ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE LIBRARY 11111111111111111~~mn1mr1m1111111111111113 1696 01138 2247 St. John's College ANNAPOLIS EDITION COMMENCEMENT '97 Ray Cave and Eva Brann in Annapolis ............................................ 8 Nancy Buchenauer in Santa Fe .......... 9 ALUMNI AUTHORS A semi-sci-fi thriller, a war-time tale, and a handbook on Socratic practice-Johnny authors show their versatility........................................... 12 REAL WORK-REAL PLAY The big three spring events-Reality, prank, and croquet-break the year­ long great books tension and demand real-world skills ................................. 14 DEPARTMENTS From the Bell Towers: Eva Brann retires as dean; a unity resolution; report on the fire in Santa Fe; SJ C says no to rankings ..................................... 2 The Program: Report on the Dean's Statement of Educational Policy................................................ 26 Scholarship: A new translation of the Sophist ............... ·................................. 7 Alumni Association: The North Carolina Chapter; a report from the Treasurer........................................... 18 Alumni Profiles: Fritz Hinrichs conducts a virtual seminar; a Graduate Institute alumna tells her story.......... 10 Campus Life: Behind the scenes in Santa Fe with scholar-gardener Pat McCue and in Annapolis with the print shop .................................................. 24 Letters .............................................. 17 Class Notes ...................................... 20 Remington Kerper and Joseph Manheim are prepared for commencement: they've read the books, they've written the papers, and they've proven themselves on the croquet court. St. John's extracurriculars are not only a recreational release for academically frazzled students, they also demand real-world organizational and planning skills. See story on page 14. Photo by Keith Harvey. From the Bell Towers ... DESCRIBING THE ORBITS OF RESOLUTION THE PLANET BRANN LINKS UNITY, Eva Brann's deanship is celebrated with a party and speeches. TRANSFER­ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ABILITY BY BARBARA GOYETIE Board agrees on ean Eva Brann finished up knows what future path will be taken importance of her seven years (one for each by the planet Brann, chartable by D of the liberal arts) as aca­ neither the hypothesis of eccentricity ''one college" demic head of the college with a party nor the epicycles of her revolving at the President's house in early May. interests." thought we needed to reaffirm unity Hundreds of students, tutors, staff, Miss Brann's speech stressed her I as the star guiding all deliberations," alumni, and friends came to honor the thanks to faculty, staff, and students. says Warren Winiarski, A52. As a woman who has given so much of her She recounted a story about when she member of the Board of Visitors and intellect and energy to the college. came to St. John's as a prospective tutor Governors, Winiarski proposed a Board Organized by a committee headed by some 40 years ago. "I was put up in resolution that passed unanimously at tutor Sam Kuder, the event included Campbell and opened the dosed door the January 1997 meeting in Santa Fe. speeches by representatives from the to find a red-painted skeleton with the The text of the resolution is: students, staff, alumni, and faculty; Greek legend 'Gnothi Sauton,' 'Know RESOLVED: that the Board ofVisitors presents (binoculars for bird-watching, thyself.'" and Governors reaffirms that St. john's a teapot and cups for leisurely enter­ The departing dean thanked a list of College is dedicated to one and the same taining); songs by a student chorus people at the college, including the Program ofInstruction on both ofits and a faculty chorus; real food from a students. She told about her long "love campuses, that this is the Program real caterer; croquet; good conversa­ affair" with the college and then founded in 1937, and evolving as tion; spectacular broadened that published in the yearly catalogue ofthe views. appreciation to college, and that students may .freely Speaking for the include even more: transfer berween the campuses within the students, senior "It has been one of rules set by the Presidents, Deans and the Lynette Dowfy the delights of my Instruction Committee. talked about how life that this college Before proposing the resolution at Miss Brann had seems to be made the Board meeting, Winiarski had helped her to stay at by and for this submittted it to the Joint Instruction the college when she country, that it is at Committee and two Board commit­ thought she wanted the same time one tees-the Executive Committee and to leave-as an of a kind and yet an the Visiting Committee. All approved unhappy fresh­ expression of the it. "I thought it was important to have man-and three essence of America consensus," says Winiarski. "It's a years later helped as I see it. I am . faculty issue, a matter of instruction, so her to stay when thinking of the the Joint Instruction Committee, with she thought she companionable tutors, presidents, and deans from both would have to leave egalitarianism of campuses, needed to approve." for financial our seminars, of the Winiarski's commitment to the idea reasons. Dowty said un-resentful of the unity of the campuses stems not she didn't mean to republicanism only from his status as alumnus, and give a speech filled At the retirement party for Eva Brann, the dean reads with surprise al a galley (small 'r' of course) husband and father of alumni, but with personal copy of her newest book, The Past-Present, delivered by Mor Pamela Kraus of our Polity, and from his awareness of how the college anecdotes, but that of the fresh and designer Adrienne Rogers (below); entertainment was provided by a is perceive4 by others. , when she canvassed immediacy of our chorus of tutors (above). Photos by Keith Harvey. During The Campaign For Our her fellow students learning."• Fourth Century, Winiarski noticed that about what to say, said, she has the "fullest knowledge of alumni and Board members were all had similar stories about Miss the college, both historical and first­ expressing concerns about the unity of Brann's compassion, or her wit, or her hand." Second is that she has been the the program. It seemed to those not intellectual vigor. entirely familiar with the inner finest possible speaker for St. John's, a The Reporter (USPS 018-750) is published in "She is unwavering in her guardian­ workings of the college that the faculty derived from her "command of January and July by the Public Relations Office, ship of what she thinks is important every aspect of that rich word speech: St. John's College, Annapolis, MD, and in April program of instruction might be for the good of the students," said Leo the knowledge of what to say; the and October by the Alumni/Communications growing different enough between the Pickens, the college athle~ic director, instinct for how to say it to a particular Office, St. John's College, Santa Fe, NM. campuses that the ability of students to about his boss. Also speaking were group of people; the grace to put it Known office of publication: Public Relations transfer between them would be Sharon Bishop, president of the well; the pointedness of her words." Office, St. John's College, Box 2800, Annapolis, affected. Such issues as tuition and Alumni Association, who praised Miss Third is "the wealth of her interests and MD 21404-2800 tutor salary differentials, as well as the Brann's range of interests and her the intensity of her enthusiasms ... Some Annapolis: Barbara Goyette, editor; Sus3an differences in senior year language devotion to alumni across the land; of us know that there are certain Borden, writer; Roberta Gable, Eva Brann, John tutorials (in Santa Fe there is a fine art Chris Nelson, who spoke of how she interests in the world only because Eva Christensen, Pamela Kraus, Benjamin Milner, segment), signaled a warning note for has guided him in his presidency; and has had them." Zuckerman's fourth Brother Robert Smith, advisory board. some-"They didn't want the college tutor Pamela Kraus, who presented Santa Fe: Elizabeth Skewes, editor; John reason for Brannian excellence is her to start down the slippery slope that Miss Brann with a galley copy of her Schroeder, assistant editor; Lisa Donenfeld, art abilities with people. "[She] has been a would lead to an eventual effect on the newest book, The Past-Present, director. friend to all ages-as advisor, as ability of students to transfer between currently "under construction" at the Periodicals postage paid at Annapolis, MD, and sponsor, as admonisher, as family campuses," says Winiarski. Since St. John's Press. at additional mailing offices. favorite, as godmother, and as guardian transferability can be seen as a kind of Tutor Elliott Zuckerman praised POSTMASTER: Send address changes to angel." He then likened the four evidence of unity of instruction, Miss Brann's excellence as dean in four Reporter, St. John's College, Box 2800, reasons to the four elements, and added Winiarski thinks that with the resolu­ ways-harkening back to her own Annapolis, MD 21404-2800 that the fifth element that enlivens the tion, the Board has strengthened its penchant for making lists. First, he other four is unpredictability: "Who commitment to a single college. • I from the Howard Hughes Medical WINNING Institute. The award provides $4500 JOHNNIES for each fellow and placement in a research laboratory. This year's winners tudents on both cam~uses garnered are Hai Sun, Cindy Lurz, Melissa Sprestigious awards this year. Coleman, Olivia Morgan, Christine In Santa Fe, senior Kathleen Eamon Love, and Nathan Greenslit. e was awarded a Fulbright grant to study philosophy at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, Heather Deutsch, a junior in Annapolis, Eamon hopes to use her year in won a Truman Scholarship. CAVE TO HEAD Germany to help her pursue a university-level teaching career in ST.