VassarQuarterly - Vassar, the Alumnae/i Quarterly

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Vassar Quarterly
PUBLISHED
ALUMNAE
BY THE
AND ALUMNI OF VASSAR COLLEGE
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V
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Richard Wilson’s
Tribulations
Margarita
Penon de Arias ’7O
The Next President
of Costa Rica?
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“.
I go
to
.
*
They’re writing their wills
Aunt Susie,
you
all
go to
everything else goes
Planning for
By including
you
automatically become
the
which strives
to
newest
a
to
♦
Uncle Thomas, and
Vassar
”
.
.
VassaPs Future
Vassar in your
will,
member of The Vassar
donor recognition society,
honor individuals whose gifts will
For
more
Gift
information, please
Planning
Vassar
College Society,
contact:
Office
College Box 14
Poughkeepsie,
914/437-5487
mature
New York 12601
in
the future.
In the words
1960’s
of
correspondent:
Your old
is still
to
news
news
us.
So send it
alongfor Class
is attached
at
the back
Notes. A
postcard
of this magazine.
Tell
Please
us
use
magazine
all about it
the card
to
♦
the back of this
at
send your
news
to
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Quarterly.
f
Class
Notes, of course.
News for the Winter Class Notes (November)
received in the VQ office by
August
1.
must
be
FEATURES
Vassar Quarterly
14
VOL. LXXXDC
NO. 3
SUMMER 1993
Margarita Penon
Editorial Staff
914/437-5447
She’s Been First
Rica and has been
5448
or
By
Editor
Toni
Joseph
Lady;
Will She Be President?
de Arias 70 of Costa Rica is
attracting
a
on
the
campaign trail
in Costa
of support.
surprising amount
’83
Georgette Weir
18
Assistant editor
Tribulations
WillaPanvini ’92
Why was
Designer
Abigail Sturges
the
author, professor
of music at
Vassar,
so
timid about
meeting
the great man?
’66
By
Copy editor
Sara Hill
Richard
Wilson
Books editor
Yona
Zeldis McDonough ’79
22
They’re Dancing
Students dance for love and credit with
AAVC Publisher's Committee
Claire Mather Sheahan ’64, chair
Caroline Bryant Beebe ’56
Vassar’s
James C. P. Berry ’72
Madeira Schwartz Meader ’37
By
Repertory
Dance Theatre
Willa Panvini ’92
Missie Rennie Taylor ’68
BillieDavis Gaines ’58,
ex
officio
VQ Advisory Committee
Mindy Aloff’69
William W.
Gifford
Gaylen Moore ’66
Nancy Newhouse ’58
30
Linda Nochlin Pommer ’51
Underground
When
a
Jon Rizzi ’84
Dorothy Seiberling
Vassar alumnae
’43
Claire Mather Sheahan ’64
JeffWallach
B.
Landmark
colonial-era African cemetery
By Georgette
’82
were among
was
unearthed in lower Manhattan,
those who worked to
bring it
national
recognition.
Weir
Gerred Williams ’77
Billie
Davis Gaines ’58,
ex
officio
34
of Directors
Board
Natural disasters such
President
Billie Davis Gaines ’58
as
hurricanes
is life like for those affected
Vice-president for strategic planning
Ronald
Life After Andrew
of AAVC
By
Schwartzman ’75
Vice-president for administration
Claire Mather Sheahan ’64
once
are
big
news
when they happen. But what
the storm has passed?
Dana Kilbourn Fairbank ’73
DEPARTMENTS
Secretary
William W. Bergen ’77
2
Treasurer
Caroline Bryant Beebe ’56
Fund
Campus
Notebook
The Intercultural Center opens; seniors and their final academic projects;
chr.
squash-playing scholars; spring sports highlights
Sherrie Spohn-Lind ’77
House committee chr.
Barbara Muhs Walker ’48
12
Nominating committee chr.
Mary S. Balfour ’68
Publicity
The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes
director
Diana Stem
Goldin ’63
36
Directors-at-large
Karen L Cox ’80
Jean Davis Falk
Omnium Gatherum
The president of Nickelodeon, class of ’69,
Theodore Asta ’76
Kevin
In the Classroom
Teacher of the Year;
’60
one
actor’s
comes
life; short takes
to
on
campus; New York State
Vassar
people; books
and
music
Green ’85
Madeira Schwartz Meader ’37
Constance Leigh Proctor ’72
42
AAVC trustees
Davis Allen ’75
James C. P. Berry ’72
Jamshed Jay Bharucha
’78
nor..
Barbara Bennett Blum ’51
Frances Aaron Hess ’53
Milbrey Rennie Taylor
AAVC Network
Vassar in Atlanta: Neither
rain,
nor
sleet,
.; AAVC calendar of events
’68
AAVC Staff
In
914/437-5445
Atlanta: alumnae/i
catch up
Executive director
Mary Meeker Gesek
Associate directors
on
the latest
about Vassar
’58
45
Person Place &
46
Class Notes
68
Letters
Thing
Elizabeth S. Gellert
Terri O’Shea ’76
Assistant director
Amy Gardiner
’90
The Vassar Quarterly, USPS 657-080, is published in the winspring, summer, and fall by the Alumnae and Alumni of
VassarCollege (AAVC). POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges
Central
to
Records, Box 14,VassarCollege, Poughkeepsie, NY
ter,
12601. Second class postage
paid at Poughkeepsie, NY, and
additional entry post offices. Yearly subscriptions $10.
Single
copies $3. Unsolicited
will not be returned unless
manuscripts
accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Copyright © 1993 by AAVC, Printed in North Adams, MA, by
Excelsior
Printed
The Last
Page:
By Virginia
The
Blessing Ways
of
Learning
Lewisohn Kahn ’49
Printing Company.
on
recycled
and
recylable paper.
Front Cover: Vassar
Art
by Michael
Repertory Dance Theatre poster art; original in black ink
’94, member, VRDT
Tancinco
Later, The Reign ofWazobia,
CAMPUS
Intercultural Center Opens
NOTEBOOK
Stories and photos
by
Studies Tess Onwueme of Nigeria,
cana
of
the
long-awaited unveiling
(ICC), a center for Asian,
The
Black, and Latino students, brought grand
Willa Panvini ’92, except where noted.
fanfare and
ally
an
evening packed full of cultur-
diverse programs this
The student
The
new
center is located
Powerhouse Theater.
just behind the
upper-level
At the
entry, visitors will find the administrative
office of the director,
a
conference
room
and
kitchen, and a bright, open, communityroom
with
a
television, VCR, couches, oak floors,
high ceilings,
stairs
are
and
large
representatives
during the opening ceremonies
enthusiasm
for
the
Shimabukuro ’93,
April.
windows.
Down-
three administrative offices for the
that
out
as
president of ASA,
have become
campuses
to
about their cultures. He said
ethnicity
that this
be both rewarding and frustrat-
can
to have the
ing—rewarding
opportunity to
information and raise
disseminate
heavy with
the
under
are
stereotypes.
“It is
important that
assumptions.”
Poder Latino,
similar sentiments and said ofthe
ICC, “It is both haven and home
Latino. This is
color
and feel
as
voiced
a
Students’ Union,
hope
for the future. “In
derstand
we
must be
about those
ready
we
fulfilling
on
who
Vassar
for
According
Right
race.
I
...
toward
diversity.” (See
next
to Assistant
have
begin to
taking steps
on
unour-
different and
are
its commitment to
speech in its entirety
the ICC.
must un-
to educate
to the table to
come
commend
page.)
Director of Stu-
dent Life and Director of the ICC Edward
Jon Shimabukuro ’93,
Pittman ’B2, the
president of Asian
can
Students ’Alliance,
community
to the
Cultural Center
ated.
are
April Thompson ’94,
It
was
was
to
Students’ Union, and
a
history
of Poder Latino.
was
Lathrop
then moved to
boring the
established
a
three
seats
comfortably.
Ying Jow
nese
reading room/lounge that
Pai
a
kicked
group of Chi-
off the
grand
“It is
social
intended to bestow good fortune
into the
Frances
included
on
new
President
Fergusson, Acting Dean of Student
Johnson, and representatives of
Life Colton
the three student
groups.
included performances
Festivities also
by
Black
Lyric
Forms—Nicola and Rufus James —who
bined
music
on
com-
vocal and percussion duets. Latino
played during
a
welcomingreception.
the Powerhouse
and
plans
Poder
were
ap-
building, ad-
Theater,
into
a
permanent home for these offices.
opening celebration, with a traditional dance
buildings. Speakers
ASA, BSU,
to convert the vehicles
jacent to
Eagle Clan,
Lion Dancers,
proved
It
two-story house neigh-
vidual offices for
small
floor of
campus, which allowed for indi-
Latino. In the fall of 1991,
a
ground
in
cre-
Latino students.
Black Students’ Union, Asian Students’ Alli-
and
was
until 1990. The center
ance, and Poder
Latino, along with restrooms
that
membershipwas expanded
include Asian and
remained in
’93, president
moved to the
and its
Lathrop,
president ofthe Black
Tua
ICC has
Kendrick House. In 1976, the ICC
ICC
opening. Behind him
new
be traced to 1968, when the Afro-Ameri-
can
welcomes the Vassar
1993
another,
one
another—and in order to
the difficult discussion about
good fortune
VQ SUMMER
April Thompson ’94,
vision of
one
actually
a
come
with oth-
only
not
Black
derstand
selves
with
to Poder
we can
of the
order to respect
2
whole,
whole.”
a
president
Dolly
where
place
a
from Poder Latino, but with students of
ers
Fergusson
a
and
stereotyping
Dolly Tua ’93, president of
together
micro-
students of color have
that is free from
expressed
a
responsibility placed
dispel myths, assumptions,
Mr. Shimabukuro noted,
and
those kinds of
grapefruit, bestowing
aware-
but frustrating in that students of color
ness,
place
President Frances D.
more
teach those not of their race
enlighten or
or
to
upon them
dancers present
Jon
pointed
diverse, students of color are often expected
scope,
Lion
spoke
who
shared their
center.
new
often feel that their lives
Above
was
staged in Avery.
Intercultural Center
Assistant Editor
Visit-
play by
a
ing Associate Professor of English and Afri-
important to provide
resource
a
cultural and
for students who may not fit
general pattern
of the
college,” says
Mr. Pittman.
“They are part ofan intercultural
experience
that is
encouraging. My
worth
role is to
developing
help
and
these stu-
dents work through the administrative structure,
provide guidance through
experience
mote
as
a
person of
dialogue and
through
color,
mediation
important and
as
my
own
and pro-
they
challenging
work
issues.”
How Do We Measure Our Success?
different. If we don’t,
ICC opening remarks by April Thompson ’94
we
original black
Those
shall all sink.
students who set up
the Kendrick House in the 70s understood
who do not know where
‘Young people
come
it took to get them
from and the struggle
where
they are
going
are
where
now, will not know
they
what to do for anyone besides
or
themselves
they
if and when they finally get
the need for
brace
base where
a
could
they
their cultural heritage
em-
in order to
deal with the realiempower themselves to
ties ofbeing black inAmerica and on Vassar’s
campus. The difference now is that white
begun to acknowledge the
somewhere.... African American and Latino
Americans have
and Asian American and Native American
need for inclusion and the need for under-
children should know about European
history
standing
another in
one
solving
the
prob-
and cultures, and white children should know
lems of poverty, starvation, economic reces-
about the histories and cultures of diverse
sion, and the list is endless.
peoples of color with whom
city,
nation, and
a
a
world. I believe in inte-
gration.
But that does
someone
else
ignore
or
they
must share a
not
fulfilling
Marian Wright Edelman
*
black
as
How do
success?
people,
we as
a
measure our
nation of white,
students for
the
continue to
the
opening
that the
what
of
a
is just
on
as
child of the civil
Washington
have
to know that my
to the
a
acquired the
by
a
my
wisdom
rights
is
ability to edumy struggle.
cultural center dedicated
information about the
is
for human
fight
and the
support
marching
at all-white lunch
people about
The opening of
move-
my people
my parents
that is measured
cate nonblack
rights
equity for
sitting
or
counters. I also
one
as
in
fight for educational,
economic
important
more
that have been
goals
ment, I know that my
political, and
lies
our success
do with the
achieved. As
I believe
of cultural centers?
measure
we
rights
dissemination of
history
of my
people
I believe that we,
process of
nation, have
as a
excluding people
hundred years
seen
from the
from the last four
democracy
of American
and
history
most recently the last twelve years of short-
choices based
Our
diversity
and skills to
and contribute. Exclusion
different
of
gifts
helps
no one
and
at
Vassar,
“multiculturalism,”
sity,”
and what power do
we
we
echo
more
one
understand
we
they carry?
one
come
one
another,
find
must be
ready
must
ground
to
president ofthe Black
place
Students’ Union,
the
awareness
needs
of black
more
importantly,
A view into
with
charge
take
peers to
challenge
on
a
coal bin
the power house,
I
of
of
for
was
redesigned by architect
Jeh Johnson, senior
white
my
corner
room
the ICC. The building,
formerly
a
Vassar education.
one
the community
people who are
privileged
ICC
Below
at Vassar and
not
at the
opening
people
black
speaking
and
lecturer
the
in art.
of mediat-
ing difference. Come
to the table to
begin
standing.
to
begin
race.
A friend of
mine, who happens
to be
white, said
me the
other
to
day that
she is uncomfortable
entering
lecture,
a
meeting where
one
every-
is black. I
“Well
a
or
said,
just imagine
how I feel
time
every
classroom, a
doctor’s
bank,
a
office,
a
real estate firm,
and the list goes
on.
As
sense
ing, but I know that if I want anything
this life, I have to get
over it.
it is necessary to take
educate
But if we are to survive
to have
The
key
of ideas is that we
and realize that in
many ways we are more alike than we are
movie
black woman, I
some-
of otherness is overwhelm-
fears and stereotypes,
and
theater,”
a
a
work with lots of different people and
times the
to
are different
to the table to
productive exchange
common
we
another; and in order
the difficult discussion about
to a
simply
another and try to
ourselves about those who
actually
We
meaningfulsocial change.
In order to respect
understand
they really mean
“isms” that indicate that
need to respect
work together for
words like
“commitment to diver-
and “PC.” But what do
do not need
change,
I enter a
hurts everyone.
Here
racial
room,
to the table of
progress
come
Left
April Y. Thompson,
that is committed to
making
allows
to
for
fight
make the ICC a
the fact that this is
are
composed of people
nation
becoming a
color.
on
social
about
Americans
sighted leadership.
new
responsibility
the process of under-
first step in that direction.
the results of
charge
my black peers with
Is it in the enactment of civil
or
to
Looking
the future I
black, brown peoples measure our success?
laws
to-
diversity,
their vision and their
sacrifice.
How do we,
taking steps
its commitment to
and I commend those
black
who I am.
deny
or
I become
mean
I commend Vassar for
ward
risks,
and
as a
Itis
out of
difficult, but
to conquer our
our
ignorance.
human race, it is
simplyanother mountainthat we must climb.
Ileave you withthat mission—that
prepare
we
must
ourselves to take risks and stretch
ourselves to learn and interact with those who
are
different and to take it upon ourselves to
educate ourselves about difference.
*From The
Measure of Our
Success: A Letter
to
My
Children
and Yours
(Beacon Press,
1992)
3
NOTEBOOK
They’re Housemates,
and, on
and Still Talking
know when something is
Brian Sokol and Joel Friedman
done,
Mr. Sokol, Phi Beta
say, “Oh. That’s nice. That’s an
the other hand, be critical
From New York
It All Comes Down to Their
Senior Projects
loves
company,”
one senior
connects seniors as
over
they agonize
their senior research
my peers.”
J: Particularly for
have to figure out if the comments
(VJU), local Poughkeepsie Jewish
about the structure of what
more
Waiting
of
the idea of
personal and
challenges they faced,
they gained, and
the
the rewards
experience of
undertaking what is for many the
biggest project
identity
appropriate
academic
graduate
B: I
he
a
past?
do you have to be
mean, I’m
over
time. How do you
Do you transform it,
to say what
a
completely cut
a
philosophy majors.
the
definitely going through
with
perience
writing
joint experience
more
I
ex-
but he’s kind of been it.
Joel,
or
off from
J: I’m just amazed that we actually still get
along! We’ve lived under close quarters in
it?
The
What
possibility.
the most stressful situations. But because
philosophy of modal
Joel’s topic:
logic—the logic of necessity
are
we know
and
the connections
between “being” and “existence”?
what the other person has to
might
say, “Do
thesis
tonight!” Or,
your
his thesis. That’s
Brian and
Joel
share
philosophy—they
ment as well.
that
other’s
than
more
share
an
a
sure
they really
topics, they
did
understand the process of
major in
off-campus apart-
Although they readily
weren’t
they
each
admitted
understood
wholeheartedly
their
writing
lenges
under thatstress. We asked
anyonefaces
them to talk about that process and the
working
on
thesis! Work
“Oh. He’s
good
a
see
Then I’ll say, ‘You’re
Stop
that!
dy-
B:
Yeah,
my
here I was
thesis and he’s
even
working
if we’re both
the
a
philosophy program for what
have to take
is the
into
one
one
own
consider
to
me
on
them,
we
a
a
don’t
everyneces-
breaks.
a
little
lot of TV. Then
break from
taking
on
stop. But
a
we
break!
think, ‘Yeah,
time that you put all your effort
It’s Like
Giving Birth
Jennifer
App
hundred pages of your
rations for it. Then you sit here
over
winter
break, and think ...
From
Anchorage, Alaska
Major: History
Activities:
I
again ?
the best thesis ever.” This
thing—one
hope
it
and at
thought. So you have these great aspi-
B; “I
his
your thesis!”
break and watch
TV. Then it turns into
You
on
same pace or the same
J: There’s this award that they give in the
going to write
on
being good working
telling
working
One of us will take
firstyou daydreamaboutit.
on
has to take breaks and
sarilyhave
they
him working
Stop working
intense pressure.
outstanding thesis,
on
idea. I should be
thesis and I don’t have time to work on mine.
one
most
your
working
mine, too.” Sometimes it can be
frustrating when I
namic of living with someone else under such
to be the
do, we
on
re-
quired senior theses and the personal chal-
I’m
on
into it, that
thought, going
among all the senior
conversions and
of their
undergraduate years.
can
you support your argument, you
professor’s comment and say, “No.
thesis would be
school and
professor.
Religious
or
As
you want to say anyway.
to
Fulbright Scholarship. Eventually,
a
a
you’re saying
to use his
Oxford, where he’d like
wants to go to
as
You
are more
philosophical disagreement.
a
I disagree with you,” and go
Israel; Joel:
to hear about acceptance
Brian’s topic:
the
or
of
reject
Brian: Wants to go to
plans:
most seniors undertake some form
We asked ten seniors to talk about
long
team
Joel: VJU and varsity swim
become
last year at Vassar.
philosophy thesis.
a
community
vary from department to department,
independent research during their
with the comments and accept
them.
reject
Activities: Brian: Vassar Jewish Union
Yeshiva in New York
Although requirements
or
religion; Joel: philosophy and
an
this kind of work in discussion with
correlate
interesting
thesis you have to
a
mathematics
Post-Vassar
to be able to share
a
paper after it’s
a
professor’s commentsand
comment.” But with
actually deal
Majors: Brian: philosophy with
projects.
“But,” she continues, “it’s
empowering thing
City
and Tucson, Arizona,
respectively
in
says about the camaraderie that
Kappa
you see the
enough to
actually not good.
when you get
Usually,
“Misery
good skills,
faith and know that you have
CAMPUS
student
pass.”
History department intern,
fellow,
member of
Hunger Action,
senior interviewer for the admission
J: Definitely! Your feeling dwindles to, “I just
want to
get it done.” So
satisfaction
what
with it
personal
your own
changes—the
level of
office, rugby
Scholarship
Post-Vassar
member, and Rhodes
team
semi-finalist
plans:
Summer
oral histories with
Joel Friedman (I) and
Brian Sokol: “Do your
thesis!”
B: I’ve been complaining about my thesis a
lot and saying it’s not going to be any good.
Everyone
job working
with the National Park Service
you’ll accept.
else
‘Well, you’ve always
says,
done good stuff all
your life,
why should this
waiting
collecting
anthropologists, and
to hear from
graduate
schools
Topic: Differing European perspectives
of
the Native American Mandan tribe, which
went extinct from
smallpox in
1837
be any different?” But I’ve read it! I know
what’s in it! So it’s
able,
4
VQ SUMMER 1993
on
the
one
a
cross
hand,
between
to maintain
being
personal
For her
required senior thesis
“The Last
Ms. App wrote
ofthe Mandans: Two Perspectives of
a
Dying Race,”
comparison of the journals
a
and paintings
of George Gatlin and Prince
Maximilian—two
nineteenth-century explor-
who headed west withina year of each other
ers
and
stayed
with the Mandan tribe. Her aim
to concentrate not only on what these men
was
discovered about the Mandans but
values of their
cultures
own
were
on
how the
revealed in
their work.
I was
telling
my thesis adviser that it’s almost like
[Thesis writing] is
giving
birth. I consider
expert
personal.
so
myself
know who the historians
intimately,
thing,”
was
before,
to
are
journals
think “I know I read
some-
only what
on, but who said it—is
page it
amazing.
problem researching. Being
no
able to sit down and
coherently write a story
out ofwhat I had found was the difficult
I had
than I have
I think that
you
information about the
more
an
who have writ-
to know these
and remember not
I have
bit of
a
what I’ve written about. To
now on
ten about it
be
to
ever
had
once
you
develop
a
material you
on
any
part.
subject
subject before.
begin to read
very cut and dried.
model.
happens, then this
the
much,
progress to
deep understanding
of the
they
working with,
and it’s al-
it.
don’t
happens,
higher levels,
really
know
“This
They said,
and this is how
works.” As you
economy
so
showed you the
They
They graphed
study
how the economy
works. It’s
people
without forgetting that
knowl-
are
edge of
made
it. I would write a section that to
perfect
a
me
talking
about?”
personal struggle.
tribe with the
extinct and
I
people
knowledge
did go
they
frustrated with the
writing
about—their very
That anger can’t
viewpoints.
infiltrate your
that
very
was
was
Eurocentric
I was writing about the
writing, and
for
me
that
was a
are an
same
up with
different results. I haven’t really settled
and
particular theory,
enough
ning
one
to set my own
some
variable
matter ofwriting some
out some
theory.
I’m
another. For
upon
on a
I’m not advanced
just run-
to find indications of
regressions
it’s
me
a
equations, sketching
theory, talking
it down to
just to get
about the data I’ve
a
Series of Small Papers?
number,
one
way I look at it is that a
a
they all have
statistics, but they all come
used, and showing the results. Ittakes hours
personal struggle.
Just
Budget
important example of that.
You read all these papers and
the
to be able to write without bias was
that well understood.
simplynot
deficits
sense, but my adviser would
say, ‘What are you
Also,
no
writing.
realize that
you
most hard to communicate it to other
they have
let your angerinfiltrate
your
and
just a lot of different theories and
some things have relevance, but other things
are
Jennifer App: You can’t
big paper is
series of smaller papers strung
but the
basically
together.
You have to do it in steps.
Robert Gegenwarth:
Robert
From
Running regressions
Gegenwarth
New York
Wappingers Falls,
Frustration
Major: Economics
Aside, It’s Fun
Activities: Research assistant for the
economics
department,
Economics
Majors
Sue Ann Chui
Committee member, vice president of his
From Queens, New York
juniorclass
Major: Art
Post-Vassar
economic
or
plans: Hopes
to get a
job in
Activities: Cross-country,
consulting, business, banking,
finance
Topic: Budget
water
polo,
junior year
deficits and interest rates
Are
budget deficits and
tal to the
interest rates detrimen-
economy? Ifso, how
are
the
his
optional senior project.
questions
It took
time to
Mr.
and
why? These
Gegenwarth
tackled in
Hoping to get
an
then
an
art conservation
graduate
school for art
conservation
Topic:
Botticelli’s
drawings for
Dante’s
really pinpoint something
When the VQ spoke
required senior project in February, she
I
the topic because of the election
the fact that it is
a
big
me.
issue in this
country.
the throes of
Introductory
began studying
classes
were
eco-
always
to Ms.
“getting
drawings well,”
argument.
I remember when I
nomics.
with
interesting question for
was an
and
laboratory;
Alliance,
Italy
Inferno
that I felt
picked
in
Post-Vassar plans:
internship
coed inner-tube
Asian Students’
to
Chui about her
know
was
each
of
but had not yet selected
She did say, however, that it
“probably going to
be about the
in
the
an
was
relationship
between literature and the visual arts.
”
Ms.
5
CAMPUS
NOTEBOOK
Chui balanced
working
on
five-unit
a
initial impressions of
parison
load while
course
her project and reflected
to the
writing a
on
thesis in
her
drawn to Vassar
was
largely because
notes that the program has the
com-
it.
reality of actually doing
Ms. Zell
of the appeal of its independent program. She
requiring
reputation of
“too much work,” but thatfor her, the
effort has been worthwhile. Writing her required
When I was
who
was
freshman, there
a
not allowed to
senior
graduate because of
and that still sticks in my mind!
his thesis,
When I’m in a
“Oh no! I’m
really pessimistic mood,
in the process of
gear.” Now
doing it I’m not
as
I thought I would be. There’s
getting all stressed
that I wish I had
I say,
out. The
that I’m
stressed
no
point in
is
only thing
time. I want to do
more
a
really good job.
is
that draws
among
trying
to find
[about
doing
a
way to talk
a new
to illustrate
opportunity
was an
the power of the
majorshe
particularly
designed—a major
the connections
on
and theater.
religion, anthropology,
In her thesis, Ms. Zell asserts specifically
that
connection between ritual and the-
one
ater is the way
are
as
they both seek
questioning them by
habits and theater
ing them to
are
define who we
to
humans—ritual reinforcing cultural
“Because
us.
know the rituals
The most difficult part
project]
senior thesis
wind up like so-and-so
going to
if I don’t get my butt into
as
was a
well,” she explained,
so
immediatelybrought into
production].”
She
show-
[the audience]
we
explores
“we
it [the theatrical
her
in both
theory
classical and contemporary theater, examinused the cult of Dionysus to
ing how Euripides
create The
Bacchae, and how Sam Shepard
and Joseph Chaikin
als in their
My thesis
modern
use
play Savage
courting ritu-
Love.
evolved with my idea of the
major,
and it’s lived up to my expectation of
something exciting.
The thesis is
being
really
the
only time you get to bring together all of the
things that you are studying. It’s not until I
actually writing
was
that I
began to underreally meant.
stand what the connections
I’ve looked forward to [the thesis] interms
of it being a real culmination [of my studies],
but it’s very intimidating—especially because
I’m
working
ship,
with
“Who
thought,
that
about my topic. It’s not
Wishing she had
needs to be revealed for the first time. When
adviser,
I
accepted
more
time
actually
have
a
find my
thesis—right
subject—l
satisfied with
They’ll
to
I’m
so
for
on
a
night
finally,”
envious of you.” I’m
just hit me
just
be
while.
I’m
discipline and
and put it all
am
I to
this out of
together?
How
will I be able to do it?” But with the help of my
I have been able to do it. I’ve been
to do this kind of unusual track at
Vassar, and this [the thesis] is how I will
repay and almost prove to
myself
that I’m
doing something of worth.
like it has hit some ofmy
say, “Last
my thesis argument,
“Oh,
I
now
away that I haven’t
personally
hoping it will hit me
friends.
topic that
think I’m going to
myself in
been satisfied
obscure
discipline
Sue Ann Chui:
I’ve often
I to do this? Who
am
take this out of this
an
lot of classical scholar-
a
which is very conservative.
I thought of
and
I’ll say,
waiting for
the head. When is it
it
The
Challenge
of
Objectivity
going
to do that?
Scot Fisher
Frustration aside, Ithink it’s
far. Inferno is very visual. It’s
a lot
of fun
an adventure
so
From New
to
Major: International Studies
go to hell.
Haven,
Activities: Crew,
Post-Vassar
or
in
junior year
plans:
public policy
Connecticut
Work for
a
Argentina
few years in
international economics;
then, graduate studies
Who Am I to Do This?
Topic: Socioeconomic conditions of Chile’s
lower classes during the Pinochet
era
Allison Zell
Mr.
From Montreal, Canada
Major: Independent,
“Sacred and Secular
his
Performance”
Activities: Acting,
began
In
interested in
Plans
a move
to New York
Connections between ritual and
Topic:
it’s worth doing
theater
develop ideas,for
his
junioryear.
Post-Vassar plans: Waiting to hear about
directing.
to
directing.
acceptance into graduate programs in
Allison Zell: Proving
VQ
SUMMER 1993
6
Fisher
required senior thesis while studying abroad
City.
a
general sense,
later
a
my
study
abroad got
number of issues that
incorporated
into my
thesis,
me
were
such
as
government reform and economics. I kind
of knew what information I would find
going
into my research. I knew that
had been
marginalized
Pinochet’s reforms. It’s
a
a lot
and
very
objectively
as
out
of
politically and
ideologicallycharged issue, but
look at it
of people
left
I wanted to
I could. I didn’t
as
want to enter into the process of writing my
thesis with any
his
preconceived notions
about
politics.
I think it was
a
little easier to be
because I was focusing
on
objective
economic issues.
While I didn’t want to condone the negative
social and
issues of the Pinochet
political
regime, which in many
ways was brutal and
authoritarian, I wanted to look at some ofthe
things
he did
growth
accomplish, economically
with
speaking,
Some
objectivity.
that Chile is experiencing
of the
now can
be attributed to Pinochet’s reforms.
In
the most
hindsight,
writing
a
thesis,
undertake such
of
nitely proud
was
task.
large
a
percent mine from
of
important part
for me, is that I
It
able to
100
was
start to finish. I’m
myself for
that
defi-
accomplish-
used twenty times
don’t want to
in this paper. I
how
my
a
I don’t
necessarily
verb is used. I’ll write
readers will go
over
Second
a
Language
it and look at it and
an
colloquial expression. They don’t
Spain,
Amy
Latin
or
America,
or
I realized that I knew
From Huntington, New York
wherever.”
was
a
lot of the stuff that I
writing about. Iknew more than I thought
Major: Hispanic Studies
I would
Activities:
psyched and really into doingit, and
Studies
Hispanic
Majors
minute
Committee; co-coordinator of the volunteer program on campus;
Second Language;
tutor, English
junior year in
Post-Vassar plans: Moving to
in the
Washington,
hope
administrative work
events.
of
there
Hispanic organization
special
English
say this in
Once I actually started to do the research
Harris
Phi Beta Kappa
a
know
something, and
say, “You can’t write this. This is
Writing in
on
as
Spain
ing
or
know,
you’re
but
kind of
working with
a
the next
“Is this gosense
I think I’ll remember sit-
ting in the library most. I need to
other
cultural and
thinking,
garbage?”
spread everything
doing
you’re really
to work out? Does this make any
is this
Looking back,
Seattle,
minute
one
out
people spread
and to
see
sort of
all the
out all over the
place
with note cards. It’s kind of reassuring!
Eventually, graduate
school
Amy Harris: “Does
make
Topic: Contemporary Spanish poet
Frederico Garda Lorca’s
Gypsy
is Ms. Harris’s senior thesis
only
Spanish poet,
became
Frederico
in
She
contemporary
Garcia Lorca
while
Spain duringher junioryear.
poet
studying
in
She decided that
From
HopewellJunction,
Activities:
Exploring
department’s optional senior thesis so
campus
she could
his work. In Ms. Harris’s
Transfer counselor
Poughkeepsie High School,
patrol, participated
production for
Kwanza and
view, Lorca exemplifies new Spain. She found
improvisational dance
it
Post-Vassar
extremely interesting to compare
ballads of the
his work to
1400 s and notes that he’s kept the
basic ballad form but
interpreted and updated
that form to suit his
own
“I’d rather [write
just sit in
a
class
a
artistic expression.
thesis about Lorca] than
again,”she
plans:
accepted
in
a
an
group on campus
Short-term
research assistant and
position
hoping to
wants to
as a
be
to the Institute for the
Recruitment of Teachers program in
degree
says.
New York
Major: English
’9l, tutor at
study
Exhilarating
Diane Macklin
upon her return to Vassar she would elect her
continue to
this
sense?”
on a
it is written in Spanish.
interested
any
Ballads
The Hard Work Is
Not
Scot Fisher: On guard
against preconceptions
hard to think of another verb. Even if I look
in the thesaurus,
ment.
already
this verb again, but it’s
use
eventually pursue
in
an
July;
advanced
elementary education
Topic: Toni Morrison’s Beloved
I wanted to be
the
more
opportunity to
discover
things
independent and
research
on
my
on
own
my
have
own
and
rather than be-
After reading Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Ms.
Macklin felt compelled to write about the pains-
ing taught by a professor. The problem that
taking
I have is that I don’t have
tity in
in
Spanish
as
times when I’ll
as
big a vocabulary
I do in English.
use
a
There
are
verb that I know I’ve
ing
reconstruction
of black
women’s iden-
post-slaveryAmerica. “Morrison is deal-
with the formation
enabled these
women
of
a
sisterhood that
to survive the scars
of
7
Post-Vassar plans: Graduate school
CAMPUS
slavery, ’’she
NOTEBOOK
Morrison has fictionalwoman, and although
to a career in
ized it, I consider this work to be
professorship
historical
a
struggle with
work hard
leading
biology research/
Topic: Vertebral columns in guppies
my
sometimes. It’s
on
and I try
writing,
and that I
thesis adviser
so
hard
somethingthat I’m willing to
said
once
which is
really like,
important when writing
so
real
on a
”
narrative.
I
said. “The story is based
a
thesis.
My
like
me, “It’s
to
Mr.
Godfredson
spent
laboratory for his
lot of time in
a
the
optional senior research
project. He compared the anterior and posterior joints
“trying
of guppies, basically,
he puts it,
as
to correlate ultra-structure with gross
anatomy and the effects ofbiomechanicalproperties
One
swimming performance.
on
challenge [of doing
is that it’s
project]
research
I’ve done
always been
guided,much more
more
senior research
a
independent.
but it’s
before,
”
much
scheduled. So this
is sort of “find-time-when-you-have-the-time.”
That’s
definitely
a
challenge for
ing self-discipline.
me —learn-
I tend to do
last
things
minute, and this is the kind of thing that
can’t do last minute. The real
absolutely
challenge
goals
for
is
me
adapting
to
far-away
to short-term ones.
opposed
as
you
One thing I’ve noticed is that with classes,
if I mess up it’s my
responsibility—/messed
up. But with this I feel like I have more of a
responsibility to my adviser
getting
the
to
a
instead of
justto
good grade for myself. It’s livingup
professor’s
standards—not
just
my
own.
“When I
being
with
it’s coming with me.”
you’re
not
Diane Maclclin:
go,
right.
was
a
lover —having
really
into it,
love affair. If
do it?” And she
I wish I didn’t have to do
else—that I could
Ireally,
a
why
just do
really love
anything
my thesis, because
what I’m
doing. This isn’t
something that is just interesting. This is
meaningful
to
It
slavery
is
brought
don’t
really
want to talk about it.
happened and
that’s
painful,
people
we are so
take
know that you
research. So the
sooner
I can get
experience, the better. It will help
graduate school,
into
though
get
me
and it’s necessary for
departmental honors. Also, it’s just
some-
I wanted to do. I wanted to be self-
directed and have this experience before I
get thrown into graduate school.
though
pain, especially when
are a
happy
so
going into
even
I’m interested in
far removed from it. How do you
away that
I’m
even
project,
optional, partly because
thing
me.
Even now, whenever
up,
I wanted to do this
it’s
product
you
of it?
that the thesis is
pass/fail,
LIBNET at the
Library,
and Other
Electronic Information Services
because I don’t want this institution to tell
what
me
“quality”
“meaningful” it
thing
one
I’m
a
grade.
is and
That’s
how
some-
I should determine. I don’t think any-
else has the
heart
my thesis
is with
right to
do that. This is
speaking. I’m treading
kicking the
on new
my
ground!
whole earth over! When I go,
it’s coming with me. This is
something I will
When last the
(Summer, 1990), the
been
replaced
Changes have
continued apace since
today,
students and
lege
have
broad range of
ing
I
I’m scared because I feel like
might
some-
write a book!
a
Read
ence room
through
information
Phi Beta
Bom in
through
raised in
Kenya
and
line
short for
to Vassar’s
Internet,
Kappa
England,
an
which users
world. Students and
last-minute work
Choir,
Festival Choir
users
catalogue
can use
library catalogues, and
resources
College Choir, Gospel
available
library network,
on-line
Brookline, Massachusetts
Activities: Vassar
Disk
of campus-
outside computer
Major: Biology
Niels Godfredson: No more
a menu
resources
of options that allows its
access
Niels Godfredson
includ-
(Compact
its VAX mainframe computer.
LIBNET,
menu
research,
stations in the refer-
and LIBNET,
sponsored
Finding the Self-Discipline
complements to
selection of CD-ROM
Only Memory)
then,
at the col-
faculty
I would be
writingsomething this large and,
library
catalogue had just
their traditional modes of
day
VQ SUMMER 1993
card
elec-
new
at the
with an electronic equivalent.
and
a
on
technology
have with me all my life. I never thought that
actually,
8
VQ reported
tronic information
across
to
is
a
gain
and to
network
databases,
on-
other electronic
the United States and the
faculty
can access
this
program from any computer that is hooked
the Vassar network—from dorm rooms
up to
and
offices
faculty
as
well
as
from computer
clusters in the dorms, academic
and the
buildings,
At CD-ROM stations in the
library,
Biosis
as
infor-
(biological
abstracts), Ethnic Newswatch, MLA (ModAssociation), and PsychLit
Language
(psychologicalabstracts), provide annotated
bibliographiesof journalarticles,
books, book
chapters, government documents,
disserta-
tions, microfiche, and publications of ethnic
published
presses
within the last ten to
twenty years. Users simply plug in the
propriate key-word
ject, author,
of
or
ap-
athlete-successful
has
(if selected)
with annotation.
resources
In many cases, these
prints
out a
played
from
ing
experience, Mr.
on
day one,
a
and off the court. He
on
the men’s varsity
squash team
while at the
time, pursu-
same
very successful academic
March, Mr. Ahmad learned he
career.
was
two Yassar students to be selected
one
as
In
of
Tho-
J. Watson Fellows for 1993; this presti-
mas
gious fellowship provides funding to
students to pursue
study
words for their sub-
title, and the computer
or
searches for and
compilation
’93
From the start of his Yassar
Ahmad has been the consummate student
library.
mation services such
em
Kareem Ahmad
abroad
independent
enable
travel and
following graduation.
Mr. Ahmad’s academic interests in his-
tory, with
He took
emphasis in
an
led him to
spend
his
Russian
part in the American
history,
in Russia.
junior year
Collegiate
have
technologies
increased the number of resources students
using—and the
are
workload for the refer-
librarians. One
ence
ographies
is
Faculty and
product of larger bibli-
longer inter-library loan
a
students have
list.
always borrowed
books and other printed materials from other
libraries, but since the establishment of the
CD-ROM stations,
an even
use
They expect
ians say.
has
increased, librar-
LIBNET will result in
greater impact.
Student Athletes; Two Stories of
Success On and Off the Court
Days after arrivingat Yassar, Mishka Zaman
’93 and Kareem Ahmad ’93 met at the
courts. The two freshman bonded
Not
only
had
interest in
but
squash
instantly.
discovered their mutual
they
playing intercollegiate squash,
they realized at the
would have to
same
time that
adapt to the unique
they
American
Consortium
change,
for
East-West
collection of
a
Mr. Ahmad, raised in Pakistan and
of the Watson
or
ball, squash experience to Yassar;
neither
had
with
played
stepped foot
The
squash
idiosyncrasies
freshman and
second
played
junior year,
she studied
her.
(see related story)
Throughout the ’92/93
exchanged the top spot in
hard-fought
was
year,
biweekly,
For his part, Mr. Ahmad, who also studied
abroad
on
his
junioryear—in
years
on
becomes clear that for both, sport and
demics
are
intertwined. In fact, both
aca-
squash
players assert emphatically that theirYassar
experience
would have been
Like
niques
incomplete
without the athletics component.
study habits,
he
plans to
a
return
ing
the
thoughts
scholarships
while complementing
their academic
play
very
on
careers
competitive
the squash court.
so success-
coping
tech-
personal.
on
won
for post-graduate study
with
student is able to
tend to be somewhat
Ahmad relates his
Mr.
the balanc-
act:
“It’s been
boarding
to be
for me because at my
easy
school in India we were expected
playing
3:00 and
some
kind of sport between
6:00 in the evenings. In fact
we
weren’t allowed to be indoors at that time. I
got used
nings
to the
practice
it fit in
so
“Squash
time
spending
other
we are
a
eve-
studying.
nicely.
the
option
things. Also,
in season, my
than when
provides
my
at the same time here at
removes
doing
ally better
It
idea of
doing something apart from
Yassar,
when
campus.
As the two recall their Yassar careers, it
Fellowship,
balance athletics and academics
fully.
Russia—played
the varsity men’s team each of his three
Now, with the support
Some may wonder how
We have
ladder matches.
Mishka Zaman: Both
an
to Russia and further his studies.
the team and
when she returned to Yassar,
London;
the two
Zaman
as a
team All-American honors
Shireen Kaufman ’95
waiting for
either student;
position on
both years. During
in
of North American
impede
one
nor
American court.
sophomore,Ms.
at the number
earned
hard American ball
a
on a narrow
did not
soft-
Kareem Ahmad and
have
version of the game. Both Ms. Zaman and
respectively, brought international,
that
each sends two students to Russia for
entire academic year.
India,
Cultural Ex-
sixty colleges
wasting
I find that
grades
we are
really good
of
are usu-
out of season.
balance and it’s
a
good change from studying.”
In view of his
success
at
ironic when Mr. Ahmad
squash,
it
explains
seems
that he
first started the game at age twelve because
9
climate. “I wanted to
CAMPUS
of his
NOTEBOOK
tennis first, but it was
country’s
play during the
play
“It
virtually impossible to
cally,
summer
vacations in Ohman
playing squash
due to the heat. So I started
because it was indoors.”
in
“The
more
about-mental
that sort of
think
It’s
thing.
sport has
whether
they pick
playing
further
you want it to be.”
sport is all
been
ever
exposed
been indifferent to it,
can
racquet and
start
make it whatever
plans
from
University
one
to
“But those
come.
a
totalitarian system to
freedom. He says he will look
only woman
cally
little
are
make friends
easily,
my side
on
wasn’t
as
In fact, I
who
played
South Asian
versity
specifically at
African
lot, and I
everybody was basi-
so
me
to do well. It
saying,
was
At Vassar, Ms. Zaman
personal
we over-
me a
What’s this
”
political science,
democratic
that
things
wanting
if anyone
of
a
by examining perceptions
was
male-
to see any women
My coach encouraged
girl doing here?’
the transition of its society
study
so
there.
I don’t
just amazing.
that
squash complex.
may have been the
When Mr. Ahmad returns to Russia he
Russia; Ms.
of London’s
hardly used
my
a
out all the
sport that was
a
practicing at
more
me
only part
dominated. I
up a
not. You
hard was to go into
Since
to do whatever I
encouraged me
you
what
has
ever
Mr. Ahmadplans
or
the
agilityand physical ability and
anybody who
to the
a
it embodies
perfectly
to the
my mother
game it is and how
play
you
just how good
do
family,
something.
way, it wasn’t hard. The
asm:
Zaman will return
sort of resistance from the
wanted, and my father helped
realize
study in
some
best game in the world.”
manner, Mr. Ahmad can’t hide his enthusi-
graduation,
face
the game, he answers, “Because it is the
Usually reserved
Basi-
a woman can
whatever she wants in Pakistan. But if you
then it’s hard to pursue
Now, when asked why he continues with
After
wasn’t hard.
[playing squash]
if your family is for it,
with
pursued
major in
a
concentration in
a
She attended the Uni-
politics.
of London’s School of Oriental and
Studies
during
her
junior year.ln
School of
the system for the distribution of consumer
April, she learned that she had been awarded
Oriental and
goods, the educational system,
the
African Studies.
place. With much
says, “It’s a
are so
time to be
good
history because
and the work-
excitement in his voice he
so
much is
possibilities. There
many
the
studying
There
going on.
is
so
much
work to be done.”
the
to
ing squash
longed
Her
Sind Club in
when her brothers
complex’s squash
began play-
started
and
to
the
go
to
courts instead of the swim-
ming pool, she joined them. At first she
a
be-
family
Pakistan,
was
spectator. Then she decided that she would
learn the sport. She
explains the
progres-
sion:
good
at it.
grew from there.”
squash
my
Sensing her potential
greatness and her
enthusiasm,
father became interested in her
it
for
her
playing.
He
become the
Pakistani
champion.
really
the fellow who coaches
Vassar,
though
at
intercollegiate
I didn’t
tion.” Nonetheless, her performance at the
1993 U.S. Women’s
Intercollegiate Squash
Racquets Association singles championship,
with her perfect
ting to
season’s
did seal her 1992/93 first team Allrelated
(see
story).
“Get-
the quarterfinals is the best I’ve
done at
nationals,”
ever
she continues. “I didn’t
do this well the first two years because I
wasn’t used to the game. The fitness aspect
as
was some
competi-
well. It pushes you on.”
How does Ms. Zaman find the time to be
serious about squash,”
Ms. Zaman continues. “I got
at
championship]
tion this time at home
“Then I got
coaching from
the Pakistan Na-
successful with academics and to be
ber
one
says, is
in competitive
squash? The
good planning.
num-
she
key,
“Once I get all my
tional team.” At ages sixteen and seventeen,
class
she went to
play
I look at the dates the papers, exams, and
circuit in
the Far
on
the international softball
East—with
Singapore, Hong Kong,
and
in
stops
Malaysia.
She
didn’t have much success, but she values
the experience because all the top
the world
were
there to
disadvantage
owing
to her
refutes the
was
societal resistance to
misconception
presentations
class assignment
are
due and make
post it right there in front of me,
me, and then I work around that.
squash stimulates
You have to have
me so
for
a woman
refreshes
sternly
that all female
meets with
me.
I get
got
nothing to
staring at
. .In fact,
study
a
day.
which sort of
squash does
kick out of it that it
but
mentally you are alert. You’ve
just
to be very
You
list and
might be bodily tired,
me.
otherwise
a
a
six hours
something
such
schedule,
that I want to
study
freshens you up and that’s what
not ham-
in Pakistan. She
sport participation in Pakistan
opposition:
a
in international competition
participating in sport
syllabi and
afterward. You can’t
have been at
youthfulness, she
pered by any
players in
play.
While Ms. Zaman
may
VQ SUMMER 1993
women’s individual
which she
to
or an
make it to the semi-finals. It’s some consola-
is there now, and there
won
to Pa-
really pleased
even
1993
[the
encouraged her to play in the Pakistan Open,
women’s national
10
this tournament
American status
to
career
am
about is to go out at No. 1,
I started
playing equal
squash
Ms. Zaman says: ‘What I
record,
beatingthem. Basically,
to
graduate
pursue
agency.
playing and then started getting
brothers and then
to
eventually going back
in combination
“I started
for
support
work for the government
to
In terms of her
twelve.
at age
to the
center
studies before
international
Like Mr. Ahmad, Mishka Zaman
Fellowship
provided by the fellowship, she plans
return
kistan
Mishka Zaman ’93
C. Peabody
Margaret
International Relations. With the
organized. That’s
all. There’s
it.”
Susan
Colodny
Women Break Steal Record
Racquet Association singles championship,
The Vassar women’s basketball team culmi-
before
nated the
from Harvard.
Mr. Easdon advanced to the round of eight
1992/93
place finish
in the Hudson
Athletic Conference
record in
a
second-
a
Valley
Women’s
Championship,
league play,
overall. The Brewers’
led to
with
season
and
a
7-2
12-10 record
a
fast-paced style of play
team record in steals for the season
with 309. Senior captain
set the school
career
Wendy Raney
’93
marks in steals (174)
losing to
the tournament’s No. 1 seed
Ms. Zaman, who has two
team
All-American
previous second
honors, completed
undefeated dual match season,
1 and No. 2 positions
No.
on
sharing
the women’s
team with Ms. Kaufman. Seeded in the
the native of Karachi,
eight,
her way to the round of
Pakistan,
eight
United States
the second freshman in Vassar
Squash Racquets Association singles
score
300
points
in her first
history
to
season.
top
won
at the 1993
and assists (227). Kirsten Vogt ’96 became
Women’s
an
the
Intercollegiate
She
finals
Harvard’s Jordanna Fraiberg, the
by
was
knocked
cham-
pionship.
out in the semi-
No. 4 seed.
Fencing
Ms.
Kaufman
captured
her second
All-
American honor in as many
The sophoyears.
Walker Field House was filled withthe sounds
more
of metal against metal when Vassar staged
once
the
season—a
65th annual
National
Women’s Fencing
the
ships,
Intercollegiate
Association
Championwomen’s
longest-running
intercollegiate championshipin
the sixteen-team tournament,
any sport. In
Shady Cosgrove
from
New York, lost only
play during the 1992/93
Brooklyn,
in dual match
Marshall’s
close contest with Franklin &
Margo
her
national
intercollegiate cham-
runner-up. Ms. Kaufman lived up
pionship
to
the
Green,
women’s amateur and
No. 3
seed
in the women’s
1993
’96, whom head fencing coach Christina
intercollegiate singles championship.
Christidi described
finished thirdin the tournament after
and
as
showing “real potential
dedication,” finished
event. Saskia Van
to Ms.
second in the epee
Bergen ’96, who according
Christidi, “is
a
foilist who
certainly has
final loss to the eventual
Vanya Desai,
tory
over
and
a
Harvard’s
She
a semi-
champion, Harvard’s
third-place playoff
vic-
Fraiberg.
the build and temperament for
epee,” missed
going to the finals in the individual epee event
by just
one
indicator. Ms.
for the NCAA
The Vassar men’s
record, with
fencing
team showed
11-10 finish this
a
team finished
eighth
at the Mid-Atlantic
a
very
season.
with the sabre
respectable
third.
Aaron Grossman ’93 and Peter
COL DNY
squad
Foilists
SUSAN
Epstein ’96,
finalists in their event,
were
for the NCAA
The
out of fourteen teams
Collegiate Fencing Asso-
ciation Tournament,
who
Rugby
improvement over last year’s 5-15
enormous
placing
Cosgrove qualified
Regional Championships.
PHOT S:
qualified
Regional Championships.
Squash Players
Make
All-American Team
The United States Women’s
Intercollegiate
Squash Racquets Association named
Kaufman ’95 and
related
story)
Shireen
Mishka Zaman ’93
first team
Left
(see
Travis Frick ’95
All-Americans, giv-
ing Vassar its first-ever All-American tan-
Above
dem in
Marco Carrion ’96 (c) and
a
single sport
Easdon ’93
was
in the
same
recognized as
All-American by the National
Squash Racquets
a
year. Josh
Intercollegiate
Association
ranking
com-
mittee. For the 1992/93 season, the Vassar
College
were
men’s and women’s
ranked
number
nationally at
11, respectively.
squash
teams
number 13 and
lar
Brooklyn, New York,
season
with
a
finished the regu-
nine-match winning streak
and earned second team All-American status for the fourth consecutive
1993 men’s National
As of mid-April, the men’s rugby A team had
a
record of 8-3-1 and had outscored their
opponents 235 points to just 61. The B team’s
record
was
the
year. In
Intercollegiate Squash
6-3-2. The women’s team, which
its territorial
changed
Mr. Easdon, the captain of the men’s team
from
MichaelKleiner ’93
second team
membership
Met New York Union to the
tive
New
England
overall record
coached
by
Union last
of 3-5-1.
Dennis
Both
from
competi-
more
fall,
had
teams
an
are
Chanmugam ’B5.
Sports by
Susan
Colodny
Sports Information Director
11
In Victorian Studies 280.51
PORTER
CHIP
The
Life
and Times
of
Sherlock
Holmes
track Holmes to understand the Victorians.
They
Bom
has
as an
never
adult in 1887, Sherlock Holmes
died. He has survived countless
and
renderings by illustrators, writers,
tors;
he
acquired
adolescence
an
and
movie
Young Sherlock Holmes
partner—Sigmund Freud—in
ac-
in the
a
The
new
Seven
Yard, the Rosenblatts maintain that he
some
century English law and morality.
the
“Through
wrote
about,”
dents and
says
we
Mr. Rosenblatt, “the stulearn
can
more
Percent Solution. And he has avid twentieth-
justice system
day, the
the latest actor to recreate the
the cultural and social life. You
“Mystery”
arranged
series
on
PBS,
detective,
for
many viewers
their social schedules around its
showtime.
Holmes,
one
of the first detec-
tives in fiction, continues his
grip
on
the
thread of
an
Dr. Julia
about the
politics
of the
military issues that were extant, and
great flavor of what life
was
really get
a
Holmes and Watson represent, says Mrs.
Rosenblatt, what might be thought of
Victorian middle class.
They
possibly
be
the
unifying
academic course?
Rosenblatt,
former Vassar pro-
feared,
and valued.
Doyle’s
described
in
as
the
portrayed
as
beautiful and
are, in a sense,
stories, she
con-
Mr. Rosenblatt.
notes
demure, “ladylike,” cloaked
elegant, and frequently
helpless and
was
as a
he, perhaps, merely representative
of his culture? Or, in
some
respects,
the status of
in the nineteenth
women
tury in order
to
understand
would express certain attitudes that
character studies of
strange to
us
duced legal issues
women
in
Though
Holmes’s attitudes toward
program
in Victorian Studies
she says,
terizations,
reflect and reveal
Doyle’s biases and in turn those of the soci-
that yes, he could. This past semester the
ety in which he—and Holmes and Watson
two Holmes aficionados offered
traveled.
through that
program “The Life and Times of Sherlock
not
Holmes” —a
ing
specially developed
used the stories
as
by
course
Sir Arthur Conan
that
Doyle
unique windows through which to examhistory, politics, colonialism, law,
ine the
and
gender
issues of the Victorian
period.
Twenty-three students enrolled.
Although
at
Holmes was, in his
least, rather more eccentric
and bohemian
than the official police detectives of Scotland
12 VQ SUMMER 1993
just as
an
person
himself is worth
author,
of
his
but
as a
time,”
studying,
very fascinatnotes
Mrs.
Rosenblatt.
“He
was a
great and
loyal subject
says.
“Very
tional, obviouslylaw abidingand
had,
I think he
some
of course,
a
personality
traditional.
love of England. But
enjoyed, and
of his stories,
of the
conven-
he gave it away in
the wild, free,
bold
that he associated with Ameri-
Doyle
nevertheless
sympatheticto problemsthat stemmed
from women’s subordinate status in
They
men
note that Holmes
in their
society.
often worked
were
and
lives,
Doyle championed
vorce
women
patronizing, the Rosenblatts
may
argue that Holmes and
were
the status of
nineteenth century.
behalf ofwomen who
Crown,” Mr. Rosenblatt
So he
personality
“Doyle
—
involving
the late
have been
seem
Mr. Rosenblatt intro-
now.
servants, and the criminals. Those charac-
Vassar’s
cen-
Holmes
why
gentry, the military, the working class, the
to
even
ahead of his time? She had students look at
Albert Rosenblatt,
Supreme Court Appellate Division, proposed
mi-
Rosenblatt asks, Was he?
fessor ofpsychology, andher husband, Judge
of the New York State
some-
withdrawn.
tinues, provide interesting descriptions and
peoplewho typified the
In
bedecked with flowers, often
Holmes has often been branded
Or
are
contrast, their English counterparts
long gowns,
what
example,
wild, independent, and spirited
stallions,”
sharp
are
as
sogynist, but Mrs.
like.”
reporters ofwhatthe British bourgeoisloved,
popular imagination.
But could he
in England, the
cans.” American women, for
“like
stories, and what Doyle
century fans: when Jeremy Brett became
the
in
was
the embodiment of nineteenth-
ways
victimized
they point
on
by the
out that
reform of Britain’s di-
laws.
The Rosenblatts
show,
too, how the spec-
ter of real British colonialism permeates the
Holmesian fiction. “You’ve been in
stan, I perceive,” Holmes
says to
Afghani-
Watson,
a
This
course
the life and
explores
times of Arthur Conan
Doyle’s
fictional character, Sherlock
Holmes. Students
complete
Holmes
the
study
in the
canon
context of Victorian and Edwardian
manners,
moral
politics, laws,
codes, literary trends, and social
structures.
in
popular literature.
introduced
Doyle
‘When Arthur Conan
Sherlock
detective in fiction was
Holmes,
Mr. Rosenblatt. “And detection
profession
as
a
police
newly evolving.”
was
The students’ text,
Shakespeare for
content and
the
just emerging,”notes
veritable Riverside
a
the Holmsian buff both in
is The Annotated Sherlock
size,
Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle (edited,
with
introduction, notes,
an
phy by William
S.
and
bibliogra-
Baring-Gould). Inaddition
to the stories and other
provided by Judge and
assigned readings
Mrs.
Rosenblatt,
midterm exam, final exam, several
a
Sherlock Holmes
as
conceived
by
illustrator
Sidney Paget
term paper, and class
military doctor, whenfirst they meet.
fathers
or
stepfathers trying
to take
away a
something
daughter’s inheritance, for example. We also
Rosenblatt. “As
doing in Afghanistan? Very much what
encounter crimes of the heart and crimes of
relation to his
troops
doing today
are
in the world.”
Ultimately, the Rosenblatts
see
Doyle
understandable
as a
retaliation and
moralist and believe that the variety of crimi-
distinguish between
nal activities in the Holmes
ing, to
Doyle’s
canon
moral values. “When evil is
reflect
on
the
ing
offer
Milverton,
name
a
crimes
and the
few.
we
Baron
von
Gruner,
to
But many, if not most, of the
witness
are
not the
product
of
degree, those
that evoke
no excuse
was a
at the time. We see
imposcan
two lectures
per week and
night
a
weekly,
to view more than
an
Holmes’s
two-
thirty
development of detec-
tion and the fictionalization of the detective
Holmes
every age,” says
I have studied Holmes
time,
I’ve
issue that
seen
was
that isn’t also
day
students
come
that
Mrs.
away with a
in
that there is
important in
an
issue in the twentieth century.
I
important
hope
that
feeling of Holmes
the character who has become
larger than
he
written—of
was
intended when he
how he has
multimedia course; students attended
films. They traced the
women
while
those who
for their misdeeds.”
life in that
the position of
on
hardly
“The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes”
hour movie
to
who break the law for
sympathy,
malice, but of circumstances that governed
epoch, in particular with regard
Doyle
their miscreants, spar-
harsher retribution
lains: Professor
Charles Augustus
a
reasons
menu,” says Mrs. Rosenblatt, “we have vil-
Moriarty,
passion.
Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan
about
applicable to
seems
“What,” Mrs. Rosenblatt asks, “was Watson
our
participation were all
required.
“There’s
former
a
quizzes,
styles
to
of
give
off the page.”
students, guided by
leaped
And Vassar
Rosenblatts,
was
the
each trained in
very different
sleuthing, have
themselves learned
chase —seeking in the stories of the
immortal detective clues to life and values in
Victorian
England.
W.P.
13
Penon de Arias '70
Margarita
of Costa Rica
She's Been First
Lady;
Will She Be President?
by Toni Joseph ’83
the twenty-three years since her graduation from
Vassar with
IN
de Arias
a
major in chemistry, Margarita
70 has
writer, advocate
of
a
been
husband,
children, and
She served
son.
Costa Rica from 1986 to
of her
biology teacher, policy
a
for women and
daughter and
Penon
First
as
mother
Lady
of
1990, the presidential years
Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias
Sanchez. Today, she is campaigning to be president
of her
country;
June
a
1993
to the
race
election,
box,
the
decidedly feminist ideas
impact
accomplishments is
of her
candidacy
nevertheless
likely
and
to in-
fluence their lives well into the twenty-first century.
Ms.
Penon, 44, coauthored Costa Rica’s recently
adopted equal rights amendment,
the Law of Real
Ms. Penon
Dallas, Texas,
ex-
and
political spheres,
closed to
them,”
women
are
leaders in fields
Ms. Penon says.
image that
an
“Our
and
between
says.
Steinem. Since
then, my
to peace and the
In the
has
the
Ms. Penon
resonated,”
[commencement] speaker
Gloria
was
life and work have been tied
equality of opportunity.”
interview,
Ms. Penon discussed her life and
work. She spoke of her family, her politics, and the
June
1993
primary that
will determine whether she
How do you counter the belief that you
Q.
your
constitutional term
feminine qualities that
leadership,
valued.
not administer
bring
to
increasingly being recognized and
hand, femininity
access
to
On
continues to correlate
and the
opportunities in every country of
cannot be
embracing Ms.
husband
beloved
my
a
competitive,
Penon’s very “nine-
my
country’s resi-
dents rejected her bid simplybecause of her gender.
poll
released in December
was
1992, however,
less than
a
between Ms. Penon and her chief
Maria
Joseph and
In a
indi-
two-point spread
challenger, Jose
Figueres.
speech
her Vassar
on campus
experience
capabilities.
own
campaign,
Anyone who has
in
1987,
Ms. Penon credited
reaffirming “the
beautiful values of brotherhood.” In
an
for
most
interview dur-
think, that
women can-
I consider
my
I have had to
on women’s
and I make my
ever
to demonstrate
develop
own
own
decisions.
in the
participated
my
issues. I run
political
viable candidate cannot run
as
extension of someone or something that occurred
in the past.
I have the
leadership
position
to
courage
run
and
the
my country.
capability and the
I’m
is difficult to understand
perhaps the
living
with
cannot
and that
by our people, but I have had
own
an
presidential election,
showed that 34 percent of her
run
great asset who is very respected and very
her candidacy for the
1994
cannot
positions of authority.
process knows that a
A
limitations,
implies that women
ties” ideas. In October 1990, when she announced
polls
because of
platform—one that is based
women—are
surrogate
are
voice
he left office in 1990?
women
women
provide
a
reelection until the
year 2000 —ten years after
A. The belief
cated that there
14 VQ SUMMER 1993
“It is
innovation, the competence, and indeed the uniquely
and
December.
all nations
“The
The citizens of Costa Rica —especially
youngpeople
the
objectives.
the
the world.”
Morning News in
among
husband, who,
closely with poverty, social marginalization,
published by
equality,
for
denial of
a
encour-
her education to press for peace
use
running
the other
expanded from
She would
other nations.
are
piece written by Ms.
she says, her life’s
conflict, clarified,
and
cer-
to condemn
nonviolent resolution of America’s domestic
a
in order to
formerly
is adapted and
graduation
United States involvement in Vietnam and to
age
oppression of women’s rights in Costa Rica and most
making outstanding contributions as
News. This article
their
symbols, intended
emonies in 1970. The
executive.
in
speech
technological,
Dallas Morning
during
Foundation,
her classmates
by
view and
“Thanks to remarkable advances in the cultural,
a
worn
becomes her party’s candidate for Costa Rica’s chief
paradox between the simultaneous progression and
Toni Joseph ’B3 is
signs
their mortarboards
on
Dallas, where she
Equality for Women. During a December 1992 inter-
plained that the legislation seeks to resolve
reporterfor the
she recalled the peace
nation
predominantly Catholic
don’t support Ms. Penon’s
other
1992 visit to
benefit for the Dallas Women’s
a
genders.
scheduled for 1994.
at the ballot
her December
spoke at
primary will decide
whether she continues in the
If voters in this
ing
first time that
husband has
challenge.
respect for
I have
another’s
decision, but it is
former First
decided to accept
Oscar and
one
a
sure
that my
because this is
Lady with
such
a
a
big
always had mutual
potential.
He supports
my
not for him that I am
seeking office.
At Vassar,
Margarita
chemistry.
On the
Rica, her
Q.
You have said that Costa Rica has
significant
role to
political leaders
play
as
a
moral
or
Many
military
From what does your unconventional
might
goal emerge?
of your
How is that
experiences
as a
surprising
a
ships
so
many centuries
philosophy indicative
woman?
we
of domination. Rich
We must
now
focus
and its
causes as an
issue,
as
a
Race
nature.
versus
race.
Domination created the
that
have
devastated
confrontation is
so
possibility
for
versus
nation.
and the
lives. The
many
There is
ending.
versus
arms race
a
new
wars
era
of
vision.
relationships,
new
of support.
on
for
a
with
If
the elimination of poverty
It is
a
a
who have
few
young mothers
very
opportunities
and
day
very
care,
few
jobs.
We
with education,
possibility.
we
are
able
to
construct
a
world of mutual
respect and cooperation, then there will be
to clean up the
the
women’s
condition that is
arms
planet, there will be
a
race, there will be a chance for poor
to have homes and food. There will be
for all of
a
chance
chance to stop
a
people
better future
us.
j
There is
poor. Man
Nation
has been
international issue, as
moral issue.
perpetuated by
educational
have created relation-
versus
trail in Costa
amount
must support them with
A. For
in
world of mutual respect, cooperation, and peace.
a
power.
strive for economic
campaign
majored
personal chemistry
own
attracting
Penon
LU
0
a
X
I
x
I
Q
I
h*
cc
I
II
z
1
I
"[At Vassar] I learned how
it is to
important
study
' Q
and to work hard. I
learned how
discipline
%
is
necessary to master
science. I learned how
knowledge
is necessary to
understand
problems.
learned that
not
enough;
I
knowledge
is
I learned that
your heart has also to he
in the
right place if
want that
you
knowledge
and
science to work in favor
development
From
a
speech by
and peace.
Ms. Penon
during
of
"
her
1987 visit to Vassar
15
Q. How has your candidacy affected
the
Q.
of
women
What
country?
your
challenges do
you face
candidate that your male
female
as a
challengers
of
eran
do not
women
campaigns.
many
attend
so
tional meetings,
encounter?
day
I announced my
candidacy, my
critics
demanded my platform, my entire plan for govern-
many
ing
our
nation.
time I make
Every
have to demonstrate my
an
knowledge on
they ask about, from agriculturalissues
growth
foreign policy.
to
The
every issue
to economic
assumption
know less than my male opponents,
leader
It is like
incessantly.
I am
Also,
our
a
ever
charge associated
Although
I
am
than 40
percent
few
women
ship, which
son
of the greatest
strong
withtheir family
name.
nation where
more
a
of the heads
in
running
there is
a
in
running
women, I am also
ques-
had. His father abolished
the Costa Rican military in 1948,
emotional
am
test.
running against the
nation has
is that I
regardless of my
education and my years of experience. I
tioned
I
appearance,
a
so
of households
nation where
a
predominantly male, has endorsed
Figueres.
States,
it is very difficult for
financial support
enough
to generate
without anyone
value of my work
cleans,
as
a
as
So my
women
and
the future
More
who
year,
to elective
of this.
More
have
women were
a
List and other feminist
To
Emily’s
political action committees.
extent, that guarantees the
some
success
of
some
female candidates.
Q.
women
hope
candidacy affected the
candidacy
elected.
In
entire country.
Q. It often takes
a
to catch up with laws. What
practice
changes have
based
considerable amount of
resulted from the
legislative
drafted to eliminate
you
gender-
inequities?
will. We
cate all the
women
on
radio, and
women
conducting
property have
nation where
will affect them?
a
must have the
campaign to edu-
of Costa Rica about their
Announcements
rights.
heard
are
are
changed
women
on
appear
printed
simple pamphlets. Still,
of Costa Rica? In what ways do you
your
be
to
are
voting.
time for
in
head
more
are
and
on
time for these
Rules
to protect
new
television,
newspapers
it will take
laws to enter people’s houses.
How has your
also
for
keep trying.
very wise to create
There is
women are
organized an
political
American
it affects
their roles
office. Women
have the chance
we
A. For the laws to be enforced
motivated to
I have done.”
things
daughters.
advertisements, but
am
the
person who
symbolic. I think
television and radio announcements, for
newspaper
I
a
that provides opportunities for
aspire
women
a
also
of their
action
taking advantage
almost
as
feel about themselves and
how
women
of these
candidacy is
affirmative
saying
ever
recognizing
ever
housewife,
a
life without
my
anyone
person who takes care of children. You
talking about all
are
package
As in the United
woman
thank you,
without
organiza-
night.
there. They tell
are
throughout
being recognized,
older
are
only
hold elective office. The party leaderis
why they
me, “I have sacrificed
ever
did
political rallies and
most of which occur at
I have asked them
A. The
Never before
of land and
women.
We
are a
than 42
percent of
households. Men have had the freedom to abandon
their wives and children and not provide financial
A.
I have
much, much,
than I do from
women
brought about
time, all
some
much
men.
wonderful
the other candidates
more
support from
law
changes. For thefirst
name
are
discussingwomen’s
issues. They’re talking about day-care centers, domestic
violence, and equal pay.
advertisements show
of them have selected
women
support. For them it has been very easy. The [new]
[My candidacy] has
in
women as
All of their
political
significant roles.
their vice
All
presiden-
requires
there
that the
property be inscribed
in the
of both spouses, and it cannot be sold unless
are
provisions for the children.
marriages, property
woman.
appeal
tional,
Men are
the law.
In common-law
is recorded in the
name
of the
challengingthis. They are trying to
They
but there is
claiming
are
it is unconstitu-
nothing unconstitutional about
it.
tial running mates. All this is having a cultural effect.
Second,
the most
empowered women. One
touching things
haired old
16 VQ SUMMER 1993
I think it has
women
at
of
is the
presence of white-
political meetings.
I
am
a
vet-
Q.
Your husband’s interest and ascension in
politics influenced
Since that
your
time, you’ve
early participation.
had broad
exposure.
A. For the
first time
all the other candidates
r
They're talking
women's issues.
discussing
centers, domestic violence, and
care
their advertisements show
All
of them
have selected
equal
in
women as
about
day-
pay. All
of
roles.
significant
their vice
mates.
presidential running
What
women
are
particular female examples have
inspired you?
Costa Rica's "Law of Real
A. Oscar and I make
a
educated abroad and
we
We
goodteam.
very
were both
both returned to Costa Rica
in the social and economic issues
very interested
that affect the world. When I met him he
was
writing
his dissertation about the power elite in Costa Rica.
I took
a
thesis,
so
active role in
very
much
helping him shape the
that in his book he mentions that
so
for Women"
Equality
Costa Rica’s
Law of Real
codifies women’s
tunities for
described
rights
in
women
as a
Equality
and
a
for Women
provides new oppor-
nation Ms. Penon has
of men.” The law also
“monopoly
holds the state directly responsible for compliance.
I am the coauthor.
Among other provisions, the law:
supported me.
He has also
Oscar and I
see
many
•Allows
own
hood,
in the
way. But there
same
are women
have influenced me, too. I admire Gro
who
Brundtland,
the prime minister of Norway. She has the type of
leadership
I
talking about—a leadership based
was
think she should be read
upon principle and ethics. I
and understood
late] Golda
though
we
by all politicians today.
Meir and also
inspiring and intelligent.
me
same
queen of
[the
views. I am
very, very much because
impress
they combine
a
She
Spain.
Women leaders
knowledge and information, but
of
I admire
Margaret Thatcher, al-
don’t share many of the
deeply impressed also with the
is
not
tremendous
only
sense
dignity.
Q. Would
society
you describe your country
where
women are
A. Because I am not
a
no
comparative point
safe society for
about violence against
ing about physical assault.
gression.
It is
because when
women
in the world it is
lence against
levels,
What
occurs
operates
we are
judicialsystem.
in the
doing
We
and judges. We
their rights and
are
slow process, but
we
benefits to the chil-
members of working women, thereby guaran-
teeing them
•
Gives
women
ment in
were
access
to health-care
the right to seek
a
services;
legal judg-
custody disputes. Formerly,
women
forced to obey their husband’s wishes;
or
women
from
job loss due
to preg-
breastfeeding;
Provides maternityleave to women who adopt;
facilities and for
•Creates
working women;
government-sponsored job training
offer skills
programs that
women.
(non-pink collar)
It is
ages
be used in
language and
im-
public school curricula and
textbooks;
•Institutes
do. Vio-
in
high salaries;
•Mandates that nonsexist
especially because
intimacy
battering prevention and educa-
tion programs for law enforcement officials
and civil servants;
of the home.
•Provides
taking
on
the
trying to educate the lawyers
trying
men
security
and other dependent family
spouses,
fields that pay
many different
in Costa Rica is
are
talk
only talk-
women
on so
it is difficult to measure,
much of it
we
endure. I don’t know where
appreciated what
women
formally married;
It is the almost univer-
sal disrespect given to the opinions of
the criticism that
are
of giving
We need to address ag-
psychological.
of marital status;
•Establishes government subsidies for child-
no way
women, we are not
who
•Extends social
dren,
•
of view. But I believe there
women
in their
a
safer than in other
expert, I have
an
regardless
property
rights to family property and inheritance
as women
nancy
as
to record
•Allows women in common-law marriages the
same
care
is
names,
•Protects
parts of Latin America and the world?
you
women
things, especially parent-
to educate
women
about
about women’s rights. It is
a
protective orders for battered
women;
•Mandates that victims of sexual assault be
treated with sensitivity.
will win.
17
Tribulations
by Richard Wilson
rr*
HE traditional role of the fall convocation
prescribes that
the
faculty,
I
welcome,
behalf of the Yassar
on
class and offer its members
incoming
certain amount of solemn advice.
If
a
heeded, this
advice should render thefour years of college troublefree. I’ll get to that in
minute. But first Fm
a
pose is
or
myself, pretending that some higher
narcissism
being served. Higher, that is, than
self-indulgence. Your challenge, apart
It was
that I should
then,
the
often
exemplaryEleanor,
with
for FDR and
coming home
books
laudatory
with
rebellion,
obvious form of
an
develop a fascination
as
“Roosevelt”
ostenta-
about them.
Had
I
Hare Krishna I don’t think I could have
joined the
family
my
than with my fixation with
more
the Roosevelts.
I will not make it easy for you.
purpose.
Presbyterian grandmother was that I accepted a post
By
my
calculations,
wereborn
Alreadyan
most members of the class of
about 1971. It’s
associate
stage in my
year
I remember well.
professor at Yassar,
trying
career
a
I was at this
to learn —so to
speak—to
spread my wings. I need to explain why wing-spreading
of
was
I
Yassar,
only
particular concern.
mean
When I first
for the very first
be described
place. Driving
was
up
inordinate
as
the
theThruway, I
time,
Taconic,
came
difficulty finding
the
thinking
it
daydreamed off toward Connecti-
Hudson
cross.
taking
Highland.
detail.
Yassar,
which Ihad been told to
Bridge,
in
I examined
Highland
So much for
Hospital.
“Why
on
myself
down
on campus,
at Yassar
I
college
anywhere—l would be
unable to find my way back. These
were
the timid
by the period 1970/71,1 was making an
to venture forth
more
boldly.
in mind to master New York
or
And in
City.
effort
particular
Let
me
I had
share
one
two recollections of this effort.
A
pianist I knew
daughters
was
married to
one
in
a
townhouse
on,
I
believe,
Street that had been in the Roosevelt
a
the fine
desire to
piano
see
grand-
family.
situated within. When I
invited to “stop by for
weekend of
a
it, staying
Lincoln Towers.
East 65th
I har-
this bit of real estate and to
was
play
at last
drink,”
I decided to make
with
friend who lived in
a
Hyde
I mention all of this to convey the
particular
of
transgression that
drove
with
came
down, parked, deposited
walked
and, tingling
planning this
was, I
wrestled
arrived at the
would have taken
with
a
at
anticipation,
appointed place
I tried that—with the
and
possicase
I
time, exhausted,
Thinking that
the service entrance,
use
result. I went to
same
drugstore and phoned. No
I gave
taxi—or
answered.
one
expected musicians to
hour,
a
cross-town bus. In any
a
and rang the bell. No
an
things
my
with
to the East Side. Had I known where the East
Side really
a
nearby
answer.
After waiting half
walked
back
up and
to
Lincoln
Towers.
Observingthat
I was in
a
low state—out of breath,
ashen with soot and humiliation
friend invited
—my
me
to
him and his
join
“date,”
restaurant called Fleur de
although,
for
never
having
reasons
been
back.)
met Martha
for my intrusion
artichoke.
followed
I
a
I’ve
leaf—that it was in fact
don’t
was
Martha,
a
obvious,
I
artichoke. Not
to make up
amusing repartee.
interrupted by Frank’s
anyone
do that.” There
Gathering myself together,
that I
an
use
an
attempted
in
at
think it still exists
you eat the entire leaf of the
never seen
that one missed
I
was soon
quietly pronounced
Frank
I ordered
before,
bad moment.
expression we
Lys. (I
by engaging
This hopeless effort
named
that will become
exclamation, “Wilson...
of the
of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. This
couple lived
bored
I
have
years.
But
minutes from
with evil
Lincoln Towers,
thinking
no
I settled in with a vengeance,
fearful that—were Ito go
spirits.
aged,
my
I would cavort
where she feared
sense
they
College Avenue,
up and
driving
is it called College Avenue if there is
it?” Once
pains-
asking directions.
roamed further and stumbled onto
which I remember
This
at last to ask directions to
Stopping
I followed them and found
Brothers
in
especially vexed
college located only fifteen
Park,
bly
to the Mid-
me
a
What
visit to East 65th Street.
I had what can
somehow
at
to
cut, meandered back, then made my way
put
18 VQ SUMMER 1993
name
infrequently in my youth, and always associated
alarmed
from stay-
I heard the
ing awake through this, is to discover the higher
’93
© Richard Wilson
obliged, reluctantly, to describe
what I would be
Republican ancestors,
tiously
pur-
from
parenthetically that, coming
unpleasantness.
going to
commit the classic professorial offense. I’m going to
talk about
I should add
speaker
always
ate
the entire
“old wives’ tale”
anymore) that
one
(that’s an
couldn’t,
something very special if one didn’t.
intrigued; Martha
was
not
so sure.
“How
about the choke?” said dubious Martha. Digging
myself in deeper, I replied,
“I eat that too. It’s the best
When the class
of ’93 arrived
Professor of Music at Vassar
Wilson’s remarks
about
were
them
having
we
asked again. A copy
where he
both
a
stopped eating,
Mary Conover Mellon Chair. Mr.
a
standing ovation, hut he
Phi Beta
a
use a
the better to
chiseling through
drink of water,”
a
to ward off a
study
hacking and
my
furry spines.
The
was
coughing fit. At
doing.
After
all,
I
as
no
I clutched
my
was a
tions,
his
morning, with a
and found
sore
1960, he
I drove
later,
vowing that
I would
I held to this for
away.
parking. SixtyHighway
return to New York
time. But it did
some
I had not
the West Side
up
never
I went to my
throat,
it had been towed
occur
City.
to
that my demonstration against the Big Applewas
having
its desired effect. New York
grander than I, did
not
seem
City,
so
“no
one
one
always had
service has
Croton-Harmon;
give
a
was
student in
is
composer
a
avoided him. A year
it
train. We
apparent: there
I was in
of
my
that time—and
he received
later,
was
so
I
honorary
an
in attendance. Because
procession by
my counter-
point teacher, Randall Thompson, I could easily have
to meet him.
arranged
enlightened
and
had
timidity got the better
By this
a
of
me.
time I
was
more
of his stature,
sense
Two years
later,
I
but
was
not
one more
Waiting for
on
A
in
an unusu-
older man,
and with
a
was no connect-
no visual
-
figure seemed
an
the platform.
I
I have
the train at Croton
Harmon, I noticed something
at
stranded.
were
My wife maintains that
Alas,
follows:
much
slightly improved
respect. Coming into Croton I saw
reason was soon
as
summer
good enough” phase—l
pianist at
escorted in the
was
was
in the
the guest composer.
thought of myself as
he
Aspen
me
change trains
to
ally large number of people waiting
ing
was
living
chance. But this time I would take the train.
days,
kept
fads, trends,
to know that I was mad
at it. So I relented and decided to
In those
confusion of
a
Connota-
to connoisseurs. He
My prior history with Copland
throat
member of Phi Beta
understood altemate-side-of-the-street
five dollars
The
mind through
own
When I
point, then or later in
appeal
Variations, Vitebsk,
more
doctorate at Harvard. I
The next
this
which
and reactions.
get
Kappa.
car
graduate,
to
cessible works—Piano
and I
the evening, would I admit that I did not know what
I
immediately afterward by
premedical student.
by this time
drink of water.” “I am not embarrassed
you a
don’t need
a
knife and fork.” The
thicket of
a
shy
was
Kappa graduate of Harvard,
over—“ Don’tbe embarrassed. I’ll
came
it
approached for ’93
music concentrator and
in the restaurant had
other patrons
were
of the speech arrived within days. Herewith,
by Mr. Wilson,
’93
part. But you may have to
waitress
the
waited. And when the time
we
was
on
fall of 1989, they
hy faculty member Richard Wilson,
published when ashed about
VQ. So
to
address
an
received with
the
remarks
campus in the
on
welcomed at convocation with
large
of context :
out
wearing a beret,
suitcase at his side
spotted him at
acuity at all.
.
a
♦
distance and
sidled closer to be certain
♦
She would say that, had George Washington been
the
platform
have observed
nothing
waiting
on
Croton-Harmon, I would
at
out of the
normally right about these things.
occasion—a
lapse
of
some
ordinary.
But
I
spotted
certain. It
him at
was
a
Aaron
position
at his side.
than
was
Copland occu-
George Washington.
Charles
living in
Ives
the first American
Al-
long
career.
He is the
the Kid —and
1963.
Amerikahaus to borrow
was
I
a score
was
well known. I couldn’t
each in Munich
commiserate
with,
was
tougher,
less
un-
a
During
mine
my
was
from their
library. At
smile for which he
bring myself to speak to
Copland was
Harvard,
no
the
first
news
year at
at
Vassar,
as
in
of
Kennedy’s
when
a
work of
Carnegie Recital Hall,
in the audience. He
or
we were
other American to
received.)
performed
afterwards. But,
at
when
tour —it
into the
descending an elaborate
alone, with
assassination
composer of
on
chanced
him. (Much later, looking back, we realized
George
relatively popular pieces—the ballets Appalachian
Spring, Rodeo, Billy
of
composer to
or
mastery and to maintain his reputation consistently
a
Copland came there
that very moment, he
achieve international recognition for originality and
throughout
Munich.
November
was
staircase, beaming the friendly
that Aaron
in the world of American classical
younger
Gershwin, he
older man,
Copland.
thing is
music somewhat akin to
though
large suitcase
one
some-
distance and sidled closer to be
a
Now the funny
pies
with a
an
She is
this
sort—l noticed
thing. A figure seemed out of context:
wearing a beret, and
on
came
backstage
I had failed to meet him at
Munich,
Aspen,
I couldn’t very well ap-
19
proach him
didn’t
we
and ask how he liked my
piece.
So
again
Ravel and —of
think of
speak.
was
Now
marooned on the platform at
,
defenseless and
been
more
service
for the
grateful
than
here he
alone,
It
was
before the connecting train arrived.
well
were
which took
trip,
rather than the normal
for three
cash
register
about
piano
studying
a
one.
never
together for
we
the
myself
to draw him out, I
I had
device
of his childhood
ever
the
working
in the family store in Brooklyn. He told
lessons with his sister. He told about
in Paris in the
early
really
twenties. “You
Well this is
Sylvia Beach’s book-
store, Shakespeare and Company,with James Joyce.
unable to think of
Copland was
So
minutes and that
clear
was it.
that, fifty
about
Hart
knowing
the title
to
I had
biography
had also lived in
He
years
himself for not being
gave
single thing
In
I sent him
time,
never saw
later,
was
noted
ear
for,
and
just
been
poring
over
of orchestration.
it,”
poems
of Cleveland. He told
Boulanger—-
keyboard drill that she later
savoring details
told
because Crane
reading
my hometown
but rather
learned to do
kicking
He
of whose
one
It
Appalachian Spring, and whose
about his musical studies with Nadia
not the
still
resourceful.
more
Crane,
he
Joyce again.
I remember
famous for his colorful and
became
Mahler’s
scores
of my smaller
one
formed and for which I had
with
replied
piece
a
sort
easy to
pieces—a
a
perHe
convincing tape.
a
thoughtful letter, generally liking
deliberately related
better have exhibited
to the
first, might
contrast. After one
more
the
fourth
good deal but suggesting that the
a
movement,
or two
additional exchanges of this sort, in which I sent him
bring
newly published choral works,
The
place
ambitious
more
night before
I had been
this
of my
was
time:
I realized that
for
Copland’s music
although
some
years,
to the extent I
library, got
out
a
great
and records, and ensconced myself
scores
largest classroom. This
was
the wrong
five
six
or
years younger
than I was at that
brilliant, fresh-sounding, fully accomplished
pieces that made
raw.
to
do. I listened to works he had written when
thing to
he
me
was
ones.
visit,
should. I went to the music
in Skinner’s
I
pieces, including
composingand teaching
I really did not know
pile of his
he invited
in Peekskill for lunch.
good representation
a
larger and
to say.
stared at each other for about five
they just
was
a
but
alone,
how it went. Ifelt I had struck up
duo for violin and cello—which had been well
ties!” He told about
had been introduced and then left
re-
although I did
relate.
down to his
They
reply
to this
of friendship. But what followed is not exactly
some
in
whose music he disliked. I
taxed to
feeling
himself. This
as
rather agree with him about Rachmaninov.
missed something not being in Paris in the twen-
being
composer
Rachmaninov,
member
hours,
two
one
tall
as
rail
our
full hour
that time
additional
an
exercised every conversational
me
of
Thus I had him to
hours, during which,
heard of. He told
By
to sit
enough acquainted
rest of the
I have
inefficiency
that occasion.
on
Croton-Harmon,
was.
only
could
course—Stravinsky. Copland
What
own
my
efforts
doing going
I
was
seem
clumsy
and
to visit this master?
I
should stay home. But, instead, of course, I went.
(“So that’s how he
thinking; Copland
crystalline scoring.)
is
He
There
was a
nervous
that I chattered out of control.
third person at lunch, and I
was so
Copland said,
“What’s the matter, you don’t like soup?” whereupon
I
stopped talking
slurping the
necktie,
At
full
a
climactic moment, when the
he gave me
for his taste,
I had
obviously
mon
climactic
seen,
a
something
“dirty
a
After lunch,
erty—that
look.”
was
or
talked about Stravinsky, whom he first met in Paris,
getting to know him better
personally. Whenever they would talk, Stravinsky
royalties and
discuss
music;
contracts. He
Copland working the
concluded this
all
accounts
was
it
an area
was.
He
he wanted to talk about
evidentlyhad heard about
cash
register
of
as
no composer
seriously who
was
child and
expertise—which by
confessed, apparently
earnest, his anxiety about being tall. It
pressionthat
a
had
ever
was
in
his im-
been taken very
not short. He mentioned
Bach,
Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Debussy,
20
VQ SUMMER 1993
by his plate which he
come
and
remove
rang
the dishes. I
we
“took
sure
At last
turn” around his
prop-
a
particularly beautiful flower,
a
tree, ‘What’s that?” his reply would be, “I’m
what that is.” I was used to friends at Vassar
weed. This
never
chin and
rug. I did take time to
his phrase. I was gratified that, when-
who knew the Latin
would
getting it over my
the
little bell
I would say of
shrub,
not
and his frustration in not
on
hadn’t expected that.
always heard about but
actually
Man” had
to tell the servant to
ever
never
soup,
hair,
my
began frantically guzzling and
notice that the
composer of “Fanfare for the Com-
orchestra broke out fortissimo,
a moment too
in
and
endive
name
was more
we
my
for
every damned
plant
or
style.
got to the music. I played him the tapes
I had
brought. Admittedly, the performances weren’t
very
good;
my
performed at all
larger pieces
or
were
either not yet
performed without being fully
rehearsed. I assumed he could make allowances for
that. Indeed he
probably did. What
report is that whatever
tioned
by the
smaller
expectations had
pieces
borne out by the pieces he
Of
course
I came to him in
a
painful
to
been condi-
I had sent him
now
presupposing this reaction,
ments and many facial
is
were not
looked at and heard.
frame of mind practically
but his few
spoken com-
responses—the so-called body
language—sent what seemed
I was OK but
always
to
clear and
music,”
words. Of
piece he said,
one
at
another,
a climactic
tra broke out
“It lacks
moment
fortissimo,
of his tag
heard about but
look.” It was
front of
of the
a
a
never
though he had
mirror. I’ll
visit,
detected
as
when
tive,
my
I had
actually
“dirty
seen, a
been practicing this in
it.
at the end
And,
said good-bye, I thought I
look of sadness in his
eye.
he, as
do,
and got into
over
earlier, apparently nega-
I sometimes
think, testing
Or did he feel that from that flute
grit?
these
When
obviously
something
me
reaction? Was
pulled myself together,
when the full orches-
forget
never
we
certain...”In
a
moment too
a
climactic for his taste, he gave
always
wasn’t
rhythms
my
choppy rather than “bouncy”—one
were
Could I have misread his
message.
my orchestration was
inevitable,
but not “born of the
adequate
me a clear
nothing special. My continuity
I was
as
piece
I
on
certainly trying
to
fresher mode. I continue to worry
a
questions.
our
first child
congratulation.
born he wrote
was
When our second
was
a
letter of
born,
my wife
and I ran into him in New York. He asked how many
tional
I
answer—none.
the last
was
Mozart
“I’m not
sure
youngest of
conven-
I approve of that.
of five.” Which reminded
the
was
We gave the
planning to have.
more we were
me
that
Bach the
J.S.
seven,
youngest of eight, and Schubert the eleventh of
an
indeterminate number of children. Family planning
It
was
a
grim drive
up to
Poughkeepsie, far
worse
than after the artichoke crisis. There it had been my
dignity
on
the
line; here
it
my life. Of
was
I
course
and classical music
may not be
I last
saw
him in
powers of memory. The
about in
I
my
timid about
so
was
the family store at the
of nine.
age
I think very often about
more
all
could still talk
thing he
one
other.
nearly
animated and coherent fashion
an
making change in
Why was
good for each
he had lost
1983; but
encounters with
meeting him earlier?
him.
At
a
tender age, I may have been afraid to face the
candid, disinterested
criticism that he
was
uniquely
Richard Wilson
ivith Aaron
Copland:
“Why,” Mr.
Wilson asks,
able to give. But if I could have stood it, it might
“was I
indeed
about meeting
have gotten
hand,
I
might
faster.
along
me
On the other
have gone to medical school.
And
so
timid
him?”
people currently enjoying productive and happy lives
might be
actually
dead
killed
result. At least my music hasn’t
as a
anyone.
I’m loathe to admit that I may have been put off by
the
rumor
that he
was
1960. The terms then
It wasn’t said that
gay.
either clinical
were
way
in
or con-
temptuous. The talk at Aspen, mostly the latter. I
told
myself that people who paint, write, or compose
with
any
seriousness
do
so
They must ignore critics and
out of inner
the
strength.
public and
set their
standards. I knew all this. But the trouble
own
Copland was widely considered
of music,
even
own—which
to be
a
music in a very different
was
the
case
easy to
The first thing Idid
fifty
ignore his
was
was,
judge
style from his
here. He had been sizing
up contemporary composers for
simply put—not
shrewd
years.
It was—-
reaction.
In
a
to get married. Then I went
year
or so—a
very
rough
solo flute piece, which
performed.
I sent
his response
was
Copland a tape.
Boosey and
Indeed.
They published it,
a
To my amazement
piece
Hawkes. He felt
so—l had
quite beautifully
and he asked
decidedlyfavorable,
if I would mind if he showed the
ers,
or
to his
they
publish-
would like it.
and this led to
a more-
than-ten-yearinvolvement with that prestigious firm.
Further correspondence yielded further
agement and support.
In all I have
signed “Aaron Copland”; there
that begin “Dear Wilson” and
a
final group
begins
“Aaron.” This
ity,
more
are
is
a
about twenty
middle
carefully
measured
in accord with the bell
group
signed “Aaron C.”;
“Dear Richard” and
are
easing
on
One
benefit,
loss of memory
if I
can
was
the horror of AIDS.
another matter. Not
was
spared knowledge of
My friend in Lincoln Towers is
so
long after dinner
de Lys, he stopped courting young
a
at the Fleur
women
seemed to change—he became happier,
friend
more
at
ease.
having died
life. To
and
ac-
male companion. His life and personality
try
Now,
of AIDS, he is
to revitalize
a
out-
more
all these years
later, his
fighting for his
own
weakened immune system,
he takes experimentaltyphoid injections while strug-
gling to keep working as
a
corporate lawyer. He lives
from one blood test to the next. Tough fellow that he
is,
I think he is
But I have
Are you
going to prevail.
neglected to give
I
certainly hope
you
so.
helpful advice!
ready?
signed
of formal-
the dinner table
The
first rule in
eating
tion. You must exercise
tion. At first
When
the
leaves
an
artichoke
is, Pay Atten-
judgment and
are
discrimina-
only partially edible.
they become fully edible, be careful.
nearing the choke.
Martha was
right.
You
are
It is not called
the choke for nothing. This must be excised with the
least amount of sacrifice of the heart. You
acceptance of
panic.
colleague.
very
put it that way, to Copland’s
that he
for the heart. But you must
as a
did, how
stupid.
than the milieu of Billy the Kid, seemed to reflect his
me
because I do believe I
But if it
encour-
letters. The first few begin “Dear Mr. Wilson” and
are
me
oblivious to such talk.
going,
year
was
was
quired
back to work. What else could I do?
new
don’t think this influenced
use
Good luck to you all. S
are
aiming
your head. Don’t
3
21
They're Dancing
(ty
ObAS&M*
7he billboard above the entrance to the
House in
'94
Poughkeepsie
1869 Bardavon
announced that the Vassar
Dance Theatre (VRDT) would be
at 8 p.m. At
MICHAEL
began arriving;
the students joined members
administration,
and Poughkeepsie
when the house
that
lights dimmed,
the 1,000-seat house.
22
VQ SUMMER
1993
evening,
Repertory
performing on February
TANCI O
seven
Opera
27th
buses filled with Vassar students
of the faculty,
community
there
was
inside.
not an
By eight,
empty
seat in
For Love and credit
VRDT’s
styles
from ballet to
celebrated
is
an
hours of dance in
gala performance—two
modern, including work by
choreographers, faculty,
annual sellout. Inthe words of
and students—-
one
of the faculty
artistic directors of the company, “We’re in
keepsie, we’re doing half student work, and
people show
up.
It’s kind of
are
on
the
an
involved in VRDT have
clearly derives
repertory
company
passion for dance,
was
created,
that there
for student dancers to
of that year, when “dance”
to the
name
of the
department, dance students could
only for technique
courses
the view of Associate
“There’s
no
was
physical education
receive
credit
in modern and ballet. In
Professor of Dance
Ray Cook,
point in just takingtechnique classes.
It’s
never
playing a piece by
Mozart
or
Beethoven.”
Facing
page
Laura Kaufman
’95 of
Houston, Texas
Above
Maria Poulathas ’95 of
Ventnor, New Jersey;
both
women
are
members of Vassar’s
Repertory Dance
Theatre.
faculty
stage and off. Butit was not until 1982, when
opportunity
credit.
a
spring
like going into music and justlearningthe scales and
from that of the
company. The students and
who
900
over
amazing.”
The enthusiasm of the audience
both
Pough-
Until the
officially added
was
perform
for
Thus was born Vassar
afor-credit
Vassar
course
in
Repertory Dance
performance, open
community by audition,
Theatre—-
to the entire
in which students
have the opportunityto choreographtheir own pieces
and to learn
a
variety
of repertory works choreo-
graphed by celebrated
dancers
such
as
George
23
“I
no
my attitude
approach
surprise
as
visually,” he
says, which is
history
he studied studio art and art
at
a
high school of music and arts in New York. “When
I
see
just
over
strong.
I’ve
perfect,
but
not
move, I
people
comes
want to do it—something
just
me.
A little movement
dancers
seen
who
are
don’t know how to
they
be
can
so
technically
so
move
—they’re
expressing anything.”
Mr. Tancinco
introduced himself to the world of
dance upon his arrival at Vassar. He recalled organiz-
ing his schedule and wanting to take something he’d
always wanted to
enrolled in
do but had
never
beginning modern
done before. So he
dance. “I got into itand
thought—this is amazing.”
Mr. Tancinco auditioned for VRDT after
been
“blown
thoroughly
Bardavon
over”
the
by
his freshman year. Now in
performance
his second year with the company, he’s
siastic than
not just
“I’m
ever.
small
a
just having
college dance
commitment —a
but it’s
It must be: he
so
he
dancing,”
in
frankly,
see
double
an
Italian,
in
really
a
day,
six
or
enriched my life here. Quite
what I would be
doing with all
dancing.” And
history major considering a
a precious
commodity.
art
time is
“There’s the academic
me
and sometimes
and the dancer/artist me,
hard to reconcile,” he says.
they’re
[Lampert] always
“Rachel
major
Hall. ‘When I’m not
the time I would have had I not been
for Mr. Tancinco,
a
gratifying
“all I think about is moving
really
I couldn’t
a
dance class
several hours
Kenyon
remarks,
and dancing. It’s
It’s
such
worth it.”
spends
days a week,
seven
group.
or
enthu-
more
much fun. It’s
so
company—and it’s
experience. I’ll leave rehearsal
exhausted,
having
group’s
says that
dancers
are
great students because they know timing so well! It’s
forced
me
to
As for his
really dole
out my time.”
he’s still undecided.
plans post-Vassar,
Michael Tancinco
“Do I want to dance, paint,
’94: He just wants to
he wonders. “I would love to go to grad school in art
keep moving.
Junp
history.
It’s
a
good
juncture—l have
‘When I’m up in the air
there forever.
up
something,”
Philippines
York
caught
and raised
company
that, they
In the meantime,
undecided. “I would do my Vassar experience
bug
in
Students who
required
are
dance
posed
“Modern
technique.
If
school
24 VQ
SUMMER 1993
they
Lampert, visiting instructor
and
dance, that students
broad range
dance
came
[of dance]
of
techniques and
styles.
about when individuals
based
on
as
in
are ex-
re-
own
their beliefs and their
personal way of moving,” Mr. Cook notes. “I
at dance
see
movement, and when students start to look
as
again. I’ve had
a
and
interesting
at a
though,
he
seems
satisfied to be
great time here. I’ve met the
fascinating people—and
I
over
most
wholly
movement and not
as
steps that
learned in class, they get another whole perspective
on
it.”
When students do
learn about the
belled against something and created their
dance
are
to elect in
cannot be in VRDT.
Cook and Rachel
physical education
own
or
important to the company’s artistic directors
a
really
life.”
to decide a lot of things in
my
the
in San Francisco and New
Humphrey.
addition two classes
to
but I’m
cliche,
academic?”
appreciate it.”
into the
cannot do
an
I could stay
says Michael Tancinco ’94, born in the
Balanchine and Doris
Ray
I’ve
City.
accepted
It’s
jumping, I wish
It’s like
old
draw, or be
they’ve
nallydone, why
The
and
period in which
it
challenge is
Doris
repertory, for
that if a
for
origi-
piece was choreographed by
students must learn
example,
perform it the way the
Humphrey style modeled
already established and
to force themselves into
comfortable
was
emerged, and how itreflects its time.
Humphrey,
“Because it’s
example, they
the dance
with,”
a groove
Mr.
Cook
it.
done, they have
that they may not be
says.
“That’s
a
very
valuable learning experience.”
When it
dents
are
comes
to their
encouraged
own
choreography,
to be free and
develop
stu-
their
An Expentat Dance Notation
Educated in the Australian outback,
his
in dance
career
known
had
as
as
Ray
member
a
Cook
began
of what is
now
the Australian Ballet. Over time, he has
numerous
television,
dance
credits in
stock and
summer
major dance festivals and at the New
at
York State Theatre, and he has danced with, among
Valerie Bettis,
Sokolow, Jose Limon,
Anna
others,
Katherine Posin, and Jeff Duncan. He has also cho-
reographed
dance
thirty
over
ment for
the Arts,
and
received
works,
choreographer’s grant from the
won
a
National Endowaward from the
an
Department ofTourism for work commissioned from
Australia.
He
New
to
came
York
in
1961
study
to
Labanotation—a system of dance notation that
dynamics, and tempo.
direction in space,
body,
has
staged
since
forty works from
he recorded, for the
of which
San Francisco Ballet, Louisville
Dance The-
Ballet,
Harlem, Alvin AlleyAmerican
Bat Dor
He
than
more
Labanotation, thirty
ater of
uses
record movement: the parts of a dancer’s
symbols to
Dance
Theater,
Australian Dance The-
Company (Israel),
ater, Welsh Dance Theater, Juilliard School, and countless
college, university,
and
regional companies.
Mr. Cook has written and/or
published ten
desk-
Labanotation and is the associate
publications in
top
editor for the Language of Dance
Series, published
Gordon and Breach.
by
Recent
projects
sidered lost and
include
searching for
notating
and
dances
restaging
conVRDT
them. To
artistic
director Ray Cook
date, these include Dawn in New York and Ruins and
with company
Visions
by Doris Humphrey.
Works in progress
Fugue by Doris Humphrey and
by James Warring. Upcoming plans include
and
Fantasy
mer
’93
trip
Crossing
to
Hong Kong
to
book for intermediate students of
a
trip
With
to
Germany,
My Red
ater will be
can
where his
text-
staging
of
and
Humphrey’s
Fires for Utah’s Repertory Dance The-
seen on a
representing Ameri-
program
style that they do best,”
forming work by
a
students give
in
that and
Who
am
says Ms.
are.
or
they
I? What
are
per-
their own, is that
Lampert.
just be
a
“No matter how
It’s not one, two, three, four, you do
you’re perfect.
convey? What
an
Lester Horton
100 percent effort. “You can’t
space,”
beautiful you
says Mr. Cook. The
of whether
only demand, regardless
that
a new
labanotation,
modem dance.
to in the
body
Sisco’93 (I) and
Laura Kaufman ’95
a sum-
styles. “Students can do anything that they want
own
members Sarah
work
stage Lin Whai-Min’s
Waters, coauthoring
the Black
a
are
am
are
It’s one, two,
three, four, plus
I thinking? What
am
I
trying to
my intentions? All of the
things
actor has to think.
“Dance
can
because it’s
so
“Most students
make
you
hard to
are a
feel
not
they can do
way of
Ms. Lampert.
of
it.
doing it’ or,
getting
They think, ‘Oh, there’s
‘Oh,
my
your mind to tell your
body
bad about
accomplish,” she
yourself
continues.
little skeptical about whether
or
what to do—-
commitment,and
time,
but
impossible.”
“I tend to work
ture,” says
on
form, the visuality, the
Mr. Cook. “Rachel tends to work
motivation and
improvisation.
So between
struc-
more on
us
they
get two things. We’re trained in several techniques,
but of course, we’re individuals —so
so
perfect
body isn’t perfect,’ ’’says
“Any body can dance; it’s justa question
and that does take work,
it’s not
a
Graham. We don’t teach Limon. We
we
use
don’t teach
that material
and those principles and ideas, but we mold it to what
we
would like to see.”
25
with
the dance
at Vassar
program
and became
a
“They always
member of VRDT her freshman year.
have auditions the first day of classes, which I think
is
VRDT in rehearsal;
Shayne Hurst ’94
really hard—especially for freshmen,” she
“It’s your first
to go to class and be intimidated
is
recalls.
day of college! It’s nerve-racking enough
all these
by
people
and get lost and all that stuff. I walk into this audi-
crouching.
tion—l
was
was so
scared I thought
to find the
doing good
But she didn’t leave. Now
approachingthe end
third and final year with the company, she
so
much in high
performance outlet.
been
one
make
a
not to have had
school,
of these people to just
our
“I
having
Ever since I was little I’ve
little stage in
ofher
admits,
think it would have been frustrating for me,
danced
I
building—and
seriously about leaving.”
a
always
attention. I’d
crave
house and be
like,
OK! I’M
GOING TO DANCE NOW! and make my whole family
sit around—my grandparents and everything—and
watch
me
dance.
My dog
would
plop
in and
come
himself down in the middle of the stage, and I’d get all
upset and shove him out the door! So taking class is
thing, and
one
your
so
is
technique,
definitely necessary
but
to
much, and this is probably going
chance in life to do
keep
up with
performing is something I enjoy
something like
to be my last
this.”
As for VRDT she says, “I think the repertory part of
it
is
That’s stuff we’ll
important.
so
anywhere
else. You
choreograph
can
Study by
Humphrey’
Doris
know what you’re
talking about.
say, ‘l’ve danced
and
people
Ithink it’s
a
ful experience. Without it, this experience
would not have been the
same
class wouldn’t have been
Fint, You Find the Building
that’s the most
a
a
psychology major
Houston, Texas, “Dancing is
a
from
totally different way
of
tional law. As for
nine, and picked
up modern
jazz and tap
along
Ms.
Lampert
heads her
pany in New York
that at first she
City,
was a
own
and
as
at age
the way at about
Christopher Columbus
said, ‘Rachel kind
is to be
seen.
of
artist,
com-
she admits
bit skeptical about “exposing”
herself to students. “My sister
the
modem dance
an
of
once
described
me as
choreographers. She
goes out west to
see
what there
She doesn’t quite know what she’s
going to find there.’ When I actually get
in the
studio,
it’s like mining for gold.
this is
a
[l] think, Well,
spot to start digging.’ It’s kind of
ship
goes
as
opposed to ‘your
there,
good
dialogue partner-
goes
here,
your
arm
and this is the count’ Sometimes the
students don’t like
[to think],
arm
a
hearing,
‘You’re the
me.”
‘I don’t know.’
They like
professor, you know.
I’m the
like
We
definitely feel
group.
hopes eventually
are
people I’ve
to
dancing,
plans
forge
never seen
to attend law school
a career
she says, “It’s
hobby. I enjoy it very much,
a
that
Random strang-
and it’s exciting.”
After Vassar, Ms. Hurst
with ballet at age
added
special
in.’ These
life,
and
fourteen. She didn’t waste any time getting involved
26 VQ SUMMER 1993
were
before in my
expressing yourself.” She began expressing herself
three,
[Vassar]
just taking
and
up to you
say, Wow! I really loved that
dance you
Hurst ’94,
enough for
exciting part.
company—a
ers come
Shayne
at all. Even
will
wonder-
But what will she remember most? “The Bardavon—-
we’re
For
learn
whatever you want, but to learn the
classics—you can go somewhere and
Water
never
in the world and
out
go
in interna-
always been
but I don’t want to
do it for my life.”
student,
you
will tell me.’ I’m
students who
are
working
really grateful that
with
comfortable—they’re willing
me—and
they’re
not
me
to go
seem
on
my
the
perfectly
with
trip
demanding that I know every-
thing.”
VRDT has grown from about ten dancers
in its
first year to approximately twenty-five today.
Some
come
in with
never
danced before. ‘This
may sound
Mr.
years
of
previous training;
Cook, “but there
are
some
some
have
crazy,”
people
says
who
are
natural movers.” A lot of the “natural movers” Mr.
Cook has in mind
are
the
men
in the company, many
of whom have not had any dance
Vassar. Mr. Cook takes great
training before
pride not only in
their
Already, Alifetime in Dance
Cadence Pearson ’94 has had
with dance.
grade,
She
and
by the time
home in Oberlin,
a
when she
Ohio,
second
ballet in
fifteen she
was
was
where
Cleveland,
to
she
Vassar,
to
came
she
her
year
she
she
rigorously professional ballet school.
wouldn’t dance.
totally,”
lifelong relationship
early to commute 45 minutes from her
leaving school
studied at
a
began dancing
“I needed
but
recalls,
by
to
get
away
that she
from it
—
the end of her freshman
for dance
passion
decided
But
her to take
provoked
a
two-year leave of absence from Vassar.
She traveled to Indiana
she
University, where
shape,” and then to
ied to “get back in
performed with a
she stud-
Seattle, where
the Pacific Northcompany in
division. There, she
west Ballet School’s advanced
“got the experience of what it was really like
to be a
ballet dancer.” Of the experience she says, “I really
hated it. I
just hated everything
everything that
it was. I love
life. You have to be
individual. I
this clone.
—
but it’s the worst
You can’t be
an
just didn’t want to deal with that.”
Disillusioned, she decided
While she
that it stood for
ballet,
to return
waiting for the
was
to
summer
Vassar.
months to
wouldn’t have been able to grow somewhere where
Cadence Pearson ’94:
[they offer]
after a two-year leave
that offered
pass, she discovered a summer program
ballet, modern dance, dance
history,
and writing for
dance at Harvard. She enrolled. “I ended up
modern dance class and
a
and
realizing that was
just falling
in the first
in love with it
what I really wanted to do. For
the first time, I really felt the
dancing
reason
why
I’d started
place.”
and
dance to,”
only major I could
still classed
as
In her
second year
problem was put
aging and
so
atmosphere
ability
to
say,
you
the number of
‘Well,
have
do it?” he
are
there and
sheer
that
so encour-
just the best
number
men
an
are
dance,
of
“People
chuckles, citing
that Vassar
audition and
they
can
as
long
have
they
can
complete body
not embarrassed to
just get
out
and want to make that commit-
ment, I take them.”
no
Ms.
Lampert
quibbles about saying, “More profound dance
activity
goes on on the Vassar
places that have
a
major. I wish
apply
Perhaps
the idea of
But after
leading a
so
campus than many
when I was
term,
going to
pursue dance
studies, Ms. Pearson
returned to the Kenyon
studios.
teaching
teaching
because
course
at
really like
to be a
professor.”
“Everyone
is such
people who’ve only
can
to
wonderful—I loved it.
while down the road I’d
a
long
noncredit ballet
Vassar, she reflects, “It was
Maybe
in the
for
“dance for
I’d be terrible and wouldn’t like it,” she
thought
dance
can
enthusiasm to
her
always hated
to audition
hopes
that she
dance. It’s their
ography
is
an
amazing dancer. There
had
a
year of
training,
spirit coming out.
coming right
but
are
they
All the chore-
from the heart—it’s
really
inspiring.”
college that
an
I had known to
opportunity
Although the
a
come
to Vassar. There’s
here that I think is very
special.”
establishment of VRDT in 1982
was
considerable accomplishment, italso broughtabout
significantchallenges—whereto performwas a major
one.
able
The dance studios in Kenyon Hall
for
progress,
intimately
but VRDT
set
are
accept-
workshops and works-in-
spends most
of its time prepar-
ing repertory and student pieces for
Where could they perform such
Bragging alongside her colleague,
had
dance. “I
dance
claim. “I say,
as
she’ll
so
beyond her own developmentto her fellow VRDTers.
she
unable to recruit and maintain
move, I’ll take them.’ If
involvement,
the
companies
while” after Vassar.
though,
I
Pearson
really
with the company,
behind her. “Everyone is
but at
a
Ms.
In the meantime, Ms. Pearson’s enthusiasm reaches
doing modem,”
one-third of the company.
departments that
we
one
to be in. I was able to grow in ways I
move
how do
no
supportive and honest—it’s
them—almost
Next spring
major.”
I was
really a struggle because
ballet dancer and
a
realized how serious I was about
says.
most relate my
modern dance and
began taking
VRDT. At first, “it was
religion,
dance
modem dance
says.
Back at Vassar, she elected to major in
“because it was the
being in
a
an
one
gala event.
event? Mr. Cook
recalls tackling the space dilemma.
‘When I wanted to do repertory,
campus
I went around
lookingfor spaces, and there were no spaces.
The drama department is too small, and they’re too
27
Shelley Herbert ’95,
far right, in
company
dress rehearsalfor this
year’s gala
Fear of Falling
something
“I think that there is
about having
stick your
and say,
’95,
then
leg—and
‘Oh,
film
a
a
teacher tell you
Austin, Texas.
She
a
exactly
stick your
you
there
”
says
active,
tally
a
technique
week. I rely
because it’s
Herbert
on
really
a
lot
more
quickly
to dance classes
going
keep me physically
it to
hard to stop
after
seeing
the
said,
see
really uplifting experience. Everyone leaving
really want to be a dancer. I wonder what
dance class
a
or
two would be
Herbert shared that reaction,
wanted to be
a
she
Ms. Herbert took
Vassar, she
had
as
considers
much dance
class,”
people.” Nonetheless,
she’s
a
lot of time
a
wanting
says.
”
was
us
it and
thought
in there
days,
start
whenever I leam to let go of
dancingand
find the
they
were
were
the
too
was
find
are
funding
cense
other
we
busy. The
House.
and the balance.”
(Much
of the
funding
Ms. Herbert
For the immediate future,
spend junior year abroad in
plans
to
Germany. After that, she
things that I need
royalties,
and
comes
its
she
plans,
own
are some
to leam first.” As far as her after-
“I
only offers,
definitely don’t
want
job.”
schedule of productions permits.
Clearly, however, things
have worked out.
The first year the dance theater performed at the
Bardavon,
tended.
from
Mr.
recalls, only
150
people
at-
“Now,” he says, “we’ve got people coming
across
become
Cook
an
America to
see
it.” In
fact, the gala has
annual sellout, and peoplehave had to be
turned away.
well. VRDT must
fees, costuming, lighting design, sets,
of the Bardavon.
really
other
perfect.” Thus began VRDT’s
challenges
can
really
high schools,
for payment of repertory
I
choreograph, but Ithink there
too small. So I thought,
as
that,
meaning of what I’m doing
to return to Vassar and VRDT. “I would
again because
relationship with Poughkeepsie’s Opera
There
critical of how I’m
hopes
opera house? I went down and looked at
it
danc-
love to
to see.”
small, and
too
which I also looked at,
why not the
lot of the other
Ms.
performance at the Powerhouse,
full week and
music stage
as a
finding passion in
being really
to fall into any sort of desk
needed
dance. “I
she says. “I haven’t
ing. “I don’t know what I’d do without it.”And yet, “I
Vassar
you and
one
dance classes before
experience
looking for
gave
started to
herself “new” to
single ballet
a
throughout
really
dancing in high school.
reach out to that “huge auditorium filled with people
busy. We
SUMMER 1993
concentrate on her
Although
few dance classes
She also
like?’
part of the VRDT experience and
and they wouldn’t let
VQ
it and it
‘I
taking
28
join
at the
performance
Bardavon her freshman year. “I went to
was a
a
and middle school, but
doing and being afraid that I’ll fall down. On the good
Ms. Herbert noted that much of her desire to
came
elementary
spend
being men-
active here.”
VRDT
Ms. Herbert had
haven’t had
VRDT in order to “im-
than I would have if I weren’t
four times
leg
Shelley
correlate in German from
joined
prove my skills and
comforting
where to
I can do this,’
major with
very
li-
use
from
“The
Bardavon
is the most
[gala]
unique and
strange animal of anything that I have
ever encoun-
tered in all the
to,” adds
colleges
Lampert, stating
ticket sales for the gala.) The drama department is
of VRDT’s
able to help with costuming only occasionally, when
close to
a
her
that I’ve toured
awe
audience,
Ms.
at the size and enthusiasm
“and
hundred in this
I’ve
probably toured
country.”
to
Rachel Lanpart on theRoad
Rachel Lampert,
visiting
instructor in
artist in drama this past year,
Holyoke College
she received
was
visiting
educated at Mount
and New York
her B.F.A. and
edu-
physical
cation and dance and the Martha Farmer
where
University,
M.F.A.
In 1975 she
founded her dance company Rachel Lampert & Dancers.
The company, for which she
has toured
director,
United States and Europe, has
and receives
season,
State Council
on
for the Arts, and
serves as
artistic
extensively throughout
funding
the
annual New York
an
from the New York
the Arts, the National Endowment
corporations. It has appeared
some
at national dance festivals
including Jacob’s Pillow,
Delacourte Dance, and Dance Umbrella.
Outside of her
pany, Ms.
than twenty
modem
professional
Lampert has
regional
done
dance
dance
choreography for
companies
and
university/studentdance companies. She
twelve
has been
a
at
visiting guest artist
has
commore
George Mason Universityand
directed/choreographed commercials and pro-
motional pieces for various corporate clients.
She has received four NEA
ships and
choreography fellow-
various grants from
organizations such
the New York State Council for the
been
an
adjudicator for
the American
as
and has
Arts,
College
Dance
Festival Association.
Ms. Lampert has
ence as
well. Her
teaching
and
broad range of
a
professional
credits include the
the
Jeffrey 11,
Jeffrey Ballet Workshop
Buckley School,
BOCES Artist in Schools
projects throughout
Her
teaching experi-
and arts-in-education
Dutchess
program,
and
County
various
the United States and Canada.
university-level teaching
composition at
Hollins
and ballet and
composition
VRDT assistant artistic director
includes ballet and
Rachel Lampert not only
College in Roanoke, Virginia,
instructs students in her own
at NYU Tisch School of
choreography but helps them
develop their oWn. Above, Sarah
the Arts. The ’92/93 academic year was Ms. Lampert’s
third and final
one as
Vassar; she plans
visiting
to leave
Sisco and Michael Tancinco in
instmetor of dance at
Poughkeepsie to join
momentfrom
her
a
Ms. Sisco’s dance
Context.
husband in Ithaca, New York.
Both students and faculty of Vassar’s dance program observe
proach
and
granting.
that it differs fundamentally in ap-
attitude from those
that
One student referred to the
received while at
beating” and
a
degree
program
said the environment
are
degree-
training
as
she
“incessant
was one
in which
Some of them
beauty of
a
even
it here is
liberal arts
college
For
some
dancers,
translates into
an
tween repertory
myself.”
pieces,
says Mr.
in classes. In a dance
crying.
We have
a
Cook, “we don’t have any tears
department, the kids
very
prefer to give [students]
happy bunch here.
a
an
always
We
just
really professional level of
training. Then, the few who want to go
and get
are
M.A. in dance
or
on
afterwards
dance education
can.
join companies. The
and
as
academics of
much dance
as
they
want.”
she “wouldn’t have had the confidence to come out of
At Vassar,
go out and
they’re getting the
hours
some
per
“as much dance
pieces, faculty pieces,
of the dancers
week
as
they want”
incredible number of hours. Be-
dancing
spend upwards of twenty
in
doesn’t include the time
and student
Kenyon Hall—and
they spend
in
that
technique
classes. “I don’t know whether you understand this,”
remarked Mr. Cook, “but
some
dance. I mean it’s their lives.
their studies without
people just have
to
They can’t get through
dancing.”
bj
29
Underground Landmark
When
colonial-era African cemetery
a
in lower Manhattan, Vassar alumnae
unearthed
was
were
among
those who worked to bring it national recognition.
by Georgette Weir
o
N
ment,
an
level, Manhattan’s
intuitive
of
mazes
and colossal
transportation
skyscrapers
seem
idea is crushed and ridden
larly when thinking
utility tunnels,
and
to thwart consider-
archaeological potential.
ation of the island’s
the lives of Africans and African Americans in
tons of pave-
The
by unlikelihood, particu-
of remains from the
eighteenth
And
the
so
there
spring
of
was
1991,
document nominating the site for designation as
of
a
a
National Historic Landmark,
Howson helped to write.
Ground
edge
century and earlier.
considerable surprise when, in
start of work
at the
on
a
new
provides
African Americans lived besides
Manhattan,
a
the African
as
to be
quickly revealed
historic cemetery—Burial Ground—was
intact.
significantly
the cemetery had been recorded
Though
earlyeighteenth-
on
urban sites and
by including
southern
of
our
northern
all the other ways that
Ms. Howson said in
tions,”
to acknowl-
[African American] history.”
sites and
tip
Ms.
scholarshiphas really begun to fill out
of African America
picture
nomination
a
[T] he survival of the Burial
unique opportunity
a
and preserve
“Recent
“
federal office project in the vicinity of City Hall at the
known today
an
eighteenth-century urban context,” state the authors
a
as
slaves
on
planta-
March interview. Be-
sides her interest in New York City archaeology, Ms.
Howson’s other
primary research
focus is
on
African
in the West Indies.
history
‘To find
a
site that is
and
clearly
unequivocally
associated with the African community in colonial
New York is
amazing,” she
[African Americans]
were
says,
“because
most
slaves and most of them
lived in their masters’ houses. We can’t isolate their
An eighteenth-
century
map
community the
of
the Negros Burial
over
Ground (written in
script
at right),
called the
way
neighborhood,’
Manhattan showing
now
was
an
Irish
Huguenots living
city.
“This
Burial Ground
This
say,
were
here.’ Enslaved people were scattered through-
out the
African
we can
These
or
of that
[the burial ground]
community.
because that’s the
themselves off
as
It
is the material remains
to be their cemetery
happens
place where they could separate
a
community. They
couldn’t
bury
their dead in the church cemeteries.”
century maps
most
hopeful
as
the
Negros Burial Ground,
of observers—such
as
even
use
of the land in
consultant to do
a
question when hired
cultural
resources
as
a
assessment for
the project’s required environmental impact statement
be intact.
We didn’t know how
the
potential is
there.
good the potential [would be],
because the whole block had been developed in the
nineteenth century. All
‘Do
was,
some
We said if
testing,’
anything
is
we
and
left,
could say at that point
we
it’s
[suggested]
very
A large part of that significance is
of other records and evidence of
can
history
in northern urban
Burial Ground is of national
unprecedented potential
30
VQ SUMMER 1993
tation
to
where.
significant.”
owingto
the lack
early African Ameriareas.
“The African
significance due
yield
to its
information about
of
on
the burial
1989, then left for
African West Indian
on
Gfcuite
a
a
year of
test
borings
to
The
be up
made in the
were
of 1991. Human remains
immediately.
ered
history.
lot has happened since then.
Archaeological
spring
[EIS] report,
summer
archival research in London for her doctoral disser-
(EIS)—doubted that few, if any, remains would
‘We said in the
in the
ground
ologist Jean Howson 77, who rediscovered the historic
Ms. Howson wrote her first report
the
urban archae-
were
found almost
original ground level
to 25 feet below the
was
discov-
modern-day
surface—the result of nineteenth-centuryfilling and
grading. The added depth served
burials from the
of
building and
subsequent generations
The General Services
agency
in
Administration,
construction
ologists unearthed
activities
of New Yorkers.
it agreed to let
precede full-scale
protect the
land-moving
charge of construction,
forward, though
to
the federal
pressedthe project
archaeological work
digging. The
grave after grave.
archae-
The GSA, still
Above
Natalie Weathers ’9l in New York City. Her
research
on
the African Burial Ground of 1712
(right) has just been published by the Manhattan
Borough President’s Office.
Putting Anthropology
to Work on Public
Natalie Weathers ’9l
anthropology
majored
in
and
Africana studies at Vassar, but decided to postpone
graduate study of anthropology until after
in the work force.
Her first position
fellow in the Manhattan
during the ’9l/92
Manhattan,
dents who
an
are
on
independent school
can use
cultural studies to
“One of the
research
colonial
pean
there
through
given
bright
stu-
anthropology, how
amazing things
history,
8.”
you can use
that I found
you
see
Native
and then you
people
lives.”
during my
are
taught
Americans,
see
Euro-
African Ameri-
slaves in the South. You don’t get an idea that
were
African Americans
up
north.
“Slavery
tionship
of
a
were
were
were
mainly centered
downtown [in
lished
as
by
paper she
skilled laborers;
a lot
free; they owned their
economically.
even
about the
City lived
They
today’s financial
wrote on
of the burial
background
site
was
the historical
recently pub-
the Manhattan borough president’s office
“The African Burial Ground of 1712.” Ms. Weath-
ers
hopes
resource
“People
she
says,
it will be
widely
used
on
how
we
her
jobs and
just to
glad
we
to confirm her interest
our
environment, how
set up, the structures we
deal with each other and to survive.
really a big high to be
professional archaeologists
how
opera,”
unexpected
I’ve taken time off [of school] to under-
stand. It was
see
the
culture is the infrastructure
deal with
behave, the rituals
“I’m
educational
think that culture is the ballet and
reflecting
opportunities they provided
set up
as an
in New York City schools.
society,
rela-
and
district].”
of
working
be used
14th Street for three hundred years.
been
between African Americans and the Dutch.
A lot ofAfrican Americans
of African Americans
below
court.
more severe
fact that African Americans in New York
we
was more
slavery could
anthropology. “But
always
lot
idea about any of that. Or
in
in New Amsterdam under the Dutch was
because it
no
In New
people present.
interesting
“I had
The research
her “a perspective
Amsterdam —New York—there have
black
British saw that
office
a
because of the difference in the way the
harsh, just
is teach-
impact people’s everyday
is that the way most
Americans,
cans as
6
British, slavery got
years
Academy in
“for
land; they could defend themselves in
Under the
urban
coming from economically disadvan-
jobs, she says, have
how you
Now, she
at the De La Salle
taged backgrounds, grades
Both
was as an
borough president’s
academic year.
ing and writing grants
a few
own
Policy
anthropology
and
able to work with
anthropologists
to
is related to public policy.”
31
290
seeing
There’s
building site,
a
cemetery, continued to
press for the start of construction. In a
History
led
In Our
urban
a
team at Howard
by anthropologist Michael
’77,
anthropology major
an
L.
Blakey. Jean
at
Vassar and
the New York
archaeologist at
University
Preservation Commission, with
Howson
now
an
for the African Burial Ground during construction of a
federal office tower, talks about
of the questions
some
twelve hours
a
and artifacts
as
“It
who
an
here is what has
looking at
people
here, they
came
multitude of ethnic groups and
beled
as
one
population in
history
one
diverse
‘We
is
myself
are
a new
of that
going to be
a
the
community. It’s
really interested
bones. They
to be handled
chaeologicalsite.
necessarily
dig
It is
tion about where
some
groups that
they
informa-
of these individuals
possibly even the specific
came
physi-
from. There is
some
came
cultural
skimpy
week,
a
Howson,
London,
the
few
done
and
site,
re-
isolated
human
cemetery, it needed
of
a
from
normal
a
ar-
cemetery, you don’t
it up. It’s
also,
more
than
an
Ms. Howson and
as
numbers of others
increasing
kept pointing out,
“sacred ground.”
the Landmark nomination: “This site
only preserved
urban
eighteenth-
century African burying ground in the Americas.”
Ms. Howson: “In
us some
case
want to
slavery.
from in Africa and
In the
archaeological site.”
setting,
anthropology analysis will give
a
really differently
Again, from
the
days
many remains
says Ms.
on
excavate this
they were going to
may well be the
hope the archaeologicalanalysis and
compromise,
grave after grave. And if
finding
were
bom out of
con-
an
the bulldozer.
’91,”
are
in—how
under the
It wasn’t
cemetery.
a
as
interested outsider to the project, “that it
an
culture is
components and
the fall of
additional freelance research
new
a
environmental
a
la-
were
and scholars who
is formed —how
cultural
straints of
that
from
early history
peoples creating
slave sites
community
the
came
suddenly
particular locale
things
formed —in
So
group.
any
of diverse
of the
working on
cal
to be
ethnic group in America —African American. But
when these
a
come
save as
possible from
by
seven
that time had returned from
by
was
‘What we’re
in order to
day,
clear
was
mained
that analysis will address.
to work
archaeologists agreed
City Landmarks
oversight responsibility
or as
not
a
colonial-era African Burial Ground in lower Manhat-
by
site
as
archaeological
tan will be conducted
Bones
Broadway
Scientific analysis of the remains excavated from the
a
a
place like New York,
which has
huge African American population now, and
active
leadership
in that
community,
claim to the colonial past of New York
exactly how
it’s been
taken. It’s
a
very
this is their
City. And
that’s
away of getting
people
in touch with their past that’s
People
see
so
concrete.
information from historical documents about where
most of the slaves who were in New York were
but it would be
culture
going
really interesting
change
to be
over
tricky.
the
We’re
dred-year
In the best-case
talking
about
she
your
we
find out from the historius
informationthat
we
urban
archaeologist with the
New
“Hard
over
life get recorded in your skeleton.
cal record, this is going to give
77,
analysis.
says. “Things that happen in
“No matter how much
’
York City
couldn’t get any other way, information about these
people’s physical lives,
lived
in,
and
as
the material conditions that
how
Landmarks Preservation
they
Commission
different kind of insight.”
they
viewed
see
death.
It’s
a
just figuratively... they
not
their ancestors literally. It has been seized
away of reclaiming
a
history. That’s what happens
with archaeological sites; that’s how people
are
af-
fected by it.”
As the scope of the
place of origin
about your life gets recorded
biological life span,”
Below
one-hun-
Ms. Howson says, clues
will be revealed in skeletal and dental
Jean Howson
a
could
be hard to date.”
scenario,
and evidence about diet, disease, and
your
It’s
eighteenth century.
span for this cemetery. And with few arti-
facts, they’re going to
evidence
from,
if we could look at
themselves,
archaeological dig expanded,
word about the site did too.
Many in the descendant
African American community raised questions about
the
and
involvement,
or
lack thereof, of black scholars
community leaders in
deciding such
issues
what would be done with the excavated human
as
re-
mains and artifacts: Who would analyze them? Would
the human remains be reinterred? Would the site be
memorialized, its historic significance
commemo-
rated? Archaeologistswereinterested. Religious leaders
interested. Scholars of African American
were
American
history,
were
history, and biocultural history
interested. Politicians at the city, state, and
federal levels became interested.
It
was
at the New York
another Vassar
searching
and
City political level that
graduate became involved
in
communicating the significance
re-
of
the African Burial Ground. Natalie Weathers ’9l had
’
in the fall of 91 gone to work for Manhattan Borough
President Ruth Messinger as
a
at
an
urban fellow. With
background in anthropology and Africana studies
Vassar,
Ms. Weathers
senting
Ms.
ground
initiated by
the
soon
Messinger on
a
found herself repre-
task force
on
the burial
Peggy King Jorde, an architect in
Mayor’s Office
of Construction.
“I decided that what I would do would be to
re-
search the historical significance of the site, because
when
a
political official
position they’re going
have to have
32 VQ
SUMMER 1993
some
is
trying
to take
to determine what
on
something, they
background information
on
it,”
Ms. Weathers said in
interview in March.
an
She started in the trenches withtrowel and
for
She
brush,
month assisting with the actual excavation.
one
quickly moved
city depositories.
on
“I
to archival research in various
was
this historical
writing
re-
search paper—a position paper for Ruth Messinger.
I gave
testimony
public events
at
Church that
sible
for
happened in April
showing
mayor’s task force
town
on
on
1992. I
Trinity
at
was
respon-
David A.
the burial ground and the
the burial ground.” At the April
Ms.
meeting, her boss,
position that
of the
was one
meeting
State Senator
at
up
Paterson’s task force
and
the town
people who organized
Messinger,
construction should be
stated her
halted, a
rial should be built, and the remains
memo-
should be
reinterred. Ms. Weathers’ official efforts
on
behalf of
the burial ground ended with the expiration of her
fellowship
in
of 1992. She continued to work
May
privately, however, attending meetings, speaking on
panels, trying
to get word out
throughout the
sum-
mer.
Excavations, meetings, and controversy
ued. Construction
In
spring.
portion
August, however,
of land
order of
a
of the office tower
contin-
began that
excavations
that
on
designated for the pavilion ceased by
congressional oversight committee. Some
420 skeletons had been removed from the cemetery;
it is estimated
that several hundred
more
remain
buried under existing streets and buildings, and
the unexcavated
portion
Also in August, Jean Howson
city’s Landmarks
urban archaeologist, and
commission had
joinedthe staff of the
Preservation Commission
cial connection to the
on
of the site.
so
once more
site at 290
had
as
an
an
offi-
Broadway. The
responsibility for local oversight of
the burial ground during construction.
‘They had had
says. “As the
archaeologist
one
became louder and louder and
increased, he
on
staff,” she
public outcry [over the burial ground]
was
public meetings
as
swamped. Of course, there
these other routine tasks that
go
are
commission’s normal environmental review. So
hired
me
in
August
as a
what
was
going
on
they
second person to help with
the routine work and also because I
on
all
along with the
at the
was
up to
speed
burial ground.” On
February 1, her colleague left the commission.
I’m it. Now I’m overwhelmed. All I
“Now
do, basically,
is
the burial ground.”
construction site and of
excavation work in the
area
any other
that might impinge
on
the burial ground—work done by utility companies,
for
example.
usheringtwo
the city has
It has also included
coauthoring and
and national
registration
ever
pro-
cedures.
designated a district
says
on
Ms. Howson. “It’s
a
the basis of
whole
new
departure for the Landmarks Commission, and it’s
exciting.”
And in March, Natalie Weathers
research published as
an
saw
her historical
educational booklet by the
Manhattan borough president’s office under the title
The African Burial Ground of 1712.”
“I’m
happy
I worked in
follow-through,”
nominations for historic landmark des-
ignation through city
the African Burial Ground and The
as
archaeology,”
very
“Doing” the burial ground includes continued
monitoring of the
Manhattan
Commons Historic District. “This is the first time
new
says
Ms.
an
office that had
some
Weathers, holding the
booklet. “This is going to be distributed
to
public libraries in New York, to community school
Registration
of the
African Burial Ground
National Historic Landmark
completed
in
April
with the
tary of the interior. Earlier,
New York
City took its
own
was
scheduled
signature of the
on
as
a
to be
secre-
February 25, 1993,
significantstep when the
districts. Mainly, I want it to be for teachers,
know about [the burial ground],
grate this information
into their
couple
of
anthropologists know
something that
ignated
American people know about.”
expanded
area
of the
southern
tip
of
they
so
can
they
inte-
classrooms.
shouldn’t be something that just I know about,
Landmarks Preservation Commission officially desan
so
It
or a
about. It should be
New Yorkers know
about, that the
33
Life After Andrew
By Dana Kilbourn Fairbank ’73
T
Ml. 0 most of
Hurricane Andrew is old
you,
To those of
Florida,
it is
who live in south
us
an
news.
County,
What progress
enduring nightmare.
have we made in six months toward
ishingly
Dade
Aston-
recovery?
Broward, Collier,
Dade (particularly in the area
and
of the latter known
as
South Dade), it is reported that 250,000 peoplewere
left homeless and
86,000 jobs
more
received minor
a
February
for those who continue to
to live. Our
place
formerly lush,
tropical neighborhoodnow looks
in the middle of
a
cornfield. One
in any direction and
Nature is
see acre
simply
too much
sky.
where ficus
sprouted
stood. The fences
are
like
can
upon
a
and
give
sharp,
too
Tall
us
sub-
drive for an hour
acre
of
nothing.
few remain-
wooden fences
hibiscus
hedges
they
screen,
are
open.
once-bustling South
Apart
Dixie
from these
Highway is
traffic patterns
around and rerouted.
worsened; for those
are
34
VQ SUMMER 1993
Spouse and child abuse
triggered this,
vast, bull-
areas
on
predictable
a
rates
the rise. The
reaction
to
the terror, the unspeakable fear of dying in your own
home. It is being prolonged, however, by forces far
less
understand,
easy to
let alone
forgive.
Mile upon mile of damaged homes, the vast major-
ity as yet untouched, offer mute testimony that
nature
spawned Andrew, the
while
disaster is
recovery
man-made.
Insurance settlements took months. Six insurers
bankrupt. Unscrupulous
of less
or
have been turned
Commuting for everyone is
of us still in the southern part of
re-
a
contractors
actually enforce its
there will be
own
no
Dade
more
improve
County began
to
building code, at least ensur-
its
exterior walls built of
justifiably
age, the county has also been
the code.
the
contractors from other counties.
After howls of outrage,
ing
took
long, yet are so jealous
of their turf they have successfully blocked
and fast-
police
stations
services.
year. The
are
operational, though
still under construction. Trailers
parks, however,
Miami.
hurricane
experience
limited, and
tarnished im-
constantly upgrading
Although strengthening the
code is laud-
able and necessary, the resulting “code de jour” has
in
meant that
practice
yesterday
ance
will
will not
pass
pay
for
only
a
new
roof that
inspection
one
was
legal
tomorrow. Insur-
roof.
Lastly, FEMA—the Federal Emergency Manage-
hospital
for;
of us still
concentration is
our
short.
tempers
Many
year
nerve-wracking, bumper-to-bumper drive
a
Fire and
many
our
such definitive solution
no
have waiting lists up to
but do
north.
continues to love
there is
town. Available contractors
the county, buying anything beyond necessities
says she
Unfortunately,
Masonite. To
many people relocated to
devastation,
quires
adapted remarkably well.
people’s money and left
dozed wasteland.
so
given this
once
exceptions,
a
predict-
behavioral stan-
on
For those who haven’t the trauma continues.
licensing of
Grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations,
food places
no
constant and
went
much-needed privacy, but
too square;
stable routine.
have
not comfort.
With
be
strong emphasis
a
kind of environment have
is
broccoli, and there
a
is crucial. Children who have been
dards,
development
making a valiant effort, but the
trees look like stalks of
they
continues to
later, the situation here
defy description.Abrand-new tent city opened
be without
Andrew, she
life
have gone up, and alcoholism is
in the middle of
ing
being is
immaterial, he said. Having
daily
trouble sleeping,
Six months
impact of Hurricane
with
is
completely destroyed, 38,789 dwellings sustained
almost
in 1991. Despite the
lifestyle
Andrew. In South Dade alone, 19,282 dwellingswere
damage.
County
your former
for the adults’ difficulties.
major damage, and thousands
to south Dade
child’s well
certain aspects of
destroyed by
were
a
Whether or not this routine bears any semblance to
able,
little.
In the three counties of
Dana Fairbank moved
component for
Community
most
won’t reopen until sometime next
of South Dade is
body
provide
libraries and
adequately cared
the heart and soul still suffer.
And what of the mind? Schools
them operating
fully, children
brought
in
by
out of
are
our
are
open, many
portable classrooms.
told
us
Agency—demanded
of
Merci-
that the critical
enforcement of the fed-
eral flood plain elevation requirements, which Dade
County
had flaunted for years. This
was
the crudest
blow of all.
in
Effected
minimum
resilient. A child psychologist,
PTA,
ment
throughout
from the
set
1975, these regulations established
required elevations for homes built
south Florida in order to
protect them
impact
of
flooding. The requirements
were
by the federal government, which provides flood
insurance.
Natural disasters such as
hurricanes are
when they
big news
happen.
But
what is life like for those
affected once the storm
has passed?
tions, only with
the sudden
implementation of
them
home, August 27,1992. Not
in the midst of this devastation.
In
early February,
husband and
I,
retrievers
still
that
we
are
our
two
our
leased
in
until February 1993
house
bulldozed. My
was
children, and
living in
Inside the Fairbanks’
golden
two
the 33-foot motor home
they able
to
were
make the
decision to raze their house
and build from scratch.
the house
September, thinking
would take six months to repair. Instead, we hope to
be in the
new
house
part is that there
bind. Those of
same
money to elevate
who can’t, face
a
us
who have
Houses built
any
of
one
prior to
1975
grandfathered in,
were
If the house
major caveat.
was
damaged in
way—by fire, hurricane, whatever—and the
repairs equaled
structure’s
50 percent
exceeded
or
value, then the house had
to be raised to
the required elevation. Additionally, if the house
remodeled
applied.
tion
to
or
The
was
enlarged,
the
county’s enforcement
sporadic, with
variances
on new
construc-
routinely granted
large-scaledevelopers. When existing homes
upgraded,
Our
the rules
house,
were
built in
1986, the previous
tively doubling the
allowed to do so,
owners
is
a
built
the house
below the required elevation. The
guest house
they
also
addition,
an
They
Damage
percent,
therefore
our
And yet, life here is by
dable weapon
being
“Home
is where
substantially exceeded 50
house had to be
elevated
ine and
We faced
being declared unsafe and uninhabitable.
a
painful choice:
by driving
raise
or raze.
steel beams
We could
through
walls and hydraulically jacking up the slab;
could demolish
it, bring
proper elevation. The
to
$45,000 and
classic
in
an
pay,
case
in
fill,
the
or we
and rebuild at the
price tag ranged from $25,000
is not covered
by
insurance.
In
a
of buck-passing, the county has filed suit
attempt to force the insurance companies to
but the outlook is not
promising. We
have
no
argument with the intent of the flood plain regula-
such
The most
line drawing of
a
our
a
house to yours.”
with
become
a
nity
whole is
as a
tightly
Strangers greet
out of
other
are
always friendly
South
more
We
compensations.
our
neighbors,
knit extended
one
family.
caring and
another
on
but
The
more
were
we
have
commu-
supportive.
the street,
a
practice
before Andrew. We exchange infor-
use
learn
we
elevation
our
Genu-
sweeter than any other sound of reconstruc-
And there
long
killing me!”
healing, laughter rings throughout
when
risking fines, imprisonment,
most formi-
it is wielded with
The best-selling T-shirt reads, “FORGET Hurricane
mation about bad—and
and
our
roof landed.”
caption “From
camper with the
all bad. We
means
spray-paintedmessages
your
elevation meant
raise the house
no
popular Christmas card had
tion.
had to be
contem-
even
justgiven up, sold
against despair, and
before it could be repaired. Repairing at the current
the house
can
that humor is
on
abandon. Houses sport
were
two feet
to do so; those
and moved away. The real estate agents
discovered early
Dade,
built at the proper elevation.
from Andrew
making a killing.
effec-
new one-room
added, however,
dollar,
are
as
they
many have
Andrew—it’s the Recovery that’s
perfect example. In
of the house.
despite
were
simply ignored.
1969,
size
was
50 percent rule
same
the
left of their American dream for pennies on
was
the
cost
of the
up
further six-month wait for the courts
plate rebuilding. Sadly,
with
scraped
slowly starting
are
heartbreaking
than 4,000 families in the
to resolve the issue before
what
The
by August.
are more
new
good—contractors, phone
information about
regulations, keep tabs
on
the flood
the well being of
neighbors.
But my greatest
used to take
crickets
pleasure
granted.
replacing
that followed
paper.
for
the
comes
from
things
absolute, prolonged
the storm.
I
The songs of birds and
Coffee
and the
silence
Sunday
Long, hot showers. Mail delivery. Flowers.
Most of
all,
my
family, together, safe, and achingly
precious.
Though we are terribly battered, we are yet
so
very
blessed.
35
OMNIUM
GATHERUM
“He knew I
‘I Did Not Come to Nickelodeon
was
about turning
to Create a Billion-Dollar Asset.’
a
nut when
loose
women
I waxed
on
organiza-
on an
challenge gender-similar thinking,
tion to
and he asked for the check when I got into
“I believe
is
passion
in the business
endangered species
an
said
arena,”
of Nickelodeon
Laybourne ’69, president
April
dence. “I did not
create
worth
and
one
ued. “I
executive-in-resi-
as
to Nickelodeon
come
billion-dollar asset—and
a
came
where
I
invent
to
came
kids
are
half times that,” she contin-
a
innovative and filled with lots
for kids.
we
to
to make a difference for kids. I
convinced that TV could be
was
who
Networks,
and vice chairman of MTV
visited Vassar in
Geraldine
could feel
a
lot
more
variety
playground
more
a
about them-
good
selves and get curious about the world.”
elodeon has become
just
parents. And
Ms.
but with their
doesn’t have to listen to
one
Laybourne
resounding success
a
children,
among
for very
long
before realiz-
that she is driven
by
a
work she does. So it’s
no
surprise that she
ing
chose
the
as
the topic for her
college a subject
“Creating
a
Career
for the
passion
public lecture
she knows
at
intimately:
Out of Personal
Pas-
sion.”
In
a
Laybourne
microphone in the Villard
and began to chat with
room
crowd of several
a
hundred about where she finds motivation.
“I
see so
of
titles
mistake
and
a
story
lunch date with
“Mr. Broadcast TV,”
during
was
which she
asked how she
had discovered
pas-
prove to
that
we
Nickelodeon
have to keep
on
responding playfully.”
why,
in her view, broad-
such
problems. ‘They
a
view of the competition,”
row
‘They
on
past have had
got into
focused
each
beating
on
the ultimate
rying about what was missing for
worried about
they
copying
not
wor-
the viewer,
each other’s
from the
prior year. They forgot to
vision. They forgot to be passionate.”
success
a
other,
Instead of
consumer.
nar-
very
she said.
she
Success,
lies in
said,
[working] atmosphere
into
“turning
a more
the
nurtur-
ing, trusting, risk-taking place,” not in “axes
and knives and
cost-cutting ideas” that leave
peopleinsecure and
condition them
the “safest” ideas in fear for their
in
jobs. “Frankly,
business,
any
not
just in
entertainment, people do their best work if
are
high and the underlying
that you will
are
yourself,”
she
succeed.
challenged her
audience. “When do you do your best think-
ing?
When
think
people
you’re
an
idiot? I
don’t think so.”
Ms.
credited her experience
helping to shape her personal
Laybourne
at Vassar for
feelings
about expectations.
She
the initial frustration she felt
as a
spoke
of
“different
troductory
was
foreign
passion
at
all,” she
a
press
very
connected
to
to him.” So she
for kids and for
protecting
the
rights
of
low
and lived down to the
courses
expectations that
Vassar’s
expectation
all amount to
“break
something” pushed
the failure
spiral.”
however, that unchecked
you
into failure,” and
philosophy is
had of her. But
some
that its students “will
She
cautioned,
success
“can lull
that Nickelodeon’s
not “if it ain’t broke don’t fix
it,” but “fix it anyway because
broken at some point.”
She shared
her to
some
leadership
it will be
advice she
had
about
consultant—advice she said that had been
inventing new
ing out how to
use
businesses and
information
to “flatten
grams that would
figur-
systems and
corporate hierarchies”
and to institute creative
compensation pro-
inspire more
efficient use
of staff.
“I
saw
members
once
received
blanch
as
I get about
develop
I got into how
seeing my
and achieve,” she said.
team
from
management
a
reverberating in her mind for
and that ends: “Concentrate
good
and the
greater
over
on
good
ten years
the greater
will
come
to
you.”
She finished the
him
passionate
VQ SUMMER 1993
She summarized
cast networks of the recent
creators to do their best work. She went on
computers
36
has heroines at the
center of some of its shows.
me
television—about her love for the creative
and for
“Pro-
will watch any-
know
I
process
Nickel-
kind of learner” who didn’t succeed in in-
really
perceptively saw that
been hung
only for boys, girls
gram
so
They said,
didn’t
interviews and
I’ve
neighbors
sion for her work.
bunch of my
Nickelodeon: “I’ve been
second chil-
typical
“He
said, “but he read
told him about her
speaking about
Her broadcast
odeon got into live action.
Think about
a
back,”
stitches,
Mr. Broadcast TV
said, “Kids only like animation,”
business issues,” she
of
watered,
dren like best.”
expectations
then
in
wisdom wrong. “For-
child and that is what
assumptions
and
wheeze
give me,” she said, “but I’m a typical second
territory
launched into
by bungee cords—all to
proving conventional
and not sticking to the
said,
my work in away
obliged, leaving
generation
a
me
stories.
more
behind for the moment, and
to take
about worrying about
slimed, I’ve been
She
creative
making
’69, president of
waited for
many people
my
made
she concluded. Her audience,
have
very unassumingway, Ms.
took to the
Geraldine Laybourne
learningand training
with excitement. He has not called
thing.” Nickelodeon
It’s hard to argue with the fact that Nick-
not
how
evening with the
follow-
ing message to students, who included her
daughter, Emmy
’93:
“Over the next few
years, many of you will be
entering the work
force. My hope for all of you is that you will
connect with your
be
that you will
passion and
about who you
introspective
really
and not try to be what you think
be. And
wants you to
passionate
hope
someone
get
you
as
about what I do, because
I am
as
I
are
I love it.”
Outstanding teachers,
Jordan 72,
Patricia James-
says
graduation from Vassar,
and
pectations
“hold
potentialof all
Ms. Jordan should know.
beginning
students.”
Twenty
her teaching
years
she
career,
has been named 1993 Teacher of the Year
by
the New York State Board of
Ms. Jordan,
teacher at
now
Island, retains
Regents.
and for the past 12 years
School
Roslyn High
a
Long
on
her vocation.
the standard set of
Ms.
ing activities,”
required
Jordan
students’ lives, and
“I can’t expect
class and solve
matic has
in their
aware
they
a
student to
matter.
come
happened in their
personal
life. It’s
to
a
not
person,
just as someone
a day.
or
to be
important
as
young person
a
trau-
community
important
a
you
whole
see
her Vassar
degree
academic
success,
for
teachers
reach out.”
Jordan
will
heart of the
as
Ms.
New York
spread throughout
this year in the role
refers to
message
that she
modestly
not the best teacher in the
master’s
in
special
College
in
1976,
master’s
second
cites
teachers.
job,”
an
“It’s
a
very
she says with
extensive
state,
welcome
chuckle,
a
schedule
engagements and visits
of
and
speaking
to schools and edu-
cation programs around the state.
Daily,
teaching math at Roslyn,
leads the school’s Extended
Support
risk of
gram for students at
dropping out.
She
a
serves
as
group called
a
member
Bridging
mentoring
the
of
Gap,
services
community
which per-
experience,
or
for students
“the
self-perceived
system.”
On
power to
Saturdays,
ne-
she
in
time when Ms. Jordan
know this sounds
my
personal
first
not a teacher. “I
unlikely,”
she says, “but
motivation to teach
grade—it
dan says she
was
was
so
began in
much fun.” Ms. Jor-
progressed from playing
el-
or
in their
personal life.’
majors in psycholPatricia James-Jordan 72
program
to
on
while
a
earn
a
City
COHEN
LINDA
sity,
Ph.D. in
a
psychology
from Hofstra in 1991.
She is
beacon of
a
her
to
dents,
stu-
particularly
those who
are
African
Americans. “We need
make
to
concerted
a
effort
to
expose
to
suc-
cessful adults, includwhose
ing teachers,
childhoods
were
simi-
lar to their own,” she
says. Ms.
Jordangrew
up in a housing project
in the South Bronx.
these
such
important, she
students
math,
as
tory. “I
see
says,
“ownership”
that have
of
to
give
subjects,
commonly been
outside their culture and his-
my
fortable and
job
getting people
as
com-
Patricia
James-Jordan
—
Dr. J. to her students—has been named by the
New York State Board of
Regents
as
1993 Teacher
of the Year
confident with math. Some-
times, that means getting people comfortable and confident so
She has
study of math can
enough
such
topics
as
she
projects
math in African civiliza-
might
one
personal meaning,
Memorial
by
in math
are
offer for extra credit.
Another endeavor,
of
specified curriculum
she says, but research
covered,”
“modern-day heroes”
or
the math.”
encompass. “I’m realistic
to know that a
has to be
on
they can do
broad view, too, of what the
a
with
a
great deal
is the Juanita James
Scholarship Fund,
established
Ms. Jordan with her sister to honor their
arships
to
high
gives college
schol-
school seniors who reside
in the South Bronx.
“We
one
now
have two students at Skidmore,
at NYU, and one at SUNY Binghamton,”
nancial support and
a
community
1989
says Ms.
been
something traumatic has
a
exam.
never
equations if
school
coaches minority students for the SAT math
There has, in fact, almost
time when
a
education from
late mother. The fund
whose families do not have the resources,
gotiate
and
clinical
she
Pro-
into a class and
from Hofstra Univer-
tions
Ms. Jordan models her message.
In addition to
forms
in
psychology
but the chosen representative of hundreds
of great
been
she went
student),
perceived as
This is the
with
community tutoring
It is also
impede their
outstanding
had has been in
expect a student
come
school math (she also coordinated
ondary
a
to
happened in their
rarely
was
forty minutes
“When students’ problems
ever
7 can’t
solve
“Every type
not a student. After earning
Ms. Jordan
youngsters
into
equations if something
of life circumstances. It’s
to relate
of their
do not limit their
imparting subject
to
teach-
‘They are
says.
interested in the overall aspects
concerns
There has also
success
“Outstandingteachers extend their roles
beyond
years to numer-
education.
I’ve
dur-
education,” she says.
enthusiasm for
enormous
jobs in
employment
of
Vassar
high ex-
continuously optimistic
are
about the academic
after
ing her junior high school
ous summer
neighborhood
community
Black Studies and a certificate
ogy and
from the education program to teach sec-
teacher of mathematics since
a
to
tutor in her South Bronx
W.P.
New York’s Teacher of the Year
her
ementary school teacher
students
Jordan.
mentoring to
throughout
Speaking of
ported by
can
The fund offers both fiselected
college careers.
the South Bronx students sup-
the
applaud
their
fund,
Ms. Jordan says, “If
we
the heroes of these communi-
ties, and give them assistance and support,
that’s
teaching
too.”
G.W.
37
moved
OMNIUM
GATHERUM
Maxwell Takes a Bow
Larry
in 1991, where he
Hollywood
to
continues to pursue his labor of love.
Like most actors, Mr. Maxwell sometimes
“In
ways I feel like I
some
enough
do!” actor
Larry
smart
something
better to
Maxwell 74 says
during a
figure
to
was never
out
telephone interview with the VQ about chooslife in the theater. The conversation
ing
a
was
occasioned
ond
time,
the fact that for the
by
Mr. Maxwell
sec-
performer in a
was a
Grand Jury Prize-winning film at the
presti-
gious Sundance Film Festival. The festival
has been described
as
“the nation’s
pendent
In
by the
major
cess,
in
Mr.
Public Ac-
Maxwell
Abernathy,”
the
plays
was one
dramas awarded the Grand
son,
film
by Todd
“Poison stirred
Jury
Prize. In
big controversy,”
a
says Mr. Maxwell. In the movie he
played
doomed scientist/researcher who,
thinking
he’s discovered
the
to
cure
a
a
gruesome
disease, ingests
it with monstrous results. “I
enjoyed playing
Dr. Graves
he recalls.
“It
was
a
tremendously,”
role that gave
FILMS
to
ploy
of the
many
able
I
and
pleased
some
em-
that I al-
knew.
ready
COURTESY
the
me
opportunity
techniques
ZEITGEIST
bring
to
of my
was
very
own
for the film,
won,”
they
Poison
says Mr. Max-
knocked
over
excitement.
when
money
exciting feeling!
going to
Ms. Goldman-Rakic
citing her contributions
honored for her
ment of behavioral
their
on
mal
work
pioneering
neural mechanisms
lot of
but when
do the kind
the
on
underlying the develop-
systems in primates and
significance for
cognitive functions
normal and abnorin humans.
In 1991, Ms. Goldman-Rakic was awarded
the Lieber Prize for
schizophrenia
outstanding research
from the
for Research
National Alli-
Schizophrenia
on
Depression. The Lieber Prize is the
prize
for
psychiatric research
and
largest
awarded
in
the world.
For
the past
search
twenty-five
disturbed
the
her
re-
the brain’s prefrontal cortex and
on
the neural mechanisms
and
Ms.
years,
has concentrated
underlying memory
She and
thinking.
have studied the
her col-
development,
or-
and function of the neocortex,
reasoning
and artistic part of the brain
that makes humans distinct from other spe-
In recent
organic
years,
on
she has focused her basic
understanding
basis
of
the
causes
schizophrenia,
mental disorder characterized
a
to
was
gration of the thinking
by
process
a
a
and
severe
disinte-
and
emo-
tional responsiveness.
Her research is
supportedby the
Institute of Mental Health
1988, she
was
awarded
a
National
(NIMH),
and in
five-year, $6.6
mil-
of work I want to do, and be damned with the
lion grant to establish the Center for Neuro-
consequences.”
science
mental theater since
with
a
working in experi-
graduatingfrom
Vassar
drama major in 1974. He founded the
Mobins
Theatre,
still active in Boston, and
spent many
years in New York
he worked
with,
among
City,
others,
Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatre
1993
All
you sort of make some con-
Mr. Maxwell has been
VQ SUMMER
(AAAS) in February hon-
the field of memory and cognition. She
you’re going to work in experi-
theater,
Science Group
presented
ioral Sciences,
ganization,
accept the
“I haven’t made
cessions. I thought, I’m
38
The AAAS
And
is win in ’95 and I’ll be in a
big-time connections,
you decide
mental
is
its John P. McGovern Award in the Behav-
leagues
to dominate the decade!”
or
by
W.P.
guys.”
and scientific achievement in behav-
research
He continues,
seen
ioral neurosciences.
pened again.
position
get
sity School of Medicine,for her distinguished
career
cies.
now
kind of cred-
me
fessor of neuroscience at the Yale Univer-
one of my scenes was the backdrop!
When Public Access won [in 1993] it hap-
very
by
ment of Science
with
award,
I have to do
film.
was
they actually
went up to
a
me a
Schizophrenia
Goldman-Rakic
well, “everyone
It’s
appeared,
The American Association for the Advance-
when it took
“When
experimental theater and
Honored
ance
prised
in
Research on
shared
the 1991 award.
career
of the bigger
some
he
suc-
to his own career.
ibility. Hopefully, it will help
colleagues
thoroughly sur-
made his
over
“It’s exciting and it gives
on
were
in
will, he hopes, carry
and his
asm
’74
of the two films in which he
cess
Although he
tremendous enthusi-
Larry Maxwell
doing long term. As always,
has his fingers crossed. The Sundance
life
experience to it.”
and
Poison; the actor has
the side to
on
isn’t “positive” about
ored Patricia Shoer Goldman-Rakic ’59, pro-
Haynes.
quite
what he’ll be
things
up some
of two
1991, he starred in the award-winning Poia
the rent” and
New York Times
films.”
which
“pick
make
showcase for inde-
January, Bryan J. Singer’s
“whistleblower
has to
where
Charles
Company.
He
Research
ing with her
are
at Yale. Scientists work-
guided by
the
hypothesis
that
schizophrenia represents
of
class of cortical cells and circuits that
a
can
be studied at the
a
breakdown
genetic, molecular, and
cellular levels. The Yale center is
part of the
NIMH national
phrenia.
plan
for research
on
schizo-
Goldman-Rakic has served
Ms.
Yale medical
faculty
science since 1979. She also
was
the
on
professor of
as
neuro-
director of
Yale from 1981 to 1987. Before
joiningthe
faculty,
she held research positions at the
NIMH
in Bethesda,
1965 and
1979. She earned her Ph.D. in
1963 from the
Los
between
Maryland,
University
of California at
to go. She
joked about
the process of
fortunately, getting rejected
one
went
to
on
earn
M.B.A in health-care
an
administration from
Baruch
of
College,
and
jobs including
vice
variety
planning at White Plains
a
of
people
National Women’s
(NWHRC)
us
the
to
when
they
she
join the
lenging
and
tration.” She
’79 about her role
“it’s
nonprofit
challenging—where
hensive
national organization.
being an objective,
she continued. “It’s
resource,”
overwhelming project
hours in
enough
accomplish. That’s
because it
to do
a
women
D.C.
in 1988, the NWHRC is
is to become
Its mission
lives. The
tirelessly
cation
velop
lition
and
real oppor-
a
lives of women.”
W.P.
tunity
People
ENTERTAINMENT
a
and
provide
of health
clinical services,
through
professionals,
a coa-
consumers,
and work with the
public
women
to
active role in health-care decisions.
Pryluck
NWHRC
about
the
provides.
are
doing,”
of projects that I
national
hope
exposure.”
projects Ms.
Pryluck
organizations
will
number
us
of the
more
many
proudly referred to
are
provides referrals to
concerned
many health
that
challenging
on a
give
Some
national database that
women’s health and
says Ms.
services
many
“It’s very
and rewarding. We’re working
ease,
de-
with issues
access
to
reproductive health,
other
the medical
professionals; and
a
and domestic vio-
community,
and
speakers’ bureau
that conducts programs on-site at
NWHRC’s parent
Punishment,” starring
company’s
one
of the
other subsid-
iaries, the Columbia Hospital for Women
Medical Center, established in 1866, and the
only congressionally chartered women’s
hos-
in the United States.
An acute interest in health
Peter Bauer
spring
is
de-
a
on
was
the show “Equal Justice.”
also scheduled to
in the
play
perform
The Substance
of Fire
with Ron Rifkin and Gena Rowlands at the
Mark Taper Forum in Los
and to
Angeles
make his feature debut in the film Watch It,
described
tionships
“an
as
exploration of
turned to Vassar last
mance
men’s rela-
in the ’9os and how the
their lives influence them.” Mr.
during the
women
Tenney
for
summer
in
re-
perfor-
a
annual Powerhouse The-
ater summer season.
Also
’B3
on
plays
an
network television: lisa
be
can
seen on
“L.A. Law.”
Zane
Ms. Zane
attorney.
And, in India, Maim Gargi ’9O is the
of Pyar ka Parana
(Song of Love),
a
star
film
by
Dev Anand.
GOVERNMENT
Margaret
nothing
Milner
nominated in
Richardson
February by
Richardson
is
a
corporate
former IRS official.
on
the nomination
place
in
’65
was
President Clinton
to head the Internal Revenue
Service. Ms.
tax
lawyer
and
Congressional hearings
were
scheduled to take
May.
Vicki
as
Oklahoma
Miles-LaGrange ’74,
state senator, was nominated
serve
care
as
dis-
lence; NWHRC-sponsored conferences for
consumers,
appearing on NBC’s
of
information
topics including breast
now
tective. He previously playedpublic defender
this
model
we
“Crime and
professional edu-
awareness
“I believe in what
Jon Tenney ’B4 is
Mr. Tenney
and private sectors to encourage
an
work-
women’s health research,
public officials,
pital
Life’s too short to be in
to make a difference in the
women’s unmet
identify
to
enhance national
on
that’s
you’re
us
Vassar
and
healthy
organization is
health concerns, promote
a
that
a
of the Columbia Hos-
to achieve and maintain
productive
play
job
a
for Women Foundation based in Wash-
ington,
and
in
feel
you
sense—-
national clearinghouse dedicated to enabling
ing
you’re
heightened
about women’s health issues.”
Incorporated
and adminis-
day-to-day job. I think there’s
here for
an
my skills in
all I want to
wonderful—in a
subsidiarycorporation
pital
an
I don’t have
that there is
means
awareness
day
a
and
making a difference.
a
compre-
that
important
chal-
and it created
added that she feels
quickly
organization. “It’s not
a
women’s health center
national
director,
“really
was
public relations,
executive director of
matter of
a
it
to combine
me
as
develop into
its executive
interesting,
health care,
It’s
as
because
opportunity for
information,” said Amy Lefkowitch Pryluck
easy to
staff
accepted
think about the need for women’s health
this young,
administrator for
Amy Pryluck ’79, taking
In 1992 when the CEO of NWHRC asked
her to
think of
Medi-
tal for Women Medical Center.
Women’s Health Center
level where
from twenty-
planning and marketing at Columbia Hospi-
79 Grad Heads National
Health Resource Center
nar-
medical schools made up my mind.” She
cal Center and assistant
elevate the
sure
rowing her post-Yassar focus and said, “Un-
president
“I want to
she wasn’t
medical school was the direction she wanted
worked in
Angeles.
whose Vassar studies
Pryluck,
premed—eventhough
were
studies in the neurosciences at
graduate
to Ms.
new
U.S.
attorney
Miles-LaGrange
is
a
by
Clinton to
in Oklahoma.
former
Ms.
Oklahoma
39
OMNIUM
County prosecutor and Justice Department
Also, I do
GATHERUM
attorney. She chairs the Judiciary Commit-
exclusively opera
tee in the Oklahoma state senate and main-
stage.”
tains
a
Times
private practice. The Oklahoman &
reported that, if confirmed by the U.S.
know of another
not
Here is
costume on
history
excerpt from section
an
of
the Western
1, The
Renaissance.
Senate, Ms. Miles-LaGrange would be the
first black
woman ever
to serve
United
as
reported in February
The New York Times
that
’57
classmates
Fleming and
special
are
Sarah
Patricia
Stubbs
Kovner
Schoenkopf
assistants to Donna E. Shalala,
of Health and Human Services.
Secretary
The ideal look of the Renaissance
was
Ro-
man, and Roman themes and costume, ifnot
States attorney.
Ms.
Fleming,
who is chief
Ms.
Shalala, worked previously as
Congressman Ted
policy adviser
an
to
aide to
Weiss. Ms. Kovner is the
the clothing traditions of the Roman stage,
dominated opera for the following two
cen-
turies. .. .Males taking female roles could
wear masks
and papier mache breasts and
chests {‘poppe
e
petti di cartone’). Musicians
shared the stage with singers and
costumed in the
same manner, their
ments decorated in appropriate
were
instru-
disguises.
Musicians asTritons blew wind instruments
conch shells; in pastoral set-
founder of the First Women’s Bank and the
disguised
Community Capital Bank, both in New York
tings, musicians
as
satyrs played instru-
as
ments covered with foliage.
City.
BUSINESS
BOOKS
Edward
I. Adler ’76 is
director of
now
NONFICTION
media relations for Time Warner Inc. Mr.
Adler has been manager of media relations
for Time Warner since Time
Inc.
merged
of Sex Difference in the
Meanings
Middle
Ages
with Warner Communications in 1989. He
Medicine, Science,
joinedTime
Inc. in 1974
on
the copy desk of
People magazine. During his
Inc., he has been
zine,
Box
Edward Adler ’76, Time
a
a
and
the
at
Home
Time Inc.’s now defunct TV-Cable Week maga-
Warner executive
zine.
He
the Time
joined
communications
Inc.
department as
corporate
a
senior
as-
sociate in 1983.
Genevieve
dent of
Private
Lives, Imperial
Rome
Eve D’Ambra
Assistant professor of art
Princeton
Capital Group,
Angles-based corporation
trade between U.S. and
a
Virtues
The Frieze of the Forum Transitorium in
McSweeney Ryan ’BO, presi-
Business
1993
Cambridge University Press,
maga-
editor for
news
and Culture
Cadden ’65
at Time
career
reporter for Time
programming executive
Office, Inc.,
Joan
1993
University Press,
Los
that promotes
foreign companies,
has been appointed to the California State
World Trade
Commission. The commis-
sion will advise
Governor Pete Wilson
on
international trade issues. Ms. Ryan previserved
ously
in the
International Trade
Administration of the U.S.
Commerce in
Department
Washington, DC,
as
Sure Shot
And Other Poems
by Erica
Funkhouser ’7l
Houghton Mifflin,
1992
of
deputy
In the ten years since Ms. Funkhouser’s
first collection of poetry,
assistant secretary.
ties,
Output
was
well
playwright
as
collection,
poems
sections;
Natural Affini-
she has worked
as a
as a
poet. In this
new
are
divided
published,
twenty-six lyric
into
two
poems in the
first part, and in the second section, poThe New Grove
Edited
by Stanley
“Costume”
Dictionary
of
etic
Opera
eyes of three
’5O
by Sidney Jackson Jowers
The Macmillan Press Limited, 1992
“It’s my
IHfirst appearance
print, and
as
exciting as
So wrote costume
son
an
anywhere!!!
illustrated essay
in
opening night!”
designer Sidney Jack-
Jowers ’5O about her article
in the New Grove
on
costume
Dictionary of Opera. Her
can
be found
on
pages 971
to 998 of this
ume,
critically acclaimed, four-vol$B5O compendium of opera informa-
tion. Ms. Jowers notes in
a
letter,
“I think
this is the first
opera reference work that
does include a separate
[on costume].
entry
40
VQ SUMMER 1993
monologues
that reconsider the his-
tory and ideals of America through the
Sadie
nineteenth-century
can
women—Sacagawea,
who
accompanied Lewis
Missouri River and
and Clark up the
across
reach the Pacific; Louisa
ing
her self-sacrificial
Ameri-
the Shoshone
the Rockies to
May Alcott,
girlhood in
dur-
Massa-
chusetts; and Annie Oakley, the worldrenowned
Here is
(Reprinted
sharpshooter.
a
poem from the first section.
with permission.)
Spoken
FICTION
in Darkness
Small-town Murder and a
Friendship
In Troubled Waters
Death
Beyond
Ann E. Imbrie
Beverly Coyle
Associate
Professor ofEnglish
professor of English
Hyperion,
Ticknor & Fields, 1993
1993
Music and the French
Reconstruction of
E.
Enlightenment
Dialogue,
a
1750 -1765
Oxford University Press, 1993
Education for Older Adult
A
Greenwood
Learning
Greenberg ’5B
Publishing Group,
Of Swords and
in Social
Margaret Moore Hodges
1993
by James Farganis
1993
Boyds Mills Press,
Clothes
Simple
Worthington
a
Horse?
1993
and the
Cynthia
’77
Runaway
Gazebo
and
1993
Knopf,
Wrap
Literary Guild, 1992
McGraw Hill, 1993
Christa
How Do You
Diana Klemin ’44
Professor ofsociology
Chic
’32 and
Evernden
Margery
Theory
The Classic Tradition to Post-Modernism
Edited
Sorcerers
Adventures of King Arthur and His Knights
Scribners,
Readings
1993
FOR YOUNGREADERS
Selected, Annotated Bibliography
Reva Messeloff
Carole Maso ’77
Dalkey Archive,
Winston Verba ’55
Cynthia
Ava
Short Circuits
Elsa Marston Harik ’54
Keir Hardie
Dell, 1992
Caroline DeCamp Benn ’4B
1992
Hutchinson,
Biography of
MUSIC
the British
political leader.
I’ll
A Guide to Health Care Facilities
Personnel and Management
Robert M. Sloane,
Beverly
Leßov Sloane ’5B
Health Administration Press, 1992
Always Sing
& the
Betty
Baby Boomers,
1992
Folk, with Jean Valla McAvoy 76, singer/
songwriter. Cassette/CD available from her
RR 2, Box 53, Clinton Comers, NY 12514.
Room Where I Work
The
plaster
above my desk
buckles toward
brow of
me
It looks
were
—
disgruntled mentor,
as
as
if my
buried
predecessors
vertically
punishment for
a
lifetime of naps.
cry of the unfed child.
The bookshelves
Every
time I open the window
but the books
are
pucker
stable,
and fold,
it rides less well in its sash.
making
There
are a
Ash from the woodstove
I have
no
finite number of openings.
idea where I stand.
audible wisecracks.
has worked its way into the gloss.
The wall works itself away from the ceiling.
The floor is cheap
Once when
mislaid
so
many ants
open the corner
pried
we
poured
by changes
out
the carpenter cried, “Quick, put it back!
Fresh air makes them
moans
distressed
of habit and mind.
when I
move
the furniture.
hungrier.”
Now I listen
as
into
chambers to breed.
narrow
It
yellow pine,
originally, further
the ants inscribe themselves
Still, there’s
in the
a
halting beauty
pale rosettes
that surround every nailhead.
Whoever
taped
I’ll admit I did
had
no
no
a
these
few
joints—
myself—-
understanding of
instinct for seamtape.
jointcompound,
Wherever the hammer
was
distracted from its
wooden
mark,
petals
perpetually
unfold.
41
AAVC
AAVC PRESIDENT
transition from
a
day of sessions at-the
Alumnae House
Swissotel reuniting alumnae/i with Vassar
The executive committees of AAVC and
the
and with each other to the final event of
the Vassar
ALUMNAE
&
(and perfectly Southern)
the perfect
as
FROM THE
ALUMNI
College
agreed
to meet in
May 7,
to decide on the
joint session
great judgment in deciding, instead of the
to showcase
garden party,
members and many other concerned
alumnae and alumni, the AAVC Executive
COLLEGE
Carter Presidential Center, its
additional research to cost out each
and
our
proposal (see
issue)
for the
expected that
meeting.
It is
board of trustees will
findings
at its
in
respond
agreement
possible
that
detailing the
a
to all
museum
Project,
were
host
experiencing a
club’s worst nightmare: the entire East
Coast, and especially the Southeast,
under
proposed
level
May 9 meeting. It is
mailing
and the Atlanta
problems. We
the
to the
May 8 meeting and that the
at its
library,
initiative to address Atlanta’s urban
preparation
AAVC board will respond to the
truly
President Carter’s ambitious volunteer
this
column, Winter 1992
of the
one
unique features of Atlanta; the Jimmy
and House committees have conducted
component of
nightspot.
obvious that the committee had exercised
of board
help
the swinging Buckhead
As symposium time drew near, it was
Friday,
management of
Alumnae House. With the
VASSAR
on
the ’90s at
symposium, the Party for
Rupert’s,
Board of Trustees have
was
winter storm watch, with blizzard-
a
and winds
snow
predicted.
By early Thursday evening, March 11,
alumnae/i
the AAVC staff
outcome of these delibera-
was on
hand,
as were
tions may actually precede the distribution
AAVC board members Davis Allen 75,
of this issue of the VQ.
William Bergen 77 (symposium chair),
Jamshed Bharucha 78,
Karen Cox ’80,
Kevin Green ’85, Constance
Vassar in Atlanta
Leigh
Proctor
72, and Ronald Schwartzman 75, and the
GEL RT
Atlanta
the
daylong Friday
ELIZABETH
1993 “Vassar in Atlanta Day.”
proclamation is displayed by
symposium. And by late Friday night,
the 116
58 of
with
registered alumnae/i, many
Gaines ’5B (far right) and
spouses
Vassar College President
arrived,
and other
family members, had
had the entire Vassar campus
as
contingent, led by President Frances
D. Fergusson (c).
Atlanta Club President Todd
Mann
to attend
were
leadership
despite increasingly dire warnings,
AAVC President Billie Davis
Frances
club
workshop and dinner, which preceded the
Mayor Maynard
Jackson declared March 13,
His
twenty club officers who
Fergusson and Board of Trustees Chair-
’75, College Board of
man
Trustees Chair JamesKautz,
James Kautz and wife Caroline ’55.
and AAVC Executive Director
Mary
Meeker
Gesek ’5B
are
Some Were Snowbound
also
pictured.
The weather
day
and
beautiful throughout the
was
and
evening on Friday,
the hotel for
home, just a few
I left
as
miles
away,
the travelers took note of the clear skies
and seasonal temperatures and congratulated themselves
on
ated
prognostications. At
Saturday morning,
more
there
formidable than
a.m., what became
century”
Atlanta
well
was
when the
6
a.m.
was
heavy
exagger-
on
nothing
rain.
By
7:30
“the blizzard of the
underway. By
symposium was
was
to be
having refused
intimidated by what were surely
buried under
to
9 a.m.,
begin,
dazzling
a
white
blanket. The drumbeat of battering rain
torrents had been
It was to be
Above left
Vassar in Atlanta
of Vassar in ..
was
the third in AAVC’s series
.programs,
which bringfaculty,
students, and administrators
for
a
taste
to
distant alumnae/i
of Vassar today.
Above right
Beverly
Bowen
Rumage
’47 and
Catharine Little
Motley 42, both of the Naples, Florida,
club,
were
workshop
among 20participants
that
in
a
Vassar
club
preceded the symposium.
Georgia,
1993
silence broken
and alumni from
overheated
twelve other southern and
replaced by
only by the
and the dull thuds of
bean, and London
benders
AAVC Regional
new
ing
Symposium.
daffodils had
the
to the third biennial
already begun brighten-
year-round beds
yards. Yielding
Clusters of
of
pansies
in
to the seduction of a
unusually balmy days
at the
our
string
beginning
icy overlay
proved
For
no
and
would
lovely evening garden party
grip
the pavement,
scores
of fender-
falling temperatures
on
once
created
an
the streets and Atlantans
again
our
our
utter
inability to
out-of-town travelers, there
immediate
Vassar Club of Atlanta had
a
eerie
cope with “northern” weather.
of the year, the host committee of the
actually
as
an
whines of
motors, the spinning shushes
of tires that could not
central states, Bermuda and the Carib-
considered
VQ SUMMER
wonderful spring rite
welcoming alumnae
of
42
a
warm
problem. They were
in the hotel. Their ordeals
come on
they tried
was
safe
Sunday
and
Monday
to return home. It was we
as
Atlantans who
in trouble. Susan
were
the hotel’s windows made
McCallum Bledsoe ’64, host to her college
roommates and co-chair of the host
community within its
valued, the Vassar spirit carded
steering committee, had just stepped in
driveway when the house was
by a crash. Susan and husband,
As
a
Vassar
more
through,
us
member of the Vassar Club of
from her
Atlanta,
rocked
AAVC staff and board
William, supported by her
our
walls all the
I
am
privileged to
thank every
member, trustee
chairman James Kautz and Caroline
roommates
Lynn Thomson Scott and Andrea Veruki
Kautz, President Fergusson and every
Swift, spent the day securing help
administrator, faculty member,
with the fallen
Georgia pine
to deal
that had
student who made
bisected her roof.
alive for
Most Atlanta club members
in their
trapped
today’s
and
Vassar
renewed
us even as we
come
our
were
with drifts up to
homes,
their front and back doors. Where the
transit station
rapid
away from their
less than
was
a
mile
several club
homes,
members bundled up, made their way to
the station
on
foot, then slipped and slid
the half-mile from the Buckhead station to
the hotel. One of them, my classmate Sue
Hunter, navigated Vassar parent Craig
Matthews’ rented four-wheel-drive vehicle
to my
place,
than five miles from the
more
nearest station,
rescuing
cold apartment and
a
me
from
dark,
a
garage door that
would not open.
AAVC and
board and staff
college
members have received concerned
inquiries about
Vassar in Atlanta in the
past six weeks, about how the
fared,
about how
has her
or
hours of
program
survived. Each of
his story to
visitor, about
home. For
we
Atlantan
tell,
us
or
harrowing, frustrating trip
a
travelers, it was the
some
wee
Tuesday morning before they
returned to relieved families.
But the Show Went On
The main story,
us
fortunate
Swissotel
on
the
however,
Friday
and
one
Saturday is proud
tell, is that Vassar in Atlanta
to
splendid!
or
No
each of
to the
enough to get
was
should feel sorry for
one
for the program. From the
workshop—led by AAVC
Davis
presided over by
us
leadership
staff and
Allen,
memories of Vassar with each other in
regional
chair of the
’44 to the class of ’92.1 also express
AAVC Club Liaison Committee and AAVC
behalf of the club
trustee —to the
alumnae/i travelers who braved the
symposium, conducted by
Vassar administrators,
students,
William
and chaired
and
faculty,
by
AAVC
weather
Secretary
every session was
Bergen,
excellent.
tions
spearheaded by
improvisa-
prepared.
we
would throw
AAVC Associate
as
a
Elmegreen explained the “Anatomy of a Spiral
I am
Galaxy: Cracking the Code”
honored to thank the Vassar Club of
Atlanta, led by club President Todd Mann
75, former president Alex Orfinger ’B3,
responsibility for regional symposia,
made
by
a
solicitous, cheerful hotel staff marooned in
the
building
no one
for
more
to relieve
of Carter Center
than 48 hours with
them,
the
speaker
graciousness
Neil
Shorthouse,
who braved the treacherous roads
Saturday night
to
bring
video presentation to
the Carter Center
imperturbability of
were so
reassuring
changes
us
was
at the hotel since
Vassar
down,
or
the
alumnae/i,
who
to us as hosts that
in schedules and
venues were
irrelevant and that the desolation outside
Above right
Symposium Chair and AAVC Secretary
Bergen ’77, holds
symposium co-chairs Susan Bledsoe and
the event:
Renee D. Horowitz ’B4, and the entire
outside to be
steering
a
up
one
unexpected
William
souvenir
of
newspaper that declares the weather
the ‘Worst storm ofcentury.’
committee, for your Southern
hospitality,
whose limits
climatic events
never, not for a
on
his message and
shut
on
Above center
staff
adjustments
Merrell spoke
Encounters: Recovering Indian
Associate Professor ofAstronomy Debra Meloy
Director Elizabeth Gellert, who carries the
the constant
“American
History.”
that
everyone away.
president of AAVC,
’44 shown here,
Above left
great party and the
keep
as
Professor of History James
of what
was
A number ofclasses, such
organized mini-reunions at the Atlanta symposium
on
to the
gratitude
Our greatest fear
we
And
our
predictions and partook
weather would
Whether it was the series of
Top
mini-reunions from the class of
beyond
were
your
tested
by
control, but
moment, defeated. And
to
Craig Matthews, father of symposium
participant Jesica
Matthews ’93,
thank-you for rescuing
me
from
a
special
an
otherwise certain and horrendous fate of
being stranded, only
missing Vassar
five miles away, and
in Atlanta.
Billie Davis Gaines ’5B
43
20
August
AAVC
AAVC Calendar of Events
Class Notes deadline for Winter issue
June 4-6
date. Send your
Reunion
correspondent by August
Columns
are
due to the VQ office
news
to the
VQ
by
or
1.
17-18
June 5
September
AAVC Annual Meeting and Election
Class and Fund Leadership Workshop
Your ballot, enclosed in the
edition,
must be received
Spring
by
At Alumnae House
this date in
Contact AAVC office, 914/437-5439,
We
Annual Fund, 914/437-5406.
order to
qualify for counting.
electing
two trustees, the vice
are
September
17
The class
’3O at Alumnae House
the nominating committee.
An informal reunion
June 7
September
two
secretary,
or
of
18
-
of ’93
AAVC President Billie Davis Gaines ’5B
100
Visit to the Associated Vassar Clubs of
mail for details about this
your
traditional party in New York City. Be
Fairfield County,
the
president
directors-at-large, and three members of
for administration,
this
your
Connecticut
Nights After, for the
Class
Watch
sure
keep
to
your address up to date.
October 8-9
Council
The annual
meeting of
representatives
24-hour
on
class and club
campus
experience of
for
Vassar
intense
an
College
today.
October 9-10
Club
Leadership Workshop
Alumnae House
October
12-14
The class of ’32
at
Alumnae House
An informal reunion
October 30-31
AAVC
Board of Directors
Regular
fall meeting at Alumnae House
October 17
Head of the Charles
Young alums: Plan
June 10
Above
Florence
Cathedral.
Watch your mailfor
information about
upcoming AAVC travel
programs.
at this annual
Gallery Preview
support Vassar
to
gathering in
crew
Boston. Details
will be available in the fall.
The Vassar Club of New York is
sponsoring
a
slide
presentation
and talk
by James Mundy 74, director of the
Advance Notice: Travel
Programs
Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at
Vassar
Mr.
College.
previewing the
Mundy
will be
exhibition of art from the
college’s gallery
that will be
the IBM
in New York
Gallery
view at
on
City during
1993. This event will be held at the
July
Vassar Club, 15 East 67th Street. The
cost for the event is
and
$lO for
$8
for club members
non-members. Wine and
cheese will be served. Call 212/249-6500
AAVC’s Travel
announces
the
Program
schedule for 1994:
Indonesia
January
27
-
February
(an Alumnae/i College)
Venice and the Lake
October 23
Picnic at
This
Vassar,
Contact: AAVC
classes
of
’75
-
’BO
office, 914/437-5439
trip
July
Raft Idaho’s Salmon
All
are
If you
will be
are
River with ’B2
invited. For information,
VQ SUMMER
1993
contact:
Country
29
an
optional
College in
extension to
Florence.
interested in any of the above
and wish to be
list when details
Jeff Wallach ’B2 at 212/316-2062.
44
-
the Alumnae/i
programs
15-21
14
Florence
October 14 -23
for information.
June 19
Committee
following preliminary trip
contact: Travel
are
on
mailing
available, please
Coordinator,
Alumnae House,
the
AAVC,
Raymond Avenue,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
May-October with
PERSON,
minimum one-week stay.
Contact
Very reasonable/price negotiable.
PLACE, & THING
Abram
geles,
(213) 222-6562.
Vassar faculty, students, alumnae/i, and
staff are invited
There is
to submit items to PP&T.
service. Submissions should be
words
or
For sale: Farmhouse
this bulletin board
chargefor
no
less. Deadlines
typed,
mountain; 15
acres
wildlife cover,
75
three months in
are
includes
on
19+
acres on
renovated farmhouse
with
room
bedrooms,
AAVC cannot
porches, laundry/pantry room,
are
the terms of ads that
verify
unrelated to AAVC activities.
and
fireplace,
advance of each issue. Please note that
two
one-half
all
Boston,
two
electric,
and London. Located
Whist
Regency
Club of New York’s
area, and office are
on
the top
Club, the Vassar
sitting
meeting
room,
beautiful, comfortable,
and furnished with Vassar
memorabilia.
Saving on hotelaccommodations
is
only one
benefit of membership. Members with
ing privileges
sign-
lunch and dine both at
may
the Whist Club and at
explore
the world. Interested in housesit-
ting anywhere,
three-bedroom,
and
Morse
’49,
For rent
writing that great American
on
or
Experienced gardeners,
Please
(212) 664-2957
(212)
874-
(office).
July 4-31,
pus.
children, please.
Contact Marcia Preiss at
For rent Paris apartment and
Normandy
farmhouse. Available month of August. Paris
16th arrondissement
:
one-bedroom
apart-
ment, fully furnished/equipped, fifth floor,
convenient to
balcony, elevator,
and bus;
Metro,
9000 FF.
stone farmhouse
Nationale
market,
Normandy:
with 27
old
in Parc
acres
Normandie-Maine, convenient to
Paris: Large
studio, two bedrooms, kitchen,
bath, elevator, central heating, quiet, sunny,
top floor.
Length
For rent
of time
during summer/fall.
negotiable. Applicants squea-
mish about living in a genuine atelier d’artiste
or
the previous presence of cats
frain. Anyone ready for
a
Mrs. F.G.
’5l),
(212)249-6500.
Adele Hars ’B2, 5
Vassar
Club
year. Contact
Paul Sauniere, 75116
rue
Telephone:
accommodation with
nights)
Desperately Seeking
Barbie. PBS needs
to members of the Vassar
with their Barbie dolls. We
ulty,
single; $7O,
the
club’s
double.
fac-
families, college
$45,
and administration. The cost is
Proceeds
fund.
scholarship
will benefit
For
reserva-
tions call Charlotte Cleveland ’4B (617) 547-
0971,
Janet Khattab ’53 (617) 484-2385.
or
one-hour
Barbie
reflected
in the ’sos American
culture. If you have this
footage or
who might,
please
’BB, KCTS/9, 401
someone
Garner
Seattle, WA 98109,
producing a
about the birth of
documentary
as
are
playing
call
or
know of
write Rosemary
Bookshop
(206)
443-7236.
at the pace
you
design a trip
tours for individuals based on the best that
Write, call,
or
drop by
Fifth Avenue, San
of the
owner
culinary
arts.
charming villages, abbeys
and
for information: 3854
castles that really are castles
(and not simply
CA 92103,
(619)
296-3636.
Female
Vassar
student
apartment in Manhattan
fall
1993 term.
Please
Responsible
basic
Edgewood Way,
for
person
Stone
San Rafael,
to
do
Interested?
’95
at
CA 94901,
England
ruins).
15
or
456-7872.
in
enchanted
shade trees.
four with sofabed in
suited for
cated:
one or
30-40
Disneyland,
tions,
reno-
one-bedroom, one-bath cottage
highly private
large
Fully
with
furnished:
sleeps
but
ideally
living room,
two adults.
minutes to
15
setting
minutes to
Centrally
beaches
historic country
houses,
churches,
East Angliaour specialty. Susan Gillotti
lo-
and
studio attrac-
10 minutes to downtown. Available
lake
to Ver-
mont. Write or call for information: Pat Parsons
’5l, 19 Overlake, 545 South Prospect,
Burlington,
VT 05401,
Tour
secret
the
(802)
places
and
658-5123.
of
England’s
led
by
photographer Jonathan
whose work is in
Leslie
ums.
Ms. Friedman describes
prehistoric, Roman,
and
sites. Mr. Clark finds
nities, from sunrise
on-the-Wold and
highlights of
eighteenth-century
special photo opportu-
at
the
London SW3 SNF,
Susan
England.
Clark,
major international muse-
Lovely hills, villages,
Stow-
Stonehenge to
Hedgehog Hospital.
and cakes.
Contact:
Campos, Pacific Heights Travel, (415)
931-8000.
Need
housesitter
a
sponsible Vassar
New York
City
this
summer? Re-
’93ers with
after
internships in
graduation (for
the
summer) would be glad to care for pets,
plants, and do light housekeepingwhile you
are
Would also
away.
summer
Angeles vacation rental. Recently
vated rustic
post office, ice cream, village, ferry
’6O, SGTSTravel Services, 19 Lawrence Street,
May
Los
offers:
an
who is
City .Willing
upkeep.
Tavia
contact
phone (415)
looking
to housesit for the
familiar with New York
housework and
enjoy.
SGTS creates
de-
Diego,
over
and Vermont’s Green Mountains. Walk to
tory,
us
bookstore
voted to volumes about the
fantastic views. Sunrise/moonrise
elers. Let
nual Fund. Kira Kane ’B7 is the
only
Register, time-warp village (pre-Civil War),
Friedman ’69, Stanford Ph.D. in British his-
want, in hotels you will
California’s
cabin and year-
English itineraries for independent travof all sales to Vassar alumnae/i to the An-
bookshop,
Chatillon,
45425703.
rentals. Historic
Cotswolds, September 1993,
will donate 15 percent
de
Mercer Street,
Please call two weeks in advance.
Cook’s
summer
round bed and breakfast
1959-1968 home movies of children
i and their immediate
15 Square
Telephone: Paris
Essex, New York,
continental breakfast in alumnae/i homes
family: alumnae/
75014 Paris.
please re-
happytime in Paris
Phillips (Margaret
(33) (1)
40.72.79.82.
of Boston offers short-term
to three
(one
throughout
France.
Paris,
The
cam-
(914) 462-7384. [Jacqueline Preiss ’B6]
Harmsworth
breakfast.
735
Quiet street. Shaded garden. No small
please apply.
and
write
1993. Ten-room house
market town; 6000 FF. Farm also available
bed
Patricia Birt
or
wooded lot three miles from Vassar
for short stays
Boston-area
call
(407) 234-3410,
Riomar Drive, Vero Beach, FL 23963.
Mills, Pennsylvania. Great for
(home)
exchange. Charming
or
with pets.
good
ready to
three-bath house with pool
ocean access.
retirement
or
surgeon and wife
Montauk Club. For further information, call
Brooklyn’s
beautiful
pediatric
and picturesque
out-buildings. Very private
accommodations in New York,
floor of the
Retired
in Huntington
4081
on
three
baths,
novel. Call Elizabeth Davis ’6l at
Save
top of
in crops (fruit and nuts),
pond;
living
University of Missouri,
Columbia, MO 65211, (812) 334-2390.
1228 Cliff Drive, Los An-
Singer ’BO,
CA 90065,
Ritter ’59, 454 GCB,
like to hear about
sublets. We’re available from late
1993. If you
interested,
Gatsoulis
Roanoke
please
and
or
anyone you know is
contact
Elise
us,
Joyce-Ann
Billings c/o
2115
CA 91108,
(818)
Road, Pasadena,
284-1506.
Manhattan: Landmark
St.
Lovely,
windows
walk-in,
very
facing south,
or
seeks
furnished
one-bedroom apartment in N.Y.C.
(preferably village) September
ber 15, 1993. Must have
a
1- Decem-
bathtub. Naomi
three
closets,
helpful staff,
and handsome
one
doorman,
building.
Superb location on “Museum Mile.”
$142,000. For further information, call (617)
863-6142; for
6739.
See
University professor
15 East 91st
beautiful floors; 24-hour
[Emily
an
appointment,
bent:
call
(212)
427-
Scoville ’3o]
Guatemala
with the experts.
individually conducted
studio
block,
one-bedroom coop for sale. Large
Small,
tours with a cultural
Mayan archeaology,
Indiantextiles and
ceramics, colonial architecture, orchids, and
coffee. Contact Vilma Sosa, Guatemala
phone/Fax:
City,
314174: Catherine Rendon ’Bl.
45
46 VQ SUMMER 1993
47
48
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49
50 VQ SUMMER 1993
51
52 VQ SUMMER 1993
53
54
VQ SUMMER 1993
55
56
VQ SUMMER 1993
57
58 VQ SUMMER 1993
59
60
VQ SUMMER 1993
61
62 VQ SUMMER 1993
63
64
VQ SUMMER
1993
65
Central Records
Moving?
Send Address
Changes
to:
Box 14
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie,
66 VQ SUMMER 1993
NY 12601
FOR EXTRA CREDIT
Vassar Trivia
True
False
or
1. An alumna wrote
a
series of
romantic novels titled “Three
Vassar Girls Abroad.”
2. Vassar has
nearly 30,000 living
alumnae/i.
3. The tuba
was
developed by Vassar
music professor John
4. The
same
architect
Philip Sousa.
designed Noyes
and the TWA terminal at
Kennedy Airport.
5. The
same
Blodgett
architect
designed
and Alcatraz.
6. Men attended Vassar in the late
19405.
7. Vassar board and tuition
was
$350
in
1865.
8. Until 1955 Vassar had
gray
squirrel
9. Vassar
a rose
and
mascot.
as
women were
playing
basketball in 1895, four years after
the game
10. President
was
was
invented.
Henry
in office for
Noble MacCracken
over
30 years.
(01) ‘1 (6) -d (8) -1 (Z) -1 (9)
■d (s) a (f) -d (s) a (z) a (I)
Worried about
tax
deductions for 1993?
It’s not too late to contribute
Vassar
College
gift
of
in
and
any size
the life of
counts
on
makes
a
the 1992/93
Annual Fund.
The Fund year ends
A
to
June 30,
a
big
current
1993.
difference
student
toward overall participation!
67
The
Quarterly
be
children of the
by the
Publication will be
Christine Vassar Tall ’47
edit letters for
right to
the
reserve
Cheshire, Connecticut
space permits. We
as
style
AAVC,
include
a
magazine,
Vassar College. To be
or
must be
for publication, letters
Quilting a Memorial
eligible
College
currently designing
are
quilt
a
in
an
alumna with
any items
wish to have
the
grieve with
Wimpfheimer
sewn
on
quilt
you
may
to me. We
Pamela Simones ’73
you.
671
professional experience
day-care licensing,
’64 and
Galinsky
spoke, graduates
Jay Belsky
of Vassar and
74
outstanding
in the field of early childhood
education. So it was with
amazement
some
in
workshop
that at the class officers
Sep-
tember and at the New Haven Vassar Club
dinner the
child
week at which Presi-
following
dent Fergusson
that I learned that
spoke
study was subsumed
into the
psychol-
ogy department many years ago, that few
students avail themselves of the lab
at
that there
Wimpfheimer,
the
study
of
course
are no courses
in the Vassar curriculum which
specifically to
are
devoted
college
It is with
to be addressed
place. It would help
other alumnae/i who
subject
if the
article to
a
Quarterly
in
a
and I believe
would
devote
perspective
on
an
how
arrived at
point
perceived
demic relevance
which attracted
and
C, where the
as
a
thriving department
transfer students like Jay
important field. Hopefully such
sues
your
which
leadership
an
for
an
article
and systemic is-
brought this about.
readers
aca-
students inter-
trained many leaders
would include
Ialso believe
would be interested in the
results of the review process and how the
college expects
to act upon the recommen-
dations of the review
panel.
It is obvious from the Report of Gifts that
at
raising money for projects in which it is
interested. A walk around the campus can
attest to this.
68 VQ SUMMER
(ugh)
of Omnium Gatherum of the
tion
1993
I, for one,
am
glad that
likely to write in blame
I
plead guilty
that
and look forward to every issue,
you can see, I read most
as
to
greatly enjoy the
carefully.
Ruth Tiffany Bamhouse
’44
Dallas, Texas
Editor: Re
lay/lie: guilty.
enormity:
Re
definition 3 in
the
Dictionary of
House
second edition,
is: “greatness
unabridged,
of size, scope, extent,
or
Random
our
English Language,
influence; immen-
sity.” In the interest of full disclosure, Ran-
was
on
Spring
edited
was on
staff of the very magazine
by one of the book’s
co-authors. While
truly groundbreaking authors
like
Carolyn
Merchant and Elizabeth L. Eisenstein lan-
guish
I
in the “Received and Noted” section,
seriously wonder
about the choice of fea-
what message this trans-
ture review and
mits about Vassar?
Sheila ffolliott ’67
Associate Professor of Art
History
and
Women’s Studies at
George Mason University
Another Voice for Rose and
1993,
Quarterly article: “Run the Salmon with ’82.”
“lie.
”
“Lay
during. ..”
should be
significantly,
Halpem Hall
’44
Irvine, California
about the
am
to draw
writing
egregious
youngish
alone,
error on
your attention to an
page
Fall
time Lhave been
alumnae
talking
visible.
more
Schrom
Dye’s
road
paired
Did
Why?
was
14 of the
design
some
about
anything
“enormity” he
means
large
If you
quality
of
passing
all
moral bounds; excessive wickedness; outrageousness.
2. A monstrous offense
or
evil;
outrage.” The proper word for Mr. Lazio’s
meaning would be
either
“immensity”
or
“enormousness.”
Many of
us
who
care
about the
language
have frequent occasion to be distressed when
it is misused by authors who should know
that
might
the historic colors,
jettison
women—a
be
or
no
gold for
the
new
way
full-fledged
combo?
Finally,
you
and
education for
today
still celebrate.
burgundy can pass
the
gray, so what’s
Reaganomics
Princeton
symbolism of rose
breakthrough that both men and
of Vassar
women
There’s
Heritage Dictionary defines
on
with feminine?
enormity.
extent.
working
feminine? If so, what’s wrong
as
quoted
challenge
gold.
team
gutsier? Or has the college become
squeamish
Spring
.” The context makes
on
burgundy (with gold)
that
and the
“1. The
tried to
casual comment, that
not with gray but with
gray—the dawn of
as
myself
She did not mention that,
rose.
follows: ‘The
enormity
Every
I have heard
signs and college folders, burgundy is
Lazio is
TheAmerican
He is not
concern.
Now I learn, via Dean
throw out the valued
clear that by
important
an
campus,
about it. I
Quarterly. Congressman
.
graduate—-
interpret the shift as simply an effort to make
issue of the Vassar
as
of
—
public protest
1992).
voicing
on
a
I
gray.
Nadler 78
male
abandonment
however, in
and
rose
first to register
symbol (VQ,
Vassar
construed
I
a
beingthe
for
campus decide
Oops!
Vivian
Gray
of restoring
cause
colors:
the ever-alert Jack
applaud
ingful
back
of
sense
burgundy has officiallysupplanted the mean-
Grammatical error, page 29, Spring
[Sentence]
to the
rally
Vassar’s historic
Nancy
Language!
I
Belatedly,
signs
Watch Your
in the
nonstandard.”
the
wedding planning. Moreover,
reviewer
regard enormity
as
dis-
1993 number that the sole book reviewed
an
Ihave just received that Vassar is successful
also
Quarterly,
human nature
on
sec-
nurs-
having little
with few
ested, from point A,
Belsky
mayed—to
frankly
in the “Output”
see
this
For instance, I would like to know
ery school is
somewhat startled—and
was
of the
review
interested in this
are
historical
me
some
subject.
we
I
that I read in
is not going to be closed and that
to take
are more
I must add that I
great size
a drain
the Winter Quarterly that the nursery school
are
people
which,
losing.
sad commentary
continue to
which had to be addressed.
some reassurance
other issues
Doesn’t Like Book Choice
deficit of ap-
proximately$125,000 was considered
the
also in danger of
a
dom House goes on to note, in a paragraph
about usage, that “Many people, however,
early childhood,
and that the nursery school
on
44320
concerning
Wimpfheimer Nursery School. I thoroughly enjoyedthe symposium at reunion at
the
professionals
Road
I have followed with in-
recent discussions
which Ellen
Copley
Akron, OH
in the maternal and child health field and
terest the
are
we
send it
please
with verification and
President, LAGAVC
As
“disinterested,” whose important meaning
and faculty who
memory of all alumnae/i
have died of AIDS. If you know of a name
which should be included,
Keeping Up
future time about misuse of the word
some
than in praise, and
of Vassar
Gay Alumnae/i
The Lesbian and
current address.
with
trust that I shall not have to write at
ther, I
failing. So
signed and
the Vassar
not be among the offenders. Fur-
Quarterly
that
LAGAVC Is
vastly prefer that
better. I would
It is
and length. Letters reflect the opinions of
the writers and not those of the
Wimpfheimers
for the ongoing support of the nursery school.
longer than 350 words.
no
able to give may
am
to the Blumenthal Fund estab-
targeted
lished
welcomes letters to the
editor, preferably typed, double-spaced,
and
of the funds that I
some
LETTERS
to
(It
you
Yale
tional colors?
smacks of
royalty
and
me!)
can
or
for rose,
symbolism of
imagine
repudiating
Unthinkable! So
Harvard,
their tradicome
Vassar, stick
to your hues and your
and fling the
rose
on,
history
and gray banner wide!
Dorothy Seiberiing
’43
Shelter Island, New York
Above:
News
Name
Name
in
New
ad res
col ege
(or
second
ad res
with
dates
of
residence)
Class
Date
Requires cent stamp
19
12601
Quartely House
Avenue NY
AVas ar lumnae Raymond Poughkepsi,
61
THE LAST PAGE
The
Blessing Ways
of Learning
By Virginia
Lewisohn Kahn ’49
hen faced with the choice of
looking to tomorrow
or
reflecting on yesterday,
the
possibilities of the
different. Nineteen
anniversary
year of
always been
I founded
reflection,
not to
a
been
1993 mark the 10th
the
School,
decade
independent
ago. It has been
recapture the past but
understand how I arrived at this
for, and encouraged to
talents and interests had been
to
anniversary.
The vision of a school where children feel
cared
drawn to
future. This year has
ninety-two and
of The Atrium
elementary school
a
I have
respected,
in my
many years. I had watched my own three children
develop in their strikingly different
as
My
ways.
psychiatric
social worker and
guidance clinic also had taught
ness
years
counselor in
me that
a
child
the competitive-
promoted in our society is destructive
to children’s
self-esteem and
I
learning.
remembered, too, my own experiences
learning,
particular, my third-grade year with Miss Frazee at
the Lincoln School in New York
City, an early progressive school based on John
Dewey’s philosophy of
learning by doing.”
That year,
an
Indian
mine
wore
pueblo.
We ground
a
We chose Native American
from the wool
wove
had colored
we
con-
names—-
the shawls
grew
using natural dyes.
beans, squash, and
learned chants and dances. We created
about how the world
com.
our own
We
myths
Native American
began using
our sources.
We acted out the pueblo revolt
of 1698.
It
a
riveting
worked
hard,
Our classroom—our
which each member
At
me
year. We
did
not compete.
and felt honored for
We
efforts.
our
pueblo—becamea community in
was
valued and tmsted.
anthropologycourse taught by Dorothy Demos
Lee in 1946. Teacher and students
together set off to
examine the implications of cultural
Our dis-
encouraged
us
were
to take
shared
risks,
challenge our own certainty.
respect ourselves and
als and
as
to
members of
During the
summer
larger
Primary
up
me
were
Spider Woman,
Sun, and the Moon
who had fallen ill.
Earth
individu-
an
Late
ceremo-
by
I
was
a
vision of
Na-
Man, the
spirit from
and friends filled
a
healing in
a
In
a
a man
small
take
childhood, my
shape.
September 1982,
doors in
of my
school that respected the
power of commu-
nity began to
Watertown,
The Atrium
School opened
its
Massachusetts. We had four chil-
dren from four families. This
year, enrollment is 175.
At The Atrium,
make up
four to
children, faculty, families,
community of learners. Young
a
have partners
seven
or
Study options, curriculum
together each
of wonder.
children in these
classrooms
are
elementary
on
projects,
or
poems to share at school assemblies.
babies to industrial
sense
and friends
children ages
in the upper
grades. Together they read books, work
prepare songs
units on topics
technology, bring
week to share their
Faculty, parents,
in-depth
ranging
knowledge and
and friends lead the
studies. Each
Grandparents
can
day
be found
library
from
children of all
filled with children of all ages,
groups of children in the
lunch,
at
teachers,
reading
to
providing captive
or
audiences for
young scientists and
musicians,
artists
and authors.
Each
and
September I visit classrooms
students about their school. A few
years
child, in answer to my question “How would
you describe the Atrium?”
where you
can
days
I
“The Atrium is
simple
a
see
of
of my life
maintaining
the rewards.
others the
history
a
And
of the
as a
learner. I
harmonious
see
whenever I share
school,
I
see
others, I
community.
see
that
they, too,
feel the
the
community,
a
with
strong and
certain future for The Atrium, for in the words and
of
place
answer
I spend at The Atrium School underscore
defining moments
challenges
and
said,
make mistakes.” That
volumes.
The
the
and talk with new
returning
ago, one
the
Three Rs
blessing
eyes
ways of
a
where
are:
Respect others.
must be
Corn Dance at the Santa
places
four to twelve,
Respect yourself.
with the support of their elders. That
experience crystallized for me the way meaningful
can take
far from the
The Atrium is
schoolfor children ages
the shaman. The
Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico. I watched children
follow the beat of the drummers and the
motion of the
dancers. The children learned
by watching and doing
place. There,
Watertown, Massachu-
group of relatives
again in the Southwest, visiting
friend. We went to observe
Virginia Kahn is founder
of The Atrium School in
setts.
thought.
In 1980,
my
in the
all-night
Rainbow
to remove the bad
I
itself,
spoke
arranged for
A Navaho shaman called
Mother,
Family
as
to
ways to
to teach at the Ramah
invited to
Blessing Way ceremony.
us
communities.
of 1948, Dr. Lee
School in New Mexico.
summer, Robin and I
vaho
Dr. Lee
intuitions,
She modeled for
respect others, both
classmate Robin Balch and
Indian
explorations.
to trust our
much with the assembled
as
support of one’s friends and family
relativity.
cussions and debates
lay
and friends.
Vassar, that feeling of community was rekindled for
in an
left the
pronounced cured.
it did with the rites performed
ages
was
shared,
cure
we
metates and made tortillas. We had
com on
garden where we
legends as
was
and cardboard model of
Squash Blossom. We
was
“doing”
our
himself, and
was
learning
in
in
structing and “living” in a wood
rose, shook
This sacred
ceremony extended my ways of thinking
about the force of human interactions. The
power of the
thoughts
for
a
patient, too,
nial place to bathe. He
as
their unique
develop
circling
hogan, gathering around a fire to lend their presence to
healing. As the sun rose the next morning, the
the
Respect the environment.
IBM
Ludger
tom
Ring
the
Younger (German 1522-1584)
The
Highlights
Open
Missal
Oil
on
panel
from the
Vassar
College
Art Collection
IBM
Gallery
of Science and Art
Madison Avenue and 56th Street
July 13-September 11,1993
Tuesday-Saturday
11 am-6pm
Free Admission
An exhibition
organized by
The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
at Vassar
College