NATIONALITY ROOMS NEWSLETTER Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs at the University of Pittsburgh Spring 2009 VOLUME 86 Dedicated November 7, 1941 G R E E K R O O M GREEK ROOM EXACT PROPORTIONS, SYMMETRY OF ARRANGEMENT, AND THE SKILLFUL USE OF COLUMNS CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE IN THE GREEK ROOM THAT SUGGESTS THE CLASSICAL GREEK TEMPLE. IN SUCH A ROOM GREEK CIVILIZATION BECOMES AN EASILY COMPREHENDED REALITY. HERE ARE NO BROKEN STATUES, NO CHIPPED COLUMNS. THIS IS A ROOM IN WHICH SOCRATES OR PLATO MIGHT HAVE TAUGHT, AS THEY DID IN THE SUNNY PORTICOS OF ATHENS. THE GREEK ROOM COMMITTEE was organized in 1930 by walls. Slabs of polished Kokinara Nicholas G. Kalmer, a University of Pittsburgh graduate, who marble form a three-foot dado planned a trip to Crete. He was able to reach Eleftheries around the room. The walls are Venizelos, then Premier of Greece, and George Papandreou, painted a warm rose terra cotta. Minister of Education. Mr. Papandreou appointed a committee of outstanding archaeological authorities. The Ministry of CEILING Finance authorized ten thousand drachmas in connection with the project. The focus was on Byzantine drawings. In the spring A plaster-coffered ceiling of of 1932, Dr. George E. Mylonas, professor of art at Washington eighty small squares covers the University in St. Louis, worked with the Athens committee to main room. The upper soffits select John Travlos as the room’s architect. Travlos’ classical of each panel are painted bright design reached the University in February 1938. The Pittsburgh blue and decorated in gold leaf committee unanimously accepted the classical design. with a sunburst. The egg and dart design is painted on the flat surfaces of the narrow moldings MARBLE carved marble made the in red and blue on a green Greek marble was long journey in perfect background and outlined in gold. the essence of the condition. The painted decorations on the Travlos design. Mrs. ceiling and in the entrance are Peter Caloyer was On April 5, 9,400 kilos the glory of the Greek Room. asked to undertake of the finest Greek They were done according to the project of pure white marble the “encaustic” or wax painting obtaining the marble from Mount Pentele process of applying colors – earth as a gift from the were taken off the S. S. colors are mixed with beeswax. Greek government. Explorer just one week Colors were applied with strictest before Italy entered adherence to those of authentic Between 1938 and World War II and the ancient painted fragments in the May 1940, when Mediterranean Sea was museums of Greece by Demetrios the marble was closed to American Kokotsis. He spent seven months finally shipped, it was necessary shipping. The marble in the and seven days, with the help of to make endless visits to the Greek Room was prepared by his nephew, “painting the portrait Greek ministry offices, even to the the same company that provided of the Greek Room.” Prime Minister, whose signature marble for the reconstruction of was essential to the underwriting the buildings on the Acropolis. SEATING of the cost of the marble. When a mishap in the marble shops On the back of the professor’s FLOOR AND WALLS broke one of the pilaster shafts, chair, the name of Plato has been the decision was made to ship The floor is paved with rectangular carved in Greek. The guest chairs it in two parts in order not to slabs of Dionessos Pentelic marble carry the names of Aristotle and lose precious time. War clouds with a dark vein. A border of Socrates. Each of the twelve were gathering. The marble left unpolished Kokinara marble goes student chairs bears the name of Piraeus on the S. S. Explorer. The entirely around the floor near the a Greek city or island. 2 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Nationality Rooms and E. Maxine Bruhns, Director Intercultural Exchange Programs 1209 Cathedral of Learning T '( &,,#-()$. In 1939 University of Pittsburgh the Chinese, Czechoslovak, Hungarian Pittsburgh, PA 15260 and Yugoslav Rooms were dedicated. Jan Phone: 412.624.6150 Masaryk, son of Tomas G. Masaryk, came FAX: 412.624.4214 from Prague to speak at the Czechoslovak e-mail: [email protected] Room dedication fully aware that the website: www.pitt.edu/~natrooms/ enemy was about to invade his homeland. All of the above nations were destined to undergo years of tragedy and triumph that accompanied World War II. Ruth Crawford Mitchell organized the Women’s International Club the same year – 1939. She was convinced that an informed Women’s organization would help to strengthen the Nationality Rooms Program during the dificult years ahead. She led a trip to Washington, D.C., so that WIC members would better understand America’s government. COMMITTEE NEWS pg. 4 We congratulate the 1939 vintage Rooms and the Women’s International Club on their 70th anniversaries and wish NEW ROOM ACTIVITY pg. 6 them well as they enter their eighth decade of purposeful COMMITTEE CORNER pg. 9 accomplishments. RECIPES pg. 11 LOOKING BACK IN THE NEWSLETTER, IN MEMORIAM pg. 12 MESSAGE FROM THE COUNCIL Edward Lesoon, Jr., Chairman QUO VADIS, INFORMATION CENTER AND MAINTENANCE, GIFT SHOP pg. 13 The 2009 Nationality Room Program’s Scholarships For Summer Study Abroad have racked up a new record: 39 2009 SUMMER STUDY ABROAD awards won by 20 graduate and 19 undergraduate students. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, HONORS CONVOCATION, Their projects include medical research, human security, SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE pg. 15 education, occupational therapy, law, art, religion, language CALENDAR OF EVENTS pg. 20 and culture. They will travel to Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, Croatia, England, Germany, Greece, Hungary, EYES & EARS UPON US pg. 21 India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Scotland, EDITOR: E. Maxine Bruhns Spain, Tanzania and Ukraine. ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Eileen Kiley REPORTER: Susan Langer We are proud to send these young ambassadors to regions PUBLICITY: Cristina Lagnese worldwide. We are conident they will serve their host LAYOUT: Cathy Denning countries well and return with experiences which will enrich them in untold ways. 3 C N %'( AUSTRIAN ROOM COMMITTEE GREEK ROOM COMMITTEE Anne‐Carole Tawoda, Chairman Dr. Dimitris Kraniou, Chairman It is with great pride that the Pittsburgh Symphony The Greek Room Committee has been very active over the Orchestra, in conjunction with the University of past few months. In December, Greece was represented Pittsburgh, displayed unique artifacts from the Austrian at the Open House with a booth selling traditional Greek Nationality Room the weekend of February 27‐28, pastries and dance performances by the Grecian Odyssey 2009. The Symphony expressed sincere gratitude to Dancers. the University for their wholehearted collaboration. Committee member Dr. Reinhard Heinisch presented a In March, a Greek Independence Day celebration was lecture an hour before the performance on the inluence hosted by the Greek Nationality Room in honor of the of European culture in Pittsburgh. Jorge Federico fallen heroes in Greece’s struggle for freedom. The Osorio played Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1. Austrian‐ event included dance performances, a moving video born Music Director Manfred Honeck conducted the presentation, and recitations by local area Greek School orchestra. students. On April 4, the Austrian American Cultural Society held A summer study abroad scholarship was awarded to its annual ball at the Pittsburgh Golf Club. The elegant Melissa Stauffer, a University of Pittsburgh graduate event’s guests included the New York Consul General student, who will conduct research into equine‐assisted Brigitta Blaha. therapy for children on the island of Corfu. Plans are underway to host a scholarship dinner in the fall. CZECHOSLOVAK ROOM COMMITTEE Joseph Bielecki, Chairman HUNGARIAN ROOM COMMITTEE Barbara A. House, Chairman The committee had a very successful food sale at the Holiday Open House in December, realizing $600 in The committee’s election meeting, held on December 6, proits which were added to the scholarship fund. 2008, resulted in the following oficers who will serve a two‐year term: Sue Stafura and the Veselica ensemble led members in a Czech and Slovak holiday sing‐a‐long at the December Chairman: Barbara A. House 13 meeting. 1st Vice‐Chairman: Roger G. Nagy 2nd Vice‐Chairman: William S. Vasvary The Czechoslovak Room Committee, along with the Secretary/Historian: John L. Lovasz Hungarian Room Committee, celebrated the rooms’ 70th Treasurer: Diane M. Torma anniversaries at the Cabaret Ball in April. Also included in Controller: Maria M. Bistey the celebration were the Chinese and Yugoslav Rooms. Scholarship Coordinator: Endre Csoman The Spring meeting, held on Saturday, March 7, featured In Budapest, a catalog by Magdolna Zimányi on the Chairman Bielecki’s talk entitled “Don’t Stop for Red Györgyi‐Giergl family devoted an entire chapter to Lights,” the story of the creation of the Nationality Rooms and how ordinary people can accomplish the most extraordinary. He told them about how the local (left: E. ethnic communities touched Chancellor John Bowman, Maxine and how Bowman tapped Ruth Crawford Mitchell to ind and Fred some way to involve the immigrant communities with the Bruhns with University. Her vision was the creation of the Nationality the current Rooms and their corresponding cultural committees. Mayor of Joe recently gave the same talk to students in the Sofer Leipzig next Institute program at Carnegie Mellon University, the to the bust Pittsburgh District meeting of the Greek Catholic Union of Carl Otto District 1, and to the Pleasant Hills Lions Club. Georgi.) 4 the Hungarian Room and its architect Denes Györgyi. WELSH ROOM COMMITTEE University archivist Marianne Kasica researched the Dale Richards and John Owen, III, Co‐Chairmen topic For Dr. Zimányi and visited Budapest to view the exhibit.