The New (Olde) Reed Almanac (continued)

Griffin: Enemy of ignorance and official mascot of Reed. The griffin, a mythical beast, half eagle, half lion, was taken from the coat of arms of the Simeon Reed family. From Under the Green Tiles, by Beatrice Olson ’24: “The griffin has from time immemorial symbolized a guardian and protector of man and the beasts of the earth. In its early habitat in Asiatic Scythia, it was credited with the protection of gold and precious stones. Thus, in familiar tradition, it has gained, through centuries, the attributes of swiftness and strength in the service of protection.”

Herodotus (484–425 BCE): Sometimes dubbed the father of history (q.v.). Of course, the same has been said of Confucius (551–479 BCE).

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Hum 11(0): History as understood by poets, literature interpreted by philosophers, phil-osophy explained by artists, and art seen by historians. Welcome to Freshman Hum. The broad outlines of the course were originally laid down by President Richard Scholz (q.v.), but his untimely death in 1924 derailed his dream for almost two decades. The first true humanities course at Reed arrived in 1943 under the leadership of Rex Arragon [history 1923–62]. Then as now, the course focused on Greek and Roman civilizations through the prisms of politics, art, history, religion, philosophy, and literature. Hum 110 was later expanded to the Middle Ages and beyond, but this was felt to be too burdensome, and in 1993 its focus returned to Greece and Rome. Reed has also employed the framework of the humanities to approach other crucial periods and cultures. Since 1995, for example, the college has offered Hum 230, focusing on the foundations of Chinese civilization.

Hum Play: Annual slapstick production occurring after the final Hum lecture of the year. Hum Play follows the adventures of the hapless Student, who journeys through the Hum syllabus in a desperate attempt to learn a year’s worth of material the night before his final. The show features bedsheet togas, cardboard spears, and an inexcusable number of bad puns. Guided by Greek gods, epic poets, and fearless professors, Student runs across several characters from the syllabus before arriving at Enlightenment. The play began as the brainchild of Greg Lam ’96, who staged the first production in 1994. Since then, the script has been passed down from one generation to the next, each adapting it to create more outrageous iterations.

Human hamster wheel: Behemoth roller bearing that materialized in the SU in 2010. Over 12 feet in diameter, the wheel was constructed of lumber, plywood, and skateboard components, and was big enough for a student to run inside. Student group named “Defenders of the Universe” claimed responsibility.

Iliad: Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus.

Keezer, Dexter M. [preZ 1934–42]: Educator, journalist, and New Deal economist, Keezer arrived on campus at the nadir of the Great Depression. Believing that Reed was too intellectual, Keezer worked on improving student life with initiatives such as the ski cabin on Mount Hood. After Reed, he worked for the federal government on the war effort.

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KRRC

In the groove: unidentified KRRC DJ spins vinyl, circa 1985.

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Linguistics: The art of misunderstanding many languages at the same time. Linguistics was first formally taught at Reed in 1955 under anthropology (q.v.). Intriguing course titles have included Psycholinguistics, Signs, and the rather intimidating subject of Morphosyntactic Typology. The linguistics qual consists of a long passage in an unidentified language, accompanied by a translation, and asks the aspiring linguist to describe the characteristics of that language. Have a nice day. Influential profs (q.v.) have included Edwin Gerow [1985–96], John Haviland [1986–2005], and Matt Pearson ’92 [2001–].

MacNaughton, E.B. [prez 1948–52]: Prominent Portland businessman, one of the original members of the board of regents (later merged with the board of trustees). As president, “Mr. Mac” focused on Reed’s finances, securing numerous gifts, forging key relationships, and rescuing the college from the brink of insolvency. One of his first actions was to hike faculty salaries, which gained him popularity among professors. MacNaughton also served as chairman of the board of the First National Bank and president of the Oregonian. A typical day included mornings at the bank and the newspaper, and afternoons at Reed. MacNaughton was utterly dedicated to the “greatest little college in the world” and refused to accept any compensation for being president. In 1944, he married administrator and instructor Cheryl Scholz, the widow of Richard Scholz, who also devoted many years to Reed.

Magic Grove: Cluster of flowering cherry trees designed and planted by early professors on the Great Lawn.

Manorial documents: A staple of Hum 11 in the ’50s and ’60s. A standard assignment would be to write a paper on these documents, which were extracts from the Domesday Book.

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Math professor LLoyd Williams ’35

Math professor Lloyd Williams ’35 with students at the blackboard, circa 1962.

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Music: The literature and linguistics of a wordless language. Music has always played a vital role in campus life, but was not part of the academic curriculum until 1935, when the college offered a course, Introduction to the History and Appreciation of Music. The tempo increased with the advent of Herb Gladstone [1946–80], who for many years was the department, teaching academic courses, supervising theses, and leading the orchestra. Reed has offered some fascinating courses over the years, including Wagner, Brahms, and Mahler; Song; Jazz; Music Since 1968; The Madrigal; Music and Science; The Music of Duke Ellington; and Bebop. Besides Herb, influential figures have included Edna Chittick [1931–39], Frederic Rothchild [1968–78], Leila Birnbaum Falk [1969–2009], David Schiff [1980–], Mario Pelusi [1982–89], Bonnie Garrett [1988–2010], and Virginia Oglesby Hancock ’62 [1991–].

Nightmares, recurring: Fantasy writer David Eddings ’54 was haunted by a question on an ethics final by Ed Garlan [philosophy 1946–73]: Explain the difference between Right and Good. “I had nightmares about that one for years,” Eddings said.

Nitrogen: You can’t see it. You can’t smell it. You can’t taste it. It doesn’t burn, explode, alter consciousness, or make you talk funny. It is anything but rare. In fact, it may seem rather dull. Yet this underrated element gets the recognition it deserves at Reed, which has celebrated Nitrogen Day since 1992, when a group of science majors (including Dave Weinstock ’92, Rob Mack ’93, Nick Kaplinsky ’93, and Al Kun ’95) staged the first celebration of the seventh element. The original N-Day featured a brass band, a barbecue, and an ode to the triple bond. Subsequent bashes have featured nitrogen-infused beer and ice cream cooled by nitrogen.

Odegard, Peter [prez 1945–48]: Political scientist who taught at Williams, Ohio State, and Amherst before becoming Reed’s sixth president. Odegard worked to shore up faculty salaries, hire more professors, and expand Reed’s geographic draw. He also boosted attention to the arts and oversaw upgrades to campus buildings. Students and faculty alike saw Odegard as a champion for the community and its intellectual history. Declaring that a college “must be something more than an intellectual delicatessen store,” he insisted that Reed “serve as an island of free inquiry, for only by free inquiry can the frontiers of knowledge be advanced.” Odegard left Reed to join UC Berkeley as chair of the political science department.

Odyssey: Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns.

Olde Reed, last year of: When you are a student, it’s the year you arrived minus 1. When you are an alumnus, it’s the year you departed plus 1.

人事处

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Paradox Café circa 1985

Paradox Café circa 1985. Michael Donally Goldman ’89 scoops nickels; Mike Magrath ’84 pours joe. Photo Larry Clarkberg ’88.

Paradox Café: Student-run coffeehouse in the SU famous for its paint-peeling brew.

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