OUT THERE Eric Fennell, ’91, is an expert at making Brooklyn seem Front cover: City Hall, New York, Spring 2004. even stranger than it sometimes really is. A flying saucer Photo by Lisa Panazzolo. hovering over Floyd Bennett Field is only the half of it. Back cover: Construction on the new campus Fennell, who graduated with a degree in film, dresses his had begun in earnest by the time this photo models in period costumes and wigs, then juxtaposes toys was taken for the 1937 Broeklundian. Such and theatrical props to comment on social and cultural images bring to life the College’s rich and subjects as far-ranging as civil rights and modern eventful journey to the present day. technology—or the paranoia of the fifties, as in this Our coverage of Brooklyn College’s Seventy-fifth photograph taken at a recent antique car show Anniversary celebration begins on page 20. at the old airfield. His work may be seen at http://altpick.com/ericfennell. Contentstable of

FEATURES

Brooklyn College Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of College Information and Publications Brooklyn College 2900 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11210-2889. Copyright © 2004 Brooklyn College. E-mail: [email protected] 10 A Brief History of Shopping 20 Brooklyn College: Believe It or Not! Web site: www.brooklyn.cuny.edu

14 Dreaming of Gotham DEPARTMENTS Editor in Chief Art Director Barbara B. Heyman Joseph Loguirato 2 From Our Readers Senior Editor Senior Designer 3 Top of the Quad Pat Willard Lisa Panazzolo 27 College News Senior Writer Production Assistant Joe Fodor Mammen P.Thomas 34 Friends of Brooklyn College Editorial Staff Staff Photographers 36 Alumni Sightings Stephen Garone John Ricasoli 38 Alumni News Elaine Weisenberg Doug Schwab 40 In Memoriam Contributing Editor Andrea Louie 42 Class Notes Contributing Writers 50 Recent Books Lisa Lincoln 52 Endpaper Virginia Alonso-Rainsford Class Notes Editors Flora Bekker, ’05 William Hall, M.F.A., ’04 Readersfrom our

EDITOR’S NOTE “Endpaper” “The Art of Weegee” With Brooklyn College approaching To the Edtior: To the Editor: I majored in economics and mathematics; I must tell you how delighted I was with a milestone birthday—seventy-five however, we all recognized that the the Brooklyn College Magazine for fall years old on May 15, 2005—we will History Department was outstanding. 2003.The photographs by Weegee as well Hence, I was surprised and depressed to as those that illustrated the stories were devote the next three issues of the find the Brooklyn College Magazine dating all well chosen and enhanced the writing. magazine to jogging your memory of the onset of the Great Depression as I cannot think of a single thing that could the days you spent here on campus, 1932 (end paper, fall 2003). Most be added to this marvelous publication. authorities date the onset from the stock Marilyn Shavel, ’55 of friends and events, of exploration market crash of 1929, and all recognize and discovery. that we were in a depression by 1930. To the Editor: Mordechai E. Lando, ’59 I was given a copy of the Brooklyn College Our first installment, “Brooklyn Magazine by a recent graduate.The College: Believe It or Not,” on page 20, “Back Cover” difference between the Brooklyn College I attended and BC now is astounding. presents seventy-five fun, intriguing, To the Editor: When I enrolled in the evening session in Your fall ’03 issue has just arrived and I even risqué (see #61) facts about the February 1929, classes were held in the have gone through it more carefully than, Boys High School building. At that time College. Upcoming issues will I confess, I normally do. I’m glad I did as I we were a branch of CCNY. Classes feature Brooklyn College families— found it worth the time. Congratulations were also held in office buildings on on an interesting issue. grandparents, parents, and children Court,Willoughby, and Joralemon Streets. As a result of my more The evening session was attended by who all earned their degrees here— conscientious perusal, I came across a students who had to work during the day mystery: On the inside front cover and profiles of faculty members who and go to school at night.We were reference is made to the back cover limited to nine credits a term and had influenced, inspired, and changed their picture of Alan Dershowitz and his classes three times a week; but as I was a mother followed by the line “See story students’ lives. We hope you will let us chemistry major, I had classes five nights a on page 24.” know about your family and favorite week. School records show that only Not only is there no relevant story about 6 percent of evening starters teachers. Please see page 26 for details. on page 24 but I searched in vain for graduated. I graduated after six and a half such a story in the issue. Did I miss You will soon be hearing about years, which included all summer sessions. something? At that time the only chemistry class the year’s events that are now being Lillian Jaffe Kent, ’36 given was inorganic chemistry. We had to planned. We look forward to Our response: approach Dr. Meyers, the head of the celebrating with you and seeing you The “mystery” was our mistake. The story Chemistry Department, for additional about Alan Dershowitz donating his papers courses in organic chemistry, and on campus. to the Brooklyn College Library appeared on quantitative and qualitative chemistry. page 26 under the heading “Boxing Day.” I am ninety-four years old. Both of We apologize for the confusion. my children are BC graduates. One is a schoolteacher in New Jersey and the CORRECTIONS: other is a physician in San Francisco. I am The SERVA volunteer on page 7 of the fall retired and live in Florida, but I often think 2003 issue is Brian Evans, not Brian Smith. of the old Brooklyn College. Max Hammerman, ’36 The photo of Helen Garden MacLean, ’36, on page 52 was taken by Jordan Matter. He may be reached at www.jordanmatter.com. top of the Quad

A Few Brave Men

Historians are accustomed to working among musty records and dusty archives. Assistant Professor of History Steven Remy is conducting his work over lunch. Every Monday at 1:30, Remy meets Distinguished Professor Emeritus Hans L.Trefousse in the Brooklyn College Georgian Room after they have taught their morning classes. The author of The Heidelberg Myth: The Nazification and Denazification of a German University (Harvard, 2003), Remy is now writing an oral history of the hundreds of German Jewish refugees who were drafted and tapped by the American Army during World War II for “Since it was the Depression, the twenty years ago. The youngest man sensitive counterintelligence. Service was seen as an economic I’m interviewing is in his seventies; the “After writing my book, I was still opportunity,” Remy says. “The Army oldest is ninety-five.” curious about what it was like for also facilitated naturalization. But Because this is his first oral these men, most of them young boys beyond these practical considerations, history project, Remy credits his and men when they were forced to there was a patriotic aspect, as well— colleague and office mate, Assistant flee, to go back to Germany and to serve the country that had Professor Philip Napoli, for guiding interrogate Nazis,” Remy says. “A accepted them—and also a desire to him through. Napoli is currently colleague suggested I talk to Hans.” bring to justice the men who working on a major oral history Trefousse, the esteemed destroyed their families and the project on the Vietnam War and the biographer of Andrew Johnson and, country they had loved.” borough of Brooklyn. more recently, Rutherford B. Hayes, For his book, Remy is Remy would appreciate now teaches an American history interviewing veterans across the course in the Institute for Retirees in country—and as far away as Berlin. hearing from World War II Pursuit of Education (IRPE). After a He points out that, while there have veterans with similar backgrounds. few lunches with Remy, he revealed been individual memoirs, a formal BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 He may be reached by e-mail at how his family fled Frankfurt in 1935 history about these men has yet to when he was eleven, and how he was be written. [email protected] or by recruited by Army Intelligence (U.S. “Their story is an important calling the History Department, Army “G-2”) to be part of an legacy of the German Jewish Interrogation Prisoner of War (IPW) experience and the American (718) 951-5303. team. He received special training at occupation,” Remy says. “But it’s a Camp Ritchie, Maryland, with many story that should have been written other European refugees.

3

TOP OF THE QUAD 4 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 for America as aMetaphor On Boyhood Minter: Geoffrey b Frontispiece from y M ark Twain, Harper andBrothers, 1899 The Adventures ofHuckleberry Finn, Univ degree inEnglishfromStanf sustaining. and fulfilling, and allofitwasrich, theschool newspaper— club, drama the into hisacademiclife—his studies, Hethrewhimself the boy thrived. andthiswaswhere school system, to off how asanation. we regardourselves says alotabout Minter contends, how we view “the boy,”Instead, merely snailsandpuppy dogtails. great dealmorecomplicatedthan thenotionofboyhood isa College, professor ofEnglishatBrooklyn once aboy himself. hewas Forstarters, about boyhood. Geoffrey Minterknows quitealot er Minter receiv But theonethingPalo Alto had Yet for thisnewassistant er Minterwasanexcellent sity andw go housing andreceiv aunt liv Minterandhis successes, estate andSilicon Valley known for itupscalereal While Palo Alto isbest took himtoPalo Alto. gr father untilsecond Minter lived withhis soon afterhisbir andhismotherleft sorts, andwantsofall poverty Therewere lucky one. childhood wasnota Minter’s mother, and aChinese Afr the late1960stoan inSanJoseduring Born dues afew timesover. ade v ican ernment aid. ernment ent ontoearn ed abachelor’s Minter haspaidhis whenanaunt , ed inpublic American father American Amer ord th. ed ican Amer innocence—a metaphorfor how emblem ofnostalgiaand lost begandepictingtheboy asan writers theCivil losses sustainedduring War, yet afterthepunishing potential; symbol ofy the centur in Early literature. nineteenth-century were representedin “the boy” toexaminehow notionsof earnest Minterbeganin meager beginnings, captain ofindustry.” becomesa through sheerpluck, about theself-mademanwho, “It’s says. Minter Alger,” Horatio him for sometime. themes thathadbeenpreoccupying Minterpursued studies, graduate his During University. Harvard master’s degreesfrom anddoctoral nation’ tothefreshnessofour return Ifwe couldrecaptureor nation. disser His Mintersays. but thepast,” future, industrialization. of theilleffects ofwarand ourselves we couldpurify contended, f histor liter times fromnineteenth-century aboutcontemporary much tolearn “There is stillso of thisisoutdate. James. andHenry Dean Howells, Douglass,William asFrederick writers Boy Representationsofthe Century American Economic Moder Agr or toda arian Idealismandthe arian Anxieties of , tr, itrsy.“It’s a Minter says. ature,” explores thew Well aware from ofhisown rise “There isthe myth of American Sdel,theboy isn’tabout the “Suddenly, n sh el i tdns none And ashetellshisstudents, ical labor tation, icans view s or y .” gn,thewriters igins, y theboy isheldupasa , outh, The RomanceofBoyhood: atory withapplications atory nity inNineteenth- ed themselv hopefulness, or ks ofsuch es asa and In Tune with Peter Crosby ike all great artists, Peter Crosby makes his work seem effortless. Sitting in front of one of the L College’s seventy pianos—Steinways, Baldwins, or Yamahas—he plays a series of two notes with his left hand—fourths and fifths—and makes small jerking adjustments on the tuning pegs with his tuning hammer. “It looks very simple, but when you try to do it yourself, it becomes quite difficult,” he says. “At Steinway there’s an eighteen-month training period!” Crosby began working with pianos when he was fourteen in his hometown, Dublin, Ireland. “It was during World War II, and my dad was a technical sergeant in the Army School of Music,” he says. “A music shop told him they needed an apprentice, and I got the job. The first year, they let me get cakes for the other workers and make glue. The second year, I got to sweep up a little.” In 1963, by then an expert piano tuner, he emigrated to New York City and worked at Steinway, traveling all over New York to tune the pianos of the rich and famous. It was through one of his customers that he learned about an opening at Brooklyn College and joined the staff of the Conservatory of Music (then the Department of Music) in 1974. His tools are simple: a bundle of four tuning forks, including one that once belonged to his father; a screwdriver; a tuning hammer; some spray glue; a large bottle of lighter fluid; scraps of sandpaper; a ribbon of thick felt; and various rubber wedges for damping strings. “All “It looks very simple, but when pianos go sharp in the summer,” he says. “They go out of tune once the central heating goes on in the winter. In you try to do it yourself, it Ireland, it wasn’t uncommon to see eighty- or hundred- becomes quite difficult,” says year-old pianos, but in the United States a piano lasts about forty years. It’s the central heating that kills them— Peter Crosby, sitting at one of BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 dries them out and cracks them.” the College’s seventy pianos that Crosby doesn’t believe anybody is born with truly perfect pitch and scoffs at people who tune pianos with he is responsible for keeping electric instruments: “If you tuned a piano perfectly, it in tune. would be out of tune. When you use an electronic machine for tuning, you take the soul out of the instrument. That’s what I tune—the soul of the piano.”

5 TOP OF THE QUAD

Women Writers Share Knowledge with M.F.A. Students Manhattan usually gets top billing in book buzz for the bright lights, big city factor, but anyone who’s in on the current American literary scene will tell you that Brooklyn is where it’s happening. Case in point: During the spring semester two of the most respected writers in contemporary literature were teaching in the M.F.A. creative writing program in fiction—novelist and essayist Mary Morris (Nothing to Declare: Memoirs of a Woman Traveling Alone) and novelist Susan Choi (American Woman). Both women make their home in the borough as well. Bringing in writers of renown has been a goal of Michael Cunningham (The Hours), director of the fiction program. When students have meaningful, sustained contact with working writers, they not only sharpen their own prose but also get a sense of the writing life: developing the necessary focus, strengthening their persistence, and cultivating other interests that enrich their work. Morris has published three volumes of short stories, including Vanishing Animals and Other Stories, which was awarded the Rome Prize in Literature. She is also the author of the novels Crossroads, The Waiting Room,The Night Sky, House Arrest, and Acts of God. Her new novel, Revenge, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in 2005. She has been awarded grants from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Choi’s first novel, The Foreign Student, won the Asian American Literary Award for Fiction and was a finalist for the Discover Great New Writers Award at Barnes & Noble. With David Remnick, she edited an anthology of fiction, Wonderful Town: New York Stories from the New Yorker. Her most

BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 recent novel was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize.

6 A Pandemic in Perspective

t’s a job for heroes. The doctors and nurses in South Africa who work with IHIV-infected patients fight on the front lines of the worst epidemic in recorded history. Some forty-five million people worldwide are infected, and in South Africa nearly five million people live with the disease—more than 11 percent of the population. Over the past year, Professor Gerald Oppenheimer, Health and Nutrition Sciences, and Ronald Bayer, a colleague from Columbia University, made three extended trips to this devastated country, interviewing ninety doctors and nurses. Oppenheimer and Bayer have studied the effects of HIV/AIDS since 1983. Their book, AIDS Doctors:Voices from the Epidemic (Oxford University Press, 2000), narrated a history of the HIV explosion in the United States from the perspective of physicians. In South Africa a small outbreak occurred among the gay population in the 1980s, but HIV became a staggering health crisis there in the early 1990s. While other African countries were showing high infection rates, the international sanctions against South Africa’s apartheid state had slowed the transmission of HIV across its borders. After the the political scene shifted and embargoes were lifted, truck drivers from the north, migrant workers, and returning exiles spread HIV rapidly through the population. By 1994, when Nelson Mandela was elected president, AIDS was growing exponentially. “In South Africa, the epidemic began at the moment of greatest hope for the country,” reflects Oppenheimer. Black South Africans are suffering in the largest number. Families are devastated and hundreds of thousands of children have become orphans. As Oppenheimer and Bayer have learned, the chronically underfunded public medical sector is reeling from the number of cases requiring attention and too many BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 clinicians in both the public and private health sectors are convinced that AIDS is a hopeless, fatal disease. Those interviewed reported that patients with HIV are often denied needed medical care. The reluctance of the postapartheid government to support expensive life-extending anti-retroviral medications for patients in the public sector has increased the sense of helplessness, even among the minority of doctors who have become AIDS specialists. “What is remarkable in South Africa is the story of those who remain dedicated to resolving the medical, psychological, and, ultimately, the political problems of AIDS,” says Oppenheimer. “Some of these doctors and nurses are depressed or burnt out, but the majority endure. We want to know what keeps them going.”

7 TOP OF THE QUAD 8 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 the classroom. inter U education from Pennsylvania State an emphasisinlanguageandliteracy with curriculum andinstruction, doctoral (2002)degrees in received hermaster’s (1999)and School ofEducation, Parmar An assistantprofessor inthe P Priy Questions for niv est inusingrapandhip-hop ersity. We askedherabout armar a and validatetheirstudents’ teaching ofhip-hopculturelegitimate representations thatmainstream myths andquestionstereotypes hop cultureallo Studyinghip- andbeliefs. thoughts, unconsciousl mainstreamideologies to traditional instead ofpassively allowing andidentity ethnicity, culture, gender, examine suchissuesasr tocritically Studentslearn histories. and experiences, knowledge, voice, Educator classroom? Wh andfashion. language, behavior, hop isaculturethathasitso breakdancing, or (b-boys/b-girls) breakin’ art, orgraffiti The otherthreearetaggin’ hip-hopculture. elements comprising Rap orMCingisoneoffour ra first—what’ Let’s getsomethingoutoftheway p andhip-hop? y w ould y s whoincor s thedifference between y shapetheirvalues, ou usetheminthe and deeja ws studentstodispel por ying. ace ate the culture , class, wn Hip– , today’s popularculture? wrong—including illiteracy—in contributed tomuch ofwhatis sa How would you answer criticswho pedagogy. liberatory itisanempowering, say, As thephilospherPaulo Freirewould their own knowledge ofurbanlife. studentstofurther and encourage andpurpose place, power, esteem, could engenderdiscussionsof knowledge reflectedintheselyrics ideologies oftenperpetuate.The to asBlackLanguage orEbonics. iswhatlinguistsrefer lyrics some rap that per it must bestressedthatthelanguage However, hip-hop hasonouryouth. completed todateastheimpact question, white f 80percentwere that percentage, were whitesuburban youth andof than 70percentofr found thatin2001more retail sales, acompany thattracks SoundScan, listened toby millions!Infact, is Butrap dominant middleclass. values andideologiesheldby the toexisting because ofits “threat” panic inmanymusic causesmoral and againplacedinthemar delegitimized by thedominantculture the cultureareinfactdevaluedand allelementsof value thatcomprises and theaestheticrichness same time, capitaliz forces asameansto external and been exploitedby internal r that hip-hopcultureandspecifically it’s obvious clearly Here istheirony: ap m y ra But tospecifically answer your p andhip-hophave usic ha emales. e ontheculture meates hip-hopcultureand there isv v e beenexploited. er ap consumer y littleresearch yet atthe , is Rap gins. It’ s s

Bibliography Belt Research has shown that Ebonics is a deconstruction of rap lyrics becomes legitimate, systematic language with its a method to get students to critically ou can look it up. For the past own rules of grammar structure, examine such issues as race, class, twenty years a team of editors in syntax, style, and lexicon rooted in culture, and identity. Whitehead Hall has been quietly West African, Caribbean, and Y compiling the International Bibliography of European linguistic-cultural traditions. Give us an example of how you Theatre, a weighty collection of abstracts Ebonics is neither “broken” English incorporate rap and hip-hop in the of more than 60,000 articles from nor merely “slang”—the variety of classroom. hundreds of theater publications including dialects of Ebonics spoken in the A former third grade Teaching Fellow the Il Castello di Elsinore (an Italian theater United States is distinctive in the of mine used rap in her language arts quarterly named for Hamlet’s haunt), nuanced meanings and classroom to teach Standard English Teatertidningen (Swedish for “Theater pronunciations of certain English by asking students to translate lyrics Magazine”), and Gledali__e list SNG words and the ways in which these to the standard form. Another Drama Ljubljana (a venerable Slovenian words are combined to form student in a middle school drama journal). grammatical sentences. This is incorporated the lyrics of KRS-One, a The IBT, a project of the American evident in the writings of Frederick less commercial, more politically Society for Theatre Research and the Douglass, in the speeches of Malcolm driven artist, to explore economic, brainchild of Benito Ortolani, professor X, and in the literary writings of such social, and political issues. Reading emeritus and former chairperson of the authors as Toni Morrison and Zora and writing skills in the third grade Department of Theater, has published Neale Hurston. Would critics blame classroom improved significantly and fourteen reference volumes since 1984, these famous, influential speakers and the kids in the middle school began containing article abstracts and detailed authors for contributing to illiteracy? to constructively analyze and critique indexes. Working with members of what they were listening to. professional theater associations, the IBT What about the messages many rap If my teachers were not familiar has herded a wild, expanding throng of artists send out? with rap, they treated their students scholarly articles—covering everything From my experience in the as experts, allowing the students to from ancient Greek drama to classrooms, and that of my students teach them about rap. Students contemporary performance art—into an who are practitioners in the field, explained to the teacher the rules for invaluable tool for theater research. we’ve learned that kids—even as creating a new rap song. After This summer the International young as third grade—are very “learning” these patterns, the teacher Bibliography of Theatre made the leap into sophisticated about the homophobic, used them as a foundation to teach the digital world. EBSCO Information violent, and sexual messages from grammar and sentence structure. In Services, the research database some mainstream rap artists. If you the higher grades, the teacher development company, purchased IBT from give students an opportunity to connected rap as a form of poetry Brooklyn College and is putting the deconstruct the lyrics and then to required curricula such as collected information online. “This is great compare them with those of more Shakespeare. Students analyzed rap for the database,” says Rosabel Wang, who social and political consciousness- text for themes, motifs, plot, and has been handling the technical aspects of raising artists, such as The Roots or character development. In general, the project from the beginning. “Now Dead Prez, who are less commercial political or conscious-raising rap can researchers can look through all twenty and do not receive much media air be used to stimulate thought- years at once.” time, youth are capable of provoking discussions that often The database will be available to distinguishing between reality and translate into expository writing, the EBSCO subscribers this fall. false perceptions or stereotypes production of poetic texts, or spoken perpetuated in commercialized rap. word poetry. This critical examination and A Brief History of Sharon Zukin, Broeklundian Professor of

Sociology, is the author of the classic study Loft Living: Culture and Capital in Shopping Urban Change (Rutgers University Press, 1989) and writes broadly about cities and culture. The following excerpt is from her most recent book, Point of Purchase: How Shopping Changed American Culture

(Routledge, 2004). BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

10

ome years ago, when I lived in Belgrade, capital of made the bread, or the farmer who made the cheese, that the former Yugoslavia, I liked to shop at the farmers’ you buy. But if you can’t get this close to the producer, the Smarket. On weekend mornings in the spring, I would next-best thing is getting close to the goods—close get up early, before the sun grew hot and the streets enough to touch and taste them—and to talk to a became dusty and airless, and walk to the local pijaca (pi’- knowledgeable seller. ah-tza) to buy the few supplies I needed for the week. Even in ancient cities, sellers were often merchants Older men, and women of every age, milled around rather than producers. They bought oil and cheese from thirty or forty outdoor stands, fingering tomatoes, apples, farmers, or brokered long-distance trade; their stores heads of lettuce, eggplant, beans—whatever fruit and dotted the streets, setting the tone of each quarter and vegetables were in season. (During the long winter gathering their own frequent customers. Around the months, when the weather was cold, there were only piles Roman Forum, there were streets that specialized in selling of cabbages.) A few stands, enclosed by windows, sold books, or spices, or bronzes. The Via dell’Abbondanza, in loaves of white bread, most of which was made at large, Pompeii, ran the whole length of the city—like Broad worker-owned bakeries, and several sold thin leaves of Street, in Philadelphia—and had as many shops and home-made dough for pita or strudel. Older women, their workshops as Fifth Avenue. Customers were as likely to gray hair covered with scarves, stood at tables selling buy from artisans or slaves as they were to meet the whole chickens, loose eggs, and cheese, the way farm merchant himself. But in these small shops, they had a women always do at markets. “Beli sir,” they called out. direct relation with both the goods and sellers. Merchants “White cheese. Taste it, Miss! Taste it!” undoubtedly set different prices and offered different If you came close, and knew the routine, you asked the qualities of goods, yet buyers decided what to buy woman what kind of cheese she had. There are only two directly—not on the basis of brand names or kinds of fresh cheese in this area of the world—dry and advertisements. saline, like feta cheese, and moister, younger cheese, like Shopping from local merchants is the other ur- ricotta, that only hints at salt. “Not too salty!” I always said. experience of shopping. Every developing society goes The cheese seller would immediately spear a new ball through the process of moving trade indoors, from public of cheese from her barrel or, if one was already on the markets and bazaars to specialized stores. And these table, she deftly cut a swath with her knife. I can’t stores eventually become bigger, more complicated remember whether I took the piece directly from the knife collections of articles for sale. Like a bureaucracy, blade or picked it up from the table with my fingers, but I department stores lose the ancient merchant’s immediacy enjoyed the subtle taste of fresh cheese in my mouth and and special relations with customers—in order to bring the feeling that I was about to make an important decision. shoppers the world. If I liked the cheese, I asked how much it cost. But In basic economic terms, shopping is a complex when the woman named a price, I usually tried to bargain. system for integrating people into worlds of goods. It’s not that the cheese was so expensive—certainly not for Trading in a simple village marketplace gets goods to someone who came from New York City—but trying to circulate from one group of people to another, and not bargain was part of the experience. Bargaining showed I only satisfies, but also stimulates desires that can't be knew the routine and used the language as well—or almost satisfied at home. Likewise, shopping in the supermarket BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 as well—as a native. Though I wasn’t Yugoslav by blood, or shopping mall distributes the bread, frozen orange juice, and had only a few close friends in Belgrade, shopping at jeans, and compact discs that are produced by some of us, the pijaca every week made me feel I belonged. to others who use them. These days, even more than in This to me is the origin, the ur-experience, of Pompeii or colonial America, most consumers are located shopping. A true marketplace brings buyers face to face far from where their products are made. Our orange juice with sellers; the resulting exchange begins in rough equality comes from Brazil as well as Florida; the jeans we buy at and ends in mutual benefit. The best exchange, I think, is Target and The Gap are made in the Northern Mariana when the seller is also the producer—the baker who Islands or in Bahrain.We shop in corporate-owned chain

11 FEATURE HISTORY OF SHOPPING

stores where we don't know the salespeople, cashiers, Shopping became more important—and important in security guards, or owners. Just as in a simple marketplace, different ways—in the sixties, as some economies, again however, the very activity of coming into immediate beginning with the United States, started to depend on contact with goods—smelling the strong aroma of coffee services and global integration. With fewer Americans or fresh bread, squeezing the tomatoes, or even, with less making things in factories and workshops, more of us were sensual gratification, reading the labels on the frozen food shuffling papers, waiting on tables, and selling things to or compact disc—excites us. We want to be around other consumers. these things; often, we want to have them on our bodies In the next few years, as American manufacturers and in our homes. reshaped or abandoned their traditional role, shopping The bustling crowd contributes to our excitement— took on greater weight in the economy. Companies began to the point of frenzy, when you have to climb over other to shut down plants in the United States and move people to get items from a sale rack, or irritation, when production overseas, where labor was cheap and you have to wait in a long line at the checkout counter. government restrictions were lax. They often remained in But regardless of how processed the goods may be, or business by marketing products they bought or imported. how processed by the routines we, ourselves, feel, While the number of American factory workers shopping is the zero point where the whole economy of dramatically decreased, the number of shoppers remained people, products, and money comes together. the same. Indeed, as we of the baby boom generation bought homes, started families, and explored facets of the *** good life, shopping grew more intense. In the aftermath of Our mass culture is based on the belief that shopping the presidential election of 1984, most of the political is a patriotic duty. I'm not thinking of the punning slogan battles over job loss due to overseas production were “Go 4th and Shop” that Old Navy painted on its billboard swept away by a new feeling of entrepreneurial freedom advertisements around Independence Day, July 4, several and a rising stock market. Political leaders now years ago, or of Mayor Giuliani’s and President George W. encouraged us to buy imports in order to keep American Bush’s encouragement of shopping to fight both an companies afloat and maintain the country's leading role in economic recession and the mood of despair after the world economy. September 11. I'm thinking of the importance economists While consumption fueled the economy, new and politicians have assigned to shopping—to consumption, entrepreneurs kept us shopping. From the late sixties, in general—since John Maynard Keynes's time. even the most trivial items of clothing—including jeans— sprouted designer labels. Between the sixties and the *** eighties, stores, manufacturers, and journalists promoted a BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

12 vast array of branded products, including sneakers and America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Potomac Mills toys, to satisfy our cravings for individual identity, social outlet mall near Washington, D.C. By 1997, sales at Wal- status, and a sense of membership in a national culture. Mart exceeded $100 billion a year, a hundred times At the same time, our fascination with countercultural greater than the chain’s record-breaking sales volume of rebellion sparked the metamorphosis of an underground 1979. Though the amount of retail space per person has retail sector of granola, acid rock, and “head shops” into quadrupled over the past thirty years, big retail chains like the corporate economy of Whole Foods,Tower Records, Wal-Mart,Target, Home Depot, and The Gap are building and The Gap. even bigger stores—up to 200,000 and even 300,000 square feet. *** Around the end of the twentieth century, shopping Since the eighties, shopping has commanded more became a critical metaphor for excess and for an serious attention by economic analysts. Annual retail sales alienation from life itself. The size of the retail industry, the in the United States add up to more than $3 trillion a year. ubiquity of stores, the obsession with brand names from Consumer spending is thought to account for two-thirds Main Street to Wall Street: you couldn't fail to be struck by of national economic growth. Elected officials quote the the pervasiveness of shopping—especially if you didn't Consumer Confidence Index, which is based on a look at yourself, but at other people. household survey of consumer spending, as if it were the *** new gospel of prosperity. Newspapers, business magazines, and television news programs report holiday We rarely pause to examine what all this shopping retail sales figures as a drama of boom or bust, complete means.Yet only by peeling away the layers of social spaces, with a Greek chorus of comments by investment analysts. cultural labels, and critical guides that have accumulated These analysts look for a company’s growth, in terms of around shopping can we understand the power this increased sales volume, to raise its stock price: they want activity wields over our imagination. Peel away these BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 us to keep shopping. layers, and we will understand the shoppers we have Responding to these cues, America has become, more learned to be. than ever, a nation of shoppers. In 1987, the country had more shopping malls than high schools. More Americans shopped while they traveled—and took trips in order to shop—than relaxed in outdoor recreation or visited historical sites, museums, and beaches. Airlines offered special excursion rates for one-day trips to the Mall of

13 The ultimate Urban Landscape: Manhattan’s Central Park and surrounding area Dreaming of BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

14 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 15

ves that ves iginated A Gotham: makes it makes ws examined the ro y Moore obser Bur ys. us and went on to found us and went ize–winning ize–winning protection she sa

and er Pr ” th, some of our greatest cities or ork City to 1898, Y essor of Sociology Kell w home, safety, w do we want to shape our public landscapes and want to shape our public w do we e? Heroic, seamy, victorious,York, for humbled—New ork and to contemplate what our decisions about y of Ne Y ulus killed his brother Rem The extent of recent public discussion about such The extent of recent public Beyond a city’s genesis, a city’s Beyond the shaping by what is revealed Beneath such glass and steel questions are sentiments “These stories,” writes Edwin G. Burrows, ticularly a brief take to timely look at urban planning in The Making The Making and of a City Ourselves concepts as Histor intersections of a thousand factors—geological, cultural, commercial, city and political among them—that made the what it is. of its lif one, has all these faces. violence in September Cataclysmic us to do some soul searching about the 2001 forced Manhattan. of lower rebuilding of city do we What kind want? Ho our skyline? define held notions of self and place.that express deeply Assistant Prof view our surroundings constantly we in terms of our relationship to something at once practical and cosmic. “For example, restoring think that by nature in the we urban environment, human relations and can restore we reconcile with the ear par New ourselves. about reveal our environment by Andrea Andrea by Louie According to legend, from violent events.Aztecs the by Mexico City was built on the very a serpent. devoured spot where an eagle had Rom the city of Rome. of historydistinguished professor College, at Brooklyn “celebrated of urban civilizations as epic acts.” the founding As coauthor of the Pulitz Gotham

16 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 FEATURE remar urban poortend toconsidernaturetoxic andpoisoning,” whereas the natureassomething positive, experience “Thewealthy tendto emissions orpollutedrivers. battling toxic factory andthedisenfranchised properties class lines, without thefr but ofnature, seektheexperience Promenade,“people at the World FinancialCentertotheBrooklyn Heights Fromthe Winter Garden bug- andtornado-free. outside, ofwhatitmeans tobe anidealized version manicured, What sometimesresultsisalandscapethatperfectly evenaesthetic but moral—reasons. alsofor spiritual—and to restorethelandscape We wish People wanttobestewardsofnature. impulse. landscape ofthe transformation American a vastandenormous logging industr the forests were cutdown tosupport dominate nature: refuge outaplaceof which menandwomen hadtocarve in people thoughtofnatureasadangerouswilderness regarded naturethroughourrelativ shesays. aroundus, toward theworld intensif best useofnaturewithinurbancenter Squabbles over the spaces. the “green” areas amongthem, Mooreismoreinterestedinthe buildings themselves, their own ideasofhow thingsshouldbe. allwith population ever growing innumber anddiversity, aesthetics. costly boiled-down bottomlinesversus dwellings, shopsversus leisure, age-old battlesofcommerceversus and ashoppingcomplexindowntown Brooklyn. and thecampaignfor abasketball stadiumfor theNets football stadiumfor theJetsonManhattan’s far West Side; ofaprofessional Javits Centerandtheconstruction World theproposedexpansionof Trade Centersite; visionsfor the aroundtheuntidycollisionofdisparate swirl Many ofthecity’s mostcontentiousplansfor thefuture At the Vortex Perceptions ofnaturestilltend tobreakdown along More recentl Moore hasbeenexamininghow haveAmericans hasbeenoverWhile much the ofthediscourse overEmbedded inthecontroversy eachsitearethe ks Moore . ied o Ov ”Moorenotes. ,” GOTHAM Insepar with themoney er they v er timeandrev gtnn at, Mooresays. ightening parts,” n omk omfrcos “Therewas y andtomake roomfor crops. . y befo hs susaetectzn,a able fromtheseissuesarethecitizens, therehasbeenapreservationist , ear s, they wantedtocontroland , Moore sa ed jock eal ourchangingattitudes eying for waterfront ys, el re itr.Initially history. y brief not only for s ha v e onl y elv n n h est ete’aie inhabitants?” we live in? And whogetstobethe’native’ kindofsocietyshould Inotherwords,“What shesays. well, about ourhumanneighborhoodas into troubling concerns thistranslates our community? Ecological questionsaside, ornonindigenousplantswhatwe wantin of “immigrant” gr native aflaming Japanesemapleversus spots—say, Moore says. making natureinagardenisbetterthanjustlookingatit,” “Somepeoplesay that quiet placesofcontemplation. or spaces would bebetterusedfor neighborhoodballparks say public others growing andvegetable flowers gardens, Whilemany would enjoy Meadowlands inNewJersey. FreshKillslandfillthe former onStatenIslandandthe issue ofcommunity gardensandthefutureofsuchsitesas industr waste inamillisecondwhenNew York Cityandits becamepollutedandcloggedwith ago, thousand years fifty tiny fromtheIce streamsandwellsprings Age, systemof Thenatural Powell says—not enoughwater. exploit thesefeatures totheirbestadvantage. enemies. good placetomake moneyandget aclearshotatyour and steelfromPittsb the Er andproximity to accessallthewayriver inlandto Albany, result ofluckygeogr that New York becameapowerhouse metropolisasa rdcso luhehue,tneis yr,dsilre,glue distilleries, dyers, tanneries, products ofslaughterhouses, To thisbasewere addedthenoxious by- disgusted citizenry. by a astinkingmashlabeled forming Pudding’ ‘Corporation andanimalexcrementpiledupinthestreets, garbage, mud, por transportation. water, day—air, ofnecessitiesthatsimply getusthroughthe network f Itistherethatwe look backtensofthousandsyears. To urbanNew someresearchers bestunderstand York, The Bedr ind theseedsofourcontempor asses—ha tr And thedecisionsregardingwhattoputinsuch In greaterNew over suchdebatesstillrage the York, In But New York hasalways hadonemajorproblem, W ait: ie Canal and the rich resources of high-grade coal resourcesofhigh-grade ie Canalandtherich ies beganthriving. Gotham, a yne P By the 1830s, in lower Manhattan,“great heapsof inlower Manhattan,“great By the1830s, From thebeginning, ock ebcm ruh swl.Istheintroduction aswell. ve becomefraught o w Edwin Burrows paintsadecidedly grim Edwin Burrows ell, assistant prof py nesl eedbehro,good aneasily defendable harbor, aphy: ur h nohrwrs New York Inotherwords, was a gh. f oreign settler r rbes theroiling problems: ary essor ofgeology s wantedto , asserts BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 17 ound is n the backgr . I The new large water . oung lady visitors (lower ee y High Bridge, c. 1861. This view was c. 1861. Bridge, High taken while new construction was under way two main is seen as it was placed over and crew The work smaller ones. thr posed for an unknown forefront) photographer countryside River at about the Harlem of Collection in the Bronx. 17 Street Society. Historical York the New er w . ust come out, and the er East Side uction of the Old Croton w ere back in town. herds of Roving ut what goes in m b viously, the water issue could no longer be ignored. ulation, The grotesquely unsanitaryThe grotesquely the conditions brought on Ob apid expansion and w One of the first major feats of New York urban planning York One of the first of New major feats was the design and constr works, bone boilers, and stables, which had once been banished to the periphery had been overtaken now but by r pigs made some inroads on the resulting scavenging accum porkers contributions own added their to the vile stew.” first of a series cholera deadly of epidemics in 1832, felling immigrantimpoverished workers the thousands. by Then the Great Fire of 1835 tore through most of lo Manhattan during arctic winter. an exceptionally Reservoir, Central in what is now Park, the which provided crucialfresh water supply to the survival of the city and its legendarynow teeming masses, which concurrently but led cisterns and sewers,to overflowing particularly in the new tenement areas of the Lo

18 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 FEATURE GOTHAM EUROPEAN ORIGINS. IN CONTRAST REFLECTS THEWHOLEWORLD BETTER A . ‘NEW’ NEW YORK . CITY. TO ITSESSENTIALLY P hoto b y J oe Loguirato “Only New York—with that kind of money and that Jerome Krase, professor emeritus of sociology, wants many people—could have made a reservoir like that us to go one step farther. He believes that if we can make happen,” Powell says. “New York is incredibly vulnerable New York City a better place, we can make the whole when it comes to water,” he notes. Like urban oases more world better. “It all begins at the lowest levels,” he said. commonly thought to be constructs of the West—think “We are a microcosm of the world.” Las Vegas or Los Angeles—“We’ve built up a city where a Krase is endlessly fascinated by how people who are city shouldn’t exist.” The New Croton Aqueduct was different can live together in relative harmony. He has placed in service in 1890. Then New Yorkers started spent most of his professional life observing how New taking cupfuls water from afar, finishing the Catskills System York neighborhoods change—who comes, who stays; what of aqueducts in 1928 and the Delaware System in 1964. goes up, what slides down. Krase says we’re changing, and All but 5 percent of this water flows “naturally” into New changing fast. York City by gravity. Without it, not a bagel could be First, immigration patterns altered drastically after boiled in Gotham. 1965. “It’s generally referred to in New York City as Much press has been given recently to the painstaking immigration through JFK Airport versus Ellis Island,” Krase work of laying the third tunnel, which will deliver water says. “Many changes in the federal laws had opened up from the reservoirs to New York. It is estimated that the opportunities for more people to come from such $6 million tunnel will not be completed before 2020. previously numerically restricted zones as Africa and Asia.” Meanwhile, city dwellers continue to take showers and In his view,“new populations are refreshing neighborhoods flush their toilets without a thought—revealing, Powell says, throughout the city. The result is a ‘new’ New York City, how arrogant we are, how easily we’ve forgotten our one that better reflects the whole world in contrast to its bedrock roots. essentially European origins.” “We see New York—especially Manhattan, with its Second, in the old days, these new immigrants might skyline—as an engineered environment,” Powell says. “We have filled assembly-line jobs in New York’s busy factories. don’t remember that it was engineered entirely, at first, by But Krase points out that the deindustrialization of the city geology.” has seen higher-skilled jobs replaced by service jobs that and are less well paid. “Middle-class jobs in New York Our City, Ourselves were at one time blue collar as well as white collar, but the Again and again, we reveal ourselves as creatures who middle class is dominated now by the white-collar assert our dominion over our surroundings. We battled occupations and professions,” Krase says. “As a result, you the frontier, pushing it farther West until we had see a growing economic gap in the city. There’s a loss of conquered both coasts. We tamed the wilderness; we the middle.” planted crops; we established cities both out of strategic Such an increase in racial, cultural, and economic trading needs (say, Pittsburgh) and out of ideology (take diversity means greater challenges for urban planners— Salt Lake City). challenges many may not wish to face, Krase says. It’s In a celebrated—and now challenged—essay, historian more attractive for developers to build luxury Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 proclaimed that the condominiums in such trendy neighborhoods as the frontier had closed. The presence of a wilderness, he Meatpacking District in Manhattan and in Brooklyn’s BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 attested, was what shaped us as Americans. It was the foe Williamsburg. Providing schools, playgrounds, and against which we had always fought. community centers for the city’s new poor and immigrant Assistant Professors Kelly and Powell have discussed groups gets far less air time among those with the financial how we then exerted a different kind of control over our means to remake a building, a block—or an entire urban environment. We reconstructed a “nature” to our neighborhood. own liking, making life comfortable and convenient in a way it wouldn’t “naturally” be. continued on page 49

19 Brooklyn College Believe Brooklyn College 1. owns the earliest painting of Walt Whitman. This 1860 work by Charles It or Hine was purchased in 1955 by faculty and students of the Department of English.

2. The first “Brooklyn College” 5. May 15, 1930, is also the Not was a Catholic college and birthday of the flight high school in Crown Heights attendant profession. On that With the College set to mark its founded by Jesuits in 1908. In day, the world's first airline ! 1922 the college closed, but stewardess, Ellen Church seventy-fifth anniversary next year, it’s the lower grades continued as (1904–1965), made her first the Brooklyn Preparatory flight. Noted American painter time for a refresher course on High School until 1972. Today, Jasper Johns also shares BC’s Medgar Evers College of The birthday. Brooklyn College trivia. The City University of New York following assortment of strange-but- occupies the old building. 6. 383 Pearl Street is the original home and main true facts is served here as an 3. The foundation for what address of Brooklyn College would become our Brooklyn from 1930 to 1937. The appetizer for the next three issues College dates to 1917, when president’s corner office, on City College, for men, opened the second floor, is at present of the Brooklyn College Magazine, a branch of its Evening occupied by a vocational Session at Boys High School school. which will celebrate the people, in Bedford-Stuyvesant. achievements, and traditions of this Hunter College, for women, founded its Extension Center one-of-a-kind institution. in Brooklyn in 1925. The two branches were joined in 1930 to become the present by Joe Fodor four-year Brooklyn College. May 15, 1930, is the College’s official birthday, celebrated on this date because it was the first day of work for the College’s first employee, President 4. William C. Boylan. Prior to 1937, Play Day was observed on the Saturday during the College’s 7.“birthday week” in May, during which all of the College’s women students were divided into teams to compete in “friendly rivalry.”

8. The school colors, maroon In 1932, 14. Brooklyn College was and gold, were arrived at by 12. Randolph Evans known officially as Federal compromise. The men’s was a thirty-year-old Work Relief Project division of Brooklyn College architect of residential Number 9175X. favored royal blue and gold; houses when he drew up the women’s division had a the plans for Brooklyn One of the fondness for lavender and College on spec. An purple. In 1930 an employee of Woods- 15. College’s intercouncil committee voted Harmon developers, most illustrious along gender lines and owners of the Flatbush deadlocked on the issue. property, he created the alumni, the humorist Maroon and gold was the design for the College second choice of both. because he didn’t have Sam Levenson, ’34, any other work to do. has a recital hall on 9. In 1933 the two-year-old Maxwell Teachers Training campus named after College was absorbed into him. Not many Brooklyn College, becoming the nucleus for the present- people know that his day School of Education. architect son, Conrad 10. & 11. In 1935 Levenson, designed the average male senior was 5’10”, 155 lbs., and the Penthouse in the twenty-one years old. Student Center. The average female senior was 5’4”, 115 lbs., and 16. “BC 2000 AD” was the 17. When Brooklyn College twenty 13. Evans visited President theme of the “Senior Capers” came to Flatbush in 1937, a years Boylan’s office without an put on by the senior class of number of college-theme old. appointment and presented January 1936. The show, set businesses sprouted in the in 2000, depicted two neighborhood, including the

the plans for the College. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 Boylan liked what he saw, and Brooklyn College students Campus Men’s Store, College the next day the two drove who read every book in the Theater, College Food Shop, out to Flatbush and Evans BC library except one, the Co-Ed Luncheonette, and the The Hi pointed out where the 1936 Broeklundian yearbook, Schiffer Student Store. Of Hites was a club buildings would be situated. which they proceeded to this early crop of College- for tall Brooklyn College Five years later, the campus read and act out. inspired businesses, only the students founded in the was open and the buildings College Liquor Store survives. 1930s. Women needed were placed exactly where to be at least 5 feet, 7 Evans had indicated. inches and men 6 feet or taller to join. 21

FEATURE BELIEVE IT OR NOT

“There have been more students from Brooklyn College fighting in Spain than from any other university in America,” said Hans Amlie, 18. former commander of the Spanish Civil War’s Abraham Lincoln Brigade, addressing the April 27, 1938, BC Peace Strike.

& Professor David McKelvy White, of the Department of English, was one who joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, quitting Brooklyn College in 1937 to fight fascists in Spain. He was the model for the 19. character of Robert Jordan in Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls.

24. In retaliation, CCNY 28. Edward Everett Horton, students crept into Kingsman the Brooklyn-born character territory, sawing off the top of actor, donated $150 to the sundial in the Lily Pond, establish $2 “best picker” hoisting burlap bags up the awards for the most flagpoles, and scrawling successful harvesters. “CCNY avenged” in chalk on the sidewalks. 29. Midwood High School has always had a close On April 20, 1939,Adolf Hitler’s fiftieth 25. Hillel at Brooklyn College, relationship with Brooklyn birthday, four thousand BC students 20. founded in 1940, was the first College. Built in 1941 across assembled on the athletic field to denounce fascism. organization of its kind in the street from the College, in The sixth annual Peace Strike at Brooklyn College was New York City. 1984 it was renamed the last and the best attended. Midwood High School at 21. According to Harry Gideonse, when he 26. Hillel had its own basketball Brooklyn College. arrived as president in 1939, because of the left- team in the 1940s and racked wing slant of the school and its students, the up an impressive sixteen-game “college’s name was so bad that some people winning streak in 1944. actually wanted to change it to Kings County College or Walt Whitman College.” 22. Gideonse established the President’s Bulletin Board, where he posted interesting editorials and his own critical comments on news stories.

23. On November 4, 1939, the football team triumphed 12–6 over the City College Beavers. That night BC students were caught invading Lewisohn Stadium to chop down the CCNY goal posts, resulting in eleven arrests. A second mission that night was successful, and the posts were During the Second World War, students brought down. could work during the summer for $1.60 a day at Brooklyn College’s own 27. farm-labor camp in Dutchess County. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

22 33. During the Second World War, 228 Brooklyn College students, alumni, and staff members were killed.

34. The Oldtimers Club was organized after World War II and included students returning from service. A plaque dedicated by the Oldtimers Club in the Boylan Hall entrance contains a poem written by John Most, ’47, who would later become the voice January 23, of the Boston Celtics. 1943. The 30. critic and 35. Larry Pearlstein, star of curmudgeon Alexander the scandal-plagued 1945 Woollcott suffered a fatal Brooklyn College basketball In 1946, twenty thousand people—the largest heart attack while team, was never a student. crowd ever assembled to see a BC sporting participating in a roundtable The College was forced to event—came to Ebbets Field to see the Kingsmen discussion on WABC forfeit all the games the bogus gridders crush the CCNY Beavers 12–6. collegiate hoopster played in. 37. Radio. Brooklyn College President Gideonse, also 41. In 1948 Margaret Clapp, on the program, quietly 36. In 1946, Brooklyn professor of history, won a Pulitzer for her biography carried him out of the College got its own humor Forgotten First Citizen: John studio so that listeners magazine, Sprout, edited by Bigelow. She left BC the had no idea what had Calvin Kaufman and Joshua next year and served as happened. Woollcott Greenfield. president of Wellesley College died four hours later. until 1966.

31. Former U.S. Senator and 38. In 1947, classes in 42. In 1948, in presidential candidate Robert Chinese language and their best season Dole studied engineering at culture were held under ever, the Kingsmen Brooklyn College from the auspices of the went 7-and-2 and November 1943 until March German Department. narrowly missed 1944 as part of the Army being invited Specialized Training Program 39. Alpha Phi Omega to the (ASTP), which trained and sponsored the annual “Ugliest postseason educated academically Man on Campus” contest, in Tangerine talented enlisted men as a which students “voted” for Bowl. specialized corps of Army their ugly candidates by officers during World War II. donating money in their 43. The Rho name. The contest ran from Chapter of Phi Beta the 1940s to the 1960s. Kappa was chartered on Dear Folks: I spent more time in school this week here 32. January 13, 1950, replacing than I did in a month at K.U. They throw assignments at 40. Before Roosevelt Hall Propylaea, Brooklyn College’s us so fast that we have to take our books to bed with us to was rededicated in 1947 own unaffiliated honor society. by Franklin Roosevelt, Jr., it keep up. I've already had seven tests and will probably 44. The Air Force ROTC was known as the Hygiene BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 have more this week. . . . These New York people still think Detachment 555 unit was Building. established on campus in there are Buffalo and Indians in Kansas and they think the 1951 and was disbanded in only city there is Kansas City. They believe anything that 1966. For a short time in the early 1960s, the cadets had you will tell them so some of [the] Kansas boys have a lot of their own choral group. fun teasing the girls around here. . . . Christmas is only a week away but it sure doesn't seem like Christmas for some reason. . . . Bob Dole, Brooklyn, December 1943. “ ” 23 FEATURE BELIEVE IT OR NOT

52. According to one survey, more women who earned a doctorate in psychology received their undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College than any other school. From 1920 to 1980, 323 female psychologists came from Artist Mark Rothko taught Brooklyn College, followed by the University of Michigan (271) in the Department of and Hunter College (256). Design before being let go 45. 53. There is no Nobel Prize in in 1954 because the department had too mathematics. The highest prize many painters on staff. In 1973 Kate in the discipline is the Fields Medal, which is presented every Rothko, the artist’s daughter, graduated four years to mathematicians from Brooklyn College summa cum laude under forty years old. Alumnus Paul Joseph Cohen, ’53, was with a degree in chemistry. awarded this distinction in 1966 for his work in set theory. 46. The Brooklyn College 49. In the 1950s all students football team went twenty- entering Brooklyn College 54. S. Eugene Scalia joined nine games without a victory were required to have a chest the Department of Romance from 1950 to 1955, at which x-ray to detect tuberculosis Languages in 1941 and taught time the school pulled the and other lung ailments. In there until the 1960s. For plug on the gridiron program the early 1960s, as a result of many years he was the in mid-season. concern over the effects of Newman Society’s faculty radiation exposure, the adviser. His only son, Antonin 47. In 1956 Dr. John Hope requirement was dropped. Scalia, is a justice of the U.S. Franklin was named Supreme Court. chairperson of the History 50. In 1961, dress code 51. On March 17, 1962, Department. Although the first regulations forbidding women the Chad Mitchell Trio 55. The study of computers African American to head a students from wearing recorded their album got a boost when the history department made “shorts, slacks (or) toreadors” Mighty Day on Campus in Department of Information front-page news, Dr. Franklin were suspended on Whitman Hall in front of Science was founded in 1971. found that no realtors offering weekends, school holidays, three thousand The term computer was not homes in the Brooklyn College during the final examination screaming folk-music initially incorporated into the vicinity would show their period and intersession, and fans.They were title of the new program, properties to him. After much on days when the accompanied on guitar recalls present-day department difficulty, he finally purchased his temperature fell below and banjo by twenty-one- chairperson Aaron Tenenbaum, home at 1885 New York twenty degrees Fahrenheit or year-old Jim McGuinn, “because who would name a Avenue from its owner. when the snow exceeded who, after changing his department after a machine?” three inches in depth. name to Roger McGuinn, would later lead the rock group the Byrds. 56. Noonies: Name of popular lunchtime dances held In March 1958 Jack Kerouac visited the in the Student Center during the 1970s. 48. campus as guest of Nocturne, the literary magazine of the evening session, to lecture on his recently published novel, On The Road. Kerouac— according to jazz composer David Amran’s memoir, Offbeat: Collaborating with Kerouac (2003)— In antagonized the students with his inebriated antics, 57.1972 the Center leading one to ask,“How come I love your books and for Italian American the characters in your books and I hate you?” Studies opened at Brooklyn College, the first research center of its kind in New York City. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

24 63.When Brooklyn College President John W. Kneller arrived in 1970 from Oberlin College, he brought along his horse, 58. Ragtime pianist Eubie Knoxboy, and enjoyed riding in 69. October 10, 1980. Ronald Prescott Reagan, son Blake, aged ninety, received the Prospect Park. honorary Doctor of Humane of former President Ronald Letters from Brooklyn College Reagan, makes his professional 64. In the 1970s, Brooklyn College was home to in 1973. debut as a ballet dancer with Easy Riders, the College’s equestrian team. In 1978, the Joffrey II on the stage of Gershwin Theater at the 59. Plaza Building, opened in junior Linda Quinlan placed sixth in the intercollegiate 1973, was designed with a Brooklyn Center for the national finals. state-of-the-art rifle range in Performing Arts at Brooklyn the basement, complete with College. 65. During the 1970s, 67. In 1978, for a research electronic scoring. Brooklyn College also fielded project on biological pest 70. In William Styron’s novel a hockey team. controls, the Brooklyn 60. In 1973, the College Sophie’s Choice (1980), College awarded the honorary Sophie meets Nathan at 66. While president of BC, Organic Doctor of Delectables to the circulation desk of the Kneller also led the Campus Gardening Club Harry Theodore, who had Brooklyn College Library. Road Stompers, a Dixieland distributed one been serving ice cream and jazz band, including members hundred praying hot dogs from his white truck of the faculty and administration. mantis egg cases, parked at the Bedford Avenue Kneller played bass. containing an gate since 1949. estimated total of twenty thousand praying mantises, in Central Park and Prospect Park.

68. Sociology students buried 71. The Department of a time capsule on the Television and Radio maintains Quadrangle in May 1979, with the Television Advertising and instructions that it not be Culture Archive, which disturbed until 2029. The contains thousands of classic capsule contains various television commercials, newspapers and magazines; an including hundreds of aspirin bottle,“to symbolize cigarette commercials. our drug-oriented society”; a pencil,“to show how we Since the early write today”; and roller skate wheels,“to represent the 72.1980s, Brooklyn Streaking came to Brooklyn College on speed of our world and its College has been home to 61. Friday, March 7, 1974, when a member of leisure dimension.” Brooklyn’s largest the fencing team dashed from La Guardia Hall across population of Myiopsitta

monachus, or Monk BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 the Quad and into Roosevelt Hall. parrots, South American 62. In 1974, Professor of natives who survive the Physics Albert Bond was winter by building well- instrumental in getting a Dynamitron, a 3.75-million- insulated volt particle accelerator, nests. installed in the basement of Ingersoll Hall.

25 FEATURE BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Who Was Your Favorite Teacher at Brooklyn College? Brooklyn College Magazine invites nominations for favorite teacher—the man or woman who inspired you or changed your life. Tell us why this person was so important to you and we’ll include your testimony in our next seventy-fifth anniversary issue. Now is your opportunity to In April 1985 the Brooklyn College soccer team honor Brooklyn College faculty members who 73.won the All-Nepal Football Association were unforgettable. Invitational Tournament in Nepal, beating the team from Tibet 2-0. BC defeated the Nepalese national team 2-0 in the previous semifinal match, which was abandoned with How Many People in two minutes left on the clock because of anti-American riots in Katmandu Stadium. Your Family Attended Brooklyn College?

74. The 1986 Nobel Prize in For our seventy-fifth anniversary, we are looking Medicine was won by for family trees heavy with BC alumni. If you and biochemist and BC alumnus your parents, aunts and uncles, nieces and Stanley Cohen, ’43, and the 75. The Quadrangle is nephews, sons and daughters all went to Italian biologist Rita Levi- Brooklyn College, we want to know! Do you Montalcini for their discovery of ringed by twelve nerve growth factor know any third generation Brooklyn College graceful Siberian (NGF) and epidermal students? We will pick the most dramatic stories growth factor elms, Ulmus pumila. and profile those families in the upcoming issue. (EGF). An introduced Please send your submissions species that for favorite teacher and proliferates quickly Brooklyn College families to in the wild, the tree is [email protected] or mail them to classified by some Brooklyn College Magazine, states as a noxious weed. 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210. Please remember to include your class year and contact information. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

26

Newscollege

Brains, Beauty—and Now,Value: Princeton Review Says We Have It All

For the third straight year, the Princeton Review has named Brooklyn College as one of the top colleges in the country. In April, the College was ranked #3 in the nation for best academic value in the new guidebook America’s Best Value Colleges. Brooklyn College is the only school in New York State to be listed among the top ten. The seventy-seven colleges included in the guide were chosen for their outstanding academic programs and teaching, low-to-moderate tuition and fees, and generous scholarship and financial aid packages. The latest Princeton Review citation joins the College’s #1 ranking in The Best 345 Colleges, 2003, for most beautiful campus nationwide, and #5 for best academic value and for the friendly interaction of a diverse student body. The College remained in the top five in the 2004 edition of the guide for beauty and value. “We identified over thirty factors by which we rated the colleges in three categories: Academics,Tuition, and Tuition GPA, the sticker price minus the average amount students receive in gift aid scholarships and grants,” said Robert Franek, assistant vice-president of Admissions Services for the Princeton Review. “The schools we chose for this book may not be the least costly colleges in America, but they are all great education deals. We highly recommend them to students and parents seeking the best academic bang for their buck.” The Princeton Review ranking of schools for the “top 10” list and its selection of the seventy-seven colleges in the book are based on its analysis of quantitative and qualitative data the company obtained from administrators at more than five hundred colleges and from surveys of students attending them. The other nine schools included on the Princeton Review “Top 10 Best Value Colleges” list are #1, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; #2, Amherst College (Mass.); #4, Rice University (Tex.); #5, Bates College (Maine); #6, Grinnell College (Iowa); #7, Southwestern University (Tex.); #8, University of Texas at Austin;

#9, Lake Forest College (Ill.); and #10, Claremont McKenna College (Calif.). BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

27 COLLEGE NEWS

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships Honors, Grants, National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships were awarded to two and Awards members of the Classics Department: Edward Harris, who will study in Athens next year, and Donna Wilson, who will be Faculty and Alumni Honored with spending a year at the Center for Hellenic Guggenheim Awards Studies in Washington, D.C. Guggenheim Fellowships for 2004 were First Place for Students in awarded to novelists Susan Choi (American Woman,The Foreign Student) Free Enterprise Competition and Ernesto Mestre (The Lazarus The Brooklyn College chapter of Students Rumba,The Second Death of Unica in Free Enterprise (SIFE) placed first in its Aveyano), instructors in the M.F.A. division of the regional competition, ahead in Creative Writing program. of such competitors as Columbia, New Awards were also given to two York University, Harvard, and Ohio State. alumni: composer Frances SIFE is a global nonprofit organization that White, M. Mus., ’87; and seeks to develop leadership, teamwork, historian Greg Grandin, ’91. and communication skills through free enterprise, improving the standard of Faculty and Student living in countries throughout the world. Fulbright Awards This is the fourth year that Brooklyn has Fulbright Fellowships were sent a SIFE team to the New York and awarded to Irene Sosa, Philadelphia regionals, and the first year Department of Television and that it has been a regional winner. Radio, and Michael Nau, ’03. John H. Moss Award for Excellence Sosa will spend six months in in College Teaching Venezuela teaching at the Universidad Central de The National Association of Geoscience Venezuela and producing a Teachers presented the John H. Moss documentary on the work of an Award for Excellence in College Teaching important Venezuelan art critic and to David Leveson, Department of Geology. scholar; Nau will study Islamic texts in Second Place Showing in the Indonesia. In January, Annette Danto, Metropolitan Opera Competition Department of Film, received a Fulbright Alexis Martin, ’03, won second place in Senior Specialist grant to set up an the Southeast Region of the Metropolitan international environmental roundtable at Opera National Council Auditions. Chennai,Tamil Nadu, India. Italian National Translation Prize Luigi Bonaffini, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, won the Italian National Translation Prize given by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Affairs this spring. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 29 ou s when y or drama in Anna in the e f iz uz's a play about Cuban a play er Pr een actor orkers in a Florida cigar see it, that only but happens when there is trust.” Nilo Cr Tropics, w factory the that received Pulitz 2003 and then ran on Broadway.“The next challenge is the rehearsal, need to gain where you the trust of the people act with.you That's very important,” Smits said. ‘chemistry’ can call it “You betw tance NYPD and acter in a the char L.A. Law the Brooklyn native the Brooklyn Famous for his roles Famous for Angeles, agents, role ipts, Smits returned inds” Los selection, to read and how scr again and again to his theme of the impor of getting an education and gaining experience on stage. TV on the long-running shows Blue, an actor explained how “f script. at length He talked about his research on the character he portrayed in . I ys. “And before that, “And before ams about his career At the invitation of At the invitation erson High School, my While student hopefuls peppered the actor with practical questions about was just sixteen, and some of the first I ever shows in this theater.” were saw Leiter,Samuel Department of Theater chairperson, to students in Smits spoke the B.F.A. and M.F.A. acting progr 1980. Thomas when I was at Jeff drama bring coach would me here to see pla Jimmy Smits Jimmy a Hit Back Home citing a us Jimmy Whitman Hall ws he y Monday night y Monday he said, ” appeared in from 1976 to long list of Brooklyn College sho On a chill in December, Brooklyn College alumn Smits, ’80, returned to the basement of where his acting career was born. “It hasn't changed very he much," observed of the 120-seat Theater New Workshop in of his many which he gave earliest performances. “This is where I took a lot of leaps, COLLEGE NEWS

Tantalizing Tentacles he octopus may soon be out of a job. The BioMimetic and Cognitive Robotics Laboratory, directed by Associate Professor of Psychology Frank TGrasso, is helping to design a biomimetic soft robot manipulator resembling the twisty tentacles of this eight-armed mollusk. Brooklyn College is one of seven institutions pursuing this research under a $6.3 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense.“The octopus is a wonderfully mysterious creature,” said Grasso. “The suckers, an area we'll be focusing on, are unbelievably strong and are even capable of cavitating—that is, breaking apart water.” Each sucker, which is like a finger, can move independently to manipulate objects. Together, they are capable of “walking” octopus arms around corners, or straight out in front, or even into tight places. A primary goal of these experiments is to understand and harness that power and flexibility in order to build an artificial arm that one day might feel its way through rubble to rescue victims of earthquakes or other disasters.

Bollywood in Flatbush Bollywood—as the film industry in set entirely in New York City, has India is known—was on location at become a top-grossing hit around Brooklyn College for a week in the world. The wildly successful August 2003. The cast and crew of soundtrack—including a Hindi Kal Ho Naa Ho (“Tomorrow May version of the Roy Orbison classic Never Come”) filmed on the “Pretty Woman”—is played across campus, staging comic classroom South Asia. One of the most scenes in the Woody Tanger successful Indian films in the overseas Auditorium of the Brooklyn College market ever, Kal Ho Naa Ho recently Library and rigging huge sprinklers won the Prix du Public award for that doused the Quad with rain as a best film at the Valenciennes Film backdrop for an under-the-umbrella Festival in France and captured a moment for stars Preity Zinta and record nineteen Bollywood Award Saif Ali Khan. The film, a love story nominations. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

30 Children and the Law

ne in three children under Child advocates from New Jersey, eighteen years of age in New Connecticut, and Rhode Island OYork City lives in poverty, the discussed their state’s practices. Rhode majority of them black or Hispanic. Island child advocate Laureen Last year, one in five public high school D’Ambra, Esq., remarked that the students dropped out or were “pushed $2 million annual cost of staffing an out”—the term for counseling out independent office would be less than students unlikely to pass the Regents the funds expended on civil suits examinations. Many who do not brought against the city for negligence. complete high school are arrested The Honorable Jeremiah Jeremiah, for crimes. chief judge for that state’s family court, Such alarming statistics as these stated that the number of youngsters were addressed on March 11 at the saved by the Rhode Island office was policy symposium Children and the Law estimated to be in the thousands. in New York, organized by Professor Panelist Roger L. Green, then Gertrud Lenzer, director of the chairperson of the New York State Brooklyn College Program in Children’s Assembly Committee on Children Studies and the Children’s Studies and Families, commented that this Center. The daylong program, which reform and others were a matter of attracted a wide range of professionals relocating funds, something that could in the field—judges, attorneys, be done, given enough media legislators, detectives, and educators— attention and voter pressure. examined the need to reform the Rhoda S. Jacobs, ’62, assistant speaker state’s and city’s protective services. of the New York State Assembly, Symposium panelists representing noted that if the Rockefeller Laws various divisions of the juvenile justice were revamped, the great savings in and educational systems were enforcement and incarceration costs uniform in their call for more could be applied to treatment outcomes assessment and better legal programs. representation for children in foster Gertrud Lenzer closed the day care, the courts, and detention. While by saying that the policy symposium exposing failures, the symposium was only a first step in changing focused on model practices found rhetoric into action. The event, held BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 effective in protecting children. at the Association of the Bar of the Conceived as a means to build City of New York, was made possible momentum, the conference made a by the Carnegie Corporation of New case for supporting legislation to York with additional support from create an independently funded New the City University of New York and York State or City child advocate’s Brooklyn College. office with subpoena power.

31 32 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 COLLEGE NEWS cutting cer BCR radiostation’s ribbon Spinelli, center, atthenew ProfessorAssociate Martin share alaughwith M President Marty and Brooklyn Borough H iman B ar ko witz, r o emony wn, ’34,left, ’ 70,right, . producer of such radio classicsas producer ofsuchradio thelegendary ’34, generous donationsofHimanBrown, ceremony on 14. April ribbon-cutting withagrand facility wasinaugurated The best professional stationsinthemetropolitancity. theCollegemay now safely boastoneofthe new facility, staffed by idealisticstudents. cobbled-together equipment, with stationsareoftenmakeshift operations College radio Radio Corporation. executive presidentofInfinity Broadcasting Scott Herman, Zoo; Sk includingthoseof groundfor many careers, as thetraining to an tobesent connection allows broadcast-qualityprograms AnISDN drama. radio performing live music oractors Onestudiohasthecapacitytohost CDs andMinidiscs. mixing consolesandprofessional Denoncontinuous-play R-90 standard equipment—WheatstoneRadio Arts r new facilitiesincludethreefull and b the-line equipmentusedintheindustr intheclassroomontop-of- what they’ve beenlearning topractice new stationwillgive students theopportunity “Our Television andRadio. of studies intheDepartment Associate Prof said in,” stationsI’veof theprofessional worked radio Mar and adio studios, each of which operates withindustry- eachofwhichoperates adio studios, eer lin Broadcasting. Dick The $500,000facilitywasmadepossible by the Withaspanking Not Brooklyn CollegeRadio(BCR). The radio studies program anditsstationhave studiesprogram served The radio The stationisbroadcasttothecampuson1090 some “Brooklyn Collegenow hasafacilitythatrivals ai sy executive producerof David Isay, y stationinthew y y Jones, W T bsra twwbokycleeai.r.The eb streamatwww.brooklyncollegeradio.org. r acy, ’96, essor Martin Spinelliwhoheadsradio essor Martin and ex Alexander ecutiv or ld. e produceroftheZ100 T y equippedsoundproof anger, ’01, the chairman of thechairman ’01, anger, Inner SanctumMysteries Days y Sound Portraits; . ” Mor ed AM and ning BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 33 vie is one of o hundred, ilm as anti-Semitic ator. The film ed poor reviews in Cricket Players Victory a Score harshest critics. Sharon Flatto, of assistant professor Judaic studies, was the moder receiv general from the overflow audience of tw Bergerwhile Professor pointed out that criticism of the f accomplished have may more harm than good. “The proper approach of Jews to the mo measured criticism,” Berger said. ty- The Passion the s Union k’ , who ing thir or Y istian dialogue estament T s College at of New yn College while scor , New York Times, York New wler Theological Seminary, an expert on the intersection study and of biblical pedagogy and the educational implications of Jewish-Chr and one of Mel Gibson’s account of the crucifixion; and Sister MaryC. Boys, SNJM, Donna Wilson, associate of classics and professor director of the CUNY Honor Brookl about the sources of talked the New wling kept the score tight,wling kept and CCNY our wickets and giving up only our wickets a The yn bo s of

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Brooklyn’s Samsu Islam was awarded the “Man of the Samsu Islam was awarded Brooklyn’s y because of the way it y because of the way or Association for Jewish Association for tr enteen r n April in a seventy-five-year-old the latest chapter n athletic rivalry College and City Brooklyn between in Marine a dusty field out on Park. College was played Scholars on Clash Jewish–Christian relations; were Broeklundian were of HistoryProfessor David Berger, former president of the Studies, on two who spoke thousand y Passion of the Christ, Passion source of concern for man por subject of an impassioned panel discussion sponsored R.Wolfe the Ethyle by the Humanities Institute for in March.

Daily News, I the by covered In a match that was cricket Bangla the City College Shobuj team defeated a thirty-overs in wickets Cricket five Club by (an match “over” is made up of six pitches). Bangla is a Shobuj cultural, scientific, students from and athletic club for Bangladesh, where cricket obsession, is a national as it is in India, Pakistan, England, Guyana, Indies. West and the Excellent Brookl 104 runsscored only overs,twenty-seven in losing all ten wickets. Chasing a target of 105 runs, Bangla the Shobuj sixteen overs. the match in only batsmen won the Match” in recognition of his outstanding trophy perf sev Mel Gibson’s film film Mel Gibson’s rights in CUNY. Meanwhile, the BC batsmen are gearing up their match against Columbia Universityfor this summer. four runsfour College club. the Brooklyn for Similar cricket clubs sprung years,the past few have up at six CUNY colleges in and pla

friends of Brooklyn College

All in the Family: Doris Lipson Sassower, ’54

Doris Lipson Sassower, ’54, has had saved enough money to established the Ethel Lipson Seigal bring his parents to America Memorial Award and the David and marry Rose Weitz, a Lipson Memorial Award at Brooklyn young woman he’d met College to honor her late sister through a Zionist and brother. organization; she was the But the real story is that all eldest of four daughters who four of Doris’s brothers and sisters also came from Galicia. mathematics, respectively; and graduated from Brooklyn College In 1918, Abraham opened the Ethel Lipson received a bachelor’s before her. “We had the whole Public Art Store at 320 Bedford degree in home economics in 1948. world opened for us at Brooklyn Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Sassower, who at nineteen had College,” says Sassower, who received where the family lived. They did married George Sassower, an a bachelor’s degree summa cum pleating, hemstitching, covered attorney and also a BC alum, went on laude with a major in Romance buttons, buttonholes, and all the fine to earn a law degree cum laude from languages. handiwork that was in demand for New York University in 1955. The road to Brooklyn began fashions at the upscale department She has long wanted to establish when sixteen-year-old Abraham stores. scholarships in memory of her Lipschutz—a serious, dedicated “We had a house full of books,” brother and sister. Talmudic scholar—left his tiny rural Sassower says. “As famed comedian “It’s the right thing to do,” village in one of the schtetls of Galicia, and Brooklyn College alumnus Sam Sassower says. “All the good things Austria, and boarded a ship bound Levenson, ’34, put it, we had that came to us afterward began with for America. Abraham was the eldest everything but money.” the first-rate faculty minds we of eight children. The year was 1905. During World War II, Sassower encountered at Brooklyn College. “The family really couldn’t spare recalls, many Jewish families changed We became achievers because the him, but they sacrificed so that their German-sounding surnames. College nurtured our intellectual Abraham might escape the pogroms “My father was proud of the curiosity, constantly prodding us to and forge a way in America,” says Lipschutz name,” she says,“German scholarly thinking, encouraging free Sassower, his youngest daughter. “As I for ‘guardian’ or ‘protector of the expression of our ideas and think back, it was so brave.” rights of others.’” With his two older opinions—however critical of Abraham spoke not a word of sons, Joel and David, enlisted in established ways and dogma—and English. Moreover, he’d spent his military service, her father yielded to demanding the best of our abilities.” entire young life as a Hebrew and mounting pressures to change the religious studies scholar and had no family’s Germanic name to Lipson. If you would like to learn sure means of making a day-to-day All five children graduated from livelihood. Yet he arrived in Brooklyn College: Joel Lipschutz more about how to support Manhattan’s Lower East Side and received a bachelor’s degree in history Brooklyn College, please call the confidently set about finding work, in 1937; Judith Lipson and David and when he could not, he enlisted in Lipson graduated in 1942 Brooklyn College Foundation the U.S. Army. After fifteen years, he with degrees in psychology and at (718) 951-5074. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

34 Students in the Brooklyn College Honors Academy met with two superstar alumni this spring: cofounder and president of Sterling Equities

Saul B. Katz, ’60, president of the New York Mets and the Brooklyn Cyclones; and Gerry L. Golub, ’62, chairman of American Express Tax and Business Services, Inc., and managing partner of the largest single-office accounting firm in the nation. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

35 36 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 Sightings College Magazine. or mailedto [email protected] may bee-mailedto for Alumni Sightings lately, letusknow. Items If you’ve beeninthenews GOT CLIPS? alumni Brooklyn a evdr,NwJre,in1987. NewJersey, Belvedere, the m W of story toldthedramatic program The books. author ofseveral isthe communicator andpsychic, awell-known animal Weber, program f Nancy Orlen ’63, Weber, Guatemala.” hoped mighttake mebackto because thesew anthropology andarchaeology, “Istudied hesaid, College,” “AtBrooklyn threats inGuatemala. after hisfamily beganreceivingdeath told ofmoving toBrooklyn in1980 ex by the Interviewed decades-long civilwar. thousands ofvictimsGuatemala’s by identifyingthe bodies of rights ’96, Peccerelli, Fredy A. Advancement ofSciencehonored The American Association for the Forensic eatured ontheCour ward f ecutiv eber’s successfulidentification of urderer ofay New YorkTimes, or his contribution tohuman or hiscontribution e directoroftheGuatemalan Anthropology Foundation, Psychic Detectives ere disciplinesthatI oung nurse in oung nurse t TV Netw Peccerelli, with aspecial was in March. or k Chronicle will airon ABC televisioninJuly. for Thetwo were intheaudience Bush. ’87, M.F.A., Tetreault, In February, Need amagazinesubscription? Theatre, the frontro sittingin thatmonth, theater earlier T accordingtothe bow ties, andwomen—wore everybody—men accessory, sartorial his trademark to Intribute him atagalasend-off. saluted hiscoworkers Alley Theatre, managing directoroftheHouston last nightofhisdecade-longtenure as onthe InMarch, D.C. in Washington, producing directorofFord’s Theatre Spare himtheLincolnjok Magazine. reports SI.com, Web site, managing editorofthemagazine’s Illustrated, Sports Fichtenbaum, other pub reports Group, officer ofthe Advance Magazine He willcontinue aschieffinancial officer ofCondéNast. operating of accountingandf promoted fromseniorvice-president etreault wasspottedathisnew An Celebration atFord’sAmerican an annual extravaganzathat , which alsorepor lishing news, w nexttoGeor onBlad,’78, John Bellando, ’83, MediaWeek. has beennamed hock inance tochief was named Paul ey editorf es. Media Life ted that Houston ge In Paul W was . or BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 37 ws or Walden usic f on a ver in ver at the was Ma’s A keyboardist struck on a winning or television sho floated his Nautilus: 20,000 y the best Latin ’76, usic f , ed b yhouse in Den ozner Obrigado Brazil, Denver Post. Denver y Pla y P last year’s Historylast year’s special Channel Leagues Under the Sea, Famil his work for best known with the Club,Tom Pozner Tom 1980s band has scored m and released a CD of his m Russia, Land of the Czars. producer executive Classical Sony Laraine Perri, ’80, idea when she helped her friend, the Ma, record Brazilian Yo-Yo cellist songs back fastest-selling record and w “best for this year Award Grammy album.” crossover Gar musical, children’s February to good reviews, according to the American musicians. The resulting album, winning Appeals in New York New The attorney ibe to open t of Saratoga County Saratoga wk tr Jay Goldberg,Jay ’54, Benjamin Brafman, Goldberg successfully . o usical client, rapper Wright v. Pataki, in 1997 as the city’s “best in 1997 as the city’s y Jack and Regis Moha s ten most important, according joined in another well-publicized New York Law Journal. York New y time soon. gued that Governor Pataki could Pataki gued that Governor w his last m Las Vegas-style gambling casinos gambling Vegas-style Las outside of Syracuse,York. New ar not enter into an agreement on with York behalf of the State of New the St. an v. Pataki represented Trump represented Trump in again in the State Cour a case that ranked in Albany among 2003’ to A frequent visitor behind the A frequent visitor behind in courthouses table defendant’s across America, ’71, legal fray as lead when he signed on Jackson Michael cocounsel to defend charges.on child molestation Jackson his had high hopes for have must new attorney, by named Magazine criminal lawyer.” defense Brafman sa Sean “Puffy,” aka P.Diddy, Combs, acquitted of gun and bribery charges in 2001. Nevertheless, the soon after in handed down indictments were April,the case in Brafman was pink- slipped b be saying won’t Trump Donald fired”“you’re to or . iled Times included (1989) is noted. ia. Helen tered Bank f which prof is the new is the go-to guy , Times Financial who died at age or Niger wsday ts the Ne New York Times York New Originally a general . Kiok, activist and a lifelong . y repor ugs and the Athlete Athlete ugs and the this language has been adopted Dr a large international bank with tered Bank f ember , ormance-enhancing drugs, v . Gary Wadler, ’60, the seminal work in the field. roots in the British colonial era. Since 2000 he has been CEO of Standard Char Dr last the Manhasset-based physician No practitioner, in 1980 he volunteered his services the for physician as the U.S. Open tennis tournament, a job he performed until 1991. Along the way, he became an expert in performance-enhancing drugs; his book according to Active in bank management for in Active years,twenty in 1995 Cutting joined SCB expertfor advice on steroids and perf David D.David Cutting, ’76, Times, in paid death notices in papers across the countr a retired history teacher, was arrested during a 1930s cafeteria strike at College,Brooklyn the CEO of Standard Char Speaking of the president, Sternberg Kiok, ’37, on Christmaseighty-seven Day, made her paid death national news when notice in the the line,“In lieu of flowers, donations in be made to any her name may organization of to the defeat dedicated W.According to the George Bush." Uganda,

Newsalumni

f proof is ever needed of the Part of LAAC’s mission is to Latino power of a dedicated alumni encourage unity among the Latino Igroup, look no further than the student clubs, to cultivate leadership, Brooklyn College Latino Alumni and to serve as mentors. They have Alumni Advisory Committee (LAAC). also organized a scholarship fund, In spring 2003, campus Latin established a grant-making fund, and American and Latino student leaders are serving as a networking tool for Lend reached out to alumni who had once fellow alumni. been leaders and club members. LAAC works closely with the six Latin American and Latino alumni Latino student clubs and with the Helping immediately organized LAAC and Department of Puerto Rican and became one of the most active new Latino Studies. Last April, LAAC groups in Alumni Affairs. An alumni cosponsored the thirty-fifth Hands reception held earlier this year in anniversary celebration of the Puerto Manhattan marked the group’s formal Rican Alliance, one of the oldest affiliation with the Brooklyn College Puerto Rican student organizations in Alumni Association. the city. During the Puerto Rican and “Our alumni recognized the Latino Studies Department’s thirty- crucial importance of mentoring fifth anniversary conference, LAAC students of Latin American and presented a panel,“Community Latino heritage,” said Juan A. Ocasio, Organizing: A Personal Experience.” ’98, chairperson of the board of To contact LAAC, e-mail LAAC. “We realized that community latinoalumniadvisorycommittee@ service and involvement would be yahoo.com or call Juan Ocasio at integral to their personal and (212) 374-2434. Visit the LAAC professional development.” Web site at groups.yahoo.com/ groups/latinoalumniadvisorycommittee. Alumni Association’s Family Grows

New Jersey Alumni from the 1940s through the 1980s, gathered on April 22 at the Library of the Chathams and voted unanimously to form a chapter. BCAA President Roberta Wallach, ’53, and Alumni Affairs Director Marla Ginsberg, ’87, spoke about the ways chapters operate and engage alumni. A screening of the video From Vision to Legacy, about the reconstruction and renovation of the library, illustrated the College’s continuing growth. But it was the reconnections with classmates that proved the high point of the evening. Blanche Beigel Singer, ’53, met Ina Herman Geller, ’53. Blanche and Ina had known each other by sight from their New Jersey neighborhood, never realizing, until their fiftieth reunion last June, that they were not only college classmates but had also gone to Thomas Jefferson High School. The New Jersey Chapter meeting was Blanche and Ina’s “reunion” after the reunion. All New Jersey alumni are invited to the next meeting on June 10 to delineate chapter goals and plan an event for this fall. For information, you may call the Office of Alumni Affairs at (718) 951-5065 or e-mail [email protected]. BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

38 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 39 ill Baird, ’55, and Ella ill Baird, From left to right: From Kimmich; Antonia President Edison; Con Williams, Yuille ’53, Wallach, Roberta Rose Association President; Alumni B ’62, the Weiss, Friedman Award Distinguished Achievement ’56; and Schaffer, Hal recipients; ’55, vice-president Hilary Gold, emeritus. ’55, now a now Daily News, and Bill Baird, ement and v y took the abuse from y took the abuse and the vice-president of Cox s. be She may cheerfull ycos.com). ’48, ear THE ’30s Newsday Newsday st Business Media; a abilia from alumni who were OM w York w York Post, ing these y Ne ward Reed, nalism, Ho y e-mail (lmelani@l ation and Hear or b por and other memor e rights.The on the panel, sole nonalumnus Gersh Kuntzman,

ANTED: CTIVISTS FR yn bureau chief for the chief for yn bureau

essor of English and jour lic relations consultant; A College in the 1930s,labor activism at Brooklyn the Rapp- Coudert of BC students and faculty in 1940–41, investigation and Activities Committee (HUAC) the House Un-American BC students and faculty in the early of investigation 1950s, Lilia Melani seeks recollections,Professor photographs, relevant documents, W For a research project on the student antiwar mo students at the College dur contacted through the English Department, telephone by (212-369-7672), ize-winning journalistize-winning and associate pub Broadcasting Cor women’s for an advocate director of the Pro Choice League and reproductiv Brookl

the left-leaning panel for writingthe left-leaning panel for such a conservative for newspaper. Estate “Freedom of Speech and the Media” panel was the subject of a lively in Alumni College Day presentation at May. In a freewheeling discussion Moses,moderated Paul by ’75, Pulitzer Pr prof Fourth of the The Fate The Fate number of media-savvy alumni took turns of media-savvy at describingnumber the promise of how the first amendment to the U.S. the controlled by Constitution is ultimately organizations the means of communication. that own Joining Professor Herb Dorfman,Moses were ’51, television news producer; a longtime Bob Liff, ’70, a former columnist with

40 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 Memoriam in iaCroa hlhn ’36 Rita Corcoran Whelehan, Abr ’36 Florence Lichter Volotin, Rose Borowsky Ber LeeUlman Harriet ’36 Feil, D. George ’36 (Cohen)Cavell, David J. Doroth ’35 Samuel RalphNahem, Rhoda EllisKor ’35 Dominick Coppola, Ar Ida Alumni and DeanEmeritus ofChemistry Department Evan ofSociology Department ’67, Egon Mayer, ofPsychology Department Joseph Church of Department Art ’65, Lionel Bier, Faculty thur Fogelson, W nice MillmanGilrod, aham S. adee,’36 Landweber, ’36 Friedman, ’36 Brodwin, Williams einstein Sommer y W allman W is ’36 eiss, r , ’35 ’34 , ’33 ’36 hooeNdlo,’51 Theodore Nadelson, Ar ’51 Baum, Walter J. Minnie Cornfield Har Saul Cantor Eugene Ramr Mar Madeline Gro Rosl ’47 Rita RubinBartimer, ’46 Wallace Markfield, Mar Florence Kaufman ’44 Kirk, Irene Algase Milton S. ’42 Bernstein, Israel ’42 Milton Augenstein, ’41 Resnick, Mildred Abelson ’39 David Spirit, ’39 Hillman, P. Abraham ’38 Collins, YarmMarjorie Sisselman Charlotte ’37 Thomas Munro, thur Feinbaum, r et uoDokn ’45 ietta FumoDworkin, lnHfidrLf,’48 ilyn HofbinderLeff, yn Ber ei,’50 Lewin, ’50 Ehrlich, W ’45 Barnett, ’37 Pensak, iette Har einb Shapiro k latt, ’50 , o witz as, ro v e Har ’47 w ’49 , ’42 ’51 r s ’48 is, Nancy LeeSemas, Cecil ’85 M.F.A., Diagle, A. Robert ’81 Wasserman, Bernice Ar ’75 Giunta, J. Carl ’74 Merman, Lily Adler ’68 Portnoy, G. Sara ’66 William DeGennaro, William James ’61 Gutterman, M. Martin Papkin Beatrice ’57 Sand, Adolf I. Ber ’55 Renee Brown Raskin, Da BrownRita Harrow ’54 Theodore Karmen, LouRubens Mary ’54 Gold, Dina Israel ’54 Mark Alderstein, Arthur ’53 Katz, Janet Nurnberg Joan BenetBachrach thur Beloff, vid Kliot, nard D odntn ’89 Coddington, ooo,’60 Solomon, Pr ’54 Kallman, ’51 Ryen, y Unger ice , . ’54 oe,’56 Cohen, ’55 ’81 W alk ’95 er , ’64 LIONEL BIER, ’65 EGON MAYER, ’67

Last December, Lionel Bier, professor of art On January 30, 2004, Brooklyn College lost one history, retired after thirty-three years of teaching. of its most renown scholars and beloved He was planning to marry and move permanently professors. Egon Mayer, the chairperson of the to Vienna, but on March 4 he died unexpectedly Sociology Department, died at his home in after a brief illness. He was 61. Laurel Hollow, N.Y., of cancer of the gall Bier’s field was originally ancient Near- bladder. He was 59. Eastern art and archaeology, but in later years he For more than a quarter of a century, Mayer shifted his focus to include Greek and Roman examined some of the most heated subjects in ages. Experienced in topography and modern Jewish life. Concentrating on the architectural surveying, Bier conducted extensive religious habits of Jews, his research examined fieldwork at such important ancient Greco- everything from how many were lighting candles Roman cities as Knidos, Ephesos, and on Friday nights to the difficult subject of Aphrodisias. His book Sarvistan: A Study in Early interfaith marriage. Mayer, who combined an Iranian Architecture reconstructed a major old-world bonhomie with steely dedication to his monument that resolved several important issues profession, tackled his subject head on and was in the architectural history of ancient Iran. He revered for his scholarship, fairness, and was also responsible for the discovery of an compassion. unknown Hittite relief near Ivriz in Iran. Born in Switzerland and raised in Budapest, An urbane, witty, and polished lecturer, Bier Mayer immigrated with his family to the United was recently estimated to have taught as many as States during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. 15,000 students through the years he taught at He received his B.A. from Brooklyn College in the College. 1967, his M.A. from the New School for Social Bier received his B.A. from Brooklyn College Research in 1970, and his Ph.D. from Rutgers 1965 and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Institute University in 1975. On the faculty since 1970, of Fine Arts at New York University. Mayer became chairperson of the department in He is survived by his fiancée, Maria 2002. He is survived by his wife, Marcia Kramer Aurenhammer of Vienna, an archaeologist. Mayer; his daughter, Daphne; two stepdaughters, Rena Fox and Danielle Kramer; his mother, Hedy Mayer; and his brother, George.

42 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 Notes Magazine. Brooklyn College your classandthe is thelinkbetween correspondent, who address ofaclass include thenameand Many classyears To All Alumni: I to y magazine, pleasewrite published inthe you would liketosee accomplishments that have news aboutyour B send itemsdir corr —Class Notes Editor (718) 951-5065. address above orcall please writetothe class correspondent, asa volunteer toserve brooklyn.cuny.edu. or e-mail,bcmag@ (718) 951-4609, reach usbyfax, 11210-2889. A C M f y v r ollege, 2900Bedford agazine, B ooklyn C enue, B our classhasno our corr espondent, please class If you wishto You mayalso r ooklyn, NY When you ollege espondent. r ooklyn ectly to W Palo Alto, CA 94303 CA Palo Alto, 2563 GreerRoad Class Cor W.AnisgardHarry 1937 In Febr 1936 33484-1093 FL Beach, Delray 5071 CNestingway Class Correspondent Irwin Glick 1935 33484-1093 FL Beach, Delray B Apt. Court 5850 SugarPalm Class Correspondent Herber 1933 1 Class Correspondent Gr Dr 1941 FL33063 Margate, 7185 N.W Class Correspondent Beatrice Persin Faden 1940 co Then andNow,” a lecture,“Hollywood, School ofCinema, California Southern emer industry. per on with andwritings experiences of personal e ok Y 10012 NY New York, 16B Apt. Village, W v ald, . eenwald sonalities inthefilm er Shirle ashington Square itus, ing hissixtyy prof uary, t Nestler respondent y Edelman Univ . essor 9 Court 9 Court Mar er sity of vin ear ga v s e Delaware Region. Community andJustice, Conference for by theNational service and for herleadership Fir Children andFamilies from Advocacy Award National Family Week recently received the state ofDela agencies inherhome nonprofitof several ser 11942 NY East Quogue, P.O. Box 648 Class Correspondent Romola EttingerKaplan 1943 NJ07746 Marlboro, 16 Coventry Terrace Class Cor Horowitz Ka 1942 Tarzana, CA 91356 CA Tarzana, 4631 Ellenita Class Correspondent Reva FrumkinBiers 1947 NY11694 Rockaway, 404 Beach143Street Class Correspondent Schwartz Bernard R. 1946 Gilman Muriel Edelstein MA02401 Brockton, 30 OakStreet Class Cor LandauEidlin Renee B. 1944 st andwashonored yla Pomerantz v es ontheboards is retiredand respondent respondent ware A v en . ue She Rabinowitz Miller, from 1947to1991. Board ofEducation the New York City taughtfor now retired, Emerita In MarchProfessor ooa NY10970 Pomona, Drive 14 Ormian Class Correspondent Ben Suntag 1953 NY11706 Bayshore, 3 Lak Class Cor Raymond Sheila 1952 New 175 West 12Street Class Correspondent Kaplan Louise J. 1950 NY11225 Brooklyn, 190 MapleStreet Class Correspondent Constantine K. 1949 Flor Parkway Central 271-08G Gr Class Cor Eneas Sloman Arkawy 1948 Studies. for Eighteenth-Century Society the American women's studiesby eighteenth-century advocacy of onand her scholarship washonoredfor (Pa.), Chester Univ Gutwirth, al P Y eside Lane T or ar alm Madelyn Katz k, Lillian respondent respondent k, West NY 10011 ud NY 11005 and ersity Hall Robert Ricken, who Philip Fagin was and Bea Arthur. performances took 1959 served as principal and recently honored by Professor emeritus of place at the Theatre superintendent in the the Beth Israel occupational therapy for the New City in Rosalie Fuchs Berle Mineola School Hospital, Kings Highway at the University of New York in March. Class Correspondent District for twenty-two Division, for his South Dakota, Franklin Roberta Behr Wiener, 260 Garth Road years, was the Long volunteer work as an Stein is the founding dean emerita of the Apt. 3J5 Island coordinator for emergency room–ER and current editor of School of Education, Scarsdale, NY 10583 the Anti-Defamation waiting room liaison. Occupational Therapy Indiana-Purdue Harriet L. Brathwaite League World of International and the University Fort Wayne received the Glovinia P. Difference Institute, led 1955 author of textbooks (IPFW) campus, and Wilkinson Soror of the several educational and more than forty professor emerita, Year Award from Chi organizations, Gerald M. Platt is a articles. He has taught IPFW and Adelphi Eta Phi, an organization published books and professor of sociology and lectured at many University, is a of registered nurses articles in such at the University of institutions in the practicing and students, and the periodicals as the New Massachusetts, United States and psychotherapist who 2004 Mary Mahoney York Times, Sports Amherst, where he has abroad. has published books Award from the Illustrated, and the taught since 1970. and articles on literacy. American Nurses Harvard Review. He 1957 She and the Fort Association in honor of teaches educational 1956 Wayne Community her contribution to the administration at Long Michael E. Rutenberg, Schools and other nursing profession. A Island University, C.W. Mike Saluzzi member of the Actors community groups teacher for thirty years Post Campus. Class Correspondent Studio and Israel’s were recently awarded at Ditmas Junior High BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 242 N. Parish Place National School for $5 million grants from School, Martin Cohen, 1954 Burbank, CA 91506 Stage, directed The Fist, both the Wallace retired and living in a drama by Misha Foundation and the Delray Beach, Fla., is a Marlene (Marcia) Michael Hartig, as Shulman about the Lilly Endowment. principal of the collector of World War Jacoby Hillman Israeli Palestinian II memorabilia. In Class Correspondent Michael Hartig Agency conflict. The world Ltd., represents talent March, for the second 255 West 94 Street premiere was given at time in two years, his Apt. 6Q for film, theater, and the Public Theatre of television. Among his collection was on New York, NY 10025 Florida in January, and display at the Elliot clients are Jerry Stiller, subsequent Jane Powell,Tyne Daly, Museum. 43 1960 In March Joseph Ippolito, a retired teacher, opened the Northgate CARE Pharmacy, with his son. The drugstore, which is part of a network of forty independent pharmacies, is located in Waldorf, Md.

1961 After retiring as a college instructor in Denver, Susan Behrman Josepher moved to Santa Monica, Calif., where she is the docent program coordinator of the Skirball Cultural Center. She also acts Beverly K. Sussman 1963 medical malpractice 1965 in independent films, retired after five years cases, remains in most recently in The in the New York City Cliff Rosner Albuquerque, N. Mex., Barbara Berman Leveene Vanguard. school system and Class Correspondent and now studies Class Correspondent twenty-five years in 111 Blue Willow Drive Buddhism in the New 24 Jubilee Circle Illinois. She was Houston,TX Kadampa tradition, 1962 Aberdeen, NJ 07747 recognized several 77042-1105 attending retreats at Steven J. Nappen times by the state of An administrator home and abroad. Howard Becker, CPA, Class Correspondent Illinois for her and professor of Israeli Television English of Deloitte & Touche 38 Troy Hills Road achievements in behavioral sciences news reporter Sheila LLP, is coauthor of the Whippany, NJ 07981 science education and and human services Rosenfeld Zucker 2004 edition of Miller’s received the donated audio tapes of Carol Zimmerman at Kingsborough Not-for-Profit Reporting. Presidential Award for her interviews in the Brody, a member of Community College Martin L. Bregman Excellence in Science 1970s and 1980s with the National for more than thirty teaches at Tulsa from President Bill American-Jewish and Watercolor Society, years, Fred B. Malamet Community College. Clinton in 1995. Israeli celebrities to the appears in a new was named interim He is also an Sussman taught Florida Atlantic book, The Art of president of international judo graduate-level science University Molly S. Layering: Making Kingsborough in referee, head coach of methods courses at Fraiberg Judaica Connections, published January. the Tulsa Judo Club, National Lewis collections. The new by the Society of and is himself a sixth University, Evanston, Ill., Sheila Zucker Archives Layerists in Multi- degree black belt. published many 1964 contain interviews with Media. Her work was Joseph Friedman is articles, and in 1991 such figures as Yitzhak recently featured in Dr. Jay Orlikoff a director of founded a chapter of Rabin, Benjamin the magazine Class Correspondent photography who has NASA’s Space Shuttle Netanyahu, and Chaim Watercolor, spring 20 Beaverdale Lane shot feature-length Program in her Illinois Herzog and will soon 2004. She gives Stony Brook, NY 11790 documentaries and school district. be open to the painting workshops pieces for television Nan Greenberg, a general public. around the country. journalism around the retired freelance court world. Among his BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 reporter specializing in 44 MAX VALCOURT, ’03, AND RENA JORDAN, ’02

hen things get complicated, Max Valcourt and we started talking,” Jordan says. Rena had worked for ten Rena Jordan place a call to the “Cunningham years as a promotions director in New York City radio for a WCrisis Hotline.” On the other end of the line succession of a half-dozen stations before coming to Brooklyn is Professor of Africana Studies George Cunningham, College. Max was a seventeen-year veteran of United Parcel giving the newlyweds advice on navigating the choppy Service, where he had worked since graduating from high waters of graduate school. Both are earning their doctorates school. Originally he intended to get an engineering in history on full scholarships: Valcourt was awarded a degree—UPS was paying his tuition—but after classes with McCracken Fellowship to study Atlantic world history at Ray Allen, Lynda Day, and Richard B. Bernstein, he knew he New York University, and Jordan is studying twentieth- wanted to study history. Rena’s inspiration was Barbara century American history on a Presidential Fellowship at Winslow’s course “Political Economy of Women in United Princeton University. States Society.” It makes sense that Valcourt and Jordan should call their When Rena and Max’s relationship became serious and old professor—it was Cunningham who suggested they seek Max proposed marriage, the wedding was sure to have a careers in academia. “Professor Cunningham pulled me aside Brooklyn College flavor. They wed last August in the before a class started,” Valcourt recalls. “He said, ‘You know, Princeton University Chapel. In attendance were Professors that paper you submitted was the best in the class. You Cunningham, SenGupta, and Patricia Antoniello, of Health should think about applying for graduate school’.” With and Nutrition Sciences. The reception was held in the Jordan he was even more direct: “Professor Cunningham Prospect House, Woodrow Wilson’s home when he was called me into his office and said I had talent, and I should president of Princeton. “It was kind of ironic to have the consider making a career in academia,” she recounts. reception there,” says Max. “Considering his racial Married since last August and living in married student attitudes, if Woodrow Wilson knew that people of color housing in Princeton, the two recent Brooklyn College were having a wedding reception in his home, he would be graduates met in Professor Gunja SenGupta’s class “Racial and turning over in his grave!” Sectional Crisis.” “He just sat down next to me in class and —Joe Fodor 46 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 interesting school,afeelingconfirmedby 1976 he begantosuspectthatBrooklyn Collegewasthemore cum laudeandproceeded toHarvard LawSchool. There to establishacampuschapter. Russianoff graduatedsumma (NYPIRG) organizationtrying wasafledglingstudent-run 5, Q,andBtrains. the four-stopBrooklyn linethatconnectstheA,C,2,3,4, case inpoint.Straphangers helpedbuildacoalitiontosave of achorus.” The 1995Franklin Avenue Shuttle coupisa our opinions,”notesRussianoff, “butit’s bettertobepart between busesandsubways. “We’re notshyaboutvoicing fr organizations, hasdelivered notabletransitreforms, ranging with labor, business,environmental, andcommunity-based “It’s tothinkofwhatthey’ve heartening accomplished.” energized byremarks. thecourageousstudentsImeet,”he young activistsplayinthem.“Iamconstantly and thepart (MT and agoadtotheM r NYP chief engineerandsincethenhasdev Russianofftransportation. immediatelycameonboard as Campaign toimprove New York City’s public “S kne Educational Testing topublishprevious Service tests.“I Legislature, whichresponded withalawrequiring the br Law wasthehotissue,”Russianoff reports. NYPIRG to headitsNYPIRG office.“In 1978,the Truth in Testing exposing theborough’s leadingsavingsbanksin redlining. Times ’74, GENE RUSSIANOFF, for tw Vann—who wastheBedford-Stuyvesant stateassemblyman Pinkettofficials asthelateMary andCity CouncilmanAl to revitalize theshuttle. to veto theMTA’s five-year budgetandcommit$75million W eform, andhalftomasstransit. om cleanersub ought publicpr tudents effectedafundamentalchange.” w Iwasinagoodplacethen,”saysRussianoff. W Twenty-five years later, Russianoff, bothatreasured ally In 1979NYPIRG launchedtheStraphangers Law degree inhand,Russianoff returned totheCollege A), glows whenhespeaksofvarious NYPIRG victories IR enty-six y coverage ofBrooklyn CollegeNYPIRG activists ith R G’ s mainstay, voter registration andgovernment ussianoff atthewheel,S the New York Public Interest Research Group senior majoringinpoliticalscienceandhistory, hen Gene Russianoff wasaBrooklyn College ears—S ways tor essur W etropolitan TransportationAuthority orking withsuchlocal elected e tobearontheN traphangers convincedthelegislatur educed far es andfr traphangers, inalliance oted halfofhistimeto e w York State ee transfers New York TRANSIT TIGER e like candy effective, andbesides,”Russianoff confides,“MTA officials them N meeting. “If crowded subways are beingdiscussed, we give handed totheMT T sub Pokey Awards toslow buses,andgives report cards to public hearingsinorder tohave himthere, bestows annual Campaign totesacardboard cutoutofthegovernor to Russianoff, blueeyes twinkling. The Straphangers four months,insteadofdays,before approving them.” MTA now announcesthedetailsofits$5billionbudget far over fare hikes. We stay, wonatemporary and althoughthe lasttimeweRussianoff litigatedwasin2003 states.“The “We’ve suedtheMTA onlythree timesinourhistory,” policies wasrecently revved upby aStraphangers’ lawsuit. rick or Treat takesthecake.“Suitably themed” sweets are e ev way lines.In termsofgettingattention,theHalloween “I The power ofadvocacy groups toinfluenceMTA entually went up, somepositive results didoccur. The t wouldn estlé C .” r ’ unch bars.Alight-hear t beagoodjobify A boar d ofdirectors attheirOctober ou didn ted approach ismore ’t have fun,”says —Lisa Lincoln 1968 1970 1974 Eileen McGinn Barry Silverman Diane Oeters Vaughn Class Correspondent Class Correspondent Class Correspondent 210 East 15 Street 176 Stultz Lane 80 Kelsey Place Apt. 10N East Brunswick, NJ Madison, CT 06443 New York, NY 10003 08816 [email protected] Paul Blaustein, CFA, 1975 was appointed to lead Herbert H. Friedman Rubin Leitner the large-cap is executive vice- Class Correspondent concentrated growth president of the one 138 East 96 Street equity team for thousand-employee, Brooklyn, NY 11212 Columbia Management fifty-four-acre, four Advisors in November. hundred and sixty-bed Alfred D. Cooper Sr. is Following a career as a Gurwin Jewish a judge in the Nassau business executive, Geriatric Center in County District Court Ellen Maltz Brown has Commack, N.Y. presiding over civil and been teaching for the criminal cases. Stu last fifteen years. Dolgon is an audit 1971 supervisor with the Constance Forte New York State 1969 Pigozzi Comptroller’s Office Edward M. Greenspan Class Correspondent and is a member of the Class Correspondent 7802 16 Avenue East Windsor (N.J.) 1237 Avenue Z Brooklyn, NY Regional School District Apt. 6G 11214-1004 Board of Education. Brooklyn, NY Wayne W.Ferguson, 11235-4360 Bruce M. Balter, a formerly of Deutsche [email protected] former judge in the Bank, was recently hired Civil Court of the City credits are the films Frank P.Tomasulo, a as a first vice-president The head of Fishman of New York and in Martha and Ethel professor and director at HSBC Bank USA and Financial Services, Lois the Family Court of (1994) and Angelo My of undergraduate will assume the role of Fishman published a the State of New York, Love (1983) as well as studies at the Florida senior product manager book, Money to Last a now serves as a justice the PBS series This Far State University School for treasury clearing. Lifetime (Odyssey of the Supreme Court by Faith. of Motion Picture, Publications, 2004). In of the State of New Television, and August Alice York. 1976 Recording Arts in Goldhirsh Gottlieb 1966 Tallahassee, is the Henry P.Feintuch retired as a principal Felicia Friedland coauthor of a book on 1972 Class Correspondent after thirty years in the Weinberg screen acting (see 50 Barnes Lane New York City school Dr. Stanley A.Alexander Class Correspondent Recent Books). Don Chappaqua, NY 10514 system and is Class Correspondent P.O. Box 449 Zingale has been 4 Indian Valley Road mentoring new BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 Clarksburg, NJ 08510 appointed vice- principals. Philip D. East Setauket, NY 1977 president of academic Schwartz has retired 11790 affairs at the California Michael Hanna 1967 after thirty-four years Maritime Academy in Class Correspondent as a teacher and Fran London Sharon Weinschel Vallejo after having 12 Woodlawn Road guidance counselor in contributed the chapter Resen served as dean of the Somerset, NJ 08873 New York City. “Using Humor in the Class Correspondent College of Health and Classroom” to the text 1740 Kimball Street Human Services at San Teaching Nursing:The Art Brooklyn, NY 11234 Francisco State and Science (College of University for the past DuPage Press, Ill., eight years. 2004).

47 Stephen Grossman, a now the central & Neck Surgery Association’s General 1982 general agent for Penn administration (January 2004). Practice, Solo, and Mutual, will co-head associate to the Small Firm Section. Eileen Sherman Gruber Vignone-Grossman university president. He is a member of the Class Correspondent PCP,The Planning 1980 law firm D’Angelo & 69 Derby Avenue Center for In March, Effie Lekas, Begley, LLP and an Greenlawn, NY 11740 Professionals, Inc., a 1979 assistant director of adjunct professor at merger of two of the Anthony Esposito the Queens College Queens College and company’s top New Class Correspondent Center for Byzantine Long Island University, 1984 York City agencies. 265 Hamilton Drive and Modern Greek C.W. Post Campus. Irwin Nayman, who Michael Vitelli was Red Bank, NJ 07701 Studies, was honored Ernest E. Rothman, teaches high school recently appointed by City Comptroller associate professor and English, produced an senior vice-president Last July, Brad Kaufman William Thompson Jr. chairperson of the Off-Broadway play and of consumer was one of three New at the Greek Heritage Mathematical Sciences has appeared on electronics and York State social and Culture Department at Salve Chappelle's Show and product management studies teachers invited celebration at City Regina University (R.I.), HBO's Brooklyn and in at Best Buy Co., Inc. to attend a conference Hall. Actor Jimmy won first prize in the the upcoming feature at Catholic University Smits recently played 2003 Newf Tide film Satan's Little of America the role of Juan Julian Annual Photo Contest Helper. 1978 (Washington, D.C.) on in Pulitzer Prize-winner with a photo of his Susan A. Katz strategies for teaching Nilo Cruz's Anna in the Newfoundland dog, Class Correspondent junior and senior high Tropics at the Royale Max, and is the 1986 120 Pinewood Trail school students about Theatre on Broadway. coauthor of a book on Ian Lee Brown Trumbull, CT the Vietnam War. Mac OS X Panther Class Correspondent 06611-3313 Dr. Philip Perlman (see Recent Books). published the article 1981 168 Roseland Avenue Apt. 6 Formerly the director “The Risk of Aspiration Frank G. D’Angelo, Caldwell, NJ 07006 of multicultural affairs of Pureed Food as LLP,was recently at the University of Determined by FEESST,” named chair of the Nebraska, Omaha, in the journal Archives New York State Bar Denise B. Maybank is of Otolaryngology-Head BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004

48 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 49 49 uild. continued from page 19 y American: one t of our deepest ue to b e contin ld a better place. not just pie It’s or le to live together without le to live ” . e the w If architects and scholars contend that alike “Is it possib “I think the biggest challenge is anticipating the “I think the biggest challenge Krase remains optimistic about our ability Yet Krase is not a man who relies on simplistic DREAMING OF GOTHAM fears and suspicions, about each other. mostly tryKrasemust insists that we to construct a more compassionate urban environment, neighborhood neighborhood.by confront a different must We kind of frontier that is also uniquel are up against the wildernessin which we of ourselves held assumptions and our most deeply about one another. borngreat cities were of violence, then only history this city—our city—will will tell whether transcend recent experience. conflict?” Krase asks. “Yes,” he says. begins And it at home in the city w use of the spaces that are being created for the are being created for use of the spaces that new city, to it is almost impossible but plan”comprehensively across the socioeconomic spectrum, he says. is a “Modern-day development far cry from turn-of-the-century urban planning installed because baths were when public a place to bathe.” immigrants didn’t have to create a more integrated better city and build relationships among its inhabitants. studied “I’ve entire life,”neighborhoods my he says. we “I know can mak in the sky solutions. in hard work He believes and difficult discussions that get at the hear a ing at Jack!, witz or o is imental and an this spr vid Mosk ara M. Dowd musical adaptation of musical Jack and the Beanstalk, which r the Looking Glass Theater in Manhattan. completing her fifth- internship a year for Ph.D. in clinical psychology at St John's University. 2003 HenryJohn Sheridan wrote the eclectic dance score f Diana Frey 1999 Da Class Correspondent 2327 East 18 Street Brooklyn, NY 11229 1997 T Class Correspondent 34 Street West 440 Apt. 10A New York, NY 10001 received Having master's degrees in both exper clinical psychology, off opk dt vid recently orn P respondent respondent respondent at the Worcester at the en K Anthony Vitale Anthony Class Cor 554 Beach 129 Street Belle Harbor, NY 11694 1996 Dr. Nathan Solat Class Correspondent 2793 Lee Place Bellmore, NY 11710 1995 Ilene Berkowitz Class Cor 1575 46 Street Brooklyn, NY 11219 1994 Beth Debra Kallman Class Cor 8718 Ridge Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11209 1990 Laur Class Correspondent 1750 East 23 Street Brooklyn, NY 11229 Foothills Theatre (Mass.). 1988 Proof, John Haag John 915 East 7 Street Apt. 1H Brooklyn, NY 11230 1987 Eric Steinhar Class Correspondent played Robertplayed in a revival of Da Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, 50 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 Books recent Gr LanguagesandLiteratures. Modern Leonard $14.95. 2003, BooksInc., Barricade English. of Department Leonard Ashley, $16.97. 2004, Rowman &Littlefield, Sociology. of Department Bush, L. by Melanie. 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Kincheloe, Critical PedagogyCritical Primer, $45. 2004, Gallery, at Buffalo Art BuffaloUniversity of Art. Department 1993–2003, The DomainofPerfect Affection, 2003. der Brenner, MilanoIIBrennero and Literatures. Languages ofModern Department tecnologie, didattica allasfidadeelenuove della Larisposta A ScuolaConInternet: EZ-101 StudyK Husbands $4. 2003, Hawaii Press, Depar by Samuel Leiter, 4), Stage,Vol. 1872–1905 Reform, Restoration and Kabuki PlaysonStage: Education, Higher McGraw-Hill History. of Department King, Margaret The RenaissanceinEurope Kincheloe School ofUrbanEducation, BuildingaQuality Teaching Teachers: Economics. of Department David Minars, $38.70. 2003, Press, of University Art.Yale Department France, Century and ItsDiscontentsinNineteenth- $32.95. 2004, Peter LangPublishing, Education. Schoolof Steinberg, Shirley eis 03 $7.95. 2003, Series, tment of Theater. 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John Wiley & Women and the Bullring, by Muriel Sons, 2004, $17.46. 19 Urban Questions:Teaching in the Feiner, ’67. University Press of Florida, City, by Shirley Steinberg and Joe L. 2004, $34.95. The Different Flavors of Words: An Kincheloe, School of Education. Peter Appetizing Book of Poems, by Claudia Out of Gas:The End of the Oil Age, by Lang Publishing, 2004, $34.95 Saul, ’02. Poetic Inspirations, 2004, David Goodstein, ’60. W.W. Norton $12.95. Beurbedrog:The Stock Market Sting, by & Company, 2004, $15.37. Aaron Tenenbaum, Yedidyah Langsam Molly and the Sword, by Robert Make Your Own Passover Seder: A New and Moshe J. Augenstein, Department Shlasko, ’55. Jane & Street Publishers Approach to Creating a Personal Family of Computer and Information Ltd, 2004, $15.95. Celebration, by Rabbi Alan Kay, ’65, Science. Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers, and Jo D’Amico Kay, ’66. Jossey–Bass, More than a Method:Trends and 2003. 2004, $19.95. Traditions in Contemporary Screen Critical Thinking and Learning: An Performance, by Frank P.Tomasulo, ’67, The Simpsons and Society: An Analysis Encyclopedia for Parents and Teachers, Wayne State University Press, 2004, of Our Favorite Family and Its Influence by Joe L. Kincheloe and Danny Weil, $16.97. in Contemporary Society, by Steven School of Education. Greenwood Keslowitz, ’06. Hats Off Books, 2003, The A, B,C’s of Custer’s Last Stand: Press, 2004, $99.95. $11.17. Arrogance, Betrayal and Cowardice, by Arthur C. Unger, ’69. Upton & Sons Alumni Books The Impact of Race:Theatre and CA, 2004, $85. Culture, Corvette Odyssey:The True Story of One by Woodie King, Jr, ’99. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, The Murder of Dr. Chapman:The Man’s Path to Roadster Redemption, by 2004, $26.95. Legendary Trials of Lucretia Chapman Terry Berkson, ’70.The Lyons Press, and Her Lover, by Linda Wolfe, ’55. 2004. $21.95. From Butler to Buffet:The Story Behind Harper Collins, 2004, $23.95. the Buffalo News, Belmondo Style, by Adam Berlin, ’91. by Murray B. Light, St. Martin’s Press, 2004, $23.95. ’48. Prometheus Books, 2004, $28. Pushkin and the Genres of Madness: Headlock, by Adam Berlin, ’91. The Masterpieces of 1833, by Gary St. Martin’s Press, 2004, $23.95. Rosenshield, ’65.The University of BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2004 How I Learned the Ruptured Duck: Wisconsin Press, 2004, $29.95. Behind the Lines in World War II, by Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc., Leo Bogart, ’41.Texas A & M by Ron Ross, ’54, St. Martin’s Press, 2004, University Press, 2004, $29.95. $18.33. Secrets from the Couch, by Sandra Levy Ceren, ’54. Mystery Writers of America/iUniverse 2004. $21.

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CALENDAR

Thursday, August 19 Presidential convocation and orientation for new undergraduate and transfer students.

Friday, August 27 First day of weekday classes.

Saturday, August 28 First day of weekend classes.

Friday, September 3 Last day to add a course.

Saturday, November 13 Joan Cushing’s children’s tale, Miss Nelson Is Missing. 2 p.m. Whitman Hall. College foundations, page 20

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