Tuesday, May 30, 2017

PEARL program

An advancement staffer emailed, saying they'd been in contact with an alum of the '80s who was mentioning something called the "PEARL" program, and wanted to know more about it. Hadn't run across it before, but found a series of articles in the Stylus, including a nice piece on it from 1982. Joe Franek started it in 1979, it had some parallels to GEP, and was run in Briggs Hall. I didn't pursue it to the end, but it seems to have run through the 1980s at least.

Clara Stern 1937

While communicating with someone at U of R's special collections about a question I had, they had a question of their own, concerning a grandmother who they believed had attended the old Normal school. She did indeed, Clara Stern, Class of 1937. Loved the little descriptor of her under her senior photo, She fed her spirit with the bread of books, and slacked her thirst at all the wells of thought.

Methodist church clock tower

Doug Hickerson, who writes for the Suburban News, asking for info about the 1914 clock in the tower of the Methodist church on Main Street. Sent him the documents I sent the Rotary member, and also a Guelf image of the church c1910, showing the tower without the clock.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Dorothy Riester - Cooper Hall Sculptures

Good news the other day, there is a committee working on a plan to clean up the area in front of Cooper where the bas relief sculptures are. Those were done by Dorothy Riester, a well known sculptor and artist c1965. She was a prominent artist for many years, and her work and name live on at the Stone Hill Quarry Art Park in the Cazenovia area.

Writers Forum

Marsha Rivers in Advancement is working on fundraising to support the digitization of more of the Writers Forum interviews. Sent her a history of the program, a set of letters between Phil Gerber, who was chair of English at the time, and Greg Fitz Gerald, who started the program. Also photo of Stephen Spender visit in '67 which really started off the program, and a photo of Greg.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Hazing paddle!

Got a call from an alum of 1968, wanting to know if I wanted a hazing paddle that was part of Homecoming Parade one year! I said of course, what a great display item and comment provoking artifact of our history, and he generously offered to ship it to me. It always catches the attention of students, and many staff too, when I mention the fact that hazing of freshman by sophmores was a fact of life here for many years c1945-1970.

Alan Kartstetter

Was asked about his dates, they are: English & Speech prof, 1955-62. Apparently was also Class of 1949. Then realized that this was in response to a request from his son, looking to celebrate Karstetter's 90th birthday, and took a look for photos. Unfortunately didn't find anything in the original faculty photos of the '50s, but there were a few yearbook shots that I could scan and send to him, he and his colleagues etc...

Monday, May 1, 2017

1970s Stylus

Grad of 1978 called, left message asking about seeing copies of the Stylus from his time. Called back and left message that it is online, he should email me, will send link.