much of it cially if they cover it at all. on our 24-hour state cable news channel is junk to them. Great journalists Newspapers that reach out to can help them distill and make universities both through their – all on the same day. sense of the glut and tangle. news and editorial page staffs can That’s why we value the smart, benefit from deeper and richer informed work of specialists like perspectives talented professors and we’ll soon be two-dimensional figures in Brendan Case. His work in Mexico and administrators provide. At the same time, a three-D world. Any decent editor under- Latin America helps our readers under- newspapers need to put excellent reporters stands that community discussions can stand why they should care about the on the beat. help the paper’s coverage. I had been meet- chaotic economies south of our borders. Trust does not come without effort. I ing with Muslim leaders in the Dallas area Many of our readers hunger for deeper have known some college administrators long before Sept. 11, 2001. The familiarity knowledge, and that is why we have in Texas for more than 20 years. The abil- that these often tense meetings provided added Ph.D’s, lawyers, MBA’s and eco- ity to pick up the phone and talk to them helped us bring more Muslim perspective nomics majors to our staff. Specialists, can be invaluable. When we built our sci- to our readers after Sept. 11. combined with talented generalists, can ence staff, it took time before scientists It is also important for a paper to keep usually get to the heart of issues faster would open up to our reporters. Some of changing and evolving. Our sports editor, than generalists alone. our writers even had doctorates in the Dave Smith, is often considered the best Our democracy has been an incredibly same field as the professors we were try- at what he does in the country. Before com- durable phenomenon, just as a free press ing to reach. With time and determina- ing to Dallas in 1981, he had built the has been an indispensable partner in pre- tion, honest and enduring relationships Boston Globe’s excellent sports section. serving our open society. The fact that were built. Now, nearly 65, Dave comes to work every today’s newspapers still breathe life into Once in the early ’90s, when we were day with marked up sports pages and an our public debate seems like good news to building our religion staff, one well-edu- enthusiasm to make the next day’s section me. cated woman stood up in a public forum better than today’s. He’s never lost his pas- Bob Mong ’71 is editor of the Dallas and told me she wished we’d stop our sion for the business or his willingness to Morning News. plans to improve coverage of religion, try something new. ethics and spirituality. She was afraid of Since the invention of radio, experts how we might mangle such sensitive sub- have predicted the demise of newspapers. jects. She wasn’t alone in her concerns Ted Turner even stood up in front of a either. Thankfully, many other readers, group of newspaper executives 25 years academics and religious leaders worked ago and said it was nice knowing them, with us in good faith suggesting ways to but cable television would spell the end of improve our coverage. papers. With the advent of television, cable, This kind of informed back and forth the internet, specialty magazines and 24- with readers can provide great benefits to hour news and sports, the nation’s appetite

Winter2003 33

Nicholson Baker ’79’s quest to save old newspapers from oblivion. by Edgar Allen Beem

Nicholson Baker, a tall, scholarly man, balding and nesses, and some artists’ studios. The repository’s bearded, is perusing old bound volumes of the New large, cool rectangular factory room is filled with York World through rimless glasses when he comes approximately 5,000 bound volumes of newspapers— across a sensational full-color 1952 article about chief among them Joseph Pulitzer’s World, New York Marilyn Monroe entitled “They Call Her The Herald Tribune, Chicago Tribune, and the New York Blowtorch Blonde.” American’s Sweetheart is wear- Times—arrayed on high metal shelves and wooden ing a ruffle bandeau that makes her look like a pallets on the floor. Hundreds of institutions own Tahitian princess. Baker is so amused and taken with these newspapers on microfilm, but that’s exactly the both the image and the title that he immediately places problem. The wholesale embrace of microform repro- the bound volume beneath a quintet of spotlights duction by libraries and research institutions mean and, using a hand-held digital camera, takes a pic- that real copies of these newspapers are becoming ture of it. The Marilyn layout will soon thereafter extinct. appear on www.oldpapers.org. “You can’t get more important urban documents,” Oldpapers.org is the website of the American says Baker, surveying the bound volumes stacked Newspaper Repository, the nonprofit corporation before him. “The New York World used to publish a Baker established in 1999 as part of his campaign to million copies a day and now there is only one.” save old newspapers from disappearing entirely as Nicholson Baker, forty-five, is an unlikely savior. libraries microfilm and discard them. The other major He is not a librarian, historian, archivist, or conser- weapon in Baker’s preservationist arsenal is Double vator. He is a writer, a novelist, and essayist whose Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper, a book that peculiar body of writings has in common an almost rocked the library world last year with its detailed obsessive concern for minutiae. indictment of major libraries—principally the Library “I think of myself as thorough,” says Baker, mildly of Congress—for failing to preserve actual copies of objecting to the use of the word obsession. Okay, sav- the country’s greatest newspapers. ing old newspapers is not Baker’s obsession, but it’s The American Newspaper Repository occupies a pretty darn close. 6,000-square-foot space on the first floor of a former Nick Baker was born and brought up in Rochester, textile mill in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, just a New York, where his father ran an ad agency from short walk across the Salmon Falls River from the vil- the basement of the family home. Trained as a bas- lage of South Berwick, Maine, where Baker lives. The soonist, Baker entered Eastman School of Music with rest of the 1848 brick mill building is occupied by a the intention of becoming a composer, but in school, thermal underwear company, several other small busi- he recognized the limits of his own musical talents

Excerpted from an article that originally appeared in the November 2002 issue of Down East magazine, ©2002 Down East Enterprise, Inc., all rights reserved.

Winter2003 35 Paper Chase

and gave up on a career in music. Inspired about,” Baker explains. “I try to put things and references. Double Fold takes its title in part by Frank Conroy’s wonderful 1967 in their true proportions. “ from the test (folding the lower right cor- childhood memoir Stop-Time (in which Nicholson Baker’s talent, then, lies in ner of a random page back and forth) that Conroy heads off to Haverford College to questioning the unquestioned and paying many libraries use to determine the brit- make a new start in the world for himself), close attention to the unexamined. Micro- tleness—and therefore the usefulness—of Baker transferred to Haverford where he filming old newspapers and magazines, for old books and newspapers. The book is so fell in love with literature and a bookish instance, seems like such a convenient dense with the arcane history of micro- young woman named Margaret Brentano. solution to making these documents avail- filming technology and policy that Baker Baker and Brentano were married in 1985 able for posterity, but, as Baker argues in believes few of its initial critics within the and, two years later, Baker embarked on Double Fold, it also results in the loss of library world had actually read it. Baker his literary career with the publication of the real thing if the originals are destroyed never suggests that every library every- where should save decades and centuries Both Baker’s novels and his essays are characterized by worth of old newspapers. He simply argues that some major research libraries should a penchant for taking the incidental seriously. Shoelaces, maintain actual runs of the newspapers that reported the life of the nation as it was fingernail clippers, movie projectors, punctuation, the lived. history of the word lumber, putting on socks, and “This is the marrow. This is the histor- ical center of the twentieth century,” says picking one’s nose have all come in for close texture Baker of the newspapers reposing in the scrutiny in Baker’s work. Rollinsford Mill. “This is what happened and appeared before the public in the daily newspaper.” his first novel, The Mezzanine. and discarded in the process. If there is a Baker acquired most of the American The Mezzanine established Nicholson subtext to virtually everything Nicholson Newspaper Repository’s collection in the Baker as the fictional master of trivia, the has written, it might be the search for real- fall of 1999 at an auction of newspapers novel consisting as it does of a sustained ity in an over-mediated and intellectual- being discarded by the British Library in meditation on such things as why straws ized world. London. After cashing in a personal retire- don’t sink in milk cartons and whether Baker’s library offensive began in 1994 ment account for $50,000, Baker received hot-air blowers are more sanitary than tow- with an article he published in The New major grants from the McArthur els for drying hands. The entire book takes Yorker about the passing of the venerable Foundation ($150,000) and the Knight place during the course of a character’s card catalogue from American libraries. Foundation ($100,000) to purchase runs lunchtime escalator ride. Baker followed The New Yorker piece branded Nicholson of close to 100 newspapers and magazines his debut with a novel in the form of a Baker as a crank and a library critic when, and establish the repository. Smaller con- man’s thoughts while bottle feeding his in fact, he is a great fan of libraries. tributions that have come in response to baby (Room Temperature), another that “The library is such a good idea, such the publication of Double Fold and the explores the inner life and thoughts of a a good idea,” Baker enthuses. “The media attention it has generated have nine-year-old girl (The Everlasting Story of American people are publishing all this helped pay the American Newspaper Nory), a book about the author’s obsession stuff and the library is a central place to Repository’s $2,000 a month rent. Baker (there’s that word again) with writer John keep what we can’t own individually. Why estimates that he now has about five Updike (U and I), and his bestsellers, a pair it’s so troubling is that the people who months’ worth of rent money on hand and of erotic novels—The Fermata (about a inherited this great idea don’t make the is in the process of another round of young man who uses his ability to stop decisions we thought they were making. fundraising. time to undress women) and Vox (the The idea only works if you keep up the Baker says the primary response he has phone sex novel that Clinton paramour things you are collecting.” had from libraries is that preserving old Monica Lewinsky gave to her libidinous In the course of haunting the stacks of news papers is an “outrageously expen- boss). libraries across the country, Baker discov- sive and near impossible task.” He rejects Both Baker’s novels and his essays are ered the real tragedy was not the passing this vehemently. characterized by a penchant for taking the of the card catalogue but rather the dis- “The amount of space newspapers take incidental seriously. Shoelaces, fingernail carding of books and periodicals by major up is not that great. That is a myth,” insists clippers, movie projectors, punctuation, research libraries. Having been attacked in Baker. “Newspapers are wonderfully com- the history of the word lumber, putting on academic circles for not properly docu- pact. They have the money to do this. socks, and picking one’s nose have all come menting his card catalogue article, Baker We’re talking about maybe two Best Buys in for close texture scrutiny in Baker’s set about an exhaustive investigation of [to house a national newspaper reposito- work. the history and practice of microfilm repro- ry]. The National Endowment for the “My books do home in on certain duction of newspapers that resulted in a Humanities has spent $115 million on details in my life, but that’s what we think 370-page book with 80 pages of footnotes microfilming. Most of that money has con-

36 Haverford Magazine tributed to the loss of history rather than local libraries.” “When people see what I’m referring the preservation of history.” Predictably, Nick and Margaret Baker to,” says Baker, “when they see pictures of Baker also rejects the argument that sav- have become active in their local library the originals and pictures of the microfilm, ing hard copies of old newspapers is not and historical society since moving to it’s the pictures that convince people.” cost-effective because they sit gathering South Berwick in 1998. They are helping to While Baker does not think his old dust for years and get very little use inventory the local holdings, and Margaret newspaper crusade has made any differ- “That’s the point,” Baker argues. is compiling oral histories from some of ence at all in the policies of the Library of “Research libraries are supposed to hold the elderly people she meets through vol- Congress, he does believe Double Fold has onto things that are little used. That’s where unteering in the Meals on Wheels program. raised public and professional awareness all the discoveries are made. That’s where The Bakers and their two children, of the value of preserving authenticity. the beauties are.” Alice, now fifteen, and Elias, now eight, “The notion that to get a good digital In the conclusion of Double Fold, Baker moved to South Berwick from Berkeley, copy you have to destroy the original is makes four recommendations: 1) that California, largely, says Baker, in search of now being questioned,” he says. libraries publish lists of the material they affordable housing in a quiet town where are planning to discard, 2) that the Library he could write without distraction. They of Congress lease or build a true national purchased an old dairy farm on the edge depository for old books and periodicals, 3) of the village based on the sole criteria that that several libraries begin saving current Nick, 6’4”, be able to fit through the doors newspapers in bound form, and 4) that the on the second floor. National Endowment for the Humanities “We just liked the sanity of the place,” either abolish the U.S. Newspaper and says Baker of the move to South Berwick. Brittle Books program, or require that all “It’s turned out to be a really good deci- microfilms and digital scanning be non- sion. I love it here.” destructive and that originals be saved. Ironically, the quiet, writerly life The universal embrace of microfilm Nicholson was searching for along the reproduction is as true in Maine as every- Maine-New Hampshire border has largely where else. Though the Maine Historical Society is cited in Double Fold as an exam- Since Double Fold was published, Baker has been in ple of a library that saves newspaper orig- inals even after it has microfilmed them, constant demand to speak about and defend his position Maine Historical Society only microfilms on saving old newspapers at meetings of the American “historical” newspapers. It does not save or microfilm current newspapers. The Library Association and the Bibliographical Society of irony here, of course, is that the only rea- son historical newspapers exist is that America, and at libraries from Boston to Seattle. someone saw fit to save them when they were new. In the future, thanks to micro- eluded him since the publication of Double Though he is a private man somewhat filming, there may not be any historical Fold. “It’s made me a more public kind of uncomfortable as a public figure, Baker newspapers. writer than I’d prefer to be,” says Baker of says, “I do like the kind of low-level muck- Publishers are often to source of a last the publicity and debate engendered by raking I do,” and he plans to continue it. resort for actual copies of their newpapers, Double Fold. “That’s why I’ve deliberately His current plan is to write fiction and non- but, in Portland, the publishers of Portland stayed away from living in big cities.” fiction in alternating years. His new novel, Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram Since Double Fold was published, Baker A Box of Matches (Random House) came stopped binding copies decades ago. The has been in constant demand to speak out in January. publishers of the Bangor Daily News, how- about and defend his position on saving As to the future of the American ever, do keep bound archival copies of old newspapers at meetings of the Newspaper Repository, Baker hopes it will their newspaper. The entire run of the American Library Association and the move out of the Rollinsford mill in the not Bangor Daily News (1899 to the present) Bibliographical Society of America, and at too distant future. He is currently seeking is kept under lock and key in a specially libraries from Boston to Seattle. Typically, a permanent home for the old newspapers designed 600-square-foot room, but there his speeches take the form of a slide show. he rescued from oblivion. is no access to the public or to scholars. His slides from the World, for instance, “I can’t be the keeper of the nation’s “How will people be able to do local graphically make the point that nine- newspapers,” says the writer from South history in seventy-five years?” says teenth-and early twentieth-century news- Berwick. “I’m hoping this whole thing will Nicholson Baker. “It depends on what you papers were far more colorful, lively, and have a happy ending and become part of keep now. I have made the point that the creative than newspapers today, a point a big research collection.” Library of Congress is not going to do it. that can be lost in grainy black microfilm We’ve got to be responsible for our own reproduction.

Winter2003 37 Notes from the WorkplacePaper

Eye of the Storm by Steve Manning ’96 How I covered the DC sniper story – and how the story took over my life. The first call was broadcast over the fession and challenged my personal lim- but grew rapidly that weekend as more police scanner in the middle of a slow its in a way that few things have. people were shot in Washington and Thursday morning— a woman shot out- I’ve spent two years covering the two Virginia. The parking lot of the Mont- side a post office. Two minutes later another Maryland counties that border gomery County Police Department in shooting came across, a man found dead Washington for the Associated Press. As Rockville, home to the multi-agency nearby, killed with a single shot. I called a one-person bureau, I write about all top- sniper task force, became a mini-camp of my editor. Probably a murder-suicide, she ics — business, transportation, politics, satellite trucks, tents set up by television said, call the police, get the basics and education. Crime isn’t high on that list, crews, cables snaking across the pave- work up a short story. All I got was a busy and most areas, especially Montgomery ment, and a podium stand that sprouted signal from the police. After ten minutes County where the shooting spree began new microphones each day as the story a third person was dead. By the time I got Oct. 2, have few murders. My beat usu- grew. The weather seemed to go through on the road, driving as fast as I could, the ally doesn’t attract much attention from a year’s worth of seasons, heat at first, toll was up to four. national press, and only draws heavy then growing cold and driving rain. I For most of that hectic day I still media attention when there is a quirky nearly lived out of my car, filling my back thought the story would last just a few crime or natural disaster. seat with clothes I might need for any days, another example of senseless vio- But what would be dubbed the forecast, a stack of notebooks and books lence that sparks some outcry from the “sniper” shootings stood out. The victims of maps. public but soon fades from memory. But were of all races, had no connection to Often we were killing time, huddling it quickly turned into much more, a story each other and were engaged in everyday under what shelter we could find to avoid that spiraled into a major media frenzy tasks when they were killed, like pump- the rain, smelling the inescapable odor and prompted pervasive and palpable fear ing gas, mowing the lawn, or sitting on of exhaust from the TV trucks mixed with in the community. For me, that day began a public bench. Everyone felt like a tar- the sickly sweet scent emanating from the what would be three weeks of nearly non- get— people avoided gas stations and banks of porta-potties set up nearby. That stop work, stress, and excitement. It test- school locked their doors and pulled boredom was punctuated by the chaos of ed my skills as a reporter, forced me to classroom blinds tight. the shootings. I would drive to the scene, take a hard look at the ethics of my pro- Coverage on the first day was heavy, continued on page 42

Smarter Hiring Dennis Stern ’69, Vice President, Human Resources, The New York Times “When we covered Jack Coleman’s inauguration at the Haverford papers. I worked in the Times’ news department for 15 years News we thought of that special 24- or 28-page issue in terms of before I became vice president for human resources in 1997. New York Times coverage. We had the text of his speech ahead of “The biggest change today is defining the competition. It used time, we prepared a profile, and we had it all ready on the day of his to be the crosstown paper but today it’s 24-hour cable, radio, inauguration. Our mission was to turn the News into a campus magazines, the Internet. Our salespeople are up against an entire version of the Times. array of things. There are a lot of specialists now, too, which did- “The precursor to my move away from the editorial side of n’t used to be the case. We were all generalists. At the Times we things happened when I hired the first commissioned advertising have a physicist, three physicians, and a host of lawyers on staff. sales rep for the paper. We paid him commis- It’s a broad definition of diversity but it’s some- sion and gave him housing as part of the deal thing we really pursue here. It’s smarter hir- and he did a great job for us and helped our ing, hiring attuned to how a person will affect budget tremendously. things. Four years ago we hired a guy from “After Haverford, I attended law school at the Marine Corps. He did publications work NYU and pursued what was the typical path there, not your typical newspaper reporting for journalists – working for the AP, then for experience. We’ve come to think of that as a small newspapers before moving up to larger diversity hiring.”

38 Haverford Magazine Trailscompiled by Steve Heacock

Inside the Beltway Dave Espo ’71, Chief Congressional Correspondent, The Associated Press

“I’m the chief congressional correspondent for The Associated activities, recruited an on-campus informant. I’m not sure how Press. Rather than commute to a newsroom every day, I have a much useful information the government got, but the Bryn Mawr- desk in the Capitol—a building with history around every cor- Haverford College News had plenty of wonderful material once we ner, yet a modern-day workplace for members of the House and found out. Senate. “My first job out of Haverford was at a small daily paper in “I’ve worked for the AP since 1974, in Washington since 1977. south-central Idaho, the Tw in Falls Times-News—for no reason I’ve covered mostly Congress and politics, with other assorted other than someone gave me a job there. I worked for the Times- Washington stories in the mix. That adds up to six White House News for three years, then got an AP job in Cheyenne, Wyo. After campaigns; one congressional Republican revolution; one presi- a year there, I transferred to Denver. Then-President Ford liked dential impeachment (and trial); one recount; 20 or so State of to ski in Colorado, and for two years in a row, I got the assign- the Union addresses; one anthrax episode; and, most recently, one ment of going to Vail to sit outside in the cold while the president spectacular fall of a Senate majority leader. skied during the day and went to cocktail parties in the evening. “My interest in journalism and coverage of government was One day, one of our White House reporters broke his shoulder nourished at Haverford in an era of Vietnam and Presidents skiing, giving me the opportunity to get on the wire. I transferred Johnson and Nixon, at a time when mistrust of authority was a to Washington a few months later.” growth industry. The FBI, always on the lookout for subversive

Advancing the Arts Debate Debra Auspitz ’00, Arts Editor, Philadelphia City Paper

“As an English major at Haverford with a minor in creative writ- ing, I interned with the City Paper to basically rule out journalism as a career. I thought I’d hate it and go into teaching instead. I start- ed working here the day after graduation and three years later, I’m the arts editor for an alternative weekly in a great city for the arts. I was born and raised here and I’m a diehard fan of this city — my parents own the Famous 4th Street Deli, so I grew up in the thick of things around lots of Philadelphia people. “In this job, I can see how some people see Philadelphia living in the shadow of New York — especially in theatre and the visual arts. But more and more artists are choosing Philadelphia. For one thing, it’s vastly more affordable. But there’s also a thriving, vibrant arts community here. There’s a ton of angst and people out there every day working and fighting. The City Paper has limited space and resources to further the arts debate in this community, but I’m glad I’m helping the debate along.”

Winter2003 39 MICHAEL T. REGAN MICHAEL T. Paper Trails Multimedia Man From Hot Lead to Computers David Wessel ’75, Deputy Bureau Chief, Turk Pierce ’61, Assistant Wire Editor, Lancaster New Era The Wall Street Journal “I came into the newspaper business through sports. My first job was work- “Working on the News at Haverford really ing for the NCAA Statistics Bureau in New York. I was drafted by the Army, showed me how a paper could play a role in though, and it wasn’t until I got out that I started looking for a sportswriting the community. I came from a high school that job. I found a paper in western Pennsylvania, Ellwood City, where they had was one-third black. Haverford had far fewer an opening for a reporter. I was sports editor within 18 months. black students. When they confronted the “I’ve had a number of different jobs in this business over 38 years. I’ve worked College in 1975, I became a conduit between for seven different papers, all of them afternoon papers. Here in Lancaster we have the black students and the paper. One high a unique situation with a morning paper, an afternoon paper, and a Sunday point of my collegiate journalism career: a report edition with three separate staffs. on dining services double-charging students “There’s been technological change in the business, obviously. I started with for meals. Barry Zubrow ’75 did all the work hot lead and pencil editing and now we’re paginating every- and wrote a report. I wrote about it for the News thing by computer. Amazing. Computer skills have become and got all the credit. It taught me how much preeminent and editorial departments are doing it all. That mileage you could get from bringing someone’s kind of work and those kinds of skills are not always com- else’s work into the public light. I still get a kick patible with the editorial temperament. here at the Journal when we get credit for some- “One trend I’ve noticed is that where newspapers used to thing when all we did was take the time to read report on happenings, we now report on people’s reactions to some esoteric material expose it. happenings. I’m not sure that’s a good thing.” “I write about the economy, not so much in a ‘news sense’ but in terms of what forces are in place now and how they will affect how our The Haverford Connection kids and grandkids will live. Sometimes I won- Chris Lee ’89, National Staff Writer, The Washington Post der if this business will last long enough for me to retire from it, but we have a fairly strong fran- “When I was a junior, Greg Kannerstein ’63, knew I was interested chise and a successful website which will be in journalism and suggested I do a summer internship with John our future, I think. Things have changed so Carroll ’63 at the Lexington Herald-Leader. I liked it so much I repeat- much in recent years that a reporter’s job is ed the internship the summer after I graduated. That fall I went to entirely different now. I do a column and the Kennedy School at Harvard for a degree in public policy. When respond to reader e-mail on our website. I graduated in 1991, the Herald-Leader had a hiring freeze, as did I appear on CNBC, as do many of our reporters. many other newspapers. I got lucky, though. The Dallas Morning Our work ends up on radio, on television, on News, which had offered me an internship in 1989, hired me as a full- the Internet, and in print. It’s multimedia now. time reporter in a suburban bureau in Plano. I was cranking out The luxury of waiting for deadlines is gone. four to five stories each week, sometimes more. It was a chance to do a lot of writ- This new environment has its own tensions. ing quickly. After two years, I was able to move to another suburban bureau in “Norm Pearlstine ’64 said that the half life Arlington, and a year after that, in 1994, I moved downtown, where I wrote about of a scoop is shrinking. It’s harder to break news the Dallas school system. Bob Mong ’71 was the managing editor when I applied to in tomorrow’s paper because there are so many the paper in 1991, although I didn’t know that until I had started the interview different outlets for news. We’re much more process. I’m sure the Haverford connection didn’t hurt my chances. like 24-hour journalists now, much more like “In 1995, I moved to the City Hall bureau, where I covered city issues and the wire services. The pressure now is to offer more mayor. Then it was on to the Austin bureau in 1998 to cover the Texas House of then just a story. You need to deliver analysis. Representatives, social services, and Texas A&M. I was sent to A&M when the What does it mean? We have to offer something student bonfire collapsed in 1999, killing 12 people. I spent a week covering it. you can’t get from TV. On occasion I would fill in for reporters covering Bush on the 2000 presidential cam- “There’s not a profession more paign trail, and in 2001 I moved to Washington to cover Congress in the Morning appropriate for a liberal arts News D.C. bureau. education than journalism. “Last September I moved to the Washington Post. I cover federal agencies and Haverford gives students federal employee issues. The beat is about public policy and public management. confidence, it trains them to Is government working? Should it turn to the private sector more for services? ask good questions, it fos- How is the Department of Homeland Security coming together? I grew up in ters critical thinking. Columbia, Md., reading the Post, so this is a real opportunity for me. Haverford is the best jour- “If it weren’t for Greg Kannerstein and John Carroll, I wouldn’t be a journalist nalism school there is.” now. Everywhere I go, I run into Fords in journalism and it amazes me that peo- ple coming from such a small college are so well-prepared for this career even though there are no formal courses or a major in journalism at Haverford.” Oysters in the Office Danielle Reed ’91, Real Estate Columnist and Writer, The Wall Street Journal

“I always knew I’d do something with writing. I had an English professor at Haverford—a visiting professor from Malaysia—who was very inspiring. Even though I received my undergraduate degree from The American University of Paris, I spent two years at Haverford and consider it to be my alma mater. My father (Thomas A. Reed ’65) and brother (William T. Reed ’89) both went to Haverford, and my mother (Gail Simon Reed ’64 BMC) went to Bryn Mawr. “I went to France junior year and stayed on for various reasons. After teaching English in France, I moved back to New York. I got a job with the New York Observer and started a real estate column, ‘Manhattan Transfers.’ Then, the Journal called and I spent three years covering busi- ness travel for the Weekend Journal section. I moved to the Daily News The Dean and had a real estate column for six months when the real estate writer Loren Ghiglione ’63, Dean, for the Journal left. So I came back and I’ve been here ever since. The Medill School of Journalism, “I write the ‘Private Properties’ column, which some describe as real estate gossip, though each piece is researched and reported. I also write Northwestern University ‘House of the Week,’ an expanded look at upmarket homes around the country, as well “We had a great staff at the News when I as features for the section. I get fun projects. It’s service journalism and it’s fun—I don’t was at Haverford. Greg Kannerstein ’63 was know too many offices where there are oysters coming in for taste testing. Our readers an important staff member, and Norm enjoy it. Investment bankers tell us they read the Weekend Journal section on Fridays and Pearlstine ’64 succeeded me as editor. There consider it their reward at the end of the week.” was no journalistic training, of course, no advi- sors. I started to invite journalists in to speak, people like A.J. Liebling from The New Yorker, Taking it Outside Vic Navasky from The Nation, Ed Folliard of the Washington Post. They helped us think Don Sapatkin ’78, Outdoors Writer, The Philadelphia Inquirer about what we were doing. “I was miserable at Haverford during Jersey staff before becoming editor of the “One of my summer internships was at the my junior year, cramming and procras- Weekend section. Best job I’ve ever had. Claremont (Calif.) Courier. It was such a valu- tinating and I just took a year off to assess I had lots of freedom, lots of control, not able experience to see this intensely local paper things; I freelanced for a local paper at feeding into a vast set of editors deciding getting national awards for presenting the news home in Brooklyn. Then I interned at the what goes on the front page. We re- in a community. I really saw clearly how peo- Wall Street Journal and was a stringer for designed the entire section and I had the ple played a role in the community and could the New York Times. That year off was power to promote and push the cultural change the course of discussion of the issues. significant for me. At Haverford, I had agenda a bit. “Journalism has been my life. I’ve been edi- the freedom to do that, and I came back “After seven years on the Weekend sec- tor, reporter, publisher, and owner at various and had a positive experience. tion I became the health and science edi- points–my wife and I started or bought some “I worked as a reporter for tor for three years before becoming the 20 newspapers over the years. I was president papers in Trenton, N.J., and outdoors writer. Returning to reporting of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Wilmington, Del., before I after 17 years as an editor has been I started the journalism program at Emory and came to the Inquirer in 1987. almost like a mid-life career change – was director of the Annenberg School of At that time, the Inquirer was I’m having fun, much more confident Journalism at USC before coming to one of the best papers in the and, frankly, better at it! Hunting and Northwestern. One of my challenges here is country, the best of the ‘sec- fishing is part of my assignment, but to raise money to support the school and to ond tier’ papers like the it’s also about hiking, scuba diving, develop programs. Chicago Tribune, the Miami how land is used. How policy “Technology has had a tremendous impact Herald, the Boston Globe. affects outdoor activity. In on the way we get news now. More and more I was a floating editor, Switzerland, so many more people are getting their news on the Internet. moving from bureau to people hike and are health- NPR is more influential and the cable networks bureau, covering for ier than we are. Some of offer more and more news. The boundaries are people on vacation. that has to do with history blurring between news and entertainment. Is I did a stint on the and geography, but it also Larry King a journalist? Jesse Ventura is new Saturday night has to do with policy. They on CNBC. Who is a journalist? People are, city desk and have trail systems, paths, and more and more, feeling that they’re their own then moved bike racks everywhere. It’s a journalists. They create a mix of news for them- onto the New different approach.” selves on the Internet, television, and radio.”

Winter2003 41 Eye of the Storm continued from page 38

trying to avoid police roadblocks, grab any- the investigation. Leaks came from all over, 80-hour weeks I worked that month. It one witnesses I could find to figure out as did unsubstantiated rumors. The media was a physically and emotionally demand- what happened. Then we would all wait hysteria created intense pressure to be first ing story to cover. I would go to bed at on the police to tell us if the shooting was with a piece of information, to break a story. midnight after a full day, not knowing if I linked to the others. I would often spend the start of each day would be called three hours later to chase Coverage of the story exploded Oct. 7, trying to verify or shoot down news that a shooting. I often fiercely guard my pri- the day a 13-year-old boy was shot outside was in the New York Times, CNN or the vate time, but would feel guilty if I went his school in Bowie, Md. The snipers had Washington Post. Much of the information out to dinner, or relaxed. The story was struck the part of society that was most turned out to be true, but too often also filled with tragedy — I spent much of vulnerable and prized, its children. reporters went with information they got my time hunting down relatives of the vic- Montgomery Police Chief Moose cried on from a single source, breaking a cardinal tims and going to funerals. I was supposed camera that day, a display of emotion that rule of journalism that you must at least to pepper them with questions about their would later make him loved nationwide, try to verify a tip before using it. Some news lost loved one as they struggled with their a tough cop with a heart. After that, the turned out simply to be wrong. still-fresh grief. I understand why this is story reached a feverish pace. Cable news Covering the story became a delicate, necessary, to humanize the story for read- channels carried every press conference contentious, and often maddening dance ers, to personalize it. But I also wonder live, and network anchors hosted their with the police. Authorities didn’t want to how newsworthy it is to broadcast some- shots from the police parking lot. give out much information and tip their one’s anguish to the whole world, as if that Photographers and reporters lived with hand, fearing the sniper was watching tel- couldn’t be just assumed and we could give their police scanners and chased down evision. But they ran into a press corps that them the privacy they usually want. every report of shots being fired. I once was hungry for any bit of information, any Nevertheless, covering the shootings spent a whole morning at a flophouse scoop that could put them ahead of the was one of the most extraordinary things motel with a handful of other reporters for competition. Press conferences were laden I will ever do. I went into journalism in what was likely the most intensely covered with hostility on both sides of the micro- part because I wanted to see history being drug shooting in years. phone. Chief Moose rarely answered a made first hand, to be a part of the life that The scene at the police station became question with anything more than a “it goes on around me. It was also tested my almost circus-like. Geraldo Rivera showed would be inappropriate for me to com- capabilities, pushing me past my comfort up and Playboy had a full-time reporter ment.” zone and ultimately making me a better covering the story. Patrick Buchanan, now But by not giving out any details about reporter. I learned how to be resourceful a talk show host , came one day, looking what they knew, the police, in a way, and pushy if necessary. I woke people up at out of place in his trench coat and brief- fomented public fear about who was doing 5 a.m., called a police chief on his personal case among the rest of us in raincoats and the shootings and when they might strike phone, developed sources. A lot of this was jeans, crowded around for a press confer- next. Authorities said they didn’t want to hard for me, by nature I don’t like to both- ence. John Walsh shot an episode of create tunnel vision by putting out FBI pro- er people. There are still limits that should- “America’s Most Wanted” from the park- files of the suspects, but then they put out n’t be crossed, but I also learned it is up to ing lot standing in front of a police cruis- composite sketches of a white box truck me to push boundaries. That’s what the er. Foreign press poured in — walking and van they thought might be used in the public needs to learn the full truth. through the parking was to hear a jumble crime. Police were flooded with tips about Journalism was never my dream job — of languages, British, Spanish, German, white vans thereafter, while the blue I never wrote for the Bi-Co News or Quebecois. When the story got slow, Chevrolet Caprice allegedly used by the interned at a newspaper in college. I never reporters started interviewing each other, snipers slipped away from crime scenes had formal journalism training since working on stories about how crazy the unnoticed. Haverford offered little, an oversight in my scene had become. People drove by just to We also hotly debated the decision by opinion. But Haverford did give me an edu- see the media encampment. The police a local television station and the Post to cation that you can’t learn in four years of eventually handed out press passes to the report on a tip that a tarot card reading “I journalism school. In many ways I’m a true parking lot — I had number 40 of about am God” was found at the school shooting liberal arts product — my interests are 1,400 that were given out. scene. The station and paper got a lot of broad and I resist finding a niche. I dis- Competition was intense, as we all tried criticism from the police, who said it hurt covered that’s an asset for a reporter, the to get whatever piece of information that their attempts to start a dialogue with the ability to think with an open mind, to look could put us ahead of the pack. The author- shooter. That may be true, but reporting at all angles. You have to be able to think ities gave out little information publicly, that information also gave the public a and digest information quickly, to learn on meaning most reporting and breakthroughs much stronger sense of whom they were the fly. That’s perhaps what I value the most came from sources. Dozens of agencies dealing with, afforded them some picture about my work, the license to explore, to were involved in the search — the FBI, sev- about what was until then a faceless terror. satisfy my curiosity, to learn. eral local police departments, the Bureau It was also an incredibly intriguing story. of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the state I often had to remind myself of that as Steve Manning ’96 is a writer for the police. Even the White House kept tabs on I tried to make it through the seven-day, Associated Press in Maryland.

42 Haverford Magazine Class News Send your class news by e-mail to: [email protected]

Mark Shimoda writes, “Life stays busy. I 73 Thomas Travisano has a book to of life. So, this past fall, I spent three weeks am enjoying working with Asian nonprof- be published, titled The New Anthology of working as a volunteer on an Israeli mili- it organizations like the Japanese-Ameri- American Poetry, first in a series of three tary base, which was a very rewarding can Citizens League, Asian Roundtable, volumes. Its aim is to be the most bal- experience. And best of all, our kids and Boulder Asian Pacific Alliance. I enjoy anced, inclusive, and comprehensive thought it was ‘cool.’ ” working with other Asian Americans and I anthology of American poetry ever pub- believe in the causes of each organization. lished. Tom is the co-editor, and the book I am glad I can help Haverford College.” is published through Rutgers University 77 Stephen Hilbert writes, “Good Chris Snyder writes, “My younger son, Press. friends, our 2002 has been a bittersweet Ben, graduated from Haverford last May.” year. Our second child Aaron, 13 years old, was killed in a school bus accident along 75 Jeff Rossman writes, “I am head- with two of his friends and a teacher. My 70 Eric Richter writes, “Have found that ing into my 10th year working as the direc- sincere gratitude to my MA-HA buddies the second year after my wife’s death is hard- tor of behavioral health at Canyon Ranch Jon Evans, Adam Goodman ’84, and Scott er than the first. My father, Louis (Class of in the Berkshires, in Lenox, Mass. I live Burns (Scott attended the funeral with Peg) ’28) died in September. He was 95, so I guess with my wife and two children Gabriel for their condolences. Our loss is deep but he got his money’s worth out of life. I’m cur- (11) and Grace (7) in Egremont, Mass.” we were consoled by hundreds of family rently managing a group of 130 quality per- Mark Werner writes, “With both our kids and friends for which we’re grateful. We sonnel at Boeing Satellite Systems. My old- at college (Haverford and Brandeis), my have moved on, this time to the Catholic est daughter is graduating from Stanford wife Arlene Isaacson (BMC ’76) and I are Relief Services program in India, one of the University in 2003. My other daughters want empty nesters and settling into a new stage biggest in the CRS world and challenging. to go to a better school…maybe Haverford?” The cultural opportunities are enormous.

Ford Highlight

In July, Paul Denig ’74 returned from a establishing a variety of initiatives to year in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where he smooth the country’s path toward democ- directed the public affairs office for the racy. With his encouragement and organ- reopened United States Embassy. Denig ization of programs, Serbian Supreme worked closely with the Yugoslav media Court judges committed themselves to to help them understand the activities and learning English on a daily basis, in order assistance programs the U.S. was imple- to better understand texts and publications menting in their country, such as those on American law and judicial practice; run by the Agency for International eight judges traveled to Washington and Development, the Department of Boston to learn more about the American Agriculture, and the Department of judicial system at the federal and state lev- Commerce. “We wanted to assure the els; and the Ministry of Education began Paul Denig ’74 directs the State media—and through them the country’s a civic education program for the coun- Department’s Foreign Press Center. citizens—that the U.S. was helping them try’s youth. “This is especially important to rebuild their country,” says Denig, who for the democratic future of Serbia,” says from various countries, organizes briefings is fluent in Serbian, the language of Denig. “If young people don’t understand for foreign reporters with key officials at Yugoslavia. how democracy functions, how can they the federal, state, and local levels, and It was Denig’s responsibility to send out participate in it?” arranges special reporting tours for jour- press releases, answer any and all media Now back in Washington, D.C., Denig nalists covering topics spanning the gamut questions (“My cell phone rang con- directs the State Department’s Foreign Press from the American electoral process to vol- stantly”), and arrange interviews with offi- Center, whose goal is to give the foreign unteerism and the future of NATO. The cials and ambassadors. He oversaw the media access to American newsmakers. As Foreign Press Center thus plays a vital role revival of exchange programs with the U.S., director, Denig manages efforts to convey in the dialog between Americans and citi- like the Fulbright Program, the Ron Brown both American policy and the social, eco- zens of other countries around the globe. Fellowship, and the Hubert Humphries nomic, and cultural context in which the – B.M. Fellowship. He was also instrumental in policy is made to resident correspondents

46 Haverford Magazine Haverford College

J a m ie C o lu m b u s & B ru ce Se ga l © 2 00 3. Skating House at the Duck Pond

R EFLECTIONS A MONG F RIENDS Reunion May 30 - June 1, 2003 Moved to Speak by Dave Barry ’69 My Newspaper Career

I got into newspapering because I was an it began to dawn on me that nobody was importance of dental hygiene. English major. This meant I had experience reading these stories. For all anyone cared, In theory, when reporters make mis- writing long, authoritative-sounding essays I could have inserted sex scenes (“Municipal takes, they are corrected by editors. But in without any knowledge of my topic, which Wastewater Treatment Facility Supervisor real life, this often does not happen, is of course the essence of journalism. Brett Barton moaned as the voluptuous yet because of the Third Realistic Rule of I wrote my first real newspaper stories buxom female County Commissioner Journalism, which is: for the Haverford News, although perhaps Renee LaSpume gently traced her fingers 3. EDITORS AND REPORTERS ARE “real” is not the correct adjective for these over his huge, massive, throbbing, BITTER ENEMIES WHO DO NOT stories. The way I wrote them was, first, I LiftMaster 3000 pump, with the fully inte- WORK WELL TOGETHER. would get an assignment from the editor, grated non-return valve”). Dennis Stern. For example, in 1968, Dennis This experience taught me the First Editors hate reporters because reporters assigned me to do a feature on the opening Realistic Rule of Journalism, which is: sometimes get to leave the newspaper build- of the Ardmore office of Richard Nixon’s ing; whereas editors have to sit front of 1. THE FACT THAT JOURNALISTS presidential campaign. I accepted this computers all day and eat cafeteria food CONSIDER A STORY IMPORTANT assignment, fully intending to go to often containing hairs that did not originate DOES NOT MEAN THE READERS WILL. Ardmore, in person, and interview real on the editors. The editors get even with humans. But what with one thing and A good example is the ongoing crisis in the reporters by ordering them to perform another, I never made it to Ardmore, which, the Middle East, which everyone in jour- impossible feats of journalism. Like, an edi- I should point out in my defense, is located nalism agrees is very important, and thus is tor will notice that it’s Hitler’s birthday, and several hundred yards from the Haverford often the subject of front-page stories, which order a reporter to get a quote from Hitler’s campus, and even farther in cold weather. the vast majority of readers skip over on mother. And the reporter, after making a So when the deadline arrived, I would their way to sports, the crossword, the part few phone calls, will inform the editor that sit in my dorm room and pound out a story where they tell you who Jennifer Lopez is Hitler’s mother is dead. And the editor will based loosely on my concept of what I currently married to, etc. A newspaper could heave a weary sigh, indicating that this is, might have found if I had done actual identify Jerusalem as the capital of Illinois, in the editor’s opinion, a very weak excuse, research. I would turn this in to Dennis, and few, if any, readers would notice. But if, and then order the reporter to find some who would sigh and print it as a humor God forbid, the same newspaper were to experts (editors believe in experts) to find column. Dennis later got a job with the accidentally omit the horoscope, the phones out what Hitler’s mother might have said, New York Times, although I am not saying would erupt in a fury of calls from outraged if she were still alive. And the reporter, bit- I should get ALL the credit. Capricorns, Libras, Neptunes, etc. ter and resentful, will get some college pro- I myself did not wind up at the New York Speaking of mistakes: Another thing fessor, somewhere, to say something (pro- Times. I wound up at a competing newspaper, I’ve learned from my years in the newspa- fessors will talk about anything) regarding the Daily Local News of West Chester, Pa. per business is that virtually all stories con- Hitler’s mother, and of course whatever it As its name suggests, the Daily Local News tain errors. This is because of the Second is will be quoted incorrectly in the paper. covered local news and came out daily, unless Realistic Rule of Journalism, which is: Don’t misunderstand me: I love the news- you counted Sunday as a day. paper business. It has enabled me to go for 2. REPORTERS NEVER REALLY The Daily Local News was stricter than decades without a real job. For the last 20 HEAR WHAT A SOURCE IS SAYING, the Haverford News about making you years I’ve been at the Miami Herald, which BECAUSE THEY’RE FRANTICALLY physically do your assignments. Thus I covers one of the weirdest regions in the TRYING TO WRITE DOWN WHAT spent many hours sitting through munic- galaxy. The Herald is actually a fine paper, THE SOURCE JUST SAID. ipal meetings wherein local officials would although it really doesn’t matter if we report discuss issues such as sewage, zoning, The simple fact is, most people talk the news of South Florida accurately or not, street signs, sewage, budgets, storm drains, much faster than most journalists can write; because nobody will believe it anyway. and of course sewage—the issues that, also, most journalists have terrible pen- Of course, I don’t have to worry about although not glamorous, are the “meat and manship. So we have a lot of trouble get- accuracy, because years ago I stopped pre- potatoes” of local journalizzzzzzzzzz ting quotations right. Historians now believe tending to be a real journalist. Now I Sorry. I nodded off there, as I often did that the newspapermen at Gettysburg seri- openly make everything up, as I learned in the meetings I covered. But this did not ously misrepresented President Lincoln’s to do many years ago, at Haverford. So prevent me from writing massive, fact-filled address, which – according to Lincoln’s own don’t try to tell ME that a liberal-arts stories that ran in the Daily Local News, recently discovered diary—was about the degree has no value. usually under real “grabber” headlines like: BOARD AIRS SEWAGE PLAN. Eventually Submissions for Moved to Speak can be sent to Editor, Haverford Alumni Magazine, 370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041 or via e-mail to Steve Heacock at [email protected] 60 Haverford Magazine Non-Profit Org. 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HAVERFORD COLLEGE The Alumni Magazine of Haverford College Winter2003 Haverford, PA 19041 Address Service Requested