Driver’s Seat New York Times automobile editor James Cobb ■ Insight Bowl ■ Spine Medicine Your Life. Your Way. At Aberdeen Village, you can live life your way. Whether you prefer to sit back and quietly enjoy your time or choose a more active and adventurous path for your retirement, you’ll find that life at Aberdeen Village gives you the support you need to make the most of every minute. Shop, travel, socialize or explore new interests. At Aberdeen Village, life can be anything you want it to be. Learn about new classes coming to Aberdeen through the Osher Institute and KU. Continuing Education Open House Monday, January 26, 2 to 4 p.m. Next class: The Glory Days of the American Circus February 9, 16 and 23 Location: Aberdeen Village 17500 W. 119th St. Olathe, KS 66061 Please R.S.V.P. 913-599-6100 32 Contents Established in 1902 as The Graduate Magazine FEATURES Pain, Pain Go Away 28 There’s hope for the 80 percent of us who suffer from back pain, thanks to the University of Kansas Hospital’s new Comprehensive Spine Center. BY MELISSA BERG HARMON Missouri, and So Much More 32 Kerry Meier’s dramatic, game-winning touchdown catch vanquished Missouri; he and the football Jayhawks then flew south to Tempe, Ariz., and added the Insight Bowl trophy to their growing collection of championship hardware. COVER BY CHRIS LAZZARINO Man at the Wheel 22 Kansan James Cobb grew up with a heartlander’s appreciation for the open road. Now, as the man driving the New York Times’ automobile coverage, he’s helping chronicle what might just be a turning point in America’s love affair with cars. BY STEVEN HILL Cover photograph by Susan Stava Volume 107, No. 1, 2009 28 January 2009 Publisher 64 Kevin J. Corbett, c’88 Editor Jennifer Jackson Sanner, j’81 DEPARTMENTS Creative Director Susan Younger, f’91 Associate Editors 4 LIFT THE CHORUS Chris Lazzarino, j’86 Letters from readers Steven Hill Staff Writer 7 FIRST WORD Katie Moyer, j’06 The editor’s turn Editorial Assistants Karen Goodell 8 ON THE BOULEVARD Erika Bentson, j’07 KU & Alumni Association events Photographer Steve Puppe, j’98 10 JAYHAWK WALK Recycled fashion, trayless meals, retro cocktails Graphic Designer Valerie Spicher, j’94 and more Advertising Sales Representative HILLTOPICS Whitney Eriksen, c’08, j’08 12 News and notes: Hemenway announces retirement; budget cuts loom. Editorial and Advertising Office KU Alumni Association SPORTS 1266 Oread Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045-3169 16 785-864-4760 • 800-584-2957 Hometown hero Brady Morningstar shines; www.kualumni.org women hoopsters race to fast start. e-mail: [email protected] 40 ASSOCIATION NEWS KANSAS ALUMNI MAGAZINE (ISSN 0745-3345) is published by Chapter activities expand. the KU Alumni Association six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November. $55 annual subscription CLASS NOTES includes membership in the Alumni Association. Office of Publi- 44 cation: 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169. Period- Profiles of a newspaper publisher, a Catholic icals postage paid at Lawrence, KS. bishop, a design star and more POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kansas IN MEMORY Alumni Magazine, 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 60 66045-3169 © 2009 by Kansas Alumni Magazine. Deaths in the KU family Non-member issue price: $7 64 ROCK CHALK REVIEW Citizen scientists needed for national study; art students hit K.C.’s Crossroads gallery. 68 GLORIOUS TO VIEW Scene on campus ISSUE 1, 2009 | 3 Lift the Chorus The view from the Hill I just received the new edition of Kansas Alumni. Let me congratulate you on the Glorious to View page at the end. Campus then and now to the new Kansas Union. The stenography It’s a beautiful photo, and a beautiful con- pool, student publications and University cept, especially for folks like me, who live The new edition of Kansas Alumni is band then moved in, until it was claimed by far from Lawrence and miss that KU stunning. The stories of the heritage of the anatomy department, which had long beauty. Now I’ll look forward to each our school, the buildings and the land- suffered in “indescribably uncomfortable edition all the more! scaping of our beautiful campus [“The and stuffy” laboratories in Dyche Hall’s Nancy Pinet Tilford, c’69 Once and Future Cam- basement. The Jayhawker Portland, Ore. pus,” issue No. 6, 2008] coverage noted that firefighters were especially had to contend with exploding The November issue is great ... and poignant to me. I hope I bottles of chemicals and perhaps Glorious to View is even greater. Nice am growing old grace- even exploding tanks used to addition. Keep it up. fully like the hardwoods preserve the cadavers; also lost As one who sat on the Campanile hill in Marvin Grove. One was the “life work” of Professor as a kid, I have to say the view up the hill never thinks those H.C. Tracy, whose personal at the south end of Memorial Stadium is stately trees will, one library was described as having no longer glorious. Let them sell the day, have to be replaced. been “one of the finest medical recliners in the KU Bookstores. Finally, it was libraries in the world. This loss Back to being positive, I am happy to enlightening to read of books was irreplaceable.” see the many traditions of KU being about the restructuring preserved. Especially Danforth Chapel, of the School of Fine Arts [“Fine tuning,” where my wife and I were married in Hilltopics]. This is the first time it has Happy trails to you, too 1962. been explained how they are shaking up Thanks for a great issue. the system. Ah, I hate change! If I have not said it before, let me say it Pete Anderson, f’60 Thanks for a great publication. now. Our alumni magazine is sublime, Lawrence Kay Nelson Davis, f’57 and I am comparing it to magazines at Lawrence several other universities: San Francisco State, California Santa Cruz, Washington We interrupt this program ... The 1941 photo on page 28 [“The and Harvard. Once and Future Campus”] labels the Your inclusion of my picture has Not much over the last 30-plus years building in front of Watson Library as prompted two classmates from my child- (death, tornadoes or power outage might the “student canteen.” My recollection is hood (which is ongoing) to e-mail me. qualify) would take my attention away that it was the Anatomy Building! Hearing from them is great fun. Thanks! from “Saturday Night Live,” but the story Cadavers were laid out on tables for Keep on your happy trails in the about Don Steeples [“The Master of med students to practice on. The build- new year. Disasters,” issue No. 6, 2008] did. Our ing burned one night in a spectacular John Gardenhire, d’58 copy of the magazine arrived Saturday blaze (and I hesitate to claim that there Maplewood, N.J. and the first chance I had to take a look was a headline stating that “Many were found dead.”) The building was then I received the November issue of the razed. alumni magazine today, and I just want Kansas Alumni welcomes Great issue, beautiful photography. to say I found it very enjoyable, very letters to the editor. Our address is Kansas Alumni Judson Goodrich, c‘47, g’48 encompassing in content, readable, magazine, 1266 Oread Santa Rosa, Calif. informative and powerful in the presen- Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169. Editor’s note: As Jud noted in a follow-up e- tation of facts, accomplishments and E-mail responses may be sent to the Alumni mail, the 1943 Jayhawker yearbook fea- important news about KU. Association, [email protected], or tured coverage of a March 3, 1943, fire that Thank you for your leadership, and Associate Editor Chris Lazzarino, clazz@ destroyed the building. The story detailed its the best to you in 2009. kualumni.org. Letters appearing in the maga- use as a student commons and canteen from Don Dale, c’65 zine may be edited for space and clarity. 1921 to ’27, after which food service moved Coronado, Calif. 4 | KANSAS ALUMNI was during the Saturday night show. Brady, professor of Spanish. The dean of choosing to start making money rather Don is such an impressive person the College liked the idea, and it was than paying it out. (I will not say what I anyway, but I didn’t know the back story, implemented. I don’t know when the paid for tuition as an undergraduate, but which makes it even more incredible. The program stopped being offered. the comparison with today’s tuition listed story should be required reading for The bottom line: I am pleased to see in Hilltopics is mind-boggling.) If an incoming freshmen, to get across the idea that this old program is “new” again. athletics program is good, the number of that, “Yes, you can.” William O. Penglase Jr., c’65 players that leave early make a univer- Thanks so much for profiling such a Tulsa, Okla. sity’s programs look like preparation and deserving KU treasure. Editor’s note: The Center for Latin American training ground for the pros. His wife, Tammy, is equally impressive. Studies, founded in 1959, is still home to Gary Schmedemann, c’61, g’66, EdD’69 Every time I visit with her, I find some- KU’s interdisciplinary academic programs Morrilton, Ark thing new to learn and admire. on Latin America; it supports research, Jean Kygar Eblen, ‘00 events and outreach, with a primary empha- Lawrence sis on understanding the cultures of the 26 Inspirational woman Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America.