UMass Magazine Online

Winter 2002

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MONUMENTAL TEACHERS

IN LINE WITH JULIUS LESTER'S essay on institutional memory in our last issue (“A new names project,” North 40, Fall 2001), we invited readers to pay tribute to their most memorable teachers. Here are the replies we’d received by December.

Robert Gunness ’32: “The best teacher I had was Pat Patterson , English teacher in 1930.”

Barbara Carr Thompson ’46 : “I believe the name of Mary Garvey , an associate professor of bacteriology who influenced many students, including myself, should be added to the wall of names of Distinguished Teachers in the Campus Center if not already there.”

Robert Romancier ’57 : “ Bill Ross taught physics with enormous enthusiasm and clarity. He educated by capturing student interest and applying practical physics to solving real-life problems, such as how to pull a car out of a mudhole using a too-short piece of rope. To illustrate musical overtones, he dropped a microphone into my tuba, connected to an oscilloscope. Robin Williams would play him in the movies.”

Pauline (Rachel) Torrence Cann ’64 : “ Robert Tucker taught creative writing, never suffered from a swelled head, always will be loved and remembered for his kindness and humanness by his students.”

Justyne Steuer Carlson ’67G : “An outstanding duo of Spanish professors with whom I had the privilege of studying at UMass were German Bleiberg and E. Inmen Fox . They moved on to Vanderbilt so later UMass students were not so fortunate. I heard recently that Dr. Fox is president of Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.”

Gerald Rousseau ’69 : “Although Bruce Aune of philosophy was department head, he insisted on teaching Introduction to Modern Philosophy. His enthusiasm and energy made the most complex ideas come alive. Although I graduated with a business degree, Professor Aune’s epistemology classes were the highlight of my UMass career.”

Joycee Patterson Lindstrom ’70 : “My favorite college professor was Sarah Hawes (consumer studies). She had tough standards, genuine love for her students, and gave wise advice. I appreciate her dedication to home economics majors and to UMass.”

Eric Drouart ’74, ’76G : “I would like to give a special tribute to Bertil Liander ’72G from the School of Business. He was my faculty advisor and one reason why I came to UMass. His international background and experience were the inspiration for my own career.”

Elizabeth Gabel ’74 : “I vividly remember the brilliant lectures of Jack Deaver and the stimulating classes of Elizabeth Martin in comparative literature. Anyone out there remember them or me? RSVP!”

Patricia Keenan-Drooker ’75 : “Dr. Jean Elshtain (political science) was my journal advisor when I was a University Year for Action student volunteer. I appreciated her support during a time I was finding myself. Thank you, Dr. Elshtain.”

Margarete (Schwabe) LaRoche ’78 : “ Carroll Reed (Germanic languages and literature) recognized the need for healing for survivors of WWII whose native language was/is German, regardless of ethnic differences or political divisions..”

John Szewczyk ’80 : “Political opposites [who] touched me with their commitments to their own philosophies while allowing me to seek my own, Dean Albertson and Dick Garber ’90H stand out in my memory. They were great men in my life and any greatness I might attain they are a part of.”

Ann (Genden) Forman ’84 : “Not a teacher but manager of the ticketing office at Curry Hicks, Wally Novak was a great friend to me during my time at UMass. I’ve never forgotten about him and want to thank him once again for his guidance and friendship.”

Jonathan Jennings ’84S, ’86 : “ Joseph Troll ’65G (Stockbridge School of Agriculture) told us that in five years, half the class would be doing something other than managing a golf course. That statement made me work harder. He would take a bunch of young kids and prepare them to be great golf course superintendents. The turf program at UMass was Joe Troll.”

Keith Dougherty ’89 : “ Mzamo Mangaliso ’88G (management) was the finest professor I ever had. He challenged every student in our class to be the best. He helped me appreciate the freedom of living in the greatest country in the world. He helped make UMass a first rate institution!”

Dena (Solomon) Babjak ’90 : “Favorite teacher – S.W. Fletcher ’70G, ’51H (HRTA). You felt his passion for his work and he always had an interesting story to tell. You never fell asleep in his class!”

Danielle Petrella Ullrich ’91 : “My favorite teacher was Vincent DiMarco , then chairman of the English department. I was an English major without a clue until I asked him to be my advisor after enjoying several of his classes. He managed to make a dead language like Middle English come alive, bring humor into his classroom, and care about his students.”

Kristin (Hammerton) Murphy ’92 : “My two favorite UMass teachers are George Parks (music) and Clement Seldin (education). These extraordinary individuals have a passion for their subject, great personal interest in their students, and the belief that each student can succeed. Their classes were hard work that students couldn’t wait to do. They provided me with priceless models for my own teaching career.”

Jennifer Gulla ’94 : “In my 20 years of formal education, there is no professor or teacher that can compare to Stephen Oates (history), as he was in a league of his own. To this day, I remember Professor Oates’s ability to make a packed auditorium completely motionless and awestruck with the passion of his lectures. Often, students were so moved that they would remain in their seats well after class ended.”

[top of page]

UMass Gatherings: Ed Marathon

GATHERINGS: larger images

MARATHON LIST: Ed School Alumni at the Reunion

SOUVENIR: testing into Mass Aggie

PROFILE: Cynthia Shepard Perry '72G

PROFILE: Kathleen Mitchell ‘79

MEMOIR: Todd Russell Hill ’90

MONUMENTAL TEACHERS: your memories of professors

MOVING ON: faculty retirements

NO PLACE LIKE HOMECOMING: alumni at the ’70s reunions

UMASS MEDIA: Bruce MacCombie ’67, ’68G and Taj Mahal ’63S