RHODES NEWSLETTER Old Rhodian Union December, 1984 V___________________________ __________________________________________________________________J University of California Chancellor revisits alma mater Possibly our most illustrious alumnus, Professor John Saunders (1920) revisited Rhodes in October on holiday from San Francisco where he is Chancellor of the mammoth University of California. He was accompanied by his wife of eight years, Rose-bud. Both widowed, they had lived in the same street for many years. “He preferred the view from my house”, says Rose-bud. Professor Saunders went to California as head of the medical faculty before the Second World War. Not only is he ex­ tremely interesting when talking about the development of education in the USA, but he also has a faultless memory for people and events in Grahamstown more than sixty years ago. His father The Centenary of the Grahamstown — was in charge of Prince Alfred Hospital, Bad news for M C P'S Port Alfred train service was celebrated and their family home was “The Oaks”, in September when almost 600 people now demolished, up near the Vice- as women sweep toset off in Edwardian garb for a steam Chancellor’s Lodge. Professor Saunders train outing filled with beauty and came to Rhodes for the first time as a 13 power at Rhodes nostalgia. Pipe bands, bunting and year old to study Greek under Professor mayors in chains were the order of the Bowles. It was good having you backSince the recent election of a female day, plus a picnic champagne lunch at again, Professor Saunders. SRC president at Rhodes, women have Bathurst. Among the guests was Prime swept to leadership positions in a large Time presenter Dorianne Berry, seen number of the more prominent societies, here talking to our splendid archetypal committees and cluhs on the campus. minister-figure Professor L A Hewson. Of the five SRC executive members, Also there were Errol Moorcroft (BA four are women — the SRC president 1963) MP for Albany, and his wife Jennie Bowen, media councillor Olivia Gill (Williams BA 1963). Forsythe, Mary-Jane Enslin and Julie Scott. The other member is Barry du Toit, SRC vice-president. Women have also taken over the leader­ ship of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) local committee — Maura Talbot and Olivia Forsythe are co-chairwomen. The new chairwoman of AIESEC Rhodes is Elizabeth Miller and Iris Vogelsang is chairwoman of the Rhodes University Pharmacy Students Association. Other female society chairwomen are Toni Petra, Progressive Federal Party Youth Branch; Patsy Weyer, Rag Committee; Billie Bridges, Rhodes University Social Work Association; and Julie Scott, Academic Freedom Committee. Roelien Theron and Melissa de Villiers are the new editors of the student news­ paper ‘Rhodeo’. Rhodes R50 000 Scholarships awarded to Rhodes Tick Research German students Unit in Professor Dieter Welz, head of the Department of German at Rhodes, has announced that 10 of his students have Congo fever been awarded coveted Goethe Institute scholarships to study for two months in fight Germany at the end of this year. The scholarships are worth R5 000 each. The Rhodes Tick Research Unit (TRU) The 10 students are all doing German as played an important role in the fight a foreign language at Rhodes, which against Crimean Congo Fever, which was the first university in the country to caused the death of a Western Cape offer this type of course. The successful man, a doctor at Tygerberg hospital, a applicants, who come from all popu­ boy in Bloemhof, the serious illness of a lation groups in the country, had to Free State farmer, one of his labourers undergo placement tests which were and four nursing sisters and a matron at assessed in Germany. The Goethe the Tygerberg hospital in September. institutes, spread all over the Federal Republic, offer courses tailored for Dr Ivan Horak, TRU director, said that different levels of proficiency in German the National Institute for Virology had and are intensive language acquisition asked him to share his findings when it exercises of a highly sophisticated became known that he and his team nature. Each student will be examined were conducting a survey on the bont- at the end of the course and legged tick, which is responsible for the internationally-accepted diplomas will infection in animals and occasionally be awarded. humans. Professor Welz remarked that the some­ Dr Horak said: “TRU started work on what overwhelming success rate of his hares in January, 1983. Hares and Dr Chris Hummel, who will lead the department’s applications might indi­ ground-frequenting birds are hosts of historical tour, attended the steam traincate that the recently-introduced the bont-legged tick during its immature M ade stages. centenary with current students German as a foreign language option “That is when the National Institute for M oed who is studying for an MA inhad started to pay handsome dividends. Virology came in and asked to share cur history andMichael Stevens, third year The successful applicants are — Kevin findings on where the tick occurs, the history student. Adams, Michelle Enslin, Valmay nature of its hosts and seasonal occur­ Kariem, Ruben Mitchell, Khumo rences”. Mokgatle, Louise Pistorius, David He said the adult tick preferred large Roam Europe with Segatle and Iris Vogelsang. hosts but seldom attacked humans. It was known that the Bloemhof boy who Rhodes Historians died from the disease had been out If you are fascinated by the highways camping. Dr Horak said that were a tick and byways of medieval history, you SA is “Media to find a warm body in close proximitymay wish to join the Rhodes University Laboratory of World” it might well bite. history department on a 28-day ramble There was the possibility of human-to- through Italy, France and Germany in A lecturer in the Rhodesjournalism and human contact but it appeared that June/July next year. Their route followsMedia Studies Department and newly- humans infected by other humans closely in the footsteps of the first half ofappointed professor at Natal University, suffered far less serious symptoms. the medieval European course taught to Kenyan Tomaselli, says South Africa Dr Horak said that if the Tygerberg first year history students at Rhodes. is the media laboratory of the world. Dr Hospital nursing sisters had contracted It starts in Rome, wanders north Tomaselli, who is to take up the newly Crimean Congo Fever in this way itthrough Florence and Venice to Milan, created position of Director of the would account for the lesser severity ofthen into France to Arles, Avignon, Contemporary Cultural Studies Unit at the attack. Cluny, Dijon, the Loire Valley, BayeuxNatal University, Durban, says ‘little and Paris. Then the tour goes through attention has been accorded to media into Germany taking in Cologne, studies at South African universities — Heidelberg, Rothenburg and Würzburg other than Rhodes’. and ending at Frankfurt. The tour As head of the unit, Dr Tomaselli will Club 15 Reunion organiser is Dr Chris Hummel, of the be teaching students conducting post­ department, and Professor Rodney graduate research. ‘The direction of Calling all members of Club 15. Your Davenport, who will be on sabbatical courses will be an extension of the club was founded in 1960, and will be leave in Dublin, will guide the group in direction in which the Rhodes Journ­ 25 years old next year. Current France. The tour is described as one alism and Media Studies Department members are anxious to compile a list ofthat should appeal to old and young, has been moving in the last four years.’ past Club 15’ers preparatory to amateur and connoisseur, and is rea­ Dr Tomaselli, 36, who has reached pro­ arranging a nostalgic weekend get- sonably priced at R4 250. It follows a fessorial status after only six years of together some time during the year. successful tour of the sites of classical academic teaching says he is sad to leave Please send your name, years of Greece and Byzantium led by Classics Rhodes. ‘The staff here have worked membership and contact address to: lecturer, Warren Snowball, last year. hard and constantly to establish this Further information can be obtained department as one of the more pro­ Mr Ritchie Morris from Dr Hummel at the History depart­ gressive in the world. Comparing the 7 Hodges Street ment, telephone 0461-2023 x 45, or standards of courses taught here with Grahamstown from Mike Barnwell at Tom Tits courses in America, there is no doubt 6140 Travel, telephone 0461-2235. that our theoretically based approach to production is at least a decade ahead’. 2 educated at Templeton High School, Rhodes University and the University of Poet, scientist and miner Pretoria. He is an honorary member of the Institute of South African Architects, the SA Institute of Building, the SA to be honoured by RhodesCeramic Society and the SA Institute of Housing Management. He is also a Rhodes will award honorary degrees to (honoris causa) in recognition of hismember of the Building Industry three prominent South Africans at the contribution to the study of buildingAdvisory Council as well as several other University’s annual graduation cere­ materials. professional bodies. mony in Grahamstown in April next Dr Webb was born in Cradock and was After service in the Special Signals year. Service (RADAR) during World War The distinguished Afrikaans poet, II, Dr Webb joined the National author and literary critic, Ernst van Building Research Institute of the Heerden will receive a Doctor of Council for Scientific and Industrial Literature degree (honoris causa) in Research, becoming head of the recognition of his standing as a poet, materials division in 1955 and Director literary critic and teacher. of the Institute in 1959.