The CollegeSUMMER 2014 • ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE • ANNAPOLIS • SANTA FE Anna Karenina The Truth of Stories “ How glorious fall the valiant, sword [mallet] in hand, in front of battle for their native land.” —Tyrtaeus, Spartan poet The St. John’s croquet team greets the cheering crowd in Annapolis. ii | The College | st. john’s college | summer 2014 from the editor The College is published by St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD, Why Stories? and Santa Fe, NM [email protected] “ He stepped down, trying not to is not just the suspense, but the connection made Known office of publication: through storytelling that matters: “Storytelling Communications Office look long at her, as if she were ought to be done by people who want to make St. John’s College the sun, yet he saw her, like the other people feel a little bit less alone.” 60 College Avenue In this issue we meet Johnnies who are story- Annapolis, MD 21401 sun, even without looking.” tellers in modern and ancient forms, filmmakers, Periodicals postage paid Leo Tolstoy, ANNA KARENINA poets, even a fabric artist. N. Scott Momaday, at Annapolis, MD Pulitzer Prize winner and artist-in-residence on Postmaster: Send address “Emotions are what pull us in—the character’s the Santa Fe campus, says, “Poetry is the high- changes to The College vulnerabilities, desires, and fears,” says screen- est expression of language.” Along with student Magazine, Communications writer Jeremy Leven (A64); he is one of several poets, he shares insights on this elegant form Office, St. John’s College, 60 College Avenue, alumni profiled in this issue of The College who and how it touches our spirits and hearts. Annapolis, MD 21401. tell stories. Leven reveals “moments of truth” The Johnnies in film featured in this issue with nuanced, often sparse dialogue and subtext. each transform an individual vision for a story Editor Although certainly not sparing with words, with their craft—screenwriting, directing, film Patricia Dempsey Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828-1910) editing, and digital animation, to name a few— [email protected] revealed human emotions with great insight, and close collaboration with others; the end re- Contributing Editor with what tutor Jonathan Tuck calls “the raw sult is there for all to see on the big screen. Gabe Gomez power of storytelling” in his essay for this issue. James Schamus (A81) describes what it took Associate Editor Tolstoy was born at the family estate, about 130 to be CEO of Focus Features, where he stew- Gregory Shook miles south of Moscow. Educated at home by arded films that speak to the historical context Design tutors, Tolstoy enrolled in the University of Kazan of our times, and, as great stories do, captivated Skelton Design in 1844 to study Oriental languages; he trans- a generation of filmgoers. For Hanna Jayanti Contributors ferred to the less demanding law faculty but left (SF07) film editing “is a form of writing in the Thomas Alleman without a degree. In 1851 he joined the army and visual world.” She collaborated on a documen- Anna Perleberg Anderson (SF02) Chelsea Batten (A07) fought in the Crimean War (1853–56). Tolstoy’s tary shown at the New Yorker Festival. Maver- Nutchapol Boonparlit (A14) two masterpieces are War and Peace (1869) and icks such as Mike Lacy (A12) direct music videos Sus3an Borden (A87) Anna Karenina (1877). He deftly paints intimate in which lyrics are like characters, and Geoff Domenic D’Andrea (A15) details of his characters’ lives, set against the Marslett (SF96) jumps from writing a software John Emerson Erin Fitzpatrick (A14) sweeping canvas of history. Notes Santa Fe Dean program for his animated feature to directing Anyi Guo (A14) J. Walter Sterling (A93) in this issue, “Tolstoy actors without scripted dialogue. Richard Saja Eunji Kim (A15) brings to life (or to the work of art) Napoleon as (SF93) transforms the art of toile. Jennifer Levin man and myth, the great movements of modern These Johnnies have in common a deep Adam Maraschky (A13) Russian politics, the general tumult of enlight- Paula Novash appreciation of universal stories that connect Jonathan Tuck enment rationalism (and nationalism), and the us all. Screenwriter Lee Zlotoff (A74) shares his Copyeditor many other forces by which Europe was con- method for tapping these stories from the sub- Cathi Dunn MacRae vulsed in the 19th century....” conscious: “We are a narrative species; each Tolstoy’s fictions reveal truth. It is no surprise night we dream and each of our dreams is a story. The College welcomes letters that they continue to be embraced by popular We need these stories,” he says. on issues of interest to modern culture—for instance, both Greta Garbo We need oral stories as well. In this issue, tutor readers. Letters can be sent via e-mail to the editor or (1935) and Keira Knightly (2012) starred in film Claudia Hauer describes her oral history project mailed to the address above. adaptations of Anna Karenina. We care about about the founding of the Santa Fe campus 50 Annapolis: 410-626-2539 what happens to his memorable characters— years ago, and the spirited pioneers who envi- Santa Fe: 505-984-6104 Pierre, Prince Andrei, Anna, and Kitty Levin, sioned it. Chelsea Batten’s (A07) search for con- to name a few. “We come to know these people nection reminds us that a good conversation just inside and out, better perhaps than we know our might be better than anything—even a great film. own families or close friends. It is very hard to Thank you to our contributors, and especially remember that they are not real,” notes Tuck. to our readers for sharing stories! I look forward Film director Domenic D’Andrea (A15) tells us it to hearing from you. —P.D. The College | st. john’s college | summer 2014 | 1 summer 2014 volume 39, issue 1 ...We want desperately to find out what will happen next....It’s this very curiosity that keeps us reading; though the book [War and Peace] is long, we fly through it after a while, hoping that our favorites will find the happiness they have been seeking for years. —Jonathan Tuck, tutor THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH ART RESOURCE ART BY JULES FEIFFER, ILLUSTRATION FEATURES page 18 page 24 page 38 Why Stories? Modern Takes Vision Realized Faculty members consider Seven alumni touch our Oral histories on the founding Tolstoy, and how reading deepest emotions and reveal of the Santa Fe campus, from the works of the greatest a truth of the moment through faculty innovations to horse minds can illuminate the power of narrative stories rides to seminar, reveal the historical context. in feature films, animated passion of the early pioneers. shorts, documentaries, television characters, even embellished toile. on the cover: Anna Karenina illustration by Gayle Kabaker 2 | The College | st. john’s college | summer 2014 THOMAS ALLEMAN DEPARTMENTS From Our Readers Bibliofile Alumni 4 Tolstoy Stories 42 Johanna Omelia (SFGI03) and 45 Alumni Notes Michael Waldock (SFGI03) celebrate 55 In Memoriam From the Bell Towers Come Fly with Us! A Global History of the Airline Hostess. 58 Philanthropy: Anjali Pai (SFGI08), 6 Spirit of Poetry: N. Scott Momaday Larry Saporta (A91), LCDR Erik 43 Anne Leonard (A89) and John C. Alexandra Wick (A15) Kristensen (AGI00), Curtis Wilson, Wright (A84) create fantasy and sci-fi Alexandra Welm (A14) Annapolis tutor and dean Joshua Sturgill (SF17) in Moth and Spark and Judge of Ages. Almuni News: Hilary Fields 60 Homecoming 2014 9 Lunch with Anna Karenina 44 (SF97) follows her bliss in the City Different. 10 First Person: Domenic D’Andrea (A15) Nora Gallagher’s (SF70) memoir, Johnnie Traditions 11 Summer Film Institute in Santa Fe Moonlight Sonata at the Mayo Clinic, 62 Croquet: A Toga War chronicles her medical system struggles. 12 Ariel Intern: Elizabeth Fedden (SF15) 64 St. John’s Forever Gregory Recco 13 Reading Tolstoy: Tutor emeritus Tutor and University Eric Sanday’s Sam Kutler (Class of 1954) of Kentucky professor essays explore Plato’s Laws. Eidos 14 Hodson Intern: Rachel Howell (A16) 65 Adam Maraschky (A13) 15 Larry Clendenin (SF77) Retires Profiles 16 Santa Fe Celebrates 50 Years 50 Jamaal Barnes (A10) advocates above: Screenwriter and director Lee Zlotoff (A74) at work in his Malibu home 17 On Liberal Education: Chris Nelson public service. (SF70), Annapolis president 53 Elizabeth Powers (A89) sheds light on workplace bias. 54 Chelsea Batten’s (A07) search for conversation The College | st. john’s college | summer 2014 | 3 from our readers Readers Share Tolstoy Farm struggle of the Transvaal Indians, My main memory of Tolstoy is of and asked him to air his views on Leo Pickens’s (A78) brilliant oral the subject of morality....” exam on his senior essay on War —Chris Olson (A78) and Peace in the reading room of the old library. Separately, I Channeling Prince Andrei learned that Gandhi was inspired I will never forgive Tolstoy for by Tolstoy and lived in an ashram what he did to Natasha and Anna called Tolstoy Farm during his for- K. That said, I was ferociously mative years in South Africa. There devouring War and Peace, for the A view from inside the Tolstoy Literary Museum in Moscow. he led nonviolent protests against second time, this past autumn (a the “Black Law,” which deprived book that improves with age—my Literary Sites A Battlefield Revelation Asians of their civil rights, until it age!). On the very night I was My wife and I were in Moscow last Think of New Mexico. Now think was repealed in 1914, seven years in the thick of the Borodino year and visited the Tolstoy Liter- of Russia.