THE RAPS SHEET MARCH 2012 Retirement Association of Portland State Portland State University Post Office Box 751 Portland OR 97207-0751 Koinonia House, second floor SW Montgomery at Broadway Campus mail: RAPS Web: www.pdx.edu/raps Office hours: Tuesdays 9:00 am to 3:00 Thursdays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Officers Joan Shireman President Dave Krug President-elect / Program Chair Clarence Hein / Membership Chair Past President Robert Lockerby Secretary Robert Vogelsang Treasurer / Regional Retirement Association Ad Hoc Committee Chair Dawn White Editor Board Members-at-Large Anne Bender Priscilla Blumel Susan Jackson Committees TBA Alumni Association Steve Brannan History Preservation Committee Chair Mary Brannan Pictorial History Book Committee Chair Beryl and Vic Dahl Social/Friendship Committee Co-Chairs Larry Sawyer Awards Committee Chair Office Manager Maya Burton 503/725-3447 / raps@pdx.edu Oregon’s economy: room for optimism om Potiowsky, PSU Department Chair of Economics, spoke Feb. 16 to a large group of RAPS members about the Oregon economic recovery. His talk was titled “The Little Recovery That Could (or at least we hope so!).” Tom noted that the Oregon economy typically closely tracks the US economy, and he sees a long slow recovery period, with Oregon employment reaching previous 2008 highs around the year 2014. Tom indicated that it will probably be 2017 before Oregon’s new housing starts reach their historic average. As Professor Potiowsky sees it, major possible impediments to Oregon’s economic growth lie in European debt issues, the federal deficit, the housing market, unrest in the Middle East, and China’s currency policies. Tom explained that some optimism is in order for the Tom Potiowsky Oregon economy since Oregon’s exports are up nearly 19 percent over the past year and its main trading partners -- China, Malaysia, Canada, Japan and South Korea -- are all doing relatively well at this time. A very informative blog about the Oregon economy, written by Josh Lehner, Senior Economist for the State of Oregon, can be found at this website: www.oregoneconomicanalysis.wordpress.com. --Dave Krug Annual RAPS potluck heralds arrival of spring ood and friends come together Thursday, March 15, when RAPS holds its annual spring potluck beginning at 12:30 pm – note the earlier than usual starting time – in 338 SMSU. Please RSVP to Maya Burton in the RAPS Office, 503-725-3447, and bring a salad, side dish or dessert to the potluck. Entertainment will be provided by PSU Professor Larry Kominz and actor Naoka Iori, who will present vocal and physical demonstrations of Japanese theater. Coming up in April. . . The annual President’s Gathering hosted by President Wim Wiewel takes place Thursday, April 12 at University Place. RAPS bestows its annual awards to outstanding staff and faculty retirees at this event. Coming up in May . . . Another spring tradition, the Ice Cream Social, is scheduled for Thursday, May 17. A local disc jockey will play swing music from the 1940s and give dance lessons. T F
2 President’s Message ast month we had the honor and privilege of having former Governor Barbara Roberts read from her new book, Up the Capitol Steps, at a special RAPS meeting. The RAPS book group also read and discussed the book. A dominant theme of the book, and the book group discussion, was the very special talent it took for a woman to attain high political office in 1991. Many of us are about the same age as Governor Roberts. The women among us were all trailblazers in our own small ways. We were the generation that cracked the “glass ceiling.” I think we all have our memories of situations in which we were not offered opportunities, and at least suspected that it was because we were women. I think we all have pride in accomplishments that were not common for women in our era. Many of us acknowledge the importance of support received from husbands who encouraged our efforts. And I think most of us look back, as Governor Roberts does in her book, at close and supportive families during childhood that gave us the confidence to step out where few others were venturing. What an opportunity we have had! An opportunity to hear about and discuss the accomplishments of the first woman governor of Oregon. And an opportunity to think back our own lives, and to feel proud of this generation of women. --Joan Shireman Rain and wind failed to deter these intrepid RAPS Hikers during the February hike on Short Sands Beach in Oswald West State Park. Pictured (left to right) are Marge Terdal, Larry Sawyer, Robert Vogelsang, Leif Terdal, Laureen Nussbaum, Jack Cooper, and Terry Rohe. See related story on page 3. Photo by Karen Vogelsang. L
3 RAPS Club Reports Bridge Group deals and plays March 13 The RAPS Bridge Group meets at 1:00 pm Tuesday, March 13 at Friendly House, 2617 NW Savier St. For further information, call Colin Dunkeld, 503-292-0838. Please call no later than noon Friday, March 9. --Colin Dunkeld Book Club selects novel by Portland native The RAPS Book Club meeting will be held at 1:30 pm Tuesday, March 20 at the home of Joan Shireman located at 13584 SE Snowfire Drive in Happy Valley. Contact her at joanshireman@gmail.com or 503-698-9951 to RSVP and for directions. We will discuss The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow, a Portland native. This book was selected for this year’s Everybody Reads program sponsored by Multnomah County Library and Portland State University. It is described on the back cover as follows: This debut novel tells the story of Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I. who becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy. With her strict African American grandmother as her new guardian, Rachel moves to a mostly black community in Portland, where her light brown skin, blue eyes and beauty bring mixed attention her way. Growing up in the 1980s, she learns to swallow her overwhelming grief and confronts her identity as a biracial young woman in a world that wants to see her as either black or white. Looking ahead to April, we will talk about Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour. As an added bonus, Marge Terdal and Maxine Thomas will talk about their trip to Palestine and Israel. --Mary Brannan RAPS Hikers head to Lacamas Park The RAPS Hikers traveled to Oswald West State Park Feb. 10 for a short hike on Short Sands beach, followed by lunch at the Terdals’ beach house. This was a special sendoff celebration for Laureen Nussbaum who has moved to Seattle. The March 9th outing is a hike in Lacamas Park in Camas, WA, traveling completely around Round Lake. The hike, about 3.5 miles, is on level ground. Lunch is at a local café by the park. Confirm with Larry Sawyer 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net by Thursday, March 8, and receive meeting instructions. --Larry Sawyer RAPS-sponsored history book garners communications award reating Portland State 1946-1955, the new RAPS- sponsored book co-edited by Steve Brannan and Doug Swanson, has won a Silver Communications Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in the category of “Fundraising, Special Event and Other Publications.” The award, which recognizes excellence in marketing and communications, was announced at the District VIII conference in Seattle, WA in February. PSU is among 130+ institutions in that district of CASE. Scholarship donor history charted chart by Larry Sawyer etween Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2012, 25 donations totaling $4,041 were made by RAPS members to the scholarship fund. Donations range from $20 to $1,000, with some members donating multiple times. The fund now stands at $4,500, which is 18 percent toward the $25,000 minimum amount needed to create an endowment. This spring the Scholarship Committee plans to send a letter to all members requesting donations. Contributions to the RAPS Scholarship fund are welcome at any time. Checks may be made payable to the PSU Foundation and sent to Maya Burton in the RAPS Office. C B
4 PAST TENSE The Beginning: Teacher Education at Portland State SU’s preparation of teachers traces its roots to the emergence of Vanport Extension Center (VEC) in 1946, when returning World War II veterans helped create demand for state higher education in Portland. Of special importance, the postwar baby boom sparked a demand for training more classroom teachers, and data showed that enrollment at state schools was at capacity. VEC was officially developed to serve as a temporary feeder school for the four-year institutions in the state system, but this was never a goal for its faculty and student founders. From 1946-1955 the Center evolved from the Vanport Extension Center to Portland State Extension Center. The Department of Education was established early on, providing a career path for a significant number of students training to be classroom teachers. In 1948-49, the Center offered the first two professionallevel courses: Ed 312 Educational Psychology and Ed 354 Introduction to Education. Throughout these formative years, the Department of Education received strong support from Center Director Stephen Epler and Assistant Director Phil Putnam. Exceptional administrators and educators, both men earned doctoral degrees in education and had prior administrative and teaching experience in the public schools. These visionary leaders promoted student social/professional organizations at the Extension Center to complement students’ programs of study. Members of the Future Teachers organization, founded at Portland State in the early 50s. Phil Putnam served as interim Department Head of Education in 1951-52 and was instrumental in helping form the first “Future Teachers” student organization (see photo). Composed of elementary and secondary majors, the students were active both scholastically and socially (inviting guest speakers, for example, and participating in intramural sports). Future student teacher organizations continued to grow throughout the1950s, with guidance from pioneering Professors of Education Victor Phelps, Truman Cheney, Jerome Leavitt, and Morton Malter. Throughout this nine-year period as an Extension Center, all students were limited to taking primarily lower division courses. Students in Education were required to transfer to other state higher education institutions with approved teacher training programs in order to earn baccalaureate degrees in Education and teaching certification. But visionary and determined administrators and students led the push to solve this problem. Portland State, a four-year degree granting college, was created in 1955, and teacher education students formed the majority of the first graduating class in 1956. More than a half century later, Portland State College is now a University, the Department of Education has evolved to the Graduate School of Education, 14 deans have led Education, and the number of exceptional faculty and students has greatly expanded. “The Portland State University Graduate School of Education is the largest and most comprehensive school of education in Oregon. It prepares more teachers, counselors and administrators for licensure than any other institution in the state.” (Graduate School of Education website, www.pdx.edu/education.) -- Steve A. Brannan PAST TENSE features glimpses into Portland State’s history. To submit a story (or an idea for one), email the RAPS History Preservation Committee at raps@pdx.edu. P
5 In memoriam: Jim Frank Heath, 1931-2012 meritus Professor Jim Heath, born April 9, 1931 in Clarendon, TX, died at his Lake Oswego home Jan. 4, 2012 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Family members, fellow parishioners, friends, colleagues, and former students crowded Mountain Park Church for a memorial service held Jan. 11. Jim grew to adulthood in Amarillo, TX, where he completed a junior college curriculum in 1951. Next he attended the University of New Mexico (1951-1955), earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration (1953) and an MA in economic history (1955). Upon completing the campus United States Air Force ROTC program, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. From 1955 to 1957 he served a tension-laden Cold War assignment as a USAF budget and fiscal officer at West Berlin’s Tempelhof Air Base. In 1951 Jim married his high school sweetheart, Carole Wilson, who accompanied him to West Berlin where their daughter, Nancy, was born. Upon returning to civilian life in 1957, the Heaths resettled briefly in Amarillo. There Jim worked in the family’s furniture business and their daughter, Ann, was born. Subsequently they moved to Albuquerque where Jim managed another family-owned business. He actively participated in local political, civic, and cultural organizations, as well as in various University alumni and support groups. By 1964 Jim had opted to pursue an academic professorial career. The Heath family moved to California and Jim began history graduate studies at Stanford University, completing his PhD in 1967. In the fall of that year, he joined the history department at Portland State College. With characteristic enthusiasm and energy, Professor Heath thrust himself into the academic world. His highly popular classes attracted large numbers of devoted students who found the subject matter to be fully relevant and meaningful to their lives. During the summers of 1969 and 1972 he held appointments as visiting professor at the University of Iowa and Stanford respectively. In 1970 the Danforth Association designated him a teaching associate. Ongoing research interests reinforced lively classroom instruction and led to significant publications in top level professional journals, including the Journal of American History, Business History Review, and Phylon Quarterly. In 1973 the American Council of Learned Societies awarded Jim a sabbatical leave grant that supported archival conduct research on the Kennedy-Johnson administra- tions. That work produced a timely and highly regarded book, Decade of Disillusionment: The Kennedy-Johnson Years (Indiana, 1975). Throughout his career Dr. Heath actively engaged in national professional associa- ions in order to expand his research and teaching experi- ences. Always an avid reader, he Jim Heath continuously contributed provocative book reviews to major historical journals. At PSU Professor Heath’s extensive service on campuswide faculty governance committees, such as the President’s Advisory Council, engendered a high level of respect and confidence among his colleagues. The University administration capitalized upon his organizational and managerial experience by appointing him to various upper level academic governance positions. During 1977-1981 he served as Dean of Undergraduate Instruction which required interaction with academic deans for curriculum development. He also served as interim Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (1983-85) and later as interim Dean of Graduate Studies and Research (1986-1987). Throughout all of these assignments, and up to the date of his retirement in 1993, Professor Heath consistently found time to teach highly successful courses. The University community, especially those of us who knew and worked with him, owe him a deep debt of gratitude for long and distinguished service that made an indelible impression on our academic enterprise. Jim’s survivors include Judith Letcher Heath, his wife of 37 years; daughters Nancy Heath (Randy) Jarigese and Ann Heath; granddaughters Catie Theisen and Grace Jarigese; brother Dan Heath; and first wife Carole Wilson Heath. Our organization deeply regrets the loss of a treasured member, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his survivors. Remembrances may be made to the PSU Foundation, Friends of History, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751; the Salvation Army, 8495 SE Monterey Avenue, Happy Valley, OR 97086-7844; or Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon, 3975 Mercantile Drive, Suite 154, Lake Oswego, OR 97035. --Emeritus Professor of History Victor C. Dahl E
6 In memoriam: Mary Elizabeth York, 1921-2012 rofessor Emerita of Education Mary Elizabeth (Potter) York, born Nov. 12, 1921 in Schenectady in the Hudson River Valley of New York, died peacefully at home in Vancouver, WA on Jan. 1, 2012. A memorial service was held Jan. 10 at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Washougal, WA. At age 14 Mary moved with her family to Phoenix, AZ, at that time a burgeoning southwestern desert metropolis in a nation still under the effects of the Great Mary York Depression. She graduated from high school in 1939 and, like many of her contemporaries, went to work for the Works Progress Administration. By 1941 she had met and married John Devereux York III, and they began a family that would include two sons and a daughter. John preceded her in death. Mary eventually matriculated at Arizona State University (Tempe) and in 1955 earned a baccalaureate degree that launched her distinguished career as an early childhood education specialist. After teaching in various local elementary schools, she served as Director of Christian Education from 1959 to 1964 at Phoenix’s Trinity Episcopal Church. The Church’s ongoing outreach encompassed an extensive cultural and arts program which aided in familiarizing her with conditions affecting Arizona’s educational needs. During the latter 1960s she administered 10 statewide child daycare centers sponsored by a United States Office of Migrant Education grant program aimed toward improving learning opportunities for agricultural workers’ children. While employed fulltime in a challenging career—and carrying out family responsibilities—Mary continued to advance her professional qualifications. At Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff), she earned an MA degree in 1961. Soon thereafter, she began doctoral studies at the University of Illinois and completed PhD requirements in 1972. In 1972 Professor York joined Portland State University’s School of Education as professorcoordinator of its fledgling Early Childhood Teacher Education Program. Under her leadership the program evolved from limited coursework into a full scale graduate program embodying professional training that met requirements for the Oregon Early Childhood Education Endorsement. She concurrently participated in developing the Helen Gordon Child Development Center as a daycare facility and laboratory with linkage to the School’s teacher training program. Until retirement in 1983 Professor York actively worked to further develop PSU’s early childhood education program. Throughout the state and region, legions of teachers with this specialty training have been enabled to meet one of society’s most vital needs, that of preparing children for a lifetime of learning. Portland State owes a deep debt of gratitude to Professor York for her devoted, pioneering contributions and accomplishments. Mary was active in several professional organizations. She engaged in many church, school, and community activities, notably those associated with choral groups. At birth she was afflicted with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a neuromuscular disorder that lessened her mobility but not her energy or ambition. In that connection, memorial donations may be sent to the CMT Association, PO Box 105, Glenolden, PA 19036. The Graduate School of Education has established a scholarship in Dr. Mary Elizabeth York’s name. Contributions may be made via the PSU Foundation, PO Box 243, Portland, OR 97207. --Victor C. Dahl, Emeritus Professor of History Gertrude Rempfer honored with posthumous award ertrude Rempfer, Emeritus Professor of Physics, who died Oct. 4, 2011 at the age of 99, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers in recognition of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science and its applications. Professor Rempfer was elected for her contributions in electron optics and in the implementation of aberration correction in electron microscopy. Although she retired more than 30 years ago, she continued to conduct research at PSU and advise students until shortly before her death. An obituary appeared in the December 2011 issue of the RAPS Sheet. P G
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