August, 1983 Nonprofit Organiz. College of the Atlantic U.S. Postage Paid Bar Harbor, ME 04609 Bar Harbor, Me. Permit #47 COA News COA FIRE Monday, July 25, 1983 Fire Levels Kaelber Hall Hearing of the fire, students, faculity and community members rushed to the college to help remove exhibits The wisdom of a college built of people, not bricks from the Natural History Museum and equipment from the and mortar, was never more apparent than in the science labs as those buildings were threatened. aftermath of the July 25 fire that destroyed most of the Fortunately, however, the fire was stopped in the library, library, administrative offices, and kitchen and dining and the library offices and museum received only minor facilities in Kaelber Hall. smoke and water damage. While the building still smoldered, fourteen trustees The Thorndike Library, material contained in faculty met with president Judith Swazey to assess the damage offices and the college archives were perhaps the most and plan for the future. They "unanimously and significant losses. Faculty members Craig Greene, Walter enthusiastically" voted to continue the summer programs, Litten, Steve Andersen, Paul DuBois, Bill Drury, Butch open on schedule for the fall term and establish a "phoenix Rommel, Susan Mehrtens, Sue Lerner, Carl Ketchum, Bill fund" to assist in rebuilding. Meanwhile COA librarian Carpenter, Don Cass, Harris Hyman, Anne Kozak and Marcia Dworak salvaged over 4,000 volumes, set up a Steve Katona all lost valuable research data, slide system for receiving gift books and vowed that she would collections and teaching materials. The fire was particularly have a library in place by September 15. Staff and faculty tragic for Steve Andersen who lost all of his possessions in made plans to double up in offices in the Turrets, and the a house fire a year and a half ago. Steve had just returned atmosphere began to resemble the "close quarters from a year's sabattical and had his research notes, as well camaraderie" of the early days of the college. Despite the as manuscripts for several articles and a book stored in tremendous loss, COA was back in operation by Tuesday boxes in his office. morning. There were also many things for which to be grateful. The fire whose cause is still unknown apparently The only injury reported was to a Bar Harbor firefighter began in the front corner of Kaelber Hall in the early hours who cut a tendon on his right wrist while passing materials of Monday morning. By the time it was spotted and through a broken window. He was treated at Eastern reported by a fisherman on the town pier, flames had filled Maine Medical Center and released. The college was in much of the lobby and were shooting up through the roof. the process of converting all of its financial and Firemen from Bar Harbor, Ellsworth, Northeast Harbor development office records to a computer and duplicate and Acadia National Park responded to the scene at 4:30 disks of some materials were in Portland at the time of the a.m. but were unable to contain the fire which eventually fire. The peanut butter jar emerged from the ashes with spread to the library. IOU's intact as did a fireproof safe containing student PEANUTS REMEMBER BUILDINGS MAY CRUMBLE, I HATE SAYINGS THIS BUT WISDOM IS ETERNAL LIKE THAT SCAULZ 1983 United Feature Syndicate WISDOM AND IRONY: This piece of Peanuts wisdom appeared in the July 25 edition of the Bangor Daily News. 7T25 efficient facilities. As Ed Kaelber remarked when he walked into the Turrets the morning of the fire, "This is an opportunity to build the kind of facility that really meets OF your needs." Trustee John Dreier added that the fire had caused a groundswell of positive, enthusiastic feelings about the college and its mission. "The fire and the months to come will be a real test of our love and affection for this institution," he said. How You Can Help With each day following the fire, the list of lost items grows. Faculty remember course materials that perished, photographs and articles from the archives are gone, and valuable correspondance and records are missing. Alumni and friends of the college who have negatives and photographs, back issues of the catalog, Echo, Off the Wall, the COA News, Voices and other publications, graduation invitations and programs etc. and would be willing to donate them to the college should send them to Marion Kane, Public Relations Office. Faculty members financial records. Academic records stored in the registrar's whose offices were in Kaelber Hall would also appreciate officer were not affected. Finally, as Marcia Dworak noted receiving copies of xeroxed course materials, particularly in an all college meeting on Wednesday, there were a articles and syllabuses. number of overdue books. She added, however, that the For the immediate future the most pressing need is record of overdue books survived the fire so "we still know books for the fall term in the areas of geology, plant who you are." The library card catalog, shelf lists, taxonomy, forestry, economics, public policy, fishes and microfilms and many reference books were also salvaged. fisheries, zoology, physiology, architecture, education, A temporary library has been established in the old literature, psychology, history and writing. If you have industrial arts building opposite the elementary school in books in these areas you wish to donate, they can be sent Bar Harbor. to Marcia Dworak, COA library, Bar Harbor, Maine. The outpouring of concern and assistance from the Also needed are large pots and pans for the kitchen, surrounding communities has been overwhelming. Many serving utensils, tables and chairs, lamps, office equipment organizations which themselves survived the 1947 fire and supplies and bookshelves. called to offer the use of facilities and resources. "This Finally we will need funds for reconstruction. While area has a particular compassion for fire victims," one long the college was well insured, there will still be a time Bar Harbor resident noted. "Very few of us have considerable shortfall. A "phoenix fund" has been set up to remained untouched." receive gifts, and checks should be made payable to the Clean-up work at the fire site has already begun college. together with long range planning for new, more energy All donations are tax deductible. Largest Graduating Class capability" - the ability to exist in uncertainties, Receives BA in Human Ecology mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason. "Most models for understanding the world The largest graduating class in COA's 11-year today are reductionist models such as the computer history received the Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology program," he said. "Maybe we should look not to the degree at commencement exercises held Saturday, June 4. programmer for answers but to the artist who speaks in COA president, Judith Swazey, and chairman of the board metaphor. In that way, as William Blake showed us, we of trustees, Robert Kanzler, conferred degrees on 48 could see the world in a single grain of sand." seniors in a 90-minute ceremony held at Holy Redeemer Bill emphasized that learning to see the world in this Church. way requires a revolution in perception. "This is what Dispensing with the usual "Pomp and Circumstance," Human Ecology is all about," he said. "It requires that we the seniors marched into the church to the strains of enlarge our consciousness to tolerate ambiguity and bagpipe music provided by the Acadia Pipe and Drum paradox, to perceive the order in disorder and to recognize players. The ceremony proceeded with several student that the enemy is yourself wearing a different mask." addresses, madrigal singing, a short theatre performance, a The most pressing problem facing human ecologists remembrance of Dick Davis delivered by Dan Kane and today is the threat of nuclear war. "There is no simple an eloquent address by Bill Carpenter. solution to this problem. The Samurai may have given up One of the founding faculty members at the college, their swords in ancient Japan, but the kind of knowledge Bill reminisced about the early days of human ecology that produced the bomb is irreversible." He suggested, when the "human" element was often left out of ecological following Carl Jung, that nuclear war may be avoided only studies. "This was all too typical of ecology in its early if mankind can contain the opposites within his own heart. years," he said, "both in the American sixties and at "By this I think Jung meant that wars between humans COA. We made a conception of nature which excluded begin as conflicts of ideas and spill over into physical ourselves, or included humans only if they could give up violence only when our consciousness becomes too small their culture and become minimal creatures living off the to contain them. Anyone who can hold individualism and land." collectivism in their own minds will not participate in such Bill observed that ecology has come a long way since a war." those early days, the most important development being the reemphasis on the human element. "Including the human element has made ecology much more complex," he said. "We had to include the human mind, with all of its culture and imagination and technology and economics and religion." He called for a future phase of human ecology which he labeled "creative ecology." In this phase, a philoso- phical world view would be drawn from the artist and would include what the poet Keats called "negative Call of the Loon For The Birds "Hukweem," the ancient loon of the northwoods, rose College of the Atlantic researchers have made two from the mist of her lake in June to call another member of significant discoveries about Atlantic bird populations. the COA community into the Order of the Loon. Stan During a recent survey of arctic terns, faculty member Bill Grierson, master taxidermist and creative spirit behind the Drury and a group of students discovered the first great Natural History Museum, was inducted into the mysteries, cormorant nests ever documented within the continental rights and privileges of this ancient order at the com- United States. The great cormorant is a cousin to the mencement ceremonies. In addition to the scroll, secret call commonly seen double-crested cormorant (shag). A and handshake, Stan received a stuffed loon which he frequent visitor to Maine waters during the winter, it has promptly turned over to the museum for display. He also not been known to nest south of the Canadian border. received a book on seabirds and the heartfelt thanks of the Bill speculates that the appearance of nesting great entire COA community for his tireless contributions to the cormorants may reflect the recovery of seabird populations natural history program. from the beginning of this century when numbers were greatly reduced by the plummage trade and the harvesting of bird eggs for food. Islands in the Gulf of Maine which Environmental Ed Students Test supported thriving human populations during the early 1900's are now largely undisturbed, providing prime Their Skills in Local Schools nesting habitat. A growing interest in environmental education at Summer researchers at the Mt. Desert Rock light COA has spilled over into the public schools on Mt. Desert station are accumulating evidence that contradicts Island. During the spring term, nine COA students prevalent theories about the offshore migration of song- completed projects or volunteered teaching time in the birds. Past studies at coastal locations have found mostly Emerson and Mt. Desert Island High schools. immature songbirds at these sites leading many researchers Mary Anne Machis and Loretta Gleason conducted to think that the coast and open water are not preferred workshops in street theatre with students from George migration routes for more experienced adult birds. Stories of Demas' drama class at the high school. They taught exhausted birds landing on ships at sea also feed the idea that mime, juggling and theatre games. Charlotte Faulstick and birds travel over open water only when they become dis- Abigail Littlefield also worked at MDIHS. Charlotte oriented or are blown offshore during storms. assisted civics teacher Art Lawrence and Abby taught Results from the banding program at Mt. Desert Rock math to deaf students. during the past two summers, however, have shown very At the elementary school, COA projects ranged from high adult numbers, particularly among the long distance teaching different aspects of the weather in a 4th grade warbler and thrush migrants. Most of the birds caught at classroom to teaching ecology to the 1st, 3rd and 5th MDR also had moderate to heavy fat reserves; few grades. One student also assisted junior high students with appeared exhausted; and most flew off the island shortly projects for the annual science fair while another taught art after landing. From the MDR statistics it appears that and horticulture to special education students. many birds may in fact choose the overwater route as their Many of the projects were part of Peter Corcoran's normal migration path - a good short-cut in fact for those spring course "Toward a Philosophy of Ecological species which must fly to South America for the winter. Education." Thorndike Library Named Briefly In a dedication ceremony held Saturday, July 9, the College of the Atlantic library was named for R. Amory Comings Judy Knudson of Tomkins Cove, New York and Elizabeth Thorndike. Announcing the surprise honor has joined the COA staff as Director of Admissions. Judy has at a gathering of the extended Thorndike family and worked since 1981 as Assistant Director of Continuing friends and staff of the college, COA president Judith Education at William Paterson College in New Jersey. Swazey praised the devotion of Betty Thorndike and her Prior to that she did recruitment and curriculum late husband to the college and particularly its library. She development for the New Center of Multidisciplinary also announced that an endowment fund established by the Studies at Moorhead State University in Minnesota. Judy Thomdikes for the library now exceeds $100,000. Interest received her BA in Psychology and Sociology from North from the fund is used to enlarge the library's humanities Dakota State University and her MA in Speech and collection. Theatre from the University of South Dakota. The gathering in the COA library also marked Betty's birthday, and a brass plaque commemorating the Goings After two and a half years as COA's Vice- dedication was unveiled. It reads "Thorndike Library, President for External Affairs, Albie Smith resigned his Dedicated to R. Amory and Elizabeth F. Thorndike in position in July to join Bowdoin College's Development conjunction with her birthday and in recognition of their Office. He will serve as Director of Annual Giving. encouragement and support of the college from its During his tenure at COA, Albie was instrumental in the inception." formation of the COA Association, the search for a new Ed. note: The Thorndike Library plaque was rescued president, the annual giving campaign and the launch of from the fire and will be rehung when the library is the auditorium fund drive. We wish him success in his restored. new venture. The search for a new Director of COAA Comes Home For Development is being conducted during the summer by a committee chaired by COA librarian Marcia Dworak. Second Annual Meeting Also leaving is Assistant Director of Admissions, Nadine Gerdts. Nadine will enter the Harvard Graduate Sixty-five members of the College of the Atlantic School of Design this fall to study landscape architecture. Association met in Bar Harbor June 5 for the second A visiting student at COA from Brown University in annual meeting. After breakfast at the Bar Harbor Club, 1976, she has worked on the admissions staff since 1980. the meeting convened on the club lawn to take advantage of the first sunny Sunday in three months. COAA secretary John March reviewed the Back again Butch Rommel and Steve Anderson substantial accomplishments of the Association's first year have returned to the college looking greatly refreshed after including incorporation, application for tax exempt status, sabbatical leaves. Butch spent the year working on establishment of a working committee structure, metabolic physiology with Knut Schmidt-Nielson at Duke computerization of a mailing list, and creation and University and on whale physiology with Jim Mead, distribution of an association newsletter. John reported that Curator of Marine Mammals at the Smithsonian. Butch association members raised $8,830 in gifts to the college plans to teach a course for COA students at the with contributions made by 43% of the members. Smithsonian during the winter term. Steve was a visiting Members also contributed $525 to the Richard Davis professor in agricultural and resource economics at the Memorial Fund which has been given to the library for the University of Hawaii and a research fellow at the purchase of books in Dick's area of interest. University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Institute. Following a report on the Association's operating During his leave, he also traveled to Japan as a visiting expenses and corresponding lack OI income, the gave membership approved a dues structure of $5.00 a year. a series of seminars in Japan and Korea, and completed a Those paying dues will be considered active members and book on the Economics and Law of Compensation. will receive the COAA newsletter; those not paying dues will be considered inactive for the year. A new slate of board members was elected including Papers and positions Rich Borden recently presented Bruce Bender, secretary and social events coordinator; a paper on "The Psychology of Ecological Concern" at Sally Morong, treasurer; Megan Kraus, fund-raising the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Maine Psychological coordinator; Greg Stone, recruitment coordinator; and Association and the Ninth Annual Maine Biological and Cathy Ramsdell, communications coordinator. Standing Medical Sciences Symposium. Rich has also been invited committees also met to discuss plans for the coming year. to serve as Vice-President of the Society for Human The meeting concluded with reports from three faculty Ecology and will present a paper entitled "Psychology and members and Judith Swazey on activities within the Ecology: Beliefs in Technology and the Diffusion of college. Stewart Brecher presented his perspective on Ecological Responsibility" at the 1983 National Association for Environmental Education Conference in design followed by Steve Katona's review of science activities and an update on the humanities program from Ypsilanti, Michigan in late September. Peter Corcoran has been elected to the Board of Bill Carpenter. Judith reviewed her first year at the college and emphasized the Association's role in student recruitment Directors of the Conservation Education Association, a and financial support. She also noted that a $10,000 national organization dedicated to the promotion of environmental and conservation education. challenge grant has been made by an alumnus with the stipulation that 50% of the graduates make a contribution Faculty Associate Walter Litten has an article on to the college during the 1983-84 year. "Medical Experience with Amanita Phalloides in Europe" in Mcllvainea, the Journal of American Amateur Mycology. Walter is also editor of the journal which is published by the North American Mycological ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR 1983-84 Association. Sept. 6-11 Outdoor Orientation Paul DuBois has been named Administrative Vice- Sept. 12 5:00 p.m. Convocation President of the college. In addition to teaching in the Sept. 13 Academic Orientation Symposium Public Policy program, Paul will assist President Judith on Conflict Resolution: Individual, Swazey with administrative tasks. Community and Global Perspective Sept. 14 Classes begin COA will offer 6 scholarships next year in cooperation Oct. 14 Reading day (no Friday classes) with the American Rivers Council and the Natural Oct. 19 The Eye and the Land: A One-Day Resources Council of Maine. The scholarships will be Symposium on Aesthetics and the awarded to young people who have made a significant Environment contribution in environmentally related activities. Nov. 23 Fall term ends at 12 p.m. Interested prospective students should contact Ted Jan. 2 - Winter term Koffman in the Financial Aid Office. March 9 March 26 - Spring term May 31 If you are traveling on Delta Airlines this summer. be June 2 Graduation sure to read the section on College of the Atlantic in the inflight magazine, Sky. The college is written up as part of an article entitled "Autumn in New England."