Fall 2007

Goodbye, Ms. Chips 10 The Boys of Summer Remembered 14 Special Scholar for 26 From students… to successful citizens of the world

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Your gift to the Brooklyn College Annual Fund For more information please contact finances academic scholarships for deserving Stephanie Ehrlich, associate director, students, faculty research grants, improved Annual Fund for the Brooklyn College campus facilities, advanced classroom Foundation, at (718) 951-5074 or technologies, and support for the library and [email protected]. academic departments. By giving to the Annual Fund today, you are helping to transform Brooklyn College students into the next generation of successful Brooklyn College alumni FOUNDATION in the world. Contentstable of Vol. XXI • No. 2 • Fall 2007

14 Day of Infamy Redux 16 Stand and Deliver 26 Brooklyn on Her Mind It is now fifty years since the BC’s School of Education has a Gretchen Maneval, the recently Dodgers abandoned Brooklyn, lot to teach the rest of America appointed director of the but borough historian Ron about training the next Center for the Study of Schweiger, ’70, still bleeds generation of teachers. Brooklyn, sees a major new role Dodger blue. for the center, and the College, in Brooklyn’s continued revival.

DEPARTMENTS Editor in Chief Art Director Brooklyn College Magazine John P.Hamill Joe Loguirato is published by the Office of Communications 2 From Our Readers Senior Designer Managing Editor Brooklyn College Lisa Panazzolo 4 College News Tom Quinn 2900 Bedford Avenue Production Assistant Brooklyn, 11210-2889. 28 Alumni News and Sightings Editors Mammen P.Thomas Copyright © 2008 Brooklyn College. Stephen Garone 36 Class Notes E-mail: [email protected] Elaine Weisenberg Staff Photographers Web site: www.brooklyn.cuny.edu 41 In Memoriam Claudia Mandlik Contributing Writers John Ricasoli 42 Recent Books Jamilah Evelyn 44 A Road Less Traveled Joe Fodor Lisa Lincoln Cover art: Lisa Panazzolo Richard Sheridan Class Notes Editor Stefanie Low Readers 2 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 rmour from America, face. persistent problems thatBrooklyn, and finding solutionstosomeofthemost College isplayingacriticalrole in breadth inthisissue. ofthateffort Brooklyn College’s. to bridgethatgapthan effort ismakingamore concerted country with thejobofpreparing teachers. schools ofhighereducationcharged disconnect betw the pr driving y training pointtosev well-being. that thr left—tr years. By five years, halfofthemhave leave theprofession intheirfirstthree right—America’s teachers. national asset,ourchildren. That’s minds andspiritsofourmostprecious arethey the chargedwithnurturing country’s future placeintheworld; the values; their successwilldetermine transmitters ofAmerica’s democratic America? Hint: They’re theprimary workers in working, most undervalued Quick, who are amongthehardest EDITOR’S NOTE It’s ofhow anotherexample the You canread aboutthedepthand No schoolofeducationinthe E Today, one-third ofallteachers ofession. Chiefamongthemisa xper oubling statistics,andones eaten thenation oung, talentedteachersoutof ts inthefieldofteacher een publicschoolsand eral factors ’ s futur e the basis of his contributions to assuring to the basisofhiscontributions I believe thatheshouldbeevaluatedon Gideonse and greater appreciationfor Dr. fromtheleftgiveand ofmy mea friends m Amongthosethankingmefor “courage.” for my testimony andthankingmefor my I receiv fromBrooklyn College. being terminated whowere professors ofseveral support ser useful tohimandtheclass. which heagainemphasiz semester hethanked mefor my efforts, Attheendof continue toscore well. documented factsandlogic back HealsotoldmethataslongI grade. ahigh class andthatIwasearning A our inter Hetoldmethathefound chat withhim. would stay afew minutes afterclassto into thesemester Approximately athirdoftheway career. suff be expelledfromtheclassandw fearedpoint thatmy Iwould closefriends near per the legacyof for thosewhowanttocelebrate straight Gideonse help settherecordonDr. Gideonse. President Harry with and alsohadnumerous experiences number ofleftistprofessors with alarge Ibecamefriendly was astudenthere, whileI However, from Brooklyn College. meet asingleRepublican untilIgraduated Iprobably didnot pro-New Dealhome), (froma As aleft-of-centerDemocrat To theEditor: Gideonse Dr. Right On, agendas. . .. My memories of Mymemories .. . agendas. and resourcestopromotetheirpolitical smug inusingcollegefunds were very pernewsD.Gideonse. wasDr. y appearance igi h ..Am,Itestified in Army, ving intheU.S. er disastrousconsequencestomy sonall yeeyise we clashedtothe issue, ly every ed up my arguments with ed upmy arguments I recall my friends on I recallmy friends whileIwas later, someyears Second, thatwas Itooktheonecourse First, should Two sharing.They areworth ed several notesinappreciation ed several action v y taughtb V anguard. er , Dr y stimulating tothe y Dr . Gideonse asked ifI . iene On Gideonse. ed w Vanguard , I w Vanguard ere very ould ould who egbrodnw ItisHaitian,Yemenite, neighborhood now. lives inthesame of my daughters one Byhappenstance, the samelanguages. spoke and otherstorekeepers barbers, bakers, tailors, delicatessen owners, Polish and butchers, Yiddish.The German, Italian, whom spoke Gaelic, many of among theparentalgeneration, Englishwasthelinguafranca Jewish. Italian, [theywere] Irish, generation Americans; washometofirst- avenues:“[It] cor 1945)onthe classofJanuary (graduating and went toPublic School217 up betw agowhenIgrew 60years state ofaffairs the summarized 2006, on December4, Brooklyn College Magazine, T Different Ingredients Same Ol’MeltingPot, letter thatIsentto n but italways botheredme. in, Ieventually gave dollars. could collectG.I. BillsothatBrooklyn College for theG.I. Iwastosignup insisted. administration the No, student whohadbeenofftowar. wanted tore-entercollegeasaformer I 1946. inFebruary sojourn military frommy afterIreturned administration left-wing weirdos. dumped onBrooklyn Collegebecauseof the communist reputationthatwasbeing asIwasat sure hewasasembarrassed I’m to keep thecampusundercontrol. Gideonsewasdoing I applaudedwhatDr. To theEditor: academic andprofessional career. t are Hiscontributions Brooklyn College. the academicandfinancial strength of Avenue [“Their Avenue ofDreams,” onConeyIsland Regarding thearticle ruly thelegacyonwhichIhaveruly built an o theEditor ner ofConeyIslandandNewkirk I didhavewiththe onerun-in emn Polish andEastEuropean German, een Newkirk andFosteravenueseen Newkirk : The Nation, ai ebc,’46 David Herbach, oadLii,’52 Howard Laitin, pig20] a 2007], Spring published Pakistani, Afghan,Turkish, Korean, Japanese, A Heated Response Russian, Israeli, etc. English is the lingua To the Editor: franca, and the parental generation and A statement by Professor Robert storekeepers speak their native tongues. Bell regarding geothermal energy (“An My grandson graduated some years ago Interview with Professor Robert Bell,” from the same public school I did in Brooklyn College Magazine, Spring 1945.The ‘bilingual’ coordinator told me 2007) gives a misleading impression. that she coordinated twenty-seven His statement that “the hot rocks have primary languages there! The to be close to the surface, and there neighborhood is completely different— has to be water closely available” is no and entirely the same! Three cheers for longer the case. the Tower of Babel. Geothermal energy comes in David C. Garron, ’52; M.A., ’55 various forms and serves multiple purposes. To the Editor: First, hot water from shallow In his interesting article,“Their aquifers is used directly as a heat Avenue of Dreams,” writer Richard M. source for structures of all sorts.This is atmosphere or the shallow ground- Sheridan erroneously states that Coney done worldwide, and such facilities in water system. Put another way, the net Island Avenue ends at Neptune Avenue. the effectively offset the consumption of the geothermal fluid Actually, it continues south beyond use of 2,000 MW of electricity. In this has been reduced by more than 75 Neptune for about three avenue blocks, type of use, Professor Bell is partly percent from earlier days. where it finally comes to an end at the correct.There does need to be Therefore, the geothermal boardwalk.The beach at that point is thermal water at a moderate depth industry is not a consumer of potable Brighton Beach, not Coney Island. Coney (usually not greater than about 1,000 water. Indeed, its net fluid consumption begins a mile or so west down the meters). is far lower than for coal, oil, and boardwalk from where Coney Island Secondly, steam or hot water is nuclear power generation, or for the Avenue terminates. Unfortunately, the used to generate electricity via turbine- production of ethanol fuel, or oil from avenue’s name causes people unfamiliar generators.Worldwide, the total is tar sands, shale, or coal. with the area to conclude that this about 9,000 MW, of which some 2,000 Geothermal fields currently under thoroughfare leads directly to the beaches MW are in the United States—a development in the U.S. will add and amusement parks of Coney Island. twenty-fold increase since 1973, the between 100 MW and 300 MW of Claudia Bienenfeld, ’03 year I founded GeothermEx, Inc. electricity generation in the next More to the point, the type of couple of years. Because 1 MW of Richard M. Sheridan’s Reply: I apologize for geothermal power plant and well-field electricity (or electricity-equivalent in any misunderstanding that I might have operating practice also have changed the case of direct hot-water heating) caused. I was attempting to describe the greatly. Geothermal fields do not serves about 800 homes, the present main stretch of Coney Island Avenue and produce potable water, but rather a and soon-to-be available geothermal the route taken by the B68 bus as it winds mineralized brine. At all geothermal systems provide light and/or hot-water southward through Brooklyn neighborhoods fields, the thermal fluid is injected back service to some 3 million households from the southern boundary of Prospect nationally. B

into the underground formation (“the R O

Park to the northern border of Brighton But that’s not all the good news. O K

reservoir”) after heat is extracted.Very L Y Beach, which I understood to be the main Increasingly, homeowners, business N

little is released to the atmosphere in C O area of study for Professor Krase and his executives, and others are discovering L L

the form of steam or water vapor, and E G associates.To me, a born-and-bred Queens the advantages of shallow-source E

nothing goes to pollute the ground M A kid, everything south of Neptune Avenue geothermal heat pumps.These, like solar G water. Additionally, the binary cycle A Z I resembles beachfront property—whether it’s panels, work on a building-by-building N E

heat-exchanging technique, used at a

Coney Island, Brighton Beach, the Rockaways, basis and provide a steady and F A

growing number of fields, releases L L or the South Shore of .

dependable source of both home 2

absolutely nothing to either the 0 0 7 continued on page 43 3 News 4 4 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 S A Now these astheystudied. company ofthegreats” wantedstudents “to feel asiftheyareinthe professor, WP asa whobegan themurals Ricci, Project. the Federal Arts who paintedthemfrom1936to1939, ofthe Libraries World, entitled Themurals, Rome’s Augustan Library. and world’s greatestlibraries—Egypt’s Library Alexandrian second-floor readingroomarem magnificent On thewallsofBrooklyn College Library’s Potted Plants, BC’s Virtual college eymour M bo v A ar e: ar tists, from Botkin,AnthonyG.Gennarelli, left,Henry David Deutsch, ChaimGross, Unknown, ChakaiaBooker, Cynthia Winings, tist andcompletedthemasa Brookl eyer, AsyaDodina andSlava Polishchuk, Harold Baumbach, Robert Motherwell, Elizabeth Murray. by Joe oncanvas, 2003 Loguirato,40"x30",acrylic are the work of Olindo Mario Ricci, ofOlindoMario are thework ur Art Museum Art als oftwo ofthe with fundingfrom yn College Famous index.html. online ar Acquisition committee.YouArt may accessthe Library Associate Prof according to presents abouttwenty selectedworks, Theaudio tour availabletour ofworks tothepublic. page documents. areincludedinthe Web exhibitions, museum andgallery aswell asto aboutthework, contextual information Suggestedreadingsandlinkstosites that provide artists. andthe thatoffer insightsintotheworks on podcast, alsoavailable descriptions, written reproductions andbrief and someareonloan. were acquiredthrough gifts, Numerousotherworks art. with whichensuresthatpublic spacesaregraced law, Art” purchases were funded by ’s “Percent for Many ofthe the 2002openingofexpandedlibrary. College’s Office ofCommunications. directorinthe whoistheart ’02, M.A., Joe Loguirato, Geor Alber by andprints collectionalsoincludesdrawings world.The and allofthemhave inmajormuseums aroundthe works community, inBrooklyn’s live and work dynamicart artists ofthese Several andXuBing. John EdwardRuscha, Walker, Kentr collection f collection. art included inthelibrary’s recognized by artists internationally with sixtyothers along areavailable works for viewingonline, important For onsiteviewing, The newonlinecataloguedisplays digital Most ofthear ies ncaatraditrainli cp,the inscope, andinternational incharacter Diverse ges Br idge to Giacometti, t collectionathttp://libr , Chakaia Book eatures w aque essor Mir , Rober t collectionwasacquiredjustbef Käthe Koll orks by ElizabethMurray,William orks iam Deutch, the libr t Motherw er, Shahzia Sikander, Sarah Sze, Sarah ShahziaSikander, er, witz, ary isnow anaudio offering ary ar ell, y .brookl Alexander Calder, the chair hi rs,and Chaim Gross, yn.cun per y son ofthe .edu/ar ore t/ You Can Go Home(page) Again

lmost six decades after the (www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/offices/ NBC, and CBS, and first director of original Vanguard closed, vanguard).Three times that number the broadcast journalism program at A staff members who never are on the site’s e-mail address list, Brooklyn College. A frequent quite lost touch with each other proof not only of the close following contributor is Larry Friedman, ’53, have created a Web version, and the Vanguard once inspired in print, but former Associated Press reporter, publishing comeback has proved also of its present “virtual print” Life magazine executive, and aide to invigorating. “It’s a terrific success. New York Governor Mario communications link,” says Albert There is no lack of expertise Cuomo—check out his piece on the Lasher, ’51.“The website allows among the old student staff. Six early Vanguard days, in the “History” everyone to ‘see’ and talk to one years ago Brooklyn College Magazine section. For a taste of the humor another, just the way we used to do recalled Vanguard’s heyday in a that permeates the site, go to Issue in the old Vanguard office. In fact, we feature article that ran together 4 in the new “Quadrangle” section, all suddenly realized, we’re back in with a “Where Are They Now?” edited by Larry Eisenberg, ’51, and business! We’re reporting on our insert: Eighteen of the former read his piece “You Can’t Go Rome environment, on how it affects us all, Vanguard staff were listed as top Again” as well as the piece by the on how we see it, and we’re editors and staff writers for major late Norma Liberman Friedman, ’50, enriching that by including our view newspapers and magazines around on four great excuses for not of the developments that led up to the country. The list also included attending your college reunion. B R where we find ourselves today.” book-publishing executives, radio Soon to be posted is the O O K L

Lasher is not alone in his and television broadcasters and Vanguard blog. Name suggestions Y N

C enthusiasm for the group producers, a staff director for the from the new staff included O L L E G

experience that changed the lives of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and “Rearguard” and “En garde,” but E

M A every student involved with the the CEO of the Consumers Union. they finally settled on “On Guard: G A Z I paper. The new version is manned by The Vanguard Blog.” N E

F

About twenty-five alumni now webmaster Herbert Dorfman, ’51, A L L

contribute to the online Vanguard former news producer for ABC, 2 0 0 7

5 OLG NEWS COLLEGE 6 6 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 professor emeritus ofthe professor emeritus Theater College’ designer theset JohnScheffler, with him: Brookl Robinson linedupanumber of and in incorporated August 2006, for commercially.” that maybe now they’d betooold older actor ifIallowed hesays,“was special,” would make my theatercompany age off over the andsetdesigners directors, feature actors, also primarily will accordingtoRobinson.They goal, them newlife.” We wanttobring their character. presentation thattheylosemuch of f of theplays we plantodoareeither Robinsonsays that “many of Mozart. Molière’s production— Box presenteditsfirst director asartistic company andserves whofounded the ’92, Robinson, M.F alumnus oftheBrooklyn College ofan The ideaisthebrainchild have hadachancetoplay before. torolestheymay neverexperience passions andtalentsgainedby long have the lived alongtimetobring other par The of theBox Theatre Company. oftheequationfor theOut one part that have lived alongtimeisonly Breathing newlife intotheaterworks No, Over theHill? or gotten orsostereotypedin .A. Out oftheBox was But thatisn’tthecompany’s only yn Collegealumnitowork progr ifty . s setdesignprogr , is thef Last summerOutofthe The Miser, t is allowing actors who t isallowing actors “OnethingthatIthought . s achancetorevisitroles am intheater Out oftheBox! ormer directorofthe ormer set tothemusic , am anda Scott with “special effects inthe willbestaged hesays, melodrama, And sensationalclassic Arthur’s music ofarecognized composer.” the words withthe oftheplaywright describes itas a describes “musical approachto on thedr inter provided musical performers betw both format: melodrama “showboat” thetraditional incorporated treatment ofMolière’s classicalso clothesfor theplay. create period costume-design studentstohelp Department’s College Theater company hopestotaptheBrooklyn seen inNew olio acts—atypeoftheaterrarely Pauline Miser begun with musical tradition will continue the performance a BarRoom, the nineteenthcentury, produce aclassictemper Department. the Theater honor an Murray Abraham, Award winnerF. andOscar Theater Department; ofthe also aprofessor emerita inactingandis program the graduate wasdirectorof of OuttheBox, treasurer Linney, Marge cast member; theater in program oftheM.F.A. graduate isalsoa the theatercompany, cast memberandvice-presidentof a (right) ’94, LinSnider, Department; Out oftheBox’s innovative This summerthecompany will ludes, een and during scenes, een andduring , ar Robinson sa ee .Cray 7,isanother ’73, Coriaty, Peter J. ; aho,includingvaudevillian fashion, y boardmember amatic action. or olioacts, yT .Atu.The Arthur. S. by T. Y r iy”The City.” ork ys, and will as comments Ten Nightsin Robinson , ance pla taught in Perils of The “blend y of a str www be found onlineat hesays. what I’mdoingnow,” groundfor extremely goodtraining “Itwas toticket sales. fundraising from atheatercompany, of running allaspects wherehelearned Missouri, Performing GuildinLake Ozark, Arts director oftheLake Area artistic asexecutive producer and served television commercials. in Robinson beganacareer College, home. hopes tomak directed lastsummer’ who whichRobinson, Theatre, Greenwich Village’s BankStreet at theirtalents)run “showcase” achanceto gives unionactors productions (anar musical comedy.” for tickets onthewebsite. may download orderforms Visitors aight pla The theatercompan After gr The group’s Equityshowcase .outofthebo aduating fromBrookl y withoutitsbecominga e hiscompany’s regular xtheatre r angement that s production, He also y ma .com. y yn BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 7 7 w and just s o in 1989, y now study the kinds of study y now ials influence the nucleic As a result of Gavin’s work, As a result of Gavin’s ohnson, who joined the ersity of Chicag J stand in front of the windo look. I do the same with cells.” biologists ma external molecules that can gain entry through these to the nucleus and how pathways defined newly these mater material and its processes. Brooklyn College faculty in 1999 Brooklyn after earning his bachelor’ Harvard University from degree in 1988, the from his master’s Univ and his Ph.D. Harvard in from 1993, holds the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in the University. Aviv Tel Humanities at Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation National Rager Fuller, Nicolle y Credit: Credit: er v oad to ch, esear ts that the disco ver of living things,” of living ver he based on academic advanced r Tetrahymena thermophila Tetrahymena vin repor Ga iginated with an observation he graduate study, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. engage in a variety of educational activities, university primarily lecturing, The grants, merit and leadership potential, send selected scholars abr or made about ten years ago while watching cells through a simply microscope.“I am a patient and constant obser says.“And I watch them all the time with no agenda in mind. Some gazers.Theypeople are window of the pathways in the one-celled of the pathways protozoan and e v ” y the was one of y vation, e an v tment, “will ha w cellular functions are

y Depar n August 10, 2007, the National Science that Foundation announced ”

ofessor Robertofessor D. (KC) standing more completel mous impact on how scientists mous impact on how Pr Johnson, College of the Brooklyn Histor the ten faculty members from York of New City University chosen as 2007–2008 Fulbright fellows, enabling them to participate U.S. in the flagship government’s international exchange program. Eve Barak,Eve an NSF program The findings of the NSF-funded The findings

Fulbright Fellow adigm-changing obser

O smallest function of the cell—nature’s functional unit of life.metabolically director, discovery as hailed Gavin’s “an amazing and potentiall par Cell Gazer, Breaker Path research team led College a Brooklyn Gavin of Biology Ray Professor by shattered the long-held belief that no exists between direct pathway material outside a cell and the cell nucleus. breakthrough research study ha Motility and “Cell in been published the Cytoskeleton,” in and will be key under predicts that it enor think about ho regulated. 8 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 NEWS COLLEGE o there untilafter World War IIwhentheCommunists took wholived castle becamehometoRomania’sfamily, ruling modeled thevampire’ orsometimes and “son oftheDevil”)on Vlad, Dragon” eitheras (the Romaniannametranslates “son ofthe Stoker CountDracula basedhisfictionalBram character for capturedfoes skewering onlongwooden . Vlad III, have shelteredoneofRomania’s briefly nationalheroes, tokeep outinvading itissaidto century thirteenth Turks, Castle—has alongandtum namedBran thefortress—officially Transylvania region, estate broker.” “This isnotarealestatedeal, the centur projects towhichthisphilosophy hasledhimisthesaleof pr in 2003. and Toad, as has lenthisskillstosuchworks he andLas Vegas, producerinNew London, theatrical York, careerasa inasecondary Also, midsize public companies. far hasr -based Ba ofthe the CEOandchairman is hecurrently navalA former officer, has ledanexcitingandrewardinglife. MichaelGardner degree ineconomics, College in1961withabachelor’s fromBrooklyn Since hegraduated Castle Dracula’s For Sale: rhueDmncvnHbbr.Now anarchitect living Archduke Dominicvon Habsburg. castle intoamuseum. v inciple that er Romaniaandkick In the late nineteenth century, Irish horror writer horror Irish In thelatenineteenthcentury, Perched peakinRomania’s atoparugged mountainous In allthings, Among thosedisplacedwasthen ten-year-old also kno aised morethan$1billiononbehalfofsmallto for whichhereceived a Tony Award nomination ies-old fortification known asDracula’s Castle. ies-old fortification “lif wn as e issupposedtobefun. he sa te aia netetfr,whichso ytree Capitalinvestment firm, ys, s laironBr Vlad theImpalerbecauseofhisliking ed thefamil he hastr ultuous histor ” he explains. nCsl.In1920theold an Castle. ied tof y out, A Year intheLife ofFrog ” turning their turning ollo y Among the Builtinthe . “I’m notareal w the atei n fistppae ovst”Gardnersays. Castle isoneofitstopplaces tovisit,” property can be put out in spring 2008. canbeputoutinspring property museum isnot going toclose.” them.The see ho the localpeopleandtheirrepresentatives ingovernment tomake working headds,“we’re However, the project.” has placedashadow over Says Gardner,“This procedures.” citing “improper the castle’s toHabsburg’s transfer control, the tw Land.” be Vampire amenab theyarenot thatcontinues thecastleandsuch, resort that are par but they “they’re lookingtoflatout selltheentireproject, outadevelopment plan. working b go around thew whichinguidebooksandtourbus brochuresall the site, halfamillionvampirefansannually trekto Nearly 2009. At thetime whichsitsontwenty-two acresofland. Castle, title toBran in upstateNew insummer2006regained Habsburg York, uy v rmn,btofcasdcie.Hethensoughtanother but officials declined. ernment, er “while theyareamenable tosomeonebuilding a “Romania isabeautifultr He sa afactionofRomanianpoliticiansinone Since then, Gardnersaid onasclients, After takingtheHabsburgs Habsburg offered to sell Bran Castlebacktothe offered tosellBran Habsburg , turning to Michael Gardner for his expertise in toMichaelGardnerfor hisexpertise turning o housesofthepar w development willmake thingssomuch betterfor iua bu h hysl tt. Healsonoted ticular aboutwhotheysellitto.” le tob ys hehopesthatrequestsf , he agreedtokeep themuseum openuntil or lood dripping on swords.This isnotgoingto onswords.This lood dripping ld isbilledas liament hassoughttoo “Dr a v el destination, acula’ or bidsonthe s Castle . and Bran ” v er turn Eureka! Steinbeck Literary Trove Unearthed

s a kid growing up in a tight- Sometime after Martin’s death, knit Jewish family in Eisenberg went to his home to ABrooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay interview the older man’s widow for neighborhood, Joel Eisenberg liked to a book he was writing, Aunt Bessie’s collect baseball cards, comic books, How to Survive a Day Job While and other such boyhood things. Pursuing the Creative Life. When the When he wasn’t collecting, he was interview was over, she mentioned dreaming about becoming a that she was going through her scriptwriter or filmmaker in husband’s belongings and asked Hollywood. Eisenberg to sort through an old box But the young Eisenberg also of papers that had been stored in a recognized that the odds were closet for nearly a half-century. against his making a go of such a risky “I guess she knew from Ernie career. So later, as a member of the that I was something of a collector,” Brooklyn College Class of 1985, he he says.“Anyway, I agreed to help earned a bachelor’s degree in special her.” education before packing up and Inside the dusty box, hidden heading west to try his luck in Los under an old brown and crumbling Angeles. copy of the L.A.Times, Eisenberg “I thought I might need a fall- uncovered a trove of previously Earlier this year the whole back career just in case I got to unseen works by Nobel collection went on the auction block. California and couldn’t make it as a Prize–winning American writer John The manuscript for Sea of Cortez and writer or filmmaker,” Eisenberg, forty- Steinbeck.“This stuff was other papers brought in roughly three, recalled recently from his San unbelievable, just lying in a box,” he $100,000, but no buyer met the Fernando Valley home, northwest of says.“I had this ‘Aha!’ moment when I $300,000 reserve price for the Sweet Los Angeles. realized not only what I had here, but Thursday material, which went unsold. As it happened, luck was on what I had the responsibility to do.” The outcome of the auction was Eisenberg’s side. Over the past couple It took Eisenberg almost a year disappointing, admits Eisenberg, who of decades, he has done very well at to go through the jumble of papers earned a share of the profits for his his dream career. He has written and put it in order. The hoard efforts. However, he says, he comforts screenplays, books, and articles, and included a 188-page manuscript of himself with the knowledge that he heads his own company, Eisenberg Sweet Thursday, the sequel to has touched and helped preserve Media Group. Steinbeck’s highly acclaimed Cannery history.“I truly feel I made a B

Over the years, he also has Row; the unfinished draft of a musical R difference in saving important O O K made a lot of friends in and out of comedy called The Bear Flag Café; a L literature.” Y N

the entertainment industry. One of manuscript of another book, The Log C O L L E

them was the late theatrical producer from the Sea of Cortez; carbon copies G E

M

Ernest Martin.“Ernie was like my of thirteen letters dealing with Sweet A G A Z

California grandfather,” says Eisenberg. Thursday dating from 1953; and an I N E

unpublished story set during the F A L L

McCarthy era,“If This Be Treason.” 2 0 0 7

9 COLLEGE NEWS

exist, from the Willoughby and Lawrence Street buildings Goodbye, Ms. Chips to the Midwood campus. Robinton’s legacy lies not in her publications, nor in In spring 2007, the papers of Professor Emerita of History her intense involvement with the national professional Madeline Robinton, 1909–2006, were made available to societies of academe so much as in her contributions to the public by the Brooklyn College Archives and Special the Brooklyn College History Department curriculum, her Collection Division. Of interest to any who encountered compilation of the primary source books for History 1 and her during her forty-five years in the classroom, the 2, and—perhaps most importantly—her effect upon catalogued documents are also of great value to those students. who wonder what turns a student into a fine teacher, not In letters collected as part of the College’s May 1976 to mention those studying the history of Brooklyn and farewell tribute, scores of past pupils wrote in praise of the Brooklyn College. radiantly attractive teacher who conducted herself with When Madeline Robinton retired from the College in uncompromising personal integrity. Her admirers wished 1976, she had seen it through its entire evolution up to Professor Robinton well while expressing regret at the loss that point, from a time when separate political science, that her retirement represented. In their words, here’s sociology, economics, and history departments did not how her example carries on.

“...the course in modern history, [To Professor Robinton:] “...you “Like everyone else I have I took in her first year teaching. taught me a great deal—that forgotten most of what I learned I recall vividly...the immense teaching must be fun (you so in college. But I seem to own a earnestness with which the young obviously enjoyed it)...that store of odd, bright bits of teacher asked her questions. warmth and familiarity did not strangely significant knowledge, ...The solicitude she showed for mean favoritism or the almost all of which I can trace her students...established a warm relaxation of standards...” back to Professor Robinton’s personal relationship with them — John A. Garraty, ’41, English History classes...the that endured long after they left Gouverneur Morris humane vividness of her class was the classroom. And that initial Professor Emeritus of to us the reading of history for impression of earnest inquiry was History, Columbia life.” a permanent reminder of the University; General — Eva Brann, ’50, Tutor, Editor, American National meaning of historical Saint John’s College; Biography; Former scholarship.” Recipient of the Brooklyn President, Society of — Oscar Handlin, ’34, College Presidential

7 American Historians 0 Medal, 2007 0 Emeritus Professor of 2

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A History, Harvard F

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N University; Pulitzer I Z A G

A Prize–winning author of M

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G The Uprooted (1952) E L L O C

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10 Madeline Robinton is just one of the distinguished faculty members whose collections are housed in the Brooklyn College Library’s Archives and Special Collections Division, which includes the papers of Alfred McClung Lee, Belle Zeller, and Harry Slochower. For more information on donating Brooklyn College materials to the archives, contact Professor Anthony Cucchiara, associate librarian for information services and distinctive collections, [email protected].

“She treated her students with [To Professor Robinton:] “…you “Her course…taught me that dignity, honesty, and respect that were an awesome figure to me. one cannot comprehend the logic demanded the same in Not in an authoritarian way…I of the law without return…A serious student ‘had marveled at your erudition and understanding the political, to’ work with Madeline Robinton your sophistication…You never economic, and social forces that because she offered a type of talked down to us, although shaped the society…I have been training in history which almost heaven knows, you often had able to spot a ‘Robinton no one else did…the novel idea justification to do so.” historian’ in my law classes. that history was written by — Myron Kandel, ’52, When we compared notes, we people, not automatons…” President, Initiative for agreed that her course was — Charles J. Halperin, ’67, Corporate Governance among the most important in Researcher, Russian and and Investor Protection preparing us for our law careers.” European Institute, (New Hampshire); — Alan Dershowitz, ’59, Founding Financial Indiana University, Felix Frankfurter Editor, CNN Business Bloomington Professor of Law, Harvard B

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11 COLLEGE NEWS

Check, Mate Brooklyn College alumnus Gata Kamsky, ’99, won the prestigious 2007 Chess World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, in a spectacular victory over Alexei Shirov, catapulting the Russian-born Kamsky to the game’s international elite. Kamsky’s victory earned him $120,000 in prize money and the opportunity to challenge 2005 world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. If Kamsky wins that match, he will take on the 2008 World Chess Champion for the 2009 title. Kamsky, thirty-four, registered no losses on his way to winning the World Cup, beating Ahmed Adly, Boris Avrukh, and Kiril Georgiev in his first three matches. Then he drew his two-game mini-match against the Russian Peter Svidler before going on to defeat Ruslan Ponomariov and Magnus Carlsen in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. In the closely fought four-game World Cup final, Kamsky and Shirov drew the first game. Kamsky won the second game.The third was a draw and so was the fourth, which ended after thirty-four moves. Kamsky, a Brighton Beach resident, retired from chess in 1996, after losing to Anatoly Karpov in the World Chess Championship twenty-match contest fought in Elista, Russia. In 1999 he returned, playing in the Knockout World Championship in Las Vegas, but again lost, this time to Alexander Khalifman. Five years later he finished in a tie for first place in the New York Masters. After graduating from Brooklyn College, Kamsky entered medical school but dropped out after a year. He then switched to law school and graduated from Touro College Law Center in 2004.

M.F.A. Program Writers Honored

The English Department’s M.F.A. having led a life scarred by alcoholism, Another graduate of the M.F.A. program, recently named one of the which has left him totally estranged program,Thomas Grattan, was chosen top five “Up-and-Coming Programs” from his family. While on the road to as the winner of the Colorado Review’s in the country by The Atlantic Monthly, recovery, he finds God and is Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction.The keeps turning out attention-grabbing confronted with dark revelations that story, titled “I Am a Souvenir,” will be writers. The play is the thing for combine to destroy the world he appearing in the fall issue of the Thomas Bradshaw, an adjunct once knew. Colorado Review. professor of playwriting at Brooklyn This is not the African-American Still a resident of Brooklyn, 7

0 College and an alumnus of the English writer’s first encounter with public Grattan was also a finalist for the 0 2

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L Department’s M.F.A. playwriting notice. He previously wowed Iowa Review Fiction Award and a A F

program. His latest work, titled Dawn, downtown audiences with other recipient of Brooklyn College’s Lainoff E N I Z

A was recently selected to be read at politically incorrect works such as Prize for fiction. Grattan recently read G A M

the New York Theater Workshop on Pure, about a scholar with a cocaine selections from his work at a E G E

L East Fourth Street in Manhattan. habit who fantasizes about being a publication party for Brooklyn Review, L O C Dawn is the story of a father’s plantation owner whipping his black Number 23, in the East Village. N Y L K

O redemption and reconciliation after slaves. Another of his works is titled O R B Strom Thurmond Is Not a Racist. 12 Eric Alterman: A Sharp Wit Plus a Sharp Pen Make for a “Distinguished” Career

ric Alterman, journalist, author, for the activist’s actions in the 2000 political blogger, and professor U.S. presidential election, arguing that Eof journalism in the Brooklyn Nader is partially to blame for the College English Department, has election of George W. Bush because been named a distinguished professor of vote splitting. of English by the trustees of the City Before 2000, Alterman says, he University of New York. “had the same high opinion of Ralph A native of Bayside, Queens, Nader that most liberals shared. I’ve Alterman, forty-eight, received a B.A. revised my opinion of the pre-2000 in history and government from Nader downward.” Cornell University, an M.A. in Alterman has his supporters. He international relations from Yale has been called “the most honest and University, and a Ph.D. in U.S. history incisive media critic writing today” by from Stanford University. the National Catholic Reporter. And Alterman launched his journalism the San Francisco Chronicle has career covering politics for Rolling referred to him as the author of “the Stone, Mother Jones, the Nation, Elle, smartest and funniest political journal journalists. In the past, I have often and the Sunday Express in London, as out there.” thought of my two careers— well as freelancing for the New York English Department Chairperson education and journalism—as being Times, the ,Vanity Fair, Ellen Tremper describes him simply as divided. Now, as a distinguished Harper’s, and other publications. In “one of the very few public professor, I feel that my two halves 1992 he published his first book, intellectuals in America under the age have been unified.” Sound and Fury:The Making of the of sixty who is just as comfortable in Besides his academic pursuits, he Punditocracy. The book was well the university as in the newsroom, as is a media columnist for the Nation. received and led to appearances on well as in most places in between.” The busy professor is also a senior the Today Show, the Tonight Show and Alterman describes his fellow at the Center for American Nightline. experience at Brooklyn College thus Progress, where he writes and edits In 1996, Alterman was hired as a far as “wonderful” and praises the the “Think Again” column, and is a commentator by the MSNBC cable industry and dedication of the history consultant to HBO Films. channel. In 2002 MSNBC asked him students here.“So many of them Professor Alterman is the best- to write a daily weblog, which he have to juggle so many aspects of selling author of a half-dozen books, titled “Altercation.” their lives—study, work, family life,” he the latest being When Presidents Lie: A Alterman and MSNBC parted says.“I really admire how they hold it History of Official Deception and Its ways in 2006, and his weblog was all together.” Consequences (2004).This book picked up by Media Matters for Before joining the faculty of caused former Nixon White House America, a liberal website devoted to Brooklyn College, he served as an attorney John Dean to opine:“I’ve debunking conservative adjunct professor of journalism at never read a better explanation of “misinformation.” and at why presidents lie.” Alterman himself is both revered Columbia. He continues to serve as a His latest book, titled Why We’re B

Liberals: A Political Handbook for Post- R and hated, depending on the political senior fellow of the World Policy O O K

Bush America, is scheduled to hit L viewpoint of the observer. Staunch Institute at . Y N

bookstore shelves on March 17. C conservatives find him detestable. But His recent elevation to distinguished O L L E G

he has also feuded with some who professor has been “a particular E

M A wear the liberal label. Among those is honor,” he says.“Universities are G A Z I Ralph Nader, who Alterman criticizes generally not so welcoming of N E

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13 14 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 yRbr .Murphy E. by Robert Belo Brooklyn’sRemembers ’70, Ron Schweiger, Ain’ Say It Fifty E bbets F ield, ca.1913,M v ed Bums erlis Collection,br Y t So! ear ooklynpix.com. s? outf LittleLeague a “pretty fast” heispleasedto recall, He was, the Brookl represent allBCstudentsand all ofBrooklyn. steppedupto an Alumni Association boardmember, theofficial and Brooklyn borough historian Schweiger, team, lamented for amajorfeature onthelate, such memories Office called BoroughHalllookingfor someonetoshare vivid. atEbbets Fieldarenonetheless cavorting 1950s Dodgers ofthegreat Buthismemories 1970 night-schoolgraduate.) him. aheadof Brooklyn Collegedays—or years nights—several reading thiswasonthatlist. ormorepersons Nodoubtone at Brooklyn College. by 3,500were students inscribed signatures theyrecorded, 25,000 Ofthefirst oftheircause. signatures insupport setouttocollectonemillion Modell, merchant Henry Dodger group ofBrookl College andhigh-taileditfor asunny canyon in Tinseltown. ofBrooklyn onBedford ballpark blocks north Avenue thirty since theBoys ofSummerabandonedtheirlegendary This pastOctobermar ielder As akid, his Ron Schweiger wasonly twelve oldthen, years analarmed of1957, In thechilly Brooklyn spring (He was, And lasty nBoky omte, ledby sporting-goods s inBrooklyn Committee,” . yn Dodger Schw lik ear yn baseballfansknown as the “Keep the oog rsdn at akwt,a Markowitz, e BoroughPresidentMarty , eiger waspassionateaboutrooting for when aproducerfromHomeBo s andaboutpla k ed ahard-to-believ igtegm,aswell. ying thegame, e halfcentury x “My batting-stance was Jackie Robinson’s,” he says. He learned to be a switch-hitter by imitating Duke Snider, the Dodgers’ left-handed, slugging center-fielder. Schweiger saw these heroes in person for the first time at age seven in 1952 when his father, also a sometime ballplayer, known as “Yip,” treated him to a box-seat behind homeplate at Ebbets Field. In later years he would often sit in the upper deck with his older brother and several friends from their block in Gravesend. His mother supplied them with chopped-liver sandwiches, made with matzohs if it was Passover. He estimates that he visited Ebbets Field about twenty or thirty times. After the games, Schweiger and his friends would wait for the players where their cars were parked, in a Mobil station beyond the tall right-field wall. He can still see in his mind’s eye Roy Campanella’s gold Cadillac and Jackie’s “big Home alone: Ron Schweiger with Ebbets Field’s home plate, black Buick.” now a permanent part of the College’s archives. “When I met Rachel Robinson,” he says,“I told her some perspective on what he and millions of Brooklynites that Jackie didn’t leave until everybody got an autograph. first saw as an act of unparalleled treachery. “I don’t She nodded to me and said,‘Yes, Jack never wanted to begrudge him being elected,” Schweiger says.“What he did disappoint the kids.’” was very innovative. It really was experimental. And his Robinson’s retirement—after being traded to the hiring of Jackie Robinson can’t be overlooked. As an adult Giants!—before that final Brooklyn season fifty years ago, and as a historian—not when I was a kid, of course—I see seems in retrospect like a harbinger of doom. And that, in a business sense, it was the best move O’Malley Schweiger remembers well the fans’ growing anxiety, as the could have made. He opened up baseball to the rest of schedule waned, over losing the Dodgers. the U.S.” “When the ’57 season was well under way,” he says, Well, maybe Ron Schweiger’s willingness to forgive the “we became extremely aware that nothing had been “Gaelic Machiavel,” as Arthur Daley of settled yet with the Dodgers getting a new ballpark.The called him, is admirable, as was his determination fifty years rumors became very much real, and we thought, hey, this ago never to root for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is his could really happen!” current affection for the Mets’ New York-Penn League And if it did, the consequences might team, the Brooklyn Cyclones. devastating for Ron Schweiger than for the average Dodger But what about his expressed hope, though he is a fan.“Going to sleep at night during the season,” he recalls,“I Mets’ fan, that those Angelenos will take on the Yankees in would dream of playing left field for the Dodgers and the next World Series, and vanquish them, under the leaping up to make a game-saving catch against the wall.” guidance of Brooklyn’s own Joe Torre? That may be taking

On October 8, when the team tersely announced, B R

forgiveness one step too far. O O

with principal owner Walter O’Malley nowhere in sight, K L Y N that they were westward-bound, Schweiger thought to C

Robert E. Murphy is a freelance writer and a lifelong O L himself,“I knew this was going to happen.” L E G

resident of Brooklyn. His book on the circumstances E

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surrounding the Brooklyn Dodgers’ and the New York G A

remembering these things,“The O’Malley,” as the self- Z I N

Giants’ leaving New York in 1957, tentatively titled E aggrandizing owner of the Dodgers called himself, was

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After Many a Summer, will be published next fall. L elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The intervening L

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On a crisp fall morning, Haroon Kharem, an assistant professor in the School of Education, paces the honey- colored wooden floors in a small classroom at the Performing Arts and Technology High School in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood. He is encircled by a group No of roughly twenty students who simply can’t understand how slaves ate pig intestines, commonly known as chitterlings. Child Left “You all say ‘ewwww’ but they kept your ancestors alive,” explains Kharem, a bald and towering professor in tinted eyeglasses, blue jeans, black button-up shirt, and Behind— Adidas sneakers. BrooklynBrooklyn StyleStyle With 80 percent of full-time One student says he’d rather starve. “It’s easy to say that, but these people were trying to survive,” Kharem faculty working in Brooklyn’s shoots back. public schools, the School of In a discussion that ranges from slavery to abused women to welfare, there are no easy answers.What’s Education is finding new most important to Kharem—an East New York native who and creative approaches to went from running with street gangs in his youth to earning a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at Penn teaching—and to developing State—is that the questions keep coming.“They want to the next generation learn, but they also want to be heard,” says Kharem after class.“I want to keep pressing them.” of teachers. Kharem’s dogged commitment is emblematic of the larger culture in Brooklyn College’s School of Education, by Jamilah Evelyn Deborah Shanley, dean of the School of Education, leads the

school’s efforts to find alternative ways to prepare the next generation of teachers in full partnership with public schools and community organizations.

which emphasizes real dirt-under-the-fingernails community behind it is simple:“We can’t really make an impact unless engagement and, if not rocket science renovations in the we are where the action is,” says Wayne A. Reed, assistant area of pedagogy, certainly new and creative approaches professor of childhood education. to teaching. But most important, say many professors and Their efforts have produced some impressive results. the dean, is that they always remember that their greatest Many of the schools with which the College has asset is the rich and textured laboratory that is Brooklyn established relationships have attendance and graduation and its schools—with all the diversity, the hope, and the rates above 90 percent, while national graduation rates at enormous challenge. urban public schools hover at 50 percent.The College’s “What makes us unique is that we are in Brooklyn Science,Technology, and Research (STAR) Early College and we get a taste of so many different kinds of scenarios,” High School graduated 96 percent of its first class last says Peter Taubman, an associate professor of adolescent spring. (See box, page 20) What’s more, officials at the education. Dean Deborah Shanley says that about schools say many of the benefits of forging these kinds of 80 percent of full-time faculty members in the School of collaborations with the School of Education don’t show up 7

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conducting research, doing professional development with and be counted as serious learners,” says Lottie Almonte, E N I Z

A teachers, or are involved with one of the many College the principal at PATHS, where 70 percent of students are G A M

programs. Along with the performing arts school in East considered below proficient for their grade level and 77 E G E

L New York, known as PATHS, the School of Education has percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.“They think L O C

established formal and informal associations with a sizable about their work in a different way. They refer to N Y L K

O number of Brooklyn’s public schools.The philosophy themselves as researchers.” O R B

18 School of Education Assistant

Professor Haroon Kharem, second from left, teaches a class twice a week at Performing Arts and Technology High School. He exemplifies the commitment of the College’s faculty to Brooklyn’s public schools.

When Shanley left her position as dean of the School noting that some of the hires since her tenure include of Liberal Arts and Education at Medgar Evers College ten about a half-dozen African American professors and ones years ago to become the dean at Brooklyn College, she from Lebanon, Greece, and South Korea. says she saw forging more of these kinds of affiliations as a The ultimate goal, she says, is to create a faculty priority. wholly committed to turning out innovative and “One of my first goals was to create a deeper resourceful teachers, both inside and outside the partnership with the schools in Brooklyn and to think classroom.“Ones who are able to work with families, who about those partnerships in new ways,” she says. know how to tap into the city’s vast resources, who know She figured one of the easiest ways to accomplish that how to reach out to community groups,” says Shanley.“We would be to hire professors who were already inclined to don’t want students who make excuses about a kid’s community involvement. She says she also knew it was parents not being involved. Find a sibling. I want our important to diversify the faculty. students coming out of here having the ability to exhaust “I think there were two Latinos when I got here, and the possibilities.” B

that was the extent of our diversity,” she says.“At one of In one widely heralded example of the kind of R O O K

our first meetings after I became dean, I told them to take inventive students the College has produced, graduate L Y N

a look around this room because it’s not going to remain student Georgina Smith started a tutoring service at C O L L E

the same.” neighborhood laundromats when she noticed the number G E

She recruited from historically black colleges and of idle kids waiting with their parents for their laundry to M A G A Z

universities and became conscious of including people of be finished.What started out as an experiment at one I N E

color in many of the school’s publications and other print Eastern Parkway Clean Rite turned into a program that, F A L L

work.“Everything from Chalkboard, the School of thanks to a $12,000 grant from the laundromat’s parent 2 0 0

Education’s newsletter, to our holiday cards,” she says, company, has expanded across Brooklyn. 7

19 In order to mold such students, many of the School of Currently, about 125 BCA students are taking Education professors lead by example. Reed, for instance, Brooklyn College courses. Last year the school received last year piloted a course at another East New York school some grant money from the Bill and Melinda Gates that brings members of the community into the school to Foundation to formally become an early college high teach. school. Prior to the fall 2007 semester, BCA was a middle “In the last four or five years these projects have college, essentially the same as an early college high school developed a life of their own, so it has become easy for but students typically graduate with fewer college credits. more and more faculty members to plug into what’s going The underlying notion is that students who are on,” says Reed. underserved by higher education are well served by Many of the collaborations, like Reed’s and the one at exposure to a college environment and that creating PATHS, have come about organically: A professor knew an tighter links between schools and colleges will help to ease assistant principal, and they got together and made it happen. the transition for students. Other affiliations, like the one with Brooklyn College Because of affiliation with the School of Education, Academy, are more formal. BCA is an early college high “there are all these connections we have that other school, part of a national movement of schools that schools don’t,” says Mazzarella, who reports to Shanley and encourage students to earn an associate degree or two also sits on a number of committees in the School of years worth of college credit by the time they finish high Education. school. BCA has six hundred students in grades seven He credits the synergy the relationship has created through twelve split up on two campuses—one for grades with a lot of the school’s success. Last year, BCA had a 90 seven through ten, is on Coney Island Avenue.The other, percent attendance rate and a 95.5 percent graduation for grades eleven and twelve, is in Brooklyn College’s rate, and its seniors received $800,000 in scholarship James Hall. money. “When we were founded, the idea was to put kids on The statistics are similar to those at the Bushwick a college campus and allow them to take a few college School for Social Justice, another partner of the School of courses,” explains Nicholas J. Mazzarella, the academy’s Education, which, like PATHS, is one of forty-two former principal. large schools the city has broken up into several small ones.

STARs Over Brooklyn Last June, seventy-one of the original class of seventy-four students who entered Brooklyn College’s Science,Technology and Research Early College High School in fall 2003 stepped to the stage at the College’s Gershwin Hall to receive their diplomas. At a time when the graduation rate for public high school 7

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20 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 21 . yn College y grateful all for s from Brookl s extremel ys she’ ack to be part of the first graduating class Almonte sa essor of adolescent mathematics education, le stringing her thoughts together. Kharem tells e mentality. v emale students on self-confidence and pride.emale students on self-confidence t from Kharem and other incipal n sla or s are on tr s don’t take their education seriouslys don’t take and adds that It’s a sentiment that is echoed by Kharem. a sentiment that is echoed by It’s “So many and Kharem, a week days two teaches at PATHS who with students Last year, his PATHS he took nine of don’t learn“He teaches us things that we in our Pr Almonte says she’s sure all the help has played a role sure all the help has played she’s Almonte says But back in the classroom, Kharem is not satisfied. So students progress in their As he and his PATHS realize,” guys should always “One thing you Kharem . ving troub ate of these kids have been taught to just receive,” been taught of these kids have says.“It’s he thinking.” about pushing their also brings from the high school with him to his students elementarytutor at a nearby he teaches, school where says tryinghe’s status quo. up the students who shake to create American of the conference the annual him to Chicago for Association,Educational Research where he encouraged them to challenge the scholars.a One student quizzed often labeled himself were students like panelist on why “at-risk”; of the researchers if any another asked had any them,questions for there. while they were student Elizabeth Miranda.“Hetextbook,” PATHS says think.” us really makes the eff Two to three School of Education professors to teach at Two every year.PATHS this year, Additionally Laurie Rubel, assistant prof will start with development doing some professional is the school Almonte says math teachers because PATHS in its math scores.weakest Another School of Education professor, Alma Rubal-Lopez, a course will teach for Hispanic f success.in the school’s 82 percent of Approximately senior pressing. he keeps conversation from slavery to modern times, one student is ha her time.her to take of her that too many She laments peer of in a kind those without an education tend to live moder tells the class,“is that the struggle’s not over.” this spring, and the school has a 92 percent attendance r s ash cans on tmouth, Dar oss the tment to request the school’ For one project, s sanitation depar . y college high schools acr y Latino students counted the tr and St. as as well universities John’s ersities that include Cornell, e than $200,000 in scholarships to attend Taubman explains that two former explains that two students,Taubman one of helped a lot, definitely The smaller size Taubman, says Brooklyn, of a collaboration is the result STAR

their own Bushwick streets and those on the Upper East their own Side of Manhattan. Realizing the huge disparity, they contacted the city’ those trash says additional trash Bushwick.Taubman cans for been forthcoming. not yet cans have Still,“the point is to get them thinking about these kinds of things,” he says. whom was teaching in the New York City public school City public York in the New whom was teaching system, years ago and said they approached him five a new school.wanted to propose if he could asked They to be a lead partner,get the School of Education which city program.Taubman the for need to qualify they would College alumni Brooklyn the two got the green light and set about turning its head a school that formerly on graduationmaintained a 20 percent rate: Some 85 percent of its first class of seniors graduated last June. curriculum equal credit to the out-of-the-box he gives but the former students designed. and parents are Students included on the planning of the curriculum and often their of administrators to those equal weight given are voices and faculty members.There’s one class during day the designed strictly students and teachers for to get to know each other better predominantl

een Brooklyn College and the Gateway Institute. College and the Gateway een Brooklyn

Located at the historic Hall High School in Located at the historic Erasmus

y earned mor

the colleges and univ enough credits to bypass a whole year of college.Together, whole year a to bypass enough credits graduates have been accepted to college. graduates have earned Some have regular secondaryregular curriculum.All of the seventy-one STAR students take college courses in addition to their courses in addition college students take STAR

betw country. Flatbush, Carnegie Mellon, College and other CUNY institutions Brooklyn students at 130 earl underserved by higher education.Today there are 17,000 are there underserved higher education.Today by fund the schools in the hope that they would help students would fund the schools in the hope that they Creating a New Kind of 7 0 0 2

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2222 BC Magazine: Professor Reed, in your Reed: I see community-oriented chapter, you talk about a tragic divide approaches emerging in the culture between schools and their of the School of Education and in the by Jamilah Evelyn communities, and you say that urban curriculum. Because more education Several years ago, a group of faculty schools of education are in a unique faculty members are intersecting their position to negotiate that divide. But work with low-income schools and members from the Brooklyn College you also talk about how much neighborhoods, it follows that the School of Education decided to get distrust there has been historically narratives we bring into our collegial between many colleges and local relationships influence, at least to together once a month over coffee low-income communities. How does some extent, the culture of our and bagels to discuss their research a college tackle that mistrust in order practice. In our curriculum, I see to make inroads in the community? more readings and discussion of interests. Their discussions and Or is that a chicken-and-egg kind of issues related to urban education and research drafts eventually became a thing? How has the Brooklyn College urban issues. Quite a few of our School of Education dealt with this? courses now include community- book, Teaching Teachers: Building based assignments—that is, Reed: You’re right in identifying this assignments that help students in the a Quality School of Urban Education issue. I think the primary way a School of Education develop their (Peter Lang Publishing, 2004). college can tackle this mistrust is by community knowledge. Also, since being present and active in low- 2006, I’ve been working on a course Coedited by Joe L. Kincheloe, Alberto income communities. It’s one thing called “Community Teaching.” The to invite community constituents to Bursztyn, and Shirley R. Steinberg, purpose of the course is to help come to the College; it’s quite teachers develop their practice in the the book is a collection of essays on another for the College to seek and context of the social and cultural maintain a presence in these urban education that features the framework of the neighborhood they communities. I remember leading a serve. research of several Brooklyn College high school class a couple of years ago. One of the students raised his Bursztyn: It’s really in how we professors. Brooklyn College hand and asked,“Professor, why don’t conceptualize our work in general, Magazine gathered three of the faculty your students want to come to our and it has to do with understanding neighborhood?” What could I say? the complexity of urban settings. It’s who contributed to the book— Concerning the School of Education’s not enough to teach students how to Bursztyn, Wayne A. Reed, and Alma approach to this, I think the growing teach a certain subject and then send presence of our faculty in the schools them out. Teachers have to Rubal-Lopez—to find out what they of East New York and Bushwick understand the community in which think the College can tell the rest of speaks for itself. they will be working. B R the education world about BC Magazine: How has the School of BC Magazine: Professor Rubal-Lopez, O O K L Y

Education infused the kind of I think you hit on this notion in your N teaching teachers. C O

community-building spirit that you chapter when you talk about L L E G

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23 24 2 2 4 4 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 your students. connect with will helpyou assumptions, making instead of community, knowing the Really with your students. assumptions, insteadofmaking community, Really knowing the the information. he orsheism an to connecting thatinformation andyou’rethrowing information not Ifyou’re just basis ofteaching. what theyknow anduse thatasa cour kno andthenyou in advancedmath, you putthem students areChinese, If assumption wasmadefor years. And Icantellyou asacounselorthat student isChinesehe’s goodatmath. You can’tassumethatjustbecausea that assumptionslike thataredeadly. There’s inNew suchdiversity York to betheirsavior andteachthem. andthatyou aregoing know anything, thattheydon’t parents areilliterate, thattheir theyarepoor, front ofyou, because you have twenty black kidsin you cannotassumethat example, for somewhere inCrown Heights, are ateacherandyou aresent Ifyou often endupbeingstereotypes. c are and goingfromthere.There t tdnsdvlpciia hnig a thinking, students develop critical schools. the statusquoinunderperforming tools toteachlessonsthatmaintain It’s notsufficient togive themthe introduce ourstudentstonewideas. ofourmissionisto Part change. andanopennessto school practices viewof students develop acritical will find aninterest inhelping you intheSchoolofEducation, work Ifyou lookatmostofthe empathy. ha of Educationtothosedifferences.We introduce ourstudentsintheSchool We have tocreateconditionsthat studentpopulation. diverse a very v Bursztyn: hem insteadofmakingassumptions ery rich variety of perspectives and ofperspectives variety rich ery ertain assumptionsmadethatvery ertain v ything inthatstudent’ e topreparethemdev w what? se . Rather W nBoky,you have a In Brooklyn, e seeour They’re failingthemath will helpy you shouldfind out , uch lesslik selv ou connect es ashelping s exper el y toretain elop ience , v andthatbecomes what toteach, teaching andlear think that’ AndI instone. Nothing iswritten anddisregardtherest. what you can, use Lookatthetheory, seriously. don’ttake allthis always tellthem, AndI knowledge. to deconstruct prob the I always askmy students:What’s I’mteachingtheories. that knowledge. accepting knowledge but questioning Rubal-Lopez: explain thatalittle? Canyou knowledge acquisition. knowledge managementversus in your chapteryou talkabout BC Magazine: that way inmostplaces.Teachers but itisnottaught through usingit, You language learn this country. It’s like the way we teachlanguage in somebody’s headwithinformation. more toteaching. inappropr whichisnotentirely on testresults, w much oftheir mandates, federal pressure; test.Teachers areunderalotof theyareteachingfor the Left Behind, Especiall work. help themfind meaningbehindtheir It’s have acomplicatedjob.We to with parentsandadministrators. collaboratively teach themtowork c ofthenature understanding s Rubal-Lopez: Bursztyn: Rubal-Lopez: now? typical in BC Magazine: neo doay andan ense ofadvocacy, er hallenge in front of them.We also hallenge infrontofthem.We orking lives willbespentfocused orking y hard. lem withthistheor y right now withNoChild y right Amer they’ s ho ae Butthereissomuch iate. Because ofstateand You can’tjuststuff I don’tthinkso. It’s aboutnotjust w y re beingtoldbasically Professor Rubal-Lopez, Is thatkindofthinking ican educationright ning. ou shouldapproach ?Yu havey? You BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 25 t have , We don all the answers, but one thing we do well is that we keep asking questions. We keep trying to find approaches that make sense. e a I think se and ying to er y of our eep tr I think they come ying to mak e k W here’s such a high such a here’s So man T ession. t’s absolutely necessary absolutely t’s I e all the answers, one but v iety of circumstances. . ant setting. ivilege—to be in this div ursztyn: C Magazine: he partSchool of Education of the students are immigrants, or from underrepresented groups in the teaching prof thing we do well is that we keep is that we do well thing we asking questions. sense. approaches that make find If restrictedwe ourselves to the textbook, accomplish wouldn’t we our goals.We want our students to in understand they have the leeway roles as agents of creating their own change B most of us see it as a necessary part of the training do, we because we need to impart a nuanced understanding of the urban setting. very a It’s it’s helpful—actually pr vibr here with an openness to seeing perspectives.different The work of teaching is about tr all children.There’sbetter future for a real interest in the other and in self improvement, need to and I think we on that.We to capitalize how know don’t ha B on involvement of community level t faculty.that made all the Has difference? that everyone working in teacher some kind of link education keep with the field.What might be of our about us is the extent different faculty involvement. Most schools of emphasis on education will put an schools.one or two have But we individual faculty members who take advantage of the opportunity we broader engagement in for have communities. need to Our students and exposed be engaged in the field to a var y er ou helped e than they unity in East since it has y? yn College ev One of the biggest ning comm Our collaborative Arts and Technology High Technology Arts and en years and ago is alive ou mention that y k high schools to the campus , of are in the third year we or The learning we community ming Y or ted sev ning community y is so necessar erf tand in front of the blackboard and the blackboard in front of tand eally use language.eally are Classrooms the East New York Teen Summit Teen York the East New hosted at Brookl of dialogue. a day for lear identity in higher its own developed education.) in 2000.were Our deepening ties to P contributed to this in a School have major way. a high school as a Having our ties to the base has solidified elementary us a and has given schools stronger platform from which to work community.York in the East New For example spring. It brings from eight East youth New Reed: star relationships with schools and organizationscommunity are broader and more comprehensiv well. (However, to rewrite if I were the chapter I might not use the term BC Magazine: changed over that teaching has ways the last several years is through the creation of so-called learning communities. Reed, Professor in your chapter y set up a lear years seven that is now York New old. it’s update us on how Can you College made going? Has Brooklyn the long-term commitment that you sa set up so that kids don’t talk to one that kids don’t talk to set up so another. group to develop have You talking to in which they are exercises one another. the same with other It’s subjects. to connect to have You what they know. the last ten to In years,fifteen a lot of information has the braincome out on how works learn we and retain and how has to change information.Teaching this into account. all of to take writeof stuff, a bunch they don’t but r s 2626 2 2 6 6 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 becomes actively engaged inthecenter’s work. funding forthe centerandensuringthatthestudent body Maneval’s responsibilities willbeidentifyingnew sources of facing theborough andits2.5millionresidents. Keyamong researchindependent, nonpartisan issues onthecomplex public policyissuesinB academic research centerdevoted exclusively tothestudyof cities, nationwide withtheclimateofreinvestment inourinner and nuanced,reflecting myriadtrends thatare emerging Public Housing OperatingCost Study. analyst withtheHarvard Graduate SchoolofDesign’s Office ofP issues atthefederallevel, firstasaconsultantinHUD’s . She hasworked onpublichousing Massachusetts Institute of Technology andaB.A.from the P as acriticalsource ofurbanresearch andanalysis,” life inourborough willsolidifythecenter’s uniqueposition New YorkCity. affor of thispolicytoolasawaytoensur zoning precipitatedwork areexamination withinclusionary eight buildings.A with mor ofovercommunity development portfolio $100million, managed anaffordable housing,commercial, and community dev nonprofit organizationwithtwenty-nine years of director ofhousingdevelopment), aBrooklyn-based with theFifth Avenue Committee (mostrecently asFAC’s center’s director from itscreation in2005. Prize–winning Professor Paul Moses, asthe whoserved the Center fortheStudy ofBrooklyn, succeedingPulitzer hasassumedtherole ofdirectornational housingexpert, of Gretchen Maneval, awidelyrespected cityplannerand Gretchen Maneval willleadthecenterinitsstudyofcriticalissuesaffecting theborough. Center for theStudyofBrooklyn New Director Appointed atthe resident Kimmichsaidinannouncingherappointment. The Center fortheStudy ofBrooklyn isthefirst “In Brooklyn socioeconomicterms, isdynamic,vibrant, Maneval hasamaster’s incityplanningfrom the “Ms. Maneval’s keeninsightintotheissuesthatshape Maneval joinsthecenterafterworking forfive years dable housingwithnewr ” M e thanthr anev ublic andI al says. elopment experience. Atelopment experience. FAC, Maneval t FAC, Maneval’s research andadvocacy ee hundr ndian Housing, andthenasasenior rooklyn. It is a primary sourcerooklyn. It of isaprimary ed r esidential constr esidential unitsintwenty- e thecr eation of uction in phenomenal. for theadvancementofcenter’s is and others work elected officials, aswell ascommunity groups, and students, dev and academicinstitutions. nonprofit groups, localgovernment, businesses, residents, We voice tocreateaharmonized thatincludes willwork inBrooklyn. public policywork already doingimportant Ihave adeeprespectfor those arenas. andfederal state, coordinated presencerepresentingBrooklyn inthecity, for theStudyofBrooklyn seemedlike aperfect fit. Center a venue thatwasbroaderinscopepolicywise.The tocontinue togive backin was lookingfor anopportunity I a Brooklyn-based community development corporation, After spendingfive developing affordable years housingat Brooklyn? What attractedyou totheCenterfor theStudyof issues thatother peopleintheborougharedealing with, staff notonly feelpublic theimpactsofsame policy reflects thediv ofBrooklyn College andthediversity borough ofBrooklyn, areinthisgreat as thetalentandvisionof students.We dr to Being basedatBrooklyn Collegegives ustheopportunity campus atBrooklyn College What ar ex we metmonthly withtwenty orso coststudy, operating whatev policy issue I lear a Har How didyour experiencesasaseniorresearch analyst in and reall people, questionsoftheright how toasktheright learning lev notinthefederal- andlivinginpublic housing, operating ofthose wasembeddedwithin the experience information We found thatthemost important public housingsites. inadditiontovisitingtheir for over two years, the country a ecutiv ldt.Somuch is ofanalyzing aproblem properly el data. w ontheexper elop par The centeraddressestheneedfor anelevatedand ned ho var rta su s o ntne inthepublic housing Forinstance, er thatissueis. e directors from public housing authorities across frompublic housingauthorities e directors y listeningtotheiranswers. e thebenefitsofha d housingstudyhelpy , to listen to those experiencing theeffects of tolistenthoseexperiencing , w impor tner er ships withBrookl sity oftheborough. tise ofthefaculty tant itis, Also ving thecenterlocatedon ? when y , having the opportunity to having theopportunity , ou iny nCleefcly staff, yn Collegefaculty, , Students, staff, ou’ our r re framing apublic re framing n lmi aswell and alumni, ole? faculty , and BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 777 27 27222 yn and one ebsite so , yn in order umber of Oftentimes our work ns. k about Brookl or one on sustainability . ving the highest n ance , who might help to connect a professor lic policy concer yn has been identified by the Centers by yn has been identified for sity and toler or example e will then apply the findings of our research by the findings e will then apply e also hope to launch three public policy initiatives e also hope to launch three public f unity, access to this information.This have catalog er 89 percent of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in Brookl ic neighborhoods are affecting neighborhood ic neighborhoods are affecting W W One of the roles that the center will be playing is as a the center will be playing One of the roles that Further, talented and there are some incredibly Brookl ind out who is doing what w were in personswere of color (70 percent black, 19 percent Hispanic). These are alarming statistics. The center will issue such as this from a policy strive to examine a public perspective incarcerationdifferent how (like rates in specif HIV/AIDS rates). working with stakeholders to propose and advance solutions to pub justice. through a lens of social and economic will develop I’m encouraging College faculty, all Brooklyn staff, and to become like students to contact the center if they’d of these initiatives, with any involved ideas for or have new work. I can be reached via e-mail at [email protected], (718) 951-5852. calling or by be studying water quality issues at the Prospect Parkbe studying water quality issues at the Prospect lake group that needs such research but to a community it. where to find doesn’t know in 2008—one on HIV/AIDS, We’re very much focused We’re the center’s on linking of and those resources with College Brooklyn the community. agencies, foundations, people might not hospitals—but them. to look for how the time or know have repository of data.We’ll links on a new website provide groups, launching so that community that we’re elected officials, faculty, in the community— students—anybody and say,“Icould go to our website information want about Brooklyn, neighborhood, about my on this subject” and be it with ease. to find able College.Weinfluential faculty here at Brooklyn to want f new w to produce a catalog to be posted on our College,that people at Brooklyn as in the as well comm could, on div Disease Control as ha adolescents diagnosed with HIV/AIDS nationally. Further, in 2004, y ned from y inspired m tainl I lear cer inting. k and disseminate findings in k and disseminate findings or and pr ields of urban planning, elopment and urban planning was m our w k in the f or elopment, unity dev y solidified my commitment to taking the my y solidified e way rathere way than separately. His positive or ested in urban planning? unity dev What reall ell the data are probably out there somewhere—city ell the data are probably ou had to tackle problems like affordable housing, affordable like ou had to tackle problems What are the center’s goals for the coming years in the coming years for goals the center’s What are to public policy? regard the Study of Brooklyn One of the reasons the Center for lack of data about Brooklyn. was a perceived was founded For example, indicators group wants to find a community rates.Where HIV/AIDS infection for these? can they find W the communities in which they live and work. in which they live the communities My parents w Since college, in community been involved have you programs.When become did you development and why so inter they can also inf outlook against daunting conditions, and his belief in a goodness that resides deep in us all, comm a in giving back to society could be manifested them how career path. an internship at the Enterprise in Foundation one summer college. The Enterprise James by Foundation was founded Rouse, areas, downtown many who revitalized Harbor like Place, at the inner harbor in Baltimore. Jim Rouse believed y education, health care, in a and economic development comprehensiv work. life’s route of comm 2828 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 News College Magazine. or mailedto [email protected] may bee-mailedto Alumni News andSightings lately, letusknow. Items for If you’ve beeninthenews GOT CLIPS? alumni and Brooklyn Sightings descr ClimateExchangeisself- trading.”The Exchange andthe “father ofcarbon the founder oftheChicagoClimate Sandorwasrecognized as magazine. “heroes oftheen was namedoneofforty-three In October Devils. and theNewJersey theNew YorkYork Islanders, Rangers, Greater New York, T recipients ofthe2007LesterPatrick isoneoffour broadcaster andauthor, ’54, Stan Fischler, nonf reshelvingbooksinthe week, five days a aday, four hours works andshecurrently they hiredher, In1993 Boynton BeachCityLibrary. atthe she beganvolunteering and herhusbandretiredtoFlorida but whenshe while livinginBrooklyn, Greene headedahematologylab in worker America.”employed library magazine as “the oldestgainfully was hailedby April, in herninetiethbirthday Celebrating who beganw Fischler, hockey intheUnitedStates. to League for outstandingservice since 1966b hasbeen presentedannually Rangers, manager andcoachoftheNew York in honorofthelongtimegener book, his wif New oftenwith York subway system), books onhock analyst but hasalsoauthoredmany Heisnotonly ahockey the game. is kno fromBC, the year thathegraduated roph iction section. ibed as rea(enti)Gen,’37, Frieda (Weinstein) Greene, wn for hisvastknowledge of y MetroIce: A Century ofHockey in ACentury MetroIce: e . h rsiiu wr,named The prestigiousaward, , Shir , Richar e,a ouhr Hislatest as coauthor. ley, y theNationalHock “a greenhouse gas or American Libraries American ey (andalsoonthe king f vironment” deals withtheNew a sports .Sno,’62, Sandor, d L. or theRanger b y al Time ey s address environmental concerns.” mechanismsto flexible market-based implementation ofinnovative and inthedesignand work hewaslaudedfor “pioneer 2004, Instituteof Federal Technology in degreefromtheSwiss honorary Therecipientofan United Kingdom. basedinthe Climate ExchangePLC, t of Sandorischairman system.” trading e Nielsen company todeliver accurate wealth fromthe ofinformation v anew will now headNielsenTrend, explained inherf asshe She editor’s“quit smart,” chair. mar with years who steppeddown afterthirteen for Shed notears Provincetown Banner, wasn’t , intheir at work I Wellfleet studios.“If Selina and Henry Robert Their Livesin Art: 30-Y “Selina © S captured inthe2005documentar hasbeenmemorably collaboration of power couple—theirhalf-century areanartistic Brooklyn College, at long-time facultymemberin Art a ’55, Henry, Robert her husband, Museum thissummer and Association Provincetown Art the careerretrospective atthe he exchange’s parentcompany, enture thatwillincor isosrdcin eity and registry, missions reduction, eigmgzn,thelastsixin keting magazine, elina ear Ov Trieff. T rieff: T Brandweek, rieff, er These da Master oftheLook, view” ” T T inal editor’ r wo S ae eer,’83, Karen Benezra, ieff toldthe “I’d beimpossible.” was thetitleof ys botharebusy . por the nation’s top heep ref 5,and ’55, Trieff, ate the s note and , a y BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 99 2922 s yn e up w mak never French, and olley T Since becoming Syracuse Post- Syracuse e of languages st “Principal of Ruth N. Quiles, v ” ir who no Coming to Brookl s, s f Spanish, am. ner ner’ y named a ar who is among the winner that his lo lic schools. W al organizations, including ’85, e of the Dominican Republic has e of the Dominican Republic wing population of English Time aduated from high school. But College after earning his G.E.D., immersed himself in Torres-Saillant the humanities and took language classes in Latin, English. He told the 40 percent of the student body. She has also partnered of a number with cultur Lincoln Center and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. gr College,thanks to Brooklyn this nativ a fruitfulenjoyed academic career. He was recentl at Professor Teaching Distinguished Syracuse University, where he is an of English and the associate professor American director of the Latino-Latin Studies Progr Standard packaging and marketing of the ten- track CD. Ross, a Pittsburgh native, and her home in Brooklyn makes now promoting her currentis busy release while working on her next. Congratulations to principal of the School of Performing Arts (P.S. 131) in Borough Park in 1999, on Quiles has focused her school’s the scores of improving gro language lear Silvio Torres-Saillant, ’79, M.S., of Excellence Awards” that honor York “exemplary leadership in New City pub all W the ’s name New This The . erence praised the producing, has been Poetry, iting, Furniture Today and has scrimped by Ross is a record inal issue Arnie Orlick -ful vibe” of the debut noted the diff bestowed the Randall bestowed Besides wr Kendra Ross,Kendra M.A., ’06, nal onder Parnassus Parnassus tment next door to Parnassus eli. New Voice. New a suite of fancy offices in a suite of fancy offices Parnassus: Poetry in Review W has a $1.3 million annual she also was involved in the she also was involved Poetry New PittsburghNew Courier y and enjoyable to read.” y and enjoyable es to its poorer relations. iz el ext time you’re in Fortunoff’sext time you’re udget, e told the reporter.“Ine told scheme my usband, father, business and then a alib Kw “Stevie industry has performed insider who and West with such artists as Kanye T Voice, disc from entitled and performing on the music Street Jour between Chicago-based journal a that received $200 million bequest in 2002 from the heiress to a pharmaceutical fortune: of less than budget on an annual $100,000 and was produced out of the apar Side home. West Upper Leibowitz’s Poetry b Chicago, to give afford and can now pr in CriticismAward on Jarrell editing a journal for Leibowitz that “intelligent and learned as as well was liv The reported that Orlick wants to keep the traditional styles of the Fortunoff furniture broaden into a more but “casual, vein.” lifestyle Herbert Leibowitz, ’56, the journalsince cofounding in 1973, this fall,but constraints, citing budget he produced the f year shopping for jewelryshopping for or home furnishings, drop you.and see what it gets In May, the veteran 1969 retailer and Class of graduate first became the CEO of retailer,York-based founded the New in 1922, recruited ever from outside the Fortunoff family. h of things, I see myself: how here’s h person.Within context, that a I’m very person.” involved N editing ned profile aku kiln, Morris ere lear s in Flatbush. manent r Cindy Gatto, ’85, treated ear AM New York AM New y y Lidded Jar 2 Lidded Jar l to “Lunch at the Four to ound insights w New York York New Sun ing his ear ther side?” she mused.“Mighty nalysis of future trends in consumer future trends of nalysis The Mark, ’61, from his parents, Max and Frieda, dur success is great to have, “Professional is most important,” family one’s but Cindy Gatto’s Gatto’s Cindy Seasons,” in the a regular feature newspaper. The discussion ranged free markets,over global investment, and the strategies he uses to manage $1 billion in assets as the president of Asset Management.Mark But his most prof as “similar to the ones used in ancient as Japanese firing techniques.” will find her in The Mudpit—the clay The Mudpit—the her in will find Williamsburg, studio she opened in Brooklyn, in 1999. Housed in a 2,700- space, square-foot thriving Gatto’s servesbusiness more than two artistshundred students and who pots in the and throw sculpt clay work the resultant studio and fire in kilns on the one of the many premises. One of the attractions at The Mudpit is a per described in an Those looking for Those looking for a on the like behavior.“What will it feel o strange, I’m sure. the covered Having cola wars of the headiest days to fast- flameouts, chaos and Hollywood food had a great ride.” I’ve 30 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 ANDSIGHTINGS NEWS ALUMNI Shine of Includedwere performances teaches. now whereBradford Connecticut, of neartheUniversity Connecticut, of Bradford’s plays inNewLondon, three performed Inc. Hygienic Art fall, a studentatBrooklyn College.This playsmemorable thathebeganwhile The man unexpectedly sprang tolife, The manunexpectedly sprang patient, after speakingwiththeunresponsiv One da him whilegently strokinghisbeard. patientandtalked to this bedridden stoppedandspoke to Bracco weeks, For and wasinacatatonicstate. severe psychosisafterkillingsomeone boxerA former haddeveloped a psychiatr asa degree andwasworking occur the def at theUniv inpsychology hisdoctorate to pursue moved Statein1966 totheBluegrass advocate for thementally illwho isaneloquent Kentucky, Louisville, in Inc. Seven CountiesServices Dr and isf gener waiting for newsofafourth- who spendarestive night together of generations African men American Sons, ’01, Playwright was seeing.” whatI todescribe enough vocabulary thatIdidn’thave arich . . on me. dawned inthewater.“It the ripples walked over andobserved abridge he asaboy, when, was sparked . Root oadBac,’64, Howard Bracco, continues the string of continues thestring , a play withmusic aboutthree red shor ation sonwhohasbeenmissing and aneww ining momentsofhislife eared dead. W eatrdhsruie and, y healteredhisroutine, tur ic aideatamentalhospital. oman ned tolea ihe rdod M.F.A., Michael Bradford, riyo etcy Oneof ofKentucky. ersity tly afterhereceived his and or W ve theroom. k, illy’ F ather s Cutand CEO of s and e tfv et seven inchestall, At five feet, much hopethereis.” in hernativ andfield star Atrack thisfall. District Ritzer toldthe die hard: team Ripk theminorleaguebaseball Ironbirds, Foundation, Baseball, on theman tax attor became HallofFamerCalRipken Jr.’s Ritzer aBaltimore-basedfirm, Sandler, atShapiroSherGuinot& partner asa Throughhiswork attorney. future inspor and f was onthebask she she majoredinphysical education, where At Brooklyn College, tennis. championships inbask Olympic teamandwon national 1948 member ofthatcountry’s honored b ’53, Esther (Lelah)Grossman, The about beingthepitcher.” to abaseballgamewithoutfantasizing Business Journal Ritzer told Bracco over theyears,” understand “WhatI’ve cometo beard?” ( —)?! Aren’t you gonnastroke my you thematter, and shouted,“What’s Times Her Business First ofLouisville, Business First ield hock , ’76, ney the CalRipken Sr. en o y theFallsb e India, didn’t ha y v , and the Aberdeen advising thespor ey teams. ts, ald-Record entures ofRipk wns. that hestill “can’t go etball, so hebecameatax Lelah wasa But olddreams v e much ofa ur etball andtab water ballet, Moving to g School Baltimore repor Lonnie “is how en ts icon ts that was le his saxf ago Butnottoolong tenor saxophone. andtheotherhis work his clarinet OneCDfeatures saxophone playing. and will pleasefansofhisclarinet Woodwind virtuoso Woodwind virtuoso teams infield hockey andvolleyball. andcoachedchampionship teams, sports intramural began thegirls’ taughtswimming, years, next thirty whereshespentthe High School, physical educationteacheratFallsburg woman hiredasa she wasthefirst upstate SullivanCountyinthe1950s, Homecoming––Live attheIridium, ’63, admitted to word hascomeupalot,”Williams Slope? shop inPark “The ‘crazy’ sandwich them toopenavegetarian didtheywanttoquit good jobs.Why ’01, Jumaane Williams, ultimate compliment. the says Daniels,“that’s “To me,” and comf Daniels’s newest releaseis “relaxing his favorite New York Cityjazzclub, at Recorded onhissixty-fifth birthday Jones/Mel LewisBigBandinthe1960s. notice onthatinstr substantial saxchopsandf ButDanielshas bred demon”). once calledhim “a thoroughly well- classical idioms(LeonardBer that Danielspla aninstrument onclarinet, concentrated andinstead the saxinpublic, hestoppedplaying Santa Fein1994, New Mexican business partner, prof aaeetBocm,acity- Management Bootcamp, great helpwastheRestaur , iled thetw released anewdouble CD, it seemedDanielshadpacked up or good. ortable,” as one critic hassaid. asonecritic ortable,” Ne that whenhemoved to nrpeer.One o entrepreneurs. ys inboththejazzand ok , w York He toldthe .Bi,’01, Bain, K. ument in ” Eddie Daniels, and his ir ant st achieved The Thad nstein Santa Fe had which that BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 31 San , check and ts, Lady Beat ies into polished “I think they Atlanta Hip Hop poet, and Laura Darius, ’71, s are not all men— ” s in hip-hop s. waiian shir and the Hip-Hop er at the nalist, Ha Austin Women’s Film and Women’s Austin . and For more on the film a jour y scientists in the biotech and y b es, maceutical industr ers,Vol. 1, vement within the hip-hop vement inkled Dock omen producer Hip-hop producer in the there are strong women phat beats and down studios laying bringing the heat.This summer pros.“People here pride themselves on being so casual,” she told the wr Wilkes, “Shamash” Tashelle M.A., ’99, presented her first film, Mak Film Festival, Music Festival, Odyssey International Film Fest. Wilk out www.Femmixx.com. gets through with them.The CEO of Darius Inc. Communications has Coast branch of her West opened a City–based executive York New consultancy and aims to teach the laid- Finest City” “America’s back CEOs of more look and behave to how adjustments that professionally—minor in the a big difference could make boardroom. Her specialty is turning schlub phar Business Journal.Diego need to up the ante—instead of really the flip-flops, educator, runs Femmixx.com, a to women devoted website producers in the hip-hop industry. Her looks at five film thity-two-minute producersurban music who reflect on their lives, music, and the feminist mo industr w Stromberg supported himself by piano on a cruiseplaying ship in Mexico. Diego will not Businesspeople of San be the same once Tropendrift s about (University of y a native ipatetic usicians according itten b Rilla Askew, M.F.A., t Hagenaar Harpsong The Grapes of Wrath, of The Grapes or this per olk m Alber was wr vatoryin September, of Music Oklahoma City Oklahoman ersity in Istanbul,Turkey, was a follows a family of down-on-their- a family follows Dirk Johan Stromberg,Dirk Johan M.Mus., ’04, currently on the faculty at Bilgi Univ City Ho Chi Minh Vietnam’s guest at Conser where he collaborated with local Vietnamese f (2006), the exotic was inspired by poems of to Vietnam.net.to It was the third visit to the Far East f composer, whose first CD, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.While recording it, notes,“Unlike Take that,The third Take Steinbeck! John author by novel ’89, Oklahoma Press, $24.95), tells Askew the tale of Harlan Singer and his child- bride, Sharon Thompson, as they and Hoovervillessearch hobo jungles and ride the rails a home. looking for As the Harpsong Oklahoman, not a carpetbagger who the locale.” visited never luck Okies in the depths of the Great luck Okies in the depths Depression. In , essor ” called him “An hour later, and was ou just don’t I’ve stayed that stayed I’ve y VI Sidney Berger,Sidney ’57 Theater Festival y is retiring from Pierce gettable lessons to gettable ell, apt. yn College prof y has touched and r w or , Henr ations of Pierce students. y enr es Lar y to “A Brookl Los Angeles Daily News Los lpool bath at the gym, I opened Houston Chronicle. ears. He will, however, to continue oung liv un the Houston Shakespeare Festival un the Houston Shakespeare andoml way for the past fifty years.” the past fifty for way tending to an injured ankle in a whir r immediatel replace a teacher like that,”replace a teacher like said sociology chairperson Odello. “His retirement is a huge loss. Another retiree is of English named Randolph Goodman when he handed me life changed my plays of Shakespeare’s a worn copy and commanded,‘Read this.’” he told the who leaves the University of Houston who leaves drama department after thirty-eight y r and the Childrens’ that he started in the 1970s, as as well teach. changed here “the professor of second chances”“the professor for his belief in his students’ potential. thousands of think of the “When you y three gener Larry Horn, ’54, The College in Woodland Hills,Woodland College in California, a college in the community two-year Valley. Pierce, At San Fernando where years, fifty he taught sociology for Horn was legendary, often dressing up in period his classes and costume for passing on unf sponsored restaurant training workshopto help neophyte designed through their way navigate foodies of permits dozens City’s York New Café and inspections.TheTonez Earth opened in October, a and features of sandwiches,meatless menu wraps, herbal teas, and healthful desserts. ALUMNI NEWS AND SIGHTINGS

Don and Mera, ’65, Rubell have (2002) and On the Surface of Things Lifetime Achievement Awards amassed one of the world’s most (1997), have revolutionized the were presented to fourteen reunion significant collections of modern art, techniques and aesthetics of scientific class alumni, and Dr. Gerald W. Deas, and the Rubell Family Collection in photography. “She has a wonderful ’52, was the recipient of the Milton Miami is a jaw-droppingly amazing sense of design and color,” her Fisher, ’38, Second Harvest Award, assembly of work arranged in twenty- Harvard colleague George acknowledging his accomplishments seven galleries, open to the public Whitesides told the Times. “It’s hard subsequent to his fiftieth reunion. from December to May. In Israel for to say she is not an artist.” the opening of the Memorials of BCAA Gala Identity exhibit at the Haifa Museum The Brooklyn College Alumni of Art featuring works from their Association hosted its annual Gala collection, the Rubells talked to the Reunion Dinner at El Caribe in Mill Haaretz newspaper about their Basin, Brooklyn, in October. The lifelong obsession with art, which Alumna- and Alumnus-of-the-Year began soon after they met in the Awards were presented to writer Brooklyn College Library, when Don, and feminism advocate Francine a Cornell student, was briefly taking Lifton Klagsbrun, ’52, and the chemistry classes at BC. Don would BCAA Post-Fiftieth Alumni Reunion Honorable Sterling Johnson, Jr., ’63, later have a thriving obstetrics Dinner and Awards Ceremony practice and Mera did well in real The Seventeenth Annual BCAA Post- estate, but their collecting mania Fiftieth Alumni Reunion Dinner and began when they were poor Awards Ceremony took place in newlyweds and shared a walk-up September. Alumni of the classes of apartment with a badly cracked wall. ’32, ’37, ’42, ’47, and ’52 came to the “It was literally too expensive to paint campus to celebrate their seventy- Haaretz, “so we it,” Mera told fifth, seventieth, sixty-fifth, sixtieth, and decided we would buy reproductions fifty-fifth reunions respectively. Among at the .We the guests were Ethel Lagarenné cleverly framed them ourselves and Hagquist, ’32 (left below), and covered all the cracks. It was an Gandolfa Aiosa DeFronzo, ’32 (right senior judge of the United States interesting exercise.” below), members of Brooklyn District Court for the Eastern District Felice Oringel Frankel, ’66, is a top College’s first graduating class, who of New York. A Family Achievement science photographer, and her work came to take part in the school’s first Award was presented to artist consists of fanciful images that look seventy-fifth reunion. JoAnne Williams Carter, ’76, and her like fine art. But she rejects the artist brother, E.T.Williams, Jr., ’60, financier label, telling the New York Times that and former Brooklyn College

7 Foundation trustee. Alumni of 0 “my stuff is about phenomena.” 0 2

L Brooklyn College student

L Holding dual appointments at A F

publications, such as Vanguard, Harvard University and the E N I

Z Broeklundian, Kingsman, Excelsior, A Massachusetts Institute of Technology, G A

M Belfry, and Calling Card, were also Frankel has a regular column in E G

E saluted at the event. L American Scientist magazine, and her L O C work is exhibited around the world. N Y L K

O Her two books, Envisioning Science O R B

32 San Diego alumni and guests held excavations all over the world, their Membership Appreciation including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Israel, and Brunch and Musicfest in October at sites closer to home in Brooklyn and the Eastview Rancho Bernardo Manhattan. The enthusiastic alumni Community Center. The juke box were eager to tag along on his came loaded with music from the next dig! ’40s through the ’70s and beyond, The members of the Northern and the bagels were loaded with lox Metropolitan Chapter were literally and cream cheese––Brooklyn style! hypnotized by the gripping In October, the Mid-New Jersey presentation of guest speaker Joann Chapter hosted a lecture at the Abrahamsen, ’70, at a dinner in Rye Millburn Public Library entitled Brook in October. During the Galleries Open House “Caring for Caregivers” given by life presentation she taught the group how In October, the Brooklyn College coach (and Hofstra alumnus) Jeff self-hypnosis can be a stress reducer Alumni Association hosted its first Ambers. Ambers addressed the and helpful to those dealing with such Galleries Open House in DUMBO at need of boomer generation problems as insomnia and being the 111 Front Street Galleries. caregivers to attend to their own overweight. Alumni and friends were invited to psychological needs while caring for The members of the Southwest visit and view contemporary fine art ailing or elderly parents or spouses. Brooklyn Chapter learned about from eleven independent galleries, In October,Tucson alumni and guests some of Brooklyn’s Victorian houses including the Brooklyn Arts Council. gathered at the home of Judge Lillian when Brooklyn borough historian Guests enjoyed wine, cheese, and Fisher, ’42, for lunch and a Ron Schweiger, ’70, gave a slide piano music. Many were attending presentation by Dr. Hunter Yost on presentation for the group. The event for the first time this treasure trove “Maintaining Good Health,Vigor, and was held on Halloween, so some of art in Brooklyn’s DUMBO. Increased Vitality.” Yost offered guests wore costumes, and the dinner information drawn from alternative menu included a cauldron of punch. Alumni Chapters healing, nutritional therapy, and In September, the Campus Chapter Members of the Israel Chapter traditional medicine. sponsored Musicale, a membership visited the archaeological excavation Long Island alumni and friends came appreciation event at which the at Tel Beit Shemesh, in July, where back to Brooklyn for their second performances of students from the students from several branches of visit to Green-Wood Cemetery for a Conservatory of Music and the CUNY and other institutions were walk through its magnificent grounds Chamber Choir included some original digging for the second year through and a visit with such departed compositions. The chapter’s annual Brooklyn College’s “Israel:Then and luminaries as Horace Greeley, Samuel theater party was held in November Now” program under the supervision Morse, Leonard Bernstein, and “Boss” on the opening night of The Seagull. At of Professor H. Arthur Bankoff, ’65,

Tweed. The unusual October heat the dinner prior to the performance, B R O

chairperson of the BC Anthropology O

did not daunt the group, who were Thomas A. Bullard, chairperson of the K L Y and Archaeology Department. N

planning a return trip before the tour Theater Department, and Mary C O L L

In August, Brooklyn College alumni in ended. Also in October, Professor Robinson, the director, spoke about E G E

Northern California once again and Chairperson of the BC some of the preparations for the show, M A G A joined with transplanted alums from Anthropology and Archaeology at which the entire audience was Z I N E

City College and Polytechnic Department H. Arthur Bankoff, ’65, seated on the stage. F A L

University for the annual family-style, L

presented a program entitled “BC 2 0 all-you-can-eat Summer Picnic at the 0 Digs the World.” Bankoff showed 7 Fremont Hills Country Club. slides of his work with students from 33 ALUMNI NEWS AND SIGHTINGS

Soldier,Teacher, Parent, Prez

Hal Schaffer, ’56, the new president of the Brooklyn College Alumni Association, was much more worldly-wise than most freshmen when he entered Brooklyn College in fall 1952. Two years earlier, in September 1950, he had landed with the First Marine Division at Inchon, Korea. It was his first, and most enduring, lesson in leadership. “MacArthur’s strategy of outflanking the North Korean army worked,” he says. “Unfortunately he didn’t believe, or wouldn’t believe, the Chinese would enter the ‘police action.’ The rest of his strategy got a lot of us meet with students for Big-Brother- or killed for nothing. Truman did the right thing by firing him.” His experience Big-Sister-style chats. Also maybe our made Schaffer a firm believer in “the democratic governance process.” many alumni who contribute to the After graduating from Brooklyn College, Schaffer enjoyed a highly successful Brooklyn College Foundation could career as an educator, serving as a faculty member at Adelphi University on Long encourage and motivate their friends Island and as an administrator at Cortland State in the SUNY system, Salisbury and classmates to think about giving State in the Maryland system, and Wilson College in Chambersburg, back to the College. Pennsylvania, until 1988. He now lives in retirement in South Florida. Here he You recently established a talks about his experiences at Brooklyn College and his plans for the future. scholarship in your name and your late wife’s. Do you think other What was it like to attend Brooklyn same thing that I was.They were Brooklyn College alumni should College in the 1950s? largely the children of immigrants follow in your footsteps? First of all, for me as a returning vet, who were using education to “make The woman who eventually became age twenty-two as a frosh, it was real it in America.” my wife after we re-met in 2001 was s-c-a-r-y. Had it not been for a not only a fellow member of the How do the needs of today’s reference librarian named Antoinette Brooklyn College Class of 1956, she students differ from those who Cioli, who took me through the was also a professional dancer who were your classmates? labyrinth of beautiful La Guardia Hall was offered a professorship of dance Having visited the Brooklyn College and got me started on my first term by Florida Atlantic University in the late campus about a half-dozen times a paper for English 101, I may not have 1960s.The only restriction I put on the year for the past six or so years, and made it through my first semester. scholarship I established was that it having spent most of my career on And there were so many should be awarded yearly to a student the campuses of three small colleges, students running hither and yon all in the creative or performing arts. it is my sense that today’s students the time. Folk singers and their We all have reasons for what are so busy getting a degree that they guitars and banjos seemed to be we do. It is clear to me that are unable to participate in activities ubiquitous on the Quad. without Brooklyn College I would that don’t have a direct relation to

7 not have been able to achieve what I 0 Who were your classmates back their career goals. 0 2

have in my life—three degrees, a L

L then and what were they seeking A F

How can Brooklyn College alumni successful career, wonderful friends, from Brooklyn College? E N I help today’s students? and ample opportunities to give back Z

A My classmates were very bright, for G A The BCAA Board has standing to society, to continue to learn, to M

the most part, and generally four E

G travel,and to enjoy my leisure-time

E committees that assist with

L years younger than I.The coeds L O

C recruitment, internships, career advice, activities; to live to see my three sons appeared to be much too young for N Y

L mentoring, and post-graduate mature, become successful in their K

O me. And there was a handful of vets. O

R employment. Perhaps local alumni own right, and go forward with their B What were they seeking? I guess the could visit the campus more often and lives; and to enjoy my five grandchildren. 34 “Brooklyn College is definitely a state-of-the-art learning facility,” said alumnus Victor Bardack,‘62, one of the DuBois House group.“The school offers students use of hundreds of computers, and Internet and wi-fi access. The Library Café even has twenty-four-hour computer and Internet accessibility.” Bardack, now a successful screenwriter and film producer living in Beverly Hills, California, added:“The new sports and fitness complex and the Science Center, which are now under construction on the West Quad, are only part of the transformation that is creating a twenty-first- century campus here.” In addition to Bardack and his wife, Sherry, the group included Mike Salkin, Saul and Laurie Heitner, Sam and Benchmates Nancy Raskin, Bob Feldman, Harvey Grossman, and Mel Schwartz. Other members who spent many pleasant This past June, as an expression of gratitude to Brooklyn hours at DuBois House but could not make the trip back College and the important role it has played in their lives, were Michael Friedman, Jerry Imber, Harvey Mirsky, and several graduates from the 1950s and ’60s returned to the Mike Phillips. College to dedicate a handsome wooden bench. Inscribed Urging alumni who were members of other groups to “DuBois House, ’58–’62,” the bench was the gift of former support the College, Bardack said,“The experiences and members of one of the house plans that were part of educational opportunities at Brooklyn College changed our College life in those years. lives and opened wonderful opportunities for us. Now is The DuBois House bench stands with seven others the time to give back.” along the brick pathway that surrounds the Lily Pond near the southern corner of the Brooklyn College Library.The You and your organization can join the DuBois House pool, with its walkways and lush foliage, forms a peaceful refuge where faculty, staff, and students can escape to read, group in dedicating a bench at the College’s Lily Pond study, meet a friend, or take a break from the hustle and or elsewhere around campus by contacting William Healy bustle of campus life. During their visit in June, the graduates received a of the Brooklyn College Foundation at (718) 951-5074. brief tour before joining Brooklyn College President Bill can also help you and your group plan a visit to the Christoph M. Kimmich at the Lily Pond for the bench dedication ceremony. campus.

Marvin Glassmann, ’57, and Deanna

Moskowitz Glassmann, ’59, with their

grandchildren. “After celebrating the

fiftieth anniversary of Marvin’s B R

graduation,” Deanna says, “we purchased O O K L Y N

shirts for all our grandchildren at the C O L L E G E

College bookstore. When our fifteen-year- M A G A Z I

old granddaughter was asked, while N E

F A L

wearing her sweatshirt to school, whether L

2 0 0 her parents went to Brooklyn, she proudly 7

replied, ‘No, my grandparents did!’” 35 3636 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 send itemsdir corr M B Magazine. Brooklyn College your classand is thelinkbetween correspondent, who address ofaclass include thenameand Many classyears To allalumni: Notes I to y magazine, pleasewrite published inthe you would like accomplishments that have news aboutyour (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 f y v r ollege, 2900Bedford agazine, ooklyn College enue, B —Class N our classhasno our corr espondent, please If you wishto You mayalso class r ooklyn, NY When you B espondent. r otes E ooklyn ectly to ditor Mathematics of Professor Emeritus P W Reade Univ FL330631936 Margate, 7185 N.W Class Correspondent Beatrice Persin Faden 1940 11050 52 Mack Class Cor Leo Ashenbrenner 1939 94303 CA Palo Alto, 2563 GreerRoad Class Cor W.AnisgardHarry 1937 33484-1093 FL Beach, Delray 5071 CNestingway Class Cor Irwin Glick 1935 33484-1093 FL Beach, Delray B Apt. Court, 5850 SugarPalm Class Correspondent Nestler Herbert 1933 Pla of theFir aspart California, Oaks, premiered inSherman min offifteen- marathon annualtwenty-first pi.InJune, April. last birthday ninety-first or ald ywr t ute pla er W ’ s pla ights Express sity ofMichigan celebrated his celebrated sigo,NY ashington, ey respondent respondent respondent stStage y ys. . Avenue 9 Cour Stak Maxwell Malvin e Out t He alsopublished special final talkin2006. anda 1984, 1971, NPR reviewsfrom ser Ka Romola Ettinger 1943 Inter Including Drug Ref Litt’ has published Walter JamesMiller confidant Vonnegut Kurt E University New York translator, editor, Author, 10012 NY New York, 16B Apt. Village, Square 1 Washington C G Shirley Edelman Dr. 1 okwy NY 11694 Rockaway, 404 Beach143Street Class Cor Schwarz Bernard R. 1946 Brockton, 507 Apt. Extension, 30 OakStreet Class Cor LandauEidlin Renee B. 1944 11942 NY East Quogue, P. Class Cor Litt Meteor Hunt, (see Alumni Books). (see Alumni Medicine inClev Schoolof University Reserve Case Western der professor of assistant clinical dermatology database, dermatology editionofhis thirteenth Books). (see manuscript Alumni Miller, Conducted by Walter Interviews Vonnegut: Jules of English translation gihpoesr and nglish professor, .Box 648 O. lass Correspondent reenwald 941 plan ies thatincludes erence Manual s Drug Eruption s Drug matology atthe actions published the V er the first CDina the first ne’ r Jerome Z. Dr. respondent respondent respondent MA 02401 . s or He isan the f Essential iginal eland ir The st osatn .Hall Constantine K. 1949 Carolina. North Precinct inChapelHill, the Booker Creek Board ofElectionsfor County by theOrange was appointedajudge Ruthe Kerner Meisel NY11005 Park, Floral Parkway Central 2 Class Correspondent Eneas Sloman Arkawy 1948 T 4631 Ellenita Avenue Class Correspondent Reva FrumkinBiers 1 Cor at history American prof Gerd Korman, New 9P Apt. 70 East10Street Class Cor Marion UngerGor 1951 Lansb to tribute Angela also wroteapoetic she patron ofthearts, Board. Queens Community onthe ofservice years in recognitionoftw president ofQueens from theborough receiv Audrey Galligen New 175 Class Correspondent Kaplan Louise J. 1950 NY11225 Brooklyn, 190 MapleStreet Class Cor Labor Relations, and School ofIndustrial read ataceremon New Clubin The Players her honorinJuneat arzana, CA 91356 CA arzana, 71-08G Grand 947 nell Univ essor emer West 12Street Y Y Y ur ed acertificate or NY10011 ork, or A dev y , k, k City respondent respondent which was NY 10003 er oted . sity’ itus of s y in don enty . about lif Beast, presented b Achievement Award of a Woman recentl Shewas College. Reunion atBrookl the P at Achievement Award received aLifetime she September, In another APAdivision. for MediaPsychologists, reelected totheboard Shewas Association. Amer ofthe Psychotherapy Psychology andGroup Division ofGroup the boardof waselectedto Island, at theCollegeofStaten ofpsychology emerita Alumni Books). Irene Deitch, NY11706 Bay Shore, 3 Lakeside Lane Class Correspondent Sheila TalmudRaymond 1952 1938–1948 Fronts, Y Nightmare’s Fairy A Tale: [email protected] Rocka Lane 1311 Franklin Class Correspondent Ben Suntag 1953 novel, published hisdebut Grinberg Henry Yeshiva University City Collegeand professor ofEnglishat Former community. ofthe the betterment devoted themselves to borough whoha residents ofthe memoir entitled recently published a Island Advance oung Refugee’s Home ost-Fiftieth Alumni ican Psychological a,NJ07866 way, Variations onthe an allegorical tale an allegorical y therecipientof e inNazi y the professor to ve Staten yn (see BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 777 3733337 aughn V respondent Gross Carroll Gross risk, courage, and 970 lass Correspondent [email protected] 1975 Rubin Leitner Class Cor 138 East 96 Street Brooklyn, NY 11212 1972 Dr. A. Stanley Alexander Class Correspondent Road Valley 4 Indian East Setauket, NY 11790 1973 Linda E. Class Correspondent Vienna Hills Drive 32 Hackettstown, NJ 07840 (908) 637-6639 [email protected] 1974 Diane Oeters Class Correspondent 80 Kelsey Place Madison, CT 06443 1 Barry Silverman C 176 Stultz Lane East Brunswick, NJ 08816 [email protected] 1971 Constance Forte Pigozzi Class Correspondent Avenue 7802 16 Brooklyn, NY 11214 Yavel, Nanette Helena a therapist who works with autistic children and developmentally adults,disabled recently had a poem published in women: contemporary voices in prose and poetry. s who He is The Guy’ was ades as conducting , now in its now ynch 6G essor of Software O. 449 Box 4 Jubilee Circle heater production of heater production or companies. awarded the prestigious awarded PrizeKnuth for theoretical computer science. She is the NEC Prof Science and Engineering at MIT. 1969 M.Edward Greenspan Class Correspondent 1237 Avenue Z, Apt. Brooklyn, NY 11235-4360 Class Correspondent 1740 Kimball Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 Jan Wade Gilbert, 1968 Eileen McGinn Class Correspondent 210 East 15 Street Apt.10N New York, NY 10003 Nancy L stint as Morganstint as le Fay in the Charlottesville, Virginia, community t Camelot. 1965 Barbara Berman Leveene Class Correspondent 2 Aberdeen, NJ 07747 1966 Friedland Felicia Weinberg Class Correspondent P. Clarksburg, NJ 08510 1967 Weinschel Sharon Resen Cookbook, second edition. discovered a cure for discovered periodontal disease, also masquer The Obvious Philosopher “thank you” seminars f the author of er is a EEG v runs Ronald is a ve Rochelle She New ve, Long , works as a Daniel Kaiser y an retired in coordinated Sheldon teaching tool a Stephen Kutay ticles ha Marie Shear e Gro rentl k. iodicals and usical comedy lo y temperament; and or ession, hird year in a row. hird year Feldman part-time librarianin Montgomery County, Maryland. Michaels 1997 as the attorney in charge litigation for of Region of Western the in AT&T. He lives Oakland, California, and is cur arbitrator specializing in cases. employment for neurologists,for fellows, (see and technologists Alumni Books). also the author of author of also the widely unheraldedwidely writer and editor by trade; satirist and m b appeared in fifty per feminist by necessity. by feminist Her ar anthologies. children’s book author children’s and actress. completed a recently Stanley Pearlman Stanley retired in 2003 after forty years with the New York City Department of Education. For the last three years, he has been a work-study coordinator at a private residential special education high school in Lak a semi-retired life lives in Santa Fe Mexico. on DVD: Adult–An Reading Interactive S Rochelle Kliot Follender Island. Fridzon Sitzer the retained executive search firm Stanley Herz & Co., which he in 1980.founded He in Somers,lives New Y Monroe (N.J.) participation Township’s in the Senior Olympics the competition for t e is iv Sit! (see ation is a He is . w Dr is Wirth Marion (see Alumni recently Willo is a professor respondent Administr ed Chair. w e for Excellence in e for hippany, NJ 07981 iz 962 e recently received e recently on the USF Sarlo omen’s health at the omen’s eaching. She edited he associate dean for School of Medicine of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. H the International Relations Council International for Award Academic Leadership. Educator and children’s book author Stay! Sign! published the book published Alumni Books). neurologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center T of politics at the University of San Francisco. She recently w Pr t w Richard Brenner Richard Dr. Orlikoff Jay Class Cor Lane 20 Beaverdale Brook,Stony NY 11790 Block Walter Roberta (Bobbie) Johnson The Struggle against Corruption: A Study Comparative 1964 1963 Cliff Rosner Class Correspondent 111 Blue Houston,TX 77042-1105 38 Troy Hills Road Troy 38 W Dr. Derman Richard Books). 1 J. Steven Nappen Class Correspondent Margolis at Loyola University in at Loyola New Orleans. He holds the Harold E. Eminent Scholar Endo professor of economics professor in the College of Business NJ 08057 Avenue was A 92024 wn, C Maple y appointed 954 [email protected] lass Correspondent arthlink.net acoby Hillman acoby technologicalforecasting @yahoo.com recentl associate dean of University College at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. David S.David Herskowitz Class Correspondent 1175 Kildeer Court Encinitas, 1961 3382 Kenzo Court3382 Kenzo Mountain View, CA 64040 kr 1960 Saul Kravitz Class Correspondent Marlene Fishbane Rosenbaum Rosalie Fuchs Berle Class Correspondent 260 Garth Road Apt. 3J5 Scarsdale, NY 10583 1959 Class Correspondent 217 E. 1957 Micki Ginsberg 1351 E. Mountain Street Glendale, CA 91207-1837 [email protected] 1956 Saluzzi Mike Class Correspondent germarkowitz@ e 1955 Geraldine Markowitz Class Correspondent 255 West 94 Street, 94 West 255 Apt. 6Q New York, NY 10025 Marlene (Marcia) J C 1 Mooresto [email protected] ALUMNI PROFILE

“Grandma Dynamite’s” School Days

For ninety-year-old alumna Marjorie Louer, ’59, she liked them. “Over the years,” she recalls,“I guess I’ve the same attributes that make a good teacher developed a thing for bad boys. The young ones, not the might well be the keys to a long life. old ones.” When she landed a permanent secretarial position at Back in winter 2006, Marjorie Louer, a Brooklyn College P.S. 9—where she had once been a student—one of her graduate and retired public high school principal, tried to assignments was to handle the school’s payroll. The withdraw cash from an ATM. The machine rejected her. experience taught her that teachers made a lot more When she went to her bank, a clerk cut up her card right money than secretaries. Over her husband’s objections, in in front of her. Her account had been closed because she September 1949 she registered for night classes at was dead, she was informed. Brooklyn College. “Each time they talk to you about you being dead Louer graduated in 1959, after ten straight years of there is a little pain,” the Brooklyn native told the Daily classes, evenings and summers included, with only one News at the time, after finding out that a minor clerical short break in 1953. With her B.A. degree, plus 30 credits, error at the Social Security Administration had led to her she was hired as a New York City teacher. She steadily unfortunate post-mortem status. climbed the career ladder through acting assistant principal, Louer eventually managed to persuade both the feds assistant principal, acting principal, and finally principal. and her bankers to correct their mistakes and “revive” her. “I took over a high school that was just for boys who Rejoining the ranks of the quick pleased her mightily. After couldn’t get along in their regular zoned high schools,” she all, she was only eighty-nine years old and figured she still recalls. “The school just had a number. I took to calling it had a lot of living left to do. ‘Sterling High School’—which was kind of an ironic name. As a child, growing up against the backdrop of World But they liked the name and it stuck.” War I, Prohibition, the Roaring Twenties, and the Great Louer remained as principal at Sterling High School Depression, she dreamed of becoming a doctor. Her until 1992, when she was seventy-five years of age. “By father, who had suffered a head wound in the Navy during then my kids were calling me ‘Grandma Dynamite’,” she the war, eventually became paralyzed and unable to work. says. The school authorities figured it was time for her to Marjorie, meanwhile, had been accepted to Hunter retire.“I didn’t want to retire,” she says. “I spent my first College’s pre-med program. With her dad no longer able week sitting around the house. I was bored.” to support the family, she had to give up her dream and She went out for a walk and found a card shop with a went to work as a secretary. “Help Wanted” sign in the window. “I went in and talked Her marriage and the birth of two daughters—Susan, the manager into hiring me,” she says. who like her mother would graduate from Brooklyn After a short time at the card shop she responded to College, and Stephanie, who graduated from Columbia— a want ad in the paper. “The IRS was looking for people followed. When the girls were old enough, Louer returned who could advise them on how to improve their customer to work as a secretary. A neighbor, who worked as a city relations,” Louer says.“I got the job.” 7 0 0

2 school teacher, casually mentioned to Louer that she might These days, she’s involved with the day-to-day

L L

A be able to get a higher-paying job as a school secretary. operations of her co-op board. “Then, too,” she says,“ I’ve F

E She began as a substitute school secretary at P.S. 225 finally gotten interested in this whole grandmother and N I Z A

G in Brighton Beach. The assignment gave Louer her first great-grandmother thing.” Louer has three grandchildren A M

E exposure to the type of student who would later shape and six great-grandkids. G E L L her career—troubled young men whose unruly behavior “Oh, yes,” she adds. “And then there’s the thing with O C

N

Y led to their being called to the principal’s office. She found the medians.” L K O O R B

38 A Commonsense Formula for Teaching Marjorie Louer, retired principal of Sterling High School in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene section—where her charges included male teens chosen from all the borough’s neighborhoods who either had proved too difficult to handle by their locally zoned high schools or who had had run-ins with the juvenile justice system—says she was fortunate that her superiors had given her “pretty much a free rein in hiring teachers” for her own school. “A lot of my students came from really bad homes,” she says. “I got along fine with many of them—it was like a gift I had—and I was fortunate in that I was able to use my own judgment in the selection of teachers for my school.” The thing with the traffic medians is a multimillion- Among the several qualities she says that she looked for dollar rehabilitation plan for the two-block stretch of in a teaching candidate at Sterling High School was Eastern Parkway in front of her home between Washington Avenue and Grand Army Plaza in Prospect flexibility. “Teachers in my school needed to be flexible,” Heights. Louer led a five-year fight to collect five hundred Louer says. “They needed a full, rich background that they signatures to petition the city to redo the ragged stretch of the parkway. The improvements include widening the could fall back on to help them explain the various concepts median, narrowing the service road, and reconstructing the of their lessons in different ways that the students could main roadway. The project is scheduled to be completed comprehend.” in 2009, when the entire renewed length of roadway will become “Brooklyn’s Champs Elysées,” according to Another quality that she sought out in a teaching Borough President Marty Markowitz. prospect was a genuine liking for children. “Teachers in my “A dream” was how Marjorie Louer described the plan that she put five years of her life into and now hopes school had to really like kids,” she says. “They had to see to see completed. them as someone they wanted to teach, someone who could It is also how she describes graduating from Brooklyn learn, and someone who could grow up to be a productive College. “The College gave me a career of working with and helping troubled teenagers. I fill with nostalgia member of society.”

whenever I realize the depth of the contribution that B

Also important when selecting prospective teachers, in R O O

Brooklyn College made to my life.” K L Y

Louer’s mind, was a sense of humor. “This might even be N

She says that “the topping on the cake was when they C O L L

awarded me the Distinguished Alumna Award” in 1979. the top quality you have to look for in a teacher,” she says. E G E

M

“They have to be able to get along easily with the kids, to be A G A Z I N

able to laugh at things. They have to be optimistic.” E

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39 40 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 NOTES CLASS in NewJer Inc., Center, Griefwork and directorofthe Kaufman Island. Center onStaten Snug HarborCultural Scholars Temple atthe t on thephilosophy of Pre of Healingfroma Personal Stories Angels: Remember Compassion Fatigue, Barbara Rubel, Red Bank, 265 HamiltonDrive Class Correspondent Anthony Esposito 1979 06611-3313 CT Trumbull, 120 Pinew Class Correspondent Katz Susan A. 1978 Somer Road 12 Woodlawn Class Correspondent Michael Hanna 1977 Board of Trustees. to thela has alsobeenelected Alumni School National of the Albany Law asthepresident term completed atwo-year Herecently York. inNew LLP, LeBoeuf, atDewey & a partner (grandmaster) a s author, In September, C Lane 50 Barnes Class Correspondent Feintuch P. Henry 1 chapter to a She alsocontributed Depar tr he Tao attheChinese ekr andmartial peaker, rts hanshi rts aining man apqa NY10514 happaqua, 976 gnancy Loss tment ofJustice set, Larry Schiffer Larry Association. w school’ gave atalk ing Our NJ 07701 ood Trail NJ 08873 sey ual f cowrote , . Stephen speak or the s a He er is . @yahoo.com alamodude2001 78242 San Antonio,TX Drive 5135 Fedora Class Correspondent Peter Huertas 1985 [email protected] NJ07701 Red Bank, Building 1 Road 331 NewmanSprings Class Cor Michael Kosik 1983 NY11740 Greenlawn, 69 Derby Avenue Class Correspondent Gruber Eileen Sherman 1982 Puello A. p Puello Agnes C. 1 Eric Rothenburg, published A In Alumni Books). andfamily (see friends and timesofPuello’s t H ofFamily and Stories Our TimesTogether: entitled Remembering being hea committee aswell as andbudget personnel on hisdepar serves He New York. of the CityUniversity Comm Kingsborough and economicsat prof has beenpromotedto exams. wr with CUNY’s ACT (see Alumni Books). (see Alumni the twentieth century with majorevents in dealing four papers Work, Examples ofCollege a Harvard/Yale Man: hat chroniclesthelife ublished anessay gs,iUniverse ugust, m,amini-memoir ome, 980 iting andCPE essor ofaccounting a collectionof unity Collegeof respondent ’s ’s vily involved Christopher Papers from tment’ CP s A, debut album, the releaseofhis Phoenix), The BitterEnd. York’s club legendary atNew performance Class Correspondent Ian LeeBrown 1 Brookl 1575 46Street Class Correspondent Ilene Berkowitz 1994 Masterpiece Loftin Larry singer/songwr Award-winning 1993 NY11209 Brooklyn, 8718 RidgeBoulevard Class Correspondent Beth DebraKallman 1990 11510 NY Baldwin Harbor, Drive 951 Woodoak Class Correspondent Lauren Korn Popkoff 1988 NY11230 Brooklyn, Apt.1H 9 Class Correspondent Eric Steinhardt 1987 C 13978 Sawteeth Way New Jersey. Monroe Township, wr facilitates acreative Arlene GrallaFeldman NY11710 Bellmore, 2793 LeePlace Class Correspondent Dr 1995 15 East7Street enterville,VA 20121 enterville,VA 986 . iting w Nathan Solat yn, or NY 11219 celebr kshop in , with a (aka J. iter ated learning delays. learning for who areatrisk preschool children screenings of increasing the Herjobentails one. ages threetotwenty- education for students provider ofinclusive York City’s largest D and for Learning for theCooke Center childhood education m T 1 B 554 Beach129Street Class Correspondent Anthony Vitale 1 gmail.com yct.abr NY11219 Brooklyn, 966 46Street Class Cor Y 2004 Hersko, Geoffrey S. 2003 Brookl 6C Apt. 1342 East18Street Class Correspondent Igor Galanter 2002 Brookl 540 East82Street Class Cor T 2001 NY11229 Brooklyn, 2327 East18Street Class Correspondent Da 1999 the New recently admittedto was Hodgson RussLLP, Groupat Practice Estate andFinance intheReal attorney Bar atesha BennettClark ael 1694 leHro,NY elle Harbor, ina Wells vlpet New evelopment, ade headofearly 996 vid Mosk . Abraham yn, yn, aham@ respondent respondent Y NY 11230 NY 11236 ork State ork h o as been witz an the classic1931film wrotefor John Florio h score contemporary aboutthe interviewed Hewas Catskill. W w Classics Afternoon entitled “Monday program on aradio t Sha College’ received Brooklyn Shehas Gallery. Academy Art Honors Brooklyn College ofthe curator f Sheisthe 2004. which shef bear studio independent art ar Meghan Keane Ezr New 205 West 95Street Class Correspondent Ezra Rich 2007 The Blue Angel. Thomas Nazziola 2 cuny.edu. alumni@brooklyn. addr send your e-mail association. Please y from theCollege and communications and information and uptodatewith y Please helpus Attention Alumni: last threeyears. painting ineachofthe for Award Department ounding directorand he featured composer our alumni ou stayconnected e andco-composer t adl”on ith Gandalf” tist whodirectsthe 006 F-M Radio JFF-FM, [email protected] w Memor ing hername esses to: ok NY10025 York, s Charles G. s Charles ounded in ial Art is an , was Memoriamin

Faculty Alumni Seymour Benzer, ’42 Sylvan Fox, ’51 Ralph Bray, ’42 Eileen Ratchik Kantor, ’51 Lucille S. Bacon Sylvia Brazaza Segal, ’32 Ralph C. Goldman, ’42 Saul W. Grey, ’52 Physical Education and Edward Propper, ’33 Norman Botnick Gordon, ’42 Jerome Palley, ’52 Exercise Science Department Sylvia Trow Gail, ’34 Georgia Heaslip, ’42 Byrd Drucker, ’53 Arthur J. Levenson, ’34 Elsie Shapiro Klein, ’42 Ethel Karcag Jacobson, ’53 Morton Berkowitz Jessie Lubart Levey, ’34 Jackson Parker, ’42 Betty Finkelstein Kitay, ’55 Political Scince Department Amelia Patterson Prince, ’34 Elaine Garfinkel Rosenthal, ’42 Harvey Mozer, ’55 Anne E. Sunderland, ’34 Marvin S. Flowerman, ’43 Marcia Hein Rubin, ’58 Abraham S. Eisenstadt Miriam Kessin Fishman, ’35 Emanuel (Manny) Saltzman, ’43 Robert R.West, ’58 History Department Ruth Fishman Goldstein, ’35 Ruth Drucker Cooperman, ’44 Anne Spiegel Snyder, ’59 Milton Novak, ’35 Seymour J. Lederer, ’44 George Henry Stein, ’59 Martha Jean Hakes Mortimer J. Abramowitz, ’36 Stella Moskowitz Propper, ’44 James W. Garafola, ’60 Conservatory of Music Daniel D. Bier, ’36 Pauline Horowitz Adele Bozio, ’61 Henrietta Marks Brooks, ’36 Grossbard, ’45 Deborah Gross Rothman, ’61 H.Wiley Hitchcock David Fishman, ’36 Muriel Goodman Engel, ’46 Stephen Henry Saul, ’61 Conservatory of Music Arline Ferns Henry, ’36 Pearl Pressel Herman, ’46 John (Jack) Deltuvia Sr., ’62 May Medzibor Lipson, ’36 Shiela Marin, ’46 Bruce L. Metzger, ’62 Jack Kuney Gladys Bloom, ’37 Herman Becker, ’47 Barbara L. Fisher, ’63 Television and Radio Lillian Selinger Kalos, ’37 Roy Frank, ’47 Merrilee J. Possner, ’63 Department Esther Saggese Marrone, ’37 Leatrice Fluhr Isaacson, ’47 Rebecca Levine Schwartz, ’64 Sylvia Kornreich Orans, ’37 Zenia Cohen Hines Katz, ’47 Allen Ewig, ’66 Ernest J. Leo Jennie Scurti Cusenza, ’38 Ruth Kait Lesser, ’47 Marilyn Meyers Fried, ’67 Modern Languages and Milton L. Kleinman, ’38 Bernice Shaw (Boshie) Jay Newman, ’68 Literatures Department Shirley Rich Klugman, ’38 Levine, ’47 Fredric M. Suser, ’68 Michael Mongiello, ’38 Samuel H. Popper, ’47 Gerald M. Labush, ’69 Wendy Hall Maloney Morris Rockstein, ’38 Irvin Bartels, ’48 Philip Janowitz, ’70 SEEK Department Robert Rosenthal, ’38 Robert Drogin, ’48 David C. Mann, ’70 Charles M. Seifried, ’38 Raul Hilberg, ’48 Stephen Victor Linetsky, ’71 Elizabeth Murray Anthony (Tony) Sugameli, ’38 Allan R. Mendelsohn, ’48 Albert Parker, ’73 Art Department Fannie Schutz Benson, ’39 Pearl Ann Baron Simonoff, ’48 George C. Motchan, ’76 Elizabeth Chirico, ’39 Henry P. Stetina, ’48 Morton Halpern, ’78 Edwin Terry Prothro Gertrude Tucker Weker, ’39 Helen Nagelberg Rosenthal Henry Coppedge, ’79 Psychology Department Evelyn Harris Betman, ’40 Zucker, ’48 Clark Siegfried, ’79 Barbara Harris, ’40 Harold Berman, ’49 Sheryl Taub Leibert, ’85 Herman Rose Nina Zimet Chernowitz Andre Philippe, ’49 Benedict A. Bowman, ’86 B R O

Art Department Schneider, ’40 Carmela Scioscia Primak, ’49 Charles Giuliano, ’89 O K L Y N

John A. Garraty, ’41 Morton Zied, ’49 Frank P.Neve, ’96 C O L

Alfred Russell Juanita Kane Kaye, ’41 Sondra Kaplan Slade, ’50 Digna Maria Davis, ’04 L E G E

Art Department Seymour Weinstein, ’41 Alex W. Szogyi, ’50 M A G

Charlotte Zucker, ’41 Frederick B. Bartlett, ’51 A Z I N E

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41 4242 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 Books recent Comm ofSpeech Department Tanni Haas, 2007, rs,20,$5 hardcover. $65, 2007, Press, Da softcover. $24.95, 2007, Routledge, Pr ofPublic Journalism:Theory, The Pursuit W of Philosophy, Professor Emerita Ezorsky, Gertrude softcover. $22.50, 2007, Carolina Press, with CD softcover $12.95, 2007, Inc., Schirmer, from Childhood), Schumann, ed. ofMusic, Conservatory Jeffrey Biegel, softcover withCD. Album. composers, ed.Various ofMusic, Conservatory Jeffrey Biegel, Faculty Books cie andCriticism, actice, or w kplace? ood Auleear. Indiana University Indiana ood Auleear. 1.5 softcover. $12.95, unication .Shre,Ic,20,$12.95, 2007, Inc., Schirmer, G. . Cor Freedom inthe Kinderscenen (Scenes Kinderscenen nell Univ ps1.G. Opus 15. Arts andSciences, Arts Indian Ocean, Creolization inthe Folktalesand Keys: Univ Claudie Ricaudand by translations of English, Professor Emeritus Lee Haring, Thir and Photography in Fiction Experimental Modernism: English, Depar Entin, Joseph B. ties America. New er Sonatina er tment of sity ofNor Sensational sity Press, York, Stars and Stars with th and Stuart and Stuart Taylor Jr., ofHistory, Department KC Johnson, ok,20,$.5 hardcover. $9.95, 2007, Books, (and DogsMeetingKids). How-to Guidefor KidsMeetingDogs Or andJan ’73, Stephanie Calmenson, Alumni Books Books, Lacrosse RapeCase Shameful InjusticesoftheDuke Innocent: merod, 2007, P olitical Cor May IP $26.95, softcover. 2007, Inc., Pal Company, Guide. Survival New York CityParking Louis Camporeale 2.5 hardcover. $23.95, 2007, Pantheon, English, of Department Joshua Henkin, et hardco $35, 2007, Knopf, Be King. The Man Film, of Department Foster Hirsch, hardcover. 2007, HarperCollins, Panda Palace. atthe Birthday Calmenson, Stephanie . rectness andthe Thomas Dunne Until Proven Y hardcover. $18.95, our Dog:The Otto Preminger: ver. $15.99, Clarion Matrimony. Alfred A. Who Would Parking ’73, , ’84, aulShnon ’55, Manuel Schonhorn, softcover. $25, Pink BookofFeminineLeadership. softco Univ Cambridge edition published in1991. Peers andProfs. detail.asp?isbn=0-595-46676-1 www.iUniverse.com/bookstore/book- $25.95. 2007, iUniverse.com, Robinson Crusoe. and Kingship, Power, Parliament, Politics: ’76, Corbet,’73, Angelina C. ejmnWue,’86, Benjamin Wrubel, softcover. $16, 2007, Angelina Sithebe hardcover. $16, 2006, Mobius Company, riyPes 06 $29.99, 2006, Press, ersity v er . Pearson PrenticeHall. cwme,’69, Schwimmer, Helen Zegerman 1.5 softcover. $18.95, Pub Heavens ofthe the Stars ’86, , Reprint ofhardcoverReprint Success: Guide to Academic College Athlete’s Kimmel, and Arthur ’70, Nathanson, Robert ihr,2007, lishers, Holy Hill. Word Speaking, Defoe’s . Ja Tips from The Little y Street The Um The Like uzi, LETTERS continued from page 3 heating and cooling.The process involves Administration in the U.S. encouraged a energy is inherently local, so whatever jobs it holes to perhaps 10 meters’ depth, and the staggering number of new structures to be creates around the drilling sites and local circulation of tap water via one-inch pipe in built without these heat pumps. (Retrofitting infrastructure are also local. a closed loop between the subsurface and existing structures is certainly more I would go much further on this matter the house. No water is consumed in the expensive.) Congress should act now to use than does Dr. Koenig in his letter. For process. (By comparison, geothermal wells all the potential powers of the federal survival, national security, and prosperity, I commonly are drilled to 2.5 to 3 kilometers government to require geothermal heat think the U.S. should dramatically tilt the depth, and in some fields to 4 kilometers— pumps in every new public and private playing field in favor of renewable energy not exactly close to the surface.) building for which they are appropriate, and technologies that work now—including The number of structures using this to offer financial aid for retrofitting those for geothermal.We should shift the subsidies shallow-source geothermal heating now which it is not too costly. from what is bankrupting and killing us, exceeds 1 million, and the number is In addition, Dr. Koenig brings up fossil fuels, to what can save us and bring growing rapidly. another urgent matter: “a level playing field.” us prosperity—renewable energy. And we It is that combination of techniques The simple fact is that fossil fuel companies need to do this now. has made and end uses that is surprising the are the beneficiaries of a wide network of renewable energy a priority—we need to geothermal industry in this country. subsidies, some of which I detail in my wake up and do the same. Utilization would be accelerated if recent book, The Green Bubble. I certainly hope the geothermal Congress in its wisdom offered the tax Renewable energy, to the extent that it gets industry keeps drilling deeper. credits and financial grants given to other subsidies at all, gets them with nowhere Robert Bell energy-producing industries.We really near the same range, size or subtlety. Since Chair, Department of Economics don’t need to have the “hot rocks . . . the burning of fossil fuel pumps CO2 into close to the surface.”What we need is a the atmosphere, subsidies to the fossil fuel level playing field. industry are literally paying for our own James Koenig, ’54 suicide. The writer is a director of GeothermEx, Inc., and Oil subsidies are also literally pouring of the International Geothermal Association. money into the bank accounts of, in some instances, people linked to those who pay Robert Bell’s Reply: for terrorist attacks on us. In any case, all Dr. Koenig’s exposition of geothermal heat imported oil or natural gas requires the pumps is truly important. The tragedy for export of our money to pay for it.This is, in the U.S. in the now concluded house-building fact, one of the major reasons for the fall of boom is that heat pumps were not required the dollar and the continuing rise of oil on all new structures that could prices; to make up for the fall in the dollar, accommodate them.This is truly a OPEC sees to it that oil, which is priced in renewable energy technology that works dollars, gets more expensive. OPEC officials now and will get better and cheaper in the admit this in public statements! near future. It would go a long way to Exported dollars could have been used

reducing both heating and air conditioning to finance the growth of jobs here in the B R O O

expenses for houses and many commercial United States. Green jobs in Germany, the K L Y N buildings—and it does so with no CO2 most advanced country in the deployment C O L

output. of many sectors of renewable energy, for L E G E

The advantages of heat pumps are so example, went up from 157,100 in 2004 M A obvious that they are truly a “no brainer.” to 231,300 in 2006. Geothermal jobs G A Z I N

But the utter absence of political will for there more than doubled from 1,800 to E

F

renewable energy during the current 4,200. Also consider that geothermal A L L

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43 44 BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 Less traveled tt h eplisbok theyarebeginning toclosein.“We it totheLeopoldi’s block, clientele commercial b but Leopoldi’s still standsinthemiddleofa neighborhoods, f College. business degreesfromBaruch whobothhad tojoinhisbrothers, he hadgrown up, totheBrooklyn neighborhood where Leopoldi returned Idecidedtocome home.” fromBrooklyn College, graduated timeinthestorealongsidetheirparents. part worked remember henotes, thatwere meback,” memories Fifth Avenue between Seventh andEighthstreets. on JoeLeopoldi’s Hardware, Slope, family business inPark the were left torun JoeandPeter, his two olderbrothers, was incollege Leopoldi recalls. the newspaperorhearon meoff,”TV thatturned anything like thatinthepoliticalsystemyou readaboutin that aspiration. Alban becoming ala orpossibly education withadreamofgoingintopolitics, Rober ew decades, a road Park Slope has undergone many changesover Slopehasundergone Park thepast With hisbachelor’s degreeinpoliticalscience, SoafterI too. inthestore, worked “A lotofourfriends “Also “My famil or backroomdeals, “It wasn’tallegationsofcorruption, y off t Leopoldi, . Although big-name chainstoresha , there were a lot of warm feelings therewere andgood alotofwarm , ice ofaQueensassemb ing ho becoming oneofNew York’s trendiest lock ofsmallshopsandstores that ser wyer. But along the way, an internship inthe aninternship But alongtheway, wyer. y situationhadchangedquitealotwhileI ”h xlis Hisfatherdiedin1989and heexplains. ,” “Instead, w whilegro ’92, set outontheroadtohigher it wasacombinationofthings. wing up all three brothers had wing upallthreebrothers l yman souredhimon v e noty et made v e alocal store isacluttered, the Inside, andother lawn andyard accoutrements. shovels, children, Itwillbegood for my andme. good for my brothers Itwas “Education willopenuplotsof optionsfor them. too. children’s future, helping outpar perhaps, except, inthehardwarestore theirturn, work their threechildren, arenotgoingtoinsist Christa, says thatheandhiswife, Leopoldi Robert asuccessfulfamily business, of operating them quickly.They won’t have tostandinany longline.” andthatwe’ll take careof know we have whattheyneed, comeherebecausethey ofthing.They thatsort drills, come inf but they andthelike—from us, cement, stuff—beams, the store from openingtillclosing. whofloodin andcontractors young couples, newly arrived these da need, cangetyou whatever you their dog-earedcatalogues.“We or theirassistantswillfind itfor you inthepagesofone can’t f Ifyou ofreplacementparts. andallsorts gadgets, doodads, with wallspaceiscrammed square inchofvertical shelv O,sr,te ilb on oclee”hesays. theywillbegoing tocollege,” sure, “Oh, and ongoing pleasures Despite allthefond memories whopatronize Leopoldi’sThe customers Hardware es thatreachuptotheceiling. ” ind whaty ukt froigtr hae flw ae,snow sheaves oflawn rakes, buckets ofroofing tar, display thebrothers depending ontheseason, Outside, neighborhood hardwareemporium. store andluncheonetteheo thanthecandy business thatrequiredfewer hours an independentkindofaguywhowaslookingfor a Hewasjust anything atallabouthardwarebackthen. didn’tknow hesays.“He store atanauctionin1966,” father bought thehardware Seventh Street.“Our on fromthehardwarestore, around thecorner haveown.We agoodreputation.” Butwe’re stillhereandholdingour here alittlelater. got says JoeLeopoldi.“Lowe’s ago,” about tenyears had HomeDepotopenupintheneighborhood Leopoldi sa ys areamixoflong-timeneighborhoodresidents, too To thisday Leopoldi’s remainsanold-fashioned grewupjust andhisbrothers thirty-eight, Robert, , ” Leopoldi says.“They don’tbuy theirheavy Leopoldisays.“They ” or thesmallthings—replacementpar . ” t time ur okn o ee oneofthebrothers ou’re lookingfor here, ys proudl homey spacewithnar Alyson, Gianna, and Robert andRobert Vincent, Gianna, Alyson, . And college will be part oftheir And collegewillbepart “We in getalotofcontractors y . wned bef Ev er y flatsurfaceand ro ore.” w aislesand ts, hammer s, Give yourself a tax break. Plus a guaranteed income for life.

Support Brooklyn College’s mission.

Start a Brooklyn College Foundation Charitable Gift Annuity.

A Brooklyn College Foundation Charitable Gift Annuity offers you a way to earn a guaranteed rate of return for life based on your age—with no market risk. It’s easy to set up with a gift of $10,000 or more.What’s more, a Charitable Gift Annuity enables you to earn a significant tax break while supporting the historical mission of Brooklyn College—high-quality, affordable education. Call Bill Healy, senior philanthropy adviser, at (718) 951-5074 or send an e-mail to [email protected] to find out more about Charitable Gift Annuities and other planned giving options through the Brooklyn College Foundation. The Soprano Is a Tenor: At the First Annual President’s Concert in spring 2007, held in Whitman Hall, Sopranos star Dominic Chianese, ’61, a.k.a. Uncle Junior (accompanied here by Brian Willson from the Conservatory of Music), played guitar, sang, and recited poetry. The hour-long concert also featured works performed by the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, Opera Theater, and Jazz Ensemble.

The Second Annual President’s Concert will be hosted by another Sopranos star and BC alumnus, Steve Schirripa,’81, a.k.a. Bobby “Bacala,” on Thursday, April 3, at 3:30 p.m. in Whitman Hall.

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