— 2 — President’s Message February was a busy month for RAPS. You will recall the snow in December that forced the postponement of the annual Holiday Dinner to February. This gave us the opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the birthdays of Lincoln and Darwin, and the 150th anniversary of statehood for Oregon. Fifty RAPS members and guests enjoyed dinner at the Multnomah Athletic Club, socialized with old friends and met new ones, and listened to music by vocalist/pianist Laura Cunard and guitarist Ben Graves. A week later we gathered to remember Portland State’s history with a focus on the Vanport years. Alumni from the Vanport campus were invited, and more than 100 people filled the Vanport Room. Charlie White led a panel discussion, with speakers sharing stories of student and faculty life at Vanport; the disastrous flood that destroyed the campus in 1948; and growth of Portland State in the subsequent years. The program concluded with a talk by President Wim Wiewel, who dedicated the Vanport Wall Display. If you haven’t yet seen the Vanport poster and collection of photographs on the wall leading to the Vanport Room in Smith Memorial Student Union, I encourage you to do so. For the past five years Steve Brannan has been working with a committee on history preservation. He played a major role in planning this program. We also appreciate the help of Pat Squire, assistant vice president for alumni and constituent relations, who worked with RAPS to make this program such a success. February also was a time when several of us went to memorial services for recently deceased RAPS members. Dick Sanders, who wrote the text for Portland State: A History in Pictures, died just weeks before the book will become available. Ken Butler, who passed away in January, was honored by his twin daughters, who joined us at the Holiday Dinner, to which they had hoped to bring their dad. I continue to be amazed at the dedication of retired faculty and staff at Portland State. The history preservation committee has put in thousands of hours on this project—and will continue to do so. At our Annual Potluck on March 19 you will have an opportunity to learn more about PSU’s history and how each of us can assist in the preservation of archives. Come to the programs not just to learn but also to stay connected with your colleagues and make new friends. —Marge Terdal Point of order, Mayor Katz! Leif Terdal, Maxine Thomas, Bob Tufts, and Marge Terdal ran into former Portland mayor Vera Katz (center) during the Hiking Club’s Feb. 20 amble along the east and west side Esplanade in downtown Portland. The group enjoyed a cool but beautiful day, and saw several sculptures, kayakers, and cormorants, but Mayor Katz was uncharacteristically silent. Learn more about the Hiking Club on page 7.
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