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Parade Street Reunion LUMINUS MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND ALUMNI MAGAZINE Summer 2010 Vol. 34 No. 2 Parade Street Reunion Some of Canada’s best writers celebrate the spirit of the Memorial on Parade campus with works of original fiction and non-fiction inspired by their tenure as writers-in-residence at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Publications Mail Agreement Number 40022409 FEATURES 5-29 A tribute to Memorial on Parade Street graduates New work by Memorial’s writers-in-residence 6 The ordinary soldier by Kevin Major 8 Black horses by Jane Urquhart 10 Two vignettes of a writer-in-residence by Wayne Johnston 12 Everyone has a place where their mind comes into being by Marilyn Bowering 14 So, are you still writing? by Kenneth J. Harvey 16 Moments after my conception by Patricia Young 20 Happy returns by Lisa Moore 22 Oceanodroma by Don McKay 24 Things come full circle by Michael Crummey 26 What pierced us by Aislinn Hunter 28 The swine flu semester by Andy Jones Center spread From the archives by Bert Riggs ................................................................. IN EVERY ISSUE 3 Guest Editorial: Memorial University and Community Engagement by Christopher Loomis 3 Editorial by Bojan Fürst 31 Donor Connections by Bojan Fürst 32 Campus Connections 34 Alumni Connections by Terri-Lynn King 36 Last Word by Dr. Nigel Rusted Publication Mail Agreement No. 40022409 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Alumni Affairs and Development l Memorial University of Newfoundland l St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7 MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THIS INSTITUTION BEGAN ITS LEGACY in the sacrifice of young Newfoundlanders nearly a century ago—a 1925, as a ‘living memorial’ to Newfoundlanders mission captured in the words commemorating the 50th killed in action during the First World War. Our anniversary of the founding of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment inaugural class totaled 55 students—both men “… that in freedom of learning, their cause and sacrifice would not and women seeking a post-secondary education be forgotten.” to better their lives and that of the place they Memorial University, like the province itself, is on the called home. threshold of a bright future with new frontiers to explore, complex After graduation, many returned to their problems to solve and extraordinary discoveries to be made. These Photo byPhoto Chris Hammond hometowns to assume important roles as accomplishments, like those of our past, will be built on an community leaders and volunteers. It was, perhaps, the earliest unshakable foundation forged by our history and our unique example of our outreach efforts—to share our knowledge and relationship with the people of this province. expertise for the betterment of people and communities throughout This issue of Luminus magazine celebrates those roots Newfoundland and Labrador. This summer, we will be celebrating through the words of some of the best writers from Newfoundland the 85th anniversary of our inauguration with the first ever reunion and Labrador and beyond. of the Parade Street campus. Enjoy. Our history is one of impact and success, made possible by people who cared deeply about this institution and the province it CHRISTOPHER LOOMIS serves. And we have remained steadfast to our mission born from PRESIDENT & VICE-CHANCELLOR PRO TEMPORE ............................................................................ Editorial BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF HIS WORK, This year marks Memorial’s 85th anniversary and it is also most Memorial students never meet Bert Riggs. the year of the first ever reunion of graduates from the original But he is an integral part of the Memorial team Memorial campus on Parade Street. In a year so full of significance, with a vast knowledge of Newfoundland and we wanted to give you a magazine that will be just as extraordinary. Labrador’s history. I met Bert only recently. It We wanted a magazine that will underscore the close, intrinsic wasn’t a social call. Luminus editor Wade relationship that Memorial and the people of Newfoundland and Kearley and I went to the library to ask for his Labrador have—a relationship that was founded on the courage help with this issue of Luminus magazine. As and determination of a generation of Newfoundlanders. Who the head of the Archives and Special better to tell those stories than Memorial’s former writers-in- Collections, Bert generously entertained our residence? These are some of the best writers in Canada who, over Photo by Michelle Porter by Photo inquisitiveness, pulling boxes and folders off their tenure at Memorial, got to know not just the university, but the shelves containing everything from officers’ kits to uniforms the people who make up Newfoundland’s communities. From to photographs of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment deployed in Kevin Major to Lisa Moore, from Jane Urquhart to Andy Jones, in Gallipoli. And there, in one of the Books of Newfoundland, was a this issue we bring your their words, wisdom and wit. remarkable photograph of the regiment on the Parade Grounds just before leaving for the front. As you will see in the centerfold pages they are standing on the exact site where Memorial College BOJAN FÜRST was later to be built in their honour. That’s where Memorial’s story EDITOR starts. EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE PHOTOGRAPHY Luminus is published three times each year for the Memorial University Alumni Dr. Penny Blackwood, B.Sc.(Hons.)’88; Lynn Cadigan, BA Geri Bauer, Fred Cattroll, Michael Elcock, Association by the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development. Comments, story ’96 B.Comm.(Co-op.)’96); Helen Houston, Terri-Lynn Bojan Fürst, Chris Hammond, Glenn Hunter, ideas and letters to the editor are welcome. Submissions are subject to editorial King, Joyce MacKinnon, Sandi Tulk, BA(Hons.)‘90 Terence Young committee review for relevance, length and CP style. Send all correspondence to: CONTRIBUTORS Historical photos courtesy of: Dr. Doug House, Marilyn Bowering, Michael Crummy, Bojan Fürst, Janet Squires, Dr. Melvin Baker, Dorothy Ford, Editor Kenneth J. Harvey, Aislinn Hunter, Andy Jones, Anna Curren Luminus, Alumni Affairs and Development, Memorial University Wade Kearley, Terri-Lynn King, Don McKay, Kevin St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7 DESIGN Major, Lisa Moore, David Penney, Bert Riggs, Tel: 709-737-4354. Toll free: 1-877-700-4081 Nigel Rusted, Jane Urquhart, Patricia Young Helen Houston Fax: 709-737-2008 E-mail: [email protected] ISSN 0381-6575 www.munalum.ca A Tribute to Memorial on Parade Street Graduates A COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL WRITING BY MEMORIAL’S FORMER WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE Kevin Major Jane Urquhart Wayne Johnston 1991 writer-in-residence 1992 writer-in-residence 1993-94 writer-in-residence Marilyn Bowering Kenneth J.Harvey Patricia Young Lisa Moore 1995 writer-in-residence 2001 writer-in-residence 2002 writer-in-residence 2004 writer-in-residence Don McKay Michael Crummey Aislinn Hunter Andy Jones 2006 writer-in-residence SPRING 2008 writer-in-residence FALL 2008 writer-in-residence 2009 writer-in-residence Thirteen of Canada’s most talented authors and poets Luminus is pleased to present, for the first time, the have graced the halls of Memorial University since following chorus of original works by 11 of Memorial’s 1991 as writers-in-residence. Each has contributed former writers-in-residence*… a reunion of considerable in her or his own way to the literary depth of our talent gathered to honour, in their own unique ways, community. But, perhaps equally important, each of those early graduates of Memorial on Parade Street these writers has in turn been affected profoundly, to whom this issue is dedicated. sometimes in life-altering ways, by their experience of the people and culture in which Memorial is rooted. *Missing from these pages are Guillermo Verdeccia, writer-in-residence for 1999 and Gregory Schofield, writer-in-residence for 2003. The Ordinary Soldier: excerpt from an as yet unnamed novel By Kevin Major, B.Sc.‘73 A current project is another novel touching on WWI, on an earlier episode— the assignment of the Newfound land Regiment to Gallipoli in the fall of 1915. Even as I researched No Man’s Land, the experiences of Gallipoli, which had shaped the soldiers arriving in France, was never far from my mind. It has taken almost twenty years to return to it. This is a brief excerpt from that as yet unnamed novel, still very much a work- in-progress. I am very pleased to be first bringing it to light in association with the university that continues to honour the more than forty young men of the Newfoundland Regiment who lost their lives in that distant land. On the 30th of September ‘Single-handedly’ was the notion Burton had advanced, according to what the officers recounted, hardly able the Newfoundlanders replaced the South Wales to contain their disbelief. The general denied the Borderers, the centre position in the five-mile front. request. And choked back a laugh, Albert suspected, To one side of Brigade were the Anzacs, and to the given that Hamilton knew first hand the hell the Anzacs other the impossible hill of Kiretch Tepe Sirt, then had suffered. beyond that the Aegean Sea. Ahead of them, in the eastern sky, towered Tekke Tepe ridge, infested with Albert had been on the peninsula less than a week Turks and impossible to penetrate without sacrificing when he himself encountered Hamilton. The general whole regiments. The Anzacs had tried in August, and showed up near the front lines from time to time, pulled back desperately depleted. Albert overheard a entourage in tow, making his way through the safer pair of C Company officers eagerly debating the sections of the support trenches. Albert could see possibility of the Newfoundlanders mounting an straightaway that the man was no ordinary brass, but it offensive to take the ridge. Apparently, Commanding was only after a scramble of words from the duty officer Officer Burton had proposed that very thing to that he realized exactly who was coming his way.
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