COA NEWS WINTER 2000 COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC BAR HARBOR, MAINE Of Stones and the Horizon of Love by Terry Tempest Williams AN EXCERPT FROM THE 1999 COMMENCEMENT SPEECH It is a pleasure and a privi- lege to be with you today at College of the Atlantic, to be able to honor the gradu- ating class of 1999. And what an astonish- ing class this is-such spirit and savvy and joy. I had the opportunity yesterday to spend time with some of the students, faculty and trustees and I was SO moved by the depth of their enthu- siasm, intelligence and cre- ativity, their overriding commitment toward living with an "ethic of place." These qualities were powerfully conveyed through the senior projects, ranging from studies of Maine farms and the strug- gle of rural communities, to sealing in Newfoundland and the public perceptions surrounding this issue; from a study of how well human-built wetlands func- tion, to an investigation of shrines and their signifi- cance. The focus included the local-a survey of devel- opment in Bar Harbor-and the international, a water Richard Peter senior (1895-1977). A Stone Cries Out in Accusation, 1945, published in Die project in Zambia. All of Fotografie April 1960 and August 1979. This image was featured in "Recollecting a Culture: Photog- them were personal and raphy and the Evolution of a Socialist Aesthetic in East Germany, 1929-1989" in the Ethel H. Blum universal at once. Gallery, January 11-February 5, 2000. Curated by John P. Jacob '81, executive director of the Photo- The fact that each of you graphic Resource Center at Boston University, this exhibition is the first in America to examine the has had to write an essay on history of East German photography. continued on page 15 Into the Third Millennium COA News The Newsletter of By Dr. Steven K. Katona, President, College of the Atlantic College of the Atlantic Winter 1999/2000 This past July, I started my seventh year as president of College of the Atlantic. It seemed like a good time to pause and reflect on the many changes that have occurred at this small PRESIDENT college by the sea. Steven K. Katona When I first arrived as a faculty member in biology in 1972, the college had held an CHAIRMAN OF THE experimental pilot program with thirteen students the previous summer. Campus consisted BOARD OF TRUSTEES of four buildings and eighteen acres. The faculty was small: four full-time members and sev- Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. eral part-time teachers. The student body totaled thirty-two young men and women. Over the years, those numbers have swelled to twenty-two full-time faculty members and DIRECTOR OF two hundred and sixty students, fifty-six of whom graduated on June 5. The campus now has DEVELOPMENT Fran Day twenty-nine contiguous acres, two islands, an organic farm and several other properties used as biological reserves. Several of these properties made their way to the college this fiscal year. EDITOR Financially, the college has grown as well. As we head into the closing phase of the Silver Carl Little, Anniversary Endowment Campaign, nearly $15 million has been raised towards the goal of Director of Public Affairs $20 million in the year 2000. This outpouring of generosity from those who SO avidly sup- ckl@ecology.coa.edu port the college is beginning to give the institution the financial stability it needs to carry on WRITERS: its mission into the next millennium. With just over a quarter of the way left to go, all looks Lyman Feero, Principal well for the campaign's successful completion. Writer and Researcher, I watch with awe as the college surpasses all expectations that its founders might have Development Office had nearly thirty years ago. In 1969, when the founding trustees first incorporated the col- lfeero@ecology.coa.edu lege, they could hardly have foreseen the profound impact that this school would have on Rebecca Buyers-Basso '81 the town of Bar Harbor, the island of Mount Desert, the State of Maine and the world. buyers@ecology.coa.edu Even harder to foresee was the impact College of the Atlantic has had on higher educa- Sara Heifetz '01 tion. Educators from around the globe continue to applaud the college's distinctive approach to a liberal arts education. Its structure has created a whole new blueprint for COA News is published preparing students for their lives beyond the halls and classrooms of their alma mater. With twice a year and is circulat- a strong emphasis on community service and involvement, self governance and internship ed to alumni, students, par- programs, COA students leave the college with practical experiences that supplement the ents and friends of theoretical knowledge they acquired in the classroom. They then put it all to work to help College of the Atlantic. solve environmental and social problems. PRINTER This vision will carry College of the Atlantic into the third millennium as a leader in high- Downeast Printing er education. The founding principles of a school with no departmental separations, which and Graphics emphasizes the connections between different kinds of knowledge, still challenge the main- stream approach to higher learning. The college's intense focus on Human Ecology, the DESIGNER study of how humans interact with their natural, social and technological environments, has Z Studio led it to the forefront of such an education. Other schools have begun to acknowledge the power and scope of interdisciplinary education. As these schools strive to create centers for interdisciplinary learning, COA offers a shining model of how such a program can succeed. THE COLLEGE The college's successes have stimulated many generous gifts from foundations, organiza- OF THE ATLANTIC continued on next page "VISION STATEMENT" The faculty, students, trustees, staff and alumni of College of Contents the Atlantic envision a world Of Stones and the Horizon of Love where people value creativity, Faculty Profile: David Feldman p. 22 intellectual achievement, and by Terry Tempest Williams pp. 1, 15 New Courses: Salmon p. 23 the diversity of nature and Beech Hill Farm pp. 4-5 Summer Program Launched p. 25 human cultures. With respect and compassion, individuals Davis Center Dedicated p. 7 Tribute to Etta Kralovec will construct meaningful lives Stewards of Creation by William Carpenter pp. 27-29 for themselves, gain apprecia- by the Reverend Peter J. Gomes pp. 8-9 Melville Coté Honored pp. 28-29 tion for the relationships among all forms of life, and Alumni Profile: Barbarina Heyerdahl '88 by Edward Kaelber and Richard Borden safeguard the heritage of and Waldorf Education Obituaries pp. 30-32 future generations. by Rebecca Buyers-Basso '81 pp. 10-11 Gauguin in Tahiti p. 34 Rachel Carson Chair update p. 13 Earth Day 1999 p. 35 VISIT THE COLLEGE OF THE 27th Commencement pp. 16-17 The Theater Workshop's Tempest ATLANTIC WEBSITE AT Faculty Interview: Sean Todd pp. 18-19 by Lucy Bell Sellers p. 37 www.coa.edu Around Campus pp. 20-21 Photo Gallery pp. 39-40 COA NEWS 2 WINTER 1999/2000