Spring 2016

Coz McNooz
The Johnston Center for Integrative Studies
Dear
Johnston
5 great things that happened this semester
1
2
3
We had Johnston alumni gatherings in
Washington, DC, Boston, and Los Angeles.
FƋűŸ ±ĬƵ±ƼŸ üƚĹ ƋŅ ÆųĜĹč üŅĬĩŸ üųŅĵ ÚĜýåųåĹƋ
Johnston eras together. Let us know if you’d
like to host an event in your city.
Spring / 2016
Alums,
5
Due almost entirely to the generous donations
of Johnston Alumni, Johnston hosted 200
students from 18 campuses for the 2-day “Race
on Campus” conference. This was an historic
event! Congratulations to Johnston senior Jon Garcia
and Johnston junior Elana Rapp for their great work
spearheading this event!
We had Kathryn Green-sponsored visits from
aĜÏʱåĬ {åűĀåĬ ±ĹÚ ų±Ĝč {åųåDŽţ aĜÏʱåĬ
agenda-built topics with students and wove
an improvised narrative of his community
work. Craig read poetry for us and talked about his
activist technique of docu-poetry.
In addition to these stand out events, we had all the
usual spring laughter and tears. Graduation Reviews
remind us every year that we have to let our current
seniors go so that we can accept the next generation
of wonderful students! Kelly Hankin stopped in from
sabbatical to give the Johnston Graduation speech.
Graduating Johnston senior Cassidy Kean
put on the annual Johnston Art Show at
the Mitten Building in downtown Redlands.
This evening of art, comedy, and music was
supported by the Johnston Student Project fund
and brought supporters from the University of
Redlands and the Redlands public alike.
a±ƼěƋåųĵ ÆųĜĹčŸ ƚŸ ƋĘå ƚýåŸƋ ĵƚŸĜÏ üåŸƋĜƴ±Ĭ ô ƵĜƋĘ
± čųå±Ƌ ŞåųüŅųĵ±ĹÏå ÆƼ ƋĘå ƚý±ĬŅ ĬƚåŸ ±ĹÚ ôØ ±
celebration of the Oaxaca-Guatemala-Cuba Integrated
Semester, and the “Make It Work” art walk through
Johnston Complex.
4
Maggie
Ruopp
delivered
her
commencement speech at the College of
Arts and Sciences graduation. She received
a standing ovation from faculty, graduates,
and families. We should have video of Maggie’s
speech on the website soon. Not surprisingly, she
spoke powerfully of the importance ofmaintaining
community ties as graduates disperse into the
world.
It’s been a pleasure and a great learning experience
to be Johnston director this year. We’ll be ramping
up our plans for the 50th next year. So mark your
calendars now for Spring 2019. Also, in this issue, you’ll
ĀĹÚĜĹüŅųĵ±ƋĜŅĹŅĹƋĘåŎLjƋĘeĹĹƚ±ĬšĜĹƋ±čåIŅĘĹŸƋŅĹ
Wine Dinner, a summer 2017 alumni trip to the Ashland
Oregon Shakespeare festival, and a 2018 alumni trip to
Greece.
Cheers!
Julie Townsend
Kathryn Green Lectur
Chamorro Discourse
and Materiality
This afternoon, March 9, 2016, Craig
„±ĹƋŅŸ {åųåDŽ č±ƴå ±Ĺ åƻƋų±ŅųÚĜűųƼ
Kathryn Green Lecture Series talk—
wide-ranging, heartfelt, eloquent. A
native Chamorro, Craig grew up on the
{±ÏĜĀÏ ĜŸĬ±ĹÚ Ņü :ƚ±ĵ ±ĹÚ ĵŅƴåÚ ƋŅ
Union City in northern California at age
15, where he attended a large public
high school. He came to Johnston in
1998, attracted by the community’s
dedication to the arts, the humanities,
and activism. He says he found in
IŅĘĹŸƋŅĹ ŸŅĵå Ïų±DŽƼ eĵåųĜÏ±ĹŸØ
“stubborn, determined, passionate,
and creative.”
Craig’s studies in literature, writing,
and painting were enlarged by
other experiences as well. He wrote
poetry while visiting Southwest
national parks. He entured into Rites
of Passage, spending three days
±ĬŅĹå ±ĹÚ ƵĜƋĘŅƚƋ üŅŅÚ ĜĹ ƋĘå eĹDŽ±
Borrego desert. He was studying art
in Florence, Italy, when news of the fall
of the World Trade Center hit. After
he returned to Johnston he made a
large abstract painting reliving that
cataclysm, a painting that included his
own wisdom teeth and a swatch of his
Daniel
Kiefer
own hair, a painting he discovered in
the basement of Holt Hall the morning
of his talk and displayed for us to see.
Committee against the expansion
of the U.S. military beyond onethird of his small island, expansion
that endangers the ecosystem of
After graduating in 2002, Craig found Ƶ±Ƌåų ±ĹÚ Ĭ±ĹÚØ āŅų± ±ĹÚ ü±ƚűţ
his way into an MFA program at the He is deeply involved in global
University of San Francisco, and then indigenous eco-poetics. All that
into a PhD program in Ethnic Studies Craig talked about revealed his
at California Berkeley, completing his ardent devotion to a greater
dissertation in Chamorro literature good for all. He began his talk
last year. He teaches in the English by conducting a writing exercise
department at the University of where we each wrote a freehand,
B±Ƶ±ĜĜØ ƵĘåųå Ęå ŅýåųŸ ƵŅųĩŸĘŅŞŸ freestyle, poetic memory of a
in creative writing and courses in childhood experience of nature.
{±ÏĜĀÏ ĬĜƋåų±ƋƚųåØ %åÏŅĬŅĹĜDŽĜĹč 8ŅŅÚØ He took questions about elements
and Eco-Poetics. He has published Ņü ĹŅĹĀÏƋĜŅĹ ĜĹ ĘĜŸ ŞŅåƋųƼØ ±ÆŅƚƋ
three books of poetry, and his most his feeling of ethnic separateness
recent, from unincorporated territory in Johnston and in the States
[guma’], last year won an American generally, about his family’s
Book Award.
opposition to his joining the
military, and about how he found
This afternoon Craig talked about his way into writing poetry. Bill
devoting poetic forms to documentary McDonald, who had introduced
and activist concerns, drawing on Craig in grand style, listing many
his adventures in Johnston, which of his great accomplishments in so
integrated his pursuits of writing, many areas, asked him to conclude
political engagement, and ethnic by reading a poem. Craig chose
survival. He has opposed the spread “ginen sounding lines [chamorro
Ņü ĵĜĬĜƋ±ųĜDŽ±ƋĜŅĹ ŅĹ :ƚ±ĵØ ƋåŸƋĜüƼĜĹč standard time: UTC +10]” from his
before the United Nations Fourth latest book:
rotary vocal cords
pulse when
it is one am here
it is seven pm the next
day passes
into years-fewer and fewer /
calls lost /
connections
re Series
Hedy
Micheal
Yu
Peñafiel
M
any students and faculty members
were gathered in the purposely
dark Holt Lobby on February 11th
±Ƌ ĉŞĵØ ±Ƶ±ĜƋĜĹč aĜÏʱåĬ {åѱĀåĬ
to begin speaking. Michael stood under one
of the lights looking deep in thought, probably
noticing that “[Complex] smells the same” as
it did when he lived and learned in this same
space almost two decades ago, which he
mentioned later.
Michael graduated from the Johnston Center
in 1999, with an Emphasis in Creative Writing
±ĹÚeųƋţBåĹŅƵŸåųƴ埱ŸƋĘåšĜÏå{ųĜĹÏĜޱĬ
at The Institute for the Redesign of Learning
and as a Senior Instructor for IMPACT Personal
Safety. And if that isn’t enough for ya, he also
Ƌå±ÏĘåŸų±DŽĜĬĜ±ĹIĜƚIĜƋŸƚŅĹƋĘåŸĜÚåţ
a:ĩĜÏĩåÚŅýƋĘåƖLjŎƅU±ƋĘųƼĹ:ųååĹeĬƚĵĹĜ
Lecture Series by welcoming Michael back
onto Complex. She reminisced about when
ŸĘåĀųŸƋ±ųųĜƴåÚŅĹƋŅÏŅĵŞĬåƻ±Ÿ±ĀųŸƋěƼå±ųØ
ĹŅƋųå±ĬĬƼŸƚųåƵĘåųåƋĘåĜĹƋųŅƴåųƋŸĀƋĜĹƋŅƋĘå
loud and bold culture of Johnston. She said
that Michael believed that there was a special
place for them in the community and actively
engaged
After this personal and heart-warming
introduction, Michael came up to speak. He
dove right in and explained that he didn’t
prepare a lecture and was hoping that people
ƵŅƚĬÚ Ę±ƴå ŸŞåÏĜĀÏ ƋŅŞĜÏŸ ƋĘåƼƵ±ĹƋåÚ ĘĜĵ
ƋŅ Ƌ±Ĭĩ ±ÆŅƚƋ ô ĘŅƵ ƴåųƼ IŅĘĹŸƋŅĹú {åŅŞĬå
immediately began raising their hands and
asking questions. All of which he took down
on the white board with a red marker. He
ĵ±ÚåŸƚųåƋʱƋƋŅåĵŞĘ±ŸĜDŽåƋʱƋŮƋĘåųåËƵ±ŸÌ
ĹŅ ĵåƋ±ŞĘŅųĜϱĬ ŸĜčĹĜĀϱĹÏåŰ ƋŅ ĘĜŸ ŞĜÏĩĜĹč
the red marker rather than any other colored
marker; he picked it simply because it his
favorite color!
Among the various topics Michael took on, one
of the most humorous and insightful was the
connection between his once-summer job as
a personal detective assistant and his current
job as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Diving
into dumpsters, chasing after people through
LA, hiding in bushes in the middle of the night
to get pictures does, indeed, have something
in common with helping to educate and
guide high-risk youth. He explained that both
occupations demand that he pay very close
attention to detail, identify patterns, and use
ÚĜýåųåĹƋ ±ŞŞųŅ±ÏĘåŸ ƋŅ ųå±ÏĘ ƋĘå åĹÚ čŅ±Ĭţ
The way he talked about his students revealed
how much patience and compassion he has
for them and their futures. His belief that they
can turn their lives around is strongly rooted
in his own experiences.
“I truly believe in what Johnston has instilled
in me when I came here,” Michael said.
The enthusiasm and love for the Johnston
community was evident in the way he spoke
and engaged with it. “I primed my mind in a
way to be able to understand how people
access taking control of their life.” He said
that because he studied at Johnston, he got
“more than an education.” He would go on to
implement the lessons he learned in Johnston
into the rest of his life. Michael understands
that working as a MFT requires teaching highųĜŸĩÏĘĜĬÚųåĹĜĹÚĜýåųåĹƋØĬ域Ƌų±ÚĜƋĜŅűĬƵ±ƼŸţ
“It’s not an educational issue. They’re smart…
‰ĘåƼűųåģƚŸƋÚĜýåųåĹƋĬå±ųĹåųŸţŰ
Call For Johnston
Submissions:
Now that we have a librarian inhouse, the Coyotoess Den (AKA The
Johnston Archive) is getting some
organization.
We’re currently
collecting visually interesting
or
historically
significant
Johnston archives. Snap a photo
of what you’re willing to share
or donate and email it to mg_
[email protected] Thank you!
Magical
Tour?
Mystery
FOUND in the Coyotess Den, a
Johnton College sweatshirt. Can
you identify when this sweatsirt
was printed or who the brilliant
graphic artist was? If you have a
story to share about this piece
of Johnston College memorabilia,
please send your memories to M.G.
Maloney, Assistant Director of
Johnston, mg_maloney@redlands.
edu.
Guess What?
We’re talking
about IT
M.G.
Maloney
Sexual Assault or “Title IX: Sexual Misconduct”
±Ÿ ĜƋ ĜŸ ĹŅƵ ÚåĀĹåÚ ŅĹ åÚĬ±ĹÚŸű ϱĵŞƚŸ ĜŸ
an activist and academic topic for many of our
current students. Sparked by Johnston student,
Amelia Boyle’s powerful “I am a Survivor”
letter to the editor of The Redlands Bulldog in
January, sexual assault education is now taking
place all over campus. Days before the annual
šě%±ƼŞųŅÚƚÏƋĜŅĹŅüىĘ嚱čĜűaŅĹŅĬŅčƚåŸŰ
(directed by Johnston students Crystal Marshall
¼ ʱƴŅĹĹå ٚŅĹĹĜåŰ šƚ±čĹĜ±ƚƻšØ a±Ƽ±
Joshua, one of our Community Interns, led the
charge with alumnus Ben Cook ’99, Campus
%ĜƴåųŸĜƋƼ¼FĹÏĬƚŸĜŅĹØƋĘåe„%å±ĹűŸkþÏå±ĹÚ
successfully brought IMPACT back to campus
for a 2-hour workshop on verbal / physical
boundary-setting. During spring G.Y.S.T. Week, a
Community dinner provided a delicious space
for students to informally learn about the sexual
violence, taboo-thrashing Riot Grrrl movement
by watching “The Punk Singer” (directed by Sini
eĹÚåųŸŅĹ؎„eØƖLjŎƐšţ
In Community Meetings, Director Julie Townsend
and Assistant Director M.G. Maloney collaborated
on a series of informative, resource-based
discussions focused on our students’ concerns:
how is sexual assault currently handled on our
campus; what the heck is Title IX; what are
students’ resources in the greater community
of the Inland Empire. Academically, a group of
ŸƋƚÚåĹƋŸ ±ųå ÆƚĜĬÚĜĹč ± ÏŅĬĬåÏƋĜƴå ĀűĬ ŞųŅģåÏƋ
on sexual assault. Finally, the broader University
will be hosting a forum on sexual misconduct
towards the end of the spring semester. Will
any of these actions result in a clear change
in the University’s policy? Stay tuned to our
Facebook page for updates as we continue the
conversation and follow Boyle’s courageous
lead; “I don’t want this taboo subject to continue
to isolate survivors. I want our voices to be heard,
±ĹÚÏʱĹčåƋŅÆåŞųĜŅųĜƋĜDŽåÚţŰ
The Johnston
8ŅųƋĘåĬ±ŸƋŸĜƻƼå±ųŸØIŅĘĹŸƋŅĹʱŸĘŅŸƋåÚ±ĹŅýϱĵŞƚŸ±ųƋ
show. Those who produce
ƋĘå ±ųƋ ŸĘŅƵ ŠƚŸƚ±ĬĬƼ IŅĘĹŸƋŅĹ ģƚĹĜŅųŸ ±ĹÚ ŸåĹĜŅųŸš Ïųå±Ƌå
an evening of multimedia art by both Johnston and greaterƚĹĜƴåųŸĜƋƼŸƋƚÚåĹƋŸ±ĹÚ±ĬƚĵţƤ
The 2016 art show was curated by senior Cassidy Kean with
help from senior Natalie Klett, senior Katie Keyser, sophomore
Rose Bud Doestch and senior Lily Daniel. The subject matter
wasn’t by choice of the curators but by choice of student
body expression. Students presented work predominantly
portraying concepts of body objectivity, race, political culture,
±ĹÚ ĜĹŸƋĜƋƚƋĜŅűĬĜDŽ±ƋĜŅĹ ĜĹ ƋĘå üŅųĵŸ Ņü ŞåųüŅųĵ±ĹÏåØ ÏŅĬĬ±čåØ
ޱĜĹƋĜĹčØŞĘŅƋŅčų±ŞĘƼØÏųŅŸŸěŸƋĜƋÏĘرĹÚĀĬĵţ
art
show
Cassidy
Kean
This year’s submissions had an air of unique experimentation
yet the ideas presented had an across-the-board poignancy:
“Who are we, and what is truth? What are the ways in which
“truth” is exercised?” The art was mostly a contemplating
platform and the medium itself. This dynamic was sincerely
explored and demanded attention in every which way.
Sophomore Blair Newman submitted a series of topless selfportraits from after her prophylactic double mastectomy.
She said, “Documenting that stage of my recovery was really
important to me… I was very nervous to show them, but at the
end of the day decided that I was proud of the photos as an
art piece and sharing my art is more important than sharing
my ‘story’.”
‰ĘåƤ ÚĜýåųåĹƋ ĜĹƋåųŞųåƋ±ƋĜŅĹŸ Ņü ƋĘåŸå ÏŅĹÏåŞƋŸ Ƶåųå
experienced, discussed and generated throughout the year
ƵĜƋĘĜĹÆŅƋĘƋĘåIŅĘĹŸƋŅĹÏŅĵĵƚĹĜƋƼ±ĹÚƤƋĘåčųå±ƋåųƚĹĜƴåųŸĜƋƼţ
‰ĘåÏŅĹÏåŞƋŅüĜÚåĹƋĜƋƼƵ±ŸŸŞåÏĜĀϱĬĬƼƋ±ųčåƋåÚ±ĹÚåƻŞĬŅųåÚ
ĜĹ ÚĜýåųåĹƋ Ƶ±ƼŸ ƋĘųŅƚčĘ ÏĬ±ŸŸåŸ ŸƚÏĘ ±Ÿ {åųüŅųĵ±ĹÏåŸ Ņü
Identity, Race on Campus, Millennials, Mindful Movement,
Ending Oppression, and more.
The art show featured over 30 artists, and included 5
performances (stand up, singer-song writer, electronic music,
±ĹÚ±ĵƚĬƋĜĵåÚĜ±ŞåųüŅųĵ±ĹÏåšƋʱƋÆųŅƚčĘƋƋŅčåƋĘåųŅƴåųŎĉLj
attendees at the Mitten Building in Redlands.
The Johnston Art Show is an important event as it serves as a
crucial platform for Johnston and greater-university students
to present their voices and ideas in a cohesive way where
these ideas can be genuinely experienced and displayed.
Photos by Sophomore Blair Newman
RACE ON CAMPUS:
A
Student
Conference
Jonathan
Garcia
Peace,
Race on Campus: A Student Conference took place on May
6th-7th, 2016 at the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies,
and I want to start by saying that it was a success. Thank you.
To everyone who supported, you are the reason we are able to
make strides toward history. We are making progress, but saying
that alone is not enough.
The idea of progress is disillusioned; racial disparities in higher
education have always been present, and perhaps things today
are better than they were yesterday. But I should not be expected
to judge my sense of comfort and freedom on yesterday’s
struggles. We should always strive to be better.
This academic year, the University of Redlands has seen an
unprecedented amount of discourse surrounding race, diversity,
and inclusion--with Johnston being a leading force within this
movement. We have improved. But at the end of a semester
ĀĬĬåÚ ƵĜƋĘ ±ÏƋĜƴĜŸĵØ üŅųƚĵŸØ ÏƚųųĜÏƚĬƚĵ ÏʱĹčåØ ±ÚĵĜĹĜŸƋų±ƋĜƴå
alert and student unrest, I found myself asking, what more can
we do?
So when Julie Townsend proposed the idea of founding and
Ņųč±ĹĜDŽĜĹč ±Ĺ ±Ï±ÚåĵĜÏ ÏŅĹüåųåĹÏå ƋʱƋ ųå±ÏĘåÚ ĵƚĬƋĜŞĬå
campuses, I could hardly contain my excitement. This was an innovative approach to our
ĀčĘƋſ ±Ĺ ±ƋƋåĵŞƋ ƋŅ üƚųƋĘåų ĬåčĜƋĜĵĜDŽå ŸƋƚÚåĹƋ ±ÏƋĜƴĜŸĵ ±ĹÚ Ïųå±Ƌå ÏŅĵĵƚĹĜƋƼ ±ÏųŅŸŸ ƋĘå
region. It was something that had never been done before. The conference was to be put on
in May, but most of the work had to be done before then. So in January, a total of twenty-two
students, along with our faculty advisor
eĵƼ aŅý BƚÚåÏØ Ï±ĵå ƋŅčåƋĘåų ƋŅ üŅųĵ ±Ĺ Ņųč±ĹĜDŽĜĹč ÏŅĵĵĜƋƋååţ‰Ęå ĹåƻƋ ޱųƋ ĜŸƴåųƼ
important to stress to you--we didn’t know what we were doing. Well, perhaps some of us
ÚĜÚţƚƋüŅųĵåØŞåųŸŅűĬĬƼرųƚŸĘŅüŧƚåŸƋĜŅĹŸĵ±ÚåƋĘåƴĜŸĜŅĹŅü±ĀűĬŞųŅÚƚÏƋƚĹÏĬå±ų×
What and where would panels take place? How many attendees do we want? Do we have
enough money for this? What do hope to accomplish? And, most importantly, how do we
get other campuses to come?
Together, we assigned schools to pairs of students and we did research. We went on university
ƵåÆŸĜƋ埱ĹÚüŅƚĹÚåĵ±ĜĬŸ±ĹÚŞĘŅĹåĹƚĵÆåųŸ±ĹÚųå±ÚĹåƵŸŞ±ŞåųŸ±ĹÚĜÚåĹƋĜĀåÚŸƋƚÚåĹƋ
leaders. We went on Facebook and messaged friends and strangers asking them to come
ŸƚŞŞŅųƋƚŸţeĹÚ±üƋåųŅƚųĀųŸƋƋƵŅƵååĩŸŅüÚŅĜĹčŸŅØƵåƼĜåĬÚåÚĹŅųåŸƚĬƋŸţcŅƋŅĹåŞåųŸŅĹ
had returned a phone call, or responded to an email, or registered on our website. We sat in
ƋĘåIĜĵĵƼŅŅĵ±ƋŅƚųƵååĩĬƼĵååƋĜĹčØŸƋĜāåÚţ
eĬƋĘŅƚčĘƋĘĜŸƵ±Ÿ±ÏŅĵĵƚűĬŞųŅģåÏƋØFƵ±ŸÚåŸĜčűƋåÚ±ŸƋĘåĬå±ÚŅųč±ĹĜDŽåųţ{åŅŞĬåĬŅŅĩåÚ
to me for direction. So when presented with this situation, I told the group:
{ĘŅƋŅŸÆƼ±ÏåkűĵŞƚŸ„Ƌ±ý
“Remember this moment. Remember
when no one cared. Because it won’t
always be like this. And when the
conference comes, it’ll be one of the
best things any of us has ever done.”
I was speaking to myself more than anyone else when
FŸ±ĜÚƋĘĜŸţeĹÚƚĬƋĜĵ±ƋåĬƼØĜƋƵ±ŸƋĘåčųŅƚŞűŸåýŅųƋƋʱƋ
created progress. We changed tactics. We started
driving to campuses and meeting students in person.
We started marketing harder on social media. We kept
true to our movement and continued on week-byweek, regardless of any accomplishment or setback.
By May 1st, we had 200 registered attendees from 18
ÚĜýåųåĹƋÏŅĬĬåč埱ĹÚƚĹĜƴåųŸĜƋĜåŸƋĘųŅƚčĘŅƚƋ±ĬĜüŅųĹĜ±Ø
ŸåƋƋŅŞųåŸåĹƋŅĹŎƐÚĜýåųåĹƋĜŸŸƚåŸţFƋĘ±ŞŞåĹåÚŸŅü±ŸƋţ
We exceeded our own expectations. The day of the
ÏŅĹüåųåĹÏåƵ±ŸĬĜƴåĬƼ±ĹÚÆƚDŽDŽĜĹčØÆƚƋƵåƵåųåϱĬĵţ
We had been planning for 5 months, and handled the
situation smoothly. There are no casualties to report;
no absent presenters, no broken projectors, no uncivil
±ųčƚĵåĹƋŸØ ĹŅ ÏŅĹüƚŸĜŅĹ Ņų ÚĜŸŅųč±ĹĜDŽ±ƋĜŅĹţ „ƋƚÚåĹƋŸ
checked attendees in, facilitated discussions, hosted
open mics, presented and learned, directed people
to the restroom, laughed and smiled, ate dinner and
made friends. For me, from a landscape view, it was a
temporary oasis of racial activism. It was something to
be proud of. I want to say thank you to all 59 donors that
made our project possible.
We could not have done this without you. Planning
is already being discussed for next year, but these
are conversations that I am not at the forefront of. As
a Johnston alum, it is now my turn to support. The
strength of this conference was that it was by students,
for students. The issues we face today will not the
same tomorrow, and it is important to empower those
ƵĘŅ±ųåÚĜųåÏƋĬƼ±ýåÏƋåÚÆƼƋĘåĵţ‰ŅčåƋĘåųØƵå±ųåŸƋĜĬĬ
čųŅƵĜĹčţœå±ųåŸƋĜĬĬĜĵŞųŅƴĜĹčţœå±ųåĹŅƋƼåƋŸ±ƋĜŸĀåÚţ
But we are proud of the work we have done because
we know it helps future Johnston students that we will
never meet, but already love.
Truly yours,
Jonathan Garcia, ‘16
Gene Ouellette
Feb
9,
1929
–
Nov
9,
2015
Bill
McDonald
Gene came into Johnston’s history in early 1971 in an entirely unexpected way, quite
ĜĹĩååŞĜĹčƵĜƋĘƋĘåŅĬĬåčåűŸčåĹåų±ĬDŽ±ĹĜĹ域ţ‰ĘåŎŅü{ųåŸĜÚåĹƋ:åĹå%±ƵŸŅĹ
gave Gene very short notice—24 hours, in fact—to decide if he would assume the
ʱĹÏåĬĬŅųŸĘĜŞŅüƋĘåŅĬĬåčåĜĹƋĘåƵ±ĩåŅüƋĘåĀųĜĹčŅüĜƋŸüŅƚĹÚåųØ{ų域aÏŅƼţ
A well-established professor in the University’s excellent Communicative Disorders
department, Gene was in Santa Barbara when the call came, and after a hurried
conference with his wife Anne he called back and accepted. Gene loved risk,
gambling—Yash Owada calls it his “proclivity for adventure”—and all Johnstonians
should be grateful that he did.
I heard this story, and scores of others, during my many hours in Gene and Anne’s
ĘŅĵåŅƴåųƋĘåŞ±ŸƋåĜčĘƋƼå±ųŸØŅųŅĹŅĹåŅüŅƚųƱĹƋåųĜĹčƴŅƼ±čåŸƋŅÚĜýåųåĹƋU±ĜŸåų
aåÚĜϱĬŅþÏ埱ųŅƚĹڄŅƚƋĘåųűĬĜüŅųĹĜ±ţ)ŸŸåĹƋĜ±ĬĬƼFƵ±ŸĘĜŸÚųĜƴåų±ĹÚĘĜŸĵŅų±Ĭå
ŅþÏåųØŸĜĹÏåüŅų±ĬĬƋʱƋƋĜĵåĘĜŸĘå±ĬƋĘų±ĹčåÚüųŅĵŞŅŅųƋŅųå±ĬĬƼŞŅŅųſĘåÆŅųåƚŞ
with humor and courage under a list of medical woes that would break the spirit of
just about anyone.
Gene brought a wonderfully eccentric background to his new task. He came very
ÏĬŅŸå ƋŅ Ƌ±ĩĜĹč ĀűĬƴŅƵŸ ±Ÿ ± ±ƋĘŅĬĜÏ ŞųĜåŸƋ ÆåüŅųå Ĭå±ƴĜĹč ƋĘå ŸåĵĜűųƼ üŅųñ ƋĘå a±ųĜĹå ŅųŞŸ ±ĹÚ ƋĘå UŅųå±Ĺœ±ųú
‰Ęåųå Ęå Ƶ±Ÿ ± üŅųĵĜÚ±ÆĬå %ţFţ ±ĹÚØ ĵƼŸƋåųĜŅƚŸĬƼØ ƋĘå ŮeƋŅĵĜÏ ĜŅĬŅčĜÏ ±ĹÚ cåƚųŅĬŅčĜϱĬ ±ƋƋ±ĬĜŅĹ kþÏåųØŰ ± ŞŸåƚÚŅě
medical title that may have helped steer him toward audiology. A stint in law school persuaded him that the courtroom was
not his natural environment, and he arrived in Redlands to complete his undergraduate degree in record timemainly by
ÏʱĬĬåĹčĜĹčÏŅƚųŸåŸƴĜ±åƻ±ĵŠĵŅųåüƚĹĹƼŸƋŅųĜ埚ţeÚŅÏƋŅų±ƋåüųŅĵƋĘåŽĹţŅüœ±ŸĘĜĹčƋŅűĹÚ±ŸĘŅųƋƋĜĵåŅĹƋĘ儱Ĺ
Diego State faculty preceded his return to Redlands to found his department’s audiology program.
At heart, Gene was an entrepreneur in the full American sense of that word. Though very smart and a wide-ranging
reader, he wasn’t your standard issue professor. He loved creating fresh opportunities for himself and the people he
knew: business opportunities, stock market opportunities, service contracts, tending to horses and even a pig (the funniest
ŸƋŅųƼØŅĹųåŧƚåŸƋš×±ĹƼƋĘĜĹčŸåĬüěĵŅƋĜƴ±ƋåÚ±ĹÚŸåĬüěĵ±ÚåţBåŞųĜDŽåÚĹåƵŞųŅģåÏƋŸØĹåƵÆƚÚčåƋŸØĹåƵƵ±ƼŸŅü±ƋƋ±ĜĹĜĹč
ü±ĵĜĬĜ±ųčŅ±ĬŸţBåʱڱč±ĵÆĬåųűŸƋåĵŞåų±ĵåĹƋ±ĹÚŸĩĜĬĬŠ±ŸFĬå±ųĹåÚĵ±ĹƼƋĜĵ埱ƋƋĘåŞŅĩåųƋ±ÆĬåš×ųĜŸĩěƵåĬÏŅĵĜĹčØ
not risk-adverse. His soft-spoken, inquiring manner—Yash calls it his “incredible patience and magnanimity”—concealed
a toughness and determination, and those qualities made it possible to achieve what at the time seemed impossible: the
survival of Johnston College. All the College founders and early alums that I’ve spoken to agree that without Gene’s talent,
patience, strong University connections, and inventive politics the UofR would have closed the College permanently,
not recreated it as a Center. Kevin O’Neill speaks for many: “…Gene entered a community of die-hard idealists who were
ĜĹŞĜƋÏĘåÚƱƋƋĬåƵĜƋĘåŧƚ±ĬĬƼĜĹƋų±ÏƋ±ÆĬå±ÚĵĜĹĜŸƋų±ƋŅųŸţœĜƋĘŅƚƋŸ±ÏųĜĀÏĜĹč±ÆĜƋŅüĜĹƋåčųĜƋƼĘåĀčƚųåÚŅƚƋƵ±ƼŸƋŅŸ±ƴå
we hotheads from both ourselves and the perceived enemy. Without Gene’s extraordinary diplomatic skills Johnston
would be an interesting footnote in the history of American higher education, not the thriving experiment it still is, 47
years after its founding.” Still, that “re-creation” was a bitter defeat for him, and he never forgave those who brought it
about. He prospered afterwards, of course, returning to his home department and starting his own independent business,
Communication Health Services, in the Inland Empire.
In retirement, Gene—to his and everyone else’s surprise—morphed into a serious, talented sculptor; who knew there was
±ĹeųƋĜŸƋĬƚųĩĜĹčƚĹÚåųĹå±ƋĘƋĘŅŸååĹƋųåŞųåĹåƚųĜ±ĬčĜüƋŸũBåĬåüƋĵåƋĘåŞĜåÏåƋʱƋFåŸŞåÏĜ±ĬĬƼŞųĜDŽåرŮa±ÚŅĹűŰƋʱƋĹŅƵ
has pride of place among our roses and shows countless subtle facets as the day’s shifting light moves across it.
Gene’s daughters Michelle and Jeannie hosted the reception after Gene’s memorial service, and he would have fully
approved of their invitation: “…to celebrate Gene Ouellette’s life with food, reminiscing and gin martinis!” He loved life, and
Ƶ±ŸĵƼÚå±ųüųĜåĹÚüŅųĉĂƼå±ųŸţœĜƋĘŅƚƋĘĜĵƋĘåųåƵŅƚĬÚÆåĹŅIŅĘĹŸƋŅĹØĹŅųĜƋŸåýåÏƋŸŅĹƋĘåƋĘŅƚŸ±ĹÚŸŅüĬĜƴåŸĜƋʱŸ
touched: a monument indeed. Ave atque vale.
Black Mountain Trip
Alisa
Slaughter
Alisa is a creative writing professor who has
taught two John Cage/experimental arts
practice classes in Johnston. She’s not nostalgic
about Black Mountain, because she feels like
she’s there, kind of.
A
large and lively group of Johnston students, alums, faculty and
friendsdescended on the Hammer Museum February 21 for the
opening day of “Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College,
1933-1957.” The exhibition, on view through May 15, features an array
ŅüĵåÚĜ±±ŸŸŅÏĜ±ƋåÚƵĜƋĘƋĘåŸĘŅųƋěĬĜƴåÚÆƚƋĘĜčĘĬƼĜĹāƚåĹƋĜ±ĬŸÏĘŅŅĬţ
FĹƋĘåÆåŸƋIŅĘĹŸƋŅĹƋų±ÚĜƋĜŅĹØŅƚųčųŅƚŞŅƴåųƵĘåĬĵåÚƋĘåŮŅþÏĜ±ĬŰƋŅƚųرĹÚ
we were asked to follow later with a student docent, who did a great job
adapting his material to our discussion-based approach.
Black Mountain’s experimental format and welcoming summer programs
±ƋƋų±ÏƋåÚ ĵ±ĹƼ ĀčƚųåŸƵĘŅ ±ųå ĹŅƵ ü±ĵŅƚŸØ ĜĹÏĬƚÚĜĹč ƋĘå ÏŅĵŞŅŸåųIŅĘĹ
Cage, the choreographer Merce Cunningham, experimental designer/
architect Buckminster Fuller, and visual artists Josef and Anni Albers and
ŅÆåųƋ±ƚŸÏĘåĹÆåųčţ‰ĘååƻĘĜÆĜƋĜŅűĬŸŅåĵŞĘ±ŸĜDŽ埱ųƋÆƼĬ域ƵåĬĬěĩĹŅƵĹ
ĀčƚųåŸØ ŸƚÏĘ ±Ÿ ƚƋĘeŸ±Ƶ±Ø ± ŸÏƚĬŞƋŅųƵĘŅ Æåϱĵå ± ĵ±ģŅų Āčƚųå ĜĹ „±Ĺ
Francisco, both as a creator of fountains and an advocate for arts education,
±ĹÚ B±DŽåĬ X±ųŸåĹ eųÏĘåųØ ± ŞĘŅƋŅčų±ŞĘåų ƵĘŅ ƋŅŅĩ Ęåų ĜÏŅĹĜÏ ŞĜÏƋƚųåŸ Ņü
artists from a wheelchair.
Although Black Mountain had many similar features to Johnston, including
}ƚ±ĩåųěĜĹāƚåĹÏåÚØÏŅĹŸåĹŸƚŸěÚųĜƴåĹŞųŅÏ域±ĹÚ±ĹĜĹƋåĹƋĜŅűĬØĜĹƋåčų±ƋĜƴåØ
and student-directed curriculum, former director Bill McDonald said the
school was not much discussed when Johnston was in its early stages. Both
colleges owe a great deal to the writer and philosopher John Dewey, and
both draw energy from a contrarian and critical approach to higher education,
which may explain the similarities, McDonald said. Walking through the
exhibit, it is very easy to conjure up an image of Frank Blume facilitating an
intense discussion while Barney Childs rehearses an ensemble in the next
ųŅŅĵƋŅÏĘŅųåŅčų±ŞĘƼŸƚččåŸƋåÚÆƼIƚĬĜå‰ŅƵĹŸåĹÚűŸĀųŸƋěƼå±ųŸåĵĜűųţ
‰ĘųŅƚčĘŅƚƋ ĜƋŸ ĘĜŸƋŅųƼØ Ĭ±Ïĩ aŅƚĹƋ±ĜĹ åĵŞĘ±ŸĜDŽåÚ ƋĘå ±ųƋŸØ ÆƚƋ ±ĬŸŅ ʱÚ
students interested in the physical and social sciences and humanities. Even
±ƋĜƋŸĵŅŸƋ±ųƋŸěÏåĹƋųĜÏØƋĘåŸÏĘŅŅĬ±ĬƵ±ƼŸŅýåųåÚåĹŅƚčĘÏƚųųĜÏƚĬ±ųāåƻĜÆĜĬĜƋƼ
to give outsider or exiled academics (such as the Manhattan Project physicist
c±Ƌ±ŸĘ± åĹĹåųš ƋåĵŞŅų±ųƼ ųåüƚčåţ 8Ņų ± ÆųĜåü üåƵ Ƽå±ųŸØ ƋĘĜŸ ŸÏų±ŞŞƼØ
ŞåųåĹĹĜ±ĬĬƼƚĹÚåųěüƚĹÚåÚ±ĹÚÏŅĹƋĜĹčåĹƋŞĬ±Ïå±ƚƋĘŅųĜDŽåÚƵĜĬÚåƻŞåųĜĵåĹƋŸØ
including allowing artists and poets to run the show, which sometimes worked,
ÆƚƋ ĀűĬĬƼ ÚĜÚĹűƋţeŸ ƋĘå ĵŅĹåƼ ÚƵĜĹÚĬåÚØ ŅĹå Ņü ƋĘå üåƵ Şų±ÏƋĜϱĬěĵĜĹÚåÚ
members of the faculty suggested everyone eat “more potatoes.” Insolvency,
ÏʱŅŸØ±ĹÚÏʱĹčĜĹčƋĜĵåŸĀűĬĬƼÏĬŅŸåÚĬ±ÏĩaŅƚĹƋ±ĜĹŅĬĬåčåØÆƚƋģƚÚčĜĹč
üųŅĵƋĘĜŸåƻĘĜÆĜƋØƋĘåųå±ųå±ĬƵ±ƼŸŸŅĵåÆåĹåĀƋŸüųŅĵĬå±ŞĜĹčÆåüŅųåĬŅŅĩĜĹčţ
SAVE THE DATE...
October 8, 2016
‰Ęå ŎLjƋĘ eĹĹƚ±Ĭ šĜĹƋ±čå IŅĘĹŸƋŅĹ œĜĹå ‰±ŸƋĜĹč ±ĹÚ %ĜĹĹåųú
Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate Johnston with an
astonishing array of wines provided by Henry Wine Group
expert John Slater and Johnston legend Bill McDonald. All
proceeds support the Johnston Student Project fund.
June 23-29 2017
Johnston Alumni Seminar: Shakespeare in Ashland! This
ƋųĜŞĜŸŅųč±ĹĜDŽåÚÆƼ„ʱųŅĹŅĬĬ埱ĹÚaåčkĬŸåĹţœåʱƴå
reserved The Buckhorn Springs Retreat Center. Join us for a
series of performances and facilitated discussions. Professors
Bill McDonald, Nancy Carrick, and Julie Townsend plan to be
there. Join us!
Dates TBD (June/July 2018)
Begin our 50th Anniversary celebration with a Johnston journey
ƋŅ :ųååÏåţ Ƥ ĜĬĬ aÏ%ŅűĬÚ ±ĹÚ :ųååĩ ±ųÏĘåŅĬŅčĜŸƋ a±ųĜ±
„ƼĹŅÚĜĹŅƚ ±ųåƤ ŞƚƋƋĜĹč ƋŅčåƋĘåų ±ĹƤ ĜƋĜĹåų±ųƼ ƋʱƋ ƵĜĬĬ ĜĹÏĬƚÚå
ÆŅƋĘü±ĵĜĬĜ±ųŸĜƋåŸüŅųĀųŸƋěƋĜĵåƴĜŸĜƋŅųŸ±ĹÚåƻÏĜƋĜĹčƤĹåƵŅĹåŸ
üŅųƴåƋåų±ĹŸţ Ƥ ĜĬĬ Ÿ±ƼŸ ĜƋűĬĬƤ Æå ƋĘå ĀűĬ ƋųĜŞ ĘåűĬĬ Ĭå±Ú ±ÆųŅ±Úó
yeah, he’s that old—so start making your plans.
February 2019
We will have a gathering of all Johnston alumni and community.
Mark your calendar now. . .