Professor Emeritus of Musicology Austin B. Caswell Dies at 74
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Vol. 14/Fall 2006 Professor Emeritus of Musicology Austin B. Caswell dies at 74 t is with sadness that we share the news Recent students also remember Austin of the death of Austin Caswell, professor Caswell for his dedication to teaching, his Iemeritus of music. Professor Caswell love of books, and his care for students. passed away at home on March 1, 2006, at “Austin’s passion for great books pushed the age of 74. all of us to involve ourselves with discus- Caswell received his BA in history from sions, which would sometimes turn into Amherst College (1953), and his MA and heated debates,” remembers Kimberly PhD in musicology from the University of Harmacinski, a student in Caswell’s last Minnesota (1957, 1964). His early years of H212 class in spring 2005. “He inspired me to remember how much I love to read, and his comments on our papers made me feel Austin Caswell taught like he truly appreciated our work. For that, I will always remember him.” Honors College courses for “Austin Caswell was one of the best more than 30 years. professors I had during my undergraduate career at IU,” says Aravon McCalla, BA’05, now a law student at IUB. “Austin was truly teaching included the Vermont Academy a wonderful teacher, and the experiences and the University of Minnesota General Courtesy of the Caswell family I had my freshman year in his H211 and College, but the bulk of his teaching career Austin Caswell, circa 1996 H212 classes served me greatly. It’s not was as professor of musicology at Indiana students describe the effect of his teaching often that you encounter someone who is University’s Jacobs School of Music (1966– as “life-changing,” and his generosity toward so dedicated to helping enrich your ways 1996), where he served as chairman of the helping students was further reflected in of thinking and writing; because of that, I’m musicology department for several years. the hundreds of letters of recommendation very grateful to have met Austin.” He also taught for the IU Hutton Honors he wrote over the years on their behalf. (continued on page 2) College (1973–2006) and the IU Intensive Freshman Seminar program. As an award-winning music professor, Austin Caswell specialized in women’s From the dean music, U.S. popular music, the history of improvisation, and music of the Baroque. Opportunities abound at home, abroad As a teacher of the HHC Ideas and Experi- ence “great books” seminars for 33 years, he This has been an exciting year for the Chinese history, Chinese ethnicities, delighted in introducing gifted freshmen Hutton Honors College, both at home contemporary literature and film in to texts from many different fields. “I liked and abroad. Another cohort of students China, and China’s international relations. teaching music, but I like honors teaching has participated in the E.L. Hutton Classes will be conducted in English, but more,” Caswell said last fall. International Experiences Program, the program will also include intensive Austin Caswell loved teaching, and in studying or doing research or service Chinese language training. The program 1996 he was honored with one of IU’s high- overseas, and they have returned to IU has been organized by the Institute for est and most distinguished teaching awards, with broadened horizons and deepened the International Education of Students, the Herman Lieber Memorial Award, which perspectives on the world and their and honors students from any of the Big included the following words of praise places in it. The opportunities provided Ten schools are eligible to enroll. HHC about Caswell from his students and col- by the IEP help all of us to think globally, students will thus be able to meet and leagues: “He is a miracle, a mentor, an angel, and two additions to our HHC programs get to know some of their talented peers a father figure, a true friend, Socrates with a underscore that aspect of our mission. from other universities here in the United handlebar mustache, smarter than Ein- First, we are launching an honors se- States, even as they together learn about stein …” Caswell left a long-lasting legacy mester in China, with a program housed and live in China. The partnership of the in those who experienced his unique at the Beijing Foreign Studies University. CIC (Big Ten) institutions was crucial for teaching style in which he always encour- The program will offer seminars on (continued on page 2) aged students to “think for yourself.” Many beyond his field, and blessed with a sense the Scandinavian communities in which we Caswell of self Garrison Keillor could have truly had grown up. Learning with Austin always (continued from page 1) appreciated. Besides, he had a great mus- included laughter.” “One of the wisest and most unique tache! With his Minnesota roots, Austin had a Dean Karen Hanson reflects on the people I’ve ever had the fortune of meeting, genuine conviction that the arts and humani- impact Caswell had, saying, “Austin was Austin Caswell made my time in Blooming- ties were important to our lives, a kind of a truly remarkable teacher, wildly gifted ton special,” says Caitlin Taylor, the under- no-nonsense but deeply felt understanding and passionately dedicated to his students graduate teaching intern in Caswell’s last of their power. Perhaps his feelings reflected and their development. He was a peerless H212 class. “His guidance not only made in an unsurprising way the Scandinavian inspiration to all who had the great good people better and smarter students, but his culture typical of small towns and big, from fortune to know him and to work with him, influence also made students better and eastern Montana to Wisconsin.” to learn from him and enjoy his company. smarter people.” “Austin had nothing of the ordinary He was engaging and fun, to put it mildly, Colleagues remember Austin for those about him,” Bondanella continues. “His but absolutely serious about the things that reasons and more. warmth, his subtle sense of humor, his mattered most. For many generations of “I began working with Austin Caswell genuine interest in other people, his wis- students, having had a class with Austin is when I took the job of coordinating the dom, and his affection inspired those of us the most memorable, the most treasured Freshman Honors Seminar, Ideas and Experi- who so willingly worked with him. I carry experience they will carry with them from ence, in 1975,” Julia Bondanella, former as- many special memories of Austin, especially all their years at IU.” sociate director of the Honors College, says. of those occasions we would sit down and See the story about Caswell’s teaching “Who wouldn’t have wanted to work with chat — sometimes with our friend and col- that was posted last fall at www.indiana. Austin? He was well spoken, sharply intel- league Michael Berkvam, falling sometimes edu/~iubhonor/news/news0506/caswell. ligent, knowledgeable about the literature uproariously into the broad accents and php. Caswell is survived by his wife, Judy, of music, curious about ideas and forms special cadence typical of the speech of and daughters, Rachel and Sara. HHC building will From the dean be located at Sev- (continued from page 1) enth and Woodlawn, the development of this program, and we directly across from have depended also on outstanding support Dunn Meadow and and cooperation from IU’s Office of Over- the Indiana Memorial seas Study and the IU Department of East Union. It is a great Asian Languages and Cultures. location, and it is go- Our second new initiative will also be ing to be a beautiful based in China. Thanks to the generosity building — collegiate Artist’s rendering of the HHC’s future home of Simon Goe, an IU alumnus, and with the gothic in style, with a help of the IU Foundation and, again, the limestone exterior and a slate roof. All Office of Overseas Study, a program of paid the HHC staff will finally be together under ever, and that transformation in his personal internships — either three months or six one roof, and we will have much improved life made a new job opportunity seem espe- months in Beijing — will be offered to HHC space for student programs. We will even cially attractive. Twila Pickens, assistant for students. We are still have student lounges and study space, so extracurricular programming, is also mov- working out the de- honors students will feel, more than ever, ing on for happy personal reasons — mar- tails of the program, that the HHC can be a home away from riage and an exciting job for her husband but we hope it will home. The target time for completion of the in another state — but we will miss her be the first of many new building is in the 2007–08 academic terribly, too. She brought intelligence, imagi- internships, par- year. We are absolutely elated about the nation, and a quiet firmness to activities ticularly overseas prospects for this new home, and we will in programming, and she was a delightful internships, offered keep you posted as we make progress. colleague in every way. Two of our graduate specifically to Hut- In the meantime, there are other transi- assistants, Jan Cleaver and Nidhi Rana, have ton Honors College tions to report. We were delighted to have ended their studies and moved on, but Lisa Karen Hanson students. Richelle Brown join us this year as an Bluder and Pauline Campbell have joined These new programs will complement academic adviser and outreach coordina- us.