CD 5 ~ C-t9f) JFOOThrspective Portland State University Alumni News * E7 .*ffi7 ~ , ~ f J 1 J ~ J , I ~ rrn ~ ~ ~ tJ "fflSpring 1986 , .Jj(111,e )twJ/e)W"thoutth.nh1tQ, h ~ 11IIll be p ' e r . p , e - ~ < f ) f t [ t , ~ 1 : - " t f : J ' : J , but t#ttrll<.il'.!.9 witil(1lJt m ~ l Y 4 " ' - 1 , ! 1 t (0l41t/ lk((1'He 1 J ( l r ~ l
Portland State University Alumni News Spring 1986 Inside 40 years of great teaching / 3 Mike Tichy teaches his students fitness skills that change their bodies and their lives Memories of the 1950. / 4 Five alums and faculty remember the 19505 at Portland State Stalking new energy sources 1 6 Carl Wamser and co·researchers look to photosynthesis for a new source of energy A possion for learning / 7 PSU's oldest and youngest students share a passionate quest for knowledge PSU's sensational summer / 10 Summer Session, Summer Festival Theater and Haystack '86 provide innovative summer schedule The two lives of Anthony Armstrong / 12 Anthony Armstrong ('781 combines a sales career with a dynamic stage presence Preserving the past 1 14 Janice Rutherford ('81 MAl advocates for the preservation of historic buildings Campus News / 8 Alum Notes / 13 foundation News 1 16 Sports 117 Calendar / 19 On the cover: English calligraphy by Lawrence Wheeler of the PSU Honors College; Chinese calligraphy by Chang Min Shen. The calligraphy of Lawrence Wheeler is featured in the 1986 Summer Session catalog. - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ - - ~ Students gather in the Park Blocks in front of Lincoln Hall in 1958 From extension center to college PSU granted a future ion the 1950s by Clarence Hein In June 1956, the first students to graduate with bachelor's degrees from Portland State walked across the stage of Lincoln Hall, shook hands with college president John F. Cramer, and quietly took their places in the University's history. It was almost 10 years to the day since the college first opened its doors for summer session as Vanport Extension Center. The 1940s ended with the legislative approval of the Wilhelm-Logan Bill (originally drafted by Vanport student John Hakanson), establishing a permanent lower-division college in Portland and authorizing purchase of the old downtown Lincoln High School building. The college remained at the Oregon Shipyard site, purchased from the General Services Administration for $12,000 (or two more years pending completion of the new lincoln High building. But the Vanport students retained their excitement and enthusiasm for their school. They voted to change the name to "Portland State Extension Center," taking the initiative to insure a student voice in selection of a name. The State Board approved their choice two years later. In the spring of 1950, new State Board chairman Edgar Smith told a Vanport assembly, "If you were to bet that Portland would have a four-year state supported college in the not too distant future, you wouldn't lose any dough." And events did move rapidly in the development of Portland's state college, but never fast enough for students or staff. Lobbying effort kept PSU alive The move downtown in 1952 gave the college its permanent campus and, thanks to intensive lobbying by Portland Staters and their supporters, matters continued to move in the legislative arena. The 1953 legislature, while it defeated a four-year college bill, did approve a plan allowing Portland State to provide three·and-two-thirds years toward bachelor's degrees in teaching. Students would take the final term at one of the other state campuses. But the writing on the legislative wall was so clear that the State Board, in late 1954, agreed to take the initiative in the next legislative session on a four-year bill for Portland State. It was one of the first pieces of legislation adopted in 1955 and, on February 11, Governor Paul Patterson signed the bill into law, creating Portland State College. Student body President Ron Denfield climbed a ladder to remove the words "Extension Center" from the side of Lincoln Hall, leaving the name, " Portland State." There was' a six-block long car parade of celebration through downtown Portland. " ••• you ain't seen nothin' yet!" Joh n F. Cramer, who had served as Dean of the Extension Center, was named first Portland State College President. His inauguration was in October, along with the formal dedication of Portland State College. In his convocation address, Cramer said, "The history of Portland State is still before us. All that is past is prologue." To which the Vanguard added, "And you ain't seen nothin' yet!" They were right. Before the decade was over, construction would begin on three buildings (the first sections of Cramer Hall and Smith Center, and the DCE building), degree programs would expand and enrollment would grow to 8,500 day and evening students. In late 1958 President Cramer resigned his post for health reasons. A national search brought Branford P. Millar to the campus as second president. An English scholar, Millar spoke to the students about the intellectual challenges facing them and the need for the college to broaden its educational horizons as it entered the 1960's. It was to be another decade of promise and progress for Portland State. ~ ~ " ~ a .s l
State Board accepts PSU mission statement ABC ALUMNI BENEFITS CONTINUE TO GROW The State Board of Higher Education this spring accepled a new mission statement for Portland Slate University along with a list of recommended actions to help Ihe University meet the challenges of future development. The new mi!lsion statement will be incorporated in a six-year strategic plan for higher education in the state. The mission statement was developed by a special task force appointed by the board and chaired by loren Wyss of Portland. The task force mel with members of the community and with PSU faculty, students and administration in development of the mission statement" Four Recommendations The task force presented four recommendations to the board, urging "additional involvement, support, and encouragement." by the board in PSU development. The recommendations from the task force were: That the state board adopt the new proposed mission statement; That excellent teaching and basic liberal arts and sciences, the heart of any university, be preserved so that PSU can respond to evolving economic and social needs; That, to enhance development of letters Superb stories After reading the previous PelSpective (Fall 1985) with the two superb stories by Cynthia Stowell, and now the currenl issue with the Dmytryshyn story. I feel compelled to write and say how good thoseS were. What a pleasure to rea find writing informed by an intellig yeo This University benefits by Cynthia'S presence. I look forward to reading more. Cathy Smith Psychology Dept. Vanpl>rt memories I was really surprised by the photo in Winter 1986 alumni news. There I was, serving coffee and doughnuts and sandwiches, same as I did at old Portland Hall and at the Oregon Shipyard location, We even endeavored to serve hal meals then. I took part in helping the Vimguard get off its somewhat wet feet. I wrote headlines, ads, features, finally put It .bed ... The "U" by the Slough will always be dear to me. I would not have been able to go on to U of 0 for a SA without the background from that extension center. Thomas A. "Tommy" Heckard, Vanport Portland, Oregon ,..,. 2 1 PSU Perspective. Spling 1986 PSU, the state board continue to use UO and OSU as PSU's comparator institutions in allocating salary improvement funds; That new gr.lduate programs be added at PSU when a demonstrated need exists and resources become available. The task force urged the board to request funds from the legislature to complete the expansion of electrical and computer engi nccr' ng, international studies, and international business programs at PSU. When those programs are adequately staffed and competing successfully for studenls and research grants, the task force said, new !lraduate and research programs should be considered in the fields of business administration, urban and ethnic education, social welfare and human services, public administration, and possibly specialized fields of science and the performing arts. Statement Highlights Highlights from the new PSU Mission Statement include the following. "(PSU's) mission is to provide excellent programs of teaching, research and public service in Oregon's major metropolitan area . , .. Development of PSU will Editor wins awards The Oregon Columbia Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators recently issued two "Pacesetter Citations" to PSU editor Cynthia Stowell for articles published in Perspective. The citations were awarded for "Symbols of racism help define prof's mission" (Fall 1985) for a "sensitive exploration of a difficult topic" and for "From Poland to Portland" (Winter 1986), Stowell's profile of Basil Dmytryshyn, PSU professor of history. Imrr R!rspective PSU l " f n p t c t i v t i s p u b l i s h e d q ~ n e r l y d u ' i I l 8 t h e ~ i l f b,o News and IlIformalion SeNH:e!i fo, alumni, faculty and Sliff and friends of Pordand SUteUniworsily. I n l ~ i m E d i l o r K i l l h n S m l l h Conlribulon C I ~ I t ' n C ~ tiCln '6S Clili!ohlWlfl C ~ · l I l h l . D SIO\'IeJl CMrnUr EditOf P ~ I Scon a - . p " ' a d d r e a ; ~ b o t h ~ a n d o l d ~ I O P S U P \ m p e d i w , P . o . Box 751. PortIitnd 5 t ~ 1 e Univmit)', Portbnd. Orqon, 97207. ' . - . . b : l f l b i i i _ i s ~ l o y o u r ! i O O O I " daushrer who no longer mailltullS a pemlinenl ___ at y o u r ~ , pIe_ nocify!he PSU Alumni Qffl(t ( 5 O J · l ~ 9 - 4 e ) 01 the new !IIo1ihll8 ....... PSU IUppQ!ts I/qWI t d u o ~ opportunrry w i t b o l l : ~ t d l O s e J C . r . K e , l Y o n d l C i p , " " . lIoiIIIioNl oriW", ITI¥it<II ~ 01" "'lipln. tontmue to be founued on traditional disciplmes of the lIberal arts and suences. The highest priority, shall be excellent teaching at all levels. PSU must give ~ c i a l attention to the needs of its multi·cultural, minority and nontraditional students. It should augment rigorous classroom and laboratory instruction with clinical instruction widely available in the Portland area . Research will continue to grow in quality and quantity .... Resc.uch and scholar.>hip must be an important criteria for faculty selection, promotion, tenure and salary advancement. . New research programs should be selected carefully ... , Research programs tied to the community's focus on high technology industry, business administration, international trade, urban and ethnic education, hC.1hh systems and administration, public administration, and social service should be given priority consideration. " As the major public university in the Ponland metropolitan area, PSU will continue to be a leader in the economic, social, and cultural life of the comMunity, Count the many services now available 10 you as a PSU alum! Offered only to Porlland siale alumni al special Alumni Benefit Card savings. • Sports and recreation • Library privileges • Insurance benefits • Low cost rental of recreational equipment (including skiing gear) • Membership in PSU Co-op Bookstore • Travel progr.ms • Parking privileges • Discounts on social and cultural events • Monthly calendar of University events • Discounts on athletic events Call your Alumni Office today and sign up for your ABC Card. PSU ALUMNI r--------------------------------------" I I years of great \./ teaching /\ When you think back to your days at Portland Slate or Vanport, does one professor's face le.1p to mind? Out of all the ideas and information that came your way, do the words of one professor stay with your Spend a few moments thinking about the Portland State prof who influenced you the most. What made him or her stand out? Inspiring lectures? An intriguing outlook on life? Exceptional expertise? A personal interest in your work? Some sage advice at J critical time? Now share your memories of this favorite professor with Perspecti\'e and with your classmates for inclusion in a special look at "40 Years of Great Teaching" scheduled for the fall issue. You can use the form below or a separate piece of paper, but please, no more than 250 words. Send your memories to: PSU Perspective, P.O. Box 75 l. Portland•• OR 97207. Professor's name and dept.: _____________ Memories: __________________ Your name: _________ Year of Graduation ___ L______________________________________
Tichy improves the lives of his students by Bob Mullin He stands in the center of Portland State University's main gymnasium surrounded by fitness equipment of his own design, a stocky, well-built man whose youthful appearance belies his 64 years. Near the entrance to the gym a small rectangular sign attached to the wall read'.i, "12 laps equals one mile," and dozens of people of all ages, ranging from theif 305 to their 70s. are jogging or walking around the perimeter of the huge gym. From lime to time, the robust man in the center of gym lx>oms outs: "Re-verse di-rection please!" And the joggers and wal kers turn and head the other way-"tD relieve stress on one side of the body," the man explains to someone standing next to him, "How'm I doing, Doc?" a voice calls.out from the perimeter, and the r,nan in the center waves his approval. "Not too much, now,'1 he cautions as an afterthought. "He was jogging the hills of Pennsylvania in the mid-1930s . .. " A grey-haired woman breaks from the group and approaches the man with an expression of concern on her face. "Dr. Tichy," she says, "the other night I was only two laps from finishing my workout when I felt a sharp twinge right here." Bending, she poi nts to a spot on her right knee. The man is quick to offer both advice and comfort. For nearly 30 years the above scene has been a fixture at PSU. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5 p.m., people of all sorts-fat, thin, tall, short, young, old-have been religiously taking the time to attend the Adult Fitness Program conducted by Michael W. Tichy, professor of health and physical education at PSU since 1954. It was in 1959 that Tichy launched the community fitness program ior a group of a half dozen men or so "because they were having more problems related to the cardio-vascular system. " Tichy says he felt that if these men got involved in endurance type of exercise "they would eliminate such silly habits as smoking, mooify their (Bob Mullin is a freelance writer in Portland and a frequent contributor to· Perspective. He is also a former PSU student.) years of great teaching drinking habits and watch their diet because they were doing some positive things for their bodies." He was right. The program grew over the years, enrolling as many as 130 adults in a class. PartiCipants often included heart and stroke patients referred to the program by doctors in the area. Of course Tichy is widely known for many other contributions to health and physical fitness. He has been teaching for 40 years, most of that time at Portland Stale. He has promoted the organization of fitness programs as special consultant to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and other organizations. He also has invented and marketed a variety of devices designed for fitness testing and development. Born in 1921 in Pittston, Pa., Tichy remembers " never deviating" from an interest in health, fitness and physical education from the sixth grade on. He was jogging the hills of Pennsylvania in the mid-1930s, decades before the word "jog" entered the vocabularies of millions of fitness-conscious Americans. During World War II Tichy worked with sports and rehabilitation programs, launching his teaching career in 1946. He served as an associate PE professor at Ihe UniverSity of Portland for five years (1949-54), the last two as department head, and for a time coached tennis teams Ihat set a national record winning streak of 80 straight matches. Tichy worked part-time at Portland State in 1952 and took over full-time duties in 1954. " I enjoy teaching," he says, "and with the writing and research I am now doing, it makes it even more meaningful." The writing includes a book Tichy is putting together on exercises for the elderly, one of his specialties, and the research involves a project aimed at simplifying the procedure for determining individual fitness levels, a project, beginning in m i d ~ M a y , that will bring to PSU a leading authority in exercise phYSiology, Herbert DeVries, from the University of Southern California. In his role as fitness council consultant Tichy has worked under five U.S. administrations. "I touch a lot of bases," he says. "Anyone who has any questions from this area of the country is referred to me." Tichy helped set up fitness programs at Safeway and the YMCA. He also helped launch a testing and instruction program for statewide law enforcement agencies, a program he calls one of the most unique in the nation. "We teach them everything from handling stress problems to drinking modification," he says. Tichy began designing fitness equipment when he noticed "some terrible things happening with testing. " An example was the inaccuracy in measuring flexibility. "The old "When you have a 76-year-old running, you know it's a good program. " method was to put a yardstick on the floor," says Tichy. "But it wasn't reproducible. One time your heel would be at the 15-inch mark and another time it would be at the 14-inch mark. Because of the variation in position, you couldn't know whether you'd improved or not. '· As a result Tichy designed----and marketed-the Tichy Test-O-Flex, which, according to product literature, "improves reliability and validity of flexibility measurements." Other Tichy inventions include a stretch bench "to improve the range of motion in certain body areas," an instrument for measuring calories burned depending on weight, activity and time spent; and Flex-O-Straps for stretching legs. "I'm something of an entrepreneur," he explains with il grin. Continued on page 18 PSU Perspective, Spring 1986 I page 3
• Memories of the 1950s Alums and faculty remember the past Interviewed by Katlin Smith Chuck Clemans, '56 The character of the campus is so different. .. the University existed in the lincoln Building, lincoln Hall, referred to as "Old Main/' and one large Victorian whit.:h held the administration in it. .. The old lincoln Building wasn't that different from when it had been a high school. It w a ~ real interesting 10 look oul the wmdows. and I probably did look out, al so many of those rowhouse-type Victorians. ThaI had to go when Ihe campus expanded. That was kind of a loss. I hated [0 see those buildings destroyed . o In 1956 the school received its accreditation and there was some question as to whether or not we were going to be accredited. Some people departed, gOI nervous and transferred to other schools in the state system... For an awful lot of us that page 4 1 PSU Perspective, Spring 1986 wasn't an option. I wasn't very well off. I was working part-time at the paper mill in Camas supporting my way through school. We had a fair number of what we would call returning housewives who came back. I think thai the University in those early days afforded a chance for a lot of people who were place-bound... I recall lots of ladies who were coming back after having galien their kids into schooL I think that's a major tole for a city university. o I do remember this. We were in the throes of gelling accreditalion and part of that was a certain amount of academic rigor was expected and I Ihink that some of that rigor rubbed off on a few of Ihe instructors and so gelting a degree and getting grades for classes was not just an idle exercise. La Rae Koon 8ogh, '56 I'd say, in the fifties, they (students) were pretty conservative. not nearly as liberal as, say, the sixties. They were much more liberal then. .. We had thc students who wenl to school and were very serious about if and very dedicated. o We had a lot of veterans Ihen because of the Korean War... They constituted kind of an autonomous group. A 101 of Ihem were married. But It was really fun having them because, interestingly enough, they took more parI in the socitll life than a lot of the younger students. They were ready to have some {un, bUI Ihey took their studieo; very seriously. They made good students and a lot of them had to work a lot more say than ~ O l ( , who were younger but they made just as good grades because they really dedicated themselves. But they also look time to go 10 the dances and thai's probably the one thing that has changed a liltIe. Dancing was a big thing in the fifties... they were well auended, all kindssock hops, formals. Mostly it was just informal dances. o I took an active part in writing letters to congressmen. We'd wrile personal letters about making it a degree-granting institution. That was before 1956 . . . During my time at Portland Stale, I also spent a year al the University of Oregon and I had my choice. I could have golten my degree at the University of Oregon or come back to Portland State and I chose to come back to Portland State because it was the first year it was granting degrees... and besides, I honestly felt that Portland State had a better faculty, a more dynamiC faculty... The personalities who were there in the fjfties were people who were really active in community affairs, civic affairs, they were really comers, and I just felt like I received a better education and, for that reason, I came back. o I was talking about young and dynamic people but Dr. Dahlstrom, an older man. he was in his fjfties which seemed old at the lime you know, in years chronologically he wasn't young but he was such a dynamic professor that he made literature just come 10 life.
Mary Ferguson Cumpston, '57 Everybocly here felt a sense of energy and triumph over the fact that Portland State had made it from Van porI. . . The faculty was a very enthusiastic group committed to continuing the momentum that had been generated. And the students felt, at least some of us did, that we had unknowingly stumbled into this rare atmosphere where everybody had the same goals and everybody was interested in helping everybody else. I don't think I could have gone anywhere and gotten a better liberal arts education than in the fifties at Portland State. o The fact that we were all housed in one building (lincoln Hall)... forced us to all get to know each other and to be together. There was one cafeteria. Everybody was there, faculty, students... It was easy to get to and from various areas of the campus. And you were encouraged and welcome in all of the Frank Roberts, PSU professor It was, in the speech department, a very innovative faculty. We were constantly trying to find ways to increase the effiCiency of our teaching. We were not terribly satisfied with textbooks and we developed elaborate curricula. highly structured, lots of supporting teaching materials, and we were certainly aggressive from thai standpoint. .. The speech department was heaVily involved in competitive speech, forensics, and so we worked hard at that and that was the core group for the speech department. . We made room available as a gathering place for people who were interested in forenSiCS, and a library and a place that they met and congregated and called "home." Even when we were al Oregon Shipyard we, in the speech department, developed a unique tournament that was called the ''Town Meeting Tournament." It attracted competitors from 15 or so colleges and universities. Again, we tried to develop new things. We were not completely enamored with the traditional collegiate debate which nobody listened to except a couple of judges so the "Town Meeting Tournament" brought people in to talk in three.way debates. . . They spoke before college audiences. high school audiences, and before community groupsRotary clubs. service groups, and on radio programs. We conducted that for about 10 years. o I think, if anything, (after the move to the present campus) our students had an opportunity to become much more specialized. . . and I think that was the thing that the new location gave-a sense of permanence in the future Dean DeChaine, '59 From a student OOdy point of view it was a fairly straightforward political setting where students had a purpose, a goal. an objective, enthusiasm and an idealism... There were really not any significant demonstrations or that kind of thing. There was a good relationship, in most cases, with the students and faculty. o One of the biggest programs we had in those days was the Winter Carnival. We literally took over Mt. Hood for a weekend. Those were the days when college students ~ ~ u ~ ~ ~ : r ~ m J t ~ 1 ~ h ~ a ~ ~ ~ d ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ was quite a thing. Finally its success became so great that it destroyed itself. But in those days it was still in its successful stage. o My advisor was Brock Dixon and I had a great deal of respect for him. I was particularly fond of history teachers, in particular Charlie White and George Hoffmann. I was fond of the speech teachers, areas so I was able to do things that I would never be able to do on a large geographically separated campus like go to parties at the homes of English professors, sociology professors. Or. Dahlstrom cooked popovers at his home one Sunday morning... I was able to take courses in the arts and humanities that were taught by people who later became the most prestigious faculty at Portland State who were at that time young instructors on their way up. o I think everyone was concerned with the survival of the campus and having it become a degree-granting institution. When I first came here.. . it was still considered an extension center. But there was no doubt in the minds of many of us who were here that it was inevitable that it would happen before we would ever graduate. including Ben Padrow and Frank Roberts. By and large, with few exceptions. I was extremely pleased with the teaching and education. o Joe Blumel taught me economics when I was there. He was a very fine teacher. They (PSU professors) were mostly younger individuals just getting started in the profession and they were hardworking and they were anxious to show they could teach. o The thing that I recall best is that, if you became involved, you didn'l have the feeling as if this were an urban setting necessarily. It's true that you did live at home. It's true that most peepl rt·time job. But there was good comrade ' ... The other thing that I think has really important had been the education and the training and the close relationship that existed between the faculty members and the students. It was a very giving situation. PSU Perspective, Spring 1986 / "... S
Chemist aims to reveal new energy source Carl Wamser and his co-researchers look to photosynthesis for an alternative to depletable, fossil-based fuels by Cliff Johnson The problem-Io discover how to imitate the process of photosynthesis in the laboratory on a grand, yet cost-efficient scale, thus revealing a way to generate a clean, abundant source of fuel. "So what?" you say. It's a fair question. But all of us have a considerable slake in the outcome of this new research venture. As an energy-hungry world depletes the earth's remaining fossil-based energy supplies such as ad, natural gas and coal, the prospect of final,y harnessing a new source of clean, useful energy becomes both exciting and essential. " If we could only generate such a fuel from the simple ingredients of water and sunlight, using the artificial membranes we are developing as catalysts. this would have a tremendous impact on the world's dwindling energy resources," muses Carl C. Wamser, associate professor of chemistry at PSU. Wamser is 'headmg the University's new research effort which is funded with one of the largest research grants yet received by PSU, a three-year, $840,857 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's DIvision of Advanced Energy ProJects. In fact, the critical work required to start realizmg Wamser's dream of a new fuel source is well underway in two Oregon cities, thanks to the new, cooperative venture involving research conducted both in the public realm, at PSU, and m the private sedor, through Bend Research, Inc. Deep in thought in his campus laboratory, Wamser's quiet, precise manner masks an inner ambition and problem-solving drive. He is regarded as an international expert on the subject of artificial photosynthesIS which, combined with his considerable analytICal skills, form the qualifications a research detective _ 6 I PSU Perspective, Spring 1986 surely must possess to solve this tricky laboratory mystery. To review, the natural process of photosynthesis is used by chlorophyll-containing cells in green plants to convert light to chemical energy that the plants can use. Oxygen that the plants release during this energy-prooltcing process is, of course, what animals and humans breathe to sustain life, Wamser and his co-researchers are determining how best to imitate natural photosynthesis in a lab setting. This, they hope, will show them how to employ plentiful solar energy to generate the desired fuel-in this case, hydrogen. Once that is accomplished, the researchers must discover a way to make this process happen cheaply, and on a true mass scale, But why are the researchers pursuing their energy goal by exploiting photosynthesis? "We chose to mimic ntltural photosynthesis because this is a process which has been perfected by nature over millions of years, and we're quite willing 10 learn from it" Wamser says with a smile. The heart of the researchers' current problem is found in simple H20, or water. To break water down into its components requires energy, and scientists have long known that electrical energy can be used to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen. Bllt In electrolYSiS, the electrical energy needed to obtain the desired reaction is greater than the energy value of the hydrogen obtained by the process. But what if the needed energy input could come from sunlight instead, Wamser wonders, After all, sunlight arrives daily on the earth in quantities sufficient to meet all of humanity'S current energy needs. Wamser's challenge, then, is to find a way to Carl WamSf'r, associate professor of chemistry, and dssistant SUz;Jnf}{' CIi"k ('78 MS) check the vacuum system used to prepare samples for photochemical studies. harness that energy to generate the chemical reactions needed to split water and create hydrogen cheaply. Wamser has long been convinced that hydrogen represents enormous potential for serving as a true world energy source. "Right now, solar energy is mainly used to generate heat and, to a lesser extent, electricity. But we want to use this solar energy to generate the associates-Raymond Bard and Valerie Anderson; two graduate students in PSU's Environmental Sciences and Resources/Chemistry Ph.D. Program-Suzanne Clark ('78 MS) and Robert Ransdell; and four undergraduate research assistants. In Bend, the SRI researchers have been bUSily preparing the thin-film composite membranes and making the preliminary measurements and "If we could only generate such a fuel from the simple ingredients of water and sunlight. .. this would have a tremendous impact on the world's dwindling energy resources. " hydrogen," he says. "Hydrogen is particularly clean-burning and could be used in most of the ways that nalural gas is currently being used." But before the scientists can hope to perfect this new mass energy source, they must pass through the critical research and development stages. Fortunately for Wamser's research team, highly-qualified collaborators are located in Bend, Ore. Scientists at Bend Research, Inc., including company president, Harold K. lonsdale, are now cooperating with Wamser and his PSU team to perfect experimental, "ght-absorbing membranes which will help coliect solar power and convert it to the desired chemical energy. During the initial lab work performed at PSU, the precursors needed to make these special membranes have been synthesized, and some model compounds designed to verify predictions about the membranes' behavior have been synthesized as well. Invol\fed in this exacting work are two postdoctoral characterizations concerning the membranes. Back at PSU, the first membranes and model compounds are currently being analyzed, with University researchers noting, in particular, their ability to initiate photochemical (light-induced) reduction and oxidation reactions, which might ultimately be coupled to the reduction and oxidation of water. Since these initial test membranes from SRI have only recently arrived at PSU, Wamser is hesitant to announce results, except to note that preliminary mformation looks "very encouraging." Clearly, it is still early going in the research. But the stakes in the truly worldwide competition to successfully harness this potential energy source are growing higher every day. Will the PSU and 8RI researchers be the first to unlock this energy secret which could dramatIcally improve the quality of our lives? look for Oregon's talent to continue meeting this remarkable challenge head·on.
Oldest and youngest students share passion for learning by Joan c. Johnson There's no doubt that Hulda DeVaughn ('85) and Jonathan Male fit right in at Portland State - but Ihey also stand out. They are the oldest and youngest {ull-time students on campus. DeVaughn, who is working toward her master's degree in Spanish, just turned 89, while Male. now in his third term at PSU, is all of 12. Starting with the fact that they were born in different centuries, the two are a study in contrasts. They even came to Portland State for different reasons. For DeVaughn, PSU provided the opportunity to finally go to college, a dream deferred long ago. For Male, the University is an interim step until he's "old enough to go away to school." Eventually he hopes to study physics at MIT or Cal Tech. Jonathan Male is a friendly youngster, slender, with bright, brown eyes and a warm smile. He looks like ~ ~ n ~ ~ t ~ i I ~ i : : : f ~ ~ ~ s ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ g h ~ : e ~ i k e . He says he enjoys doing all these things, but for him, math and science are fun, too. He doesn't watch much television but admits to being a "Trekkie" (dedicated follower of Star Trek) and a Mary Tyler Moore fan. like most kids his age, he also likes to play computer games. He was doing college-level algebra by the time he was seven . .. Jonathan has benefited from the assistance of supportive parents. His dad says they have always encouraged him to "stretch his mind." An only child, Jonathan was enrolled in Montessori school in Corvallis at the age of three. He was doing college-level algebra by the time he was seven but was one of the last in his class to learn to read. "I was six," he says. "t think that's when I finally figured out there were other things to read besides Dick and Jane." When he was about nine, his parents began an effort to transfer Jonathan, who was then "quite bored with school," to CorvalliS High School. They had little success until the family moved to Hillsboro when Jonathan was 10. His parents again R f ~ ~ i ~ 2 ~ j O a ~ d ~ ~ v ~ : a h ~ ~ : ~ : t ~ u t at ninth grade level, he was accepted. Hulda DeVdughn CBS) and Jonathan Male discuss their PSU classes His mother recalls that it was November before he started at Hillsboro High and that he had to take an exam a few days after beginning his first physics class. Jonathan passed the test with flying colors and went on to take all the science and math the school had to offer. After only two years, he "graduated" from Hillsboro High in June 1985, although he did not actually receive a diploma because he had not taken all the required subjects. However, the school provided letters stating that he was prepared to go on to college. "You see," he quips, "I'm reaily a high school dropout." Male was accepted by Portland State as a Special Admissions student in the fall and has been carrying a full load of 12 to 14 hours a quarter, studying such meaty subjects as chemistry, calculus and geology. He also finds time to read and take classes at the Saturday Academy, an educational program based at the Oregon Graduate Center. Male says he doesn't find his age a oorrier to mixing socially - he has friends his own age in his neighborhood and older friends he's made through school. But it's definitely a handicap when it comes to earning extra spending money. He would like to get a summer job at Tektronix or some other high tech firm, but he can't get a working permit until he's 14. Child labor laws did not apply when Hulda Dixon DeVaughn was a youngster. She was born in Forest Grove in 1897, the ninth child in a family of 13. She remembers starting to work when she was about eight or nine, helping her widowed mother take in washing. "By the time we were 12, we had to go out on our own," DeVaughn says. "The girle; usually went to live with an older sister or brother, and the boys had to fend for themselves." When she was 10 the eighth grade, Hulda moved to McMinnville to live with her brother and his wife. She was determined to go to high school but her sister-in-law opposed the idea, wanting her to stay at home and take care of their house. DeVaughn says she finally left her brother's home, eventually moving to the Commercial Hotel, where Sally DeVaughn, "a woman who believed in education," took her under her wing. h o ~ l , r d : a : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ d o l r ~ ~ a a ~ ~ e k , while she attended high school. "I would rush home to work at noon and after school, and then study late in the evenings," she says. Her persistence paid off. In June 1916, she ~ r a d u a t e d with straight A's. Ironically, her hopes of goi ng on to college were dashed at her high school graduation. DeVaughn still vividly recalls the ItIdmonition given by the graduation speaker: "If you have lots of money, go on to college. But if not, don't bother to go." Heeding that advice, she gave up her dream of getting a degree in journalism at the University of Oregon. There didn't seem to be much chOice, she recalls. "I was on my own and I didn't have any money. I had to make my own living." But she never gave up her desire to learn. "I kept on going to night school no matter where I lived," she says. "Mostly I took creative writing." Later in life she also learned to speak Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, and has written short stories in those languages, as well as in English. In 1918 she married Stanley E. DeVaughn, whom she had first met when she worked for his mother, Sally DeVaughn. They moved to California where they raised J daughter. DeVaughn takes great pride in the fact that her daughter Jeanne is a graduate of the University of Southern California and a teacher. The DeVaughns returned to Oregon about 1945 to help her mother-in-law who then ran the Campbell Hotel in Portland. They sold lhe hotel after Sally DeVaughn died but continued to operate her boarding house, DeVaughn Hall, a 37-room mansion al N.W. 25th and Lovejoy, as a residence for single men until they retired in the early 1960s. When Stanley DeVaughn died in 1968, Hulda decided there were two things she wanted to do: go back to work and go to school. After taking a job orientation class for teenagers and senior citizens, she succeeded in landing a job as food service manager for the Salvation Army's White Shield Home where she continued to work for 14 years. . .. her hopes of going on to college were dashed at her high school graduation. She also began raking classes at Portland State and in August 1985 the dream set aside 70 years ago came true. PSU awarded Hulda Abigail DeVaughn her bachelor of arts degree in foreign languages. It was a day to remember - "Dr. Blumel. the president of the University, came over to talk to me, and there was a wonderful party afterwards." There was also a very special gift - her daughter and son-in-law established a scholarship at Portland State in her name. Although she finally had her degree, DeVaughn decided there was no good reason not to conti nue her education. So she spends much of her time these days in the student lounge at Smith Center, studying the classics of the Golden Age of Spanish literature. She sits at her favorite table near the student store, surrounded by her books and papers. Her face is etched with the lines of age but her eyes are bright and sharp behind her gold-rimmed glasses. And she always has a smile for anyone who stops to chat. DeVaughn says she really enjoys talking to the other students, although she is surprised at the number of middle-aged students who consider themselves "too old" to go on for a graduate degree. After visiting with her, she thinks they may begin to look at things differently. As she says, "You' re never too old to learn..' Although time and circumstance set them on very different roads in lifc, it's the persistent pursuit of an education that Hulda DeVaughn and Jonathan Male share. And their presence at PSU is a reminder that the search for knowledge truly is a lifelong quest. Joan C Johnson ('78) ;s if Portland freelance writer. PSU Per>pective, Spring 1986 / paB" 7
liThe Company We Keep" wins NEA grant for 1986-87 season The Company We Keep. resident professional dance company at Portland Stale University, has received national recognition with a prestigious grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grant is to help the company pay dancers' salaries during the 1986·87 season. According 10 Nancy Malschek, executive director for the company, The Company We Keep is only the Charfotte Pistor as Y u m ~ Yum in "The Mikado" Music dept. offers "The Mikado" The PSU School of Performing Arts, Department of Music, will present five performances of Gilbert & Sullivan's timeless satire on Victorian society, "The Mikado," opening Thursday, May 29 in lincoln Hall Auditorium On the podium will be Stefan Minde, former music director and conductor of the Portland Opera. Well-known throughout Europe and the United States, the German-born conductor is in wide demand in the U.S. and abroad. He recently directed a critically acclaimed production of "Salome" with the Seattle Opera. Actress and director Patsy Maxson is stage director for the production. Ruth Dobson, assistant professor of music and head of PSU's Opera Workshop, is musical director. The nine principals appearing in the production are all Portland State students or recent alumni. Performances are Thursday and Saturday at 8 p.m., May 29, 31, June 5 and 7, with a special performance at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 1. Tickets are $6 general admission, $4 students, senior citizens and PSU faculty and staff, and $2 for PSU students with current 10. For ticket information, call the PSU Box Office, 229-4440. All seats are reserved. _ 8 / PSU Perspective, Sprin8 1986 second dance company in Oregon to receive such an NEA grant in the history of the endowment. The award was made following a two-year review period and three site visits by representatives of the NEA. "The company's greatest need, as recognized by the National Endowment, is to keep its artists working and living in the Portland community, rather than 10sinR them to other cities," Matschek said. The NEA grant will provide a minimum of four wee-ks {of the 32 wee-k season} of guaranteed compensation at prevailing American Guild of Musical Artists scale. The Company We Keep has developed rapidly since its inception in 1979, touting throughout Oregon and the Northwest The company is a finalist this year for inclusion in the Alaska Arts Touring Roster and has louring dates in the Northwest planned into 1988. Justice Council opens PSU office The new Oregon Criminal Justice Council, charged in 1985 with advising state officials on ways to reduce overcrowding in Oregon's prisons and jails, has opened its offices at PSU. Executive director of the 20-member research and coordinating body is Kathleen M. Bogan, an attorney and former counsel to the Judiciary Committee of the Oregon Legislature. She was most recently manager of the City of Portland's Human Resources Bureau. "We expect to use PSU faculty and students to help us collect, evaluate and coordinate data from the criminal justice system that bears on our legislative charge," Bogan said in explaining the council's relationship with PSU. The council also has been charged with making recommendations on how to make the best use of community corrections programs, together with recommending improvements in collecting and coordinating criminal justice statistics used by the police, the courts and the corrections system. Expected to offer assistance to the council in particular are PSU's Administration of Justice Department, together with graduate programs offered by PSU's School of Urban and Public Affairs. Council offices are located in Room 342 of lincoln Hall. USE PSU LIBRARY Alumni Bene fit., Cdrd 229·4948 I PSU's new School of Business building ;s now untkr construction. The structure, which will M financed with $7 million in lottery funds, is schrouled for completion in the f.1I of 1987. Portland State Fulbright winners conduct research at home and abroad Two PSU faculty members are currently conducting research abroad as American Fulbright Scholars in Norway and Singapore. Meanwhile, a senior history researcher from a university in Romania is lecturing at PSU in his capacity as a Visiting Fulbright Scholar. Alexander R. Gassaway, a professor in the PSU Department of Geography, is due to conduct research in geography at the University of Oslo in Norway for a total of four months ending in June of this year. Kuan-Pin Lin, an associate professor in the PSU Department of Economics, is conducting research in economics at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore for four months ending in May. . Meanwhile, Dumitru Sandru, a senior researcher in history at Alexandru loan Cuza University in lasi, Romania is lecturing at PSU in Central European History and Civilization during the 1985-86 academic year. Free Introductory Seminar EVALUATE YOUR APTITUDES MATCH YOUR BEST CAREER OPTIONS Thursday, May 29 7 to 9 p.m. 75 Lincoln Hall Explore the full potential pf your natural aptitudes, your values, and interests. This three-part seminar helps you to make career changes, to re-evaluate your career options. First Session: No charge. John Bradley, president of IDAK Group, Inc., introduces the lDAK Career Match Programdesigned to match individual aptitudes with over 60,000' possible career choices. Purchase of Career Match manual necessary to continue second and third sessions. Available at special discount, $74.95 (reg. $89.95). Second Session: $5 charge. Thursday, June 5. Participants return complete Career Match exercises for computer processing. Further insights into evaluating interest, values and natural aptitudes. Third Session: $5 charge. Participants provided in-depth evaluation of personal Career Match print-out. Includes assessment of individual interests, talents, ten best career matches, and directions to find employers who fit career matches. For further details: Call PSU Alumni, (503) 229·4948. PSU ALUMNI CAREER PROGRAMS P () f)j)\ -::;1 · Pf)rll,lfld ( ) n ~ l ) ! l q-2 1l( I) 221) ~ q - . \ i )
Briefly. .. Computer applications minor offered PSU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ((LAS) now offers a computer applications minor in response to student need to apply computer technology to academic majors outside the computer science field. The new minor is available to-any students admitted to PSU. Students will be required to complete 12 credit hours of computer science courses and 15 hours of related course work. Child abuse conference held "Breaking the Cycle: Understanding the Genesis of Abuse," a two-day conference on child abuse, was held at Smith Center on April 17-18. Speakers included Oregon Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer plus Hugo Maynard, Psychology and Urban Studies, Nanette Davis, Sociology, and Dan Sheans, Anthropology. The conference was sponsored by the Community Psychology Group. Engineering society starts at PSU Twenty-six students and eight faculty members have been initiated as charter members of a new PSU chapter of Eta Kappa Nu, the national electrical engineering society. Eta Kappu Nu membership is open to junior and senior students with high academic standing. FLY YOUR SCHOOL COLORS... with a handsome imprinted, double hemmed, durable nylon windsock. Ideal for patios, porches, game rooms, dorms, etc. Send $16.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling to: QUAIL COVE ENTERPRISES Dept. 21 116 Quail Run Fripp Island, SC 29920 Allow 4-6 weeks delivery School of Business Adminislration schedules seminars A variety of courses and seminars of interest to profesSionals are offered by the School of Business Administration in the Continuing Professional Education program, Subjects addressed include computer applications, management and communication skills, personnel issues, finance and law, and personal and professional development. For a catalog of courses or more information, call 229-4820. Accounting Department wins grant A $20,()(X) development grant plus $15,000 worth of in-kind software and training contributions have been awarded to PSU's School of Business Administration. Faculty members Rosanne Mohr and Nancy O. Tang of the Accounting Department will use the development grant to design a curriculum development program for PSU. Portland State is the first school in Oregon to win the development grant from the Coopers & Lybrand Foundation. Only eight other West Coast schools have been so honored. Faculty Notes Na nrK"lIe Davis, Sociology, is the author of From Crime to Choice: The Transformation of Abortion in A.merica, published by Greenwood Press, 1985. JoIQnna 8. Fedde, Foreign languages and literatures, was awar3ed the St. Olav's Medal for her many years of volunteer service in promoting NOIWe8ian culture, heritage and language in Oregon. The fll4!dal was presemed on behalf of King Ola\l V by Norwegian Con!oUl Kjell Lund in a ceremony at the Oregon Art Institute Dec. 4. Nona GI.u:ef. Sociology, has been appointed associate editOf for a three·year term of Sex and Gender, a new publication of Sociologists fOf Women in Society. Danieilonnson, Geography, hai received a Natu)fl.ll Science Foundation trallel granlto Spain, where he will be ~ d i n g his sabbatical winter and spring terms 1986. He will be conducting research on "The Assessment of ClimaTIC Variability as I( R e l a t ~ to Water Resources in Spain." Harold linstone:, Systems Science and Management, traveled to jdkarta, Indonesia , where he w a ~ the American ~ e s e n t a t i v e at the meeting of the United NatIons Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of TechnologV, held in collaboration with the Indonesian Institute of Scieoces in January. William A. Litlle, Black Studies, received the 1986 aw,ud dIne National Council fOf Blaclc Studies for "Outstanding Contributions in the Promotion and Devefopment of Black Studies in the PaCific Northwest." The award WiH presented during the 5th annual conference of the NCB5·Pacific Northwest Region, held in Portland, Feb. 6-8. Jeff Mouochi, Health and Physical Education, head "olleyball coach, was named the recipient of the 1985 Slats Gill Award on Feb. 3, during the 38th annual Bill Hayward B.lnquet of Champions. The coveted award is made 10 the top Oregon coach of the year by Oregon sports writers andsporISCasters. Whale skeleton displayed in Science II A 6OO-pound, 28·foot gray whale skeleton now hangs over the circular stairwell in Science Building II. It was officially welcomed to campus on March 31 during a ceremony which included presentation of a $1,000 check from Sea World of San Diego Lind. Parshall, Foreign languages and LIteratures, Acting Associat.e Dean of eLAS, has been awarded a Senior Fellowship for Studies in landscape Architecture for the 1986 fall semester at Dunbarton Oaks in Georgetown. With the fellowship, awarded by the Trustees of Harvard University, she Wilt be r ~ .... rching theories of late 18th century German landscape. Rhe. P. ul, Speech Communication, is the author of a study enlllied "Oulcomt"S of Severe Oisorders of language Acquisition," which waJ OrigInally published in journal of AutIsm and c:>eveIopmental Di50ffierJ and has been cho5en as one of last year's three o u ~ t a n d i n g studies in ~ e l o p m e n t a l disabilities. It has been reprinted m the 1985 volume of Annual PrOSfeSS in Child PsychiiJlry and Child t:Jevelopmenl. Gary Pfl'istein, AdmH1istration of lustice, has been appointed to a two-year term on the Slate Indigent Defense Board, created by the 1965 Legislature to manage the S34.8 mllllQll budge( .. Uocated fOf indigent defense. He and six other board membeP.i will atlempt to resolve the problems of high cost of defense and inappropriate payments for legal services. Amold D. Picbr, PhysiCS, has been awarded a Welkome Research Travel Grant by the 8urroughs-Wel1come Fund In support of collaboratille ",'Ork he will be doing In England at the f'flysiological Laboratory of Cambridge Unillef'lity spring term. Pickar's research w!1l focus on mechanisms of anesthesia, with partICular ~ , " I S on the interKtion between anesthelics and the lipid portIOn of cell membranes. fo,in ShimNII, Social WOf'k, is co-author WIth William fv'Ieelan, Un;v. oflilinois-Chicago, of Care and Commitment, State UniVffSity of New York Press, 1985. Fr.nk Vtcchio, fOrt':tgn languages and U t e f a t u ~ , is the author of Textos De Ayer De Hoy, published by .Iohn Wiley and Sons, New York, 1985. to President Blume!. The funds will be used to finance biology displays. The hanging of the gray whale is the first ina series of steps to make the Biology department's collection more accessible to the public. Cb.riH R. While, Political 5cienl:e, and Shekton Edner. Center for Urban Studies, presented fiodings from their nationwide study of management issues in the transit mdustry to the 65th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board In Washington, D.C., Jan. 13-16. At the meeling, White w a ~ selected 10 seNe on a natIonal committee charged with "defining a future research agenda on main power issues in the transit industry." In Memoriam D a n ~ Newberry, humanities librarian, died March 10 of cancer in a Berkeley, Ca lifornIa hospital. Newberry, 49, came to Portland State in 1967 as a library department head. A native of Oregon, he graduated from Willamette Unilfersity in 1958 and completed hIS MA at the University of Oregon III 1960. Tile follOWing year, he traveled to the University of liege in Belgium on a Fulbright Fellowship Nev,.oberry earned his profe!isionallibrary degree from the Simmons CoUege library School In Bostoo in 1964. The Oaniel Newbe«y Memorial Book Fund has been established for the purchase of art books Remembrances may be §entlo ~ PSU lib-ary. len Padrow, proftssor of speech communication, died February 8 at his home at the age of 5B. In 1956, Paclrow JOIned the faculty of PSU where he coached tn@ record·setting "GE College Bowl" learn In 1964 and served as department head from 1964 to 1969. In 1966 he won the Mosser Award for distinguished undergraduate leaching. He had published more than (41) pro(essiornl l artlc:'es and ro-authorl!d the book You Can Tallo: to (Almost) An)'Ot'Jf' about (A/mos() lInythmg. r a ~ ~ ~ d t : ! C : J t ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ ~ . : : t ; : ; ~ over 3,500 speeches during his career. From 1971 to 1974, he took a lealle of absen<e from PSU to serve as a Multnomah County Commissioner. Padrow is surVived by his wlf@, Dee, a daughter, i 50(1 and a siSler. Remembr.nces may be sent to the Ben Padrow Scholarship Fund in care of [he PSU Foundation. PSU Perspective, Spring 1986 / fM&" 9
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