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Contents Established in 1902 as The Graduate Magazine

FEATURES

‘The Best Beat in Journalism’ 20 How a high school teacher from Hays became America’s top Vatican watcher.

BY CHRIS LAZZARINO

Happy Together 32 Can families who are truly gifted at being families teach the rest of us how to fashion happier homes? COVER Psychologist Barbara Kerr thinks so.

Where the BY STEVEN HILL 24 Music Moves In only three years the Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival has grown from a regional upstart to a national star on the summer rock circuit.

BY CHRIS LAZZARINO Cover photo illustration by Susan Younger

32 V olume 104, No. 4, 2006 Lift the Chorus

NEW! Hail Harry toured China during the heyday of “pingpong diplomacy,” cur- JAYHAWK Thank you for the arti- rently celebrating its 35th cle on economics anniversary. JEWELRY Professor Harry Shaffer KU afforded many such [“Wild about Harry,” rewarding cosmopolitan experi- Oread Encore, issue No. ences for this western Kansas 3]. As I read the story, I student to meet and learn to fondly recalled taking his know others from distant cul- class over 20 years ago. tures. Why, indeed, can’t we all One fascinating item neg- learn to get along? lected in the article was how Harry Marty Grogan, e’68, g’71 ended up at KU. Seattle Originally a professor at the University of Alabama, he left in disgust Cheers to the engineers when desegregation was denied at the institution. This was a huge loss to The letter from Virginia Treece Crane This new KU Crystal set shimmers Alabama, but an incredible gift to those [“Cool house on Memory Lane,” issue w ith a delicate spark le. Perfect for of us who took his class after he landed No. 2] really caught my eye. It was not Jayhaw k s of all ages— surprise your at KU. the house, it was the KU Engineers favorite freshman or any special lady. Not only is Harry a very entertaining cheer. Sterling silver, Sw arovsk i crystals, economics instructor as described in the My father, Charles W. Lovelace, was charms and lapis gemstones combine story, but he also is a highly moral role in the mining engineering school from to enhance both style and KU spirit. model. May he never retire from his 1900 to 1904. He used to recite that lit- Our ex clusive sterling-silver retirement job. tle cheer often. When I was very young I jew elry is handcrafted w ith care. Doug Burris, s’85 learned it along with a fraternity snake St. Louis dance song which started out with “Ti- 1-800-KU HAWKS De-I-De-Oh.” www.kualumni.org I had never seen the cheer in writing J ewelry p rices range from $35-$240. Table tennis, anyone? before, although I used it a couple of Limited quantities. times when I made some talks when I The picture of two pingpong players was in the School of Engineering in the on page two of the most recent issue of late ’30s. How old it is I do not know, so Kansas Alumni [Lift the Chorus, issue I cannot help Virginia with that, but by No. 3] reminded me of playing for hours now it is pretty old. My dad said the in Ellsworth Hall during my freshman cheer was made up of geometric impos- year in 1964. (And, yes, I should have sibilities. been studying.) Charles Lovelace, e’38 Let us hear from you! While playing doubles on one occa- Clemson, S.C. Kansas Alumni welcomes letters to the sion, the opposing team consisted of two editor. Our address is Kansas Alumni unlikely cohorts, prompting one to Editor’s note: In case you missed it (or in magazine, 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, remark how unusual was the circum- case you just can’t get enough rah-rah KS 66045-3169. E-mail responses may be stance for a “Jew” and an “Arab” to be on geometry), the cheer in question goes thus: sent to the Alumni Association, kualum- the same side of anything. “Hyperbolic paraboloid, tangent to a heli- [email protected], or Associate Editor Later I was privileged to be acquaint- coid, round ellipsoids, prolate spheres—we’re Chris Lazzarino, [email protected]. ed with members of the team that the KU Engineers!” Now, it. Letters appearing in the magazine may be edited for space and clarity.

2 | KANSAS ALUMNI July 2006

Publisher Kevin J. Corbett, c’88 8 Editor Jennifer Jackson Sanner, j’81 Creative Director DEPARTMENTS Susan Younger, f’91 Associate Editors Chris Lazzarino, j’86 2 LIFT THE CHORUS Steven Hill Letters from readers Staff Writer Rachel Larson Nyp, c’04, j’04 4 ON THE BOULEVARD KU & Alumni Association events Editorial Assistant Karen Goodell 7 FIRST WORD Photographer The editor’s turn Earl Richardson, j’83 Graphic Designer 8 JAYHAWK WALK V alerie Spicher, j’94 Weather Jay rides again; student runs for Advertising Sales Jubilee; art history packs a wallop; and more Representative Danny Madrid, b’06 10 HILLTOPICS News and notes: Buses to ease parking crunch; Editorial and Advertising Office KU Alumni Association KU Info returns to Kansas Union 1266 Oread Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045-3169 785-864-4760 • 800-584-2957 16 SPORTS www.kualumni.org Baseball and softball ride Big 12 titles to NCAA; e-mail: [email protected] football to build practice facility.

KANSAS ALUMNI MAGAZ INE ( ISSN 0745 -3 3 45 ) is published 36 ASSOCIATION NEWS by the KU Alumni Association six times a year in January, New board members elected March, May, July, September and November. $ 5 0 annual sub- scription includes membership in the Alumni Association. Office of Publication: 126 6 Oread Avenue, Law rence, KS 38 CLASS NOTES 6 6 045 -3 16 9. Periodicals postage paid at Law rence, KS. Profiles of a Kansas City writer, an Ethiopian POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kansas doctor, a globetrotting couple and more Alumni Magazine, 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169 © 2006 by Kansas Alumni Magazine. Non- 52 IN MEMORY member issue price: $ 7 Deaths in the KU family KU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION The Alumni Association w as established in 1883 for the purpose of strengthening loyalty, ROCK CHALK REVIEW friendship, commitment, and communication among all gradu- 56 ates, former and current students, parents, faculty, staff and A wind ensemble CD, an epilepsy break- all other friends of The University of Kansas. Its members through, a Glenn Cunningham bio and more hereby unite into an Association to achieve unity of purpose and action to serve the best interests of The University and its constituencies. The Association is organized ex clusively for 60 OREAD ENCORE charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. History’s houses

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 3 On the Boulevard

■ Exhibitions “Summer in the Central Court,” through Aug. 6, Spencer Museum of Art “Cabinets of Curiosity,” through Sept. 24, Spencer Museum of Art “Aaron Douglas and the Harlem Renaissance,” opens Sept. 8, Spencer Museum of Art

■ University Theatre JULY 14-16, 19, 21, 23 “Something’s Afoot,” Kansas Mystery Theatre 18, 20, 22 “And Then There Were None,” Kansas Mystery Theatre

SEPTEMBER ■ Lied Center events ■ Special events 7 “God, Darwin, and Design: AUGUST JULY Creationism’s Second Coming,” 18 Family Arts Festival and The 18 Jo Steele Kraus, Bales Difficult Dialogues at the Wailin’ Jennys Organ Recital Hall Commons, Kansas Union 12 Nuruddin Farah, AUGUST Humanities Lecture 14 Student Series, Kansas Union Alumni Association Ice ■ Academic Cream Social, calendar Adams Alumni Center JULY 28 Summer classes end SEPTEMBER 8 Family Weekend AUGUST 9 Jayhawk Generations 17 Fall classes begin Breakfast, Adams Alumni Center ■ 9 Band Day Alumni events JULY ■ Lectures 21 Phoenix Chapter: Big 12 Night AUGUST with the Arizona Diamondbacks 28 Andrei Codrescu, Humanities 22 Chicago Chapter: Big 12 Boat Lecture Series, Lied Center Cruise

4 | KANSAS ALUMNI PHOTOGRAPHS BY EARL RICHARDSON 22 Omaha Chapter: KU/K-State Annual Golf Outing 29 Dallas Chapter: Texas Rangers vs. K.C. Royals baseball outing

AUGUST 14 Tri-State Chapter: Jayhawk Golf Outing and Picnic 16 North Central Kansas Chapter: Jayhawk Golf Outing and Picnic with Bill Self 18 Kansas City Chapter: Football Kickoff Rally with Mark Mangino

SEPTEMBER 2 Tailgate at Adams Alumni Center, KU vs. Northwestern State 9 Tailgate at Adams Alumni Center, KU vs. Louisiana Monroe 15 Toledo: KU vs. Toledo rally, northwest corner of Glass Bowl stadium

■ Jayhawk Generations Welcome Picnics Welcome incoming students to the KU family before they head to the Hill.

JULY ■ 12 Tri-State The University’s 134th Commencement blossomed May 21 under a brilliant spring sky. 13 South Kansas Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway sported his Dallas 15 straw plainsman’s hat and grads celebrated 16 Kansas City with balloons and bedecked mortar boards; 22 Austin outgoing Executive V ice Chancellor and 22 St. Louis Provost David Shulenburger chatted with 23 Chicago Association Chair David Wescoe while Baby Jay posed for pics. 29 Philadelphia 30 Washington, D.C. Lied Center ...... 864-ARTS AUGUST University Theatre tickets ...... 864-3982 Spencer Museum of Art ...... 864-4710 2 San Antonio Natural History Museum ...... 864-4540 3 East Kansas Hall Center for Humanities ...... 864-4798 5 Seattle Kansas Union ...... 864-4596 KU Info ...... 864-3506 For more information about Adams Alumni Center ...... 864-4760 Association events, call 800-584- KU main number ...... 864-2700 2957, or see the Association’s Web Athletics ...... 1-800-34-H AWKS site, www.kualumni.org. Dole Institute of Politics ...... 864-4900

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 5

BY JENNIFER JACKSON SANNER First Word

I suspect Bremner, a former Catholic priest who found another calling in the classroom, would relish Allen’s books exploring the Church (though the mas- ter of headlines might wince at the length of their titles). Bremner certainly would cringe at the thought of four days in a tent at the Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival, which Lazzarino endured to write our cover story. The professor who loved the refined game of golf and the music of “Camelot” might use a few choice words to describe the rowdy Wakarusa gather- ing, but he always watched popular cul- ture with keen interest, tracking the ways in which trends rocked the lan- guage. (I still recall a lecture in which he extolled the virtues of the verb “freak.”) Colorful words indeed describe the festival that in three short years has become a phenomenon, making any of us who studied edit- sternly in protest, loudly bemoaning Lawrence a summer destination for ing with the late John their misuse. Like Bremner’s beleaguered crowds that could fill Memorial Stadium. Bremner don’t go a day with- students, my family has grown accus- Our final feature offers lessons in the Mout remembering him. We tomed to the routine. And I suspect that delicate language of family dynamics. hear the thunder of his voice or picture even though they sigh and roll their Steven Hill describes the research of psy- an entry from Words on Words—even eyes, they can’t help but remember the chologist and distinguished professor before our hand gropes instinctively for grammar lessons. Barbara Kerr, author of two popular a tattered copy of his classic treatise on My children also know which books on creativity and giftedness. “our beautiful bastard language.” national reporters will lighten my mood: Those early studies led her to explore Some of us even picked up a few of the KU grads. Ever in the service of my the traits of happy families, the subject his eccentric habits, no matter how alma mater, I point out Jayhawks on the of her next book. Our story previews her much they made us shudder or seethe tube, hailing their impeccable grammar findings, including a few of the common as we sat in class years ago. I, for one, and their connections to old KU. The lat- themes she has identified in successful am prone to sudden outbursts. True, est to gain prominence is John Allen Jr., families who vary widely in size and such behavior runs in my family, but one the subject of Chris Lazzarino’s feature composition. of my recurring fits always makes me story and a frequent CNN commentator One essential trait? Plenty of conver- of Bremner, who in mid-lecture as the Vatican correspondent for the sation, preferably face to face at the din- would suddenly throw open a window National Catholic Reporter. ner table. As we pass the peas and car- in Stauffer-Flint and bellow across the While the world watched the real-life rots, parents and children can share the lawn, pleading for rescue from his class- intrigue of papal succession and debated stories of their days and much more. room full of dimwits. the fictional intrigue of a certain novel And once we’re in the habit, perhaps I tend to melt down while watching and film, Allen, g’92, provided unbiased we’re more apt to forgo those pesky sud- much of TV news. When reporters or perspective as both a scholar of religion den outbursts. Well-chosen words can anchors mismatch their subjects and and a journalist covering an extraordi- work wonders. verbs or dangle their participles, I shout nary beat.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 7 Jayhawk Walk BY HILL AND LAZ Z ARINO

Heavy subje ct

or a retired faculty member, Marilyn FStok stad sure had a busy spring. The Murphy distinguished professor emerita of art history finished the third edition of her sumptuous tex tbook Art History, to be published in January; a half- length, general-audience version, All About Art, w as published this spring, and she proudly notes that it features the Spencer Museum of Art’s red-tressed melancholy beauty “ La Pia” on its cover. And Stok stad

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS LAZZARINO. SOKOLOFF DAVID BY PHOTOGRAPH ILLUSTRATION w as feted at the Kansas Union, w here a screenprint donated in her honor by Professor Emeritus Roger Shimomura w as unveiled on the fifth floor. But the biggest surprise came April 23, w hen Stok stad opened the education sec- Club “Road Captain” William Miller tion of her New York Times and saw Art History pictured nex t to the headline, “ The W orld’s Heaviest Tex tbook ? ” Weather Jay’s hot new wheels Times editors noted that the 10. 95- pound, 1,264-p age book features 2,838 he forecasting icon of the University Daily Kansan has w ords an ounce, and that the publisher, Thired out for his first side gig, as the first mascot of the Pearson Prentice Hall, even sw itched new KU Motorcycle Club. papers to bring the revised second edition “ W hen w ord got out last year that w e w ere starting in at 8. 9 pounds. the club, people immediately started ask ing us if w e had “ I thought it w as absolutely hilarious,” T-shirts for sale,” says club president Joe Glow ack i, an Stok stad says. “ It’s even funnier because Overland Park senior. “ W e k new it’s true: You can’t pick it w e needed something w ith broad up w ith one hand unless appeal, and W eather Jay is revered you’ve been training. ” around KU, so w e thought he w ould be perfect. ” Considering its aca-

David Sok oloff, f ’74, created W eather Jay for the Kansan in EARL RICHARDSON demic heft and w eighty 1971. Glow ack i called Sok oloff at his Chicago home, discussed topics, Art History’s impor- various types of bik es that might be right for Jay to be riding on tance certainly can’t be club T-shirts, and soon enough Sok oloff w as back to draw ing his measured on a bathroom stylized Jayhaw k for the first time since he left KU. scale, and its spirit is made “ He told me it w as lik e visiting an old friend,” Glow ack i says. light by Stok stad’s accessi- The club is selling Moto Jay T-shirts on campus and through ble, elegant w riting style. its W eb site (k u. edu/ ~ motoclub) for $ 20, w ith portions of the All in all, w e don’t proceeds benefiting the March of Dimes fund-raiser “ Bik ers think it needs to lose an for Babies. ” ounce. And yes, mama hen, your darling birdie obeys rule No. 1: Art History is beautiful He’s w earing a helmet, and even has fancy leather riding gloves. just as it is. Now that’s one Bad Bird. Stokstad

8 | KANSAS ALUMNI The worm (r e)t urns Primitive dentistry eports of its death have been greatly his is going to hurt a bit. A heck of a Rex aggerated: Fimoscolex sporadochaetus Tlot, in fact. lives. KU anthropology professor David Sam James, research associate at KU’s Frayer has discovered that mank ind had its Natural History Museum and Biodiversity first k now n -in w ith the dentist’s drill Research Center, proved it w hen he 9,000 years ago. That’s 4,000 years earlier MIKE YODER, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD found the long-lost earth- than previously thought—o r 8,900 years w orm this year. Fimoscolex before the creation of Novocain. w as declared ex tinct in Frayer w as part of a research team in 2003 because no one Pak istan that found remains of nine people had seen it since 1969. w ho’d had holes drilled in their molars and “ It’s just nobody lived to schedule a follow -up appointment. look ed,” says James, w ho Reported in the science journal Nature and unearthed the creepy- pick ed up by The New York Times and craw ler w hile on a National countless Internet blogs, the findings push Science Foundation-funded trip back the daw n of dentistry from 3, 000 to Brazil. He and fellow researchers identi- B. C. to 7,000 B. C. fied tw o spots as potentially w ormy, but Frayer and colleagues speculate that could find neither. Undaunted, they took a flint tip attached to a bow fashioned a the tack long favored by hungry robins and high-speed drill capable of piercing tooth bait fisherman: They pick ed some lik ely enamel. Friesner look ing dirt and dug. Open w ide and say, “ aaaaaaarrghhh! ” James says the episode is a reminder Will run for food “ that all sorts of fairly important critters get short shrift” w hen hile pursuing undergraduate and scientists talk species loss. W graduate degrees in environmental “ To most people studies for the past six years, Richard w orms are fishbait,” he Friesner has volunteered his cook ing sk ills says. “ W e’re trying at Jubilee Cafe, a Law rence k itchen that to say there’s more serves free break fast to the homeless. to it than that. ” W hen the charity struggled financially, Friesner, c’04, g’06, decided to help by doing something else he’s good at. In May, the distance runner set out to jog Jayhaw k Boulevard around the clock for three days—o r until he raised $ 3, 000 in pledges for Jubilee. Even for someone w ho’s run the Boston Marathon, the Heartland 100 ( a 100-mile Flint Hills run) and Across the Years (a 24-hour Arizona race), the proposed 225-m ile, 72-hour constitutional up and dow n KU’s main drag—i n rain show ers and midnight gloom—se emed a long slog. But boosted by a large anonymous donation, Friesner beat his goal by nearly $ 1,000 and ended his trek at midnight, a mere 12 hours after he began. Running from problems rarely solves anything. Running for them—a different story entirely. LARRY LEROY PEARSON LEROY LARRY

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 9 Hilltopics BY STEVEN HILL

will remain $205, and there will be 50 metered and 24 handicap parking spaces.

EARL RICHARDSON The bus ride is free to all. “Students are going to be able to hop on and hop off this service,” Hultine says. “There’s no fare box, no bus pass.” ■ Donna Hultine, director The new buses will also of Parking and Transit, create a new option for peo- with one of five $269,000 ple who use wheelchairs or Kansas-made buses that deal with mobility issues. will transport students, While older buses operated faculty, staff and visitors by KU on Wheels are not required to comply with the between Mount Oread Americans with Disabilities and a new Park and Ride Act accessibility require- lot on West Campus. ments, the Optima buses can “kneel” to the curb and Hop on, hop off feature a ramp and wide aisles for easy wheelchair New lot, new buses could change how access. campus community looks at parking The $269,000 buses were manufactured in Valley Falls and paid for in part on’t think of that hang tag or window with a $1 million grant from the Kansas decal in your car as a permit to park; Department of Transportation to the City of think of it as a license to hunt. Lawrence. The city will hold title on the buses, D “Right now that’s what we have,” says but KU Parking and Transit will run the service Donna Hultine, c’80, director of KU’s Parking with the help of Lawrence Bus Co. drivers. and Transit. “A hunting-license system for trying Hultine says the park and ride approach to find a place to park.” marks the beginning of a shift in the way the To borrow a carnival adage, you buy your University thinks about parking. The mentality ticket and you take your chances. now, she says, is “you get in your car and come to That’s likely to change, as the University looks campus” and drive around searching for a space. at ways to ease traffic congestion while meeting People rely on their cars to travel within or the growing demand for back-and-forth trips between campuses, and when you come back between the main and west campuses. “your” space is taken. Step one is a $9.3 million Park and Ride lot Initially, Parking and Transit considered build- that opens on West Campus this fall with spots ing a new garage south of Robinson Gymnasium. for more than 1,400 cars and a shuttle service “We thought, ‘Why would we bring more cars that will ferry riders on five new buses to 11 to this infrastructure that can’t support the cars Mount Oread stops. that are already trying to drive around?’ It was The 26-acre lot at Clinton Parkway and sort of an epiphany for us to say, ‘You know Crestline Road, near the Shenk playing fields, what? We need to try to keep traffic off campus replaces a smaller 1,000-space lot now located and keep that sort of pastoral setting this campus near the Lied Center. The Park and Ride permit has right now.’”

10 | KANSAS ALUMNI Now, Hultine sees a day when on-campus Boulevard to Watson Library to dig up answers. parking is a premium service. A costlier parking The rise of the World Wide Web and search permit would guarantee an assigned space on engines like Google—which puts the answers to campus, the Park and Ride lot would offer bar- even the most obscure questions just keystrokes gain parking and the shuttle would serve both away—changed all that. groups. It will take time for that to happen, how- “The mystique of KU Info during the ’70s and ever. Student permits, which will sell for $160 ’80s was that it seemed to know everything,” says this fall, remain the cheaper option for now. Marsh, j’92. “Then in the ’90s along came the Perhaps the most welcome improvement, for Internet, which seemed to know everything, too. pedestrians and riders alike, is the upgrade in Some of that mystique wore off.” emissions standards. The new buses replace Rather than try to beat the Internet, KU Info is older park and ride buses previously operated by harnessing the network to make research tools KU on Wheels. The Optima buses offer better once available only to its staff members more fuel efficiency and meet newly restrictive EPA accessible. “The big difference is that this system emissions standards that will be instituted in was available only to a very small population,” 2007. Marsh says, pointing to the index cards in his file “KU Info’s goal Anyone who’s trailed a campus bus belching cabinet. “The online system is obviously available is to provide black smoke as it labors to climb Indiana Street to a much larger population. We’re able to or accelerate from a dead stop will appreciate the extend our reach.” answers that upgrade. KU Info has also moved back to the Kansas help KU students “It’s going be a lot cleaner for our environ- Union after a four-year run at Anschutz Library. have a successful ment around here,” Hultine says. “You won’t be A new booth on the fourth floor staffed by stu- so sad if you’re stuck behind a bus.” dents eager to field walk-up and phone-in ques- experience while tions is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the sum- they’re here.” ◆ ◆ ◆ mer. Hours may expand in the fall. “The Web-site database is just the tool we use — Curtis Marsh to help people navigate the KU experience,” Information update Marsh says. “Our students are KU Info. It’s not only collecting and disseminating information The answer line for all things KU they enjoy, but also the feeling that they’ve made gets new home and new approach a difference in someone’s life for a moment. That’s the beauty of it, and that’s never going to cores of Rolodex cards stashed in a filing change.” cabinet in KU Info director Curtis Marsh’s Kansas Union office signify how far the Sinformation service has come. Once an essential part of KU Info’s database, the cards—which index the answers to frequently EARL RICHARDSON asked questions—are now obsolete, replaced by an electronic database accessible to anyone who visits the service’s Web site, kuinfo.ku.edu. What began as a phone hotline to quell rumors during the tumultuous student protests of 1970 had by the ’80s evolved into a one-stop answer line for queries serious and silly. Many a dorm-room bull session has been settled or last- minute term paper salvaged with a late-night call to KU Info. Being unstumpable was a point of pride. For many years, the student-manned answer service operated in a Kansas Union office ■ Curtis Marsh directs a new and improved KU Info, which will crammed with almanacs, index cards and other serve information seekers at the Kansas Union with a walk-up reference works. In an earlier era, runners were window and a 24-hour computer kiosk. Off-campus inquiries dispatched from a walk-up booth at Jayhawk can be made at 785-864-3506 or www.kuinfo.ku.edu.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 11 Hilltopics

MEDICAL CENTER New England Journal

Update features researcher’s findings SHARI HARTBAUER A study conducted by KU researcher Jared Grantham and published in the Tuition changes on tap New England Journal of Medicine may help patients with a life-threatening kid- uition will rise for the fifth straight ney disease receive more effective early Tyear this fall after the Kansas treatment. Board of Regents in June approved the In the five-year National Institutes of last installment in KU’s five-year plan Health study, Grantham, Harry Statland to bring tuition more in line with the Professor of Nephrology, identified reli- national average. able indicators that can help doctors At its June 21-22 meeting, the gauge the effectiveness of treatments for Regents also approved a KU proposal polycystic kidney disease, which affects that will lock in tuition at a guaranteed 600,000 Americans. In PKD, kidney rate for four years, starting in 20 0 7. cysts grow and multiply, causing kidney Under the tuition increase, in-state failure. There is no known cure. undergraduates taking 15 hours would The findings will help doctors assess pay $2,756 in tuition, a 14.3 percent treatment well before the disease ■ Jared Grantham, the Harry Statland increase over last fall. destroys normal tissue. “Until now, treat- Professor of Nephrology at KU Medical Nonresident under- ment of PKD with drug therapy has graduates will pay been hampered because no markers of Center, published findings of his latest research $7,241, or 9.1 disease progression have been devel- on polycystic kidney disease in the New percent more, oped to make it possible to monitor a England Journal of Medicine. under the plan. drug’s effectiveness before serious dam- Even with the age to kidney function becomes irre- late,” said engineering dean Stuart Bell. increase, KU’s versible,” says Grantham, m’62. Ladd worked for Texaco and tuition remains Grantham’s article appeared in the Consolidated Oil and Gas before starting below average for May 18 issue of the journal, which is Ladd Petroleum in 1968. The company the Big 12 and ranks among the nation’s most prestigious. later merged with Utah Petroleum and 30 th among the 34 member was acquired by General Electric in schools of the American Association of ENGINEERING 1976. He served as president and chair- Universities.The five-year plan, which EARL RICHARDSON man of Ladd until 1979, and he remains more than doubled in-state tuition, has School bestows top honor active in the industry. raised money for academic improve- on three alumni After attending KU on a Navy ROTC ments, and 20 percent of each annual A petroleum engineer who founded scholarship, Rear Adm. Loose spent increase has been set aside for need- his own company, an ROTC student who more than 30 years in the Navy’s Civil based financial aid. became chief of civil engineers for the Engineers Corps. In 2003, he became Guaranteed tuition will let freshmen Navy, and a mechanical engineer who head of the Naval Facilities Engineering pay a fixed rate if they graduate in four helped give Air Jordans their spring Command, overseeing planning, con- years, providing certainty missing in an received the Distinguished Engineering tracting, construction management and era of annual increases. Service Award from the School of other services for Naval installations “Completing four-year academic Engineering in May. worldwide. programs in four years is a priority,” The award honors professional Paul Mitchell retired as vice president said Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway. achievement by alumni or engineers who of advanced research and development “The tuition program has made KU have close connections to the school. for Nike. As an engineering manager at stronger by allowing it to add more The 2006 recipients are J.B. “Bert” Ladd, Tetra Plastics in the 1980s, he helped faculty, upgrade classrooms and boost e’49; Rear Admiral Michael Loose, e’75; develop cushioning systems for the technology. ... Helping students keep and Paul Mitchell, e’70. Nike Air line of shoes. Mitchell went on academic careers on track will be yet “These three engineers are extraordi- to serve as president of Tetra and negoti- another tuition success story.” nary role models of personal and profes- ated the sale of that company to Nike sional integrity for our students to emu- in 1991.

12 | KANSAS ALUMNI In Fine Feather

You don’t have to go this far to show your KU pride

Upgrade your KU Alumni Association membership to the Jayhawk Society, our premium annual level of support. The extra annual donation helps provide many programs and services for alumni, students and friends. In return for their added generosity and loyalty, Jayhawk Society members receive special services:

• Distinctive gold lapel pin, vehicle decal, brass key • The majority of your dues is tax-deductible. The chain and membership card KU Endowment Association also credits your Jayhawk • Recognition in the KU Alumni Association annual Society donation toward your total gifts to KU. report Annual Jayhawk Society membership is $100 for • 20 percent discount on the Association’s single members and $150 for joint members. Jayhawk Collection merchandise, 15 percent off at the KU Bookstores (excludes textbooks) and at www.jayhawks.com, plus other merchant discounts To join, call 800-584-2957 or visit www.kualumni.org CAMPUS Thieves rob classrooms Milestones, money and other matters of high-tech gear ■ BLUE SKIES SHONE ON THE UNIVERSITY’S 134TH COMMENCEMENT While students were breaking out on procession May 21. More than 7,265 graduates from 91 Kansas counties, 48 states and 56 beaches this spring, campus thieves were countries were eligible to receive degrees. breaking in. The total includes more than 2,765 students More than $23,000 worth of projec- who completed degrees last summer and fall. tors, computers, microphones and other

equipment was stolen from EARL RICHARDSON ■ THE DEBATE TEAM edged No. 2 Summerfield, Wescoe and Strong halls Dartmouth and No. 3 Harvard to finish the over Spring Break. The thefts follow the 20 0 5-’0 6 season atop the National Debate loss of more than $22,000 worth of Tournament rankings,which are based on video equipment from Memorial total points earned by individual debaters in Stadium last fall. qualifying tournament rounds. KU was the Smaller-scale equipment thefts have only Big 12 team to place in the top 10 . occurred at Murphy, Learned, Haworth and Stauffer-Flint halls; the Dole Center; ■ SOME 7,000 ARTWORKS from the Spencer Museum of Art’s permanent the Burge Union; and Robinson collection now can be viewed online.The museum is in the process of documenting its Gymnasium. 26,0 0 0 piece collection with digital photographs in collaboration with the University’s “We do all we can to discourage the Scholarly Digital Initiatives program.The images are available at casual thief,” says Susan Zvacek, director www.lib.ku.edu/imagegateway. of instructional development and sup- port. “We could make equipment theft- ■ LORRAINE HARICOMBE will succeed Stella Bentley as dean of proof, but we’d spend so much money libraries beginning August 1. Haricombe has been dean of libraries at that we wouldn’t be able to equip as UNIVERSITY RELATIONS Bowling Green State University since 20 0 1. She will oversee a KU many rooms. It is a balancing act. library system that maintains 4 million volumes and 33,0 0 0 serial titles “The unfortunate thing is that when in seven facilities. Bentley is retiring after more than 20 years in library these thefts occur, it’s the students Haricombe leadership; she became KU’s dean of libraries in 20 0 1. who suffer.” ■ KU WILL HOST THE NATION’S FOURTH CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE. China’s vice minister of education,Wu Q idi, visited the Edwards Campus in May to help dedicate the new institute, which will offer Chinese language instruction and promote outreach programs on Chinese culture.“KU was one of the first universities in this nation to establish direct exchange programs in China,” Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway said. “Having the Confucius Institute here reflects the strength of KU’s connection to China as well as our superb and extensive Chinese and East Asian programs.This will give this state and region a competitive advantage now as China is emerging as a leading economic force in the world.” Bill Tsutsui, associate professor of history and director of KU’s Freeman Foundation Undergraduate Asian Studies Initiative programs and the Kansas Consortium for Teaching About Asia, will serve as executive director.The institute’s offices will be housed in Regnier Hall, and classes will begin this fall.

■ THE SABATINI MULTICULTURAL RESOURCE CENTER broke ground in early May.The $2.7 million, 7,0 0 0 -square-foot building will increase space for student organ- izations, update technology and expand academic resources for students of color. Donations from the Sabatini family, which includes Frank, b’55, l’57; Michael, a’82; and Dan, a’86; helped fund the center.

■ THE TERI ZENNER MEMORIAL PROGRAM has been started with a $10 0 ,0 0 0 appropriation from Congress.The program, which provides safety training to social work- ers, honors Z enner, ’0 5, a caseworker murdered while conducting a home visit with a troubled patient in August 20 0 4.

14 | KANSAS ALUMNI

Sports BY CHRIS LAZ Z ARINO

stadium’s open south end. An outcry quickly arose over concerns that the building would obscure views of the Hill and hamper the traditional Commencement walk down the Hill and into Memorial Stadium. “The only way we should impair the view coming from the Campanile into the stadium,” Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway told the Lawrence Journal-World, “is if there was a grave- stone with the name Bob Hemenway on it.” The football facility will consist of two levels, the first of which will be underground. The building will not connect with, or abut, the stadium. ■ KU Athletics in May The area it would occupy is currently released a photo illustra- a parking lot between the stadium and tion indicating that a Potter Lake. proposed football complex Two practice fields will occupy would not interfere with what is now the expansive parking the traditional Commence- area bordered by the stadium, ment procession into Mississippi Street and Spencer Memorial Stadium. Museum of Art, officially labeled lots 91, 92 and 93. Final plans for the facility await Home field advantages design of replacement parking lots. Initial parking plans include expan- Football training complex set for stadium, sion of the existing parking lots west though final touches await parking plans of Memorial Stadium, though the revised layout awaits survey and ew headquarters for KU football at design work, scheduled to be completed by Memorial Stadium are finally official. December. Or nearly so. University and athletics “We cannot diminish parking availability Nofficials in May released a map with either during or after completion of the project,” two important details finally sketched in for a Hemenway says. “We will replace every parking $31 million complex: Plans are to flank the 84- space displaced by the new practice fields.” year-old stadium with an 80,000-square-foot, The Kansas Board of Regents in February stand-alone building to the southwest and two approved naming the new facility the Anderson 100-yard practice fields to the southeast. Family Football Complex, honoring longtime It is hoped construction on the project can benefactor Dana Anderson, b’59, and his family, begin in spring 2007 and be completed by who pledged $12 million toward the project. summer 2008. The University also announced that the field An initial proposal for a new football head- in Memorial Stadium will be named Kivisto Field, quarters complex, with plans released pre- in honor of former basketball player Tom Kivisto, maturely in local media outlets, had the building c’75, and his family, who also pledged $12 squatting near the current scoreboard in the million.

16 | KANSAS ALUMNI Lead architects for the football com- plex are Marty Haynes, a’83, and “We played with some confidence, and we played with some Gerardo Prado, e’95, a’96, both of HNTB swagger. I don’t know if anybody in the country had a better Architecture of Kansas City, Mo. Joining them on the building committee are weekend than we just had.” —bas ebal l R itch Pr ice University Architect Warren Corman, c’50; Jim Modig, a’73, director of Design and Construction Management; George audio-visual rooms, and academic study Matsakis, director of football operations; areas. and athletics department staff members Coach Mark Mangino enters his fifth Sean Lester, Brad Natchigal and Bill season at KU with a team that some (2) JEFF JACOBSEN Dickerson. It was reported in April that predict could be a contender in the Big Turner Construction would be the proj- 12 North. ect contractor. Among other concerns to be quickly Because the proposed practice fields addressed are quarterback, where it is would be within 500 feet of protected hoped redshirt-freshman Kerry Meier historic environs of the Hancock District can establish long-sought stability at the and Snow residence, the fields will be position, and at linebacker, where sopho- reviewed by the Campus Historic more Mike Rivera and other young stars Preservation Board and the Lawrence must replace Banks Floodman, Kevin Historic Resources Commission. Kane, Darren Rus and Big 12 Defensive The University is also appointing an Player of the Year Nick Reid. Ad Hoc Community Advisory The Nov. 25 game at Missouri will be ◆ ◆ ◆ Committee to provide counsel on the broadcast by ABC Sports. Kickoff is set practice field and parking lot projects for 11 a.m. The Sept. 16 game at Toledo because both would be within 150 feet (ESPN2) is set for 7 p.m.; the other three Champions all of the University’s perimeter. non-conference games, all in Memorial Memorial Stadium itself has under- Stadium, are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts. Softball, baseball teams upset gone extensive reno- No other kickoff times, including the Big 12 tourneys for first titles vations, at a cost of Oct. 7 Homecoming about $30 million, game against Texas hat worked for the KU since 1997, including A&M, had been set as softball team in the middle the addition of an of press time. of May worked equally expanded press box W well for the baseball team with 36 “scholarship” in late May. Both teams arrived in suites, a new “AstroPlay” Oklahoma City as seemingly unthreaten- artificial field, infrastruc- ■ Don Czyz ing No. 6 seeds, and both left as Big 12 ture repair, a new home and softball teammates tournament champions. locker room under the west celebrate their Softball’s run dates to May 10, when stands, and a “MegaVision” Big 12 titles. senior pitcher Serena Settlemier was video board. In 2003 the named Big 12 Player of the Year at the Athletics Department league’s postseason banquet. She led opened the Anderson the Big 12 in home runs (21) and RBI Family Strength and (59), and posted KU’s best batting Conditioning Center, an average (.331) and earned-run average $8 million, 42,000-square- (1.21). She also led the nation with six foot building near Allen grand slams. Field House. Buoyed by the Settlemier’s well-justi- The new football com- fied honor, the Jayhawks hit the tourna- plex will include weight- ment with a confidence that appeared to and cardio-training be building throughout the season. They rooms, hydro-therapy opened the tournament with victories and nutrition areas, over 20th-ranked Baylor and Missouri, locker rooms, offices, then beat 14th-ranked Nebraska to earn

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 17 Sports

■ Baseball players pose for a team photo World Series champions) and Hawaii to after defeating Nebraska for their first finish the seaszon 43-25. Czyz, named “Stopper of the Year” JEFF JACOBSEN Big 12 championship. by national baseball writers, was drafted April 1, followed on April 20 with her in the seventh round by the Florida 400th career victory. Marlins, starting a run that eventually KU twice defeated Brigham Young included pitcher Sean Land (ninth University at the NCAA Regional in round, Twins), outfielder Gus Milner Provo, Utah, but fell twice to Washing- (14th, Phillies), shortstop Ritchie Price ton in -elimination play, ending (18th, Mets), infielder Jared Schweitzer the season 36-26. (30th, Cardinals), and pitcher Kodiak The baseball team, also buoyed by a Quick (33rd, Tigers). Also, pitcher Ricky first-team All-American pitcher (reliever Fairchild signed a free-agent contract Don Czyz), beat 14th-ranked Nebraska, with the Cleveland Indians. a spot against 18th-ranked Oklahoma in 9-7, to win the school’s first conference the final. championship since Big Seven days in ◆ ◆ ◆ Against the Sooners, KU broke a 2-2 1949. The Jayhawks advanced to the tie with two runs in the sixth inning, championship by beating Oklahoma, and held on for the 4-2 victory. Oklahoma State and Missouri. Hammer away Junior Kassie Humphreys was named “We played with some confidence, national Collegiate Player of the Week and we played with some swagger,” Agafonov wins Big 12, joins after the tournament, during which she coach Ritch Price told the Lawrence four others as All-American went 3-0 while pitching 22 scoreless Journal-World after the championship innings. Like Settlemier, Humphrey also game. “I don’t know if anybody in the gor Agafonov was named to the All-Big 12 first team. country had a better weekend than we shattered the “She and Serena Settlemier have really just had.” Big 12 hammer been the sparks to take us where we are KU beat Hawaii in its NCAA Regional Erecord by more CHRIS LAZZARINO now,” said coach Tracy Bunge, ’87, who opener in Corvalis, Ore., but then lost than 4 feet with a throw recorded her 300th KU coaching victory to Oregon State (the eventual College of 225 feet, 2 inches at the Big 12 Champion- ships in Waco, Texas. It was the second confer- ence title for the sopho- Agafonov more from Togliatti, Updates Russia, who in February won the Big 12 avid Lawrence, d’83, an All-Big Eight guard in 1981, is the new analyst for the Indoor weight throw. He earned All- DJayhawk Football Radio Network, succeeding Max Falkenstien, c’47, who America status by finishing fifth in the retired after 60 years of broadcasting.Taking Lawrence’s former sideline role will be hammer at the NCAA Championships in Nate Bukaty, j’98.“No one can ‘replace’ Max,” says Athletics Director Lew Sacaramento, Calif. Perkins.“But in David and Nate we have two experienced professionals who know Finishing second at the Big 12 were our program and who will contribute color and insight into our football broadcasts.” seniors Charisse Bacchus (long jump), Still in place are play-by-play man Bob Davis and producer-engineer Bob Newton, Sheldon Battle (discus and shot put) and j’70 , who enter their 23rd seasons working football and men’s basketball. Denita Young (javelin), and freshman Former quarterback Bill Whittemore, c’0 4, will serve as graduate assistant to Zlata Tarasova (hammer). offensive coordinator Nick Q uartaro.Whittemore threw a school-record 18 touch- Joining Agafonov as All-Americans downs in 20 0 3, and holds the KU record with 13 20 0 -yard passing games.“This is were Battle, Bacchus, Young and sopho- where he wants to be to develop his coaching skills,” says coach Mark Mangino. more Paul Heffernon (5,000 meters). “He’s a perfect fit.” ... KU Athletics photographer Jeff Jacobsen, a frequent contribu- Battle ended his two-year KU career as a tor to K ansas Alumni, in June became the first full-time university photographer to six-time All-American. serve as a faculty member at the U.S. Olympic Committee’s prestigious Sports Distance runner Charlie Gruber, b’02, Photography Workshop in Colorado Springs, Colo. ...V arsity student-athletes posted a g’04, vaulter Amy Linnen, ’06, and collective 2.93 spring GPA, the second-highest mark in 20 years; 51 percent of the thrower Scott Russell, d’02, in May were student-athletes had 3.0 GPAs or higher, and 40 scored a perfect 4.0 . named to the Big 12’s Track and Field 10th Anniversary Team.

18 | KANSAS ALUMNI

‘The Best Beat in Journalism’

John Allen Jr. emerges as America’s premier Vatican correspondent

20 | KANSAS ALUMNI BY CHRIS LAZZARINO

ewsweek magazine calls John L. Allen Jr. “one of the most influ- ential men in .” The Atlantic Monthly, in a 2004 cover story Nabout potential successors to Pope John Paul II, described Allen’s emergence among the Vatican press corps as “per- haps the most unlikely development yet in the run-up to the next conclave.” Delia Gallagher, “faith and values correspondent” for CNN—for whom Allen, g’92, serves as Vatican commenta- tor—says of her colleague, “I don’t know anybody who has worked at the Vatican who would disagree that he is absolutely the top American Vatican journalist.” Less than two months after Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s April 2005 election as pope, Doubleday published Allen’s second book on Ratzinger, The Rise of Benedict XVI. In November 2005, as homas Roberts, editor of the ■ John Allen (above left, with Pope Benedict The Da Vinci Code craze roared on, National Catholic Reporter, X V I) wrote his first biography of Cardinal Doubleday published yet another Allen recalls a phone call he received, Joseph Ratzinger in 1999; since Ratzinger’s title, Opus Dei. in about 1996, from a free-lance elevation to pope,Allen has “physically shaken Allen’s weekly column for the Kansas Twriter in . Like editors every- his hand maybe six times,” and accompanied City-based newspaper National Catholic where, Roberts had grown weary of the pope’s tour of and the Auschwitz Reporter, “The Word From Rome,” is a enthusiastic, empty pitches from new- death camp.“I think it will be remembered as must-read for all Vatican watchers, and comers. He was eager to reject this high- a great teaching papacy,” he says of Benedict’s his 10,000-word obituary of John Paul II, school journalism teacher who was try- published online by the National ing to sell a proposal about newspapers reign.“It will be his documents and his texts Catholic Reporter the day after the in Catholic high schools and that people remember. It’s not, for the most pope’s April 2, 2005, death, represents himself the grief of editing a neophyte’s part, a papacy of photo ops and grand historic the height of a journalist’s craft in ency- raw copy. gestures, the kinds of things you associate clopedic, instant history. “All I could see was weeks of working with John Paul II.That’s not his style. So it will Not a bad run for a guy from Hays on a story written by a writer with no be a papacy that’s great for the print press who 10 years ago was teaching journal- journalism experience, except as the and lousy for TV cameras.” ism at a Catholic high school in Sherman proctor for a high-school paper, just Oaks, Calif. endless work for something that would “When I got to ,” Allen says from never appear [in print],” Roberts recalls a New York airport lounge while waiting from his Kansas City office. “Finally, as a to board a flight for Rome, “I thought courtesy, I told him I would look at prego was a kind of spaghetti sauce.” something.”

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 21 He left his dissertation unfin- language scholar, to Rome less than a ished to accept a full-time job offer year after he’d sent Allen overseas. at the National Catholic Reporter, During a boisterous dinner, Roberts’ and in 1997 Allen and his wife, uncle listened as Allen “jabbered away” Shannon Levitt-Allen, c’92, moved with their Italian companions. to Kansas City. Allen joined NCR “Walking back to the hotel that as opinion editor; two weeks later night,” Roberts recalls, “my uncle asked, he asked his bosses for more ‘How long has John had his Italian?’ I work. told him I thought he had taken some Roberts started sending Allen emergency courses after he got here. My John Allen’s out on challenging assignments, uncle stopped and said, ‘That can’t be.’” story made including a trip to Austria, dur- deadline. It was ing which he first became ◆ ◆ ◆ national in intrigued by the former arch- scope, thor- bishop of Munich, Cardinal he National Catholic Reporter oughly reported, Joseph Ratzinger, by then in his prides itself on independence. well written, and second decade as prefect for the The Atlantic contends that NCR in Roberts’ estimation, “a great read.” Congregation of the Doctrine of the Tand the Vatican “are about as Roberts accepted the submission and Faith and Pope John Paul II’s most dissimilar as Catholic institutions can apologized for his cynical presumptions. influential aide. be” and that the newspaper “takes a “One of the things I was doing to pay “At some point, he announced that he strident, adversarial approach to the the bills while I was in graduate school was writing a book about Ratzinger,” ‘institutional Church’ in general and the was teaching high school, and I was sup- Roberts says. “So he resurrected his aca- residents of its Roman headquarters in plementing that with free-lance writing, demic German and read everything particular.” In the preface to his first but I didn’t really have any concept that Ratzinger ever wrote, clips in German Ratzinger biography, Allen conceded it was going to develop into anything,” newspapers about his family, everything. that it might appear odd for a reporter Allen says. “That story on the high- That was sort of a glimpse of what kind representing a newspaper “with [a] repu- school newspapers felt like another pay- of person we had here.” tation as a progressive critic of the check, so I don’t recall thinking at the In 1999, the year Allen wrote Cardinal Catholic establishment” to write a book time that it was particularly momentous. Ratzinger: The about “the chief doctrinal But looking back, having established the Vatican’s Enforcer of conservative of our time.” The Atlantic con- cluded that any poten- On the Web tial conflict had been dispatched by Allen’s National Catholic Reporter: natcath.org professionalism: “Rather Allen’s “Word from Rome” column: nationalcatholicreporter.org/word than untangling the NCR special coverage, including Allen’s obituary for John Paul II: paradox of his role” as nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/conclave/conclave_ index2.htm Vatican correspondent for such an independent American journal, the relationship with Tom, it was certainly the Faith, the Atlantic wrote, Allen “pitched very important.” National Catholic ■ John Allen Jr. his tent within it, speaking to Allen grew up in Hays and earned his Reporter sent Allen both sides from some undergraduate degree from Fort Hays to Rome on a six-week assignment; fac- unchartable spot in the middle.” State University. He spent a year as a ing an endless news cycle with John Paul Yet his new job in Rome hardly set seminarian before enrolling at KU, where II’s faltering health, the newspaper’s Allen up for criticism within the Vatican, in 1992 he earned his master’s degree in board of directors soon voted to support because the Vatican almost certainly was religious studies. He chose Claremont the assignment as a permanent post. unaware of his news outlet. Graduate University, near , Not only had Allen by then learned “In most cases, the New York Times is for his doctoral studies, but his experi- that prego is Italian for “you’re welcome,” about the only American newspaper ences as a free-lance writer taught him a or “of course,” he’d also learned the most of these guys have ever heard of,” valuable lesson: “Journalists get paid to . Allen says. “Maybe the Wall Street write and don’t have to use footnotes.” Roberts recalls escorting his uncle, a Journal on a good day. So when you’re

22 | KANSAS ALUMNI coming from a small, relatively unknown or years Cardinal to convince them first that paper, it takes some time to establish Ratzinger left his apart- Christianity is a message of love yourself.” ment at the same time and that everything follows from Allen’s rise to stardom began with his Fevery morning, taking that.” scoop that Cardinal Bernard Law, of the same route across St. Peter’s CNN’s Gallagher cites Allen’s Boston, dined in Rome with one of the Square to his Vatican office. softened stance on Joseph pope’s senior secretaries. Coming as it Visiting pilgrims and creden- Ratzinger as evidence of his stature did at the height of the abuse scandals tialed journalists alike could as a journalist. inflaming the American Church, Allen’s stop the renowned theologian “He’s had several years to watch dispatch was regarded as the “first clear for a photograph or question. him and change some of his opin- sign,” according to the Atlantic, that the “He was the ‘Dr. No’ of ions about Pope Benedict,” scandal would topple Law. Roman Catholicism, and you Gallagher says. “People see by his “There was an intense spotlight in the don’t win friends that way,” work that he’s very fair, and that American media on the Catholic Church Allen says. “So he wins him a lot of respect among during that period, in 2001 and 2002, had this image of people who work at the Vatican.” and I was very often on television and being stern and The long deathwatch that writing op-eds for the New York Times, authoritarian and shadowed Pope John Paul II’s those kinds of things,” Allen says. “That hard and forebod- final months culminated in an put me on the Vatican radar screen in a ing and all that. unprecedented outpouring of way I hadn’t been before.” But in person he grief. That led to unprecedented If the sex-abuse scandal made him was always kind, interest in a conclave that would known among Vatican officials, Allen’s gracious, hum- elect the successor to a pope who thoughtful commentary during John ble and even would almost certainly achieve Paul II’s funerary rites made him approachable. sainthood, and Allen found him- appreciated. The same can be said in the On a personal self in constant demand from wake of his book Opus Dei, widely level, the myth news outlets around the world. regarded as the authoritative examina- and the man He responded not by saying no, tion of a unique “personal prelature” never really but by purchasing a second cell- that has long fostered wild rumors— lined up.” phone. some with foundations of truth—within Even “John works nonstop, 24 hours the Church. with his fre- a day. He lives the job,” Gallagher Allen says The Da Vinci Code thrust quent personal contact with says. “And yet in this environment the small, conservative Catholic commu- Cardinal Ratzinger, and having of competitiveness and cynicism, nity of Opus Dei “mass market.” His written a Ratzinger biography John is a genuine, honest, good book shows Opus Dei (literally, “the just five years earlier, Allen in journalist, and a good person. He work of God”) to be a society dedicated 2004 told the Catholic Press is generous with everyone.” to “the sanctity of ordinary work.” He Association that Ratzinger, In the preface to The Rise of also illuminates mysteries that invite the should he be elected pope, Benedict XVI, Allen writes, “I am gross hyperbole of The Da Vinci Code, would retain the policing convinced that the Roman such as corporal mortification, a taste for instincts he had honed as pre- Catholic Church, and especially secrecy and disproportionately well- fect of the Congregation of the the Vatican, is the best beat in placed connections at the highest Doctrine of the Faith. journalism. It combines ritual, reaches of Church and state. Yet Benedict XVI chose to mystery, and romance with the “There’s no sense in which [Opus Dei] use his first encyclical not as an deepest concerns of human life is a response to The Da Vinci Code,” Allen opportunity to bark at wayward and religious faith and the real- says. “But inside the Catholic Church, souls but to gently preach world political impact of a major the suspicions and whispered conspiracy about the power of love. global institution.” theories have been around for decades. “I think that clearly he does There is something to be said So in that context, yes, this book was understand that he is no longer for those who don’t live for their deliberately an attempt to separate fact the top cop; he is the chief evangelist of work so much as they love their jobs. In from fiction and provide people with the the Catholic Church,” Allen says. “He which case Pope Benedict XVI, like John tools they needed for having a rational knows that you don’t change hearts and Paul II before him, could not hope for a conversation on the subject—which minds by wagging your finger at people more empathetic commentator than our seemed to me to be sorely missing.” or beating them over the head. You have man in Rome.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 23 Where the Music

24 | KANSAS ALUMNI cut the line. There. I’ll neither make, nor have cause to make, any further confessions regarding my conduct during a four-day visit to the nearby planet—in many ways, Imuch like our own—called “Wakarusa.” In the lingo of my fellow travelers, we “Wakarusians,” this festive place and its groovy mindset are usually hipsterized as “Waka.” Cutting the line is trés un-Waka, most definitely a bad start to the long week- end, but allow an explanation: Musicians opening the third Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival, at Clinton State Park, were to appear on the smaller of five stages at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 8; the two main stages wouldn’t even open until Friday. My house is perhaps 5 miles from the admission gate. Factoring in a stop for gas and ice, a line outside the park, and checking in for press credentials, I left at 11:45 a.m., intending to be on the grounds, with my tent set up, in time to catch the 1:15 set by Todd Snider, a star of John Prine’s Oh Boy Records. Right. At Wakarusa Drive on the west edge of town, the line began to take hold. For 2.5 miles, Clinton Parkway clogged itself into Clinton Parking Lot. Cars were shut off. Kids tossed Frisbees. Coolers were plunked along the roadside bike path and women sunned themselves in camp chairs. Same for the other two park approaches, along the K-10 bypass from the south and down from I-70’s Tonganoxie interchange to the north.

WAKARUSA MUSIC AND CAMPING FESTIVAL CRANKS IT UP AS A SUDDEN Moves POP-CULTURE PHENOMENON BY CHRIS LAZZARINO

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 25 I turned up my stereo, but I was rett Mosiman, j’83, Wakarusa still pretty sure nobody yelled. frontman and one of the festi- An hour and a half later, I val’s founders and co-directors, made it through the mandatory Bcontends the Kansa word vehicle inspection station “Wakarusa,” bestowed long ago upon designed to keep glass bottles the small river that was impounded in out of the state park. (Much- the 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of griped-about “controlled sub- Engineers to create Clinton Lake, means, stances” checks run by state and translating for a family magazine, “but- county officers generally occurred tocks deep.” out on the highways.) That describes the river, as well as the I found the campground desig- financial situation after Mosiman and his nated for vendors and we few camping partners rushed into the first festival, in members of the working press. It was 2004, after about three months of organ- mid-afternoon, under a scorching June izing. They sold only half of the tickets sun, when I unfurled the garage-sale tent allowed them under their contract with No self-respecting local resident and I’d never before assembled. The 10- Clinton State Park (capped at 15,000 a fully credentialed member of the work- minute chore squeezed into 30, I finally day), but word got out. ing press is going to wait for untold unloaded supplies that would have out- Everywhere. hours with the tourists, the unwashed fitted a Hemingway safari. I packed “We knew we’d have a regional festi- masses, so I used a fast-moving lane everything. Except ... water. val, but we didn’t have a clue it would go reserved for non-Waka traffic to search And there was no going back now. national,” Mosiman says. “We’ve sold for a press entrance. Or the will-call tent. tickets in every state two years in a row.” Or any sign of goodwill. “When you live in a world full of road We squarejohns who think of With the gas gauge dropping and rage and angry people and everyone is in a Woodstock circa 1969 when we hear thermostat rising, I made my own mira- rush and nobody has anything kind to say about music festivals are decades behind cle. Cars entering from the north had ... when you find the opposite of that, you the times. , a touring event been freed by traffic officers to inch should notice it, and appreciate it, and that focused on alternative rock, helped toward the park access road; a colossal understand that’s not typical anymore. re-energize the concept in the 1990s, jalopy of an RV behind an old pickup “These are genuinely happy people. They and five years ago Bonnaroo, in middle truck was slow to restart; and into the get something society doesn’t get.” Tennessee, helped forge the current expanding void slipped my little black —Wakarusa co-director Brett Mosiman craze for multiday, multistage camping Volkswagen. And this was right at the and music festivals. front, as close to the entrance as I could “It’s about the music.” Bonnaroo packs 70,000 fans a day possibly get. —Media coordinator Heather Lofflin, j’94 into its rural site. Huge events are also

Joe Cotton,“when you’re traveling with Catchy tunes freaks like this.” (eddyjoecotton.com/yard- dogs.html) ll music, all the time, totally refreshing. Mofro: “Front-porch soul” by JJ Grey, AFor four days, nothing else mattered. whose inspirational show focused on the joy So, here are highlights from one fan’s of sharing music with friends.“If you don’t journal. know the words,” Grey said,“do what we all (Big-name artists such as The Flaming do. Just sing.” (mofro.net) Lips, Gov’t Mule, Bela Fleck, Les Tea Leaf Green: Power rock, cool Claypool, Buckethead,Yonder lyrics and experimental sounds. (tealeaf- Mountain String Band and Robert green.com) Randolph put on terrific shows; we’ll spot- Michael Franti and Spearhead: light some worthy lesser-knowns.) Masterful mix of world genres and socially Yard Dogs Road Show: V audeville/bur- conscious lyrics make this group a hit. lesque/performance art that defies descrip- (spearheadvibrations.com) tion.“The rest of life is a breeze,” said Eddy JJ Grey

26 | KANSAS ALUMNI staged in Austin, Texas, and near Palm frontman of Wakarusa’s 2006 headlin- after his 1983 graduation. Deciding he Springs, Calif. Mosiman says Wakarusa ers, The Flaming Lips. “Regardless of was a “bad employee and a fair boss,” fits among mid-tier festivals, including what happened in the ’60s, people want Mosiman leaped into the music business 10,000 Lakes, in Minnesota; the their own experience. People were at in 1985, when he and his then-partner, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, in Colorado; Woodstock for the same reason people Mona Tipton, c’83, bought a downtown High Sierra, in California; and All Good, are here: They like the bands, they like club called Cogburn’s. They changed the in West Virginia. being with their friends, and if some- name to The Bottleneck and the venue, “Festivals were held back for a long thing significant comes of it, well, fine.” once the site of the legendary Off the time because of the perception that it’s a Mosiman grew up working in Wall Hall, quickly reclaimed its pre-emi- bunch of people who want to relive kitchens in Topeka country clubs, and nence in the local scene. Mosiman some overhyped glory of another genera- he helped open the Adams Alumni founded Pipeline Productions in the tion,” says Wayne Coyne, 45-year-old Center’s Learned Club as executive chef early 1990s, in part to create shows for EARL RICHARDSON(4)

■ Wakarusa is a great place to catch a rising Del Castillo: Dual flamenco guitars Camper Van Beethoven: The ’80 s star, such as Reid Genauer of Assembly of Dust thundering along with Latin rock: No artists indie-rock group has a new album and fresh (top left, preceding page) and Honolulu ukulele put more into their set than these high- energy. also had a hot set master Jake Shimabukuro (above). Sun Down spirited guys from Austin,Texas.(delcastillo- with Cracker. (campervanbeethoven.com, Stage (above left), seen here during the relative music.com) crackersoul.com) calm of Friday afternoon, is one of the main : Described by one visit- Heard great things:The Mutaytor, a festival grounds’ three stages.A secondary fes- ing rock writer as a mix of Grateful Dead 30 -member, post-modern circus that left tival area, in the heart of the main camp- and Santana; I heard keyboards that took fans gasping. (mutaytor.com); Hurra grounds, features two smaller stages, one of me back to our ’70 s supergroup, Kansas. Torpedo, wacky Norwegians with a which presents around-the-clock music by kitchen-appliance-bashing rendition of (newmonsoon.com) more than 50 local and regional bands and Jake Shimabukuro: Ukulele maestro Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the winners of the “Battlerusa” talent contest. whose cover of “While My Guitar Gently Heart.” Says Wakarusa’s Brett Mosiman, Weeps” is easily found with a Google “I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so hard.” search. (jakeshimabukuro.com) (hurratorpedo.com) — C. L.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 27 EARL RICHARDSON(3)

■ Wakarusians’ required gear: a smile (above), a tent (below) and a groove (below right, oppo- site page). Festival co-directors (l to r) Brett Mosiman, j’83, and Nate Prenger, c’99, have been partners from the start.“Brett’s a blast to work with,” Prenger says.“He’s very creative and a soft-spoken guy. I don’t want to say he’s firm, exactly, but he knows what he’s doing, and he communicates very well.”

his club; he also organized four Jayhawk Music Festivals at Clinton State Park. In fall 2003 he was approached by three Kansas City investors about organ- izing something bigger; they started pulling it together in March 2004, and their creation, the first Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival, opened that June. “You look at the trend in major music festivals—Bonnaroo, for example—and it seems we introduced Wakarusa at the right time,” says investor and co-director Nate Prenger, c’99, an executive at Sprint in Overland Park. “It started out as more of a passionate kind of thing. Now it looks like it could have some longevity.” Wakarusa’s contract with the state park must be negotiated annually. Mosiman hopes to bump the attendance cap so he can afford a bigger-name head- liner, but park officials have stated they don’t anticipate agreeing to that. Not only does Clinton State Park have just one main road—a nightmare for emer- gency vehicles—but it also must retain access to its marina and boat ramps. Attendance has been excellent. The past two events both attracted more than 50,000 fans over their four days, and

28 | KANSAS ALUMNI Mosiman doesn’t sound overly con- Locals-only ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ stuns Wakarusa cerned about the daily cap. Of equal or greater urgency is a long-term agreement that would allow the festival to install he fourth and final day of Wakarusa some permanent infrastructure, such as T20 0 6, a Sunday, opened on the Harrah’s lighting and electrical service. V oodoo Stage, inside the massive revival DOMINIC SOVA “People do not give us credit for how tent, with a powerful rendition of “Jesus big a deal this is for Kansas,” Mosiman Christ Superstar.” says. “Eighty percent of our attendance The 15-person cast, filled entirely with is from outside the state. There’s not a Lawrencians, started the show at 11 a.m. for hotel available anywhere near a weary, sleepy audience that lounged com- Lawrence.” fortably near the stage. By intermission While Mosiman prepares for negotia- about 45 minutes later, the venue was tions with park officials, event managers swarming and the buzz was out: One of the are tweaking logistics that will help the biggest jolts of the festival was this stripped festival get better rather than bigger. down, raw production ripping through the “There are a lot of festivals around the revival tent. country,” says Trevor Garrod, frontman “I remember looking up after the first ■ Eric Mardis,’98, renowned as the banjo of the rock group Tea Leaf two sets and thinking,‘Whoa, this tent’s full,” player for Split Lip Rayfield, plays guitar and Green, “and they aren’t all the same. says keyboardist Ted Kritikos, c’0 3, a cre- sings the Jesus role in “Jesus Christ They aren’t all as good as this one.” ative-writing graduate student who will Superstar.” The set, like most others from The Flaming Lips, organized in the teach English 10 1 this fall. Wakarusa 2006, can be purchased on CD 1980s in Oklahoma City, fought their Bret Dillingham, c’90 , s’94, and Kory from wakarusa.com. way to the top with frenzied shows— Willis, ’0 5, both veterans of the Lawrence famous for massive doses of confetti, bal- music scene, in spring 20 0 5 hatched the idea loons and other props—and a unique, of staging “Jesus Christ Superstar” while Kathryn Conrad, associate professor of psychedellic rock sound. And they’ve sharing beers on a porch.They agreed it English. done so from geographic obscurity. would be a tribute to the original “Brown “Most of the rehearsals we did for six “Sometimes we sit in Oklahoma City Album” of 1970 , featuring Deep Purple’s Ian months were just trying to plow our way and we wonder, ‘If it can happen in Gillan as Jesus, rather than stagier sound- through the music,” Kritikos says.“It’s really Lawrence, why can’t it happen here?’ tracks from Broadway and the 1973 movie. complicated music.” Coyne says. “I don’t know if it can hap- They would have no sets, costumes, act- The production debuted in March, and pen everywhere. It’s an idea, sort of ing or dialogue.While not ignoring the pro- the Wakarusa gig was the troupe’s fifth. being connected to the community.” duction’s inherent emotions, it would be That’s “much more” than they anticipated, only about the music, a rock opera without so the Wakarusa show will be it. For now. overt religious intentions. “Most likely we’ll only do it once a year, Eric Mardis, banjo player for the power- in the springtime in Lawrence, maybe one bluegrass trio Split Lip Rayfield, plays guitar show,” Mardis says.“And then if Wakarusa

EARL RICHARDSON and sings the Jesus role. wants us again, we’d love to do that.” Adds “I was about 14 when my brother laid a Kritikos: “We’ll do Wakarusa anytime they stack of about 20 records on me, and that ask.” was one of them. It’s always been one of my Wakarusa co-director Brett Mosiman, favorite albums,” says Mardis, ’98.“The other whose downtown music venue hosted the part of it was the opportunity to play with first production, was thrilled with the some people I’ve respected forever.” Wakarusa “Superstar” show. The six core musicians— members of “They played The Bottleneck, and they such area bands as Drakkar Sauna, Marry were good, but with this big stage and big Me Moses, Floyd the Barber,The Shebangs production and big crowd, they were just on and The Midday Ramblers— spent months a different level,” Mosiman says.“They were hashing out the arrangement. Kritikos, for really, really good.” instance, had to play horns and strings on Sounds like an invitation for 20 0 7 might his keyboard; vocals were equally challeng- be forthcoming.And next year, count on the ing, tackled both by instrument-playing band faithful getting to the tent on time. members and a chorus, which includes — C. L.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 29 DOMINIC SOVA EARL RICHARDSON

Eddy Joe Cotton, frontman of a vaudeville revue called The Yard Dogs Road Show, admits to being surprised by his first trip to Wakarusa. ■ “What we’re trying to do is to share No rock stars have more fun at their trade than Wayne Coyne (above), who made The Flaming the art and the music,” Cotton says, “and Lips’ headline show memorable. But it wasn’t just the stars who had a blast at Wakarusa: there I can’t think of a much better place to do were fathers and daughters at the Sun Down Stage (right), jammers at the Sunday-afternoon it than in this beautiful country with a drum circle (below), and snapshotters Mike and Loriann Ellis, of Peoria, Ill. (above left), who lot of really happy folks.” relaxed at the shady picnic tables of the coffeehouse tent, where all musicians were free to pull Mike Kaiz, Chicago-based music edi- up a chair and play a few tunes. tor of kyndmusic.com, cites Wakarusa’s mid-continent location as a key to attracting musicians and fans from both events, Kaiz says, and more are out there coasts, plus a lineup featuring more than for the making while talking music at 150 acts on five stages. (There’s also a jam sessions or on the secluded beach.

DJ tent and a “coffeehouse” stage where “You just have to experience it to get CHRIS LAZZARINO all comers are welcome to play). it,” Mosiman says. “I don’t know if “Bonnaroo is trendier, and 10,000 you’ve been to a rock concert in a stadi- Lakes probably has bigger headliners,” um lately, but there aren’t a lot of people Kaiz says. “But Wakarusa has the best asking for trash bags so they don’t leave variety of smaller bands of all the festi- any litter behind. And we saw that with vals, which makes it tops for me.” the very first festival. Something special Leslie Evans, a photographer and is going on out here.” music critic from Raleigh, N.C., agrees that Internet-linked communities, such “You get to let go. That’s why people as e-mail lists and music sites, helped come, so they can let go. Those moments Wakarusa gain momentum and forge a when you sort of lose time, forget about unique identity. everything, just let go and feel that life’s “For a midsize it’s great,” she says. great ... surreal moments wrapped up in a “There’s a good number of stages and sea of reality. That’s why we’re all here.” good bands. The level is just high —JJ Grey, of Florida-based Mofro, which enough, but not so far over the top that has played all three Waka fests it’s a madhouse.” It’s about the music, but not entirely. “It’s all about the rhythm.” Festival veterans typically renew friend- —Michael Franti, of Michael Franti ships with 30 or 40 pals from other and Spearhead

30 | KANSAS ALUMNI walk my dog through Clinton State vendors are intriguing. (A booth selling hoop is far bigger than he is, but Park most Saturdays, but when I retro dance outfits, for instance, claims Schuyler is expert, and slowly and surely arrive for the festival I find a land- to offer new ’70s duds, rescued from a he spins that hoop, around and around Iscape I’ve never seen before. For us bankrupt Denver department store.) and around, in his own rhythm, to festival newbies, the scale is overwhelm- Day after day after day after day, the music only he can hear. ing, even frightening. festival washes over you. By Saturday I’m Very Waka. Yet it all runs remarkably smoothly, thinking of Lawrence, when I think of it The scene repeats late that night, at and once camp is set up (and water pur- at all, as a distant place I couldn’t reach the Sound Tribe Sector 9 show. I’m at chased), cares of the world slip effort- if I wanted to. The disconnect is total. the back of the crowd, mindlessly lessly into dust. I realize I haven’t seen a single iPod. absorbing the cascade of sound and The music comes from all directions. Not one. And as JJ Grey notes during light, when I notice two young women Most of it is terrific, all of it is interest- Mofro’s Sunday set, “I ain’t seen a TV swinging lighted hoops that change col- ing, and even the eclectic, well-traveled since I’ve been here.” ors as they spin. I’m beaten down by the sun, weary of I squint my eyes and all detail falls sleeping on bumpy ground and more away into the night, except the ribbons than ready for a shower, but through it of color, the shimmering rhythm, and an all comes a sort of dulled sense of ela- abstract energy that thumps like a collec-

CHRIS LAZZARINO tion. Wayne Coyne is right, this isn’t tive heart. Woodstock, but something cool is defi- Perhaps I figure something out. nitely happening here. Perhaps this manic weekend isn’t really I rise just after dawn on Sunday, about the music. Not entirely. Perhaps it suprisingly refreshed, unzip my tent flap is something more raw, more kinetic. It and look out on our campground. Only is about movement. Rhythms. Life as cel- one other person is stirring: a boy, 3 or ebrated by the young. 4 years old, the son of festival vendors Yes, Wakarusa is something of a camping nearby, who is alone in a neighboring planet, spinning off on its grassy clearing. He had romped all own trajectory, and those of us of a cer- weekend with the two sons of my camp tain age or place in our lives can never neighbor, a Colorado vendor, and I’d really get what it means to dance in the overheard the boy’s name is Schuyler. dirt and wallow in the music. But it sure But his playmates remain in their is fun when the Wakarusians orbit close camper, so Schuyler is going solo, si- enough for a visit. lently spinning a huge hoop, the kind made from irrigation tubing and sold by vendors on the festival grounds. The

✿ Portable toilets were frequently emptied So you wanna Waka? and cleaned, and were not as horrifying as akarusa is a huge college party, no might be imagined. Still, carry towelettes Wdoubt, but it’s also welcoming for and disinfectant. older music fans. Here are a few tips: ✿ Showers: $4. Lake: free. ✿ If you’re camping, choose one of the ✿ Sit through shows that grab your upgrades.A family-oriented campground is fancy and resist stage-hopping. But also also available. find music that’s outside your comfort zone. It’s about the experience. ✿ Water, ice, food, bug spray and sun lotion are available from vendors and a ✿ Book hotel rooms in advance; Lawrence

24-hour general store. Bring a water bottle hotels rented nearly 1,0 0 0 room nights for SUSAN YOUNGER and refill it at free taps Wakarusa 20 0 6. ✿ Hat. Bandana. Sun/rain umbrella. Blanket ✿ Organizers promise to avoid a repeat ✿ Don’t cut the line. or portable chair. Earplugs.Aspirin. of this year’s opening-day traffic jam; even Binoculars. Camera. so, use the free shuttle. — C. L.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 31 Happy Together

urns out Tolstoy may have people who want to improve family hap- A PSYCHOLOGY been on to something. piness and raise creative, productive The good count opened kids. PROFESSOR’S his classic novel Anna Kerr came to the subject in a round- Karenina with a line that about way. Her background is not in RESEARCH IS has become a sort of adage family research, but in creativity and gift- Ton family life: “Happy families are all edness. Enrolled in a gifted program CHANGING OUR alike; every unhappy family is unhappy while growing up in St. Louis, she began in its own way.” studying giftedness after attending a IMAGE OF FAMILY Families in conflict are the makings of class reunion. She was surprised by how great drama, the sentiment implies. undistinguished many of the promising FULFILLMENT Happy families are dull, bland, boring— young women turned out. the stuff of TV sitcoms, from “The That project led to Smart Girls: A New BY STEVEN HILL Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” on. Psychology of Girls, Women and Giftedness. But Barbara Kerr, a psychologist who The book has sold nearly 100,000 copies studies gifted people in her academic since it was published in 1994. Kerr fol- research and sees them in her private lowed up with Smart Boys: Talent, practice, says Tolstoy got it only half Manhood and the Search for Meaning in right. Happy families aren’t all alike, but 2001. The books focus on what can be they do share many traits. done to encourage gifted girls and boys. Kerr, the Williamson Family Smart Families grew out of a curious Distinguished Professor of Counseling contradiction Kerr noticed in the Psychology in KU’s School of Education, research findings on creativity. believes families who want to be happier About half the studies found that can learn from families who already are. highly successful creative types come She’s writing a book, Smart Families, from chaotic family backgrounds. The which outlines the common themes she other half found that creative geniuses has identified in her studies of happy come from well-adjusted families. families and offers practical advice for “I had this hunch,” says Kerr,

32 | KANSAS ALUMNI Williamson Family Distinguished direction our culture is going,” Kerr says. Her research into what exactly makes Professor of Counseling Psychology, She cites an emphasis on obedience to a happy family has not been kind to the “that tormented geniuses do indeed authority, which is “toxic to creativity,” unit most often held up as the gold stan- come from totally dysfunctional back- and a renewed idealization of the dard of family life. grounds.” Like Vincent Van Gogh, the nuclear family, which she calls “just “The old nuclear family in which dad brilliant but troubled painter, creative plain dangerous because of the high works and mom raises the kids is a types from dysfunctional families may instances of domestic violence and the thing of the past. Yet it’s still the ideal. produce extraordinary work for short tremendous breakdown we see when But that ideal doesn’t work.” periods, often as a way to escape the people are left in poverty to raise chil- Instead, Kerr discovered that happy chaos of their daily lives, but they tend dren alone.” families are typically larger than average, to burn out young. Van Gogh (who recalled his early life as “gloomy and cold and barren”) made 900 paintings and 1,100 drawings in his short career, including 90 paintings in the two EARL RICHARDSON months before he took his own life at 37. “But you’ve also got people who over a lifetime just keep on producing really good stuff,” says Kerr, whose roots are in positive psychology, which developed out of a desire by some psychologists to focus more on human strengths than weaknesses. “Where did they come from?” Her hunch: They come from warm, loving homes with creative, supporting parents. In short, they come from families who are gifted at being families.

◆ ◆ ◆

err’s goal is to make the world safe for creativity. She came to KU from K Arizona State University, where she served as president of the faculty, spearheading an effort to improve the campus environment for faculty innova- tion. KU and Lawrence do a good job fostering creativity, she says—a prime rea- son she took a job here. “For the most part the world is not safe for creative people, particularly the

■ Barbara Kerr,Williamson Family Distinguished Professor of Counseling Psychology, expanded her research on gifted- ness and creativity to look at family life.“What I wanted to understand really was the connec- tion between the family and the creation of happy, creative, balanced adults.”

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 33 either because there are more children or because members of the extended family—aunts, uncles, grandparents, What makes a happy family? cousins—live nearby or in the home. They more closely resemble extended families of old than the modern nuclear err has identified several traits shared by families who report high levels family. of happiness in surveys and psychological tests. Here are five of the most “To me, the nuclear family is a very K common. sad, dysfunctional entity,” Kerr says. “It’s such a lonely unit.” Happy families, by 1. Engaged parents: “In happy families, parents are a lot more available than in contrast, have plenty of backup to help most American families,” Kerr says.Adults work at home more than the national parents with childrearing and offer relief average, often because their careers are in creative fields like photography, writing or when the pressure gets too great. cabinetmaking, or because one or more parent telecommutes.Those with jobs out- “Nuclear families are nuclear: They side the home frequently have flexible schedules that allow them to participate in lead to explosions. You really need relief their children’s lives. to help avoid those explosions.” As if it weren’t enough to debunk the 2. Clockwinders, not helicopters: Even though parents are engaged, they notion that the sitcom family epitomizes don’t hover.“Parents kind of wind up the clock and then it ticks by itself.They set healthy family life, Kerr also holds up as the conditions for kids to be self-disciplined, independent and productive.” Working models of happiness the kinds of units at home, Kerr says, parents model productive behavior, and children learn the value scorned by many who champion the of independent productivity by seeing their parents meet deadlines. cause of family values: One of the 30 families in her first study featured a 3. Creative spaces abound: Parents don’t just model creativity; they also mother, a gay father and the father’s make available the supplies and the space for kids to work and play. Even if it’s only partner living together in one home. the kitchen table, kids know they have a creative space. Happy homes also frequently Another family was led by a mother and have gardens, tree houses and other creative outdoor spaces for kids, which can also father who were divorced but still lived double as private retreats. In happy homes, everyone has at least one private space. together—along with the mother’s new husband, who happened to be the 4. Individual goals are nourished for everyone—even parents: father’s best friend. While the majority Families who sacrifice the children’s needs for the parents’ happiness are obviously of families had both a mother and father, unhealthy. Kerr says families who do the opposite can be unhealthy, too. If a mom single parent families also fit Kerr’s permanently abandons a fulfilling career to rear her children or a dad takes a job he model. Happy families also spread hates to support his family,“it will come back and bite them,” she contends. Happy across a wide range of racial, ethnic and families, by contrast, never lose sight of each individual’s dreams. Sometimes those socioeconomic backgrounds. dreams are deferred while the group rallies to support one member (a mother who Higher income doesn’t correlate with puts her career on hold until children are in school, for example), but Kerr says a greater happiness, but a bigger house happy family is like a rubber band: It stretches to accommodate special needs, but does. Kerr found that families who had always returns to its original shape, ready to stretch again for someone else. space to spread out (no matter if that space was palatial or ramshackle) scored 5. Guidelines rule: Happy families don’t over-regulate; they favor broad guide- higher on the happiness scale. lines rather than rules for everything. For example, parents teach children to respect Other indicators were easier to people (such as teachers, older siblings and family friends) who have something to address for families looking to adopt teach them, instead of instilling absolute obedience some strategies from the happy family to authority. One common family rule playbook: Have dinner together. Families that Kerr likes: Everyone eats din- who break bread together—and use the ner together. Family dinners are time to talk, rather than watch TV—score a great time to catch up on high in Kerr’s happiness studies, as well. daily events and make all The bottom line, Kerr says, is that family members feel they parents must treat the development of have something to the entire family unit much as they treat contribute to the family the development of their children: Seek conversation. out the things that will make each —S.H. stronger.

34 | KANSAS ALUMNI The KU Alumni Association invites nominations for the University’s highest honor Distinguished Service Citation Salute Outstanding Achievements for the Betterment of Society and in Behalf of Humanity

Since 1941 the University of Kansas and its Nominations may come from any source and Alumni Association have bestowed the should include a recent résumé of the candi- Distinguished Service Citation upon 311 alumni date’s service history, including career, published and 32 honorary alumni. Recipients are selected works, previous honors and service to the from nominations submitted to the Alumni world, nation, state, community and University. Association and reviewed by a special Selection Three letters of support should accompany each Committee. Distinguished Service Citation nomination and be sent to the attention of the recipients are honored by the Association and DSC Selection Committee. the University in May, and they march in the The deadline for nominations for the 2007 Commencement procession as honored guests. awards is Sept. 30, 2006.

Send nominations for the 2007 awards to: DSC Selection Committee, KU Alumni Association 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169. For more information go to www.kualumni.org Association

New leaders take

helm in new era EARL RICHARDSON Board elects officers, approves slate of 6 alumni as directors in revised national process

he Association’s national Board of Directors in May elected offi- cers for the new fiscal year and Tapproved a slate of six alumni to serve five-year terms on the Board. Marvin Motley, c’77, l’80, g’81, Leawood, will chair the Association, succeeding David Wescoe, c’76, La Jolla, Calif. Joe Morris, b’61, Leawood, is the Board’s new chair-elect. Motley has had ■ Immediate Past Chair David Wescoe, Chair Marvin Motley and Chair-Elect Joe Morris will lead a long career with Sprint, now Sprint the Association’s national Board of Directors during the 2006-’07 year. Nextel Corp., where he is director of process excellence, and Morris chairs The Capital Corp, an investment firm. Deloitte Touche. He is past chair of the Unions Corp. board. Wescoe is CEO of the San Diego City School of Business Board of Advisors Curtis McClinton Jr., d’62, Kansas Employees’ Retirement System. and a trustee of the KU Endowment City, Mo., is an investment banker with Six Jayhawks who began their terms Association. the firm of Valdes & Moreno Inc., fol- July 1 are: Jay Howard, b’79, Austin, Texas, is lowing his successful career in the Jeff Briley, d’74, Overland Park, is an president of JDH Investments. He is a National Football League. He has served executive with CBIZ, a business-services former member of the KU Memorial the School of Education’s advisory consulting firm. He is former president Unions Corp. board and has served board and has participated in the KU of the Greater Kansas City alumni chap- three one-year terms as a vice chair of Black Alumni Chapter. For KU he was a ter board and a longtime volunteer for the Alumni Association Board. a football All-American and an All-Big the Rock Chalk Ball. He has served a Bradley Korell, l’97, Austin, Texas, is a Eight hurdler. one-year term as vice chair of the partner in the law firm of Korell & Winifred Pinet, c’80, g’82, Plymouth, Association’s national Board. Frolin. He is the longtime leader of both Mich., is founder and president of Howard Cohen, b’79, Leawood, is a the Austin and Dallas alumni chapters, Sycamore Associates, a financial consult- partner in the accounting firm of and he serves on the KU Memorial ing firm. She has served on the KU

Briley Cohen Howard Korell McClinton Pinet

36 | KANSAS ALUMNI Memorial Unions Corp. board and the School of Business Board of Advisors. The May Board meeting marked the culmination of a process that began in The Alumni Association was established in 1883 for the purpose of fall 2005, when Association members strengthening loyalty, friendship, commitment and communication overwhelmingly approved a bylaws among graduates, former and current students, parents, faculty, staff and amendment allowing the Board to all other friends of The University of Kansas. Its members hereby unite into an Association to achieve unity of purpose and action to serve the change the selection process for new best interests of The University and its constituencies.The Association is directors. Instead of holding a national organized exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes. election among six candidates chosen by a committee, the Association invited Board of Directors DIRECTORS TO JULY 2010 Heath Peterson, d’04 nominations from all Association mem- E. Grant Larkin, c’78, Director of Kansas Chapter Garden City Development bers. On April 13, a nominating commit- CHAIR Melissa Rodgers Padgett, Jill Simpson, d’01 tee chaired by Morris selected a slate of Marvin R. Motley, c’77, l’80 , c’83, Lawrence Director of National Chapter g’81, Leawood six nominees and two alternates; the Walter F. Riker III, c’70 , Development Board considered and voted on each CHAIR-ELECT j’78, Aurora, Illinois nominee at its May 19 meeting. In this Joe C. Morris, b’61, Leawood COMMUNICATIONS transition year, as the new bylaws man- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DIRECTORS UNTIL 2011 Chris Lazzarino, j’86 dated the retirement of six Board mem- Jay Howard, b’79, Austin,Texas Jeff P.Briley, d’74, Overland Associate Editor, bers, two members of the slate of new Joe C. Morris, b’61, Leawood Park Kansas Alumni magazine directors, Briley and Howard, have Marvin R. Motley, c’77, l’80 , Howard E. Cohen, b’79, Jennifer Sanner, j’81 Leawood served terms as vice chairs, a position g’81, Leawood Sr VP for Communications Jay Howard, b’79, Austin,Texas and Corporate Secretary that has been eliminated. Walter F. Riker III, c’70, j’78, Aurora, Illinois Bradley G. Korell, l’97, Susan Younger, f’91 The new process went smoothly in its Tedde Tasheff, c’78, Austin,Texas Creative Director first year. Morris and Wescoe urged the New York, New York Curtis R. McClinton Jr., FINANCE Sue Shields Watson, d’75, d’62, Kansas City, Missouri Board and all Association members to Dwight Parman Wichita Winifred S. Pinet, c’80, g’82, submit nominations for next year, now Sr VP for Finance and Human David B.Wescoe, c’76, Plymouth, Michigan through March 1, 2007. Resources and Treasurer La Jolla, California HONORARY MEMBERS The Board’s Executive Committee will HOSPITALITY SERVICES continue to recommend alumni from the DIRECTORS TO JULY 2007 Gene A. Budig, EdD, Bryan Greve Board to serve as chair and chair-elect Con M. Keating, c’63, Princeton, New Jersey Sr VP for Hospitality (formerly known as executive vice chair), Lincoln, Nebraska E. Laurence Chalmers Jr., Joe C. Morris, b’61, Leawood PhD, San Antonio,Texas but the committee has changed. The INTERNET SERVICES Allyn W. Risley e’72, Archie R. Dykes, EdD, Mike Wellman, c’86 Association’s immediate past chair now Houston,Texas Leawood Director of Internet Services will serve one year on the committee Delbert M. Shankel, PhD, and Special Projects rather than four; this change meant the DIRECTORS TO JULY 2008 Lawrence RECORDS retirement of three past chairs: Larry Carol Ann Adams Brown, c’72,Alexandria,V irginia Administrative Staff Bill Green Borden, b’62, g’67, Colorado Springs, Tom H.Collinson, Sr VP for Information Colo.; Robert L. Driscoll, c’61, l’64, c’00, Pittsburg Kevin J. Corbett, c’88 Services Mission Woods; and Linda Duston Tedde Tasheff, c’78, President Stefanie Shackelford Warren, c’66, m’70, Hanover—along with New York, New York Vice President for Alumni ALUMNI CENTER Records at-large member Jill Sadowsky Docking, DIRECTORS TO JULY 2009 Timothy E. Brandt, b’74 c’78, g’84, Wichita, who completed her Robert T.Stephan, ’54, Director of Adams Alumni SPECIAL EVENTS five-year elected term. Also retiring are Lenexa Center Lora Stoppel vice chairs Tony Guy, c’82, Kansas City, Becky VanWyhe Thomas, ALUMNI PROGRAMS Vice President for Mo., and Monty Strecker, b’80, e’86, Baldwin City & MEMBERSHIP Special Events Sue Shields Watson, d’75, Jennifer Alderdice, g’99 Ellinwood. Wichita The new Executive Committee will Director of Student Programs include Motley, Morris, Wescoe and four Michael W. Davis, d’84, g’91 at-large Board members: Jay Howard; Sr VP for Alumni Programs Tedde Tasheff, c’78, New York, N.Y.; Walt Riker, c’70, j’78, Aurora, Ill.; and Sue Shields Watson, d’75, Wichita. Class Notes BY KAREN GOODELL

1947 Life Lessons From My Father, which was magazine, which named “35 Who Made Thomas Cadden, c’47, former vice published by Xlibris. He lives in a Difference.” Wes, who lives in Salina, is president of Tatham-Laird & Kudner Maplewood, N.J. president of the Land Institute. Advertising, continues to make his home Wanda Welliever Porter, c’58, makes Lola Perkins, d’60, g’65, a retired in Glenview, Ill. In 1958, he wrote the her home in Kailua, Hawaii. English teacher, makes her home in famous advertising jingle for Mr. Clean Rockport, Maine. cleanser that is still used by Procter & 1959 Gamble. Pierre Chanover, g’59, is a professor 1962 of French at Florida Atlantic University. Dennis Lemon, e’62, is president of 1951 He lives in Boynton Beach. BlueRiver Consulting in Tempe, Ariz. Richard Houseworth, b’51, directs John Fowler, e’59, retired recently as Douglas Mayor, b’62, makes his home government relations for Capitol CEO of Dewberry Inc., an engineering in Carefree, Ariz., where he’s president of Bancorp. He lives in Paradise Valley, and architecture firm. He continues to D.L. Mayor Inc. Ariz. make his home in Hume, Va. 1963 1955 1960 James Ferrell, b’63, makes his home Dorothy Rex rode Kirk, d’55, g’72, a Wes Jackson, g’60, was featured in in Houston. He’s chairman and CEO of retired teacher and principal, continues last November’s issue of Smithsonian Ferrellgas. to make her home in Lawrence.

1956 Sally Roney Hoglund, c’56, recently was named a recipient of an Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award from KU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for her extensive public service. Sally and her husband, Forrest, e’56, live in Dallas. Diane Klepper, c’56, m’64, former assistant dean of admissions and stu- dent affairs at the University of New Mexico school of medicine, was named a Distinguished Alumna by the school’s medical alumni association. She lives in Albuquerque.

1957 Doria Abbott, s’57, a retired clinical social worker, lives in Merriam and keeps busy with golf, exercise and travel. Francis Hobson, b’57, makes his home in Vacaville, Calif., where he’s a retired commander in the U.S. Navy.

1958 Jay Fisher, f’58, works as an artist for the Art Bunch in Chicago. John Gardenhire, d’58, recently wrote

38 | KANSAS ALUMNI Truman Howell, a’63, is president of Truman Howell Architects in Minnetonka, Minn. He lives in St. Paul. Jerry Jennett, b’63, was inducted into the Beta Gamma Honor Society at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga. He’s president and CEO of Gulf Sulfur. Robert Mainey, s’63, retired recently from the Vera French Mental HealthCenter in Davenport, Iowa, where he worked for 38 years.

1964 Martha Shirley Randall, f’64, g’66, was named president of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She lives in Silver Spring and is a lecturer in voice and vocal pedagogy at the University of Maryland.

1965 John Smith, c’65, l’68, retired as assis- tant general counsel in the law depart- ment of Enterprise Products Partners in Houston. He and his wife, Martha, recently moved to Lake City, Colo.

1966 Stephen Chambers, l’66, practices law with Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge in Traverse City, Mich. He lives in Leland.

1968 Bart Eisfelder, c’68, practices law with Foland Wickens Eisfelder Roper & Hofer in Kansas City. He was named one of 11 outstanding Missouri lawyers by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. Thomas King, d’68, is artistic director of the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Charles Parden, c’68, works as a sen- home in Lawrence. emeritus in Ibaraki, Japan. ior parts specialist with Applied Control Clyde Toland, c’69, l’75, is executive Janis Busch Roesslein, d’72, chairs the Equipment in Centennial, Colo. director and curator of the Allen County Women’s Symphony League Jewel Ball Historical Society in Iola, where he and in Austin, Texas. 1969 1970 Charles Spitz, a’72, recently received a Diane Larson Lazzarino, g’69, retired Linda Pollnow, d’70, is vice president Military Oustanding Volunteer Service in May after 37 years on the faculty of and general manager of Wellpoint in Medal from the U.S. Coast Guard and the KU School of Journalism. An award Camarillo, Calif. the Daniel Carter Beard Medal for distin- in her name will be given annually to an guished service from the Grand Master outstanding student in strategic commu- 1972 of the Grand Masonic Lodge of New nications. She continues to make her Koichi Fujii, PhD’72, is a professor Jersey. He and Peggy Hundley Spitz,

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 39 Class Notes

1974 Pauline Centinaro Jelken, d’74, teach- es for the Jefferson Township Board of Education in Lake Hopatcong, N.J., and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She lives in Wharton.

1975 Curtis Anderson, c’75, owns Curtis R. Anderson, O.D., in Lawrence. Robert Hassig, d’75, teaches history at Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences in Kansas City, where he was named 2005 Teacher of the Year. Ronda Richardson Hassig, d’80, a library media specialist at Harmony Middle School in Blue Valley, recently earned a national board certifi- cation in secondary library science.

1976 Kathryn Kosier Chrobot, n’76, is a patient safety officer at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, Calif. Carol Norland Davis, d’76, directs integration services for QHR Consulting Services. She and her husband, William, d’74, g’79, PhD’85, live in Fort Collins, Colo. He’s a professor of music at Colorado State University. Thomas Stubbs, j’76, does technical support at KU’s Watkins Student Health Center. He lives in Lawrence. David Wescoe, c’76, is CEO and plan administrator for the San Diego City Employee’s Retirement System. He and Sibyl Goetz Wescoe, c’75, live in La Jolla, Calif.

1978 Mark Gabrick, c’78, lives in Lawrence, where he’s senior manager of corporate sales and marketing for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Richard Gunn, PhD’78, retired as f’70, make their home in Wall Township, Colo., where he also serves on the City chairman of the department of foreign N.J. Council. languages at the University of Raymond Wilbur, EdD’73, recently Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He lives in Eleva. 1973 was inducted into the Kansas Teachers Leo Howell, c’78, is a manufacturing Kristen Schwein Allen, d’73, teaches Hall of Fame. He lives in Lawrence. engineer with Spirit AeroSystems in instructional technology at West Rock Wichita. Creek Elementary School in Kansas City. BORN TO: William Herpin, e’73, is a senior con- Douglas Westerhaus, b’73, l’76, and MARRIED figuration management analyst for Victoria, son, Nicholas Bernard, Feb. 2 in Chris Brady, e’78, to Molly Holm, Lockheed Martin in Colorado Springs, Overland Park. March 4. They live in Seattle, where

40 | KANSAS ALUMNI Chris works for Boeing. ness director for Threshold Dance College in Atchison. Theater. He lives in Henderson, Nev. Nina Meetin Redlin, p’80, works as a 1979 Stephen Salanski, c’79, is program pharmacist for Kaiser Foundation Health David Conrad, e’79, works as project director of the Research Family Medicine Plan. She lives in Reston, Va. manager for Exxon Mobil in Bayton, Residency in Kansas City. He and his Eliezer Meza Zerlin, e’80, manages Texas. He lives in Houston. wife, Phyllis, live in Lee’s Summit. projects and is a system administrator Ralph Foiles, e’79, is president of John Stagich, c’79, works as project for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in Process Protection in Lenexa. leader for Cook Systems in Topeka. Paul Kerens, b’79, is senior executive Germantown, Tenn. officer at the Kansas City Orthopaedic BORN TO: Institute in Leawood. 1980 Lisa Schultes, b’80, l’85, and Dan Mark Olson, j’79, directs marketing Richard Konzem, b’80, recently O’Connell, d’83, g’95, son, James for USA Capital in Las Vegas and is busi- became athletics director at Benedictine Daniel, March 16 in Fairway, where he

Profile BY CHRIS LAZ Z ARINO COURTESY BOB PINE COURTESY From Albania to Zambia, home in his Navy uniform and Pines have seen it all proposed marriage. Bob spent 22 years as a Naval aviator, yet while ob and Dorothy May Pine he toured the world, Dorothy recently returned from a cruise stayed behind to rear their through the Caribbean and children. Bdown the Amazon, all the way After retiring from the Navy in to the Brazilian river city of Manaus. Yet 1963, Bob Pine accepted a job as what would have been the trip of a life- housing administrator at the time for more sedate travelers was just University of Colorado, where he the latest in thick catalogs of journeys had once served as the command- the Pines have embarked upon together. ing officer of Navy ROTC. Settled So well traveled is the Boulder, Colo., into their second career in couple that they were recently honored Boulder, the Pines began traveling. by the Travelers’ Century Club as the “I thought it would be nice for ■ Bob and Dorothy Pine, seen here at Iwo Jima, have first couple to visit all 192 nations recog- her to see some of the things I visited all 315 worldwide destinations recognized by nized by the U.S. Department of State, had a chance to see with the the Travelers’ Century Club.They are the first couple plus the club’s other 123 territories and Navy,” he says. “We had no idea to do so, and Dorothy is the first woman.The most island groups. we would visit every place in the beautiful place she’s seen? “Lawrence, Kansas.” “We’ve been caught in the middle of world. It just happened. I’m not a few revolutions and earthquakes, suf- sure how it happened, but I’m glad fered from many illnesses ... we even got it did.” we’re going to be traveling, why not go robbed in Iran once,” says Bob, d’41, The Pines recall that in the 1970s, a to some of these places on the Travelers’ c’46. “So you learn a few lessons as you fellow traveler asked how many places Century Club list?” Bob says. “And sure go and hope for the best.” they had visited. It had not occurred to enough, we got them all.” Dorothy, c’42, is, like her husband, a them to count their passport stamps, but Bob Pine says their next trip won’t be Lawrence native. (She grew up on once they did, the number shocked further than Utah, which sounds just Vermont Street, and Bob was one of the them: 135 countries. When they learned fine to his road-weary bride. many Pines in North Lawrence.) After about the Travelers’ Century Club “I’m threatening to tie him to a chair,” her KU graduation, Dorothy May (www.travelerscenturyclub.org), for Dorothy says. “But it’s all been very nice. planned to report to Walter Reed Army those who’ve visited at least 100 coun- We’ve met some wonderful people on Medical Center in Washington, D.C., for tries, they checked the list of the group’s these trips, and we’ve had a marvelous an internship, but changed her mind 315 official destinations. time doing all this together. It’s a won- when her handsome sweetheart came “I guess we told ourselves, as long as derful way to spend your life.”

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 41 Class Notes joins a sister, Elizabeth, 7. Lisa is a senior 1982 eral manager of public sector capability partner at Polsinelli Shalton Welte Terry Matlack, l’82, g’82, is principal for Koch Industries in Wichita. Suelthaus, and Dan teaches at Pembroke and CFO of Tortoise Capital Advisors in Suzanne Hackmann Bonney, a’83, Hill School. Overland Park. a’84, commutes from Leonardo, N.J., to Brian McCormally, l’82, recently , where she’s project man- 1981 became a partner in the Washington, ager for Mancini Duffy Architects. Richard Moser, p’81, m’85, is chief of D.C., firm of Arnold & Porter. Jan Fink Call, c’83, l’87, recently staff at Greeley County Hospital in Cheryl Sell Stewart, h’82, owns became counsel at Decert LLP in Tribune. He recently was named Kansas Midwest Therapy Consultants in Philadelphia. She lives in Huntingdon Family Physician of the Year. Glenwood, Iowa. Valley. Thaine Shetter, j’81, manages copy- Joseph Moore, c’83, serves as a lieu- editing for Accenture in Princeton, N.J. 1983 tenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. He lives in Lawrenceville. Richard Anderson, b’83, g’85, is gen- He lives in Lebanon, Pa.

Profile BY TAMMY DODDERIDGE

Hometown clinic fulfills lor’s degree in genetics, he

vow for Ethiopian doctor entered medical school. COURTESY AKEZA TEAME Conducting a summer e was just 13 years old when research project on HIV he lost his mother. In prevention his first year, he Ethiopia, where they lived, saw that little progress was Hhealth care was not readily being made in Ethiopia. available. All he could do was watch her He teamed up with fellow health slowly deteriorate. After she died, Ethiopian Sisay Shimelis to he promised himself he would someday develop a plan to open a help the people of his country so they hospital there. would not have to suffer as she had. With the help of Today, Akeza Teame, c’97, m’01, is Independence, Mo., busi- ■ School of Medicine alumnus Akeza Teame used donated making good on his promise. In nessman James Everett, medical equipment and supplies from the Kansas City area to February he opened the St. Yared they formed the Ethiopia open a much-needed health care clinic earlier this year in his Higher Clinic in Addis Ababa, a multi- Health Support Founda- native Ethiopia. specialty health care clinic that offers tion to seek donations. gynecology, pediatrics, internal medi- Independence Regional cine, HIV testing and treatment, and Health Center and the Medical Center Teame is gratified by the success of many other services. of Independence provided more than the clinic, but plans to do more. “It is probably the best clinic in the $188,000 in medical equipment and “We have completed the blueprints city and possibly the country,” Teame supplies, and IRHC made a $5,000 for a 200-bed hospital and are physi- says. donation. Teame and Shimelis decided cally looking for the resources to get it St. Yared allows patients access to the to start small with a clinic. They com- started,” he says. “Once we get the most advanced medical expertise and bined the donations with their personal resources, we can implement this proj- has earned the support of Ethiopia’s savings and bank loans to open the ect; hopefully within a year’s time we minister of health. facility. can start construction.” “I always wanted to study medicine Recently, the Albert Einstein College Beginning in July, Teame will spend so I could go back and help my coun- of Medicine in New York City, where every other month at the clinic. By the try,” Teame says. “I was so fortunate to Teame is completing his residency, end of 2007, he hopes to move home to come to the U.S. and get the best educa- chose the clinic as a training site for its Ethiopia and continue his mission of giv- tion possible. Now I want to give back.” students. Residents will spend one- ing back to his native land. Teame came to the United States to month rotations seeing patients and giv- —Dodderidge, j’83, study in 1990. After earning his bache- ing lectures to medical students. is a Lenexa free-lance writer.

42 | KANSAS ALUMNI Country Living 1407 N. 1100 Road Lawrence, KS 66046

Enjo y w ild turk ey and deer near 1892 barn and contemporary home on 5. 34 acres. Tw o miles south of Law rence city limits w ith rural w ater, natural gas on hard surface roads. Landmark barn of limestone/ w ood. Original: 1350 sq . ft; recent additions= 5 ,000 sq . ft; w eathervane tops barn cupola. Efficiency HVAC new in 12-2001. Contemporary home built in 1968 has limestone front, cedar siding, asphalt shingled roof, double entry doors, 3 bdrms– one eq uipped as an office. Master bdrm is 14’x 17’. See-through frpl w . can- tilevered hearth betw een 30’ lvng & fm room. Furnace new 12-2001. Hex agonal deck 3 0’x 3 0’ w raps around 3 mature cedar Terence Pinne, c’83, is a consultant Michiko Kooken, c’85, g’99, teaches trees w ith catw alk along side of house. with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in life skills for the Olathe public schools. Separate living area in 5 0’x 26 ’ Kansas City. Sara Wylie Malone, g’85, will travel to semi-furnished bsmnt has 3 bdrms, bath, China next fall with People to People. k itchen, lvng rm w ith frpl. 1984 She lives in Tulsa, Okla. Landscaping includes mature pine & Sheryln Wyatt Manson, d’84, man- Scott Roulier, d’85, is a broker associ- cedar trees, evergreen & other shrubs, ages marketing communications for ate with Loreto Bay Co. in San Diego. w ildflow ers, perennials and rock edging. Perceptive Software in Shawnee. Susan Evans Wollenberg, b’85, lives $ 478,000 Mi-Ling Stone Poole, j’84, wrote in Overland Park. She’s vice president of When You Want the Truth About financial planning and administration Karl W. or Irene S. Reynolds Decorating, published by iUniverse. She’s for Kansas City Southern. 785-865-3818 a columnist for The Oklahoman, and she For more info and pictures, lives in Edmond, Okla., with her hus- 1986 email: isreynolds@ aol.com band, Edward Poole, c’84, m’88. Mary Carter, j’86, works as a health Anne Smith, a’84, a’85, lives in San producer for CNN.com in . Diego, where she’s a principal with A.M. John Grob, e’86, g’88, is a principal Smith Architect. with Grob Engineering Services in Kurt Swaney, e’84, g’86, works for Lawrence. Lockheed Martin in Boulder, Colo. Lacey Root Roe, j’86, lives in Marietta, Ga. She’s vice president of cus- 1985 tomer retention at HomeBanc. Melissa Sampson Chestnut, j’85, Steven Wolcott, c’86, g’91, teaches works as a free-lance journalist in communications at Wilberforce Lawrence. University in Xenia, Ohio.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 43

Jerome Younger, e’86, g’92, works as John McNitt, g’89, is program manager ket analysis for Invista in Wichita. state engineer and assistant secretary of of CH2M Hill in San Antonio, Texas. Brent Prauser, b’91, g’94, works as transportation at the Kansas Department Rani Self, c’89, works as a costumer in tax manager for J.E. Dunn Construction of Transportation. Jerry and his wife, Valley Glen, Calif. in Kansas City. Susan, f’91, the Alumni Association’s William Swan, j’91, works as a creative director, live in Lawrence. BORN TO: medicare provider relations representa- Christopher Brown, c’89, g’92, and tive for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of BORN TO: Denise Perpich, c’92, son, Connor Kansas. He lives in Topeka. Dean Brush, j’86, and Tina, son, Vinko Brown, Feb. 20 in Lawrence, Trevor, April 25 in Olathe. Dean is where he joins a brother, Jason, 3. 1992 major accounts manager for the Kansas City Star. 1990 BORN TO: Gerald, c’92, m’96, and Vikki Dillard 1987 BORN TO: Gambrill, n’95, son, Griffin Dillard, Nov. Victoria Isenhour Charlesworth, c’87, Chad, c’90, l’94, and Kara Beach 30 in Mission, where he joins a sister, is assistant city manager and city clerk Gillam, d’94, g’96, daughter, Rachel Gwen, who’s nearly 3. for the city of Shawnee. She lives in Marie, Dec. 16 in Arvada, Colo., where Overland Park. she joins two sisters, Megan, 3, and 1993 Abigail, 2. Chad is a shareholder in Lynn Brinckmeyer, PhD’93, recently 1988 Kennedy Childs & Fogg. was appointed president of the National John Montgomery, j’88, g’91, recently Association for Music Education. She’s became vice president of Harris 1991 an associate professor of music and Enterprises. He’s also editor and pub- Ronald Baker, c’91, is executive direc- director of choral music education at lisher of the Hays Daily News. tor of St. Luke’s Care in Kansas City. Texas State University in San Marcos. Stacey Empson, c’91, l’94, g’99, John Mullies, b’93, h’97, works 1989 makes her home in Evanston, Ill. She’s as microbiology senior architect for Mark Heinrich, g’89, commands the an executive and partner with IBM Cerner Corporation’s Department of Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Global Business Service. Defense Clinical Anatomic Pathology Supply Center in Richmond, Va. Gregory Monroe, e’91, manages mar- and Laboratory COTS software project.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 45 Class Notes

He lives in Overland Park. of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of he’s a U.S. Air Force surgeon. Bryan Reed, c’93, is a senior the Association for Women in Nathan McCaffrey, c’98, lives in developer with Blue Coat Systems Communications and national confer- Liberal, where he’s an attorney associate in Austin, Texas. ence co-chair for this fall’s national con- with Yoxall Antrim Yoxall Fitgerald & ference. McCaffrey. 1994 Matthew Abrams, c’94, is a partner BORN TO: BORN TO: in Cumberland Consulting Group in Dean Hovind, j’96, and Dana, son, Jennifer Martin Adams, b’98, g’03, Franklin, Tenn. Cambell Dax, Feb. 10 in San Marcos, and Mark, e’99, daughter, Marin Isabella, Calif. Dean is an area representative for Dec. 3 in Olathe. Jennifer is an auditor 1995 Resmae Mortgage in San Diego. with Sprint, and Mark is a mechanical Lance Williams, ’95, is senior man- Todd LaSala, l’96, and Nancy, son, engineer with Chevron Texaco. ager of technology strategy for Sprint Anthony Paul, Sept. 15 in Overland Park. Melissa Hoag Sherman, c’98, l’01, in Overland Park. Todd is a partner in the Kansas City law and Christopher, l’01, daughter, Audrey firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker. Ann, Dec. 14 in Leawood. Melissa prac- BORN TO: tices law with Lathrop & Gage in Milly Harris Laughlin, j’95, and 1997 Overland Park, and Christopher prac- Jeffrey, son, Adam Jeffrey, Nov. 1 in tices law with Payne & Jones. Olathe. Molly is an account supervisor MARRIED for Zillner Marketing Communications Nan Mullen, b’97, to Chris Urban, BORN TO: in Lenexa. Feb. 18. They live in Troy, Ohio. Andrew George, b’98, and Jennifer, son, Alexander Payden, Nov. 17 in New 1996 1998 York City. Robert Dunne, b’96, works for Dunne Kari Henke Lewis, n’98, serves as a Investment in Wichita. nurse in the U.S. Air Force. She and her 1999 Mary Rupert, g’96, is president-elect husband, Jeffrey, live in England, where Mark Adams, e’99, is a project engi-

46 | KANSAS ALUMNI neer with Chevron Energy Solutions in Fredric, Dec. 18 in Maplewood, Minn. Curtis Keyes, c’00, is an adjunct pro- Shawnee Mission. Justen, c’99, g’01, and Sarah fessor at Roosevelt University in Misty Ayers, j’99, recently graduated Campbell McKee, d’00, g’04, son, Chicago. from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Harper Jacksen, March 1 in Prairie Devon Reese, l’00, lives in Sparks, University in Daytona Beach, Fla. She’s a Village. Nev. He’s vice president and general pilot with Atlantic Southeast Airlines in counsel for Becker General Contractors. Atlanta. 2000 Stacey Wright, b’00, works as a finan- Alex Franz, e’99, flies for Airnet Michael Blundell, c’00, g’01, is a solu- cial analyst with Sprint Nextel. She lives Express in Kansas City. tion architect for Cerner. He lives in Del in San Francisco. Mar, Calif. BORN TO: John Glaser, c’00, a firefighter and MARRIED Scott, c’99, m’03, and Erika Nutt EMT for the Shawnee Fire Department, Aaron Wilmes, c’00, to Kiersten Donner, s’99, l’03, s’03, son, Brennan makes his home in Olathe. Gens, Nov. 12 in Lawrence, where

Profile BY CHRIS LAZ Z ARINO GRADY PHELAN GRADY Inventor hopes new bat everything I do,” he says, but hits for safety until that afternoon in the backyard, his creative drive rady Phelan loves baseball. had been directed toward During his undergraduate marketing, advertising and days he tried out for the KU interactive media. Gbaseball team, and the St. He began working with a Louis communications entrepreneur has local craftsman, who turned since stayed close to the game as a out bats on a lathe and helped youth-league coach, softball player and Phelan realize his ideas for hickory-nut fungo hitter. ergonomic handles. At the It was the latter that ignited Phelan’s same time, Phelan immersed creative drive to invent a safer bat. himself in rule books issued “Fungo” refers to a batter tossing a by , the ball—or hickory nut—up in the air, NCAA and softball organiza- quickly gripping a bat with both hands tions, and he researched bat ■ Grady Phelan says his ergonomic bat knob is the only and swinging. Fungoes are usually hit by history. significant alteration for big-league bats since outfielder coaches to help fielders hone their skills, Phelan also consulted sci- José Cardenal in 1972 designed the scooped head to but it also works fine for fathers and entists, coaches and players at increase bat speed. sons who pass a lazy Saturday by whap- his hometown Washington ping hickory nuts over the fence. University, and he brought prototypes to this spring, when Major League Baseball “I was using a little aluminum bat, KU to get input from coach Ritch Price’s and the NCAA both announced that his and after about an hour I developed a players. He even won over his beloved design would be legal for game use. pain in my hand,” recalls Phelan, f’85. St. Louis Cardinals after they invited Phelan is now meeting with bat man- “We took a break, came back out, and Phelan to bring his bats to their spring ufacturers, and he hopes to sell the tech- after just three or four more fungoes, I training camp. nology to a company that makes alu- accidentally released the bat and almost “Right after contact, the batter rolls minum and wooden bats for baseball hit my son. I realized something was his wrist through, and the knob digs and softball players at all levels. amiss, that something was not quite into that part of the hand,” Phelan “The very first use of it in a game, the right with the bat.” explains. “That compresses nerves and player hit a screaming single between Phelan saw that he had developed a tendons, and in that split second, the the third baseman and the shortshop,” black bruise on left side of his left palm, pinkie and ring fingers can fail.” Phelan says. “And it was my 11-year-old where it rubbed against the bat’s knob. Phelan says the angled knob fixes son, Brian, so that is obviously a very “Creativity has always been the core of that, and he cleared his biggest hurdle special memory.”

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 47 Class Notes

Aaron is an optometrist. in the accounting department at RD City. He’s assistant vice president and Johnson Excavating, and Kyly works for commercial relationship manager for 2001 Payless ShoeSource in Topeka. Commercial Federal Bank in Lee’s Ethan Domke, c’01, practices law with Summit, Mo. Donovan Hatem in Boston. BORN TO: Michael Harman, d’02, is a team man- Andrea Wohlers, j’01, manages Douglas, e’01, and Mary Corcoran ager for Red Bull North America. He brand education at Absolut Vodka in Vanhooser, j’99, c’99, daughter, Parker lives in San Antonio. New York City. Sherry, June 9 in Olathe. Douglas is a Mark McLean, d’02, works as a mort- project engineer for Black & Veatch, and gage consultant for Supreme Lending in MARRIED Mary teaches in Kansas City. Austin, Texas. Timothy Bateman, b’01, g’02, and Kathryn Bailey Reddy, c’02, is a coun- Kyly Pyle, b’02, g’03, April 22 in 2002 selor at Visitation Academy in St. Louis. Lawrence, where they live. Tim works Ryan Gerstner, b’02, lives in Kansas Michael Smith, b’02, l’05, practices

Profile BY STEVEN HILL

Cervantes finds own voice American writer Luci Tapahonso opened

promoting Latino writers her eyes even more to the Latino literary EARL RICHARDSON presence. t KU Angela Cervantes often The discovery, she says, kindled a heard the question English conviction that her literary point of view majors love to hate: What are was valuable. Reading in public further A you going to do, teach? affirmed that belief. What she really wanted to do was “I’m always amazed by how many write. older women come up to me afterward “I never really believed writing could and say they were moved by my work,” be a career for me,” says Cervantes. “I she says. “Or how many younger kind of tucked away my aspirations to women want to share their writing be a writer and focused instead on ‘the with me.” real world.’” Cervantes writes a newspaper But as a founder of the Latino Writers column for Kansas City Hispanic Collective and a board member of The News and is a regular commentator Writers Place in Kansas City, Cervantes on “KC Currents,” a local news maga- found that working with other writers— zine on National Public Radio station particularly young poets—helped build KCUR. She has begun to reach a wider ■ “I don’t usually like to get into political stuff, confidence in her own work. audience by focusing on the experience but it always comes out,” says Kansas City “Before I could suggest that they go of being a Latina in Kansas. She record- writer Angela Cervantes.“You can’t talk about out and read their poetry, I had to lead ed work for “La Raza Spoken Here,” a your cultural experience without it having some by example,” she says. “When I started spoken word CD due out this summer sort of political themej.” to read my poetry to others, I got such a from Calaca Press in San Diego, and her positive response that I knew I was on short story “What’s Up With Dads and American roots than a cultural call-to- the right path.” Pork Chop Sandwiches” was included arms. Cervantes, who grew up in the in Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul, That is exactly how Cervantes wants it. Oakland area of Topeka, wrote stories published in 2005. “The best way I can express myself is and “silly little poems” as a kid. She The loosely autobiographical story through art,” she says. “I’m not the type eventually began to notice that voices is told from the viewpoint of a daughter to get into heated discussions. I think like hers seemed to be missing from the reflecting on her father’s involvement in that it has to be art that nudges us to literary scene. When she arrived at KU, the Chicano political movement of the improve the world around us. If it’s not she discovered the work of Sandra 1970s. It’s a playful tale, more a tribute art, I don’t know what else it could Cisneros, and a class with Native to the father’s pride in his Mexican- be.”

48 | KANSAS ALUMNI ISSUE 4, 2006 | 49 Class Notes law with Sanders Conkright & Warren in Overland Park. Christopher Toy, d’02, works as an engineer with Apex Engineers in Merriam.

MARRIED Myriam Vuckovic, PhD’02, to Robert Schlotterer, Aug. 26. Their home is in Bethesda, Md.

BORN TO: Amanda Teel-Moon, p’02, and Shaun, daughter, Teagan Hailey, Feb. 5 in Savannah, Ga. Mark, e’02, and Sara Nash Wiehn, d’00, g’02, daughter, Emmaleigh Theresa, March 27 in Wichita, where she joins two brothers, Phillip, 3, and Noah, 1.

2003 Kimberly Kardash, j’03, is an account service manager for Williams-Labadie in Chicago. Todd Karpinski, g’03, directs the phar- macy at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Ill. Jill Schryer Swank, d’03, g’05, coordi- nates special projects for Kansas Athletics Inc. at KU. She lives in Olathe. Megan Wood, s’03, directs social serv- ices for Harborside Health Care in Milford, N.H. She lives in Bedford.

MARRIED Craig Hartman, j’03, to Heidi Moritz, Feb. 25. They live in Prairie Village, and Craig is senior account manager for Lock/Line. Nikki Wahle, b’03, to Matt Barrett, April 22. Their home is in New Strawn.

2004 Patrick Godinez, c’04, serves as a B- at Grosvenor Capital in Chicago. 2005 52 electronic warfare officer in the U.S. Jeanne Wohletz, g’04, manages infor- Nicole Chaikin, j’05, works as a mar- Air Force stationed at Minot AFB, N.D. mation technology for Ernst & Young in keter at Allen Press in Lawrence. Brian Kennalley, b’04, works as senior Kansas City. John Nugent, b’05, is an investment account manager for CareerBuilder.com sales analyst for Jones Lang LaSalle in Chicago. MARRIED Hotels in Chicago. Brian Konie, c’04, is an air-traffic con- Mekaela Nichols, c’04, and Joseph Matthew Qu inlivan, e’05, works as a trol officer for the U.S. Marine Corps. Kramer, j’04, March 4. They live in design engineer for Alpine Engineered He’s stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Gardner, and Mekaela is a real-estate Products in Earth City, Mo. Brent Newcomb, b’04, is an associate loan processor for Wells Fargo Financial. Latasha Scott, c’05, teaches preschool

50 | KANSAS ALUMNI at LaPetite Academy. She lives in Grandview, Mo. Sabrina Warren, c’05, works as a membership development associate for KPTS Channel 8 in Wichita. Paige Worthy, j’05, edits copy and designs pages for Sun Tribune Newspapers in Kansas City.

2006 Andy Gustafson, c’06, is an associate broker at Sperry Van Ness in Kansas City. He lives in Stilwell. Michael Hallecook, c’06, manages project controls for Aker Kvaener in Vancouver, Canada. His home is in Olathe. Megan Maise, c’06, coordinates accounts for Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek Communications in New York City. She lives in Stamford, Conn.

Associates Donna Shank, assoc., recently was hon- ored as Citizen of the Year by the South- west Daily Times. She is chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents and vice presi- dent of Al Shank Insurance in Liberal.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 51 In Memory

1930s Christian Science Publishing Society and include a son; four brothers, three of Edna Raybourn Cape, c’31, 98, April one of five directors worldwide of the whom are John, e’50, Wayne, e’51, and 11 in Coffeyville, where she was a retired Christian Science Church. Two sons and Norman, e’58; five grandchildren; and dietitian and teacher. Several nieces and eight grandchildren survive. three great-grandchildren. nephews survive. Amos Lingard, g’37, PhD’40, 94, Feb. Preston Burtis Jr., b’41, 86, March 22 Louella Newell Carlile, c’34, g’35, 93, 21 in Rapid City, where he was retired in Hutchinson, where he had a career in May 8 in Bellingham, Wash., where she from the South Dakota School of Mines. the automobile business. He is survived was a retired teacher. Several cousins A daughter and two grandchildren sur- by two daughters, one of whom is Becky, survive. vive. d’73; and two sons. David Carson, c’36, 89, May 7 in Felice Hughs Moller, n’33, 93, April Albert Chase, e’46, b’48, 79, Feb. 6 in Kansas City, where he was a retired 15 in Ocala, Fla. She is survived by a Sun Lakes, Ariz., where he was a retired attorney. He is survived by his wife, daughter, a sister, two brothers, five engineer. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Wahl Carson, c’38; two sons, grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren Eileen, two daughters, a son and two David, c’61, and Philip, c’72; a daughter, and a great-great-grandchild. granddaughters. Elizabeth, c’78; and five grandchildren. Dorothy Stuart Moulden, c’36, 91, Hubert “ Duck” Duckett Jr., e’43, 86, Ward Cole, g’32, m’36, 97, May 13 in Nov. 28 in Casper, Wyo., where she was Jan. 30 in Overland Park, where he was Wellington, where he was a retired a retired teacher. Two daughters, eight a retired civil engineer. He is survived physician. He is survived by four sons, grandchildren and nine great-grandchil- by his wife, Barbara, a son, a daughter, one of whom is Sherman, c’68, m’72; a dren survive. three grandchildren and three great- daughter, Mary Anne, n’76; eight grand- Edna Turrell Pike, c’35, 92, May 14 in grandchildren. children; and two great-grandchildren. Wichita. A memorial has been estab- Lloyd Grady, d’48, 87, Dec. 18 in Winifred Stilwell Culp, c’34, 93, lished with the KU Endowment Altamont. Two nephews and a niece March 31 in Cincinnati. During World Association. She is survived by three survive. War II, she was the first woman to join daughters, Carolyn Pike Lindsey, d’69, Dalton Holland, b’43, l’49, 84, May 8 the Women’s Auxilliary Army Corps Diana Pike Palenz, c’71, and Barbara in Harper. He is survived by his wife, from the state of Kansas and the highest- Pike Shellito, c’74; and two grandsons. Mary Paschal Holland, d’47; three ranking woman on General MacArthur’s Frances Sewell Plamann, c’38, 90, daughters, two of whom are Bonita staff in the Philippines. She later taught April 19 in Hiawatha. A stepdaughter is Holland Winer, ’68, and Sara Holland- school and worked as a volunteer. A among survivors. Adams, j’76; two sons; and eight grand- daughter, two sons and two grandsons Garnette Hughes Walsh, c’34, 92, children. survive. Jan. 28 in Boulder, Colo., where she was Marybelle Long Hollis, f’43, 84, April Esther Abell Denton, f’30, 97, Jan. 17 a retired dietitian. A memorial has been 10 in Prairie Village. Survivors include a in Midland, Texas. She is survived by a established with the KU Endowment son; a daughter, Mary Hollis Hoffman, son, a stepdaughter, two stepgrandchil- Association. Two daughters, two grand- ’80; and five grandchildren. dren and three great-stepgrandchildren. children and two great-grandchildren Marjorie Thies Jett, f’43, 84, Nov. 19 Ann Hurt Dreese, c’39, 90, April 28 survive. in Guymon, Okla. A memorial has been in Halstead. She is survived by two sons, established with the KU Endowment a daughter, a sister and three grandchil- 1940s Association. She is survived by her hus- dren. Eugene Barr, c’48, 82, April 26 in band, Robert, two sons and five grand- Edna May Ewert, g’32, May 8 in Plano, Texas, where he was a geologist. children. Peabody. A sister survives. Surviving are his wife, Helen, two sons, a Margaret “ Margy” Reed Johnson, Helen Louise Brooks Geary, c’36, 91, daughter, a brother and six grandchil- f’43, 84, April 19 in Scottsdale, Ariz. March 27 in Wichita. She is survived by dren. Surviving are her husband, Fred, ’43; a a son, Richard, f’68, g’70; a daughter, Jan Ralph Burnett, c’48, 83, April 9 in son, Fred III, c’70; and a daughter, Mary Geary Droegemeier, g’76, PhD’84; and Boulder, Colo., where he was retired Johnson Scheck, d’68. two grandchildren. from Farmers Insurance. A memorial Hal Kaufman Jr., c’40, 87, May 13 in Jean Stark Hebenstreit, c’36, April 22 has been established with the KU Kansas City. He worked in advertising in Kansas City. She was a trustee of the Endowment Association. Survivors and invented Naval Jelly Rust Remover.

52 | KANSAS ALUMNI Survivors include his wife, Barbara, a Overland Park, where he practiced medi- John “ Jack” Hawkinson, j’5 6, 71, April daughter, three sons and six grand- cine and was a volunteer clinical assis- 19 in Templeton, Calif. A memorial has children. tant professor of medicine at KU Medical been established with the KU Mary Goodell Lile, c’47, 80, April 25 Center. He is survived by his wife, Endowment Association. He is survived in Lee’s Summit, Mo., where she was a Dorothy; two sons; two daughters, one by his wife, Adrienne, and a brother, retired dietitian. She is survived by three of whom is Jean, c’70, g’74; and six Richard, c’48. daughters, a son, a brother and five grandchildren. Janet Pugh Hyer, f’57, 71, April 15 in grandchildren. Kansas City, where she was an occupa- Eugene Martin, c’49, 81, April 30 in 1950s tional therapist. Surviving are her hus- Independence, Mo. He was an account Zelma Beisinger, c’50, 77, April 15 in band, Albert, b’56; two daughters, one of controller for Yellow Cab and is survived Albuquerque, N.M. She was a scientific whom is Stacy, g’89; a son; a sister; and by a stepson, a stepdaughter, seven computer programmer for Sandia seven grandchildren. grandchildren and seven great-grand- National Laboratories for 35 years and is Edgar “ Al” Jarvis, b’51, 77, March 29 children. survived by several nieces and nephews. in Wichita, where he was retired from Martha Jackson Mittendorf, d’40, 87, George Brown, j’5 0, 79, March 31 in Southwestern Bell Telephone. A memo- Jan. 10 in Tucson, Ariz. During the Boca Raton, Fla. He was the first African- rial has been established with the KU 1940s and 1950s, she served in the U.S. American editor of the Denver Post, Endowment Association. A nephew Diplomatic Corps in Washington, served as director of the Denver Housing survives. Athens, Ankara, Tehran and Beirut. A Authority and was an adjunct professor J. Jack Jason, e’55, 83, March 23 in nephew is among survivors. at the universities of Colorado and Kansas City, where he was a retired elec- Sue Jamieson Riley, c’46, 82, April 8 Denver. He also served as lieutenant gov- trical engineer for Armco Steel. He is sur- in Nashville, Tenn. She was secretary to ernor of Colorado and was senior vice vived by his wife, Cleo, a son, a daugh- Arkansas State Supreme Court Chief president of the Grumman Corp. He ter, a brother, four grandchildren and Justice John Fogleman for many years. received KU’s Distinguished Service two great-grandchildren. Three sons and six grandchildren Citation in 2003. Survivors include his Glenn Kirk, e’58, 70, April 11 in survive. wife, Modeen, four daughters, four Westminster, Colo., where he was retired Harker “ Herk” Russell Jr., b’48, 81, stepdaughters, a stepson, two sisters, from IBM. A son and five grandchildren March 31 in Wichita. He co-owned and seven grandchildren and five great- are among survivors. operated H.E. Russell Sales in Iola and is grandchildren. Sandra McKinnon, d’55, 72, Feb. 10 in survived by a daughter, Pam Russell Milton Doerr Casebier, c’52, 76, May Topeka, where she taught junior high Alexander, d’70, g’71; two sons, Harker 14 in Oskaloosa. He was retired from school English for many years. Two III, b’72, and Frederick, ’77; a sister; and Montgomery Ward and is survived by a daughters, a sister, a brother and two six grandchildren. son; a daughter; two sisters; one of granddaughters survive. Norton Sanders, b’49, 88, Nov. 23 in whom is Alaine Casebier Kringen, d’57; Garry D. Owen, c’59, m’63, 69, March Hot Springs, Ark., where he was a retired and four grandchildren. 14 in Lawrence, where he practiced U.S. Air Force colonel. His wife, Selma, a Jack Clawson, ’56, 75, March 23 in obstetrics and gynecology. He is sur- daughter and a son are among survivors. Leawood, where he owned Digital vived by his wife, Carol Freeman Owen, John Sanks, e’43, g’48, 83, Sept. 29 in Electronic Machines. He is survived by c’61; a son, Daniel, c’87, l’90; two daugh- Kingsport, where he was a retired chemi- his wife, Lynne Logan Clawson, d’56; a ters, one of whom is Cisley Owen cal engineer with Tennessee Eastman, a son; and a brother, Robert, e’55. Thummel, c’95; and six grandchildren. division of Kodak. Among survivors are James Davis, m’54, 79, May 4 in Phillip Owen, b’53, 74, Feb. 1 in his wife, Martha, three daughters and Raleigh, N.C., where he was a cardiotho- Englewood, Colo. He was former presi- three grandchildren. racic surgeon. Four sons, a daughter and dent of Security National Bank of Kirk Scott Jr., e’47, 82, Jan. 29 in eight grandchildren survive. Roswell, N.M. and is survived by two Wichita, where he was a retired Boeing Elizabeth Noyes Fulton, g’56, 77, sons, a daughter, a brother and six engineer. He is survived by three sons, a April 9 in Edmond, Okla. She is survived grandchildren. stepson, a stepdaughter and nine grand- by her husband, James, e’58; two sons; a Robert Pilcher, e’50, April 18 in children. daughter; five grandchildren; and two Albuquerque, N.M., where he was a John Sigler, c’47, 80, April 19 in great grandchildren. retired architect. He is survived by his Kansas City, where he was a retired real- Oliver “ Greg” Gregson, e’51, 79, Aug. wife, Thelma, a son, a daughter, a sister estate agent for the J.C. Nichols Co. 21 in Birmington, Ala., where he was and three grandchildren. Among survivors are three sons, Andrew, retired from from a career with Conoco. Raymond Rose, e’51, 79, Nov. 17 in c’79, Eric, j’87, and Michael, g’92. He is survived by his wife, Betty, two Arlington, Va., where he was a retired Edwin Slentz, m’45, 85, April 11 in sons, a sister and five grandchildren. NASA research scientist and administra-

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 53 In Memory tor. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his wife, Sandra Lovett Gaunt, c’64. career in graphic design and commercial two sons, two daughters, two stepdaugh- Hazel Owens Hawks, g’63, 93, April illustration. Her award-winning prints ters, two sisters and five grandchildren. 18 in Lenexa, where she was a retired and mixed media artworks focusing on Sherman Saffier, m’50, 81, Aug. 21 in teacher and guidance counselor. She is feminism and social issues were widely Stockton, Calif., where he was a retired survived by a son, a daughter, a sister, exhibited and published, appearing in plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He is eight grandchildren and five great-grand- Milton Glaser’s The Design of Dissent: survived by his wife, Jean Kemper Saffier, children. Socially and Politically Driven Graphics. h’48; four sons, one of whom is Sandon, J. Roger Hendrix , b’60, 67, April 9 in Survivors include her husband, Gustave, m’87; a daughter; a brother; a sister; and Topeka, where he practiced law for many PhD’67; a son; a grandson; two brothers; four grandchildren. years. Surviving are his wife, Jan and several nieces and nephews. Robert Slosson, e’51, 80, March 17 in Buenning Hendrix, g’76; three daugh- Charles “ Larry” Sanford, e’60, g’61, Leavenworth, where he was a retired ters, two of whom are Jennifer, l’87, and 73, April 6 in Beloit, Wis., where he was aeronautical engineer with McDonnell Sarah, c’96; a son; two brothers, Cole, a retired mechanical engineer with Beloit Douglas. Surviving are his wife, c’56, g’63, and Richard, b’66; and four Corp. He is survived by his wife, Mae, a Geraldine, a son, a daughter and four grandchildren. son, a daughter, a brother, two sisters grandchildren. David Hof, c’69, 59, April 2 of injuries and a grandson. James Stratton, b’50, 80, May 5 in sustained in a car accident. He practiced Suzanne Peters Schrock, g’68, 74, Liberty, Mo., where he was retired from pulmonary medicine at St. Luke’s March 25 in Olathe, where she was an the grocery business. He is survived by Hospital in Kansas City and is survived audiologist. She is survived by a daugh- his wife, Barbara, two daughters, two sis- by his wife, Rebecca Crowley, n’72, ter; two sons, Charles, ’84, and Bradley, ters and five grandsons. m’80; and three sons, Phillip, ’01, a’85; and two grandsons. David Taylor, e’57, 75, April 15 in Nathan, c’02, c’04, and Jonathan, c’04, Bryce Stallard, g’63, 79, March 1 in Topeka, where he was a retired engineer. j’04. Topeka, where he was a substitute He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; a Jack Kuhn, b’68, 60, April 16 in Pratt. teacher. Earlier he had been a high stepdaughter; a stepson, Douglas, c’77; He lived in Greensburg and owned Jack school principal in Goodland and and a stepbrother. L. Kuhn and Son’s Cattle Co. and End Olathe, and a superintendent in Wichita, John Wertzberger, p’59, c’60, m’63, Wrench Horses. Survivors include his Norton, Santanta, Omaha and 69, May 1 in Scottsdale, Ariz. For many wife, Bonnie Miscevich Kuhn, ’71; two Fairbanks, Alaska. He is survived by his years he lived in Lawrence, where he was sons; a daughter, Amy, d’02, l’05; a sister, wife, Lois; a son, Mark, c’81; three president of Orthopedic Surgery Patricia, d’69; and a brother, Edward, daughters, two of whom are Sondra Associates and former team physician for f’82. Stallard Blessing, d’80, and Sheryl the Jayhawks. He is survived by his wife, Don Luellen, e’62, 67, March 6 in Stallard Mathis, l’87; two brothers, one Patricia, assoc.; a daughter, Kirsten Prairie Village, where he was a partner of whom is Alvis, c’55; and seven grand- Wertzberger Krug, c’90; four sons, two and president of Bob D. Campbell and children. of whom are Damien Bramlage, ’95, and Co. He is survived by his wife, Patsy Gertrude Bogue Van Tuyl, s’63, 93, Karl Wertzberger, ’97; his mother; a sis- Ringo Luellen, n’61; a daughter, Donna May 3 in Independence, Mo., where she ter, Phyllis Wertzberger McAdoo, p’63; a Luellen Logan, m’91; a son; a sister, was a retired teacher and social worker. brother, Ken, c’69, m’73; and eight Dixie Luellen Laugesen, d’63; and six She is survived by a brother and several grandchildren. grandchildren. nieces and nephews. Stephen Newcomer, b’61, 67, March Robert Verrey, c’69, 58, Jan. 31 in 1960s 26 in Overland Park, where he was Honolulu, where he was payroll tax Paul Bartsch Jr., b’60, 75, Feb. 21 in retired vice president of marketing at manager at Altres Inc. He is survived by Kansas City, where he was a retired Artco Casket Co. He is survived by his his wife, Pamela; two sons; his mother; industrial engineer with TWA. He is sur- wife, Elisabeth; three daughters, one of and two brothers, one of whom is vived by four daughters, Ellen, s’80, whom is Marci Newcomer Braybrooks, Raymond, c’68. PhD’97, Sheryl Bartsch Bunce, n’81, g’01, ’84; a son; a sister, Kathryn, d’71, g’74; William Woo, c’60, 69, April 12 in Debra Bartsch Templeton, d’82, and and 11 grandchildren. Palo Alto, Calif. He was former editor of Amy Bartsch Sayler, c’87, g’94; a son; a Robert Oblander, c’68, Dec. 20 in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a professor sister; and 14 grandchildren. New York City. He lived in Marietta, Ga., of journalism at Stanford University and Abbot “ Toby” Gaunt, PhD’63, 69, and had worked for Trans World director of the university’s journalism March 30 in Columbus, Ohio, where he Airlines, PARS Services and Worldspan. graduate program. He is survived by his was a professor emeritus of evolution, A brother is among survivors. wife, Martha Shirk, three sons, three ecology and organismal biology at The Erena Rae, f’68, 65, May 19 in brothers and two sisters. Ohio State University. He is survived by Highland Park, N.J. She had a 30-year

54 | KANSAS ALUMNI 1970s and was selected as a defense attaché to Surviving are his wife, Judith, two sons, a Andrew “ Andy” Mavrovich Jr., e’73, Albania. He is survived by his wife, Janna daughter, a sister, two brothers, six 61, April 1 in Kansas City. He lived in Wallerstedt LaRue, h’87; two sons; his grandchildren and a great-grandson. Meriden and was an electrician and elec- parents, William, c’57, and Elaine LaRue, Richard Colyer, 74, April 19. He was trical engineer as well as a teacher and a assoc.; a brother, William Jr., e’85, g’87, retired in Bellingham, Wash., and was a trainer. A brother and a sister survive. PhD’96; and a sister, Melinda, c’90. KU professor emeritus of English. The Rev. James Nelesen, g’70, 68, Vicki Alderson Nielsen, h’89, 39, Oct. Surviving are two daughters, Melissa March 15 in Simi Valley, Calif. He 2 in Lynch, Neb. She is survived by her Colyer McCauley, c’86, g’04, and founded Faith Lutheran Church in husband, Richard, two daughters, her Catherine Colyer Dyke, ’89; a brother; Moorpark and served as minister for parents and two brothers. and five grandchildren. 18 years until retiring in 2003. He also Walter “ Wally” Stephens, n’80, g’86, Richard Meyer, PhD’70, 72, Jan. 30 in taught writing at Moorpark College. 53, May 3 in Littleton, Colo. He had Prairie Village. He was retired assistant Surviving are his wife, Teresa, a daughter, been director of nursing and hospital to the dean of continuing education at two sons, a brother and six grand- administrator at Vail Valley Medical KU. Survivors include his wife, Wanda children. Center and later worked at Rocky Finnesy Meyer, assoc.; two daughters, Mark Pincus, c’71, 58, March 31 in Mountain Cancer and Davita Dialysis Rhonda Meyer Pollard, c’81, and Cynthia Gaithersburg, Md., where he was a Center. He is survived by his wife, Jane, a Meyer Futrelle, c’87; and three grand- retired management analyst at the Food daughter and a son. children. and Drug Administration and an Alumni John Nugent, 82, April 8 in Lawrence. Association chapter leader. He is sur- 1990s He had been a librarian at KU’s Watson vived by his wife, Marsha; two daughters, Jane Carter, g’96, 66, March 30 in Library and University Archivist at one of whom is Risa Pincus Schecter, Reston, Va., where she was a retired Spencer Research Library until retiring c’99; his father; two brothers; and a nurse. A daughter, a son, two sisters, a in 1993. Among survivors are two granddaughter. brother and three grandchildren survive. daughters, Kathy Nugent Hutchison, Rex Redhair, d’71, 55, Nov. 17. He Helen Fanning, g’95, 64, Jan. c’72, g’74, and Mary Nugent Creps, ’77; lived in Overland Park and practiced 17 in Kansas City. She lived in Nevada, two sisters; and three grandchildren. law. He is survived by his wife, Pat; a Mo., where she was a retired nurse. William Rieke, 74, April 22 in son, Bryan, student; a daughter; two Surviving are her husband, Dwight, a Tacoma, Wash., where he was president stepdaughters; a stepson; his mother, daughter, two stepsons, two sisters, a emeritus at Pacific Lutheran University. Opal, assoc.; and two brothers. brother and 14 grandchildren. In the early 1970s, he was vice chancel- Mary “ Cookie” Wilkinson Rhoads, lor for health affairs and director of the d’79, 55, May 6 in Kansas City. She lived 2000s KU Medical Center. He is survived by in Lawrence and is survived by her hus- Korisa Anderson, ’06, 31, April 13 in his wife, Joanne; two sons; a daughter, band, Mark, e’79; a son, Nathan, c’03; a Liberty, Mo. She is survived by her hus- Susan Rieke Smith, ’80; and eight daughter, Meagan, ’07; and four sisters, band, John, a daughter, her father, her grandchildren. one of whom is Charlene Wilkinson, mother, three brothers and her grand- Mary Fishback Townsend, s’63, s’65, s’80, l’87. mother. 86, April 22 in Lawrence, where she was William Lamont, g’03, 30, May 6 in retired director of KU’s Office of 1980s Kansas City, where he worked for Sprint. Minority Affairs. She also had been an Pamela Graham Buren, g’85, 52, May He is survived by his parents, John and instructor and chief social worker in 4 in Fremont. She lived in Richland, Kitty, a sister and an aunt. KU’s psychological clinic. Survivors Neb., and is survived by her husband, Megan Reiss, ’08, 20, Feb. 9 in include a brother, William Jeltz, ’77; Clifford, her parents, a sister and three Lawrence, where she was a certified and a sister. brothers. nursing assistant at an area nursing David Entz, e’86, 47, Jan. 26 in Derby, home. She is survived by her parents, Associates where he was a manager with Cessna. Stan, d’72 and Cheri Reiss; two brothers, Raymond Bellman, 88, March 18 in He is survived by his wife, Debbie, one of whom is Clint, c’96; a sister; and Panama City, Fla., where he was retired assoc.; four sons; his parents; his grand- her grandmother. from a career in the oil industry. In mother; and four sisters. 2004, he established a scholarship for Robert LaRue, b’88, 41, April 1 in The University Community education students at KU and a fund to Vienna, Va., where he was a commander Robert Brawley, 68, April 14 in provide unrestricted support for the ath- in the U.S. Navy. He recently served as Overland Park. He lived in Lawrence, letics department. He is survived by his deputy inspector general at the U.S. where he was a professor of art and son, John, b’70; a brother; and two Special Operations Command in Tampa chairman of KU’s art department. grandchildren.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 55 Rock Chalk Review COURTESY KU BANDS COURTESY

■ “Redline Tango,” a new this summer by Naxos International, a premier CD featuring the KU Wind The band plays on classical label, as the first in a new series, Wind Ensemble (above right) Band Classics. and conductor/composer KU practice session proves perfect “It has been a fantasy come true,” Lynch says. John Lynch (above left), for top classical label The second CD in the series was recorded by launches a new series by the wind players of the London Symphony Naxos International. n the midst of an intense three-day recording Orchestra, he adds, “so we’re in very good session, when every note of every take must company.” be perfect, a musician relishes those blissful For the KU ensemble (known for many years Imeasures of rest. as the Symphonic Band), fantasy became reality “It was so exciting, even when my section because of painstaking preparation. Lynch, who wasn’t playing, because we could hear the rest began seeking new compositions when he of the band,” says Lindsey Knox, f’06, principal arrived at KU four years ago from Northwestern oboist for the KU Wind Ensemble. “We were University, chose five new works for “Redline tired, but so glad to hear everyone playing at Tango,” including “Slalom” and “Concerto for their best.” Flute and Wind Band” which were commis- John Lynch, director of bands, planned the sioned by KU. The concerto features David April 2005 recording session at the Lied Center Fedele, assistant professor of flute who performs as a teaching and recruiting tool. “I wanted to internationally with his Trio Fedele. Lynch com- give the students the experience of creating a pleted the CD with one of his own compositions, professional-quality CD and to have a memory a modern interpretation of traditional hymns for them—plus a recruitment tool so prospective called “Were You There?” students can hear some of the things we’re doing With the music chosen and perfected over at KU.” countless hours by his musicians, Lynch then But now, to the delight of Lynch and his stu- recruited top professionals as collaborators: engi- dents, band-music fans worldwide can listen. The neer Bruce Leek and producer Matthew ensemble’s CD, “Redline Tango,” was released McInturf. Though he worried about the pressure

56 | KANSAS ALUMNI his students would feel in Ivan Osorio, professor of warning and can cause loss of muscle a recording session, they neurology at KU Medical control or loss of consciousness, people rose to the occasion: “They Center, and Mark Frei, with epilepsy often are unable to work were calm and cool, and PhD’93, manager and tech- or must find a new career. Things many they put their best down nical director of Flint Hills people take for granted—driving, for on every take. Bruce said it Scientific, have developed a example—are impossible. Osorio hopes was the best first group he process that uses electrical the device he and Frei envision will had ever recorded.” current to block seizures. change that. As Leek and Lynch They successfully tested the “If it works as we anticipate, it will completed the editing, process on humans and allow people to go about their business they heard the sounds of a professional published the results last year in the without fear of having a seizure,” Osorio performance. Leek urged Lynch to pitch medical journal Annals of Neurology. says. “It would basically free people from the CD to a few classical music labels. As The two licensed their concept to a worrying that they can drive, work, Lynch began his quest, he was surprised Fortune 500 company that is working to socialize. It would allow people to lead one day when a KU friend, Randy develop a device that can be implanted more normal lives.” Foster, c’02, the son of longtime KU in the brain. The device would monitor The stakes are high. About 2.8 million bands director Robert Foster, stopped by and analyze brainwave patterns, looking Americans have epilepsy. That’s about 1 for a visit. Randy wanted to catch up for signs that a seizure is about to begin. percent of the U.S. population, a rate with Lynch and tell him about his new Once those signs are detected, a small that is similar in all industrialized job—with top classical label Naxos generator would automatically emit an nations. In non-industrialized countries, International. Randy left the office with alternating electrical current that returns the prevalence of epilepsy is thought to “Redline Tango” in hand, and his col- the brain to a non-seizure pattern. be 5 percent or higher. In the United leagues at Naxos liked what they heard, The concept builds on offering a contract for KU to launch the earlier research by Osorio wind band series. and Frei that formulated “Bands are a relatively new medium an algorithm (basically a compared to orchestras or choirs,” Lynch mathematical recipe) that says, “so we’re having to create our own analyzes EEG patterns to EARL RICHARDSON (2) body of what will be our classical reper- predict the clinical onset of toire. That’s why we embrace new music a seizure. This work made and new composers.” it possible to predict a “Redline Tango” offers a resounding seizure as much as three chorus to Lynch’s enthusiasm. A clar- minutes before it begins. inetist and pianist who conducted his That discovery was first band in the seventh grade, Lynch groundbreaking, but learn- still thrills to the challenge of “shaping ing that electricity can help all that sound as it’s coming at you.” stave off a seizure is even —Jennifer Jackson Sanner more of a breakthrough. “People do not know ■ Professor of Neurology ◆ ◆ ◆ when they are going to Ivan Osorio (left) and his have a seizure,” Osorio research partner Mark says. “The ideal approach Frei (above), of Lawrence- Inventive medicine is to both warn the person based Flint Hills Scientific, shortly before the seizure, Researchers hope new device have proven the effective- so that they can take pro- ness of using electrical could end ‘life sentence’ tective actions, and block of epilepsy it using electrical stimu- current to prevent epilep- lation.” tic seizures.They hope device based on the work of A device that can actu- their research leads to a two KU researchers may some- ally prevent epileptic device that can be day help detect and prevent seizures, Osorio says, implanted in the brains A epileptic seizures, allowing mil- “would help give people of epilepsy patients. lions of people who live with epilepsy to back their lives.” Because lead more productive lives. seizures occur without

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 57 Rock Chalk Review

States alone, more than 40,000 people his family’s legacy of military service—a very important, we must cherish it.” die each year as a direct result of path he once planned to follow. That That transformation and that social seizures. reflection led him back to his cousin Jim compact among individual soldiers and “A patient once said to me, ‘Epilepsy Jones, then a lieutenant general and sen- with the Marine Corps as a whole are is a life sentence without possibility of ior aide to the secretary of defense, the true subjects of Jones’ book. It’s a parole,’” Osorio says. “I think this device William Cohen. As he pondered “the story well worth telling, told well. would at least give people parole.” humanity and idealism” of the men of his —Steven Hill It is now up to the private sector to cousin’s generation, “guys who faced the ready a device for market, a process that hard choice of getting drafted or volun- could take years. teering for military service,” he gained a Until that day arrives, Osorio says, new perspective on the era that had ■ American Miler: “our technical work is complete, but our shaped his decision to forgo the military The Life and Times of mission is not.” for a career in journalism. Glenn Cunningham —Steven Hill Boys of ’67: From Vietnam to Iraq, the Extraordinary Story of a Few Good Men, By Paul J. Kiell ◆ ◆ ◆ could be read as a long-overdue tribute Breakaway Books, to Vietnam War veterans. But Jones’ OREAD READER compelling book is more. Focusing on $15 the lengthy careers of his cousin and two of his Basic School classmates, Maj. The few, the proud Gen. Ray Smith and Lt. Gen. Martin Alumnus sees evolution Steele, both retired, Jones chronicles not of Marine Corps in careers only the immense service to country of ◆ ◆ ◆ of three who shaped it three remarkable men, but also the decades-long effort to transform the mili- OREAD READER tary branch known as “the tip of the harles Jones grew up on U.S. spear” of America’s military might. military bases and spent so Jones traces how The Basic School Uphill run much time with Marines as a lessons—innovative thinking; creative, Biography traces star’s race Ckid that he felt like a “junior “make-do” problem-solving; the loyalty for records—and beyond member of the Corps.” His father was a inherent in the Corps’ motto, Semper highly decorated U.S. Marine general and Fidelis (always faithful)—run like a thread a veteran of three wars. His cousin, Gen. through their careers. Each works in his urned so horrendously in an James L. Jones Jr., graduated from The own way to overcome interservice rival- explosive school fire at age 7 Basic School (the Marines’ officer train- ries and the Corps’ own hidebound tradi- that doctors feared he would ing program) in 1967 and in 1999 was tions and transform the Marines into a Bnever walk again, Glenn named Commandant, the Corps’ highest modernized military unit. Cunningham, d’34, endured an excruci- ranking officer and a member of the For a book that deals with the arcane ating struggle back to health before Joint Chiefs of Staff. workings of an organization that’s hardly going on to forge an illustrious track After his father’s death in 1998, transparent to outsiders, Boys of ’67 is career at KU and set the world record in Charles Jones, c’74, began to reflect on surprisingly gripping. That’s because the mile run. Jones focuses on the human stories of In American Miler: The Life and Times his three subjects and the men they of Glenn Cunningham, Paul Kiell, a New ■ Boys of ’67 command without glorifying their Jersey psychiatrist and former mara- From Vietnam to Iraq, actions. (Tales of combat heroism are thoner, has expanded this basic outline the Extraordinary generally balanced by sobering tales of to detail Cunningham’s life from his Story of a Few Good death and occasional dishonor.) It’s also birth to his death, in 1988, at 78. Kiell Men due to a reality Gen. Jones addresses at quotes great numbers of people and a boisterous “mess night” celebration: reprints chunks of an “autobiography” By Charles Jones “We must never forget the transforma- Cunningham penned in longhand; the Stackpole Books tion we received at the Basic School— book picks up speed when Cunningham the fact that we are a society, not a checks in as a KU freshman with $7.65 $29.95 bureaucracy. That social compact we and a limited wardrobe. make to each other as Marines is so Cunningham held the national high

58 | KANSAS ALUMNI school mile record, yet his enrollment to create hybrid ‘beings’ that simultane- occasioned none of the hyperbolic pub- Where ‘cute’ ously attract and repulse,” Dunbar says. licity with which we are now familiar. “It’s a bit like ‘Precious Moments meets “I’d never been approached by a meets ‘tawdry’ Gothic Baroque.’” coach from the University of Kansas to Armstrong, who retains her distinc- go there,” Cunningham wrote. “That’s Cuddly ceramics take on tive Canadian accent, works in a roomy why I decided I was going to go. I alter egos in Kemper show studio deep inside the limestone warren arrived there, got a job, and worked of shops attached to the Art and Design through four years.” lissa Armstrong’s clay sculptures Building. She uses low-temperature clays Cunningham went on to break the start out as endearing figurines and glazes, and white majolica as a base tape in 71 of 76 races as a Jayhawk. He found in hobby shops and on glaze on all of her earthenwares. She received an education degree, placing Eknickknack shelves. Then she then reaches for plaster, hobby-shop fifth in the 1934 graduating class. He has some fun. clay, paints, ribbons and even glitter, later earned a PhD from New York “I want to take these hobby-animal transforming the ordinary into some- University. idealizations, which are cute and very thing fantastic. Kiell traces Cunningham’s post-racing stereotypical, and see if I can create new “I am interested in ceramics history, life, devoted to boarding troubled kids at identities for them,” says Armstong, an and I am acknowledging the certain his farm and lecturing for such groups Ontario native who has been assistant kind of tropes that you associate with as the National Temperance Union, the professor of ceramics since arriving at the ceramic figurine, but the interesting KU Extension Service and the organiza- KU in 2002. “The idea driving it, really, part is what you do to make it contem- tion that became the Easter Seals. is the mystery, the fantasy.” porary, to challenge it, to take it outside As related in one talk quoted in the Armstrong’s ceramics are featured in a of what we already understand and go book, his philosophy was, “I do not run solo show until Oct. 1 at the Kemper somewhere different. for records. I run to try and win and for Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas “That’s what I want my students to enjoyment I get out of meeting the fine City, Mo. Curator Elizabeth Dunbar dis- do. I’m telling them to experiment and chaps against whom I compete, as well covered Amstrong’s work while serving challenge things, so it’s important that as meeting so many other nice people in as a juror for a faculty show last year at they see me doing that, too.” my travels.” KU’s Spencer Museum of Art. —Chris Lazzarino —Lawrence writer Stanley Hamilton, j’55, is “What immediately appealed to me the author of Machine Gun Kelly’s Last was how she combines the innocence Stand. He is currently working a book and cuteness of kitschy animal figurines about KU track great Wes Santee, d’54. with darker and more tawdry elements COURTESY COURTESY ELISSA ARMSTRONG EARL RICHARDSON

■ The promise of airy, secluded studio space helped lure sculptor Elissa Armstong (left) to KU four years ago.Among the fanciful figurines in her show at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is “Blue Arc,” in earthen- ware, glaze, felt, glitter and resin.

ISSUE 4, 2006 | 59 Oread Encore BY CHRIS LAZ Z ARINO

enclaves in houses that were generally privately owned yet sanctioned by the University. A favorite discovery of McElhenie’s was the story of Sam Elliott, a big-

KENNETH L. SPENCER RESEARCH LIBRARY hearted retired postal carrier who was hired as house-father for Spooner- Thayer Hall, a basement dormitory rushed into

EARL RICHARDSON service during the post- war housing crush. McElhenie, g’61, offers just as much enthusiasm for all of the stories and hidden histories illuminat- ing the halls and co-ops. Among the book’s many ■ Fred McElhenie compiled treasures, perhaps none is a rich history of KU’s co-ops more welcome than pho- tographs of a multi- and private residence halls. All for One cultural, international The book can be purchased Sorely needed history of KU housing illuminates university too rarely from the Kansas Union's overlooked generations of Jayhawk bonding witnessed in traditional Oread Books, 785-864-4431 avenues of our history: a or [email protected]. Potter Lake picnic red McElhenie, the associate with white kids and director of student housing black kids and a who is in his 44th year as a young man who KU employee, shames all of looks to be from Fus who pretend to be in the business India; a Taiwanese of telling KU stories. As McElhenie alumnus sharing shows with his splendid book Making memories of mid- Do & Getting Through, published by night kitchen raids the Historic Mount Oread Fund, we with his American have regrettably ignored the collective friends; black, and individual stories from the history white, Asian and of student housing outside of the Hispanic men eating, studying, laughing and Greek system. growing together. McElhenie sets us straight. “It didn’t matter what your skin color was, or Before the maturation of the modern resi- your nationality,” McElhenie says. “If you were dence hall system in the 1960s, KU students willing to come in, do a little bit of work in the who could not afford to live in a fraternity or house, if you were bright and followed the rules, sorority, or were not interested in affiliating with you’re part of us. It’s the all-for-one syndrome.” the Greek system, formed their own vibrant And never was KU finer.

60 | KANSAS ALUMNI

KU Alumni Association 1266 Oread Avenue | Law rence, KS 6604 5-3169