TRADITION

. . . the newsletter of the Fordham College Alumni Association

Fordham University at Lincoln Center, New York, N.Y. 10023

September 1994

At the University commencement, the 149th annual commencement, on a sunny Saturday in May, the University awarded degrees to 579 members of the Fordham College Class of 1994.

This year, as in years past, Fordham indicated its commitment to the traditions of Jesuit humanism and concern for others by its choice of honorees. The University honored educator and author Jonathan Kozol, who most recently wrote Savage Inequalities, a study of the inequalities of public education; Mary Catherine Bateson, Clarence J. Robinson Professor in Anthropology and English at George Mason University and president of the Institute for Intercultural Studies; Frances G. Berko Ô44, state advocate in the New York State Office of Advocate for the Disabled; Richard Brescia Ô54, the president and founder of Calvary Hospital, the only hospital in the world dedicated to treating the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical pain of advanced cancer; E. Gerald Corrigan Ô65, chairman, international advisers at Goldman Sachs and Co. and former president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve System, and Francis X. Hezel, S.J. Ô62, regional superior of the Jesuits of Micronesia. At an earlier ceremony, the University conferred an honorary doctorate of laws degree on his Excellency, Fidel V. Ramos, president of the Republic of the Philippines and the former chief-of-staff of the armed forces who, as University President Joseph A. OÕHare, S.J. noted, Òchose, at the moment of truth . . . to stand with the people of the Philippines in defiance of the armed might of the entrenched ruler.Ó

Mr. Kozol addressed the graduates and asked them to ponder their responsibility as fortunate, well-educated people. ÒCharity is not an adequate substitute for justice,Ó Kozol declared as he challenged the graduates to reach out to the underprivileged in our society and go beyond charity into a life of public service.

Three members of the University Class of 1994 won Fulbright Scholarships: Mari Miller Ô94 will teach English in Korea, Tony Guzewicz Ô94 will study the homeless of Japan and Christina Colon Ô94 will study small carnivores in Malaysia, and three members of the Class won National Security Education Program scholarships for a yearÕs study abroad in a non-European country: Erin Coyne Ô94 (Russia), Adam Harris Ô94 (Egypt) and Alex Jenkyn Ô94 (Russia). Chris Bowers Ô94, the captain of the Rugby team, won a State Farm Fellowship.

TRADITION welcomes the Class of 1994 to the ranks of the alumni.

The University Neighborhood Housing Program, a joint endeavor of Fordham University and the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, received the National Housing Conference Award in recognition of its dedicated efforts to provide low and moderate income housing in the City of New York.

Impact. The success of any university is measured ultimately in the lives of its alumni, and, in the life of Malcolm Wilson '33, our University looms large. An extraordinary public servant, who has been among Fordham's most loyal friends, Governor Wilson has, in the words of University President Rev. Joseph A. O'Hare, S.J., exemplified Òthe very best of what Fordham aspires to.Ó Wilson served his country and his state as commander of a navy gun crew during World War II, as an assemblyman in the state legislature and as Lieutenant Governor before taking the oath of office in 1973 as the 50th Governor of the State of New York. His 36 years in public life have made a positive impact on our state and our country, and our lives are better for him.

To relieve the many stresses inflicted upon them, students on Rose Hill have, according to THE RAM, been observed cleaning their bathrooms, dancing to ÒTotally 80ÕsÓ tapes, engaging in food fights (but only with Chinese food) and climbing to the highest point in a room to obtain a higher perspective of things.

The Board of Trustees has approved a plan to strengthen undergraduate arts and sciences at the University by forming one university-wide core curriculum with one liberal arts and sciences faculty. (We won. The Board adopted The CollegeÕs curriculum.) The single curriculum will encourage undergraduate students to take advantage of one of FordhamÕs unique strengths, the opportunity to experience student life at both Lincoln Center and Rose Hill - students may now choose to live during different semesters in residence halls on either of the two campuses.

To enhance the intellectual opportunities offered to John HughesÕ flock, Rev. James N. Loughran, S.J., the former president of Loyola Marymount University, has commenced duties as academic vice-president.

Truman P. Young, associate professor of biology, is studying the impact of wildlife on cattle on rangelands in Kenya. The data will be valuable not only for land management in general, he said, but for optimizing biodiversity in areas that are home to a variety of creatures. ÒThe pounds of meat produced is no longer the sole measure of good land management,Ó says Young. For example, when cattle ranching became a priority in the United States, those interested in maximizing cattle production, eliminated not only animals on range lands capable of transmitting disease to cattle, but also those animals that eat what cattle eat, animals that eat cattle and those plants cattle do not eat. Those approaches Òobviously, are not good for biodiversity,Ó he said. ÒThey may be good for cattle production, but they are bad conservation management and may be bad for biological health,Ó which, ultimately, could be bad for cattle. Young has divided large mammals into three classes: cattle; smaller herbivores, from warthogs to buffalo, and mega-herbivores, such as giraffes and elephants. Young intends to use fences of different heights to enable different classes of animals to enter pens, while prohibiting others from getting in. By regulating the types of animals that can roam and graze in the pens - and keeping one pen free of animals as a control - Young can determine the impact of different combinations of cattle and wildlife on the vegetation. He said research has shown how unnecessary the widespread fauna destruction was in the American West. Citing another example, he said, ÒThere was a drive to wipe out prairie dogs. Prairie dogs may eat 2 percent of what cattle eat. Yes, thatÕs 2 percent less for the cattle, but itÕs only 2 percent.Ó In the same way, he said, scientists found that in Africa, almost every disease transmitted to cattle comes from buffalo only.

The Gannon Lecture. James Q. Wilson, one of the nationÕs foremost political scientists and the James Collins Professor of Management at UCLA, addressed ÒMoral IntuitionÓ at the spring Gannon Lecture.

The Faculty. Joseph OÕCallahan, professor of history, published The Learned King: The Reign of Alfonso X of Castile. . . . Avery Dulles, S.J., Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society, published ÒThe Four Faces of American CatholicismÓ in Louvain Studies. . . . Ian Morrison, professor of mathematics, delivered the lectures ÒPrimary decompositionsÓ at the University of California at Berkeley and ÒMathematics of digital typographyÓ at the Center for Pure and Applied Mathematics.Ó . . . Robert J. Roth, S.J., professor emeritus of philosophy, has published a new book, British Empiricism and American Pragmatism. . . . Cris Poor, assistant professor of mathematics, presented his paper ÒSchottkyÕs Form and the Hyperelliptic LocusÓ to the Seventh Annual Modular Forms Conference at Stamford. . . . Dominick Salvatore, professor of economics and coordinator of graduate programs, published International Economics, the leading international economics text in the United States. . . .Theodore G. Faticoni, associate professor of mathematics and department chairman, gave a paper, ÒCotorsion-free groups cotorsion as modules over their endomorphism ringsÓ at the Conference on Torsion-free Abelian Groups at the University of the Netherlands Antilles at Curaco. . . . Quamrul Haider, assistant professor of physics, is coauthor of the paper ÒCoupling Constants of a pNN and pNA Vertices,Ó presented at the spring meeting of the American Physical Society in Washington, D.C. . . . Lawrence T. DeCarlo, assistant professor of psychology, published ÒA Dynamic Theory of Proportional Judgement: Context and Judgement of Length, Heaviness and RoughnessÓ in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. . . . Diane Isaacs, adjunct assistant professor of English, presented ÒThings Unseen: Exploring the African Imagination,Ó at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English.

The consideration of Jesus Christ as a Jew provides a challenge for Christians and Jews alike, scholar and author Shaye S.D. Cohen said during a recent discussion on ÒThe Jewishness of JesusÓ on Rose Hill. The challenge that the Jewishness of Jesus brings to Christianity and Judaism is one that demands non-exclusivity, said Cohen, the Ungerleider Professor of Judaic Studies at Brown University. The Christian faith must develop its Òsense of self without destroying the legitimacy of Judaism,Ó adding that Judaism must recognize that ChristÕs claims to the Old Testament and its promises and traditions are no less authentic than those of the Jews.

Concerned for the spiritual well-being of John HughesÕ flock, Rev. George J. McMahon, S.J. has retired as vice-president for Lincoln Center to become the University Chaplain.

The crew wins the nationals! Congratulations to Coach Ted BonannoÕs womenÕs lightweight four (Chrissy Idiart Ô96, Gina Greer Ô94, Eileen Heanue Ô94, Kathy Spergl Ô94 and coxswain Sean Gibbons Ô96) which, competing as a club team against varsity teams, earned FordhamÕs first national championship in a varsity team sport at the National Collegiate Championship Regatta in Cincinnati, Ohio and to his menÕs lightweight eight which broke the course record and won the national small college championship at the Championship International Collegiate Regatta at Occoquan, Virginia.

The Sports Page. Congratulations to first year coach Kevin MorrisÕ women's basketball team which finished its season at 21-9, won the Patriot League title and qualified for FordhamÕs first womenÕs NCAA tournament berth.

Bring the kids to the games. Coach Nick QuartaroÕs Fordham footballers will play at Rose Hill against Villanova (on 9/3), against Cornell (on 9/24), against Columbia (on 10/8), against Princeton (on 10/15), against Holy Cross (on 10/29) and against Lafayette (on 11/12). The footballers will play at Lehigh (on 9/10), at Hofstra (on 9/17), at Dartmouth (on 10/1), at Colgate (on 10/22) and at Bucknell (on 11/19). Contact the Department of Athletics (718-817-4306) for tickets and game information. The University will host a ÒBrunch and CrunchÓ reception for the Classes of 1984 through 1994 at the Princeton football game on October 15, 1994. Contact Mike OÕNeill of Alumni Relations (212-636-6520) for further information.

In its wisdom, the University again will not host a fall football homecoming. Consequently, the alumni will again celebrate a fall football ÒNot HomecomingÓ. This yearÕs ÒNot HomecomingÓ celebration will be held on September 3, 1994 when the Fordham footballers play the Wildcats of Villanova on Rose Hill. The football series between the Rams and the Wildcats dates to 1897. The Wildcats have won the last six games. The RamsÕ last victory was in 1921 at the old Fordham Field when the Rams won by a single point, 20-19.

RAMembrances. Ed Gilleran Ô47 recalls that, at 5Õ10Ó, 165 pounds, Len Eshmont Ô40, ÒThe Atlas Antelope,Ó was hardly an imposing figure, but he was one of the most dangerous, most colorful and most effective running backs the football Rams ever had. In his sophomore season, Len swept out of the Fordham backfield for 831 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, the best performance in the country. Coach ÒSleepy JimÓ Crowley said he had never seen a back so good. Although he was totally unconscious of it, Len had star quality. Fordham crowds went wild when Number 2 ran onto the field. In addition to his game breaking running talents, Len was a reliable pass defender, a hard tackler and a fine punter. And, in the clutch, he could toss a pretty fair pass. Len earned All-East honors in 1940, his senior season. Each year, in memory of Len and by vote of the players, the San Francisco Forty-Niners football club presents ÒThe Len Eshmont AwardÓ to the team member who Òbest exemplifies inspirational and courageous play.Ó

Reader Ray McPartland Ô35 Òthoroughly enjoy(s) TRADITION.Ó. . . GraceAnne Andreassi DeCandido Ô69 contends that she is the first graduate of Thomas More College to have a child (Keith DeCandido Ô90) graduate from Fordham. . . . Jay Leno, who misquoted an article from the April 1994 issue of TRADITION on The Tonight Show, while recounting one of the rugby teamÕs regrets, demands to know ÒWhat misunderstanding? They ran naked!Ó. . . John Karl Hirten Ô78 thanks TRADITION for its news. . . . John A. Ericksen Ô39 writes ÒFascinated by ÔFACULTYÕ, and far from the flourishing fields of FordhamÕs Academe, I find myself titillated by the titles themselves, and free of the fear of being flabbergasted by further probing of their paperÕs postulates.Ó . . . Major Walter Conrad Ô80 enjoys receiving Ònot only the TRADITION newsletter, but the other magazines and publications . . . from Fordham.Ó. . . Duncan W. Clark, M.D. Ô32 Ò(e)njoyed the January 1994 issue of TRADITION immensely.Ó. . . Patrick Foye Ô78 always enjoys reading TRADITION . . . . Dennis Saville Ô71 thanks TRADITION for the piece in the January 1994 issue on Ed Leahey, Jr.Ô69. ÒI recall as a sophomore hurrying home each Saturday afternoon for five weeks to watch FordhamÕs magnificent team slay their adversaries on G.E. College Bowl. . . . Although I did not know Ed personally, I believe that he represented for many of us the dazzling possibilities of a Fordham education.Ó. . . Jim OÕGrady Ô82 writes Òthe way you excerpt letters is unfair. From what IÕve seen you either wrench an idea from its context or . . . paraphrase (an) argument, then place it within your critical response. This way you present the reader with only those points you choose to rebut, reformulate it in your words, at the service of your contentions.Ó. . . Art Carmody Ô49 looks forward to receiving TRADITION and finds it Òinformative, thought provoking and, on occasion, even possessed of a keen sense of humor.Ó

As he has done so often in the past, Mark Lawless Ô69 disagrees sharply with his classmate Kevin Slakas Ô69 regarding the effectiveness of campus demonstrations during the 1960Õs. Referring to KevinÕs comments in the April 1994 issue of TRADITON, Mark contends that, while no one got a tan during the ÒNaval Recruiters DemonstrationÓ in 1969, the demonstrators were at least true to their mission and disrupted the naval recruitersÕ day. In contrast, says Mark, the Committee to Restructure the UniversityÕs sit-in and hunger strike in 1969 was the epitome of an ineffective demonstration because the hunger strikers were not true to their mission. Mark recalls that only one day into the hunger strike broadcaster Harry Arouh of CBS Morning News appeared on the Rose Hill campus with a camera crew to tape the strike but discovered on his arrival that the strike had ended. Arouh found Paul Tapogna Ô69, one of the leaders of the hunger strike, and asked him why it had ended so quickly. Tapogna gave a long explanation which was broadcast on CBS that morning, during which Arouh asked, ÒSo, everyone just got hungry?Ó To which Tapogna responded, ÒEssentially, yes.Ó Mark suspects that many of the students who participated in the hunger strike intended to apply to law school and just wanted an extra activity to list on their applications.

Dinner with the Dean. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., The College Dean, who continues to incur TRADITIONÕs displeasure by refusing to compel senior theology and philosophy students to wear senior robes, invites interested alumni to join him for dinner on Wednesday, October 19, 1994 at Lincoln Center to discuss issues of concern to The College. Contact Mike OÕNeill of Alumni Relations (212-636-6520) for further information and reservations.

Legacy. The Jesuit had taught the boyÕs father when he was a boy, and, when the father brought the boy to The Bronx, he introduced them. The Jesuit, now retired, and the boy had gotten along instantly, and, before the father left his son at college, he advised, ÒIf you have any problems or get arrested or anything and need someone right away, call Peter.Ó Three weeks later, the boy drafted his first college paper and brought it to the Jesuit. A quick edit later, the boy handed the paper in. He was pleased with the B+ he earned. Four weeks later, the boy returned home for a weekend before a second paper was due. The boyÕs father took the draft paper and edited and organized and re-edited and reorganized it into what he believed was a work of art. Some time later, the Jesuit asked the boy how he had done on the paper his father had helped him with. ÒI got a C,Ó the boy confessed. ÒHmm,Ó replied the Jesuit. Òjust tell your father that I taught him everything that he knows, not everything that I know.Ó

Admissions. The College has accepted a freshman class, the Class of 1998, which is 7% larger and has (non-inflated) SAT scores 40 points higher than the previous class.

The Admissions Office invites children, grandchildren and friends of alumni to Open Houses on November 13 (Lincoln Center) and 14 (Rose Hill), 1994. Contact Jason Zajac (212-636-6734) of the Admissions Office for details.

Originally founded as a secret society in 1854, the University Debate Society has contributed to the Jesuit philosophy of education by encouraging students to think for themselves and own their ideas. The SocietyÕs members comprise a WhoÕs Who of argument and have included William Casey Ô34, the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and G. Gordon Liddy Ô52, the radio talk show host. The Society has had many successes. The first intercollegiate debate competition was held at Fordham in 1910; the American Parliamentary Debate Association was founded at Rose Hill in 1981; the University hosted the World Debate Championship in 1985 and the National Championships in 1994, and, according to Lennie Carr Ô95, in 1994, at the World Debate Championship in Australia, while competing with debaters from around the world, Society members discovered that, in the southern hemisphere, Òwater really does go down the drain the other way!Ó But, none of these successes was more deserved than Princeton UniversityÕs Aaron Burr Award which the Society earned in 1974. As recounted by Bob Hughes Ô75, the 1974 team was a highly regarded squad, which had earned a national ranking. But still, the team had a lot to live up to. For years, FordhamÕs talented teams had been regarded as rogues on the national debating circuit for their flamboyant behavior off the field of play. When invited to attend the annual Princeton University tournament, the Fordham team set its sights on the Burr Award which Princeton (which obviously failed to realize that it was dealing with professionals) presents annually to the team which exhibits the most Òoutrageous behaviorÓ during the debates. At a reception at PrincetonÕs prestigious Tiger Club one December evening, the Fordham team made its move. First, the team outdrank even the notorious Canadians to accumulate a huge point lead; then, entering the music room of the Club, team members stripped to their skivvies and sang Christmas carols until they had exhausted their repertoire; finally, the team marched from the Club off into the December snows, to the applause of appreciative debaters from across the continent. The team members, all of whom, TRADITION believes, are now well-paid professionals, not only won the coveted Burr Award (which is in the shape of a horseÕs ass) but nearly retired it. They distinguished themselves in the debates, and, thankfully, none of them was expelled.

Why doesnÕt the Debate Society, which is in its one hundred fortieth year, have a reunion?

Readers may submit nominations for The College Alumni Achievement Award in writing to Mike OÕNeill of Alumni House by October 1, 1994.

Mark this date in maroon! Chairmen Michael Mullarney Ô68 and Steve DeGroat Ô72 announce that the annual Fordham Golf Classic at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York will be held on Monday, October 3, 1994. A limited number of reservations and sponsorships are still available. Contact Julio Diaz of the Department of Athletics (718-817-4306) for details.