Posted on Mar 22, 1996

Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 1995

The Terrace Council began in 1905 as a senior honorary society. Today's Terrace Council seeks to promote leadership in the college community through giving and involvement.

Membership in the Terrace
Council is renewed annually
with a gift of $1,000 or more. We are delighted to welcome the Terrace Council's newest members:

• Dr. Norman Becker '51, Greenwich, Conn. 
• Dr. Sidney J. Brodsky, Jr. '60, Tampa, Fla. 
• Cynthia L. Curtis-Budka '87 & Kenneth C. Budka '87, Marlboro, N.J. 
• Helen H. Clark, Friend, Kenmore, N.Y. 
• Robert N. Cooperman, Friend, New York, N.Y. 
• Ivan A. Cooper '71, Charlotte, N.C. 
• Thomas G. Davison '71, Federal Way, Washington 
• Jonas Fleminberg '31, M.D., Schenectady, N.Y. 
• Barbara & Robert Green, Parents, West Hartford, Conn. 
• Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Golding, Friends, Upper Montclair, N.J. 
• Mr. & Mrs. Robert Golding, Friends, Framingham, Mass. 
• Martin Gottesdiener, Friend, Waterford, Conn. 
• Robert Herbst '51, Cheshire, Conn. 
• Francis Jankowski '43, M.D., Albuquerque, N.M. 
• Frederick R. Kaplan, Friend, Schenectady, N.Y. 
• Lynan & Michael Leding, Parents, Tampa, Fla. 
• Jack B. Levitt, Friend, New York, N.Y. 
• William J. Male '38, Schenectady, N.Y. 
• William B. Martin, Friend, Enfield, N.H. 
• James B. Newton, Jr., '71, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 
• J. Richard Phillippe '69, Schenectady, N.Y. 
• Kathleen K. Sharpe, Friend, Newport Beach, Calif. 
• Coletta S. Sitney, Friend, Los Gatos, Calif. 
• Christina E. Sorum, dean of liberal arts at the College 
• Donald J. Sostek '77, Needham, Mass. 
• Thomas F. Spencer '66, New York, N.Y. 
• Lillian Stern, Friend, Schenectady, N.Y. 
• Robert V. Wells, professor of history at the College 
• Robert Winikoff, Friend, New York, N.Y. 
• B. George Wisoff '50, M.D., Manhasset Hills, N.Y.

Interested? Call Hayl Kephart, director of annual giving and alumni programs at (518) 3886174 or on e-mail at kephartm@alice.union.edu.

Posted on Mar 22, 1996

Doyin and Shola Richards, identical twins and forwards on the men's basketball team, have been sidelined because of a congenital heart condition.

The problem surfaced during a January practice session when Doyin suffered a fainting spell. Subsequent tests revealed the heart problem. Shola underwent similar examinations a couple of days later.

“Until Doyin fainted, no symptoms were ever spotted in either brother, and they've had this condition since birth,” said Cheryl Rockwood, the College's head trainer. “While they will have to be checked periodically the rest of their lives, the condition is not expected to prevent them from leading normal lives.”

Basketball Coach Bill Scanlon said he feels badly for Doyin and Shola because he knows how much they love the game. “Fortunately, the problem was discovered and can be dealt with. Both are doing fine but it is in their best medical interest not to participate in athletics. Their contributions to the team will be missed both on and off the court.”

Starters for most of this season, Doyin led the Dutchmen in rebounding and was second in scoring while Shola was fifth in scoring and second in rebounding. Both are juniors.

Posted on Mar 22, 1996

When Bill Humphreys '94 came to campus in the fall of 1990, little did he know that he would be the first of several swimmers from the same small high school who would lead Union to national prominence.

Following Bill from New Hartford (N.Y.) were his brother Mike '97, Kevin Makarowski '97, Mark Anderson '98, and Jeff Hoerle '99.

The quartet has helped Union put together a record-setting regular-season mark of 7-1. As of mid-February, the team was looking to defend its New York State championship and improve on last year's fourth-place finish in the NCAA Division III meet. This year's championships will be held in Atlanta, and Bill, who works as an engineer for the Moreland Altobelli Company in Atlanta, will be there to root for his alma mater.

“I went to Ohio last year, so this year's meet will be in my backyard,” Humphreys says. Bill was an All-American who set Union records in three butterfly events and still owns the Dutchmen standard in the 100meter butterfly (51.75). His positive academic, athletic, and social experience at the College was a primary reason that Mike, Kevin, Mark, and Jeff came to Union.

“I had a good, all-around experience,” he says. “Swimming helped me develop a sound work ethic, and my education gave me a good foundation for what I needed when I went out into what has been a very tough job market.”

While Bill and his teammates pointed Union in the right direction, it is the current group of New Hartford graduates who have helped take the team to the next level.

Last year, Makarowski became the first Dutchman ever to win a national title when he captured the 200-meter individual medley in a Union record 1:52.77. He also picked up All-American status (by finishing in the top eight) in the 400 individual medley, where he was fifth.

Anderson had Union's next best performance as he took second in the 100-meter breaststroke (57.17, a Union record) while Humphreys placed third in the 100-meter backstroke (51.52). Anderson also captured sixth in the 200-meter breaststroke while Humphreys was seventh
in the 200-meter backstroke.

The three also were part of the second-place 200-meter and 400-meter medley relay teams.

In all, the New Hartford
trio came into this year holding eleven of Union's individual records and were three-fourths of two record-setting relay teams. In addition, Makarowski and Mike Humphreys are half of Union's record-setting 200meter and 400-meter freestyle relay teams.

“They are very talented swimmers who have a great deal of knowledge about the sport,” says head coach Judy Wolfe. “All of them are very willing to help the younger swimmers get to know themselves and their sport.”

Because each of the four specializes in different events, the Dutchmen are able to pick up a good number of points in the individual races. What's more, their knowledge of each other's styles has been a benefit to Wolf and the team in the medley relays.

“They have been swimming together at one point or another for the last five or six years,” Wolfe says. “They know each other's starts and strokes, and that is a big advantage for them and for the team.”

The 1995-96 dual meet season saw Makarowski finish undefeated in his individual races. He was also unbeaten in the relay events when swimming with his hometown teammates. Hoerle won nine of his thirteen individual races and Humphreys captured eight of ten races. Anderson won three individual races and was second five times.

“These guys don't like to lose,” Wolfe says. “They have set high goals for themselves and for the team. They give 100 percent of themselves all the time, and that certainly makes my job as a coach much easier.”

Bill continues to keep track of Union swimming and is, of course, particularly interested in what the four New Hartford
graduates are doing.

“I'm real proud of what those guys have accomplished,” he says. “When I first started at Union the program was shaky at best. By the time my class graduated, we were third in the state. I'm proud to have been a part of that and am happy to see the success the program has achieved.”

Posted on Mar 22, 1996

Save the date! All alumni and friends of the College are invited to join us on campus for ReUnion Weekend, May 30-June 2, 1996.

In addition to renewing friendships and visiting with classmates, you'll want to take in the many activities planned for the weekend.

The schedule includes a variety of seminars and receptions, a student performance of Michael Frayn's “Noises Off” (in the new Yulman Theater), and a special Mountebanks Reunion in addition to such ReUnion Weekend traditions as Minerva's Footrace, ReUnion Class Dinners, the Saturday morning Alumni Parade, Convocation, the Country Picnic, and the Saturday evening Candlelight Dinner Dance.

Complete ReUnion schedules and registration packets will be mailed this spring. Please feel free to call the Alumni Programs Office for more information; the telephone is (518) 388-6168.

Posted on Mar 22, 1996

On writing

In the new issue of the magazine, the five pages describing the writing program, with its integration throughout all the majors and during the whole four years, did more to convince me of Union's current excellence and its twenty-first century viability than all the other reports about the library, financial campaigns, or new focus on leadership.

When I was a student, I had just one mind-opening experience with writing in freshman English, which I still treasure
and recall vividly. Union's comprehensive writing requirements, and the ready assistance provided by the Writing Center, should go much further to induce present students to take seriously their own unique ways of thinking, and to value their own individual
voices not just as a means to getting a good grade-point average.

Self-development and the ability to connect effectively and intelligently with
others these –  two goals of a Union education seem ideally supported by the writing program. This is the first curriculum reform at Union I've ever bothered to comment on: long may it thrive.

David C. Balderston '55, Ed.D.
New York City

About those Dutch Pipers

In the last issue, we ran a photograph of the Dutch Pipers from 1963 and asked alumni for identification. Thanks to everyone who responded.

The picture was taken at the same time as the slightly more formal shot on the album released that year, “The Sons of Union Sing, Volume 1.”

Seated in front are Kent McArthur '64, Steve Thompson '66, and Neil Jaffee '63; in the middle are Mike Miller '64, Tom Hitchcock '65, and Jon Gourlie '64; and in back are
John Hann '65, John Kemp '66, Tom Palmer '66, and Paul Burns '67.

Knowing what we know now, we should have opted for royalties. But it was for a good
cause the Alumni Scholarship Fund.

Jon Gourlie '64
Lansdale, Pa.

More on Mr. Bateson

One item in the last issue caught my eye: reference to the keynote speaker of the recent coeducation celebration. Mary Bateson was described as the daughter of Margaret Mead, but her father, Gregory Bateson, was not mentioned.

Ms. Mead is certainly well known throughout the world of social sciences and added greatly to our understanding of key anthropological themes (including the roles of women).

Mr. Bateson's contributions are perhaps less well known, but in the circles of systems thinking, evolutionary processes, learning and education, and even psychiatry, he made major contributions, fundamentally altering the way we think. Stewart Brand listed him as the godfather of the second edition of the Whole Earth Catalog and Bateson was a key advisor to Gov. Jerry Brown.

Also, Mary Bateson's grandfather was one of the great geneticists at the turn of the century. I just thought readers might be interested in the breadth of Ms. Bateson's lineage.

Craig Diamond '76
Tallahassee, Fla.

Rabin

Several alumni in Israel wrote to us after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Here are excerpts from two of the letters:

Rabin's policy of peace was not overwhelmingly popular here in Israel, although now it seems as though it was. Remember, Oslo Bet passed in the Knesset by only one vote. However, the shock that a Jewish prime minister had been assassinated by a Jew shook this country like nothing I have ever felt….

All day long [on the day of the funeral], the regular activities of the country stopped, and even when the funeral was over, we knew nothing would ever be the same … There is a loss of innocence here, just like my parents said they felt when President Kennedy was assassinated.

Alana Cooper '97
Beer-Sheva, Israel

I sit directly across from the square where Yitzhak Rabin's life ended just a few short weeks ago…. All that remains is the makeshift memorial… and the graffiti which adorns every open wall, bench, and statue base. No, not nuisance graffiti … but the farewell notes left by the many thousands of people who came to tarry, mourn, and say goodbye.

Someday my son may remember walking through the silent masses, lighting a memorial candle, or having his father explain to him in simple words that while some live their lives in the service of humanity, many do not. And sometimes the price of discourse can be unbearable.

Jeffrey E. Gerst '80
Wesimann Institute of Science
Jerusalem, Israel