Realty duo re'sound'ing hit - Hoover Library

IT JUST OCCURS
By Ralph C. John. President
Summer has come and gone, so that we can only be
retrospective about another season. Looking back, one
experience stands out as a truly memorable one
On June 22 one of Western Maryland's greatest sons,
Brigadier General Robert J. Gill, celebrated his 90th birthday.
The party look place at his summer home of 50 years on Sun
Avenue In Ocean City. Several of us from Western Maryland
(Woody and May Preston, Wally Swank, Dot and [) were
there. The General was up to the occasion in all respects, and
was his usual eleganl self.
Such a celebration of course calls for gifts as symbols of
affection and appreciation. The trustees sent a beautifully
inscribed birthday greeting. The General has been a member
of the Board since 1925, and was its chairman from
1963-1968. We also took a WMC Windbreaker, a popular item
among collegians on campus, and a birthday cake baked by a
real master, Mr. Clarence Gale, of the college food service
AU of this added up to a happy time with an incredible
nonagenarian about whom people ask wherever Western
Marylanders
gather.
General Gill in so many respects personifies what the college
hlstortcally has sought to achieve with its students. His
versatility is conspicuous.
He is an attorney who, over and above the local practice of
his profession, was a prominent figure at the Nuremberg trials.
He was a protege of General of the Anny Douglas MacArthur,
achieving the rank in which he presently is retired w!th several
foreign decorations. He for years was a major developer in the
City of Baltimore, and a part owner of the Orioles. He
captained an undefeated Western Maryland football team his
senior year, and brought Dick Harlow to the college.
General Gill's sophisticated humanism is reflected nowhere
more than in his philatelic interests. He has collected stamps all
over the world, and ills fascinating to hear him tell of why he
made a trip to Britain or the Continent to buy a few stamps of
a particular issue with special historical or cultural value. Here
his liberal learning stands out.
We have several ninety-year-olds who stand out in the
WMC community. Mrs. Abbie White Holland, '02, down In
Salisbury was 99 this past July 19. Proud of her son, daughter
and grandson who attended the college too, she is lively and
well. A 94-year-old David Dean Smith, '09, is a leader in the
Florida alumni community. And then there are the two other
nonagenarian trustees: E. McClure (Mac) Rouzer, '07, and
Fanny Fox Decker. General Gill, Mr. Rouzer and Mrs. Decker,
as a triad of benefactors, have been the principal "enablers" in
the development of the college acro:l~ thq yeere. And tuey (Ire
as with us as ever, compounding
our gratitude.
This Is all by way of saying that General Gill's birthday party
was great fun. If you can do it his way, being 90 is a pretty
attractive deal.
TheHiU
Published four times annually (September. December, March. Julyl
by the Office of Public Infonnation, Western Maryland College.
Westminster, Md. 21157, for parents, alumni and friends of the
coll.ege. Entered as a second class matter. May 19, 1921 at Ihe Post
Office at Westminster, Md. 2t157, and additional mailing office,
under the act of August 24,1912. Accepted for maUing at special
rate of postage provided for in section 1103, act 01 October 3, 1912.
Editor: Joyce E. Muller
Managing Editor: Cindy O'Neal Keefer, '76
Staff: Sue Roach, Ross G. Burbage; Connie Anders, Michelle Bates,
Carolyn Merson
Contributors: Ralph C. John, Tom Tozer, Michele Larson Fitzpatrick.
Carol Preston, '69
Photographers: Cindy O'Neal Keefer, Bob Boner. ~tan Pollcbt, Dawn
Thomas Sue Quinn, '79, Steve McDaniel, Joe Sullivan
Statement of ownership, management and circulation
(Statement required by the Act of Aug. 12, 1970, Section 3685, Title
~~ Hill. Published four times annually at Harrison House, Western
Maryland College, Westminster, MD 21157.
General BUSinessOffices located in Elderdlce Hall, Western Maryland
College. Westminster, MD 21157. Published: Western Maryland
College, Westminster, MD 21157
Chairmen of the Board of Trustees: Wilbur D. Preston. Jr.,
300 Northway Ave., Baltimore, MD 21218
President: Ralph C. John. Westminster, MD 21157
Editor: Joyce E. Muller 402 Leigh Master's Lane. Westminster, MD
21157
The known bondholders, mortgages, and other S€{:urityholders
owning Of holding one percent or more of total amounts of bonds,
mortgages or other securities are none.
~~~~I~~~ber 01 copies prinled: 16,000 Actual number of copies of
single Issue published nearest to filingdate: 16,000. Paid circulation:
None. Free distribution by malt, carrier or other means: 15.000. Total
distribution (average): 15.500. Total (actual) distribution of single
~~~~un~~b: ~j~:~oo';l~;g1::~u1e5:u~i'sfeoJ~a~~t~~~I~~~ed
dale): 500. Office use, spoilage, etc.: 500, Total (average): 16.000
Total number of copies of single Issue published nearest 10 filing
da~~e~~~~t
complete.
the statements made by me above are correct and
Joyce E. Muller
Editor
SKIP & rh~Pt~~::,"~~j'i'I;:':;'~~:r.::
"FRIENDS"
By Dawn F. Thomas
elda the Zebra. Greaser the Beaver. Ca\cugator the Crocodile. C. B. Beagle.
Are these the latest super heroes to capture our youngsters' attention
ch~:7t:S"~:!t~ng ~~~~~~~\=~~~~kb~~Y Dr
F . "Ski " Fennell coordinator of WMC's undergraduate education program.
r~~I:n Fe~nel! was selected by the Baltimore publishing firm of Media Materials, Inc., to develop
the booklets, the company was seeking a fresh face and a fresh approach.. . "
"Although I had published numerous articles, I had neve~ tackled anythmg f this nature,
explains Dr. Fennell. "They were looking for a comprehen~lve program, a se.nes tha~ would
goS~~;,~t '~!~~as" included Zelda the Zebra, stylishly attired in a safety helmet and knee pads, v: ho
whizzes across the pages on a streamlined skateboard. Greaser the Beaver greets youngsters with
reinforce key math concepts from grades one to six. They Just happened to like my Ideas on how to
his "Fonz" imitation _ a thumbs-up pose that reveals a plus sign on his extended fingers. .
Ca\cugator the Crocodile punches out two-digit answers on the miniature calculator embedded In
his fat tummy. C. B. Beagle broadcasts his mathematical messages in the popular jargon of CB
advocates everywhere.
"We tried to create cartoon figures that appealed to kids' humor," says Dr. Fennell "We used
personality traits of their heroes as well as games popular with elementary kids. Greaser and the
others were designed to motivate students, get them interested in math and, hopefully, make their
entire learning experience an enjoyable one."
Just where did Skip get his ideas for the content of his books First, he drew from five years
experience as an elementary teacher and another four as a principal and then supervisor of
elementary education in the Pennsylvania school system.
"However," he emphasizes, "I didn't just rely on past memories. As a consultant for Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston (a major publisher of school math materials), I visited schools up and down
the east coast and witnessed some interesting teaching situations. My work here at the college
provides frequent contacts with local teachers and kids. Both keep me up-to-date with changes and
trends in math education."
In addition the Fennell children, two of whom are in elementary school, were a good audience
when it came time to test sample pages of the workbooks. Teachers informally offered professional
b;~~~
and technical advice. Skip's wife, Nita, spent hours typing the manuscript.
~~d~~l~ ~:~:~. family, friends, and his experiences at WMC to complete the assignment
The educational "super heroes" were brought to life by Brian Trumpower, '78, illustrator for the
ten workbooks. A free-lance political cartoonist for the Carroll County Evening Sun since age 15,
Brian lent his own unique style of cartooning the effort.
to
Tom Blair, '73, was one of the narrators for the eight cassette lessons that accompany each
booklet. Rose Idzik, '74, handled the advertising end of the project.
~dministrator, consultant, innovator, teacher, writer - what next for Dr. Skip Fennell . 's
I wa~t to expand the match clinic which I started when I first came to Westem Maryland. Th1s 1
a remedial program in elementary math involving both teachers and students. Our initial efforts
have been quite successful. We are one of 19 in the nation and the only one at a small col'eae- In
fact, WMC's clinic has since been chosen as a model by several leading universities."
"And, of course," adds Skip, "I'I! continue to work with future teachers as well as the college
soccer team which help coach."
I
. And th~n "Well, I could use a really good elementary math text for my methods course, and I',~
like to wnte a game book, and there's always the subject of math specialists in education, and .