18882 Winter Magazine.q4 - Haverford College

A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E W I N T E R 2 0 0 2 

HAVERFORD 

HAVERFORD CREW: DEDICATION & PASSION 

Inside: 

Notes from Pakistan 

Global Conference on Racial Intolerance

W I N T E R 2 0 0 2 

HAVERFORD 

THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF HAVERFORD COLLEGE 

F E A T U R E S 

Notes from Pakistan 

by Cynthia Berkowitz ’83 

Sept. 11 prompts memories of time spent practicing primary care medicine 

in Afghan refugee camps. 

14 

© H. Scott Heist 

Haverford Crew: Five Years of Dedication and Passion 

Challenged to do more with less, Haverford rowers respond with spirit and grit. 

Photos by H. Scott Heist 

23 

S T A F F 

Jill Sherman 

Vice President for Institutional Advancement 

Stephen Heacock 

Executive Editor 

Executive Director for Marketing & Communications 

Tom Ferguson 

Class News Editor, Director of Publication Production 

From Haverford to Durban: 

The Complicated Symbolism of South Africa 

by Noah Leavitt ’91 

Observations on racism and social intolerance at a global conference. 

29 

Brenna McBride 

Staff Writer 

Contributing Writers: 

Ramsey Haig ’02, Pete Rapalus, 

Maya Severns ’04, Daniel Smith ’95 

Peter Volz 

Designer 

Haverford Alumni Magazine welcomes signed letters 

to the editor, preferably typed and double-spaced. Letters 

for publication should be addressed to: 

Editor, Haverford Alumni Magazine, 

370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041-1392. 

Haverford Alumni Magazine is published four times 

a year (summer, fall, winter, and spring) by the 

Marketing and Communications Department, 


Phone: 610-896-1333. Fax: 610-896-4231. 

Haverford College may be reached on the Internet at 

www.haverford.edu. 

D E P A R T M E N T S 

Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 

The View from Founders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 

On Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

Haverford History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

Haverford Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

Notes from the Alumni Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Alumni Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Alumni Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Class News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 

Births . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 

Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 

Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 

© 2002 by HAVERFORD COLLEGE 

ON THE COVER: Haverford rowers compete on the Schuylkill last fall. 

Photos by H. Scott Heist: ©2001 

1

Haverford Alumni Magazine welcomes signed letters to the 

editor, preferably typed and double-spaced. Letters for publication 

should be addressed to: Editor, Haverford Alumni Magazine, 


Letters are subject to editing for style and space limitations. 

I last saw Calvin Gooding ’84 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, 

D.C., several years ago on a Wednesday. Turns out he was dating an 

actress (whom he later married) who appeared in the play I was attending. 

Calvin was also working in New York in the financial sector. That figures, 

I thought. Calvin always knew how to take care of business while squeezing 

in as much enjoyment out of life as he could. And fun he was! 

Throughout college, I gave him lots of bops upside the head in payment 

for his jokes. I also remember his kindness when he tried to play matchmaker 

to me and my college boyfriend when we broke up. Most importantly, 

I remember how much I respected his integrity our freshman year, 

when he acted very honorably in a difficult public situation. Calvin was 

Calvin – a tangible example of the intangibles that make Haverford so 

impressive; where most students moved easily between different groups, 

he got along great with everyone. Though I only saw him every few years, 

I will miss him sorely. I suspect, however, that he got as much joy out of 

life as he could while he was here. I will hold that lesson, and his memory, 

close to my heart. 

–– Beverly Ortega Babers ’84 

Bob Poush ’41 and I had a unique friendship. We went together 

through three schools in Oskaloosa, Iowa: grade, high, and college. The 

latter was then known as William Penn College after a reorganization in 

the 1930s. As history majors, we next proceeded on graduate scholarships 

to Haverford for the school year of 1940-41. After WWII, Bob had a 

stroke and was unable to accompany me to the University of Iowa for a 

doctoral degree. He did teach for several years at two Iowa high schools 

before his health forced him to retire. Despite his medical problem, he 

lived to 83. 

–– R. Bruce Harley ’41 

I have just read the two opposing views on the subject in the Fall 2001 

edition of your magazine. While I agree with Eugene Sarver’s view, it also 

comes to my mind that it may be more than the fact that the “young 

Haverford reporters” are “apparently blind and deaf.” I note his class year 

is twenty years before the other commentator’s, and it reinforces my belief 

that the time gap reflects the inevitable influence the extremely liberal 

faculty has had upon the minds of the Haverford students. 

I once wrote to a former Haverford College president asking to put 

me in touch with at least one professor that would be recognized by the 

students as a political “conservative.” I, like Diogenes, am still searching 

for that person. 

–– Vincent S. Averna, Esq. ’56 

Your article on cheating and the Honor Code awakened memories in 

me and caused me to reflect on the “Haverford experience.” 

More years ago than I care to recall, in sixth grade, we had a tyrannical 

teacher. He bullied the entire class into confessing to “talking” dur- 

ing a math test, except for yours truly. He walked around screaming and 

raging like a character out of Poe; I was scared, but he wasn’t gonna break 

me. Anyway, without proof, he lowered my grade with the rest of the class 

and bragged that “Steve wanted to take algebra next year, but I made it so 

he can’t.” This contributed to my attitude toward school, cheating, and 

the legal system in general. 

Haverford changed all that. When I first learned of the Honor 

Code, I was flabbergasted. Why, they made it so easy to get those prelaw 

grades! However, I never cheated and never bothered to ask why, ’til I read 

the article by Robert Boynton. Being trusted like that, I would’ve felt 

extremely sad for the people who trusted me. I had never looked at it 

from that plane before, beyond survival ethics. In the end, all of us only 

have our own word to rely on; we stand or fall on our own character. If 

you get an A or win a trial by false pretenses, you’re still left with nothing. 

The Reagan “win at any cost” decade obscured this truism, but it is still 

valid. 

Down here in West Virginia, there are “lots of shady characters and 

lots of dirty deals,” as phrased in “Smuggler’s Blues.” Once you take cash 

under the table or mess around with a client’s wife, you’re selling part of 

yourself that you can’t get back. I’ve fallen back on what I learned at 

Haverford quite a few times. 

–– Steve Paragamian ’77 

Occasionally I go to the Haverford website just to see what’s going on 

and check out news. I saw this section and thought it my opportunity to 

express my thanks. 

On Sept. 11, I arrived early for work as usual and found myself 

caught up in the disaster on the 64th floor of 2 WTC. But this note is not 

about me, it is about how the Haverford community came to the side of 

my daughter, Deirdre. I don’t think she would have been able to continue 

on for the day without the support of her classmates, school staff, and 

professors. I had no doubt that the Haverford community would take 

care of my daughter. I was worried about her reaction to seeing my building 

collapse around me, but throughout the day, I kept telling myself that 

Haverford would watch out for her. Haverford did. I cannot imagine her 

being at another school and receiving the kind of care and compassion 

that Haverford gave her that day. Haverford has always “been there” for 

Deirdre when she needed help with class work or just someone to talk 

with. 

It took several hours for my family to get word to her that I was 

indeed alive and would somehow get home to Bayonne from NYC. In 

that long timeframe, the comfort of knowing that my daughter would be 

safe allowed me to worry about my own safety. Thanks, Haverford…I 

never had doubts that you would do your job, and we will never forget. 

–– Dolores Hurley P’03 

2 

HAVERFORD ALUMNI MAGAZINE

T H E V I E W F R O M F O U N D E R S 

The Amplification of 

Positive Deviants 

by Tom Tritton, President 

Nice turn of phrase, that, but truth be told, 

it’s not original with me. I heard it first from 

Dudley Herschbach, a professor of chemistry 

(and Noble laureate) at Harvard. It does not 

refer to the homonymous word deviance (that 

would certainly never apply at Haverford!); nor 

to positivity in the sense of “admitting of no 

question;” nor to amplifiers as commonly 

found, for example, in musical reproduction 

systems. Rather, the amplification of positive 

deviants emphasizes the key role that outliers 

play in advancing human progress (an outlier 

in this context is anything that stands outside 

the usual expectation). Herschbach’s specific 

reference was to a major national study of 

research in the natural sciences at primarily 

undergraduate institutions (PUIs for the aficionado). 

The results were released last year in 

a thick volume titled Academic Excellence: The 

Sourcebook and discussed by presidents, 

provosts, and faculty members at a meeting of 

the 159 institutions who participated. Since I 

was active in this project, it seems worthwhile 

to offer a few impressions of the results. 

You won’t be surprised to learn that Haverford 

is a positive deviant from the norm. But 

first, some background. Five forward-looking 

private foundations that support the nation’s 

scientific enterprise underwrote the study. 

Their goal was to assess the research climate at 

undergraduate institutions (the last such 

attempt having been done in 1985, eons ago in 

scientific progress). Wide-ranging data on 

faculty time allocations and areas in need of 

funding were collected. I’ll offer a couple of 

observations to tweak your inquisitiveness: 

(1) science faculty members spend about 70 

percent of their time on teaching and 20 percent 

on research (the rest on committees and 

other service activities); (2) both faculty members 

and administrators have very similar 

assessments (this in itself may be shocking to 

some!) of areas in need of funding, the top two 

of which are information technology and support 

for research personnel. 

The environment for science is munificently 

assessed in the study, and here Haverford 

shines. The report concludes that there are a 

“very limited, very selective number of institutions 

that can be identified as exceptional.” 

Would I be writing about this if Haverford 

weren’t among these positive deviants? I probably 

shouldn’t ask myself such questions in 

public, but objectivity would require me to 

report on the College’s health, whatever the 

result. We are outstanding, of course, but other 

questions follow: 

In what ways are we exceptional? Sample 

a few: 

• How about research dollars per year won by 

faculty in intense national competition: we 

are second nationally (if you’re keeping score, 

$64,530 per year per faculty member). This 

is all the more amazing when you consider 

that Haverford is one of the smallest of the 

institutions studied. 

• Try research publications per faculty member 

over the last decade: third in the nation, with 

an average of 1.3 per year for each scientist. 

This is over twice the productivity of the 

study group as a whole, with the added 

bonus that many of the publications include 

student authors. 

• And production of Ph.D.s? We don’t award 

them at Haverford, but we do serve as the 

baccalaureate origin for many who earn this 

degree elsewhere. We are in the top 15 percent 

in this category (and all in this group far 

outperform the major research universities in 

producing graduates who go on to the 

Ph.D.). 

There are a multitude of other measures in 

the study. To cope with this complexity, the 

data have been subjected to “cluster analysis,” a 

complex statistical approach to find groups that 

are similar or dissimilar when simultaneously 

considering a large number of factors. Two 

models emerged from the analysis: the enrollment 

model and the research model. Happily, 

in each model Haverford sorts into a small 

group of schools that are truly excellent in their 

delivery of science outcomes. 

Why do we care about these results? About 

one-quarter of Haverford students major in 

the sciences. They and their professors are 

greatly advantaged to study and work in the 

rich scientific environment created here. Moreover, 

whether one studies physics or philosophy, 

chemistry or classics, or any of our newer 

academic pathways, all students are destined to 

live in a technological world where an understanding 

of science is basic to effective citizenship. 

Thus, our ability to sustain a first-rate 

science environment at the College is a service 

to all our students, and to the larger society we 

also serve. Research and discovery are the 

essence of science so it is gratifying to know 

that our faculty have done so well in creating a 

place where such science can flourish. 

What lies ahead? There are a host of interesting 

questions that emerge from the Academic 

Excellence study, but they are too numerous, 

and possibly too arcane, for this article. I will 

be addressing some of the follow-up ideas at an 

upcoming meeting of the American Association 

for the Advancement of Science. I won’t 

be promoting Haverford (well, at least not 

excessively so) but analyzing national trends 

and prospects. If any readers are interested in 

this subject, drop me a note and I’ll send a 

copy of my remarks. Meanwhile, I hope you’ll 

visit the campus and take a peek at the newly 

opened Marion E. Koshland Integrated Natural 

Sciences Center. There you will see positive 

deviation science in action and, if you’re 

inquisitive enough to grab a student or 

professor, can count on some sparkling 

conversation on a really cool subject. 

WINTER 2002 3

EXHIBITIONS IN MAGILL LIBRARY 2002 

Three hundred 

fifty years of 

Quaker Presence 

In Nottinghamshire, England, a young man named George Fox had 

a vision of how the world might look if “an ocean of light” were to 

overcome “an ocean of darkness.” The result was the founding of the 

Religious Society of Friends in the Truth in 1652. 

In three exhibitions, in 2002, Haverford College’s Special 

Collections will explore how various Quakers have tried to follow that 

truth –– in social service, in exploring the natural world, in collecting, 

preserving, and interpreting human heritage. 

February through March 2002. In celebration of Black History and 

Women’s History Months, the exhibit, “To See and Be Seen,” looks at 

how the Smiley family, with its deep Quaker roots and Haverford 

connections, lived out its conviction about racial justice through 

conferences on Native Americans, Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, and 

African Americans. The exhibit will also look at how those for whom 

the Smileys advocated viewed themselves through their own, and 

through their benefactors’, eyes. 

April through September 2002. The next exhibit, “Vaux Rhymes 

with Fox,” allows us to glimpse the energies of a family that used its 

Quaker heritage as a compass, guiding them through photography 

and science, botany and business, and the collection and preservation 

of “things Quaker.” 

October 2002 through January 2003. “Shh...Backstage at the 

Library” investigates how Quaker materials (rare and not-so-rare) 

demonstrate the many hands and imaginations involved in 

preserving a cultural heritage. By implication, this exhibition also 

shows the energy involved in collecting, protecting, and interpreting 

any heritage. 

WHO ARE WE? 

Thanks to all who participated in “Who are We?” on the back 

page of the Fall 2001 issue of the Haverford Alumni Magazine. 

There were a variety of guesses for the dark haired, bearded ’Ford 

in the foreground, but the general consensus, affirmed by Eric 

Feigelson ’75, David Hamilton ’79, Grant Phillips ’77, and 

Tim Manzone ’75, is David Hansell ’75. Other guesses for the 

alum in the foreground were Neal Grabell ’77 (Paul Perkal ’77), 

Eric Feigelson ’75 (Steve Pravdo ’72), and Doug Hott ’78 (Craig 

Sklar ’78). Mark Sadoff ’82 believes one of the alums in the 

middle of the photo to be Tim Cronister ’82. Josh Kadish ’73 

identified Sam Rogers ’72 as the alum in the middle of the photo, 

and Craig Sklar ’78 ventured a guess that his classmates Don 

Sapatkin and Brian Shuman were in the photo. 

4 


Elaine Hansen Named 

President of Bates 

Elaine T. Hansen, Provost and 

professor of English at Haverford, 

has been appointed as the 

seventh president of Bates College 

in Lewiston, Maine. 

On Jan. 26, 2002, the Bates 

College Board of Trustees voted 

to elect Hansen to the post 

effective July 1, 2002. The 

Board decision followed a 

unanimous recommendation of 

Bates’ 16-member presidential 

search committee. The recommendation came after an intensive 

12-month search process. Hansen succeeds Donald W. 

Harward, who has served as president since 1989. 

“Dr. Hansen is first and foremost an educator who, 

throughout a distinguished career, has demonstrated her deep 

understanding and commitment to liberal arts education and 

the important role it plays in our society,” says Burton M. 

Harris, Esq., Bates Class of 1959, chair of Bates’ Board of 

Trustees. 

Hansen earned her A.B. at Mount Holyoke College, her 

M.A. at the University of Minnesota, and her Ph.D. at the 

University of Washington. Before coming to Haverford in 

1980, she was an associate editor of the Middle English 

Dictionary at the University of Michigan and taught at 

Hamilton College. She has taught a wide variety of courses 

in Middle English literature and in contemporary women’s 

writing and feminist theory, as well as introductory linguistics 

and first-year writing seminars. She has served as chair of the 

English department and as coordinator of the Haverford/ 

Bryn Mawr Concentration in Feminist and Gender Studies. 

She was also awarded the Lindback Teaching Prize. 

“Elaine Hansen is uniformly admired and respected at 

Haverford,” says Thomas R. Tritton, president of the 

College. “We will miss her immensely but wish her all the 

best at Bates. Elaine is smart, yet welcoming of diverse viewpoints; 

elegant, yet approachable; decisive, yet fair. While 

she will have many ideas of what she wants to accomplish, 

building and sustaining Bates’ academic excellence will 

undoubtedly be her highest priority.” 

Hansen will receive an honorary degree during Haverford 

College’s commencement exercises on Sunday, May 19, 2002 

(see p.56). 

Julio de Paula Co-Authors 

Leading Textbook 

Haverford College professor of chemistry Julio de Paula is 

co-author of the most recent edition of Physical Chemistry 

(Oxford University Press, England, and W.H. Freeman & 

Company, United States), the world’s leading textbook in 

its field. 

Now in its seventh edition, Physical Chemistry was among 

the first chemistry textbooks to stress understanding above 

memorization of facts and formulas. Translated into 15 

languages, the text is used by students studying chemistry, 

biochemistry, and chemical engineering. One of the most 

important changes in the new edition, explains de Paula, is 

the introduction of an interdisciplinary approach to the study 

of physical chemistry. The textbook now includes examples 

and concepts drawn from biochemistry, environmental 

science, materials science, chemical engineering, and 

astrophysics. 

De Paula and his co-author, Peter Atkins, a chemistry 

professor at Oxford, also wrote a CD-ROM titled Explorations 

in Physical Chemistry, which they describe as a “living 

textbook” of physical chemistry. Using widely available mathematical 

software, it allows students to run or design their 

own computer simulations of physical, chemical, and biochemical 

phenomena, thereby providing them with insight 

into the mathematics used to explain molecular behavior. 

Jerry Gollub Elected Fellow 

of AAAS 

Haverford College physicist Jerry Gollub has been elected 

Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of 

Science (AAAS), the world’s largest federation of scientists, 

which conducts programs in science policy, science education, 

and international scientific cooperation, and which publishes 

Science, the prestigious peer-reviewed journal. 

Gollub, the John and Barbara Bush Professor in the 

Natural Sciences at Haverford, was selected for his “enlightening 

experiments on nonlinear systems and pattern formation 

in matter that flows and for his efforts on behalf of excellence 

in science education.” He was honored, along with other 

AAAS 2002 Fellows, during ceremonies on Feb. 16, 2002, 

in Boston. 

WINTER 2002 

5

Family Weekend 2001 

1 

2 

3 

4 

1. Khalil Thompson ’04 leads a tour by Barclay. 

2. Bill Astifan speaking about the arboretum by 

the Magill library. 

3. Tom Tritton and Paul Smith, Professor of History, 

addressing parents. 

4. Students and their families gather outside of Lloyd. 

5. Richard Lederer ’59 giving a talk in 

Chase Auditorium. 

5 

6 


Haverford History: 

Haverford College’s 

Arboretum 

by Maya Severns ’04 

Natural History: This Dutch elm was a seedling of a diseased elm 

removed in 1976. After years of care under the supervision of 

Grounds Manager Carmen Ianieri, the tree was planted last fall 

and now graces Founders Green, in front of Ryan Gymnasium. 

Passing through the gates of Haverford 

College, it is virtually impossible to overlook 

the campus’s natural, subtle beauty. Flowers 

grace the stone Lancaster Avenue entrance 

to the College, and a slight breeze ruffles the 

leaves of the many trees lining College Lane. 

A sun-dappled bench underneath a European 

larch (Larix decidua) beckons those seeking a 

shady respite outside of Hall building, and 

nearby children play on the “climbing tree” 

(an Osage-Orange or Maclura pomifera, circa 

1835), which fell early in the 20th century and 

has continued to grow in its fallen state. 

Getting Acquainted 

As a freshman, I remember receiving (among the seemingly 

thousands of papers in my mailbox) a note from 

the Campus Arboretum Association informing me that 

members of my class would get free house plants. “How 

sweet!” I thought, and went off to the Dining Center to 

collect my plant and become a member of the Association. 

I chose the Christmas cactus, one of the least needy 

plants (requiring only water once a week or two). It 

survived that first semester, but I am sad to report that 

there is no Christmas cactus sitting on my windowsill at 

the moment. I soon learned that the Campus Arboretum 

Association does quite a bit more than hand out free 

plants to freshmen. 

The Campus Arboretum Association is a fairly 

recent organization, but its purpose dates back to the 

beginnings of Haverford College. A group of Philadelphia 

and New York Quakers purchased Haverford’s 

198.5 acres in 1831 and founded the College two years 

later. In 1834, they hired William Carvill, an English 

gardener, to convert the farmland into a college campus. 

In the early 1900s, a group of individuals concerned 

about the state of Haverford’s natural beauty formed the 

Campus Club under the leadership of Edward Woolman, 

Class of 1893. Seventy years later, John A. Silver ’25, saw 

the need for a new organization to carry on the work of 

the former Campus Club and, in 1974, the Campus 

Arboretum Association was started. 

The Arboretum staff is charged with the 

momentous task of keeping Haverford looking beautiful, 

maintaining the flora and fauna that has existed here for 

decades, and knowing when it is time to try something 

new. The College is the proud home to many beautiful 

and historical specimens, including the Pennsylvania 

State Champion Hinoki false-cypress (Chamaecyparis 

WINTER 2002 

7

The Arboretum staff and Association offers to include 

alumni, students, and community members programs that 

include, excursions to nearby gardens and arboreta, 

Campus Beautification Projects and the planting of a tree 

each year dedicated to that year’s freshman class. 

obtuse), the loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and the Pennsylvania 

State Co-Champion flowering dogwood (Cornus 

florida). In Japan, since ancient times, the Hinoki falsecypress 

has been considered of great religious significance 

and the most beautiful of trees. It often is placed 

near Shinto temples. The loblolly pine is a rare mature 

specimen since the plant is not usually found in Pennsylvania. 

The flowering dogwood was a favorite of both 

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Washington 

planted a circle of dogwoods with a redbud in the middle 

near the south garden of his Mount Vernon home, 

and Jefferson planted a dogwood on the west side of his 

home at Monticello. 

The Hinoki false-cypress and the flowering 

dogwood are not the only trees on campus with a bit of 

fame in their history. The cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus 

libani), a native of Asia Minor, was the largest known 

tree in biblical times. From humble beginnings in the 

woods of Tennessee, the yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea) 

was brought to the gardens of Versailles and the Tuileries 

of Paris in 1796 by Andre Michaux, royal botanist 

to the King of France. In the 1930s and after, many 

American elms (Ulmus Americana) succumbed to Dutch 

elm disease, but Haverford is lucky enough to have five 

healthy American elms on campus. One of the five is a 

descendant of the Penn Treaty elm and the last of a 

group of seven planted on Barclay Beach in 1915. 

The bur oak (Quercus macropcarpa) found at 

the entrance to Magill Library is one of the oldest trees 

on campus. Its twin resides across Founders Green in 

front of Barclay. These two trees appear on William 

Carvill’s original campus plan, circa 1835. The Magill 

bur oak was planted in the 1835 outside the original 

Alumni Hall, but its placement raised some concerns 

when construction on Magill was scheduled to begin in 

1967. By then, the tree had reached grand proportions. 

Fortunately, builders Harbeson, Hough, Livingston, and 

Larson were careful to include survival of the bur oak in 

their plans. They built the entrance ramp to Magill 

specifically around this tree, thus promoting both handicapped 

access to the library as well as preservation of 

nature. 

The Arboretum staff and Association strives to 

include alumni, students, and community members in 

programs that include excursions to nearby gardens and 

arboreta, Campus Beautification Projects, and the planting 

of a tree each year dedicated to that year’s freshman 

class. But the Campus Arboretum staff’s efforts to 

“continue the tradition of campus beautification” are 

truly fruitful each and every time a campus community 

member simply enjoys Haverford’s bucolic beauty. 

And what are my personal favorite spots on 

campus, you might ask? The first would most certainly 

be the Mary Newlin Smith-Ruth Magill memorial gardens 

found through the Carvill Arch behind Magill 

Library. But perhaps my most favorite spot on campus is 

in front of the scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), on 

Founders Green where a touching dedication reads, “To 

Blake, who, like destiny’s branches pushing skyward, will 

pierce the cross-winds of life’s currents. – Dad.” 

–– Maya Severns ’04 

For more information on how to become a member of the 

Campus Arboretum, please contact the Arboretum office at: 

(610) 896-1101, or visit their website: 

www.haverford.edu/Arboretum/home.htm 

8 


Pulling Up Roots 

After 45 years of keeping Haverford beautiful, Carmen Ianieri retires as Grounds Manager— 

and reveals a history as rich and varied as the College itself. 

H A V E R F O R D P R O F I L E 

by Brenna McBride 

Even on weekends, when Carmen Ianieri leaves his Bryn 

Mawr house in the morning to buy a newspaper, he finds himself 

turning his car onto College Lane almost involuntarily. 

“After April 8,” he says, “it will be strange not to come to 

work anymore. I’ll probably show up here anyway.” 

April 8 marks the end of Ianieri’s 45 years with Haverford’s 

grounds and physical plant crew. On October 29, 1956, the 

recent arrival from Italy first set foot on campus, speaking not 

one word of English; now, he will finally retire after spending the 

last 14 years as grounds manager. 

He’ll have a quiet life. He’ll take his granddaughter fishing, 

and spend time in his prized vegetable garden. He’ll travel, perhaps 

back to the small farming village of his birth. It’s time to 

relax, he says. 

He’ll miss the College, the people who have become like his 

second family, and coming to work in the morning—especially 

in spring, he remarks, when the daffodils bloom and his beloved 

trees sprout their dazzling green leaves. And he’ll still come back 

to visit (though he promises, “I won’t be a nuisance”) and take 

his family for picnics on the lush expanses of lawn that he has 

helped to water and cut and beautify all of these years. 

“It’s a part of me,” he says. “There’s not a piece of ground here 

I didn’t have something to do with.” 

Those who hear the word “retirement” and expect a stooped, 

wizened old man with calloused hands and dirt-smudged fingernails 

would be surprised. In fact, Carmen Ianieri is a broadshouldered, 

vital man who looks as if he could easily spend the 

next 45 years planting even more trees around the campus and 

points beyond. Those majestic trees that comprise Haverford’s 

acclaimed arboretum owe much of their splendor to Ianieri’s tireless 

dedication and rescue efforts. “You preserve trees, you don’t 

cut them,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone, as if this is a common 

tenet of life. It’s not surprising, though, that a farm boy who 

spent his childhood pruning olive and fruit trees would feel himself 

as much a part of the campus’ big oaks and elms as their own 

roots. 

Carmen Ianieri 

Ianieri was born in Abruzzi, Italy, a village in the Old Country 

town of Casoli, a village he describes as “hilly, but workable…you 

could still use tractors and mules and ox.” One of seven children– 

six brothers and a sister– and the oldest of the brothers, Ianieri 

learned at an early age how to till the ground to plant wheat, 

corn, potatoes, vegetables, and numerous other crops, and how to 

care for his family’s trees. His father was his greatest teacher: 

“When we were doing the olive trees, he would give me a branch 

close to the ground to prune.” Ianieri learned how to prune olive 

trees every two years to keep them from growing into bushes and 

ruining the olives; how to press the olives into oil; how to trim 

and care for the grape vines; how to grow flax, process it, and 

weave it to make linen; how to cut hay; how to tend to the farm’s 

vast menagerie of cows, chickens, sheep and assorted other animals; 

and even how to build a house with bricks and mortar. All 

of this was accomplished with a minimum of machinery, and a 

maximum of hand work and simple tools like scythes and sickles. 

WINTER 2002 

9

Ianieri remembers the day he realized his country was in the 

midst of a world war. It was the summer of 1943, he was about 

seven years old, and he saw bomber planes flying in formation over 

his farm. “Almost every day,” he says, “at one o’clock in the afternoon, 

they’d fly over the house.” One time, a German fighter 

plane hit an American bomber, and Ianieri’s family stood taut with 

fear as they watched the plane circle the sky above them, struggling 

to land. “We all got scared… we thought it was after us, that is was 

trying to shoot us.” The plane landed on a hill that was a safe distance 

from the farm, but still within Ianieri’s line of vision. He 

watched it explode. “That was a close call,” he says. 

In November of 1943, the German army occupied Abruzzi and 

forced everyone in Ianieri’s neighborhood to leave their homes. 

“They told us we had two hours to pack up whatever we wanted 

to take, and they were going to take us up north,” he says. “So we 

packed up this little wagon we had. There were four of us at the 

time…and my mother was pregnant.” The family traveled 50 

miles north of their farm and spent a week and a half with a generous 

family that took them in. “After the war, we became like family 

with these people,” Ianieri remembers. “We would visit them all 

the time. They took care of us for so many days.” 

Later, the Germans came through the village again, but Ianieri’s 

father had made up his mind that he wouldn’t leave his home a 

second time. “He created a little scam for the Germans,” says Ianieri. 

“The night before they came, he told my mother to make 

bread. My mother said, ‘What do you mean, make bread? We 

have to leave tomorrow!’ My father just said, ‘Make bread 

tonight.’” 

In the morning, the family heated up the brick oven just as the 

Germans arrived, and Ianieri’s father asked for an hour to cook 

some bread, so his family would have something to eat while they 

were gone. The German soldiers, unaware that the bread had 

already been made, agreed to give them the allotted hour to finish 

the baking. But when the time came to leave, instead of following 

the caravan of neighbors north, the Ianieri family headed south. 

“The Germans didn’t notice until we were heading up a hill,” Ianieri 

says. “Then they started to shoot at us. We were lucky—none 

of us got hit.” 

The family stayed with an uncle for a week. They knew they 

couldn’t go back to their house right away; it was customary for 

the German soldiers to ransack the village’s newly vacated homes, 

searching for money and gold. “Our house was pretty much 

destroyed,” says Ianieri. “They used our kitchen as a slaughterhouse. 

They killed our animals…there was dried blood everywhere.” 

Even liberation, when it finally came, was not without peril. 

“The night before the English came and took over the area, the 

English bomb almost hit our house. Right by the front door. If it 

had hit the house we all would have been killed.” At another 

point, Ianieri was almost hit with shrapnel when a bomb exploded 

in the air near the house. “Right beside me, so close it almost 

touched my arm, was a big piece of metal. Any closer, and I would 

have been split in half.” 

It took three years for the family to recuperate from the war. 

There wasn’t much food left, though they had saved two cows and 

enough chickens to begin raising a new breed. Their sheep had 

scattered but, in true nursery-rhyme fashion, came home as soon 

as the family returned to the farm. The land had been made hard 

and intractable from tanks riding roughshod over it. Several 

bridges had been blown up, so there was no way to cross the nearby 

rivers to get what they needed from other towns. 

“Wartime was not a very comfortable time,” says Ianieri. The 

farm had been irrevocably altered. Italy’s economy was in a downward 

spiral. It seemed like the best of all possible times to take 

advantage of the prosperity and opportunity that beckoned from 

across the Atlantic. 

“If I had stayed another year in Italy,” Ianieri reflects, “I might 

never have come here.” 

Though the economy soon turned itself around, Ianieri’s father 

still wanted to carve out a life for his family in the United States. 

He contacted his brother in Wilmington, Del., to begin the necessary 

paperwork, which took four years to complete. Finally, in 

June of 1956, Ianieri and his father came to Bryn Mawr to live 

with relatives and search for work. His mother and brothers 

arrived in 1958; his sister didn’t cross the ocean until 1966. 

Ianieri’s extensive experience working on the farm helped propel 

him into a job with a local landscaping business; four months 

later, a friend of his uncle’s, a Haverford employee, admired his 

work and recommended him for a job at the school. Ianieri spoke 

no English when he started working at the College, but he saw 

this as an advantage: “When you can’t speak English you can’t 

talk, so I just worked.” He took his visual cues from his co-workers. 

“I would watch what the other guy was doing,” he says. “If he 

grabbed a rake, then I grabbed a rake.” 

A cousin of Ianieri’s, a student at Villanova, gathered Ianieri, 

his father, and other cousins at his house a few nights a week to 

teach them English. “We each paid a dollar, so this guy would 

make seven dollars a night,” Ianieri says. “And then, there was this 

10 


guy I worked for, his name was Perry McDaniel but his nickname 

was ‘Bobo,’ and I used to bother him all the time. I would grab a 

shovel and ask him what it was, so I could learn. I would gesture 

to the fans, the tools, and do the same thing. And after a month a 

half, I could communicate with this guy.” 

Ianieri didn’t get his citizenship until 1966. At the time, it 

couldn’t be obtained until the person seeking citizenship had been 

in the country for five years. So, in 1961, Ianieri went to the 

Philadelphia courthouse, fully prepared to pass the required exam. 

“But, I got this old miserable guy, and he just threw me off,” he 

says. “I wasn’t relaxed. All I had to do was write down ‘My house 

is green,’ and I got so nervous, I took the book and gave it back to 

him and yelled, ‘You write that! I don’t need citizenship, I’m going 

back to Italy.’” Five years later, Ianieri was still in Bryn Mawr and 

realizing that he couldn’t apply for a hunting license without citizenship. 

Swallowing his pride, he headed back to the courthouse, 

where he was greeted with the sight of his former interviewer in 

one of the offices, oblivious to Ianieri’s presence. “I told the lady at 

the front, ‘Look, you can give me anybody you want, but don’t 

give me that man,’” he laughs. He was paired with an amiable college 

student and passed with flying colors. 

Time passed. Ianieri and his wife, Joan, welcomed five children 

and settled into their Bryn Mawr home, where they still live today. 

And the groundskeeper, who had originally intended to stay at 

Haverford only for the winter of 1956, became an invaluable part 

of the College community, as familiar and beloved as Founders 

Hall itself. 

Ianieri’s responsibilities over the past 45 years have been varied. 

He’s kept the fields for the athletic department, performed plumbing 

and other maintenance duties, substituted as a night watchman 

when members of the security staff were unable to come to 

work. And, of course, he’s watched over the trees as if they were 

his children…even before the arboretum department was created, 

the trees have been essential parts of the campus and of Ianieri’s 

job. He notes with pride that he has had a hand in planting every 

one of the trees along College Lane, and nearly every tree on campus 

has benefited from his skill. He’s pruned them, sprayed them, 

planted them, and saved them. 

In 1976, an American elm stricken with Dutch elm disease 

had to be cut down. After its removal, Ianieri discovered five 

seedlings left behind. He and then-groundskeeper Tom Porreca 

planted the seedlings in Haverford’s nursery, where they grew for 

25 years. Just recently, Ianieri planted the specimen elm in the 

center of campus, in front of Ryan Gymnasium (see p. 7). 

Presently, it’s more twig than tree, stretching towards the sky in 

slow motion. But it’s a remarkable testament to Ianieri’s love and 

respect for all plant life, not just at Haverford, but everywhere. 

Ianieri’s dedication, to all aspects of his work, has awed his colleagues. 

Grounds supervisor Eric Larson remembers his boss’ role 

in the blizzard of 1996, which dumped more than 30 inches of 

snow across the Philadelphia area within a two-day period. “Carmen 

was out in the bitter cold, with pneumonia, on a backhoe— 

the only tool capable of moving that much snow, with no cab, no 

wind curtains and barely a windshield. He was out here for hours 

and hours, into the night, early in the morning, doing whatever 

had to be done. Because he’s on salary, he wasn’t paid overtime for 

that.” Larson will always remember the sight of Ianieri getting off 

the backhoe and shaking the snow from his coat collar. “This was 

the prototypical Carmen: capable, hard-working, going the extra 

mile, not concerned so much with his own comfort, seemingly 

oblivious to the elements.” 

“He is absolutely convinced of his responsibility to duty,” says 

Floss Genser, arboretum manager from 1979-1996. “He never 

stops working.” 

During the almost five decades Ianieri has worked at Haverford 

he has, naturally, been witness to many changes, among them 

10 new buildings, an increase in student population from 400 to 

1,100, the admittance of women, and about 700 new additions to 

the faculty and staff. The tools of his job have changed as well. 

“When I got here, for instance, we had one lawnmower we pulled 

with a tractor to cut the big field. I used to trim around the trees 

with a hand mower. Now, we have so much equipment here we 

don’t know what to do with it. But that’s progress, and that’s 

good.” 

And despite all the changes, “basically the College is still the 

College.” 

In 1963 Ianieri was sick for one year, with tuberculosis. The 

illness resulted in a lengthy hospitalization and a long absence 

from Haverford. He had used up all of his sick days, and after 

that, there was no money coming into the house. The College 

paid half his salary, and sent food to his house for his wife and 

children. 

“At that point, I knew I was going to work for Haverford 

College for a long time,” he says. “You feel like you’re in a family, 

like they really care about you here. It’s going to be hard to forget 

that.” 

The College could say the same about Carmen Ianieri. 

WINTER 2002 

11

N O T E S F R O M T H E A L U M N I A S S O C I A T I O N 

Greetings, 

These have been difficult months for so 

many of us. The terrorism of Sept. 11, coupled 

with the war in Afghanistan has touched 

us all, whether we or our loved ones were 

directly involved or not. As many of you 

know, the Haverford community lost several 

friends on Sept. 11. These included alumni 

and a parent of a current student. 

Out of this tragedy some good has come, 

however. The College responded quickly to 

meet the psychological, physical, and educational 

needs of students and others on campus. 

A plenary-like session was held in the 

Field House to allow people to express what 

they were thinking and feeling. A Meeting 

for Worship was held as well, allowing community 

members to connect with the 

College’s Quaker heritage in these troubling times. 

The College also responded to the needs of alums. After receiving calls and e-mails from 

many alumni, the College quickly set up living-room listening sessions in several cities to allow 

Haverfordians to come together to discuss the events of Sept. 11. As the President of the Alumni 

Association, I was particularly pleased to see that these events did not only attract the “regulars” –– 

those alums who frequently attend alumni events -- but also alums who had been out of touch 

with the College and/or the alumni community. In difficult times people are often pulled to a 

community where they feel safe; I am so glad that the Haverford community can be that place for 

so many. 

The Alumni Association Executive Committee (AAEC) plans a busy year ahead. We will be 

focusing on Regional Societies, ways in which the Multicultural Committee can bring together 

students and alums of color, ways in which alums can form relationships with students, and 

Career Development Office services for alums. As always, we welcome input from you. Feel free 

to contact me, or any member of the AAEC, with your suggestions. Staff in the Alumni Office 

(610-896-1004) will be happy to put you in touch with us. 

Sincerely, 

Eva Osterberg Ash ’88 

Eva.ash@esc.edu 

(631) 261-5048 

Alumni Association 

Executive Committee 

President 

Eva Osterberg Ash ’88 

Vice President 

Robert Eisinger ’87 

Members and Liaison 

Responsibilities: 

Ty Ahmad-Taylor ’90 

Northern California 

Technology 

Heather Davis ’89 

Chicago 

Multicultural 

Jonathan LeBreton ’79 

Maryland 

Technology 

Anna-Liisa Little ’90 

Pacific Northwest 

Regional Societies 

Brad Mayer ’92 

Southwest 

Communications 

Committee 

Emilie Heck Petrone ’91 

New Jersey 

Athletics 

Rudy Rudisill, Jr. ’50 

E. Pennsylvania 

Senior Alumni 

Garry W. Jenkins ’92 

New York, NY 

Regional 

Christopher W. Jenko ’92 

Southeast 

Christopher B. Mueller ’66 

Central U.S. 

Paula O. Brathwaite ’94 

New England 

James H. Foster ’50 

Connecticut 

Ron Schwarz ’66 

Washington, D.C., Metro 

Admissions 

Samir Shah ’03 

Student Representative 

Ted Shakespeare ’49 

N. Delaware 

Major Gifts 

Sarah Willie ’86 

Philadelphia Metro 

Multicultural 

If you would like to nominate an alumnus/a for the 

Alumni Association Executive Committee, please contact 

the Alumni Office at (610) 896-1004. 

12 


HAVERFORD FUND 

SECURE WEBSITE 

Alumni, family, and friends may make 

credit card gifts (Visa, MasterCard, and 

American Express) to the College via a 

secure site. From www.haverford.edu, 

click on the Alumni button to find the 

link for The Haverford Fund, then 

scroll down to the Online Giving Form. 

For more information contact Director 

of Annual Giving, Emily Davis, at 

(610) 896-1129 or edavis@haverford.edu. 

ADDRESS UPDATES 

Please keep Haverford updated with 

your current home and work information. 

Your friends and classmates may 

be looking for you! You may contact us 

in numerous ways: log-on to the alumni 

pages of www.haverford.edu and 

select “address updates;” send e-mail to 

devrec@haverford.edu; or call the 

Advancement Services Office at 

(610) 896-1134. Thank you! 

AAEC’S CLASS OF 1997 

CHALLENGE 

In an effort to encourage annual giving 

participation by the members of the 

class of 1997 at their 5th Reunion 

(Alumni Weekend, May 31 – June 2), 

The Alumni Executive Committee 

promises to contribute at least $50 for 

every member of the Class who makes a 

gift to the Haverford Fund this year 

(by June 30, 2002). 

JOHN WHITEHEAD ’43 

CHALLENGES THE 

CLASSES OF 2001, 2000, 

1999, AND 1998 

John Whitehead will match any 

increased gift (any amount above last 

year’s gifts) to the Haverford Fund 

made this fiscal year (July ’01- June 

’02). Our youngest alums are the key 

to raising total alumni participation. 

Thank you for your support. 

Haverford 

College 

ALUMNI WEEKEND 

MAY 31-JUNE 2 

Recognizing 

Those Who 

Lead & Serve 

WINTER 2002 

13

Notes from 

Pakistan 

by Cynthia Berkowitz ’83 

I t is Sept. and I am holding my head in my hands, trying to 

understand the source of the hatred that could lead to the 

death of , innocent and unsuspecting human beings in less 

than an hour. 

I have slept with the television on all night 

since the terrorist attacks occurred, hoping to receive some 

explanation that would reassure me that this was an anomaly, 

that it would never happen again. 

Photos courtesy of Cynthia Berkowitz. 

14 


Western dress on a woman would be tolerated 

in the more modern cities of Karachi and 

Islamabad but could provoke an unfortunate 

incident on the streets of Peshawar. 

As I struggle to grasp recent events, I look back to my 

experience in the part of the world where the plan for these 

attacks was conceived. In 1990, as a fourth-year medical student, 

I was granted an externship in human rights by the Center for 

the Study of Society and Medicine at Columbia University College 

of Physicians & Surgeons. I was sent to the Northwest Frontier 

Province (NWFP) of Pakistan with two male classmates 

where we practiced primary care medicine in Afghan refugee 

camps managed by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). 

To my sponsors who enthusiastically assigned me, despite my 

gentle protests, to placement in a sex-segregated culture, I was an 

interesting experiment. I journeyed off with trepidation, not 

anticipating the depth with which I would penetrate a truly 

foreign world. 

After three plane rides and a few days of travel, I landed in 

Peshawar, the capitol city of the NWFP and the urban hub of the 

refugee crisis. Peshawar was strikingly different from any large 

city I had ever seen. The roads were covered with dirt and 

pebbles. They were shared by small, dingy cars of makes 

unknown to me and mule-drawn carts. Small packs of goats 

journeyed through the congestion. At the sides of the roads were 

cinderblock buildings, many consisting only of open cells. These 

were filled with stacks of various goods – groceries, Afghan 

carpets (the only kind of carpet in town, superior to their Pakistani 

counterparts), household goods, and jewelry. The sound of 

Muslim prayers soon wafted through the air and would do so five 

times a day. My IRC hosts drove me through these dusty streets 

to a middle-class neighborhood filled with lovely stucco homes 

surrounded by protective walls. When we reached my new 

home, a guard opened the gate for us. 

My first task was to obtain proper Muslim garb. Western 

dress on a woman would be tolerated in the more modern cities 

of Karachi and Islamabad but could provoke an unfortunate 

incident on the streets of Peshawar. I needed shalwar kameez 

topped with a large chaddar. The shalwar are baggy pants that 

obscure the form of the legs. The kameez is a knee-length dress 

that covers the form of the back end and the arms. The chaddar 

is a large shawl that is draped over the head and shoulders to 

cover the hair and the form of the bust. The fabrics on my new 

outfit were brightly colored but the coverage provided paralleled 

that of a nun’s habit. For many of the Muslim women around 

me, the coverage went further. The women in purdah hid their 

faces from the view of unrelated men, often by wearing a burqa, 

a large circular piece of brightly colored fabric worn over the 

head like a ghost costume, having a mesh screen through which 

the woman could view the world. 

A few days later, I was taken to the border town of Hongu, 

where I would live on weekdays while working in the refugee 

camps. The IRC van traveled over roads that had been cut into 

mountainsides by the British. The drop-off at the road’s edge 

was sudden and steep. Below us, I could see the rusting 

carcasses of buses that had traveled too close. We journeyed 

through tribal areas in which people lived out of reach of the 

national government. The marketplaces of the tribes were filled 

with piles of sacks of opium, the main commodity of these 

poor groups. 

In Hongu, I came to know Afghan and Pakistani people 

from different social strata. First, there were my patients, the 

poor peasants who lived in the camps. Second, there were the 

IRC employees, mostly male Afghan physicians and assistants 

except for a few Pakistani female physicians. 

WINTER 2002 

15

The author experiences purdah for the camera. 

The poor peasants of the refugee camps lived in simple 

clay-and-stone huts that blanketed the valleys all around us. As 

refugees, they had some benefits they had never known in 

Afghanistan, including latrines and vaccinations. Food was in 

sufficient supply although water was not. 

I served the women and children in the Basic Health Unit. 

Women flocked to see the Western doctor; they believed I had 

powers and medicines that could endow them with great 

strength and well-being. While waiting for me, they squatted 

in long lines on the floor, covered in their burqas and chaddars. 

An Afghan man supervised the situation, wandering among 

them and prodding them with a stick to keep them in their 

proper place on line. The women often held bare-bottomed 

babies. I never saw the women engaging with the children in a 

playful way. I never saw any form of toy in the hands of a child. 

The layers of clothes, accented with handcrafted tapestries, had 

a clammy coating of grime on them. (The water supply was 

inadequate to allow bathing or washing of clothes.) When a 

woman stepped up to my chair, she would lift her veil and 

begin to complain of vague, multifocal hoogigie (pains). 

Although I knew I could not fulfill their hopes for greater 

well-being, I did provide vitamins to all visitors. These were 

highly valued. 

As a clinician in this setting, there was usually little I could 

do to intervene in medical problems. The formulary contained 

an odd array of medications. There were antihypertensives to 

treat elevated blood pressure, but no remedy for the ubiquitous 

skin sores. I could give some iodine to treat the common 

enlarged thyroid glands or prescribe an antibiotic for an earache. 

A program for tuberculosis screening and treatment was 

provided by the World Health Organization. We rarely helped 

women obtain oral contraceptives in secrecy. Mostly, I could 

observe. I saw illnesses that were nonexistent in the West. I 

saw 6-year-olds with congenital heart disease; their Western 

counterparts would have had surgery in early childhood. I saw 

children with polio; they had been vaccinated but their vaccines 

were improperly refrigerated during transport. 

The IRC employees had a higher living standard and often 

spoke English. These people, many of them doctors, became 

good friends who introduced me to their homes and shared 

their private thoughts with me. As a woman, I enjoyed special 

privileges. Unlike my male classmates, I could join the gather- 

16 


ings of women. Unlike my new female friends, I was invited to 

the gatherings of men because they understood that I was not 

restricted by the laws of their culture. The result was a doubledose 

of exceptional hospitality. 

The typical cinderblock home of an Afghan refugee living 

in the city consisted of a series of two or three rooms and a wall 

encircling a small courtyard. The rooms opened onto the courtyard 

where the food was cooked. These rooms contained narrow 

flat pillows along their perimeter. The floors were 

typically covered with beautiful hand woven carpets. There 

were windows looking out into the courtyard but these were 

always covered by curtains so the female relatives could cook in 

the courtyard without being viewed by male visitors within 

the rooms. 

When invited to a feast, my male classmates and I were first 

delayed at the door while the women in the courtyard ran for 

cover. We were then escorted into a room. As a Western 

woman, I was the only female in the group. I would be greeted 

by my fellow physicians but their male relatives would turn their 

backs to me. This was a show of respect for my modesty and an 

expression of their awkwardness in my unusual presence at the 

party. A large plastic sheet would be spread across the floor. 

Soon it would be covered by countless platters of food, spread 

out in lovely arrangements and dispersed on as many plates as 

possible to create the impression of abundance. The arduous 

task of eating it all then began. The main course of special feasts 

was typically ashouk, the Afghan version of stuffed pasta. They 

stuffed their small, handmade pasta pillows with chopped scallions 

and potatoes and covered the dish in meat sauce. The 

appropriate response to this tremendous hospitality was nonstop 

eating. Whenever I would pause to catch my breath, I was 

immediately asked, “It does not please you? Do you not feel 

well?” After the feast, I had the special privilege denied to my 

male classmates of joining the women of the family in the next 

room for their separate feast. They were a bit weary after making 

ravioli from scratch but thrilled to meet me. 

Between the large feasts, I passed many quiet hours with my 

new girlfriends. I was especially close to a Pakistani physician, a 

woman in her twenties named Mina. Although her abilities, not 

her gender, had determined her career choice, gender otherwise 

Preschool curriculum includes land-mine recognition. 

constrained every moment of her life. When her brother was 

available to supervise, we would take a trip to the marketplace 

together. After some deliberation, her father once permitted his 

physician daughter to go out with me under the guardianship 

of my driver. 

When no man was supervising, we hung out together in 

her bedroom. There I learned about her impending marriage. 

I once asked Mina if she had met her fiancé in medical school. 

No, she had never met him at all. He had come to her home 

for an engagement party but the future spouses were kept in 

separate rooms during the event. She had been given a photo 

of him and this became her only means of knowing him. With 

a grim expression that exuded mild terror, she slowly handed 

the photo to me. In my effort to be positive I said, “He looks 

nice.” 

“He’s fat,” she responded. 

Mina’s engagement had been arranged in the traditional 

manner, after the eligible young man had expressed an interest 

in her to his parents. The parents, agreeing to the choice, then 

came to Mina’s parents to propose the marriage. A bargaining 

session ensued in which her parents held out until sufficient 

jewels and money were promised as wedding gifts. A few 

young men had sent their parents to bid for Mina but her 

father never discussed her wishes in the matter with her. She 

revealed her true passion for one suitor, rejected because he had 

excessive responsibility as the eldest son in his family, only to 

her Western confidant. If her preference for any one man 

became known, no other man would ever desire her. 

WINTER 2002 

17

Mina’s family was immensely 

curious about sexual relations in 

my culture. Her father one day 

asked me, “Is it true that in your 

country the lady and the lad can 

walk together before they are married 

and the parents can do nothing 

about it?” 

“Yes.” 

“And is it true that in your 

country the lady and the lad can 

live together before they are married 

and the parents can do nothing 

about it?” To this man, there 

was little difference between the 

two activities. A slippery slope 

connected one to the other. 

To the traditional Muslims, sexual desire is a natural, undeniable 

force that needs no facilitation, only careful supervision. 

Women are regarded as naturally alluring, not in need of revealing 

clothes. They must be covered and guarded to prevent men 

from acting on irrepressible desire. Unlike most Western 

cultures, where repression is a mental process that hides the full 

extent of sexual motives in everyday interactions between men 

and women, in this Muslim culture, sexual motives were 

consciously acknowledged and constrained by social customs. 

I once explained to a few Afghan men that in our Western 

culture, there are nuns and priests who never marry because their 

primary devotion is to God. This news produced stunned gasps 

of disbelief and pressing questions. “How can that be? Do they 

not have a heart?” 

“Maybe the nuns have sex with the priests.” 

“Maybe they have just a little bit of sex. Maybe they just 

kiss.” 

As I grew closer to my new friends, our private conversations 

turned to the tragedy in their lives. Everyone had a story of 

losing a family member to Soviet brutality. My friend Sadia told 

me with a numb expression of how she lost two brothers, each 

arrested and never heard from again. Her youngest brother disappeared 

the day after he graduated as valedictorian of his engineering 

school class. 

The Afghan people had a fierce resistance to the invading 

I once asked Mina if she had met her fiancé in 

medical school. No, she had never met him at all. 

He had come to her home for an engagement party 

but the future spouses were kept in separate rooms 

during the event. She had been given a photo of 

him and this became her only means of knowing 

him. With a grim expression that exuded mild 

terror, she slowly handed the photo to me. In my 

effort to be positive I said, “He looks nice.” 

force that sought to destroy their 

traditional way of life. In 

response, their religious leaders 

concluded that atrocities had been 

dealt to them because they had 

not adhered to Islamic law with 

sufficient rigor. The powerful, 

armed members of their society 

enforced a new level of strict compliance 

with religious customs. 

More modern-thinking physicians 

whose female relatives once 

walked the streets with their faces 

exposed now hid their wives and 

sisters as they entertained visitors. 

Women veiled their faces not in 

accordance with their religious beliefs but out of fear of violence 

if they did not comply with the new standard. Stories spread 

fear through Peshawar. An Afghan physician was murdered during 

my visit. He had sinned by opening his clinic on a religious 

holiday. My friends sometimes mentioned the ominous presence 

in Peshawar of Hekmatyar, the warlord of the Hezeb-e-Islami 

party, an extremist group. 

As I became closer to my new Afghan and Pakistani friends, 

I was struck at once by my human connection with them and 

the alienness of their culture. The differences in our beliefs, our 

science, our sexuality, our wealth, and our experience of war were 

gaping. It was not by serving them but by serving with them 

that a deep connection grew through the differences. I was first 

invited to work at the side of Afghans and Pakistanis. Then I 

was invited into their homes, and from there into their affections, 

and ultimately into their private thoughts. After I worked 

side by side with my new friends, what was alien became human. 

Now that our people have entered this traditional Muslim world 

to root out terrorists and reshape politics, we must struggle to 

understand, struggle to make that human connection that comes 

so naturally when people work together. 

Cynthia Berkowitz ’83 is a child psychiatrist at the Walker Home 

and School in Needham, Mass. She can be reached for comment 

and discussion at cberkowitz@walkerschool.org . 

18 


A L U M N I P R O F I L E 

Edmund Coleman Lewis, Class of 1887 

One Hundred and Fifteen 

Years of Silence By Ramsey Haig ’02 

Last year, I discovered that my grandfather’s 

grandfather (my great-great grandfather) 

attended Haverford College in the 

late 1880s. While shuffling through some 

old books, my mother found a genealogical 

reference in one of my grandfather’s 

bibles describing his mother’s father, 

Edmund Coleman Lewis. She immediately 

sent it to me from my grandparents’ 

home in North Carolina. 

With this information, I visited the 

Special Collections wing of Haverford 

College’s Magill Library. There, I 

explained my situation to the helpful 

librarians and they were delighted to aid 

me in uncovering more information about 

my relative. First, we searched through 

the matriculation records for that year and 

soon found his name and information. 

The records revealed that Edmund entered 

Haverford College in 1883 and left at the 

close of his junior year. (Later we would 

find out that it was common for students 

to only stay for short periods of time at 

College.) In this case, Edmund left 

Haverford to pursue a business in the 

cotton trade from 1886-88. He then 

became a mechanical engineer and later a 

salesman. It indicated he was born in 

Philadelphia on February 24th, 1868, 

therefore making him only 15 years old 

when he entered Haverford College. 

The next piece of information came 

from the Catalogue of the Offices and Students 

of Haverford College for the Academic 

Year 1883-84. Each year, this small booklet 

listed all of the students enrolled in 

Haverford College, their relative areas of 

study, and other information such as an 

academic calendar, the terms of admission, 

and a program of recitations. For example, 

candidates for admission to the freshman 

class were examined in classics (Latin 

and Greek syntax, grammar, Virgil, Caesar, 

Cicero, and Xenophon), mathematics 

(the metric system, algebra, quadratic 

equations, and geometry), English 

(spelling, grammar, and writing proficiency), 

drawing (freehand drawing), physics, 

and botany. There were no standardized 

tests with which the College could assess 

student aptitude, as all admissions were 

handled through a process of on-campus 

examinations taken in Founders. In addition, 

“each candidate must forward, 

together with his application, a certificate 

of good moral character from his last 

teacher; and students from other colleges 

must present certificates of honorable dismission 

in good standing.” Admissions 

office? No such thing. All applications 

were sent to the President of the College, 

Thomas Chase, LL.D. 

It is hard to imagine life on this enormous 

campus with only a few buildings 

and just under one hundred students. 

Don’t forget, they did not even have 

electricity. The Catalogue reads, 

“The price of Board and Tuition 

(together with fuel, lights, and all necessary 

furniture and service), is $425.00 per 

annum, payable to the Prefect, one half at 

the beginning, and one half at the middle 

of the College year. Washing is charged at 

the rate of 75 cents per dozen. There is a 

telegraph office and an Adams Express 

office at the College Station, and there is a 

US Money-order office at Bryn Mawr, 

Montgomery Co., Pa, one mile from the 


Edmund studied in the Scientific Sec- 

WINTER 2002 

19

Edmund Lewis (standing, fourth from left) with his classmates. 

tion at Haverford and was a classmate 

with such familiar Haverford names as 

Henry Warrington Stokes, Frederic Heap 

Strawbridge, Harold Ellis Yarnall, Alfred 

Chase, and P. Hollingsworth Morris. 

Next, I was able to convince the librarians 

to give me access to Edmund’s actual 

grades. They dusted off the original 

leather-bound grade books from 1883- 

1886 and I squinted to decipher the handwritten 

academic record of my great-great 

grandfather. It was an incredible feeling to 

discover that four generations before me, 

a relative studied on these same grounds 

and lived in Barclay, the dorm in which I 

now live. 

The final piece of information, and the 

most valuable, was the two photographs 

we discovered. One is a class photo taken 

on the side of Barclay facing the duck 

pond and the other is a photo 

of the 1887 football 

team, of which Edmund 

was a member. Interestingly, 

in both photos Edmund 

is one of the tallest students, 

just as my grandfather was 6 

feet tall and I am 6 feet, 2 

inches. He also closely 

resembles my grandfather, as 

they both have very thin faces 

and squinty eyes. The similarities 

were staggering. Finally, after searching 

through boxes and boxes of records, I 

sat back and took a moment to absorb all 

of this information. I smiled, thinking to 

myself, “How did we ever not know of a 

relative from Haverford College!” 

Unfortunately, my grandfather passed 

away last year, but not before I was able to 

Lewis (middle) and the rest of the 1887 football team. 

visit him and give him the satisfaction of 

knowing that both his grandson and his 

grandfather attended Haverford College, 

separated by one hundred and fifteen 

years. 

Ramsey Haig ’02 is majoring in Comparative 

Literature with a minor in Spanish. He 

plans to pursue a career as an editor. 

20 


A L U M N I P R O F I L E 

Training Canine Helpers and Heroes 

by Pete Rapalus 

Paul Mundell ’82 

Hours after the tragedy struck in New York, Washington, and 

Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, Paul Mundell ’82 was giving a lecture at 

Lackland Air Force Base on a topic that had gained a sudden urgency 

– how the military could use the tools of statistical genetics to breed 

better dogs. The conference, which began the previous day, was 

sponsored by the Department of Defense in an attempt to help their 

nascent working-dog breeding program meet the rising demands of 

military and civilian agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration 

for these highly trained dogs. Just how acute that need is has 

been made clear by the events of that horrific day and the weeks that 

followed the attacks. 

“For some tasks,” says Mundell, “such as locating concealed 

explosives or narcotics, we just can’t compete with the amazing 

abilities of dogs.” And Mundell, who is the National Director for 

Canine Programs at an organization called Canine Companions for 

Independence (CCI), knows the extent of canine abilities as do 

few others. 

In his job at CCI, a nonprofit that places service dogs and other 

assistance dogs with men, women, and children with disabilities, 

Mundell directs a breeding, socializing, and training program that 

produces some 600 puppies a year. “My kids,” jokes Mundell, 

“think I have the greatest job in the world – that people give me 

money to spend my days playing with puppies.” Mundell certainly 

does find the job engrossing, just in ways somewhat different than 

his daughter Kate, 11, and son Paul, 8, might imagine. With a 

client waiting list averaging more than two years, the challenge he 

faces at CCI is to increase the number of dogs that are available for 

placement, a project that involves both increasing the number of 

dogs as well as the proportion of dogs that are able to be 

successfully placed. 

“Unfortunately, between 50 and 70 percent of the dogs bred for 

working roles at agencies such as CCI ultimately fail,” Mundell 

says. “While some do not pass for medical conditions, the majority 

fails for behavioral reasons. Because the dogs need to work and be 

comfortable in a wide variety of environments, from urban to rural, 

and our clients are physically unable to control or restrain the dogs 

WINTER 2002 

21

“By emphasizing coursework 

outside of and unrelated to the 

major, Haverford ensures that 

students are grounded in what 

are very different sorts of 

knowledge.” 

except by voice, the spectrum of acceptable behavior the dogs are 

allowed to demonstrate is extremely narrow. This makes behavior, 

how it is assessed, and how it may be affected through breeding and 

environmental manipulation the central focus of my job.” 

All of which is fine with Mundell, since that is why he began 

working with dogs in the first place. 

After Haverford, Mundell attended graduate school at the University 

of Heidelberg in Germany, where he studied philosophy. 

Although it had been his intention to finish graduate school and 

pursue a career in philosophy, his plans took a sharp turn that coincided 

with the arrival of a German shepherd puppy named Troll. 

“After we had been in Germany a couple of years, my wife Betsy 

(BMC ’82) decided we needed a dog. We purchased a handsome 

little pup whose parents were working farm dogs. At the time, I 

didn’t understand the distinction between working and nonworking 

lines, nor was I aware of the active breeding and Schutzhund training 

network that exists in Germany. However, shortly after Troll 

arrived, a neighbor took me to one of these clubs and I was pretty 

much instantly hooked.” Before long, Mundell found himself 

spending less time at the university and more time out in the fields 

and woods surrounding Heidelberg, training dogs. 

Upon his return from Germany, Mundell began working for 

CCI as a dog trainer and instructor at the newly established regional 

training center in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY. It was there that 

Mundell was first exposed to the idea of training service dogs, primarily 

Labrador and golden retrievers, to assist people who have 

physical disabilities. The dogs are taught such tasks as switching 

lights on and off, opening and closing drawers and doors, and 

pulling wheelchairs. 

“These dogs do things that you and I do every day without 

thought, but for which a person with a disability needs to ask for 

help. The increased independence that these dogs allow people is 

really amazing.” In addition to service dogs, CCI also places assistance 

dogs with deaf people. These dogs are trained to alert their 

owners when a significant sound occurs, and to indicate its source. 

Examples of such sounds are doorbells, telephones, and, for new 

parents, the sound of a baby’s cry. 

Mundell later served as regional director of the training center 

before moving, in 1995, to CCI’s national headquarters in Santa 

Rosa, Calif. Currently, in addition to overseeing all aspects of the 

agency’s canine program, Mundell spends much of his time involved 

in research. One project involves the development of behavior, 

specifically the age at which certain traits become stable and remain 

relatively constant throughout the remainder of the dog’s life. While 

many dog owners and breeders are familiar with the temperament 

tests administered to puppies at seven or eight weeks of age, unfortunately, 

Mundell says, “except for puppies with extreme, and rare, 

temperaments, the tests have no predictive validity at all. We hope in 

a couple of years to have a much better idea of how the development 

of behavior proceeds, at least in the breeds with which we work.” 

Toward that end, Mundell recently received a grant from the American 

Kennel Club’s Canine Health Foundation to study patterns of 

cortisol secretion and metabolism as markers for behavioral tendencies 

such as fearfulness. 

Mundell hopes that through such research he will be able not 

only to help those whom CCI serves, but also dogs and their owners 

in general. “By knowing when and how to intervene in a puppy’s 

development to forestall the appearance of fearful and aggressive 

behavior, and how to better guide breeding decisions, perhaps we 

can make the relationships between owners and their dogs more 

enjoyable and, ultimately, reduce the number of animals surrendered 

to shelters each year.” 

Mundell credits Haverford with preparing him well for the challenges 

he now faces at CCI. “By emphasizing coursework outside of 

and unrelated to the major, Haverford ensures that students are 

grounded in what are very different sorts of knowledge. In my case, 

of course, that has had very direct benefits, since the math and science 

courses I took at Haverford form the foundation for much of 

what I currently do.” 

Pete Rapalus is National Community and Public Relations Manager for 

Canine Companions for Independence in Santa Rosa, Calif. CCI can be found 

online at http://www.caninecompanions.org/ 

22 


H a v e r f o r d C r e w 

Five Years of 

Dedication 

and Passion 

Photos by H. Scott Heist 

“There’s a crew team here?” 

Though those words have been heard 

less often in recent years, for the 

founding members of Haverford’s 

small-but-dedicated crew team, that 

phrase only prompted the rowers to 

push harder. The team is now growing 

and becomes more competitive every 

year, but it was only recently that 

Haverford became part of one of the 

oldest collegiate sports in the country. 

WINTER 2002 

23


“Being a club sport doesn’t mean y 

24 


ou do less. It means you do more.” 

Haverford women’s four on 

the Schuylkill: (left to right) 

Kim Arandia ’05, Karen Ballantyne ’02, 

Liz Janus ’04, Rebecca Odessey ’03, 

and Melanie Geneve ’02. 

Haverford Crew was founded in 1998, after no small amount of work and 

determination by Virginie Ladisch ’00 and Dave Mintzer ’00, both of whom 

had rowed in high school. After a year of preparations, the team moved into 

Bachelor’s Barge Club on Philadelphia’s historic Boathouse Row. Ladisch 

recalls that the team “started off with a small group of 14 rowers, the majority 

of whom had no prior rowing experience, but [had] a dedication that kept 

them getting up in time for 6 a.m. practices.” 

Under the coaching of former U.S. National Team member Margaret 

Gordon, the team competed on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia and 

practiced mornings before class in the spring and evenings in the fall. 

Though the team now has moved to year-round afternoon practices, the 

rowers remain on the water until it begins to freeze and head back to the river 

in the beginning of March. They spend the winter months working out 

on campus, following an intense conditioning program. Though the team 

has found training at Haverford a challenge without the use of ergometers, 

or specialized rowing machines, it has recently acquired two and hopes to get 

more soon. Training for rowers includes many hours on the “erg,” (as it’s 

known), weight lifting, long runs in the cold months, and endless body circuits 

of crunches, squats, and push-ups. 

Though they are dedicated athletes, the rowers are also members of a 

club and, as such, do not receive the funding of a varsity sport. They have 

worked tirelessly for the past five years on fundraising efforts. Crew is an 

expensive sport, with its boathouse leases, boat rentals, regatta fees, and 

coaching salary. As John David Bridges ’02, the club’s captain and student 

assistant coach this season, has put it: “Being a club sport doesn’t mean you 

do less. It means you do more.” The team has raised money through t-shirt 

sales, bake sales, and renting their hard-earned muscles to the community 

for various jobs in a fundraiser called Rent-a-Rower. 

WINTER 2002 

25


Your biggest challenge isn’t someone else. It’s the ache 

and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you 

26 


in your lungs 

that yells “can’t.” 

But you don’t listen. 

Also crucial to the success of the team has been the extremely generous 

support of parents and alumni, most notably Dorothy and Alan Hume ’49, 

who have in past years donated four- and eight-man shells. Without their 

generosity, the team would not exist today. Even with fundraising and donations, 

however, every student pays a participation fee both semesters, an 

unfortunate but not uncommon trait of many large club sports. 

Prominent members of Philadelphia’s rowing community have also 

been helpful to the team, such as Bryn Mawr head coach Carol Bower and 

Jack St. Clair, the women’s head coach at Villanova. In the fall of 2001, 

Haverford Crew moved to a new space in the temporary Villanova 

boathouse on the Upper Schuylkill in Conshohocken. Villanova is building 

a new boathouse just down the road from its current location; Haverford 

hopes to be a tenant in the new, multi-million-dollar facility. 

Also in the fall of 2001, Haverford was very excited to hire a new crew 

coach, Valeria Gospodinov. A native of Bulgaria and a former national team 

member, Coach Gospodinov took the gold in the women’s eight in the 1985 

Junior World Championships, medalled in several European and regional 

championships, and was a member of Bulgaria’s 1988 Olympic team. She 

and her husband Slaven have one daughter, Siyan, and live in Clifton 

Heights, Pa. 

Under the direction of its new coach, the Haverford College Crew 

Team found new (and long-awaited) improvement on the water this past 

fall. Due to logistical problems, the team did not begin practicing on the 

water until late in the season, but a women’s varsity four entered the Head of 

the Schuylkill Regatta and that boat, as well as a men’s four and novice 

women’s eight, entered the Philadelphia Frostbite and Bill Braxton Memorial 

Regattas in November. At the Frostbite, the women’s eight was placed into 

the first (and fastest) heat and was beaten by the other five boats. The novice 

men experienced a similar disappointment, but the varsity women finished 

second in their event. Coach Gospodinov had these words for the team at 

Clockwise from lower left: John David Bridges ’02 readies a shell; the men’s four in 

action; waiting and reading come naturally to HC rowers; working out in the 

boathouse; the women’s eight on the river. 

WINTER 2002 

27


Barzilai Axelrod ’04 Amy Drakeman ’05 

More information on Haverford Crew 

can be found on the web at 

http://students.haverford.edu/crew/ 

the end of the day: “You can get a medal, you have worked hard for it. Now, 

you have to want it bad enough.” 

With that in mind, the Braxton turned out to be a much better day 

than the Frostbite. The novice women finished fourth in their heat—this 

after about three weeks of total water time. The varsity women held on 

strong and managed a third place finish in much tougher competition than 

the previous day. The novice men’s four were the comeback kids, finishing 

third in their heat as well. 

At the end of the fall season, it turned out that three times Haverford 

boats had finished one place away from medalling (regattas do not always 

give awards for first, second, and third places). Though it was a disappointment, 

the team left the river with a renewed commitment and competitive 

drive it had never seen before. “Next time,” said Bridges, “we’re not going 

home without a medal.” 

The simple fact that Haverford, as one of the smaller Division III 

schools, even has a crew team is remarkable. The new passion on the team 

that came alive this past fall is reflected in a quote the team has shared over 

the years, and which has become the unofficial motto for a team that has 

endured much adversity to achieve its current success. Looking forward to 

bringing home a gold soon for the scarlet and black, the team keeps this 

thought in mind: 

Your biggest challenge isn’t someone else. It’s the ache in your lungs and the 

burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells “can’t.” But you don’t 

listen. You just push harder. And then you hear the voice whisper “can.” And 

you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one 

you really are. 

–– Anonymous 

28 


From Haverford to Durban: 

The Complicated 

Symbolism of 

South Africa 

by Noah Leavitt ’91 

I stepped off the plane in Cape Town, en route to Durban, on a gray, drizzly late-August morning, 

more than a bit drowsy after surviving one of the longest nonstop flights in the world. Not 

surprisingly, I questioned whether the man greeting some of my fellow passengers was Nobel 

Laureate Desmond Tutu, retired Archbishop and the charismatic and controversial chairperson of 

South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Tutu also coined the phrase “rainbow nation” 

to describe his beloved country’s tremendous demographic spectrum. My eyes and ears were 

not deceiving me, however, since I had seen Tutu’s daughter on my flight. 

Last summer, Noah Leavitt ’91 served as a delegate to the United Nations World Conference 

against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, 

South Africa. Noah can be reached at nsleavitt@hotmail.com 

Photos courtesy of Noah Leavitt. 

WINTER 2002 

29

The Complicated Symbolism of South Africa, continued 

Still in a daze, but marveling at this encounter, I 

wandered outside into the early Cape Town morning. The 

airport faces Table Mountain, an immense 4,000-foot mesa 

that forms the backdrop for the world’s most perfectly situated 

city, where a tiny rainbow was struggling to emerge 

through the clouds. As I stood there, the rainbow slowly 

disappeared. Watching this, I mused over the fact that rainbows 

are only possible from a combination of sun and storm, 

peace and conflict. Because of their Biblical association, we 

tend to attribute only positive qualities to rainbows, but this 

misses their origin as the resolution of great climatic 

confrontation. 

The longer I was in Durban, the more everything 

became like that rainbow, a complex semiotic to be deconstructed 

time and time again. Nothing straightforward. 

Nothing clear. 

The Memories 

Although my Haverford life was filled with excitement, 

among my most treasured days were those protesting 

apartheid with my classmates. To us, pre-1990 South Africa 

was one of the clearest forms of societal evil in the world. 

When the white government finally agreed to transfer political 

power to the black majority, we danced in victory, feeling 

that our signs, our questions on the Comment Board, our 

endless refrains of “Free Nelson Mandela,” had tilted this 

regime thousands of miles away. Haverford tried to impress 

on us that individual actors can and should make a difference 

in world events, and the end of apartheid seemed to 

validate the lessons of those long, long discussions of 

“community responsibility.” 

The Setting 

South Africa was, therefore, a particularly meaningful 

location to have a global conference addressing issues of 

discrimination based on different types of racial and social 

categorization. After sponsoring one of the most repressive 

forms of legal segregation of any country in the modern 

To us, pre-1990 South Africa was one of the 

clearest forms of societal evil in the world. 

When the white government finally agreed to 

transfer political power to the black majority, 

we danced in victory, feeling that our signs, 

our questions on the Comment Board, our endless 

refrains of “Free Nelson Mandela,” had 

tilted this regime thousands of miles away. 

world, South Africa experienced a peaceful revolution, culminating 

with its first democratically elected government in 

1994. Since then, the country has come to symbolize the 

possibility of radical social restructuring without accompanying 

carnage. And, while life in South Africa is hardly free 

from racial problems, the country does inspire those who say, 

“We can change this unjust situation peacefully!” 

While he did not single-handedly bring about the 

changes, much of the credit for this transformation is given 

to Nelson Mandela, who has consistently maintained that 

people from different races and backgrounds need to work 

together to create a more just society. The same is not necessarily 

true, however, for Mandela’s successor, President Thabo 

Mbeki, whom some have criticized for abandoning a 

multiracial perspective, and replacing it with a more 

monochromatic vision for the country and the region. 

Indeed, while South Africa has made a democratic 

transition, it has not made an economic one. It is estimated 

that national unemployment is around 35 percent. Crime, 

both property theft and more violent types, is at high levels. 

HIV/AIDS infection rates are among the highest in the 

world. Furthermore, between 95 and 97 percent of the 

country’s capital is controlled by whites, which is only 2 or 3 

30 


percent below the percentage 10 years ago. The close relationship 

between race and economic status is at its most extreme 

in the new South Africa. 

The Background 

The World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) –– the third 

attempt at a global meeting on this topic –– had been in the 

planning stages for nearly four years. A number of preparatory 

meetings had occurred around the globe in order to draft 

documents and solicit input from leaders of political and civil 

society. During these sessions, it became clear that the major 

issues of contention in Durban would be those of reparations 

for slavery and colonialism, as well as strong opposition to the 

Israeli government’s treatment of the Palestinians. The aloofness 

of the United States was also shaping up to be a major 

topic for criticism. 

WCAR itself consisted of two distinct, yet related 

events. The first was a preliminary meeting of non-governmental 

organizations (NGOs). This session, which took place 

in Durban’s municipal cricket stadium, lasted for five days, 

during which representatives of global civil society drafted a 

document with which to lobby national representatives 

during the governmental sessions. The second event was the 

official U.N. Conference, which lasted for seven days, and 

took place at the International Conference Center and 

adjoining Hilton Hotel, which became United Nations 

territory for the duration of the Conference. I participated 

in both events, as well as the myriad discussions, meetings, 

panels, and controversies that accompanied the official 

discussions. 

City officials estimated that 13,000 people came for 

the sessions, putting an incredible strain on the local service 

industry. More than 15 heads of state, as well as hundreds of 

high-ranking governmental and non-governmental leaders 

were on the schedule. This fact, in addition to a sharp awareness 

of riots in Seattle, Prague, Davos, and Genoa, created a 

demand for high-level security measures. Police were brought 

in from all around the country and delegates had to obtain 

numerous passes to access different areas of the Conference. 

South African Jewish youth group members sing “All we are saying, 

is give peace a chance.” 

Moreover, there were many rumors that security agents, 

especially intelligence agents, were being brought in to 

infiltrate some of the NGOs. There were reports of disinformation 

campaigns, as well as of CIA agents participating in 

Conference events. 

The goal of the Durban meeting, as is generally the 

case for United Nations conferences, was to end with a document 

that reflected the will of the participating countries on 

the pertinent issues. This document would comprise a set of 

international standards or guidelines for states’ practices in 

the specified areas. Because the United Nations does not 

have strong enforcement powers, it relies on the agreement 

of states to be bound by their obligations. This reality leads 

the U.N. system in general, and these conferences in particular, 

to be grounded in a very Haverford-esque type model of 

group process. Countries that hold different viewpoints on a 

topic share information with each other, and try to lobby 

one another using moral and intellectual persuasion. The 

countries then meet in plenary sessions (although without 

the paper airplanes we used to throw in Founders…) and try 

to find consensus on the given issue or the language. 

Depending on the type of document that emerges from the 

WINTER 2002 

31


Cuba and Palestine were the big winners of the NGO session. 

process, the final product might have a certain degree of 

international legal value as well. 

Ominously, the deaths of two important South 

African anti-apartheid figures lurked in the background of 

the World Conference. Donald Woods, a white newspaper 

editor and courageous critic of apartheid, passed away days 

before the beginning of the NGO event. Woods was known 

in part for his close friendship with Steven Biko, the radical 

black leader murdered by the South African police in 1978. 

Woods, who was forced into exile, was regarded as one of the 

individuals who most effectively alerted and informed the 

world about the vicious realities of apartheid. The second 

death was that of Govan Mbeki, the father of South Africa’s 

president, and one of the leaders of the African National 

Congress in its formative days. Mbeki was a prisoner with 

Nelson Mandela on Robben Island and was responsible for 

educating the younger generation about the historical and 

philosophical tenets of the party. The passing of these two 

men seemed to cry out for a new generation of leaders of 

anti-racism politics. 

The NGO Event 

Many of the participants in the NGO meetings were people 

who have been victims of racial and ethnic mistreatment and 

violence, and now seek recognition and voice for themselves: 

Dalits; Roma; Travelers; Falun Gong; and indigenous 

peoples, to name a few. These groups, as well as the many 

that were not able to afford to attend the Conference, comprise 

an emerging global civil society, and were the main 

players at the NGO forum. Perhaps the one success of the 

NGO meeting was that it promoted a higher profile for 

victimized groups who did not have much recognition on 

the international stage. 

That being said, however, there was little that could 

pass for “civil” interaction at the NGO event. The opening 

session of the NGO conference seemed to open a floodgate 

for the pent-up anger and hostility that had been simmering 

throughout the several-year-long planning process. The quest 

for vengeance was everywhere, and the spirit of engaged 

debate was almost entirely absent from the meeting. 

I felt under assault during the Conference. This was 

doubtless related to my status as a white Jewish man from 

the United States, which put me in the minority no matter 

how you looked at it. Ironically, I felt under attack because of 

my race, religion, gender, and nationality at a world gathering 

devoted to combating prejudice on these very aspects of 

identity. 

There were not many white male delegates, making 

me visible and vulnerable, and I walked around on eggshells. 

I sensed that I was getting bumped into a little more 

frequently, or told to ‘get out of the way’ a little more 

aggressively, than people who were not white. I noticed that 

delegates either totally ignored me when I was part of a 

working group or a discussion circle, or disagreed with 

whatever I said more rapidly and loudly than they did 

with others. 

In addition, the United States came under continuous 

assault throughout the session, being blamed for nearly every 

imaginable injury suffered by any of the thousands of delegates 

or their affiliated constituencies. Moreover, the U.S. 

32 


withdrawal was interpreted as a way of ignoring the problems 

of the rest of the world, and President Bush and 

Secretary of State Powell were the objects of endless condemnation, 

creating a situation where American delegates were 

treated with contempt until they proved how anti-U.S. 

government they were. 

Most frightening to me, personally, was the violently 

anti-Semitic and even more violently anti-Israel climate of 

the Conference. I felt that my very safety was at risk. The 

NGO forum was completely dominated by anti-Israel and 

pro-Palestinian activity, whether in the form of marches, 

chants, flag-waving and signs, not to mention the endless 

shouting matches between Palestinians and their supporters 

and the small Jewish caucus. Although I did not witness any 

physical altercations, on numerous occasions security forces 

had to take control of a meeting or an information table. 

As a ‘grand finale,’ at the close of the NGO meeting, 

in a highly controversial and poorly attended session, the 

voting members approved a document that some observers 

have called “the most anti-Semitic international agreement 

since the Second World War.” One point that has been 

absent from most of the international press since the release 

of this document is how closely and accurately this statement 

captured the feelings driving the NGO session. This was true 

for the official session as well –– while those discussions were 

couched in much more diplomatic and watered-down language, 

the feelings behind the drafting were very similar to 

those in the NGO session. 

Anti-Israel forces succeeded at controlling the agenda 

of the Conference to the detriment of all other groups 

present. Specifically, pro-Palestinian delegates deliberately 

adopted the moral and rhetorical symbolism of the antiapartheid 

struggle, equating Palestinians with black South 

Africans and Israel with the white apartheid government. 

While it is certainly true that the current Israeli government 

shares some of the blame for the violent impasse in that part 

of the world, a simple equation of Israel with the apartheid 

state in South Africa does not do justice to the factual, historical 

differences between them. Yet, in Durban, to utter 

any word in support of Israel was seen as wishing for the old 

days of white rule. 

The United Nations Event 

The goal of the official World Conference was to adopt two 

texts, a Statement of Purpose, which described the extent of 

racism and racial discrimination around the world, and a 

Program of Action, which outlined ways to combat these 

forms of treatment. Most of the participants were government 

bureaucrats who took worked long days in slowmoving 

sessions to craft words that would most accurately 

represent their countries’ particular interests in the issue. 

The process was tedious, as debates about whether to use the 

words “and” or “as well as” in listing forms of discrimination. 

Much of the Conference was dominated by discussion 

about the role of the United States, both before and after the 

withdrawal. As the world’s only “superpower,” every decision 

of the United States government, rightly or wrongly, is sub- 

Ground Zero: The Hilton. 

WINTER 2002 

33


Pro-Palestinian rhetoric dominated the conference. 

ject to endless analysis and critique. Interestingly, the United 

States announced its withdrawal at about the same time that 

the American NGOs were planning to meet with the delegation 

(U.S. NGOs comprised nearly a quarter of the total registration 

list for the NGO event and were visible everywhere 

at the U.N. session, at one point considering a “take-over” of 

the now-empty seats from the official and departed U.S. delegation) 

for a briefing. This led to a chaotic meeting about 

the best way to respond to the situation, which after about 

two hours resulted in a march to the International Convention 

Centre, under a full moon, chanting, “Stop U.S. racism, 

all over the world,” and “The people united will never be 

defeated.” This march was composed of leaders of the most 

prestigious and high-profile civil- and human-rights activists 

in the United States today. 

The Questions 

Another interesting incident marked my arrival in South 

Africa. As if bumping into Archbishop Tutu wasn’t enough, 

my seatmate on the short trip from Cape Town to Durban 

threw up on me. I gave her a few towelettes I had from my 

earlier flight and called the flight attendant. Normally, this 

unsavory detail would not make it into a story about race 

relations. However, when it occurred, I had been reading a 

book by the director of Amnesty International USA about 

promoting international human rights as something that is 

in our own self-interest. In it, the author relates a story from 

a Milan Kundera novel where one of the characters sees a 

man in Wenceslaus Square vomiting, and says to the sick 

man, “I know just what you mean.” Kundera used this incident 

to illustrate the possibilities of human empathy, and the 

34 


ability to be touched at your very core by another person’s 

experience of the world. Living in the United States, I had 

often thought, and hoped –– maybe from my Haverford 

days –– that increased dialogue could lead to greater understanding, 

appreciation, tolerance and a shared pursuit of the 

social good. To me, the Kundera story was about making 

meaningful connections when difficult situations arise. 

My two weeks in Durban, however, opened my eyes to 

a more complicated and more ambiguous reading of the 

Kundera tale. For most of the delegates, the Conference was 

about a different notion of getting along, drawing on a much 

wider historical context to inform what is necessary for different 

peoples and different groups to live in a society. In this 

paradigm, race relations are not only about empathy, but also 

about equalizing a given social situation based on a “long 

view” of the particular moment. It is about looking at hundreds 

of years of an economic system that relied, and thrived, 

in large part, based on violent, forced and uncompensated 

labor from people against their will. Possible remedies for 

this state of affairs might be the overthrow of a political system 

or a government, and some of it might be from deriving 

resources comparable to what had been taken. 

Indeed, in international civil society, the voices calling 

for reparations for slavery and colonialism, in the form of 

some kind of compensation, whether individually or societally, 

are becoming louder and better organized. At the meeting 

of American NGOs that was supposed to be met by the U.S. 

delegation, a group calling itself ‘The Durban 400’ staged an 

action in which they demanded massive economic compensation 

for slavery, chanting, “What do we want? Reparations! 

How are we going to get it? The hard way! What’s coming?.. 

War!” 

The War 

Less than a week and a half after the delegates left 

Durban, as the world watched in shock and horror at the 

carnage in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, I had 

A strong theme emerges at the conference. 

the sickening feeling that the World Conference against 

Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related 

Intolerance had been a harbinger of the attacks. 

For most Americans, the terrorist assault was our first 

exposure to the violent anti-American/anti-Israel hatred held 

by a sizeable part of the non-European world. However, for 

those who had participated in the racism conference, the 

feelings behind the attacks were depressingly familiar. 

Indeed, the political and religious forces that motivated the 

terrorists had been on display for two weeks in Durban. My 

notes written shortly after the Conference ended –– about a 

week before the madness began –– show that the mood of 

destruction was everywhere. There was almost no discussion 

about how to find ways of living together. No smiling. No 

dialogue. 

WINTER 2002 

35


The details of the Conference speak for themselves. 

Countless banners equating George Bush and Ariel Sharon 

with Adolf Hitler flew in the cricket stadium. Chants decrying 

Israel’s “holocaust” on the Palestinians filled our ears. 

Muslim organizations distributed copies of the Protocols of 

the Elders of Zion, an infamous piece of violent anti-Semitic 

propaganda. The only joy that I saw in nearly two weeks was 

after midnight at the final NGO plenary, attended by maybe 

75 of the 6,000 delegates, when the vote was passed to 

include language in the final document calling for the effective 

delegitimation and destruction of the State of Israel. 

Sadly, strangely, horrifyingly, a potentially groundbreaking 

gathering of “the vanguard of a new global civil 

society,” in the words of President Mbeki’s opening speech, 

had turned into a cauldron of hatred and loathing. In Durban, 

delegates competed against one another –– in the most 

violent, apocalyptic terms –– to express their disdain for 

these two countries, and the values of tolerance and democracy 

each represents. The rage I heard at the Conference 

toward the United States and Israel was nearly word-forword 

the rage that was heard in conjunction with the Sept. 

11 attacks. 

As a student at Haverford, I had the good fortune of 

getting into Bob Butman’s final year of “The Interpretation 

of Life in Western Literature.” The dominant theme of the 

course was the vital role of kindness in creating a functioning 

social system, because, he always warned us, when kindness 

disappeared, great evils were sure to follow. For Professor 

Butman, this was the single most important lesson to be 

learned from the literature of more than two thousand years 

and many different cultures. Unkindness only leads to more 

unkindness, and violence to more violence, barring the intervention 

of a once-in-a-lifetime leader like Nelson Mandela. 

Durban was premised on a completely different view 

of the world. Instead of kindness and tolerance, the Conference 

played to those who demanded vengeance and compensation 

as the solution for age-old problems. In Durban, kindness 

was a different form of colonialism, tolerance a luxury 

I believe that despite the wasted opportunities 

in Durban, South Africa continues to provide 

a challenging, yet hopeful, symbol for what 

it will take for us to survive as one world in our 

own precarious millennium. 

for those in power who had built their societies on the backs 

of others. In this framework, the only solution was to 

eliminate those who had wronged you. 

As I left Durban, I hoped that one lesson from South 

Africa might be the necessity of having a “partner in dialogue” 

–– an F.W. de Klerk for every Nelson Mandela. 

Indeed, it took the combination of international pressure as 

well as domestic agitation to bring about widespread social 

change in South Africa. President de Klerk had the courage 

and wisdom to respond to this pressure by holding increasingly 

higher levels of dialogue with leaders of the black 

majority. The World Conference ignored this important 

historical point, and instead represented an angrier, more 

violent vision of how to create the future. 

In one of Professor Butman’s favorite works, Njal’s 

Saga, a thousand-year-old Icelandic epic, clans battle with 

each other for generations until all sides are almost completely 

decimated. Finally, one or two men realize that they simply 

do not have enough followers left to continue their fight. 

Is this the world that we are all, terrifyingly, blindly, moving 

toward? Or is there a way that we can rebuild from this series 

of immense tragedies to reach a new understanding of what 

it means to share the same planet? I believe that despite the 

wasted opportunities in Durban, South Africa, continues to 

provide a challenging, yet hopeful, symbol for what it will 

take for us to survive as one world in our own precarious 

millennium. 

36 


C L A S S N E W S 

Send your class news by e-mail to 

classnews@haverford.edu 

Deadline for submissions for summer issue: 

May 20. 

31 Jastrow Levin, a former chemistry 

teacher at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute 

in Baltimore, Md., has spent nearly a century 

walking every trail in West Baltimore’s 

Gwynns Falls Park – especially Jastrow 

Trail, named for him by the city of Baltimore 

in the early ’90s. Levin grew up on 

the park’s edges and raised his children on 

the same street, instilling in them the same 

deep love of nature that still compels him, 

at age 92, to catch a ride to Gwynns Falls at 

every opportunity and hike for miles. 

32 Rudolf Wertime was featured on 

the front page of the Waynesboro, (Pa.) 

Record-Herald on October 12, 2001, for his 

65-year career in law. The 89-year-old has 

no plans to retire yet. 

33 Philip Truex had his 90th birthday 

on September 20, 2001. 

38 Aubrey Dickson Jr. writes, “Betty 

and I are content to spend our summers in 

Waynesville, N.C., and our winters in St. 

Petersburg, (Fla). Enjoy daily walks in the 

woods or along Tampa Bay. Get a kick out 

of watching my grandson play soccer.” 

40 A. Chandlee Hering writes, “Temporarily 

set back with macular degeneration 

(legally blind) in both eyes. Puts a crimp in 

golf and painting, but making appropriate 

adjustments after laser treatments. Helps to 

have a spouse who is a past president of the 

National Braille Association and does work 

in educational materials for the blind.” 

Hayden Mason writes, “The horse pasture 

in Greengate Farm in Duxbury, Mass., 

once held a part Morgan horse and a pony. 

Now it is occupied by five goats and two 

kids a few days old. They belong to 

Plimoth Plantation’s rare breed program. 

For security purposes, they are living with 

me and my daughter until the anxiety over 

foot-and-mouth disease subsides. They 

originally came from an island off New 

Zealand. International visitors to the Plantation 

had to have their shoes sterilized to 

help prevent the spread of the disease.” 

43 Robert MacCrate, American Bar 

Association president 1987-88, has been 

named the 2001 recipient of the ABA 

Medal, the ABA’s highest award. The ABA 

Medal is awarded to those individuals who 

have given notable service to the cause of 

American jurisprudence. MacCrate was 

presented with this award in August 2001 

at a House of Delegates ceremony during 

the ABA annual meeting in Chicago. One 

of his greatest legacies to the ABA is the 

1992 report issued by the Task Force on 

Law Schools and the Profession, which he 

chaired from 1989-92. This report included 

a strong endorsement of practice-skills 

training during and after law school. 

MacCrate is senior counsel at Sullivan & 

Cromwell, where he concentrates on litigation, 

international, and business and 

commercial matters. He is also a past 

president of the New York State Bar 

Association. He is a graduate of Harvard 

Law School. 

49 For news of Robert Harper, see 

note on Abigail Harper Kingsbury ’90. 

50 Joseph Barnes, Jr. writes, “Jackie 

and I continue to enjoy our Santa Barbara 

living. California is a bit low on energy 

right now, but we still have ours (well, most 

of it, anyway). I continue to be active in 

Listening Hearts Ministries in our church. 

Listening Hearts is a spiritual discernment 

concept and format that Ted and Sarah 

Eastman helped launch some years ago. 

Since then, many people have gained new 

understandings and have undertaken new 

ministries; it’s making a real difference in 

their lives and in the lives of others.” 

James Deitz writes, “Lou and I had a 

great 50th wedding anniversary celebration 

in July. Near the cabin in Burntside Lake 

in northern Minnesota (on the edge of the 

canal country) where we have vacationed 

each year since 1960, our four children and 

their families came for at least a week each. 

Each family hosted all 19 of us each 

evening for supper. Cousins splashed happily. 

Reminiscences flowed freely. Our 

son-in-law (rightly) described the week as 

‘magical.’ We’re grateful for all these good 

things and a match begun during my last 

year at Haverford.” 

For news of Lee Harper, see note on 

Abigail Harper Kingsbury ’90. 

52 Roger Jones writes, “I sold my distribution 

business at the end of 2000 and 

am now engaged in full-time consulting to 

the chemicals and plastics industry. I am 

also writing a book on management for 

CRC Press, where I am a consulting 

editor.” 

For news of Richard Wilson, see note 

on Abigail Harper Kingsbury ’90. 

53 C. A. Wayne Hurtubise writes, 

“Retired from medicine in December 1998. 

Enjoying retirement. Moved to Quadrangle 

Marriot Retirement Community. Winters 

in Florida (Clearwater Beach) and keep 

playing golf and tennis regularly.” 

54 James Crawford writes, “Having 

become senior counsel to my law firm, my 

wife Judith – retired from the U.S. Attorney’s 

office – and I are spending several 

months a year in our flat a couple of blocks 

from London’s Tate Modern.” 

Charles Fry writes, “Retired from University 

of Virginia psychology department 

two years ago. Am still getting used to not 

teaching and miss my old student day-today 

contact. I keep busy with several projects 

concerning Virginia history. Am 

having continued health problems with my 

hips and legs. Doing okay, though.” 

55 Nathaniel Merrill writes, “I have 

now completely retired. I spend my time 

traveling, skiing, sailing, and taking care of 

granddaughters.” 

56 For news of Harold Friedman, see 

note on Elizabeth Friedman Leblanc ’88 

in BIRTHS. 

58 David Ellis, president of Boston’s 

Museum of Science, spoke at Northeastern 

University’s fall 2001 commencement 

exercises on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. Ellis 

received a Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT in 

1962 and then joined the faculty at the 

University of New Hampshire as a professor 

of chemistry. In 1978, he was appointed 

president of Lafayette College and served on 

the board of the National Association of 

Independent Colleges and Universities from 

1986-90. He also helped the founding of 

Elderhostel, the nation’s first and the 

WINTER 2002 

37

world’s largest educational and travel organization 

for adults 55 and over, and has 

served on its board for 13 years, six as chair. 

He now serves on the board of directors of 

the Association of Science-Technology 

Centers and on National Science Foundation 

advisory committees. 

59 Robert Colburn writes, “I was just 

elected second vice president of the National 

Baseball Coaches Association (BCA) and 

will move up to the position of president of 

BCA in 2004. I was also appointed chair of 

the science department at St. Andrew’s 

School in Middletown, Del., where I am 

starting my forty-second year.” 

61 Alan Armstrong writes, “The American 

Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, is 

about to publish Forget Not Mee & My Garden…: 

Selected Letters 1725-1768 or Peter 

Collinson, F.R.S. Collinson was a London 

Quaker merchant and gardener, a friend of 

John Bartram and Benjamin Franklin. He 

introduced a number of American plants 

into cultivation in England. Two of the letters 

in Forget Not Mee…are from Haverford’s 

archives. Librarian Emeritus Edwin 

Bronner, along with the late Professor 

Ralph Sargent, Miriam Jones Brown, and 

Librarian Michael Friedman, helped the 

project along. I edited the letters and supplied 

the Introduction. This semester I’m 

researching and teaching ‘The Great 

Exchange’ at Hollins University, Roanoke, 

Va. – the exchange of scientific materials, 

mainly plants, between Virginia and England, 

1550-1800. Martha and I sometimes 

see Browny Speer ’60. We’re regular customers 

of Eliot Fernander’s Iron Kettle 

book project. Regards, Rodeo, published last 

year, has gone into second printing. I wrote 

the story; Martha did the illustrations.” 

Chris Kimmich, president of Brooklyn 

College, and Douglas Bennett ’68, president 

of Wesleyan University, were both 

mentioned in an article from The New York 

Times on June 10, 2001, titled “The Moral 

Compass on Campus: Taking a Stand 

Often Means Having to Say You’re Sorry.” 

62 Donald Adams writes, “My wife Jo 

and I continue to live in the N.C. Triangle. 

We are expecting our 11th grandchild in 

May 2002, in time for our 40th reunion. 

We teach PAIRS, an intensive experimental 

skills training program for relationships. I 

continue my clinical practice of child and 

family psychology. My professional life is 

devoted to teaching how to replace defensiveness, 

attack, and abandonment with 

open communication, cooperation, and 

loving involvement.” 

Jim Dahlberg writes, “I am still teaching 

and doing molecular biology research at 

the University of Wisconsin-Madison; I 

also consult for a biotech company that I 

co-founded here, Third Wave Technologies, 

Inc. Lina ’01 is on a Fulbright Fellowship 

in Aarhus, Denmark, studying structural 

biology; in the fall of ’02 she will start 

graduate school at U. Washington in Seattle 

studying (what else?) biochemistry.” 

Steve Lippard is pictured in an article 

from the June 11, 2001, issue of Chemical 

and Engineering News titled “Methane 

Monooxygenase: Bioorganic Chemists Zero 

in on Di-iron Core of Enzyme to Understand 

Selective Chemistry.” The article 

features the work of Lippard’s lab group at 

MIT. Chemical and Engineering News is the 

weekly industry/academic chemistry publication 

of the American Chemical Society. 

63 Terry Belanger graduated with a 

doctorate in 18th-century literature and 

soon became a teacher at Columbia Library 

School. In 1983, he founded the Rare Book 

School at Columbia University, but when 

the Columbia Library School closed in 

1992, he moved the Rare Book School to 

the University of Virginia. An article on the 

school appeared in the Saturday, Aug. 11, 

2001, issue of The Washington Post. 

64 John Aird writes, “My daughter 

Sarah, a Bryn Mawr graduate, was recently 

appointed executive director of NISGUA, a 

nonprofit human rights and justice organization 

working with progressives in 

Guatemala pushing for reform. Given that 

she spent about one and one half years out 

of her college career living on the Haverford 

campus, I attribute this social conscience 

leadership all to Haverford. Good job!” 

With the latest printing of 150,000 

copies of the 5th edition of Contemporary 

Diagnosis and Management of the Patient 

with Epilepsy by Ilo Leppik, the total 

number of copies of all five editions has 

reached half a million. 

J. Bruce Ruppenthal writes, “Currently 

Chief of Staff, Moses Taylor Hospital in 

Scranton, Pa., and actively practice internal 

medicine. Anticipating first grandchild in 

March 2002.” 

Richard Wertime writes, “My son, 

James ’62 and Caroline ’01 Dahlberg at 

Caroline’s graduation. 

David, graduated from Yale this past May, 

magna cum laude and with distinction in 

English and is now teaching English in 

southern China in the Peace Corps. My 

son, Geoffrey, is a junior at Friends Central 

School and is now applying to college. My 

son, Kent ’86, is a CEO in Bangkok working 

to finish his first book.” 

65 C. M. Kinloch Nelson writes, “I 

retired four years ago. Three children and 

one grandchild have filled our time. Kinloch 

is in NYC at Cornell in a urology residency. 

Robert is the chef de cuisine at the 

Boarding House on Nantucket, and Alice 

started medical school at the Medical 

School of Va.” 

Robert Simmons, Republican representative 

of Groton and New London, R.I., 

and former Army intelligence officer, 

appeared in the Oct. 7, 2001, Providence 

Sunday Journal. Simmons argues that the 

U.S. should use captured terrorists as spies 

for our country, a kind of recruitment 

which was banned in 1995. He also says 

that the CIA is in need of more spies and a 

better way to filter and analyze all of the 

information it is receiving. 

66 An article by Roy Gutman and Rod 

Nordland on Milosevic’s trip to The Hague 

was published in the July 9, 2001 issue of 

Newsweek. Both men covered the 10 years 

of Milosevic’s rule from its beginning. Gutman 

has reported for Newsweek from 

Yugoslavia and other points in Europe and 

Asia for over 30 years. 

38 


Mike McKeehan writes, “I was reelected 

to the Cheney, Washington, City Council 

on Nov. 6, 2001, with 100 percent of 

the vote. Don’t tell anyone I was running 

unopposed.” 

John Meeks writes, “I am beginning 

work as a science teacher in the Rudolf 

Steiner School, Winterthur.” For more 

news of John, see BIRTHS. 

Anthony Rosner writes, “As Director of 

Research and Education of the Foundation 

for Chiropractic Education and Research, I 

have testified before the Veterans Administration 

to educated the inclusion of chiropractic 

services for veterans under VA 

healthcare. Also commissioned clinical 

research center of Duke University to 

produce an evidence report on the different 

physical and behavioral options available for 

treating headaches.” 

67 Kenneth Bernstein is co-author 

(along with Dr. Iris C. Rotberg and 

Suzanne B. Ritter) for a new monograph, 

No Child Left Behind: Views About the 

Potential Impact of the Bush Administration’s 

Education Proposals. Published by the Center 

for Curriculum, Standards, and Technology 

Institute for Education Policy Studies 

at George Washington University, it 

“examines the implications of the Bush 

Administration’s education proposals based 

on interviews conducted with leading policymakers, 

educators, and researchers.” 

Bernstein is now teaching 7th grade American 

Studies at Williamsburg Middle School 

in Arlington, Va., after six years in the 

Prince George’s County, Md., public 

schools. Having completed his comprehensive 

examinations, he is now also working 

on a dissertation for a doctorate in educational 

administration and policy studies at 

the Catholic University of America. 

Paul Breslin has brought out two books 

recently: You Are Here (poems; Northwestern 

University Press/TriQuarterly Books, 

2000) and Nobody’s Nation: Reading Derek 

Walcott (University of Chicago Press, 

2001). He was promoted to full professor at 

Northwestern in the spring of 2000. Breslin 

won an Illinois Arts Council Prize in 2000 

for a poem, “To the One Who Concedes 

Nothing,” and two George Kent Prizes 

from Poetry magazine: in 1997, for a poem, 

“The Return,” then again in 2001 for a 

review essay, “Tracking Tiepolo’s Hound.” 

In April 2000, he appeared on a panel at 

the Library of Congress with poet Robert 

Pinsky and historian Kenneth Cmiel, as 

part of a two-day symposium and series of 

readings to present the Favorite Poem Project. 

Jeanne (BMC ’68) continues to work 

as a computer consultant to architects and 

other design professionals. Megan ’95 is 

living on the Upper West Side in Manhattan 

and has been e-mailing long, searching 

reflections on the events of Sept. 11 and 

their consequences. 

Daniel Serwer writes, “I’ve been deeply 

engaged in Balkans peacemaking, especially 

in Kosovo and Macedonia, and have testified 

over the summer in both the House 

and the Senate on Balkans stability.” 

68 For news of Douglas Bennett, see 

note on Chris Kimmich ’61. 

Timothy Loose writes, “I’ve finished 

my 30th year at Westtown School teaching 

biology and photography and am still 

coaching wrestling. I enjoy being able to 

direct our students to look at Haverford for 

their future education. Westtown enjoys a 

wonderful connection with Haverford. 

There are currently seven Haverfordians on 

the faculty at Westtown.” 

69 H. Denning Mason writes, “I’ve 

just completed my 29th year as a teenage 

league (ages 13-15) baseball coach, and I’m 

still running road races (but only 5K and 

10K distances and usually in the also-ran 

category) while maintaining my law practice 

in Bellefonte, Pa. One of the boys from 

our league (Eric Milton) is now pitching for 

the Minnesota Twins, and my wife Frannie 

and I have traveled to Minneapolis and 

Seattle, among other cities, to see him play. 

Otherwise, life continues routinely with our 

eight dogs (five greyhounds, two black labs, 

and a bulldog) and frequent visits from our 

former players.” 

For news of Richard Olver, see 

BIRTHS. 

Reverend Stephen Washburn writes, 

“On July 31, 2001, I completed an interim 

ministry at the Berkley (Mass.) Congregational 

Church. On Aug. 1, 2001, I began 

an interim ministry at the Pilgrim United 

Church of Christ in New Bedford, Mass.” 

70 David Cross writes, “After 18 years, 

I continue to work at REZEC (formerly 

RPM Systems) evaluating utility programs 

for low-income customers, designing software 

to support corporate environment 

health and safety functions, and helping 

companies manage greenhouse gas emissions 

and sustainability efforts. Nancy continues 

in private practice helping youngsters 

and their parents. My son Aaron, now a 

high school sophomore, busy with drama 

and music activities which along with soccer 

also fill my daughter Hannah’s plate along 

with middle school. We continue to supply 

music educators and therapists with inexpensive 

lap dulcimers, the easiest stringed 

instrument to play and a sweet one, too.” 

71 Jon Delano has been named the 

money and politics editor for KDKA-TV, 

the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh, reporting 

and analyzing political and economic issues 

in Pennsylvania. He will continue to teach 

courses on public policy, campaign finance, 

media, and the Congress to graduate students 

at Carnegie Mellon University’s H. 

John Heinz School of Public Policy & 

Management and to write his weekly newspaper 

column, “Government Busters,” for 

the Pittsburgh Business Times (www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh). 

He also continues his 

role as the political analyst for WQED-TV, 

the PBS affiliate in Pittsburgh, and maintains 

a website at www.jondelano.com. Jon 

writes, “Our lives are somewhat overwhelming 

these days, especially as Jane and I try to 

groom our young children, Katie, 8, and 

Ben, 6, for the Haverford classes of ’16 and 

’18.” 

Mark Shaw writes, “I won the national 

mixed pairs (bridge) with my wife Barbara 

in the A.C.B.L. Kansas City Nationals, 

March 2001.” 

72 David Sloane writes, “I was elected 

to the board of directors of Life Insurance 

Council of New York in May 2001. I am 

currently senior vice president and chief 

administrative officer of the two N.Y. life 

companies owned by GE Financial 

Assurance.” 

76 Thomas Gerlach, Jr. writes, “I was 

very pleased to see some of our classmates 

during the short time I was at the reunion. 

The College still seems to me to be a very 

special place. Certainly the opportunities we 

had to get to know people like Rusty King 

made the bench dedication particularly 

memorable.” 

Moving? Keep us updated! Send your address changes to: 

devrec@haverford.edu 

WINTER 2002 

39

Jeremy (3) and Gabriel (5 ) Hollings (father Paul Hollings ’80) with a 559.4 pound pumpkin. 

Haverford and Bryn Mawr alums attended the wedding of Jonathan LeBreton ’79 and Sarah Willie ’86 

in Cambridge, Mass., on June 9, 2001. From the top and left, they are Rebecca Donham ’86, Graham 

Koblenzer ’85, Suzanne Mazurczyk ’86, Kate Irvine ’86, Chris Hess ’86, Katherine Kaplan ’86, Susan 

(Harris) Curtin (BMC ’60), Greg Kannerstein ’63, Sarah Willie ’86, Jonathan LeBreton ’79, David 

Kluchman ’86, Charles Willie Hon. ’00, John Berman ’86, and Karen Aschaffenberg (BMC ’86). 

help keep alive the Silicon Valley start-up 

that I joined last year. It is really tough to 

find funds in today’s economic climate, and 

we are forced to bootstrap the company 

now. Our product was just announced five 

weeks ago, but recent events have overshadowed 

that. I fear it will be even tougher 

going the next few months. I’ve done some 

job searching, but there is not much available, 

and I don’t expect it will get better for 

a while. I was in Manhattan three and a half 

weeks ago for a wedding. I was to return to 

San Francisco on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, 

but with the attack on the World Trade 

Center, all flights were cancelled, and I 

wasn’t able to return until Sunday, Sept. 

16. Being in Manhattan on Tuesday 

through Thursday was quite striking. At the 

height of the work day, on a beautiful clear 

day, there was hardly a car to be seen on 

any of the major avenues, except the occasional 

emergency vehicle or taxi. Most of 

the offices, stores and cafes were shuttered. 

All of the Broadway theatres, N.Y.C. museums, 

and most public buildings were closed 

as well. There were a few people strolling 

the avenues and some sitting in the park, 

but a somber mood was everywhere. On 

Saturday, I was able to walk through Greenwich 

Village and see the many candles and 

poster memorials everywhere. It was overwhelming. 

I’m now safely returned to my 

home in Sunnyvale, Calif., but still much 

affected. Best wishes to everyone throughout 

the world.” 

J. Gregory Whitehead writes, “I continue 

to write plays and features for BBC 

Radio 4 and for television, as well as various 

sound and video art projects, including one 

for the recent BITSREAMS show at the 

Whitney Museum. We now live in Lenox, 

Mass., next door to Shakespeare & Co., 

where my two daughters (ages 7 and 5) are 

fast becoming stage rats.” 

Matthew Zipin writes, “I’m currently 

coaching varsity boys soccer at Germantown 

Friends School as well as teaching 

math and computer science. My two 

daughters, ages 14 and 12, are surpassing 

my soccer skills rapidly but, in a mixed 

blessing, lag behind me in basketball. 

Thankfully, they, along with my wife of 18 

years, laugh at my funny stories. Life is 

good.” 

78 Steven Greenbaum writes, “My 

dermatologic surgery practice is keeping me 

busy. I enjoy working in Philadelphia and 

living close to Haverford. Our children 

Gillian, 16, Jeremy, 13, and Joshua, 11, are 

keeping active. We had a wonderful rendezvous 

with Phil and Marta Zipin in 

Costa Rica during spring break.” 

Scott McGregor writes, “This has been 

an eventful year for me. I’ve been trying to 

79 Jordan Kerber writes, “I was recently 

appointed curator of collections at the 

Longyear Museum of Anthropology at 

Colgate University, where I am currently 

associate professor of anthropology.” 

40 


Jonathan LeBreton and Sarah Willie 

’86 were married in Cambridge, Mass., on 

June 9, 2001. 

For news of Carlos Rodriguez-Vidal, 

see note on Deborah Lafer Scher ’80. 

80 Davis Dure writes, “We have moved 

from Hoboken to Verona, N.J., where Lucy 

Ann is now rector of the Episcopal Church 

of the Holy Spirit. I continue to work for 

SYSTRA Engineering in Manhattan doing 

rail transit operations planning and capacity 

analysis.” 

Paul Hollings writes, “We grew a 559.4 

pound pumpkin in our backyard in Medford, 

Mass. The pumpkin was transported 

to the Topsfield Fair, where it placed 41st 

out of 78 entries in the annual New England 

giant pumpkin contest.” 

David Johnson has received a promotion 

to lead a database service. His nephew, 

Andrew, is attending Pacific Lutheran 

University. 

Brian Koukoutchos and Dianna Eberly 

Koukoutchos (BMC ’81) are loving living 

in New Orleans and have already joined 

three Mardi Gras parade “krewes.” In addition 

to his regular solo law practice, Brian is 

now a member of a Washington, D.C., law 

firm, Cooper & Kirk – half a continent 

really doesn’t matter in cyberspace. Brian 

will once again be commuting to Haverford 

in the spring semester of 2002 to teach constitutional 

law, as he has done since 1996. 

Deborah Lafer Scher writes, “After 

working nonstop since business school in 

corporate development and venture capital, 

I’ve recently taken time off to build a new 

house and spend time with my three children. 

I’m also enjoying my time on the 

Haverford Board. It is a special treat to 

come back to campus and spend time with 

old friends Ted Love ’81 and Carlos 

Rodriguez-Vidal ’79. 

For news of Edward Leeds, see 

BIRTHS. 

W. Davis Morris III (formerly David 

White) has been admitted to the Bar of the 

U.S. Tax Court and has accepted partnership 

in a Washington, D.C., area law firm. 

Tom Munk is an active member of the 

Chapel Hill Friends meeting and clerk of 

the meeting’s ad hoc committee for a 

peaceful response to terrorism. 

David Thornburgh is playing lead 

guitar in a band called Reckless Amateurs. 



81 Bennett Jay Berson made partner of 

the law firm Quarks & Brady LLP in 

October 2001. 

Stephen Goldstein writes, “I continue as 

a N.Y. state workers’ comp judge, now in 

Harlem. In our office, regular attorneys and 

doctors include two Mawrters and the father 

of one. Yankee fans unfortunately greatly 

outnumber Met fans such as I. My 5K times 

gradually slow, most recently 27:44 – due to 

age and weight. The events of Sept. 11 

found me on 125th Street; with subways 

shut and buses packed, I walked through 

Harlem and Washington Heights to the 

George Washington Bridge, where I waited 

two hours as the bridge was cleared as a 

potential terror target, and jumped onto the 

back of a crowded van to get home. Too 

many co-workers, friends, and ’Fords have 

been touched by this tragedy. Work continues 

busily, as so many Trade Center victims 

were working as the terror incidents 

occurred and thus fall within the scope of 

worker’s compensation.” 

For news of Stephen Greenspan, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Ted Love, see note on 

Deborah Lafer Scher ’80. 

Robert Neuwirth writes, “I’m sitting in 

Rocinha, a squatter community in Rio de 

Janeiro, where I am starting the research for 

a book of reportage on illegal self-built communities 

around the world. I’ll be on the 

road for most of the next two years, aided in 

part by a research and writing grant from the 

MacArthur Foundation. If any of my old 

friends want to say hello, feel free to give a 

shout at squattercity@yahoo.com.” 

82 Eric Blank writes, “I’m still living 

and working in Boulder, Colo. We have two 

children, Jahl, four-and-a-half, and Alana, 

one-and-a-half. I recently co-founded a new 

renewable energy development and marketing 

company called Community Energy.” 

Daniel Katz writes, “After three years in 

Germany, I have moved to Sweden, where I 

am serving as rabbi of the Jewish Community 

of Gothenburg. I am slowly settling in 

here and starting to learn Swedish, which 

fortunately is closely related to both German 

and English. With a population of about 

450,000, Gothenburg is just a little smaller 

than Frankfurt. It is the second largest city in 

Sweden, after Stockholm. It is not much 

colder here in winter than in Hamburg or 

Kiel, just darker. The Jewish Community is 

an Einheitsgemeinde (Unity Community) 

with about 1,800 members. We have a 

beautiful synagogue with two balconies, 

built in 1855, and also a small orthodox 

minyan. The services are quite traditional, 

but not completely. Women may come to 

the bima to read the haftara with their 

brakhot but do not receive the maftir aliyah. 

We have just started a trial period for a 

peculiar mixed seating arrangement: men 

and woman may sit together on one side of 

the synagogue, but remain separated on the 

other side. This procedure has been successful 

in Stockholm. Although the synagogue 

was built with a small Danish organ, we do 

not normally use it. There have been a couple 

of exceptions: I played it as a grogger on 

Purim and at the end of April we used it for 

a concert-service. The program, in which I 

was joined by four singers from the 

Gothenburg Opera, included music by 

Lewandowski, Abraham Baer (cantor in 

Gothenburg form 1857 to 1894), Schubert, 

and myself. I have also been able to stay 

active as a musicologist. I have given lectures 

on “The Eighth Way in the ‘Ma’ase 

Efod’ of Profiat Duran (1403): A Catalonian 

Grammarian’s Remarks on Biblical Cantillation” 

and “Aural Histories of the Holocaust: 

Jewish Identity in Contemporary 

Western Art Music.” I am just about to finish 

writing an article called “When Kol 

nidrei is not Kol nidrei: Synagogue Reform 

in Aarhus, Denmark (1825).” Last month I 

was in New York for the annual convention 

of the Cantors Assembly, the cantorial organization 

of the Conservative Movement. 

One of their concerts included a piece of 

mine, a women’s trio with a text (in 

English) adapted from a medieval rabbinical 

commentary on Proverbs 31:10. “My Shining 

Sons” is about the death of the two sons 

of Rabbi Meir and his famous and learned 

wife, Bruria, who lived in the second century. 

In July 2001, I returned to Germany for 

a couple of weeks to teach at the Third 

Interreligious Summer University at the 

Lutheran Seminary at Loccum (Hanover). 

The week-long program brings together 

Jews, Christians, and Muslims to study 

subjects of interest to all three religions. In 

1999, I lectured on “Truth in the Torah 

and the Talmud” at the Second Interreligious 

Summer University. The general 

theme this year was “What Makes People 

Whole and Well?” My main contribution 

discussed Moses in Jewish Thought. I also 

joined a workshop on prayer and healing, 

lectured on the Holocaust in music, and 

conducted Shabbat services.” 

WINTER 2002 

41

83 For news of Daniel Harper, see note 

on Abigail Harper Kingsbury ’90. 

84 For news of Alex Anthopoulos, see 

BIRTHS. 

John Bracker writes, “I’m enjoying life 

at the Watkinson School in Hartford with 

my wife and two children. Please drop by if 

you are in the area.” 

Elena Knickman writes, “We’re moving 

back to Philly. My husband Doug Kortze is 

joining the physics department at St. 

Joseph’s University. I’m actually ambivalent 

about leaving Fargo. Doug and I are closing 

up shop on our folk program on North 

Dakota Public Radio, which we’ve hosted 

for eight years. I’ll miss Sundays and crosscountry 

skiing in city parks. But Jo (6) and 

Ben (4) are looking forward to being closer 

to relatives and to their buddy Sarah, 

daughter of Ed and Kate Nealley. And of 

course, we’ll console ourselves with 

dancing.” 

Howard Kaufman has received a 

promotion to associate professor of surgery 

at Johns Hopkins, a joint appointment in 

gynecology and obstetrics. 

Robert Riesenbach writes, “Happily 

living in Cherry Hill, N.J., with my wife 

Elisa, two-year-old son Benjamin, and dog 

Daisy (can’t forget the dog!). I am working 

in new product development for First USA 

with responsibility for emerging technologies.” 

For news of William Walsh, see 

BIRTHS. 

85 For news of Donna Kriebel 

Hamilton, see BIRTHS. 

Elizabeth Rohr writes, “I’m still enjoying 

work at Vanguard (new product development) 

and finding time to play the violin 

in a local orchestra. Recently, Kathy 

Palmer, Kathy Oberhelman Parker, Pnina 

Berkowitz Siegler, and their families 

got together with us for a mini-reunion – 

what fun!” For more news of Elizabeth, see 

BIRTHS. 

Adam Schwarz writes, “I have moved 

back to Arizona, joining the faculty of the 

Phoenix Children’s Hospital where I am an 

associate director of pediatric critical care 

and director of the critical care division’s 

education program. My daughter Samantha 

(4) and son Addison (2) and my wife Elaine 

and I all enjoy our new home in Scottsdale 

and the Arizona sunshine, warmth, and 

lifestyle. Good to be home.” 

86 For news of Hank Donnelly, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Elizabeth Durso, see 

BIRTHS. 

Patricia McMillan is teaching in an 

inner city public New Jersey school and 

loves her current tennis coach. 

Virginia Adams O’Connell writes, “I 

finished my Ph.D. in sociology at the University 

of Pennsylvania this past August, 

and I’ve begun a three-year appointment in 

the sociology/anthropology department at 

Swarthmore College, joining Professor 

Sarah Willie. My daughter is now 9, and 

my son is 7.” 

An article by Michael Paulson, titled 

“Catholic Colleges Face Doctrine Requirement,” 

appeared on the front page of The 

Boston Globe on June 16, 2001. 

Linda Levis Volkovitsch writes, “We 

moved to Columbus, Ohio, this summer 

and love it here. Michael’s school is wonderful, 

and it is great to be close to my parents. 

We are very pleased with our rental 

and are excited about starting house hunting 

in the spring.” 

For news of Kent Wertime, see note on 

Richard Wertime ’64. 

For news of Sarah Willie, see note on 

Jonathan LeBreton ’79. 

Chris Yung writes, “I was glad to see 

many fellow ’Fords at the 15th reunion. 

Along with Ben Jesup, Hank Donnelly, 

Ross Fitzgerald, Dave Greenberg, 

Charles Pruitt, and Rich Engler ’87, I got 

in a few rounds of Frisbee golf, despite the 

absence of some of the holes that we used 

back in 1986, 1991, and 1996. I continue 

to work for the Center for Naval Analyses 

but am now working with a Marine Corps 

staff instead of a Navy staff. My new position 

is with the United States Marine Corps 

Forces, Atlantic, located in Norfolk, Va., as 

a defense and operations analyst. Drop by if 

you’re ever in Virginia Beach.” For more 

news of Chris, see BIRTHS. 

87 Sara Baker writes, “I’m glad to still 

be scraping out a living as a studio potter 

while my husband renovates his furnituremaking 

workshop. Our daughter, Maia, age 

4, just started at a Friends pre-school in our 

area, and we all love it, even my son Jem, 

21 months, who wishes he could also 

attend. We, along with 11 other artists, just 

opened a cooperative art gallery called 

Artspace in Bloomsburg, Pa. Stop by 

sometime.” 

For news of Rob Cope, see note on Lela 

Betts ’90. 

For news of Rich Engler, see note on 

Chris Yung ’86. 

Dr. Brandt Feuerstein has joined Surgical 

Associates as an associate specializing in 

general, vascular, and laparoscopic surgery. 

He earned his M.D. from Jefferson Medical 

College in 1996 and completed his surgical 

residency at Thomas Jefferson affiliate 

Lankenau Hospital in Philadelphia. 

For news of Jennie Palches Grant, see 

note on Catherine Cornwall ’88. 

Annelise Martin writes, “Our family 

resides in Jamaica Plain, Mass., where Terri 

is a physical therapist. I am presently on 

maternity leave from my position of engineering 

operations director at Genuity.” For 

more news of Annelise, see BIRTHS. 

For news of Julia Thompson, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Ray Wierciszewski, see 

note on Elizabeth Durso ’86 in BIRTHS. 

88 For news of Christopher Berner 

and Patricia Hametz, see BIRTHS. 

Marc Bernstein writes, “In January, I 

left my academic position at the Washington 

University School of Medicine and 

joined a private practice here in St. Louis. I 

enjoy my new practice but still enjoy teaching 

gastroenterology and liver physiology to 

the first-year medical students. My wife 

Holly and two-year-old daughter Megan are 

both well. If ever in the St. Louis area, 

please give us a call.” 

David Blume writes, “I live in Scarsdale, 

N.Y., with my wife Nancy and two delicious 

daughters, Rachel Elizabeth (4) and 

Gabrielle Brooke (18 months). I have working 

at Lehman Brothers for the past two 

years. I recently had the pleasure to stay 

with John Yeh and his wife Meredith in 

their new house in San Francisco, who were 

kind enough to put me up during the 

World Trade Center attack while I waited 

for a flight back to New York. I’m doing a 

lot of biking these days and spending as 

much time as I can with my family. We see 

Betsy ’90 and Ed Zimmerman ’89 and 

their children, Becca and Benjamin, regularly. 

I also see Jeff Mudrick around the 

office.” 

Send your class news by e-mail to 


Deadline for submissions for summer issue: 

May 20. 

42 


Catherine Cornwall writes, “My husband 

Jim and I see Tamis Mordling and 

her husband David frequently. My daughter 

Harper has become best buddies with 

their son Evan. It’s hard to believe they are 

both two years old! With the addition of 

Jennie Palches Grant ’87’s son Spenser, we 

have quite the Haverford playground out 

here in Seattle.” 

For news of Brian Egan, see BIRTHS. 

For news of Mary Buffington Jenkins, 

see BIRTHS. 

Moses Hess and Modern Jewish Identity, a 

book by Kenneth Koltun-Fromm, assistant 

professor of religion at Haverford 

College, was published by Indiana University 

Press on July 30, 2001. 

For news of Elizabeth Friedman 

Leblanc, see BIRTHS. 

For news of Julie Shanler Leopold, see 

BIRTHS. 

Eben Rosenthal lives in Birmingham, 

Ala., with his wife, Mary Hawn, their threeyear-old 

daughter, and their one-year-old 

son, and loves it there. 

For news of Donna Rothman, see note 

on Marlene Schwartz in BIRTHS. 

For news of Marlene Schwartz, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Richard Smith, see note on 

Kevin Smith ’89. 

Jenny Sorel writes, “I am about to 

become a homeowner! I’m buying a cute 

row house on a pretty, tree-lined street in a 

neighborhood called Oakenshawe in Baltimore. 

There will be plenty of room—if not 

beds—for visitors.” 

For news of Loren Thompson, see 

BIRTHS. 

David Wong writes, “Life is great out 

here in San Francisco, especially now that 

the dot-com invasion has subsided and 

things are a little more peaceful. Last July, I 

married Emily Gordon (BMC ’91) who 

was literally the ‘girl next door’ when we 

were both growing up across the bay in 

Berkeley, but whom I knew as the cute 

BMC freshman in Art History 101. Emily 

teaches 2nd Grade in Mill Valley (Marin 

County), and I continue to trek down to 

Silicon Valley to work for Microsoft’s 

WebTV division as a data warehouse developer. 

It’s been great having so many of my 

’88 classmates out here in the Bay Area. 

Emily and I see fellow SF-dwellers Jay 

Stokes, Stu Brown, and Jim Markham 

quite a bit, and I get to see/take money 

from Ian Oglesby and Kevin Daley whenever 

we Class of ’88 Boys get together to 

play poker. Derek Rosenfield and Jenna 

Schott also live nearby but unfortunately 

90 For news of Bruce Andrews, see 

note on Ron Christie ’91. 

For news of Alleen Barber, see note on 

Mo Turner ’91. 

Lela Betts writes, “My husband Rob 

Cope ’87 and I bought a house! We live 

minutes away from our buddies Ann 

Brown, Melissa Orner (BMC ’87), Lee 

Burnett, Ashley Opalca (BMC ’97), and 

Raquel Walton (BMC ’87). I’m working as 

the reading specialist at Greene Street 

Friends School in the Germantown section 

of Philadelphia.” 

For news of Lee Burnett, see note on 

Mo Turner ’91. 

Mary Ann Cappiello writes, “I was 

married on Aug. 18, 2001, at Vassar College 

to Timothy Horrath. We honeymooned 

in Italy. I’m looking for a publisher 

for my historical novel and commenced 

writing my dissertation at Teachers College, 

Columbia University, in fall 2001. I 

became the proud godmother of William 

Daniel Valentine, son of Glen ’89 and Teri 

Williams Valentine in January 2001.” 

Robert Flynn returns to Yale University 

Press as editor, acquiring in religion, law, 

and philosophy. He most recently worked 

for Columbia University Press and, before 

that, served as associate editor at Yale. Flynn 

has also worked in the marketing and sales 

departments at Yale University Press. He 

received an M.A. in religion from Yale 

University. 

Abigail (Harper) Kingsbury writes, “I 

just got married! James Baron Kingsbury 

and I were married on Oct. 6, 2001. Several 

’Fords came: Jackie Rabb ’91, Janet Slothe 

only communication I’ve had with 

Derek recently is through e-mail! Jim keeps 

hinting about an ‘Accident Face’ reunion 

tour which may persuade Derek and Paul 

Underhill (who lives up north) to come out 

of hiding this summer! So in spite of the 

Bay Area’s absurd gas, housing, and electric 

bills, and other costs of living, the SF Bay 

Area is well-represented by the Class of ’88! 

It must be the weather!” 

89 Kathleen Bowes Balestracci writes, 

“In the few hours I was not taking care of 

my two sons, I managed to complete a doctorate 

and graduated from Yale with a 

Ph.D. in epidemiology and public health in 

May 2001. I plan to pursue a career in 

research in the area of children’s health and 

mental health following a lengthy stint as 

full-time mom to my two amazing little 

guys. My already weak correspondence 

skills did not serve me well during my six 

years of graduate school, and I am anxious 

to reacquaint myself with many Haverfordians 

with whom I have lost touch…write, 

call, or stop by if you are ever in Guilford, 

Conn.!” For more new of Kathleen, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Patrick Bibbins, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Diane Castelbuono, see 

BIRTHS. 

Laurie Stevens Dray writes, “I continue 

to live in Guilford, Conn., with my husband 

Jim and two sons, Gregory, 4, and 

Owen, 1. I have cut back on my practice as 

a clinical psychologist to spend more time 

with my quickly growing children. I live 

around the corner from Katie Bowes 

Balestracci, and our oldest children are in 

preschool together.” 

For news of Sam Falk, see BIRTHS. 

For news of Sharon Fiarman, see 

BIRTHS. 

For news of Jonathan Hager, see 

BIRTHS. 

John Heller writes, “I finished a master’s 

degree in international affairs at 

Columbia over a year ago. Since then, I’ve 

been working with Synergos Institute, a 

nonprofit organization in New York dealing 

with poverty alleviation in the developing 

world. I travel frequently to Thailand, the 

Philippines, and to Indonesia – where I 

recently saw Morgan Hall, who is in the 

U.S. Foreign Service in Jakarta. I’ll be getting 

married in September in Mexico City.” 

Ander and Kathy ’91 Pindzola have 

moved to York, Pa., where Ander is a 

pathologist at York Hospital. Ander writes, 

“Our daughters, Grace and Olivia, are 

enjoying their new house and big yard. I 

have finally finished my training, and 

although Pittsburgh was good to us for the 

past two years, it’s nice to be closer to family 

and friends on the eastern side of Pa.” 

For more news of Ander, see note on Mo 

Turner ’91. 

Kevin Smith writes, “I’m still practicing 

corporate law and recently became a partner 

at my law firm. Catherine and I live in New 

Jersey with our two daughters, Caitlin (HC 

Class of ’17) and Cristina (HC Class of 

’20). I often hang out with my brother 

Rich ’89, his wife Marisa, and their two 

daughters Morgan (HC Class of ’18) and 

Amanda (HC Class of ’21).” 

For news of Glen Valentine, see note on 

Mary Ann Cappiello ’90. 

For news of Ed Zimmerman, see note 

on David Blume ’88. 

WINTER 2002 

43

odien-Glass ’91, and Mieke (Broekman) 

van Laar, as well as my uncle Lee Harper 

’50, brother Daniel Harper ’83, father 

Robert Harper ’49, and Richard Wilson 

’52. Jim is an awesome musician and hospital 

volunteer supervisor. I’m now working 

as a reading specialist at Middlesex Community 


Julia MacRae writes, “I am (still!) at the 

University of Virginia in my plastic and 

reconstructive surgery residency. Charlottesville 

suits me perfectly – such a pretty 

town. My husband has extended his sabbatical 

(from physics research) and is continuing 

to pursue his music career. We’re all 

enjoying his first CD, released in spring 

2001.” 

Jonathan Morgan writes, “I’m finishing 

up my last year of residency in radiology. 

This coming June, I’ll be moving to Boston 

to start a fellowship in neuroradiology at 

Massachusetts General Hospital. I would 

appreciate hearing from any ’Fords living in 

the Boston area.” 

For news of Betsy Zimmerman, see 

note on David Blume ’88. 

91 “Robin Albertson-Wren and 

Jonathan Wren are enjoying life in Charlottesville, 

Va. Come visit us!” For more 

news of Robin and Jonathan, see BIRTHS. 

For news of Ben Barton, see note on 

Indya Kincannon ’93. 

For news of Kevin Buraks, see 

BIRTHS. 

Ron Christie writes, “I’m deeply honored 

to serve as the Deputy Domestic Policy 

Advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney. 

Unlike the T.V. show “The West Wing,” 

our offices are very quiet, people aren’t 

always rushing around, and none of us are 

nearly as witty. The work is challenging, my 

colleagues are extremely smart and dedicated, 

and you can’t help but be overwhelmed 

by the historic surroundings. When I’m not 

otherwise working late, I try to catch up 

with Bruce Andrews ’90. Steve McCarthy 

just graduated from the M.B.A. program at 

the University of Maryland, and he and 

Christina Schnyder (BMC ’91) have an 

adorable son Aidan. My old suitemates are 

doing well; Jeff Ives and his wife (and my 

first cousin) Nicole are happily chasing their 

son around their house in Princeton, and 

Dan Enthoven recently e-mailed from 

Spain, where he and his wife have stopped 

off on their year-long tour around the 

world. Chris Fanger and Andy Clarke 

both looked happy and well at the 

reunion.” 

Wedding of Amy Taylor ’92 to Michael Brooks on June 16, 2001: Top row (l. to r.) Monica Starr, 

Jeremy Edwards ’92, Ann Koger, Peter Taylor ’90, Harold Taylor ’61, Dick Wiseman, Mark Dresden 

’89; middle row (l. to r.) Dom LaCava ’92, Clair Colburn ’91, Jim Taylor ’71, Joe Taylor, Jr. ’63, 

Gordon Krauss ’90, Carl Smith ’90; bottom row (l. to r.) Joy Zarembka ’94, Becca Fenander ’92, Kara 

Daniels ’95, Amy Taylor Brooks ’92, Michael Lee Brooks, Laura Taylor Kinnel ’87, Geoffrey Kinnel ’87, 

Claire Kinnel, Brennan Kinnel. 

For news of Matt Gerber, see note on 

Lisa Morenoff ’93. 

For news of William Gould, see 

BIRTHS. 

Mark Brooks Hedstrom writes, “I just 

moved to Springfield because my wife has a 

teaching position at Wittenberg University. 

She’s teaching early Islam world civilizations 

and archeology.” 

For news of Laura Herndon, see 

BIRTHS. 

Arusha Hollister writes, “I have been 

living in the Boston area for the past year, 

and I am happy not to be living in New 

York anymore. I just started a new job in 

the Boston public schools, helping to 

implement a new elementary school math 

program.” 

For news of Mark Kibel, see BIRTHS. 

Mark Levine came in second place in 

N.Y.C.’s 7th District primary race on 

September 26, 2001. He garnered 21% of 

the votes, while the district’s winner, Robert 

Jackson, clinched the election with 31%. 

For news of Kathy Pindzola, see note 

on Ander Pindzola ’89. 

For news of Jackie Rabb, see note on 

Abigail Harper Kingsbury ’90. 

James Reingold writes, “I married Jill 

Howser (daughter of the late Yankees and 

Royals manager Dick Howser) on July 7, 

2001, in Paradise, Texas. Along with Jill’s 

11-year-old daughter, we make our home in 

the Seattle area and attend local alumni 

functions. I have been an emergency-room 

physician at Seattle Children’s Hospital for 

just over a year and am very happy. I’ve 

enjoyed hosting two externs in the past 

year.” 

Keino Robinson has joined the law firm 

of White and Williams LLP as an associate 

in the Commercial Litigation Department. 

For news of Janet Slobodien-Glass, see 

note on Abigail Harper Kingsbury ’90. 

Beth (McIntyre) Sutherland writes, “I 

have been teaching 5th Grade in Scotch 

Plains, N.J., for four years now. After six 

years at Prudential, it is wonderful to have 

finally found my calling. I can’t believe 

what a joy it is every day to go to work. Just 

over a year ago, I married David Sutherland. 

We are living in Basking Ridge, N.J. 

Dave’s job has required him to be very 

involved in the recent attack on the World 

Trade Center. Our hearts go out to everyone 

in the Haverford community who has 

lost friends and family. We had a great time 

at the 10th reunion catching up with Jennifer 

Meltzer and Jennifer Blue, along 

with many other classmates. If anyone is in 

the N.J. area and needs a place to stay, 

please let us know…mczabe@att.net.” 

44 


Heather Orman-Lubell writes, “I am 

enjoying life outside of Philly with my husband 

Andy and our son Jordan, 16 months 

old. I continue to practice pediatrics in 

Yardley and am looking forward to seeing 

everyone at our 10th reunion this spring.” 

July 1, 2001, wedding of Tobias Iaconis ’93 and Elizabeth Manios: back row (l. to r.): Young Choi ’92, 

Richard Kain ’93, and James Venezia ’92; front row (l. to r.): Elizabeth Manios and Tobias Iaconis 

’93. 

Mo Turner writes, “Sean Glennon and 

I were married in June 2001 in Amherst, 

Mass. Kathy (Maurer) Pindzola, Alleen 

Barber ’90, and Lee Burnett ’90 were my 

bridal attendants. Ander Pindzola ’89, 

Maureen McDonald, former editor of 

Haverford Alumni Magazine, and Haverford 

parents Carol and Ted Maurer were 

there, too. Kathy and Ander’s three-yearold 

daughter Grace was our very poised and 

adorable flower girl. Sean and I are living 

Northampton, Mass. We look forward to 

traveling to Philadelphia next spring for 

Lee’s wedding to Ashley Opalka (BMC 

’98), where I’ll be in Lee’s wedding party." 

Stacey Rizza Vlahakis writes, “I am 

working in Infectious Diseases at the Mayo 

Clinic, and my husband and I are enjoying 

our four-year-old daughter and one-yearold 

son.” 

For news of Kate Davenport Wisz, see 

BIRTHS. 

R.I., on Aug. 5, 2001. We will continue to 

live on the Jersey Shore where I am an 

instructor/librarian at a community college 

and where Adam is finishing a Ph.D. in 

philosophy at Rutgers University.” 

For news of Daniel Hogenauer, see 

BIRTHS. 

93 Jeremy Arkin writes, “In August of 

2001, I took the position of donor relations 

officer at the Community Foundation for 

Greater Atlanta.” 

Kate Bobrow-Strain writes, “I returned 

to the Bay Area in March 2001, after 

spending a year in Chiapas, Mexico, working 

with indigenous women artisans while 

my husband Aaron carried out fieldwork 

for a Ph.D. in geography. Now I’m back 

working at the Hesperian Foundation.” For 

more news of Kate, see BIRTHS. 

Eric Dinmore is in his third year at 

Princeton University, teaching Japanese history 

in the East Asian studies department. 

Michael Ebright and Deena Forman 

were married on Nov. 3, 2001, in Boston. 

Michael writes, “We are living in Baltimore 

where I am a surgical resident at the University 

of Maryland, and Deena is an 

internist at a local community hospital. 

Among the attendees of our wedding were 

Tom Roberts, Gabriel Dichter, Ben Powell, 

Noah Pines, and Geeta Sharma.” 

Edwin Feeny writes, “All is well in 

Manhattan Beach! The sun shines and the 

beach beckons. I’m still at BizRate.com – 

one of the few dot-coms that hasn’t 

bombed – yet! Boris Chen is doing well – 

92 For news of Mary Beth Cunnane 

and Matt Gardiner, see BIRTHS. 

Laura Haines writes, “I am happy to 

announce that Adam Wager and I married 

each other at Beaver Tail Point, Jamestown, 

(l. to r.) Walter Kaegi ’59 (Fritz’s father), George Parker ’60 (Senior Associate Dean and Director of 

the M.B.A. program at Stanford Graduate School of Business), Yoko Miyata ’95, and Fritz Kaegi ’93. 



WINTER 2002 

45

Rafael Pagan, Jr. ’94 and Graciela Desfassiaux 

(BMC ’93) at their June 20, 1998, wedding. 

I’ve seen him recently. And I just heard 

from a ’Ford who moved to L.A. recently – 

Eva Ingvarson – we’re due to get together 

and have a drink soon. Hope the rest of the 

’Fords are doing well. If you’re in the neighborhood, 

give me a holler - @ thefeendog@yahoo.com. 

Cheers!” 

Jennifer Haytock writes, “I have just 

started a new position as an assistant professor 

of English at the University of Illinois at 

Springfield.” 

For news of Jonathan Huxtable, see 

BIRTHS. 

Tobias Iaconis writes, “In September I 

signed with a literary management company; 

now, for the first time in my seven-year 

screenwriting career, I have formal representation. 

My hope is that this will lead to 

some studio assignment work next 

year…perhaps even a spec script sale. As to 

my day job, The Jim Henson Company has 

been put up for sale by its parent company, 

EM.TV, so employee morale is low as we 

navigate the purgatorial ‘in-between-owners’ 

seas. (But we are grateful to still be 

employed in this current environment!)” 

For news of Fritz Kaegi, see note on 

Yoko Miyata ’95. 

Indya Kincannon writes, “Ben Barton 

’91 and I live in the Volunteer State, where 

Ben is working as a law professor at University 

of Tennessee, and I am taking care of 

Dahlia. Look us up if you’re ever in the 

mood to visit Dollywood!” For more news 

of Indya, see BIRTHS. 

Henrietta Kuehne writes, “I have a new 

job! I finished my post-doc at the Scripps 

Research Institute this past summer, took a 

Wedding of Thomas ’95 and Belinda Dittmar Mulhern. First Row (l. to r.): Stacy Shibao 

Papadopoulos, Mark Papadopoulos ’95, Bryce Lindamood ’94, Roxanna Lopez ’95, Nick Cirignano 

’94, Jim LeVan ’95, Belinda Dittmar Mulhern (bride), Tom Mulhern ’95 (groom), Josh Weinstein ’95, 

Jen Weinstein (BMC ’96), Sonia Montero ’95, Mike Metz ’95. Second Row (l. to r.): David Zinn ’92, 

Lauren Ellis ’95, Dr. Christina Borsari, Dr. Brad Borsari ’95, Amanda VanVleck ’97, Ben Haavik ’95, 

Jeremy Edwards ’92, Russell Coward ’93, Gabe O’Malley ’95, Ben Daley ’95, Dan Greenstone ’93, 

Dr. Duffy Ballard ’94, Angela Walker Ballard ’95. 

glorious month off, and am now working at 

a pharmaceuticals firm here in San Diego. I 

am also teaching part-time at a local college. 

It’s wonderful to have a job out in the real 

world. I can’t believe I waited so long to 

make the switch from academia.” 

Lisa Morenoff writes, “I continue to live 

in Philadelphia, and to teach at the school 

in Rose Valley. This year, I have a remarkable 

group of eight- to 10-year-olds. I am 

enjoying curriculum development, and I 

love hearing the children laugh. I also feel 

honored to have attended more weddings of 

Haverford friends: Matt Gerber ’91 on 

Oct. 14, 2001, and Keisha Jones ’95 on 

Nov. 3, 2001.” 

Chandra Reis writes, “I was married in 

2000 to Jon Reis, and we are living in the 

Albany, N.Y., area where I work as an 

engineer.” 

94 Frank Fritts has obtained a master’s 

in education from Harvard. 

For news of Catherine Mazur Jefferies, 

see BIRTHS. 

Max Kalhammer writes, “Valerie Briggs 

and I have been engaged since July 14, 

2001. The wedding will be in Fairfax, Va., 

on Nov. 24, 2001. We live in Reston, Va., 

and this is my fifth year with the Booz Allen 

Hamilton international transportation consulting 

practice.” 

James Kindt writes, “My wife, Paula 

Gaber, and I have recently moved to the 

Atlanta area, where I am now professor in 

the chemistry department at Emory 

University.” 

Erik Muther and Nicole Lehman ’95 

are engaged. Erik is employed at Accenture, 

formerly Anderson Consulting, in Philadelphia, 

as manager. Nicole is working at the 

University of Pennsylvania Health System 

in Philadelphia as a web specialist. 

Rafael Pagan, Jr. and Graciela Desfassiaux 

(BMC ’93) were married on June 20, 

1998. 

For news of Mark Page, see BIRTHS. 

Teresa Parker writes, “My fiancé and I 

are still in Austin, and I recently met up 

with Chris Parlamis who is also living here 

with her husband. I’m busy planning my 

April 2002 wedding in New Orleans and 

keeping up with Catherine Mazur who 

just had twins—two beautiful girls, Sophia 

and Yelena!!! I’m sad to be missing Erik 

Muther’s October wedding but am sure 

there will be a great photo in the Alumni 

news to follow!” 

Theodore Posselt writes, “Not many 

changes. Still working at Deloitte (just promoted 

to senior manager), still living in San 

Francisco, with my boyfriend Doug (and 

my brother downstairs). Had a wonderful 

time at Lowry McAllen’s wedding. Glad to 

have Kevin McCulloch back in the Bay 

Area.” 

46 


Hunter Tura married Jeannie Kim on 

October 21, 2001. Hunter is a design consultant 

in New York for AMO, the New 

York research arm of the Office for 

Metropolitan Architecture, the Dutch 

architecture firm led by Rem Koolhaas. 

Jeannie is a candidate for a Ph.D. in architecture 

at Princeton. 

For news of Rachel White, see 

BIRTHS. 

Elizabeth Williams is a graduate student 

at Duke University, studying geology. 

95 For news of Megan Breslin, see note 

on Paul Breslin ’67. 

Jessie DesForges is teaching fifth grade 

in the Boston public school system. 

For news of Keisha Jones, see note on 

Lisa Morenoff ’93. 

For news of Nicole Lehman, see note 

on Erik Muther ’94. 

Rebecca Mason writes, “I am the front 

of the house manager of Macrina Bakery 

and Café in Seattle’s Belltown. Please come 

see me and our gorgeous products!” 

Aviva Megibow writes, “After living in 

Los Angeles for three years, my husband 

and I drove cross-country, saw lots of 

incredible, amazing places, and are getting 

settled in Queens, N.Y. We are glad to be 

back on the East Coast! I am currently 

working for Eli Lilly and Company in the 

neuroscience division.” 

Yoko Miyata writes, “Fritz Kaegi ’93 

and I became freshly minted Stanford 

M.B.A.s in June 2001. Upon graduation, 

Fritz returned to his hometown of Chicago. 

He invites all ’Fords passing through to 

drop him a line. I’ll be spending some time 

in Japan before returning to California next 

year.” 

Thomas Mulhern married Belinda 

Dittmar Mulhern on July 29, 2000. The 

wedding took place in Pasadena, Calif., 

where the bride grew up. Mulhern writes, “I 

am finishing my third year at Duke Law 

School. Much to the consternation of Ben 

Daley and other service minded friends, I 

will start work as an attorney for a law firm 

in New York City in September 2002.” 

October 22, 2000, wedding of Christel Hummert ’96 and Matthew Greller ’96 at the Pleasantdale 

Chateau in West Orange, NJ. Pictured in the front row kneeling (l. to r.): Matthew “Mony” Hamilton 

’96, Padraig Nash ’96, Bill Stern ’96, Fred Crawford ’96, Aaron Bernstein ’95, Nathan Brown ’96, 

Brian Girard ’96. Pictured in back row (l. to r.): Elaine-Marie Maher ’96, Craig Dorfman ’97, Emily 

Greytak ’96, Mary Beth Wynn-Smith ’95, Amy (Fred’s girlfriend), Mike Tannenbaum ’96, Karen 

Kingsbury ’96, Ben Goldberg ’95 (kneeling), Tara Colgan ’96, Hilary Koprowski ’96, Amy Sekara ’96, 

Zach Gemignani ’95, Greg Bartman ’96, Jessica Rosen ’96, Katie Gretz ’96, Serdar Erden ’97, Laura 

Gillam. Center seated in chairs: Matt Greller ’96 and Christel Hummert ’96. 

96 For news of Brad Dickey, see note 

on Michele Lutz Fields ’97. 

Aretha Donnelly and her husband 

Clancy traveled to New York to see a 

Michael Jackson concert and ended up witnessing 

the terrorist attacks first-hand. “It 

was totally surreal,” said Aretha. “Basically, 

you see the cityscape that’s so familiar but 

just horribly altered, with a huge cloud that 

June 4, 2000, wedding of Ryan Fields ’96 and Michele Lutz Fields ’97: Top row (l. to r.) Mikalina Efros 

’96, Gita Dubovis ’96, Maya Watanabe ’96, Nicole Gergans ’97, Nicole Deuber ’97, Alyssa Adams ’97, 

Jon Adams ’97, Laura Lehnhoff ’97; Bottom row (l. to r.) Brad Dickey ’96, Ryan and Michele, and 

Dan Johnson ’96. 

WINTER 2002 

47

Wedding of Matthew Storeygard ’99 and Shari (LaGrotte) Storeygard ’99 on June 17, 2001. Front row (l. to r.): Alec Moore ’99, Matt Storeygard ’99, Shari 

Storeygard ’99, Amy LaGrotte ’02, Eric Robinson ’99; 2nd row (l. to r.): Oliver Gottfried ’99, Alexa Andewelt ’00, Abby Janoff ’99, Aimee Brown ’99, Ksenija 

Topic ’99, Lauren Hellew ’99, Julia Lane ’99, Alexandra Durham ’99, Aaron Ricci ’99, Alexandra Carbone ’99, Marco Rigau ’99; 3rd row (l.to r.): Peter 

Colon ’99, Benjamin Hill ’98, Ethan Cramer-Flood ’99, Jeffrey Miller ’99, Andrew Maleson ’99, David Cooper ’99. 

97 For news of Carrie Capizzi, see 

note on Tal Alter ’98. 

Michele Lutz Fields writes, “Ryan 

Fields ’96 and I were married in a beautiful, 

sunny outdoor ceremony on June 4, 2000. 

It was an awesome day! ’Fords in attendance 

were: Mikalina Efros, Gita Dubovis, 

Maya Watanabe, Nicole Gergans, 

Nicole Deuber, Alyssa Adams, Jon 

Adams, Laura Lehnhoff, Brad Dickey 

and Dan Johnson ’96. Nicole Deuber, 

Alyssa, and Laura were bridesmaids.” 

Zach First writes, “After six years 

together the speculations can be put to rest; 

Heather Upton ’98 and I are thrilled to 

announce that we are engaged. The wedalmost 

looks like a nuclear bomb was set 

off…It just looked like what I was praying 

it’s not, like the beginning of World War 

III.” After being delayed by police barricades 

and bridge closures for three days, the 

couple finally returned home to Crozet. 

The trip took them eight hours. 

For news of Gita Dubovis, see note on 

Michele Lutz Fields ’97. 

For news of Mikalina Efros, see note on 


For news of Ryan Fields, see note on 


Matthew Greller and Christel Hummert 

were married on Oct. 22, 2000, at the 

Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, N.J. 

Henry Haskell writes, “I am graduating 

from the University of Alabama Birmingham 

Medical School in May and will go on 

to specialize in pathology.” 

For news of Dan Johnson, see note on 


Georgia Tetlow writes, “I’m well into 

my second year of medical school at UNC 

Chapel Hill and have recently moved to an 

airy, light-filled, oak floor apartment. My 

new digs: 19 Hamilton Rd., Chapel Hill, 

NC 27517, 

Georgia_ Tetlow@med.unc.edu.” 

For news of Maya Watanabe, see note 

on Michele Lutz Fields ’97. 

ding will be in the fall of 2002 on Long 

Island. We are currently happily settled in 

Boston where I completed an M.Ed. in 

higher education at Harvard University in 

June 2001 and where I am now the assistant 

dean of student life at Olin College, a 

brand-new engineering school that opened 

its doors on Aug. 23, 2001” 

Katherine Maggiotto and Timothy 

Mehok were married on Friday, Aug. 10, 

2001. Up until July 2001, Katherine was 

the director of the Summerbridge Program 

at the Isidore Newman School in New 

Orleans, which brings high school and 

college students together to teach middle 

school students after school and during the 

summer. In September 2001, she began 

studying for a master’s in educational 

administration at Teachers College at 

Columbia University. Timothy received a 

law degree magna cum laude from Tulane 

Law School in May 2001. In September 

2001, he became an associate at Cleary 

Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, a New York 

law firm. 

48 


(l. to r.) Alexa Andewelt ’00, Anne Frederick ’99, Kellie Grogan 

’99, Linnea Carlson ’99, and Sara VanMeter ’99; (in front) Allison 

Bisirri ’99. 

Asim Rehman writes, “I was just at the 

wedding of Matt Andelman and Jen Jost 

(BMC ’97) in Las Vegas (no Elvis chapel, 

but Matt did have a superb Dylan impersonator 

at his bachelor thing). Fellow Gamblers-Anonymous 

members included Jeremy 

Kanthor, Ziad Gellad, and Matt 

Schneiderman ’98. In September 2001, I’ll 

be in New York City, clerking for a federal 

district judge.” 

Mark Philip Smith writes, “I’ve left 

Michigan State University to become a doctoral 

student in the new community-based 

teacher education program at the University 

of Delaware. The work is very innovative 

and rewarding. I’m involved, among other 

things, in guiding pre-service teachers in 

their work in an informal after-school environment 

with predominately Latino kids in 

Wilmington.” 

For news of Brian Walter, see note on 

Tal Alter ’98. 

98 Dr. and Mrs. Israel Alter write, “Tal 

Alter, Phin Barnes, Brian Walter ’97, and 

Carrie Capizzi ’97 attended the graduation 

of Alexis Covey-Brandt ’01. Tal is the 

D.C. coordinator for the Positive Coaching 

Alliance, a nonprofit organization based at 

Stanford University.” 

For news of Heather Upton, see note 

on Zach First ’97. 

For news of Matt Schneiderman, see 

note on Asim Rehman ’97. 

Joseph Younger writes, “I graduated in 

May 2001, from Columbia Law School.” 

99 Allison Bisirri 

writes, “William Bisirri 

and I were married on 

July 14, 2000, in Haddonfield, 

N.J., Kellie 

Grogan was the maid of 

honor and Anne Frederickson 

was a bridesmaid. 

Alexa Andewelt ’00, 

Linnea Carlson, and 

Sara VanMeter were 

also in attendance. Bill is 

a structural engineer for 

Sports, Stevens, and 

McCoy in Reading, Pa., 

and I am the school 

librarian at Mt. Pleasant 

Elementary School in 

Wilmington, Del. I will 

receive my master’s 

degree in library and 

information science from Drexel University 

in December 2001. We are currently living 

in Jeffersonville, Pa.” 

Scott Kravitz writes, “On June 17, 

2001, I was married to Joslyn Yudenfreund 

(BMC ’99). We’re both third-year graduate 

students at the University of Michigan in 

Ann Arbor—she in chemistry, myself in 

mathematics.” 

David Sayres writes, “I’d like to 

announce that Jennifer Pectol (BMC ’00) 

and I got married on October 14, 2001, in 

Cambridge, Mass., where we are currently 

living.” 

Shari (LaGrotte) Storeygard and 

Matthew Storeygard write, “We were 

married on June 17, 2001, in a garden in 

Villanova and had a pre-wedding barbeque 

the day before on the grounds of Haverford. 

The whole weekend was spectacular! 

We’re now living near Dupont Circle in 

D.C., where Shari is in her third year of 

medical school at GWU and Matt is working 

at The Urban Institute. We hang out 

with Ethan Cramer-Flood, Oliver Gottfried, 

Nate Levith, Dave Cooper, and 

Alexa Andewelt ’00, who now live in D.C. 

too.” 

00 For news of Alexa Andewelt, see 

note on Shari and Matthew Storeygard 

’99 and note on Allison Bisirri ’99. 

An article written by Debra Auspitz on 

Haverford College’s reaction to the tragic 

events of Sept. 11, 2001, appeared in 

Philadelphia’s City Paper on Sept. 20, 2001. 

John Marples writes, “I just finished 

teaching summer school and am going into 

my second year of teaching in East San Jose, 

Calif., with TeachForAmerica. I just moved 

into a bigger home with four roommates, 

three of whom are also TeachForAmerica 

teachers. Hopefully, I will have my California 

teaching credential finished by December 

2001. I plan to continue teaching for at 

least a few years after my TeachForAmerica 

commitment is over. Recently, I attended 

the farewell party of Caitlin Nye and 

Christian DuComb ’01, as they set off 

to travel the world through the Watson 

Fellowship.” 

Geoffrey Melada recently spent 10 days 

in Israel as a correspondent for the Philadelphia 

Jewish Exponent. 

Sasha Beth Reiders was hired by the 

biotechnology law firm of Darby and Darby, 

New York City, as a legal assistant. She 

received a master’s in biology from 

Columbia University. 

01 Kate Comeau left in early July 2001 

for a two-year commitment with the Peace 

Corps in Madagascar. She plans to initiate a 

worldwide school program with a Bangese 

middle school in the hopes that her involvement 

with a Bangor school, although from 

afar, will encourage students in Madagascar 

to aim high and know that they too can 

make a difference in the world. 

For news of Alexis Covey-Brandt, see 

note on Tal Alter ’97. 

For news of Caroline (Lina) Dahlberg, 

see note on Jim Dahlberg ’62. 

For news of Christian DuComb, see 

note on John Marples ’00. 

For news of Jonathan Mansbach, see 

note on Rachel White ’94 in BIRTHS. 

Friends of the College 

Jack Coleman, former president of Haverford 

College and Chester, Vt., justice of the 

peace, had prominent mention in an article 

by Neil Miller, “For Better, for Worse: Vermont’s 

civil union legislation has a been a 

boon to gay couples. But dissenters are still 

pressing their case,” which appeared in the 

June 17, 2001, issue of the Boston Sunday 

Globe. 

WINTER 2002 

49

B I R T H S 

Send your birth announcements 

by e-mail to 


Deadline for submissions for summer 

issue: May 20. 

66 John Meeks writes, “In the Winter 

2001 issue, wild speculations were made 

about the ‘last kid on the block to become a 

father.’ Perhaps I can throw a little light on 

the subject. Our youngest son, Christopher, 

was born Jan. 10, 2001. He is thriving, 

being spoiled not only by us, but also by his 

three elder siblings.” 

69 Richard Olver writes, “I am proud 

(and at age 54, more than a little astonished) 

to join with my wife Karen Jardim in 

announcing the birth in Port of Spain, 

Trinidad, of our third daughter, Charlotte 

Eva. She joins sister Anna (24, at Catholic 

U. Law School, Washington), brother 

Michael (21, at St. Andrews U., Scotland), 

sister Sarah (17, a high school senior in 

Hong Kong), and brother Josh (8, a third 

grader in Guyana).” 

80 Edward Leeds writes, “I am pleased 

to report the birth of our son, Paul Gordon, 

on March 3, 2001. He is a happy baby. He 

eats with vigor and crawls on all fours but 

has a clear ambition to go vertical. Our 

three-year-old daughter, Rachel, has proved 

to be a loving sister. She has repeatedly 

announced plans to matriculate at Haverford, 

where she will go to the bookstore and 

buy Paul a mint. After that, her college 

plans seem vague.” 

81 Stephan Greenspan and his wife 

Penina had a new baby girl, Tova, on May 

16, 2001. 

84 Alex Anthopoulos writes, “We had 

our second baby about five weeks ago. 

Christian Anthopolous was born Sept. 26, 

2001, at 7 pounds, 4 ounces. The best part 

is, I did the delivery (at my wife’s request). 

She figured since I did this type of thing 

every day as my job, why not for the birth 

of our second?” 

William Walsh writes, “Richard Patrick 

Walsh entered the world Friday, Sept. 21, 

2001, weighing in at 8.0 pounds and 19.5 

inches, joining his sisters, Kate and Anna, 

and brother William. Definitely a keeper. 

Mother and son are doing well.” 

85 Donna Kriebel Hamilton writes, 

“On Dec. 28, 2000, my husband Andrew 

and I were blessed with the birth of our 

beautiful baby girl, Laura Lynne Hamilton. 

She has brought us more joy than we can 

possibly express. I am now a stay-at-home 

mom and treasuring this special time with 

our daughter.” 

Elizabeth Rohr writes, “Our second 

son, Nicholas, was born Feb. 20, 2001, and 

big brother Christopher is thrilled, as 

are we.” 

86 Hank Donnelly and his wife Julie 

had a son, Eric Gavriel, on Sept. 25, 2001. 

Eric weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and was 

21 inches at birth. He and his sister, Maeve, 

are coping with each other and doing well. 

Elizabeth Durso and Ray Wierciszewski 

’87 welcomed Dominic Anthony Wierciszewski 

into the world on July 11, 2001. 

He joins “big brother” Alexander, age two. 

Chris Yung writes, “I am proud to 

announce (six months late) the birth of my 

son, Ian Christopher. He weighed in at just 

over 8 pounds. He is a good eater and is 

already quite opinionated.” 

87 Annelise Martin writes, “I would 

like to announce the birth of my son, 

Alexander Vitale Martin, born July 4, 2001, 

at 10 pounds, 10 ounces! Alexander was 

born to myself and my partner Theresa.” 

Julia Thompson and Ward Welles are 

the proud parents of Cy William Welles, 

born June 17, 2001. He was 7 pounds, 10 

ounces, and 21 inches long. 

88 Christopher Berner and Patricia 

Hametz write, “Our son, Adam Jonah 

Hametz-Berner, was born Sept. 5, 2000, 

and is an absolute joy!” 

Brian Egan writes, "My wife Megan 

and I are the proud parents of a little girl, 

50 


Siobhan Gallagher Egan, born Sept. 18, 

2001. This is such a wonderful experience.” 

Mary Buffington Jenkins writes, “We 

are proud to announce the birth of William 

Marshall Jenkins born Dec. 23, 2000. Will 

joins his big brother, Sam, age three. We 

are enjoying having two children and look 

forward to showing them Haverford.” 

Elizabeth Friedman Leblanc writes, 

“My husband Alain and I are pleased to 

announce the birth of our second son, 

Adam Philippe Child Leblanc, on July 20, 

2001. He only weighed 7 pounds, 10 

ounces, but like his older brother, Sam, he’s 

off the growth charts. Hard to impress his 

grandpa, Harold Friedman ’56, with this 

event since Adam is grandchild number 

five.” 

Julie Shanler Leopold writes, “Howie 

and I are thrilled to announce the newest 

addition to our family, Brianna Tori 

Leopold, born March 27, 2001. After a 

shaky start, Jordan Ross (now two years 

old) is enjoying his role as big brother. I’m 

still having a hard time believing that I have 

a husband, two kids, a house, and a minivan 

(and yes I still work at MetLife!). It still 

seems like yesterday that we were sitting in 

the hall in Gummere during Customs 

Week saying, ‘My name is ___ and I hate 

___!!’” 

Marlene Schwartz writes, “My husband 

and I had identical twins on Jan. 25, 2001. 

Their names are Charlotte and Molly. With 

three little girls (our oldest, Anna, is four), 

we are all busy. I recently got together with 

Donna Rothman and her new baby.” 

Loren Thompson had her second child, 

Liam, in January 2001. 

89 Kathleen Bowes Balestracci writes, 

“The last year and a half has been wonderful 

and busy!! On July 13, 2000, my husband 

and I welcomed our second child, 

Brendan Matthew, into the family. He was 

also welcomed home by big brother 

Michael. Now, at ages one and four, they 

are the source of endless joy, amazement, 

and exhaustion!!” 

Patrick Bibbins has two children, 

Emma, age 3, and Gavin, 1. 

Sarah Falk, born Sept. 29, 2001, daughter of 

Sam Falk ’89 and Beth Hillig Falk (BMC ’89), 

with her dog Toby. 

Sarah Falk, daughter of Sam Falk and 

Beth Hillig Falk (BMC ’89), was born Sept. 

29, 2001. 

Sharon and Jeffrey Fiarman are proud 

to announce the birth of their son, Ilan 

Michael, born May 31, 2001. 

90 Jonathan Hager writes, “My wife 

and I are proud to announce the birth of 

our second daughter, Jacqueline.” 

91 Robin Albertson-Wren and 

Jonathan Wren write, “Baby Colby was 

born in May 2001, and his big sister Kayli 

is practicing being a ballerina.” 

Kevin Buraks writes, “My wife and I 

had a baby girl, Olivia Lee, in April, 2001.” 

William Gould is proud to announce 

the birth of Zoe Rouvelas Gould on Sept. 

29, 2001. 

Laura Herndon and her husband Tom 

Strasser announce the birth of their baby 

boy, Alexander Roy Strasser, on May 27, 

2001. 

Jonathan Huxtable is proud to 

announce the arrival of a new baby, 

Benjamin Thomas, on Oct. 25, 2001. 

Mark Kibel writes, “My wife Shari Beth 

Neier (BMC ’92) and I joyously welcomed 

our daughter, Adena Devra, into the world 

on Aug. 9, 2001. Adena weighed 7 pounds 

and measured 20 inches at birth. She is 

doing great! We are very excited new 

parents!” 

“Kate Davenport Wisz and David Wisz 

are pleased to announce the arrival of the 

Three Wee Wiszes, born July 12, 2001. 

Marie Elizabeth “Emmy” was born at 12:28 

p.m., James Walter “Jimmy” at 12:30 p.m., 

and Woodson Edward “Woody” at 12:32 

p.m. Fellow ’Ford Jennifer Deal has been 

to visit us already.” 

92 Mary Beth Cunnane writes, “Matt 

Gardiner and I are happy to announce the 

birth of our son, Nathaniel, on June 26, 

2001.” 

Daniel Hogenauer writes, "Julie Ceklemak 

and I are pleased to announce the birth 

of our son, Matthew Peter Hogenauer. He 

was born Sept. 2, 2001, weighing 7 pounds, 

4 ounces. Mom and baby are doing well, 

the dog is adjusting, and I am lobbying for 

a stay-at-home dad position.” 

93 Kate Bobrow-Strain writes, “I am 

expecting our first child in September.” 

Indya Kincannon writes, “Ben Barton 

’91 and I became the proud parents of a 

baby girl on April 23, 2001. Her name is 

Dahlia Claire Kincannon-Barton.” 

94 Catherine Mazur Jefferies is proud 

to announce the arrival of twin girls, Sophia 

and Yelena, on July 23, 2001. 

Mark Page and Sejita Autry Page (BMC 

’94) are proud to announce the arrival of 

their first child, Celia Avery, born July 25, 

2001. 

Rachel White writes, “Jonathan Mansbach 

’01 and I joyfully welcomed into this 

world our son, Caleb, on Aug. 27, 2001.” 

Correction: Diane Castelbuono’s son was 

born April 11, 2001, not April 21, 2001, 

as printed in the Fall 2001 issue of the 

magazine. 

WINTER 2002 

51

O B I T U A R I E S 

25 Henry House passed away on June 

12, 2001, at the age of 96. 

30 Roger Bloom passed away Sept. 15, 

2001. He retired from Abbots Dairies in 

Philadelphia after 40 years of service. He 

then moved to Florida in 1981, where he 

was active in Meals on Wheels and also the 

American Theatre Organ Society, Tampa 

charter. Bloom raised orchards as a hobby. 

He moved to Virginia after the death of his 

wife of 62 years, Dorothy, in 1999 to be 

closer to family. His last visit to Haverford 

College was May 2000. Bloom is survived 

by three daughters, seven grandchildren, 

and eleven great-grandchildren. Services 

were held on Saturday, September 22, 

2001, at the church he attended, Saint 

Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville, 

Md. 

34 John C. Wilson, 88, died Wednesday, 

Aug. 1, 2001, at Mountside Hospital 

in Glen Ridge, N.J. He was a certified public 

accountant and a member of the American 

Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

In 1934, Wilson joined the accounting 

firm of Pogson, Peloubet & Co. in New 

York City, becoming a partner in 1958. 

In 1963, he moved to The Anaconda Company, 

serving in several capacities, including 

comptroller. After retiring in 1975, he was 

active in the AARP’s program of tax counseling 

for the elderly, training volunteers 

and assisting individual in preparing 

returns. He was a member of the Religious 

Society of Friends, serving as treasurer of its 

New York Monthly Meeting for many 

years. He was a former member of the Deer 

Lake Club near Boonton and a member of 

the Upper Montclair Country Club, assisting 

in numerous professional golf tournaments. 

He also bowled in several UMCCrelated 

leagues, often serving as league secretary. 

Wilson was predeceased by his wife, 

Sylvia, in 1999, and by his son, Thomas, in 

1995. He is survived by his daughter, Polly 

Mason; his son, James; his sister, Betty Parry; 

six grandchildren, Clark Mason, Anne 

Gorman, Beth Zervas, Ian, Nick, and Lindsay 

Wilson; and three great-grandchildren, 

Katy, Thomas, and Ethan Gorman. 

37 Edward Hoffman Rosenberry, Professor 

Emeritus of English, University of 

Delaware, died on Friday, Oct. 19, 2001, at 

Cokesbury Village, Hockessin. Born in East 

Stroudsburgh, Pa., on March 17, 1916, he 

received an M.A. from Columbia University, 

and a Ph.D. from the University of 

Pennsylvania. In 1945, Rosenberry married 

Elizabeth Allen Rosenberry, who predeceased 

him. In 1952, he joined the English faculty 

at the University of Delaware, where he 

taught until his retirement in 1979. He 

served as Chairman of the Department of 

English from 1966-69 and was Acting 

Dean of the University’s College of Arts 

and Sciences from 1973-74. 

38 Charles Ebersol passed away on 

October 31 at his home in Litchfield, 

Conn. He had been an attorney with a lifelong 

commitment to local, national and 

international public service. He was a former 

chairman of the American Cancer 

Society. He began with the society as a 

door-to-door fundraiser in 1946 and in 

1979 won the organization’s distinguished 

service award. Mr. Ebersol is survived by 

three sons and 12 grandchildren. 

Edmund Wingerd, Jr. passed away at 

the age of 83 on July 27, 2001. He was the 

eldest of five brothers who attended Haverford. 

He was predeceased by his brothers 

Joseph ’39 and Daniel ’46. He is survived 

by his wife, Jean, his son, four daughters, 

seven grandchildren, his nephew Peter ’77 

and two of his brothers, William ’43 and 

Robert ’49. 

39 Condolences to David Shihadeh on 

the death of his daughter, Bonnie Shihadeh 

Smithwick, in the World Trade Center 

tragedy. 

41 R. Bruce Harley writes to inform us 

of the death of Robert Poush in October 

2000 (see Letters, p. 2). 

42 Warren Anderson, 81, professor of 

classics at The College of Wooster from 

1952-1967 and a visiting scholar on several 

occasions in the 1970s, died Friday, Oct. 

12, 2001, in Minneapolis. He was educated 

at Harvard and Oxford Universities, the latter 

as a Rhodes scholar, and has been recognized 

worldwide as an authority on ancient 

Greek music. In addition to his publications 

and lectures on Greek music, most 

recently at the University of Athens and at 

Delphi in Greece, he was the author of 

books and articles on various history topics 

in the classical tradition. After his faculty 

appointment at The College of Wooster, 

Anderson joined the graduate faculties as 

professor of comparative literature at the 

University of Iowa 1967-70 and the University 

of Massachusetts 1970-85. He was 

predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Anne. 

He is survived by his daughter Claudia, his 

sons Eric and Peter, his daughters-in-law 

Charlotte and Susan, and five grandchildren. 

Dr. William Laughlin, of Mansfield 

Center, Conn., died April 6, 2001, in 

Portland, Ore. Laughlin was a professor of 

physical anthropology, human biology, and 

ecology and evolutionary biology for 49 

years, teaching and conducting research at 

the University of Oregon from 1945-55, 

University of Wisconsin from 1955-69, and 

University of Connecticut from 1969-99. 

During World War II, he served four years 

as a smoke jumper with the U.S. Forest Service. 

Laughlin was one of the premier 

anthropologists in the country. His studies 

concerned the origins of Native Americans, 

their biology, history, and culture. His 

interests in anthropology began as a child in 

Salem, Ore., assisting his father, Professor 

Sceva Laughlin, at Williamette University, 

excavating local mammoth remains. After 

receiving a doctorate from Harvard University 

in 1948, he continued his research of 

the origins of the Aleut people, which he 

had begun in 1938, with over 20 trips to 

the Aleutian Islands. He was involved in 

over 40 expeditions to research the indigenous 

people of Greenland, Alaska, Siberia, 

and Canada. Laughlin’s experiences in the 

Aleutian Islands led him to a lifelong interest 

in the Aleut people and their culture. 

The Aleuts of Nikolski Village deeded him 

land for a residence in the 1970s, and the 

Kodiak Eskimo elders gave a potlatch in his 

honor at the opening celebration of the 

Alutiique Museum in 1988. Laughlin 

52 


taught at the University of Oregon and the 

University of Wisconsin prior to founding 

the Biobehavioral Science Department at 

the University of Connecticut in 1969. He 

was the head of the laboratory of biological 

anthropology from then until his retirement 

in 1999. His research on Aleuts and Eskimos 

demonstrated the cultural uniqueness 

and great prehistory of the first inhabitants 

of Alaska, as well as the close genetic relationship 

among all Native Americans. He 

published numerous articles and books on 

his findings, including Aleuts, Survivors of 

the Bering Land Bridge. He testified on 

behalf of Native Americans in several repatriation 

cases. Laughlin was also a distinguished 

forensic anthropologist. He devoted 

his talents to serving the State Police of 

Oregon, Wisconsin, and Connecticut. He 

testified in many trials on the identification 

of human remains. He was a member of 

several professional societies: American 

Anthropological Association, American 

Association for the Advancement of Science, 

American Association of Physical 

Anthropologists, America Society of 

Human Genetics, Arctic Institute of North 

America, Connecticut Academy of Science 

and Engineering, Explorer’s Club, Sigma 

Xi, and Society for America Archaeology. 

He was awarded an honorary doctorate of 

science from Williamette University in 

1968. Laughlin is survived by his wife, Ruth 

Finney, whom he married in 1946; their 

daughter, Sara Laughlin; two grandsons, 

Jonathan and Christopher Garrison; his 

brother, Dr. John Laughlin; and his sister, 

Mary Barlow. 

George Thomas Warner, 81, died 

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001, at Moses Cone 

Hospital. A service of remembrance was 

held Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2001, at St. 

Andrews Episcopal Church. Warner is survived 

by his wife, Jane Warner, daughters 

Marilyn McLean and Cathy Galbreth and 

her husband Eric Asheboro, son Steve 

Warner and his wife Joanne, grandchildren 

Nicholas Warner, Katie Warner, and 

William Galbreth, and cousin Rev. Frances 

Neil. 

43 David Kirk, 79, of Yardley, Pa., 

died Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2001, in Mercer 

Hospital in Trenton, N.J., after a brief illness. 

During his professional career as a 

mathematician and research scientist, Kirk 

taught at the Wharton School of the University 

of Pennsylvania and at the University 

of Michigan, where he was elected to the 

honorary society of Sigma Xi. He retired 

from a position with the U.S. Department 

of Housing and Urban Development in 

1986. He was a sergeant with the Army 

Corps of Engineers in the Philippines during 

World War II. Kirk was a former member 

of the Corporation. He was also a member 

of the Dunnings Creek Friends Meeting 

in Fishertown. He was predeceased by his 

son Ronald in 1991. He is survived by his 

wife Betty, his daughter and son-in-law 

Martha Kirk and Ernest Schwartz, his 

daughter-in-law Marilynn Kirk, and three 

grandchildren, Kelly Schwartz, Ryan 

Schwartz, and Matthew Kirk. Memorial 

contributions may be made in his name to 

the American Friends Service Committee. 

44 William Houston died Sunday, 

Aug. 19, 2001, while sailing along the 

north channel of Lake Huron near Manitoulin 

Island. He was 78. Houston, of 

Sewickley Heights, Pa., specialized in probate, 

trust, and taxation for 55 years. He 

received a doctorate of jurisprudence with 

distinction from the University of Michigan 

Law School in 1945, where he was a member 

of the Order of the Coif. He served in 

the Army during World War II in the 

Office of Strategic Services. Houston began 

practicing law in 1946 with his father at the 

law firm of Houston Houston and Donnelly, 

and they were later joined by his brother, 

Fred Houston Jr. Following the death of his 

brother in 1996, Houston joined the law 

firm of Kabala & Geeseman, practicing 

four days a week with his former partner 

from Houston Houston and Donnelly, 

John Meck. Houston was chairman of the 

Decedents Estates Advisory Committee of 

the Pennsylvania Joint State Government 

Commission, having served since 1971. He 

was a former chairman of the Real Property, 

Probate and Trust Section of the Pennsylvania 

Bar Association, former chairman of the 

Probate and Trust Section and the Professional 

Ethics Committee of the Allegheny 

County Bar Association, and served on 

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Orphans’ 

Court Rules Committee for nearly 20 years. 

Houston was a fellow of the American College 

and Trust and Estate Counsel and was 

listed in all nine editions of Best Lawyers in 

America. He served as solicitor for the Avonworth 

School District and its school authority, 

as well as Sewickley Valley Hospital 

Authority. He was secretary of the Arthritis 

Foundation, Western Pennsylvania Chapter 

and member of the executive committee of 

the advisory board of the American Heart 

Association. He enjoyed woodworking, 

design, and sailing. Houston is survived by 

his wife Carolyn, his sister Jane Nordlund, 

his son Dr. William Houston, Jr. ’74, 

daughters Ann Houston and Barbara Kinek, 

stepchildren David Rehmus, Dr. James 

Rehmus, Paul Rehmus, and Jonathan 

Rehmus, three grandchildren, and four stepgrandchildren. 

45 Charles Matlack, 77, died of congestive 

heart failure and pneumonia on 

Wednesday, July 25, 2001 at Reid Hospital 

in Richmond, Ind. He was a Navy Air Corps 

veteran of World War II. At Haverford, he 

was an All-American soccer player. Matlack 

received a master’s from Middlebury College 

and a Ph.D. from the University of New 

Mexico. From 1954-88, he taught Spanish 

at Earlham College and coached the soccer 

team from 1954-78, leading the Quakers 

into the NAIA championship in 1963. He 

was inducted into the NAIA Indiana Youth 

Soccer Hall of Fame and Earlham College 

Hall of Fame. In October 1998, Earlham’s 

soccer field, south of Stout Meetinghouse, 

was named in his honor. Matlack was a 

member of West Richmond Friends Meeting, 

the National Soccer Olympic Selection 

Committee for two terms, past president of 

the NAIA Coaches Association, and a 50- 

year member of the U.S. Soccer Coaches 

Association, receiving their honor award in 

1981. He is survived by his wife Margaret, 

whom he married Sept. 4, 1948; his daughter 

Anne Holub, his sons Thomas and David 

Matlack, seven grandchildren, nieces, and 

nephews. 

Anna Margaret Nicholson passed away 

after a long illness on May 4, 2001. She had 

fond memories of Haverford, in particular 

the Steeres and the R and R program and 

participants. Nicholson was a member of the 

Corporation from 1972 to 1999 and is survived 

by her husband, Samuel, and two children. 

WINTER 2002 

53

50 James Durling, 77, died Wednesday, 

Sept. 19, 2001, at St. Vincent’s Medical 

Center in Bridgeport, Conn. Durling 

served as a pilot in WWII and worked as a 

publisher for General Electric for 20 years. 

After retirement, he worked as a security 

guard at Humana Hospital for 25 years. He 

is survived by his wife Rosie, sons Robert 

and James, and eight grandchildren. 

Charles Reninger passed away. 

51 Robert Edmiston lost his battle with 

Parkinson’s disease Friday, Nov. 9, 2001, 

passing away peacefully at 4 P.M. with his 

wife Jane beside him. 

Davis McCarn died Aug. 16, 2001, 

from cancer. The small cell cancer from an 

unknown source was very fast-growing; he 

was diagnosed July 31, 2001, but had been 

suffering bone and back problems for several 

months, which was treated as an orthopedic 

problem. He is survived by his wife, 

Grace. 

John W. Thomas passed away at the 

age of 75 in his Bryn Mawr home Aug. 15, 

2001. He was a four-year member of and 

three-year letterman on some of Haverford’s 

finest tennis squads under late Coach 

Norm Bramall from 1948 to 1951. The 

netsters had a 43-6 overall record with 

Thomas on the team and went a perfect 

20-0 in Middle Atlantic Conference play 

during a five-year streak of MAC championships. 

Thomas earned a master’s degree 

at the University of Pennsylvania and was a 

radiation safety physicist there for more 

than 30 years. He also served in the Army 

and remained active as a tennis player and 

linesman. He is survived by a sister, four 

daughters, and four grandchildren. 

56 Bill Ortman died suddenly on 

Sept. 1, 2001, of an infection which affected 

his kidneys. He was very well known to 

graduates of the 1950s as a football player, 

among other things. 

59 Rev. Dr. Laurence Maud died on 

July 3, 2001, from accidental carbon 

monoxide poisoning. Maud received 

master’s degrees from the Philadelphia 

Divinity School and the University of 

Pennsylvania and a doctorate from Lancaster 

Seminary. After a career spend as a psychotherapist, 

director of pastoral counseling 

centers, teacher in several graduate counseling 

programs, and mentor of dozens of pastoral 

counselors, Maud and his wife Annie 

had retired to SaddleBrooke, a resort community 

north of Tucson, Ariz. At the time 

of his death, Maud was Priest-In-Charge of 

St. Jude’s Anglican Church. He was very 

active in the Anglican diocese of the West 

and had just finished heading the committee 

that nominated the next bishop of his 

diocese. He was an avid bicycler, sang in 

barbershop chorus, and enjoyed collecting 

Western art and Native American pottery. 

Annie, his wife of 37 years, his son John, 

who is a police officer with the city of San 

Diego, and his daughter Rebeccah, a surgical 

technician in Austin, Texas, survive him. 

74 Philip Haentzler 

82 Thomas I. Glasser 

83 Douglas B. Gardner 

84 Calvin Gooding 

These four Haverford alumni passed 

away at the World Trade Center in New 

York on Sept. 11, 2001. A campus 

memorial service will be held in their honor 

on Saturday, June 1, as part of Alumni 

Weekend 2002 activities. 

The summer issue of the alumni magazine 

will feature this service and include full 

memorials for each alumnus. 

88 Caroline Saunders passed away 

Oct. 9, 2001, after a long battle with cancer. 

In her last days she enjoyed visits from 

Class of ’88 friends Erica Buhl, Janet Coffman, 

Jason Ford, Maria Soto, and Aaron 

Tandy. 

90 Diane Mechling, 32, died in a car 

accident in Redding, Calif., on Oct. 14, 

2000. She was born in Goleta, Calif., and 

was raised in Pueblo, Colo., and Salem, 

Ore. After graduating from Haverford, she 

moved to Portland, Ore., where she was a 

research technician for Shriners Hospitals 

for Children for 10 years. She is survived by 

her father Dan, her mother Carolyn, and 

her sister Joanne. 

Friends of the College 

Haverfordians who came to know Heywood 

Hale Broun during his participation 

as principal speaker and resident gadfly during 

the 75th anniversary of College soccer 

held here in 1977 will note with regret his 

passing at age 83. “Woody” Broun was a 

Swarthmore graduate who emerged from 

the shadow of his famous father, columnist 

Heywood Broun, to become a wise and witty 

sports TV commentator and writer, noted 

for his checked sportcoats and pithy 

aphorisms. His humor and obvious respect 

for Haverford and college sports kept in the 

right perspective were highlights for those 

who attended that memorable celebration. 

In Memoriam 

John Chesick, Professor of Chemistry, 

Emeritus, and the husband of Linda Gerstein, 

Professor of History, passed away 

peacefully at their lake home in Pequot 

Lakes, Minn., on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2001. 

Chesick suffered for a year with a very 

aggressive and malignant brain tumor. He 

taught at Haverford for 37 years before officially 

retiring from his full-time and tenured 

teaching position in 1999. Chesick brought 

great strength to the chemistry department 

and played an active role in the life of the 

College. 

In Tribute 

Former students and hundreds of other 

acquaintances of Albert Dillon, Director of 

Racquet Sports at Haverford for 17 years, 

mourn the passing of a great friend, marvelous 

teacher, and a spirited, cheerful, and 

thoughtful individual. Dillon died suddenly 

of a heart attack Saturday, Sept. 22, 2001, 

at age 49, leaving his wife, Gala, a stepson, 

brother, sister, and his parents. He left 

Haverford in 1997 for a career in insurance 

sales, though he continued to teach tennis 

actively and to maintain contact with many 

members of the College community. 

54 


Pitching In 

Donald and I live about a mile north of the former World Trade Center 

along the western edge of Manhattan. From here, there had been a beautiful 

vista culminating in two slender towers. Now, looking south, there is an evident 

hole in the skyline. On the morning of Sept. 11, our upstairs neighbor Kathy 

stood next to us among the bewildered onlookers. Her daughter and their 

Czech exchange student were presumably in first-period classes—right in the 

financial district. Kathy and I headed downtown. 

Inside Stuyvesant High School, 3,000 students were rushing to homeroom 

so that teachers could account for and evacuate them. Both girls were safe; 

however, the four of us managed to get only a few paces from the school when 

the North Tower began to collapse three blocks away. Looking up, flying glass 

and smoke seemed to hover overhead as I grabbed the girls’ backpacks. We ran 

until it was evident that the wind would blow the thick cloud of debris east 

(over Brooklyn) instead of north (toward us). Strangely, the crowds of people 

around us were orderly and calm. Had I overreacted by running? Or was this 

simply the face of disbelief? 

Once home, Donald and I walked over to St. Vincent’s Medical Center on 

Seventh Avenue. I want to say everyone was walking around in shock, but that 

was not at all the case. So many people were thinking clearly, talking to each 

other, asking questions, figuring out what could be done, what we could all do. 

I realized that the hospital was a magnet for people looking for a purpose, wanting 

to do something positive and concrete. What could I do to help? 

Eighteen hours later I found my niche at the Chelsea Piers Relief Center. 

We began as an auxiliary triage unit and registration site for all sorts of trained 

professionals: iron welders, demolition crews, social workers. Without any technical 

expertise, I started my first day moving boxes. Literally tons of supplies 

were donated to the relief effort, and it was a full job accepting and organizing 

provisions to await shipment downtown. Gradually I began to help with breakfast 

and lunch, and soon I had earned the title Food Coordinator. I wore my 

yellow nametag with pride. 

As other relief centers opened, we discontinued the triage and registration 

and focused on distributing clothing, supplies, and food. We also organized 

housing; served as a transportation hub; provided grief counseling and massage 

therapy; maintained security; compiled data about victims and their families; 

and hosted communication with other centers. We did everything possible to 

support the work being done downtown—either by supplying pickaxes and 

saline or by offering warm socks, clean toothbrushes, and a receptive ear. 

From Wednesday through Sunday, we ran a well-oiled machine. Our protocol 

was firm, our resources were established, and our mission was clearly 

defined—all this from a group of civilians with no training in disaster relief. I 

was one of several coordinators in charge of a specific department: food. I managed 

all perishable and non-perishable donations; coordinated shipments to 

ground zero; maintained food safety guidelines; and secured hot meals for 

everyone at our site. Many of the hungry workers were volunteers like me. The 

rest belonged to search & rescue crews, firefighter units, ambulance fleets, police 

squads and victims’ families. Workers from ground zero could bathe and 

change clothes before eating, and we even had places for them to sleep. 

The rate of activity at any moment was virtually overwhelming. The work 

required perpetual vigilance, anticipation, and flexibility. A steady tide of eager 

bodies pledged manual labor. Restaurants offered meals. Nurses and counselors 

somehow arrived from Connecticut, Arkansas, and Florida. One woman 

wheeled in a shopping cart full of arroz con pollo she and her neighbors had 

prepared. She watched as the food was loaded directly onto a flatbed truck 

headed for ground zero. A young man covered in dust and working without 

sleep insisted he hadn’t done enough. Meanwhile, we served 600 meals a day 

around the clock, and we dispatched an additional 300 meals a day to ground 

zero. We even coordinated directly with police boats making deliveries to the 

Financial District’s North Cove. 

There were volunteers of all kinds working side by side: a Sri Lankan family 

with young children working alongside an elderly Caucasian woman sorting 

donations of clothes and food; Ph.D. candidates helping construction workers 

direct traffic; and Spanish-speakers next to immigrants from Eastern Europe 

signing up additional volunteers. It was New York diversity at its best and most 

reassuring. Everyone wanted to pitch in. 

Twice I went to ground zero myself. Once was a fluky trip to distribute cold 

drinks and snacks to security personnel along the emergency route. The other 

trip began as a delivery of ice and Sterno to now-isolated Stuyvesant High 

School. The building had become a pivotal relief center, and when we arrived 

late on Saturday, we found an industrial kitchen and a pressing need for hot 

food. Luckily, the woman with whom I arrived was a professional chef. 

Overnight, we produced over 400 servings of chicken Parmesan, vats of garlic 

spinach, trays of peach cobbler, and (seemingly) the largest quantity of chicken 

vegetable soup ever made. The rescue workers consumed everything. Scrambling 

to find survivors, they did not notice it was 4 a.m. Serving those meals 

was one of the most gratifying experiences of the week. 

Back in Chelsea, we prepared to close the relief center by Sunday evening. 

Other relief centers would pick up the work we had begun, and government 

agencies were taking over. As we packed, volunteers began to ask about each 

other’s “real” lives. I explained to disbelieving eyebrows that I was an architect. 

But somehow, my work as Food Coordinator seemed more real to me than any 

floor plan or plumbing diagram. Why was the volunteer work not real life? 

These days, the reminders are subtler. Across the street from my building, 

dedicated fans continue to cheer emergency vehicles as they move in and out of 

ground zero. At night, the downtown scene is illuminated like a movie set. You 

can still see smoke rising out of the Financial District, and when the wind shifts 

we have another visceral reminder. 

Going back to my “real” job was agonizing. Sitting at my desk drawing lines 

on the computer seemed like such an insignificant act. Each ambulance siren I 

heard from the window was like a call to arms. How much Gatorade can we 

spare? Are there enough volunteers to distribute the hot food? How many firefighters 

will show up at midnight for dinner? How could I sit and draw lines on 

the computer knowing that there was still work to be done? Logically, I reasoned, 

the federal and local officials had things under control. And surely, there 

are others to take over where we left off: my Aunt Joanna flew in from California 

as a mental health volunteer, and those cheerleaders are still outside my window. 

The other day I made them some hot chocolate and realized that even a 

cup of cocoa has a legitimate place in the cycle of giving and receiving— 

anything to keep alive that overwhelming spirit of community that is our 

strongest asset. 

––Daniel Smith ’95 

WINTER 2002 

55

Commencement 2002 

Commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2002 will be held on the weekend of May 18, 2002. 

Saturday, May 18: 

8:30 p.m. 

A forum with the Honorary Degree Recipients (see list below) in Marshall Auditorium. 

9:30 p.m. 

A reception for graduates and their guests in the Dining Center. 

Sunday, May 19: 

8:30 a.m. 

A special Meeting for Worship for members of the faculty, the graduating class, and their families and friends in the 

Haverford Friends Meeting House, Buck Lane. 

10:00 a.m. 

Commencement ceremonies, with awarding of degrees and responses by Honorary Degree Recipients, in front of 

Roberts Hall. (In case of rain, in the Alumni field House.) 

11:30 a.m. 

A reception for members of the graduating class, their families, friends, and invited guests on Founders Green. 

No tickets are required for any of these events. 

2002 Haverford College Honorary Degree Recipients 

Bill Cosby is an actor and entertainer, a four-time Emmy Award winner, eight-time Grammy Award winner, and author of four books. He is 

well known for his commitment to education, demonstrating with his actions that the best assurance for a satisfying and rewarding life is learning 

and knowledge. “The brilliant thing Cosby did was to put race and economic issues on the back burner so we could see a black family dealing with 

all the things black people deal with the same as all other people.” 

–– Henry Louis Gates Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, Chair of Afro-American Studies; 

Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research 

Elaine Tuttle Hansen is professor of English and Provost at Haverford College, a position she has held since 1995. She was an assistant professor 

of English at Hamilton College before joining the Haverford English department in 1980. She has published four books, including: Mother 

without Child: Contemporary Fiction and the Crisis of Motherhood, Chaucer and Fictions of Gender, The Solomon Complex: Reading Wisdom in Old 

English Poetry. She will be President of Bates College beginning in July 2002. 

Helen Rodriguez-Trias will be awarded an honorary degree posthumously. Unfortunately, Dr. Rodriguez-Trias, the Co-Director of the Pacific 

Institute for Women’s Health, died in December of cancer after President Tritton had informed her of the Haverford honorary degree. 

She was a pediatrician and consultant on broad-based health policy with particular attention on access to care and integration of all aspects of 

reproductive health in programs serving women. The emphasis of her work was the development of viable and effective programs to serve those 

who are limited in access: members of minority communities, the uninsured, and low-income persons. Dr. Rodriguez-Trias held teaching 

positions at both Columbia and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. 

Edward F. Snyder served as Legislative Secretary for the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, D.C., for six years and as 

Executive Secretary from January 1962 to March 1990. Forgoing a lucrative legal career (J.D. from Yale in 1951) he devoted his life to supporting 

peace and justice throughout the world. He has testified before numerous Senate and House congressional committees, always drawing the connection 

between Quaker beliefs and political education and action. He edited the influential FCNL Washington Newsletter, and his articles have 

appeared in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Friends Journal, and Quaker Life. 

56 HAVERFORD ALUMNI MAGAZINE

HAVERFORD 

Haverford College 

Haverford, Pennsylvania 19041-1392 

Address Service Requested 

Non-Profit Org. 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Haverford, Pa. 

Permit No. 34

18882 Winter Magazine.q4 - Haverford College

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