COOL College of the Atlantic Association Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 November 1987 Vol. 3, No. 1 Clerk of the Works An Interview with Sass Barb Sassman is one of those irre- pressible souls who gives off life as if it were light. Recently I spoke with her via telephone about the already commenced work on the new Kaelber Hall. As "clerk of the works," or project manager, Sass has a unique view on what is going up on the site of the old building destroyed in 1983 by a night of fire. Barb's senior project at COA was a research paper on the Turrets. After she graduated in 1978 she was hired by the College to work with Roc Caivano and Harris Hyman on the Turrets restoration project. That lasted until 1980, Photos of the 1983 fire that destroyed Kaelber Hall M. Kaiser when she followed Roc down to Philadelphia and the Venturi "It's a library and much more. As "And just off the reading room Architecture firm. From 1982-84 you approach the building from there will be a 72-foot-long she worked in Blue Hill, and from the west, the student lounge will be covered balcony, open to the air, 1984-86 she was associated with on your right. It will have a really with sweeping views over French- fellow COAer, Wells Bacon. nice granite fireplace in it. On the man's Bay. You can bring chairs left of the breezeway will be the out there and read Groundbreaking for the new dining room and kitchen. The "Have you ever seen the Casino at Kaelber Hall/Thorndike Library downstairs is Pam's domain. One Newport? The building will be took place on July 27, this sum- thing I really like is that the dining something like that. It will be mer. room has booths, like Jordan's. shingled, and will have mostly Each booth will have a luxo-lamp, square windows (with a few round "It's going to be wonderful!," Sass so students can bring a book ones), and it will incorporate a says. "A lot of characteristics of the downstairs, get a cup of tea, and working sundial! " old summer cottages. Wainscot- spend the afternoon there read- ting. Nice details throughout. ing. Ed Kaelber said in an interview in this newsletter that a library is the "The old building did not look out "Upstairs is the Thorndike Li- intellectual center of any school. enough on the ocean. The new brary. Offices and card catalogues "This building has to be built," he building will, as befits a college of to the right, a large reading room, said. Well, it's underway now, and the Atlantic. It will be situated central, over the breezeway, and scheduled to be completed by Au- quite a bit further south than the the stacks to the left. Twenty-five gust, 1988 when the library needs to old building, right on the crest of study carrels will surround the make its move. And Barb Sassman the hill. stacks. It will be a huge room. will be watching it all the way up! P. KUNHARDT Editor's Note COD Exactly fifteen years ago I was writing the first editor's note for the College of the Atlantic Association brand new "Voices of the Atlantic" which we turned out on an old Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 mimeograph machine, using the back sides of pieces of paper previously used for kindergarten exercises. The latest bound edition of COAA NEWS is published per- "Voices of the Atlantic" is a kind of symbol to me of how far the college iodically by College of the At- has come in its fifteen years since the fall of 1972. lantic Association, COA's alumni organization since 1982. Many of us who came to the college in the early 70's finally graduated around 1977. Others took more time, or transferred out, or went COAA 1987-88 Board Members through faster, or took extended leaves. But last spring a group of us Michael Kaiser, Secretary decided that it was time for a tenth year reunion, before 1987 had Jean McHugh, Treasurer passed us by. We chose Columbus Day Weekend as the time, and George Benington Mount Desert Island as the place, and somehow I became the Joy Knowlton Coordinator. One hundred and fifty invitations went out to former Philip B. Kunhardt, III students, and over the past two months one by one the letters of response have come in. COAA NEWS, November 1987 Edition One person writes: "I am already daydreaming about this reunion." Vol. 3, No. 1 Another friend, just back from Nantucket, writes "It's impressive to see Editor, Philip B. Kunhardt, III what Scott Kraus has helped create through these tours, and the Production Editor, impact they will have on thousands of people, educating them about Rebecca Buyers-Basso whales, exposing them to the beauty and serenity of these animals and hopefully expanding the voice of those seeking to protect whales and marine life in general. and to think of the college as the seedbed of this The college logo combines three runic symbols: and many other projects.. h Another writes, simply, "At long last, we may visit again!" is for tree, X for humans, and One graduate of 1975 writes, "Would love to see you but it's not my for ocean, intertwined in a circle reunion Let's leave it that I will try, I'd love to. And thanks for the invite, to your class of 1977 from the class of 1975." symbolizing the earth and universe. One of my friends who I haven't seen in quite awhile writes, "My strongest memory of you is going to give blood with you and you lay on the couch saying dramatically 'I feel the life force flowing out of me...' The nurses were rolling their eyes " TABLE OF CONTENTS This Newsletter had its official beginning five years ago with the Clerk of the Works page 1 creation of the newly formed College of the Atlantic Association. Editor's Note page 2 People like Megan Godfrey Kraus and Bruce Bender, Joan Feely and Mentor Program John March and Cathy Ramsdell were associated with its origins. Early articles appeared from Dodie Jordan and Carole O'Donnell and Update page 3 Sally Morong, Bill Ginn and others. On Annual Giving page 3 Personal Notes begin page 4 In March of 1985, the xeroxed handout evolved into its present form. Andrew Bennett, Lisa Holley, and Jean McHugh were its editors. Faculty Forum page 4 Campus Store page 7 I for one was helped back into a closer relationship with the college by Peace Fellowships page 7 this newsletter. One of my goals as its new editor will be to lure some of Update Form page 7 you back as well. Our college is an exciting place, with much to offer its alumnae. And it needs us, too. Hope you enjoy this issue. And please, send me letters or articles or poems for future issues. Let's treat this as a kind of Alumni "Voices." PHILIP B. KUNHARDT, III 2 COAA Launches Mentor Program The Board of the College of The Atlantic Association is in the pro- cess of implementing a new pro- gram called the Mentor Program. The idea for the program origin- ated with Jill Barlow-Kelly, the College's Internship/Career Co- ordinator. The need for the pro- gram and its potential were illus- trated last winter when the COAA Board held a meeting on campus. The COAA Board Meeting was held to coincide with the winter tour of prospective students and at the urging of the then Director of President Lou Rabineau introduced an alumni panel on career choices last February for Admissions Larry Clendenon, the benefit of prospective and current COA students. Participating were, from left to who was seeking some insight right, Stu Dickey (not pictured), Glen Berkowitz, Mike Kaiser and Bob Holley. The from alumni on issues concerning COAA Mentor Program will be sponsoring similar panels this winter. the influx of new students and their acceptance into the community. could keep in touch with the col- cuss when we explore human ecol- Board members attended an ACM lege through the students. As cur- ogy (such as participatory gover- and discussed what it was like rently envisioned, the Mentor Pro- nance) survive in the "real" world. when they were new students. gram would match alumni with When the floor was opened to students who have an interest in As a result of the meeting last win- questions, the topic of conversa- careers that alumni are pursuing, ter, the COAA Board has commit- tion quickly turned to: what did topics that alumni are studying in ted itself to holding one board you do after you left COA, how graduate school, and alumni who meeting each year on campus did you get your current job, and are involved in small businesses, when classes are in session. This how did people respond when you farming and the arts. Our goal is to year's meeting will be January 9, told them you had a degree in have students contact alumni, who 1988. If you are interested in par- human ecology. agree to participate, and either ticipating in the Mentor Program have phone conversations, spend a please contact Jill Barlow-Kelly or The questioning by the students day or two, or possibly an intern- Becky Buyers-Basso at the Col- made it clear that dialogue be- ship with alumni. Long term goals lege. Jean McHugh is coordinating tween alumni and students on include bringing alumni to campus the program for the COAA Board. campus could be beneficial to all. over the course of the academic In the near future we will be pro- Alumni could serve as an impor- year to be available to speak with viding additional information on tant resource for students as they students about life after COA, job the program and formally seeking approach graduation and alumni hunting and how the ideals we dis- participation of alumni. On Annual Giving Each year, as alumni or friends of costs more than the price of tui- year COA must raise $759,000 to College of the Atlantic, you receive tion, the college must seek addi- balance the budget. several requests for support. This tional funding to pay for expenses. is true because COA currently Yearly tuition at the college is The Phoenix Fund is a capital operates two fundraising cam- $7,775; however, it costs over campaign that was started in the paigns: Annual Giving and the $14,000 each year to have a student wake of the 1983 fire. Funds raised Phoenix Fund. at COA. Annual Giving is not uni- for the Phoenix Fund are used que to COA. All private colleges only to rebuild the campus. The Annual Giving is an effort to raise count on the generosity of trustees, current goal of the campaign is six funds to pay for yearly operating alumni, parents and friends of the million dollars of which $3,869,000 deficits. Because a COA education institution to help offset costs. This has been raised. Thus far contribu- (Continued on page 6) 3 Personal Notes This summer I invited a group of Faculty Forum alumni who had expressed an interest in getting involved in Reprinted from New England Builder admission work for the College to During December I took off for a few weeks to visit my oldest daughter. an alumni admission training ses- Next door, they were building a house. Like a typical builder-tourist, I sion to be held on campus Sep- made a couple of visits to the site each day to check things out. tember 5 which happened to fall on Labor Day weekend this year. The house was constructed from concrete block with a frame roof, so the lead man on the project was a mason rather than a carpenter. He was an Probably due to the timing of the excellent mason, skilled in all aspects of his trade, and had a crew of event, I had a slim yield. I am not three: a carpenter, a tender and a helper. The carpenter was also quite discouraged, however, because I skilled, did his own work and, without being called, was there to help the learned that inviting people to do mason when he was needed. The tender was an older man, the complete something, while perhaps not the mason-tender, always keeping the tray filled and never exerting one best way to get them to do it, is an calorie more effort than was required. The helper was a pleasant young excellent way to collect news of man, always laughing and joking, who was incredibly lazy and con- what they are doing instead! stantly hollered at by the mason and carpenter. The following bits and pieces of A couple of days into the work, the electrical sub showed up. The wiring information about alumni was col- was to be in conduit within the concrete block, and the electrician, a sour, lected in the above fashion. I am unfriendly man, randomly chiseled a channel in the blocks. When he truly impressed with the variety reached the cast-in-place lintel beam, he just kept right on chopping with and quality of COA alumni ex- his chisel. The mason was absolutely irate, but the electrician stared and cuses. Let me thank everyone for grunted as though the mason were irrational. responding to the invite who did and also for your support of the On the second weekend, the owner showed up and had a fit. He was concept of including alumni in the getting married the following week, and the contractor had promised to admission process. You can be have the house ready for his new bride. He called the contractor onto the sure you will be asked again. job and tried to castigate him, but the contractor smiled, spoke calmly, put his arm around the owner, and assured him that everything would be Bill Allen, who graduated this all right. Then the contrator chewed out the carpenter, who hung his spring and worked in COA's pub- head in apology. The contractor attempted the same with the mason, lic affairs office over the summer, who was a little too arrogant and simply walked away. The helper just is moving to Vermont in search of stood and grinned, and the tender hid. After this scene the contractor employment which relates to his again put his arm around the mollified owner with more reassurance. interest in groundwater quality. The contractor did double the crew, and they blasted away for the final Pam Bolton is in Haiti for the year week, screaming and sulking and generally working pretty hard. Three doing health related work. days before the wedding they had most of it together, and the owner Lisa Carpenter is working as an appeared to be reasonably happy. I had to go home then, and I guess everything worked out. The construction was not great but good enough, admission counselor at Hampshire it was on time, and the owner was both satisfied and a little irritated. College. The interesting thing about this project is that it did not happen in Sally M. Chetwynd visited Eng- Concord or even Atlanta or San Diego. It happened in Bogo, a city in land this summer. Cameroon, where my daughter is an English teacher with the Peace Doug Coots began classes at the Corps. No one on the job knew any English, speaking only an African Boston Architectural Center in tribal language and a little French. However, building is building, com- September. He is also working for munication isn't that hard, and I had enough sense to grab the other end Bergmeyer Architecture and Plan- of the board when someone needed a hand. ning Associates in Boston. Do you know the fundamental difference between building in New Fred Davis and his wife Lucinda England and building in West Africa? Do you know why we call it the delivered their second child, Leon, Third World? on July 12, at home with only their Damned if I do. two-and-a-half-year-old son Avi in attendance. A home birth had HARRIS HYMAN 4 Personal Notes been planned with a midwife but dary education. Marcia Dorr re- Neil Mick is teaching dyslexic she arrived too late. Fred said it ports that he is still single with no children at Chantauqua Academy. was an "amazing experience" and attachments except to Newton, his that everyone is fine. dog! Janis Miller has recently moved to Newport News, VA where she Attorney C. Michael Kendall was Alice Leeds attended summer started a new job as assistant cura- married on August 2nd, went to school at Slippery Rock University tor of horticulture at the Virginia Europe on his honeymoon and in Pennsylvania, and has begun Living Museum. returned to Chicago to begin a 2-3 work on a Masters Degree in Eng- week trial. lish! She is living with her sister, Stephen Millett visited Suzi New- Rebecca May attended a wedding Marcy, in a winterized summer born in New Zealand over the win- on September 5. cottage on the creek, and is leaving ter and reportedly loves the area. Bill McDowell went to Europe in space in her life "for breathing, September. walking, volunteer work, making Steven, Jan and big brother Eric friends, attending reunions...' Oransky welcomed David Scott Wendy Van Dyke was living in Bar on Thursday, May 14, 1987 at the Harbor over the summer working Gene Lesser has moved from Phil- Miles Memorial Hospital in Da- on the Maine Whalewatch. adelphia to Boston to do a three mariscotta, Maine. He weighed 8 Janey Winchell went back to year neurology residency at the pounds, 9.25 ounces, was 22 inches graduate school August 31st. Boston University Hospital. long and arrived at 2:47 a.m. She is doing a double masters at David Mahoney was promoted in BU in science journalism and July to Assistant Director of Ad- Joe Peacock is spending this year biology. mission and Financial Aid at in the Soviet Union as a student at The following bits and pieces of COA. the Theological Academy of the information came to me either Russian Orthodox Church in David Malakoff, writer, activist directly from the source or via the Leningrad. He will represent the and researcher, has been named COA grapevine. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of associate editor of Not Man Friends (Quakers) at the Academy. John Biderman is now self-em- Apart, the publication of Friends ployed as a consultant to users of of the Earth, the environmental custom computer software. He is action group based in Washing Miranda Ryan has applied to the School of the Museum of Fine still living in the Boston area and ton, D.C. continues to be active in COA Arts in Boston. affairs. Brooks McCutchen and Janis Steele married on October 10. Greg Stone has received the very Liz Bronet, a visitor at COA in '81, Brooks is in his final year at prestigious Antarctic Service graduated from St. John's College California School of Psychology. Award from the Navy and the in Sante Fe, New Mexico and is Janis is making films about National Science Foundation for now applying to the Peace Corps. women, work which is an out- his research on the relationship growth of her COA senior project. between whales and krill in the Rick Epstein is continuing his stu- Antarctic, completed in April dies in architecture at MIT. Harry McDaniel has been living 1986. Greg has been to Antarctica contentedly in New Haven, CT for twice on research expeditions. He John Jacob's photography exhibi- the past 31/2 years. Currently, he is now enrolled in the University of tion, Out of Eastern Europe: Pri- spends much of his time in his Rhode Island's graduate program vate Photography opened at New basement worshop making wood- in Marine Affairs. York University July 1. The exhi- en instruments (mostly drums and bition was organized by the MIT xylophones) and doing artwork. Ben and Kate (Ashenden) Thomas List Visual Arts Center, and was He also teaches woodworking at a announce the arrival of their son curated by John. local "alternative" elementary Gareth Ashenden Thomas who school. was born June 10, 1987. They also DeWitt Kimball stopped by the have a new address: COA library this summer. He is Jean McHugh has moved to the now living in Connecticut and Washington D.C. area to com- attending St. Joseph's College in plete her Masters of Business Hartford, working for a Masters Administration at George Wash- "Please come and see us!" degree in elementary and secon- ington University. 5 On Annual Our high level of support is a To demonstrate our support and strong sign to other potential appreciation, the COAA board Giving donors that graduates of COA has set a goal of 100% alumni par- appreciate the educations they ticipation in this year's Annual (Continued from page 3) have received. Giving. The board feels, because of the unique qualities of COA Last year, alumni support of an- alumni, that this goal is not impos- tions to the Phoenix Fund have nual giving was less impressive. No sible to meet. The board has set a allowed for the construction of a doubt, a partial explanation for dollar goal of $12,000. Since most new science and arts building and this was our support of the Pho- of us have only been out of school groundbreaking for the Kaelber enix Fund. We are a young group for a short time, we thought that Hall/Thorndike Library complex. and, for the most part, have limited alumni would be interested in resources. Nonetheless, alumni some guidelines for what size con- made 38 contributions ($3,398) to tribution to consider. Therefore, Alumni Participation the Annual Giving campaign. This the board has established the Give Alumni have been tremendous represents 5% of the alumni (11% a Day to COA campaign. All of us supporters of the college. In the of graduates). who are currently employed are last several years, alumni giving giving up to one day a week in has been focused on the Phoenix The COAA board is concerned taxes to the Federal government fund. During the fiscal year that about the participation of alumni for programs that we may not even ended on June 30, 1986, 100 in Annual Giving. Since COA's support. We are asking you to alumni contributions totaling inception, the trustees have pro- work one day a year for COA by $8,238 were made to the Phoenix vided substantial support for the making a contribution of one day's Fund. Many of these gifts were college. In 1986, trustee gifts for salary or wages. For those of you made in conjunction with the Annual Giving comprised 79% of in graduate school or those explor- Kaelber/Thorndike Benefit dinner all contributions; alumni giving ing the many alternatives available last April in Boston. Of the nearly was .4%. While no one expects in life, we hope that you show your 300 people who attended the din- such a young, small alumni body support by making any size gift ner, 76 were alumni. to make a major contribution, the you can afford. COAA board feels that we can at Since the Phoenix Fund was cre- least demonstrate to the trustees In a few weeks you will be receiving ated 65% of graduates have made a and other donors that we appre- the Annual Giving campaign let- contribution. This very strong ciate the time, effort and continu- ter. Please take it seriously. show of support is a reflection of ous financial support they have MICHAEL KAISER how we feel about our educations. given to the college. Secretary, COAA Personal Notes Bundy Van Aken dropped by the Sarah Wendt has made her debut Alumni Office at COA on a trip as a professional dancer. She Terri Sinnhuber '82 was in a east from Oregon. She is a nurse performed with a modern dance terrible car accident recently. She practitioner at the Student Health troupe under the direction of a and her husband of one week were Center at South Oregon State Col- Japanese choreographer in New returning from their honeymoon lege and still an avid bicyclist, York City October 8 - 10. and were struck by a driven by runner and knitter. a man who had a heart attack. David Winship is the President of Terri's husband was killed and Peter Wayne '81 is visiting large the Washington County, VA Edu- Terri has a long recuperation forests in New England to collect cation Association. ahead of her. She is now staying preliminary data on four species of with her parents. Condolences birch, collecting seeds and saplings and healing messages will reach and observing species' distribution her at: while searching for possible re- search sites. 6 Campus Herbert Scoville Store Peace Fellowships For those of you who have been Available in 1987 wondering how to get your hands on a COA sweatshirt, want to buy Applications available for $3,000 at important Congressional hear- the latest edition of VOICES or have stipend, plus travel expenses for ings, seminars and major speeches been thinking about ordering a college graduates to work in on war and peace issues. COA chair for your office, this is Washington, D.C., for disarm- the place to look. ament, nuclear arms control and For further information, program peace organizations. description and application re- The alumni office is handling quirements, contact: sales of the following items. To Spend 3-4 months working full- Scoville Peace Fellowship Program order, please write or call: time on arms control research 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E. Rebecca Buyers-Basso and/or action activities. Fellow- Room 211 Alumni Office ship also encourages attendance Washington, D.C. 20002 College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, ME 04609 (207) 288-5015 Alumni directory $10.00 A xeroxed listing of the names, addresses and phone Alumni: numbers (where available) of all former COA students. Someone Wants to Know COA sweatshirts $16.00 Navy Moved lately? Got the job? Wrote the book? Won the case you always Turquoise said you would? Said "I do"? How about that new baby? Help us keep alumni and other members of College of the Atlantic community COA tee shirts $14.00 informed about your activities. Long sleeved Red, Royal blue Please print or type: COA tee shirts $8.00 Navy Name Home # Black Class (year) Work # VOICES $4.00 Street The 86-87 edition of COA's art/literary journal City/State Zip Current COA catalog $1.00 I'd like my address in the next COAA NEWS. Old COA catalogs $2.00 (if available) This is my NEW mailing address. Subscriptions to Here's my News!: OFF THE WALL $20.00 -ALSO- COA captain's chair custom order Faculty publications by request Remember to include awards, honors, appointments, job changes, organizations, offices held, professional achievements, etc. Please include a Maine residents add 5% sales tax. picture if possible! Please return this to: Becky Buyers-Basso, College of Thank you. the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 7 Personal Notes New York Berkeley Ireland I thought you might be amused to Let's see. I'm class of '82. I think Thought I'd give you my current hear of my whereabouts and go- most people know that I changed address and tell you all what I've ings on. I've been living in Minne- my name from Charlotte Arner to been doing. I missed the ocean too sota for three years and, much as Elizabeth Cunningham in 1983. much in New Mexico so left to I'd like to stay, I'm moving to New I'm living in Berkeley with my two work as the American biologist of York for graduate school. Even I bicycles and my Italian coffee Russian and South Korean fishing have broken to that urge for ad- machine. I am an editorial con- boats in the Bering Sea for last vancement and credentials. I've sultant. I work for a number of summer and winter which was decided to become a high school publishers around the country such great fun! In between travelled to a history teacher and the program in as Harper & Row and Beacon few countries and did a lot of art New York offers a creative and Press, as well as a variety of private stuff. Now I am working at a small stimulating approach to both clients. I specialize in substantive private marine lab on a lovely teaching and history. After com- editing for manuscripts, and occa- island off the southwest coast of munity organizing for three years, sionally handle magazine and Ireland. Am doing phytoplank- I don't know if I can stand two journal articles. ton/red-tide predictability more years of school (it seems so research as well as working on a passive) but I don't want to be a I've revitalized my German, so I'm sea-shore monitoring project and hack teacher. So off I go! now officially bilingual again, and an oil spill survey of various I am slowly learning French. I'm islands in the area. Still doing lots Fortunately, the past five years fascinated by certain elements of of art and fishprints. The island haven't been all work and no play. mass media, and probably will be here is so beautiful! Green hills and I've fallen in and out and into love so even more in the future. rocky cliffs. It's gorgeous. Anyone several times but like Ahab, I've finally met my match, though she's I spend my free time like most Cali- is welcome to drop in for a pint of fornians, seeing how closely we can Guiness. My address is: no whale. No wedding date yet but the bells are swaying gently. emulate those fiery grins in the ZAN KNECHT Patagonia catalogues. I have spent Sherkin Island Marine Station I've also travelled a good bit and the year cycling, going out every Sherkin Island kept in touch with Greg Rainoff, morning and logging my mileage County Cork, Ireland Charlie Hutchinson, Diana Cohn, on a chart in my apartment. I've Megan Pennock, Dr. Pete Corco- gotten fast enough to play moped- ran, Ray Wirth and the Elks tag. (Katherine Kiorpes). That's it, except a warm welcome STU DICKEY to anyone to drop by if they are in the Bay area. Warm Regards, ELIZABETH CUNNINGHAM COAA NEWS College of the Atlantic Association Bar Harbor, Maine 04609