Michael Broyer welcomes commence- ment speaker, Wendell Berry. Photo by Darrold Dorr. Petrillo's speech was followed by the awarding of honorary degrees to two COA NEWS long-time trustees, Mrs. Frederic E. Camp (Alida) and Donald B. Straus. "She knows how to celebrate life," said fellow trustee Father James Gower in eulogizing Alida Camp. After introduc- JUNE 1989 COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC BAR HARBOR, MAINE ing Straus, Trustee Cathy Ramsdell '78 read a poem she had written, whose Osker said that while studying penguins closing lines brought down the house: COA CELEBRATES during her internship she had observed "Roses are red. Violets are blue./We the raucous and joyful sounds they are delighted to make again a bachelor SEVENTEENTH make when they are all together. "You of you!" COMMENCEMENT will be hearing these same ecstatic Following a choral performance by callings from the seniors today," she the COA chorus directed by visiting declared. music instructor Henry Elliott, commen- As though on cue, morning fog lifted Senior speaker Dina Petrillo, con- cement speaker Wendell Berry, author, and bright sunshine provided a perfect fessing that this was her first attempt at farmer and ecologist spoke earnestly of backdrop for COA's 17th commence- public speaking, reminisced about her the problems and opportunities lying ment on Saturday, June 3. Over 500 first visit to COA. "What I was im- ahead for this generation. "We have parents, relatives and friends gathered pressed by at the time was the spirit of hardly begun to grasp the gravity of the under a huge green-striped tent to wit- the place," she said. "It was an exception- mess we are in," he told the audience. ness the graduation ceremony during ally harsh winter and yet there was so "We have become a nation of fantasists. which 34 seniors received a bachelor of much warmth and intensity." Her voice We believe, apparently, in the infinite arts in human ecology, awarded by Presi- full of emotion, she urged her availability of finite resources." The dent Louis Rabineau and Chairman of classmates to respect the differences in question to be addressed, he continued, the Board of Trustees Edward McC. peoples' ideas and practice, to celebrate is not how to care for the planet, but Blair. creativity and diversity in the way they "how to care for each of the planet's mil- COA graduations are traditionally handle and explore issues. "It is through lions of small pieces and parcels of warm, poignant and personal. This one this respect," she said, "that this human land Our understandable wish to was no exception. In welcoming the ecological revolution we are participat- preserve the planet must somehow be graduation guests, senior Megan Mc- ing in will be relevant and effective." reduced to the scale of our com- 1 - Continued on page 2. Continued from page 1 petence," he said. In closing he advised tended to three faculty members who the interconnections between humans the graduates: "Make a home. Help to will be leaving COA to begin new posi- and their environment. The ceremony make a community. Be loyal to what you tions elsewhere. In acknowledging closed with a song composed by graduat- have made....Find work, if you can, that education instructor Peter Corcoran, ing senior Jim Cole, accompanying him- does no*damage. Enjoy your work. math and oceanography instructor Carl self on guitar. Work well." Ketchum, and permaculture instructor Innovative and traditional, casual These final words were echoed in John Navazio for their contributions to and formal, happy and sad, full of the ex- the Graduation Pledge of Environmen- COA, Dean of Faculty Bill Carpenter citement and passion and purpose that tal and Social Responsibility presented said, "I can't think of a better way to all beginnings generate, this commence- by seniors Barbara Meyers and Kirsten take human ecology out into the world ment could perhaps best by summed up Triplett. The pledge reads:" I pledge to than through education, numbers, and by Dina Petrillo's closing words: "We thoroughly investigate and take into ac- vegetables." are here today to celebrate the diversity count the social and environmental con- Then President Rabineau and Chair- of ideas and approach of all those sequences of any job opportunity I man Edward Mc.C. Blair conferred the present and remembered, and to affirm consider." bachelor of arts in human ecology on 34 our belief that the struggle is Good-byes and farewell were ex- graduates whose studies had focused on worthwhile." Top row: Chairman of the Board Ed- ward McC. Blair and President Louis Rabineau; Mrs. Alida Camp Ben Verbeck. Middle row: Jessie Greenbaum and Katrina Hodgkins; Donald B. Straus; Dina Petrillo. Bottom row: Jim Cole serenades the graduates. Photos Kernan to the Governors' Task Force, NEW TRUSTEES Northern Forest Lands Study, a $250,000 federally sponsored study to ELECTED determine how to maintain the integrity of the northern woods of New England and New York while providing for con- Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ed- tinued economic growth in the area. ward McC. Blair has announced the elec- Morfit graduated from Harvard tion of three new members to the Board: University with a B.A. Cum Laude in J. Mason Morfit and Mr. and Mrs. John English in 1963. He received an M.B.A. F. Stockwell. from Columbia University Graduate Morfit is currently the Executive School of Business in 1971 with a dual Director of the Maine Chapter of the Na- concentration in Finance and Interna- ture Conservancy and a vice president of tional Business. the national organization. Under his The Stockwells, whose daughter Lilea leadership the Maine Chapter was recog- is currently a senior at College of the At- nized by the national Nature Conservan- lantic, are residents of Boxford, Mass., cy as "Outstanding State Program" in and have a summer home in Vinalhaven. 1988 and received the Down East Chairman of the Board Edward magazine Environmental Award for McC. Blair noted that the Board has es- 1989. J. Mason Morfit tablished a new category of annual trus- For over a decade Morfit has been teeship to be awarded each year to committed to land conservation in parents of current students or graduates, America. As Vice President and Direc- "as a way to recognize and involve more tor of Development for the national Na- of the diverse range of friends who com- ture Conservancy from 1980-85, he was prise the College's constituency." successful in raising total cash contribu- tions from less than $18 million in 1979 A 1957 graduate of Yale University, to over $53 million in 1984. Between Mr. Stockwell is currently employed with A.G. Edwards & Sons, an invest- 1976 and 1977 he was the Eastern ment firm in Portsmouth, NH. Mrs. Regional Director of a special Bicenten- Stockwell attended L"Ecole des Beaux nial program of the Conservancy to ac- Arts in Paris and graduated from Mills quire one outstanding natural area in College in California in 1956. She works each of the fifty states. His major at the Brookwood School in achievement during that period was Manchester, N.H. as the head of Crea- negotiating the purchase of a 1,500 acre tive Arts. The Stockwells are active mem- Maine island and raising $1.2 million to bers of the Massachusetts Audubon pay for it. Society and the Newburyport, Mas- He is currently one of three delegates sachusetts Maritime Society. appointed by Maine Governor John Mc- John and Deicy Stockwell Summer Lecture Series: *Senator William Cohen, U.S. Senator Summer Calendar from Maine, Wednesday, August 16, Dr. John Anderson, Professor of Zool- 8:30 pm. ogy, COA. "Endangered Species." Wed-