A Stoutonia Editorial RE: 40th Class Reunion

Another blast from the past.
1966-67 Stoutonia Editor, Stephen W. Burke - AKA Stony - took some time from his busy schedule to write an "Editorial" for our reunion blog. We found some pictures from Stoutonias and Towers of that era to "visualize" some of his thoughts. Although they are not all pictures of Stony they are from Stout in the 60s. Check out the "Then and Now" photos of Steve -- a very distinguished gentleman.
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A Stoutonia Editorial for the 40th Reunion

Song:
Seems that was what drove a lot of hootenannies in the late ‘60s.
Students got together to sing those revolutionary and\or peace lyrics, and believed it made a difference; maybe it did with social issues and Vietnam. Peter, Paul & Mary, and Bob Dylan live on.

Memories:
Well, we all have them; some good, some bad, some forgotten.
But for the most, “memories”, it seems to me, are wasted cells on the past; unless they can be positively applied to the future. At “our age”, there is still much to be done. Ben Franklin was 70 when he drafted the Constitution. This may be “our time in the sunset”, but this is no time to dust off the rocker.

Consider:
Those who lived through the Civil War (1861-1865; those dates look familiar), their 1907 is our place in time. Their transportation was horse; ours horse power. Are we much differently awed than they were?

Rear-view mirror:
In our years at Stout we found completeness; friendship, challenge, future. Yet, in the intimacy of those years there was… well… frustration.

There were editorials about the book rental system. Yes, financially perfect. No, we were reading from a physics book that was 35 years old (ok, physics does not change much over the years). We challenged the SSA to move forward and remove the voting power of Deans from meeting… we had no voting powers in the Faculty Committee. Well, that was long ago, and Stout withstood the onslaught of our convictions… very well done, Stout.

There were countless hours in the offices of Dean Price and President Michaels discussing the writings in the Stoutonia. A million years ago. A moment from memory (see “Memories” above).

So today:
Stout is unique, always was, always will be. In 1963 President Michaels announced, at our freshman orientation that we would have the tools to escape a deserted island if desired. And, we would earn those tools over the next 4 years. He was right. We are still in awe, alive, and do not reside on deserted islands. But there is much yet to be done. Class Reunions are but another raft to escape the island of reality. These rafts are necessary if only to reaffirm the scope of what we have yet to accomplish, and solidify transition from one generation of graduates to the next. “Where Tomorrow?” remains the focus of their lives as well as ours.

Conclusion:
Song, memories, considerations, mirrors, today… where are we in this evolutionary concept of a Stout life? Simple, really. We are the children, who’s children’s children will need all of the above to build rafts of their own.

Stephen W. Burke '67
Stoutonia Editor-in-Chief 1966-67

June 11, 2007

A bit about Stony:

Since graduating from Stout, Steve taught for 26 years. In 1982 he began writing computer software for classrooms and school systems. This evolved into writing programs for dental offices and currently marketing and supporting a product called “Clinical Research Environmental Data Information Tracking” (CREDITTM). This product is installed in locations across the country and tracks tens of thousands of Cancer Patients. Steve is president of “Data Doctor Office Technology System, Inc.” (DDOTS) where he and his wife Barbara work full time. They have three grown children.

CLICK HERE: Visit their DDOTS website at www.ddots.com

In their spare time they spent 30 years renovating their current home – an 1840 farm house. Stony and Barbara look forward to our 40th Reunion.

Memorizing, Mimicking... Mesmerizing!

University Theater

“Unknown to many, a tiny world, separate from the larger academic university, has existed in the basement of Harvey Hall… Here, in an atmosphere of pure, sophisticated talent, came students and faculty to gather for the sake of a deeply rooted mutual interest – drama.”

“Seen periodically throughout the year, whether in a seasonal play, musical, or Quarter Square Theatre production, these people devoted time, energy, and ability to “give their all” in various performances.” 1968 Tower

Over the years, some of the productions included:
She Stoops to Conquer
Desire Under the Elms
Destry Rides Again
The Bright Knight
Medea
Ten Nights in the Bar Room
The Great Get-Away
Krawp’s Last Tape
The Room
Arsenic and Old Lace
Guys and Dolls
The Crucible


Add your recollections, comments or anecdotes by clicking on "Comments" below.

Home Management: What an experience!!!

A 6 week stay in the Michael’s Home Management House for “a practical application of household managerial skills” was a requirement for many senior Home Economics majors in the 60’s…and—40 years later--the quirks and lessons of those 6 weeks are still ingrained in the memories of the participants! Here are a few tales shared by Lana Lawrenz Anderson and Erica Gustafson Granchalek of their residencies:


"Miss Charlotte Rose, the House supervisor, was quite a character. She ate very slowly at meals and no one could leave the table until everyone was done. She would take second helpings and it was an excruciating wait for her to finish. However, we learned quickly and we all took seconds ourselves, so there would be very little left when the serving dish was ready to be passed to her.

She liked egg for breakfast--but not too much. She asked me to hard cook one for her. I then had to peel it and cut it into quarters, as she only ate one quarter of an egg a day. We were assigned rotating duties during our stay: Cook, assistant cook, waitress, downstairs maid, upstairs maid, etc. She seemed to be quite pleased that the cook would spend most of the day in the kitchen during their assigned time. However, I would bop in and whip up something quick that we prepared at the restaurant that I worked in during summers. She was very discouraged that dinner could be done in a short time.

Since she was allergic to hair spray, we had to go downstairs to the little room behind the kitchen to put hairspray on our bouffant styles. Fortunately, that room had a fan that could exhaust the fumes.

We always had to prepare a table center piece from things found around in nature. We were not allowed to spend money for it. Cagily, we would have a friend send us flowers when we were in the house, so that we could create an attractive centerpiece. (Not all of us came prepared with seashells, etc,to put on the table.) I did love all of the china sets--at least 4 sets for dinner meals, beside the everyday ones in the kitchen. I liked the array of dishes so much that I have several sets of china, too. I do recall Miss Rose coming to the classroom on rainy days. She would sit down and take out tissues to wipe off the bottom of her shoes before putting on her galoshes."

Lana Lawrenz Anderson




"Miss Rose was a real character who was some what stuck in the Victorian era, but who managed to put the fear of God in all of us who lived in that house for a seemingly unending amount of time (six weeks I think....)

I think that one of the best stories ever--one that I will never forget--was the time that Carol Kitzmann Trimberger and I were sitting around the kitchen table, in the Home Man House, smoking an illicit cigarette. We were blowing the smoke directly into the exhaust fan, when we lit something on the surface of the kitchen table on fire. Can you imagine? Sort of like igniting the high altar of a church. I couldn’t quit laughing. I knew our lives were on the line, and I just couldn’t quit laughing.

Guys who were dating anyone living in the Home Man House were affected as well. My husband, Dale, remembers the detailed procedures to which one needed to adhere prior to entering the house. When it came to rules, Miss Rose was an equal opportunity enforcer.

I also remember Miss Rose used to tell all the married ladies that they should refrain from sex at least one month each year.

These recollections are just the tips of the ice berg-- I’m sure there are many, MANY Home Management stories. Get a bunch of alums in a room, and the memories could fill a CD…and provide a multitude of laughs!"

Erica Gustafson Granchalek