COLLEGE OF AA THE ATLANTIC NEWSLETTER FALL, 1981 Photo by George Benington Ed Kaelber to Step Down After twelve years as President of College fully accredited, four-year college with an of the Atlantic, Edward G. Kaelber has enrollment of 180 students, 24 full- and part- announced that he will step down, effective time faculty members, and an administrative July 1, 1982. and support staff of 29 persons. The college With characteristic self-scrutiny, Ed told acquired and updated a 26-acre physical the Trustees at their August 20, 1981 meeting plant and achieved financial stability and that he feels the college needs a fresh national recognition. perspective. "On January 1, 1981, I completed Among his accomplishments, Ed has my eleventh year at the college," he said. "In overseen the growth of college assets from staying beyond a decade, one risks losing $20,000 in 1970 to over $2,000,000 in 1981, imagination and spontaneity." He added that and the establishment of a $3,100,000 the timing of his decision was a matter of endowment. His gentle, optimistic leadership conscience. "I would not have considered and personal educational philosophy have withdrawing from the college if it was not set also nurtured an academic community of the firmly on its course." highest quality. Ed came to the college in 1968 from his post Ed plans to devote his remaining time as as Associate Dean of Education at Harvard President to raising additional funds for the University. He recalls that starting a college college endowment and much-needed at that time was a risky venture, but also an laboratory and auditorium facilities. exciting challenge. "We had no idea how it After that, his plans are less certain. "Pat would turn out," he said, "but the omens were and I would like to stay in Maine,' "he said. "I've good!" sent out some resumes and we'll see what Under his guidance, COA has grown from turns up." an idea in the minds of a hand full of people to a Search Underway Second Decade Following the announcement of Ed's Priorities Set resignation, the college began a search for a presidential successor. COA Trustee, Robert COA is moving into its second decade with H. Kanzler of Detroit, Michigan, was an ambitious set of fund-raising priorities. appointed to chair a search committee Following the successful completion of Phase composed of trustees, staff and students. I of its endowment fund, the college hopes to To date, the college has received well over raise an additional $2,000,000 in endowment 60 applications from prospective presidential through individual and foundation gifts in candidates, many responding to ads placed in excess of $50,000. national publications. Nominees from Plans are also underway for construction of students, faculty, administrators and trustees several new facilities on campus. Architect have also been contacted, and an on-campus and former COA faculty member, Roc search commitee has begun candidate Caivano, has been commissioned by the Board screening. of Trustees to conduct a feasibility study on a The deadline for applications is November new auditorium. He will work closely with the 1 with initial campus interviews to follow. By Building and Executive committees. Roc's mid-December, a selected list of applicants preliminary plans, including site location and will be recommended to the Board of Trustees an architectural rendering, will be unveiled with presentation of a final candidate at a at the January Board of Trustees meeting. special Board meeting in New York City on A second priority is the construction or January 18. renovation of laboratory facilities. The labs There is still time for nominations from the are bursting at the seams and additional space college community at large before the is needed for COA's active science program. November 1 deadline. Any recommendations V.P. for External Affairs, Albie Smith. hopes should be made to Albie Smith, Vice President to raise $2,000,000 within the next 18 months for External Affairs. for these building projects. College Convenes COA's tenth Convocation brought together students, faculty, trustees and friends on September 14, 1981 for the first formal gathering of the academic year. Following a warm "welcome" to new students and "welcome back" to returning members of the college community, President Ed Kaelber introduced Convocation speaker Dr. Paul Silverman, President of the University of Maine at Orono. Dr. Silverman, a parasitologist and epidemiologist, spoke on the history of world- wide attempts to eradicate malaria and what it has to teach about the interrelatedness of biological organisms and human activities. He related the lessons learned in malaria research to problems facing the world today such as the disposal of toxic and radioactive Dr. Paul Silverman. wastes. Photo by M. Kane Students at the Harpswell Islands School put together the bleached bones of a Minke whale. Photo by Don Hinckley Whales on Wheels COA faculty member Sentiel (Butch) larger desire to prepare a complete whale Rommel has taken his innovative method of collection for a permanent museum at COA. teaching comparative anatomy out of the The school already has six whale skeletons, laboratory and onto the road. With the help of several bird skeletons and numerous students Rebecca May and Megan Pennoch, taxidermic specimens. Butch has assembled a traveling natural Plans are underway for a "stationary" history exhibit containing disassembled natural history museum on campus next skeletons which are assembled like giant summer which would contain exhibits, jigsaw puzzles, audio visual materials and skeletons, models and artwork centering taxidermic specimens. around the plants and animals of MDI and its Dubbed "Whales on Wheels," the traveling surrounding waters. The museum would exhibit visited over 1,300 school children and feature a variety of activities including tours, other groups during the spring of 1981. When lectures, slide shows, natural history walks the "Bonemobile" visits a school, students have and a children's program. the opportunity to piece together the skeleton Also connected with the natural history of a young minke whale while learning about museum program is the preparation of the whale's anatomy and natural history. specimens and exhibits for other institutions. With sufficient funding, Butch hopes to This program provides the necessary expand the program to include other educational activities for COA students who specimens native to Maine such as bear and are interested in museum preparations, in moose. interpretative display or in careers as Photo by Don Hinckley Briefly Successful COA faculty member, Susan Mehrtens, will Summer teach a nine-session U.S. Coast Guard Captain's License Prep Course beginning Under the direction of Ted Koffman, the Saturday, October 24. This is the fifth year COA campus had a full summer schedule. Susan has taught the course which reviews Among the activities were: rules of the road, safety, construction of Elderhostel, a nationally coordinated vessels, weather for mariners and other topics program which sponsors courses for groups on the license exam. The course is open to the of people 62-years-old or older. COA hosted public for a fee of $55. four, one-week sessions each comprised of 40 Philosophy instructor Richard Davis has participants. been appointed to the Ethics Committee of the a three-week graduate institute in Maine Association of Human Genetics. conjunction with the College of Education at Psychologist Richard Borden has been the University of Maine, Orono. The program nominated to the Executive Committee of the entitled "Science Education and Social Board of Directors of the Community Health Responsibility," was taught by faculty and Counseling Services. He was also elected members Dick Davis, Don Cass, Craig Greene President of the Board of the MDI Advisory and Harris Hyman. Many of the 28 Council to Community Health and Counseling participants were elementary and secondary Services. school teachers. New faculty member, Peter Corcoran, a four-week marine mammals course represented the college at three professional taught by Steve Katona and Sentiel Rommel, conferences this summer. He gave a pre- and a course by Walter Litten which conference presentation on "Futuristics and investigated the impact on clam flats of Environmental Education" at the national spraying Guthion on commercial blueberry conference of the Conservation Education fields. Association in August; attended the Midwest a summer speakers series which brought Regional Environmental Education eight speakers, ranging from David Brower Conference in September; and also spoke at to Helen Caldicott, to the campus for the National Marine Education Association Wednesday night lectures. Conference in Galvaston, Texas. and two successful concerts by pianist Tom COA student Raymond Wirth completed Brockman to raise funds for the Albert H. a 47-page report on "The Maine Food System: Cunningham Memorial Scholarship. These A Time for Change." The report was concerts, which were arranged by Trustee published by the Rodale Press as part of its Betty Thorndike, generated over $3,000 in Cornucopia Project. scholarship funds. NEH Grant Two More Grants COA has received a $50,000 matching COA also received two grants this Fall to grant from the National Endowment for the encourage local pride in Maine arts. One Humanities to develop an experimental grant for $13,260 from the Maine Council for program in Human Studies. The grant will the Humanities and Public Policy will fund a fund four, introductory level interdiscipli- spring symposium at COA on "A Spirit of nary courses, each taught by three members Place: 200 Years of Maine Poetry." of the COA faculty. The purpose of the grant, according to The first course, entitled "Consciousness,"is coordinator Bill Carpenter, is to increase underway this Fall. Psychologist Richard public awareness of poems about Maine and Borden, writer Bill Carpenter and by Maine writers. A collection of what are anthropologist Judith Blank have teamed up considered to be the best Maine poems will be to lend their varied perspectives to the read and discussed at eight different locations subject. throughout the state. Students in the course meet once a week for A second grant for $8,000 from the National a lecture, once in small groups and once for a Endowment for the Arts will fund a five-day film session. In addition, the faculty team folk art program in rural Maine schools this meets twice a week to design the classwork. winter. Anthropologist Judith Blank will The goal of the experiment is to break down bring together two Passamaquoddy Indians, the conventional educational structure of one two French fiddlers, one ballad singer and person teaching one subject. Although the one storyteller to perform in six northern college has no departments as such, a Maine schools. The final performance will be consultant from NEH observed recently that at COA. de facto departmentalization still exists. The courses will teach specific skills while demonstrating different approaches to a subject by members of different disciplines. "If we accomplish nothing else, I think COA's Logo: students will learn that all knowledge is relative," Bill Carpenter said. "A single What Does It Mean? teacher in a classroom presents a sense of infallibility not present when three instructors work together." In addition to the course on Consciousness, courses on Community, Values and Order are being planned. The subjects were chosen because they represent no single traditional discipline. Mary Kay Eliot designed the COA If the experiment is successful, the logo in 1971 using pre-Christian interdisciplinary teaching approach will be symbols found in The Book of Signs. extended to other areas of the curriculum. is the symbol for tree; for humans; College of the Atlantic Newsletter and is published four times yearly by College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, for ocean. The three signs are Maine 04609 intertwined in a circle symbolizing the earth and the universe. The idea for a mobile museum grew out of a OOPS Alumni Sixty-three students and staff took to the PHILIP KUNHARDT was ordained as woods and streams of Maine in early Deacon in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine September on the ninth annual Outdoor in New York City on June 13, 1981. He is Orientation Program (OOPS). Despite less- currently working in an Episcopal Church in than-per fect weather (it rained every day but Bala Cynwyd, Pa. one), the six trips were an enthusiastic FRAN POLLITT has left her position at the success. New England Aquarium and traveled to Two groups canoed the Allagash Micronesia as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Waterway, two explored the West Branch of JEAN McHUGH will be joining the Peace the Penobscot River, one group of hikers Corps in November and is headed for Benin in backpacked in Baxter State Park, and a final western Africa. group headed toward Jonesport on bicycles. Several alumni will begin graduate work The experience of the biking group typifies this September: ToM FISHER at North why OOPs has been such an enriching part of Carolina State University School of student experience at COA. Caught in a Architecture; SUE FREED at University of rainstorm, the bikers were invited to spend New Mexico School of Architecture; GENE one night with a boatbuilder and his wife. In LESSER in an MSW program at Catholic return for the favor, the students helped the University in Washington, D.C.; ROBIN couple paint their kitchen the next morning. LEWIS at Pace University School of Nursing; In Jonesport, the group met a lobsterman who BUNDY VAN AKEN will begin the same took them home to Beals Island and then out program in January; ALISON MINER at onto his boat for two days of lobstering. Antioch Law School in Washington, D.C. New faces at COA this Fall includes (1. to r.): Ellen Kimball, Receptionist; Betsy Shema, Secretary to Albie Smith; Flora Kuan, Instructor in Music; Peter Corcoran, Coordinator of COA's Environmental Education Program; and Marion Kane, Director of Public Relations. Photo by George Benington College of the Atlantic Nonprofit Organiz. Bar Harbor, ME 04609 U.S. Postage Paid Bar Harbor, Me. Permit #47