WINTER 1984 Vol. 3, No. 1 Mercyhurst magazine The pen and ink drawing of the Mercyhurst Gates on the cover of this issue of the MERCYHURST MAGA­ ZINE is one in a series of eight original zoorks of Mercyhurst by James E. Sabol, a 1970 alumnus of the College. Sabol has captured the familiar im­ ages of Mercyhurst's Tudor-Gothic architecture and its pastoral campus setting in draioings that averaged ap­ proximately 20 hours each. These works were commissioned by the Board of Trustees of the College for initial use in Mercyhurst's capital campaign materials. Likeioise, Sabol's draioings zoill be shozocased on the covers of the MER­ CYHURST MAGAZINE this publi­ cation year. Each zoill be accompanied by an inside article relating the history of the building or site. Prints of the eight drawings zoill be available to Mercyhurst alumni and friends beginning zoith the next issue of the magazine. Winter 1984, Vol. 3, No. 1 Mercyhurst magazine President Dr. William P. Garvey Features Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mercyhurst History: The Gates by Gary L. Bukowski 73 William C. Sennett, Esq. "Thanks, Gerry!" by Joyce A. Savocchio '65 Editor Mary Daly Marva Collins at Mercyhurst by Donna Boetger Alumni Editors Gary L. Bukowski 73 Politics of the Supreme Corrine S. Halperin '80 Court Judicial Selection by Dr. David W. Allen Sports Editor Greg Yoko '85 Reins and Romance by James E. Brennan 8 Editorial Assistants Celebrating the Arts by Corrine S. Halperin '80 II Sheila Flanagan Sr. M. Damien Mlechick '56 Life of a Coach's Wife by JoAnne DeMeo 12 Contributing Writers Dr. David W. Allen Donna Boetger James E. Brennan Gary L. Bukowski 73 Linda Salem Burtis '68 Dr. William E. Bryan JoAnne DeMeo Departments Corrine S. Halperin '80 Joyce A. Savocchio '65 Thanks Prof Greg Yoko '85 On The Hill 10 Art Direction Judy Olowin Tucker 78 Sports 13 Printing Printing Concepts, Inc. Alumni 14 Class Notes 15 Alumni Association bout the cover: The majestic Mercyhurst Gates carry a history unknown by most who enter the College through them. The Officers A Stanford White-Evelyn Nesbit-Harry K. Thaw story, subject of the movies "Girl in the Red Velvet Swing" (1955) and more recently, "Ragtime" Michael E. Heller, '79, President Joyce Metzler McChesney '69, Vice President are part of the Gates' past. Gary L. Bukowski 73 tells how the gates that Regina C. O'Connor '80, Secretary once guarded the multi-million dollar Lyndhurst Estate in Pittsburgh became the Mercyhurst Gates in 1950. See article on page 2. Directors Dario Cipriani 74, Erie, PA Deborah S. Duda 77, Palo Alto, CA Sr. Mary Lawrence Pranklin, '41, Erie, PA The Mercyhurst Magazine is published by the Office of External Affairs of Mercyhurst Russell H. Franklin 74, Erie, PA College, Glenwood Hills, Erie, PA 16546. Copyright © 1984. News items and letters Thomas D. Heberle, Esq. 74, Erie, PA to the editor should be sent to the Assistant to the President for External Affairs. Joan Kostolansky Evans '60, Erie, PA Patricia J. Liebel '53, Erie, PA Send change of address to Mercyhurst Magazine, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA 16546. Regina Scura Merz 77, Rochester, NY External Affairs Office 814/825-0285 Alumni Relations Office 814/825-0246 MERCYHURST HISTORY THE GATES GARY L. BUKOWSKI 73 ver hear of Stanford White — for those who approached Lyndhurst, the Square (which he had designed) watching America's foremost architect at the multi-million dollar Thaw estate. a performance of "Ma'mzelle Champagne." E turn of the century? Ever hear of The Thaws were one of Pittsburgh's most As the Thaws left, Harry suddenly lagged Harry K. Thaw — eccentric Pittsburgh aristocratic families. William Thaw, Harry's behind, walked over to White's table, millionaire who committed the "murder of father, had amassed a fortune in canals, pulled a revolver from his coat pocket and the century" in 1906? Ever hear of Evelyn railroading, and related enterprises. When fired three bullets into White's head, so Nesbit — the "Marilyn Monroe" of early he died in 1889, Harry inherited a fortune close that the victim's face was blackened 1900 and "The Girl in the Red Velvet of $3 million plus valuable coke-producing by the powder. He died instantly. Swing?" Ever pass the ornate and impos­ properties. A sensational murder trial followed. ing Mercyhurst Gates on East 38th Street? Short, bespectacled, and unimpressive Thaw's mother, a strong-willed dowager Those gates - valued at $150,000 thirty- in appearance, young Harry soon distin­ active in the church and philanthropic five years ago — came directly from the guished himself as an eccentric and a causes in Pittsburgh (and who had former Harry K. Thaw estate in Pittsburgh. playboy. Attending Harvard (he never strenuously opposed her son's marriage to Twenty feet high, made of puddled iron, graduated), Harry found time to make fre­ Evelyn), dedicated herself and her weighing twenty-five tons, designed in quent European jaunts, gave elaborate and checkbook to her son's defense. England and made in France expressly for expensive dinner parties including one in She described her son as "an average the Thaw estate in 1923, the Gates were Paris where 100 actresses were invited. young man with a chivalrous nature" who headed for the scrap heap in 1950 as a In 1901, Harry Thaw became infatuated was being persecuted by a cabal of Stan­ housing project doomed the elegant estate with Evelyn Nesbit, a popular model and ford White's influential friends. The first to demolition. Gibson Girl. Strikingly beautiful, Evelyn trial ended in a hung jury, the second in Fortunately for Mercyhurst, Brandon Nesbit came to New York from poor Pitts­ Thaw being sent to a State Hospital for the Smith, the architect for the college's Little burgh origins. At the young age of sixteen, criminally insane, from which he was later Theatre and Weber Hall, became aware of she attracted the attention of Stanford released as "sane" in 1915. the Gates' availability and informed White, a prominent architect then in his Thaw later divorced Evelyn Nesbit and Mother Borgia, founding dean of the col­ fifties and at the pinnacle of his career. continued his eccentric and often sensa­ lege, of their existence. Mother Borgia acted An exuberant, jovial, powerful, artistically tional life. In 1955, the White-Nesbit-Thaw quickly and purchased the stately gates for gifted man, Stanford White came from story was made into a movie entitled "The a modest cost to augment the entrance an elegant Boston background. He was Girl in the Red Velvet Swing." Thaw died then being planned for the hilltop college. widely respected for an ornate style of in 1947 and is today buried in the Thaw As the gates were being reconditioned architecture based on classical precedents. family plot in Pittsburgh. by Erie's Althof's Iron Works, a message Excessively fond of good food, good The Gates of the estate however, live was found on one of the inside pieces. wine, good friends, and good women, after him in Erie on East 38th Street. Today Scrawled in chalk by the French workmen Stanford White entered into a relationship the stately entrance to a quiet and beautiful were the words, "Bon Jour aux Americans with the young impressionable Nesbit. campus of a thriving college, the Mer­ — June 15, 1923" — a message apparently The eccentric Thaw, who liked to drive his cyhurst Gates conceal a story of a much intended for the Thaws. car on side-walks, was quite disturbed over more tempestuous past. The Gates, designed in French Renais­ the account of her early years with White. sance style, came complete with stone One hot summer night (June 25, 1906) GARY BUKOWSKI is director of development and pillars which supported two miniature iron Thaw and Evelyn (now his wife) en­ alumni relations at Mercyhurst College. He did his globes. These globes when lighted created countered Stanford White sitting alone at undergraduate studies at Mercyhurst and received his a striking picture of elegance and dignity a table on the roof garden of Madison Master's degree from Case Western. MERCYHURST MAGAZINE: "<qerrif, ionAMt I left San Francisco charged with excite­ I was most grateful to the Ferraro staff JOYCE A. SAVOCCHIO '65 ment and possibility. I had not been this for their agreement and arrangements to politically enthusiastic since my high stop off at Strong Vincent High School on he last night of the Democratic school years when in 1960 I was a "Ken­ the way from the airport to the downtown Convention was something very nedy Girl" — that rare breed of political rally. When she arrived downtown, I sat T special. Mothers brought their in­ idealist. next to her and asked about the stop at fants and children to the floor of the Some three months later, I found myself Strong Vincent. Flashing a smile, she Convention. They wanted their children to on the air strip at Erie International Airport thanked me for suggesting the stop and experience history. And I knew the feeling. full of anticipation waiting for Geraldine stated she was thrilled — that "the kids" The air was charged, factions disappeared. Ferraro's plane to land. I found myself made her day. I believed her as one teacher Delegates were there to vote unanimously again identifying with this woman. I to another. for the first woman Vice Presidential can­ remembered my own campaign for office We continued to talk about the weather didate in American history. I was one of — the ups and the downs emotionally, the and as we talked, her eyes darted over the those delegates.