JULY
John Toole W ins Pulitzer
by Maureen Mock Verderame
S_tudents of the late 1960's remember John Kennedy Toole as the gentlemanly English teacher w ho asked for their permission before removing his jacket on humid summer days in Dominican's fancooled classrooms. Now the whole country knows him as the author of A Confederacy of Dunces and winner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
The novel which is set in New O:r.:leans has been praised for its local color, particularly its attention to the many distinctive dialects of the city. Most outstanding, however, is the character of Ignatius J. Reilly, a slob who wears a hunting cap with ear flaps, drinks Dr. Nut, and pontificates on all the evils of modern life.
The novel was actually written in 1961 when John Toole was stationed in Puerto Rico with the Army. Thelma Toole, mother of the late professor, speculates that it was frustration over his failure to get the novel published that led to her son's tragic suicide in 1969. The author was a member of the faculty of the Dominican College English Department at the time of his death.
Mrs. Toole's dedication to her son and her confidence in the novel propelled her to seek publication for A Confederacy of Dunces. She, too, met with frustration and rejection. Finally she turned to W alk~r Percy (another award winning novelist wi th ties to Dominican College; his daughter Mary Pratt Percy Lobdell i:o. a 1971 graduate now living in Mandeville, La.) In the forward to Dunces Percy explains how his hesitancy to read and sponsor an unknown novelist was overcome. "I read on. And on. First with the sinking feeling that it was not bad enough to quit, then with a prickle of
ICont. on Page 41
St. Mary's
DOMINICAN COLLEGE Alurnnae Association Bulletin
1981
NEW OFFICERS, GRADS FETED AT SPRING REUNION
If you missed it, what a shame, because all who carne enjoyed the spring reunion at Dominican on Saturday, March 28th. We were surrounded by old and new friends, flowers and candlelight. Delicious food provided by the alumnae, a well-stocked bar and a banjo player strumming out lively tunes were all the ingredients necessary for a good time. •
Kathy Macaluso Ramirez and needlework cross
The reunion began at 8, following the installation of new officers, which this year took place in the parlor of Greenville Hall. After an impressive swearing in, the new officers toasted the coming year with champagne, then "bubbled" over to the Whiff where they joined the party.
Kathy Macaluso Ramirez '72, the newly installed national president of the Alumnae Association, presented a beautiful needlework picture of the Dominican cross to Sr. Mary Esther, O.P. who accepted on behalf of the St. Mary's Dominican Congregation of New Orleans. The Alumnae Association also delivered to the sisters an Amana Radar Range Microwave Oven which we understand has been a wonderful addition to the kitchen of their new motherhouse.
The food was gone, the hour was late - but many still lingered not wanting to say goodbye. Many thanks are extended to all who assisted the committee in the planning and preparations of the party.
ALUMNAE FUND ORIVE REACHES GOAL!!
The Alumnae Fund Drive has now been termed a great success. W e are happy to report that we have reached our goal with pledges in the amount of $50,000.
YOU, the Dominican Alumnae, are to be thanked and congratulated for the success of this drive. Without your valuable assistance, time and generosity, the lofty goal of $50,000
would not have been feasible. Special thanks are extended to those who not only contributed monetarily but also gave their time and expertise in attending the local and long distance phonathons. So, "thank you" to all those alumnae who gave of themselves to demonstrate once again their loyalty and generosity to the College.
Founder's Hall Has New Role
Mother's Day 1981 was the date chosen by the Dominican Sisters, Congregation of St. Mary, to celebra te the dedication of their new Motherhouse, located in completely remodeled Founder's Hall. Numerous alums thought that was an appropriate <lay to visit Alma Mater, our foster mother, to tour the building and chat with friends and former teachers over punch and cookies.
Founder's Hall, located in the college campus but belonging to the Dominican order, has been completely renovated to meet the requirements of its new roles of administrative offices, infirmary, and residence. Furnishings for most of the building have come from former residences of the sisters and Rosaryville, providing a charming home-like touch as well as a link with the order's historie past.
Visitor's to Founder's Hall on the day of dedication were treated to gu.ided tours of the Mother House by the sisters who pointed out highlights of the lovely decor. A visit to the chapel was a must foral! who joined the tours.
Four local artists, J ack Gates, Dennis O'Regan, Mark Schenthal and Angela Gregory, Professor Emeritus of St. Mary's Dominican_ College, are responsible for the dramatic simplicity of the chapel.
<::5«+-~ ' '' ~4+--~ ,·-»~
Sister Dominic Savio, O.P. and Miss Angela Gregory view Miss Gregory's sculpture in the chapel of Founder's Hall.
QUE PROJECT OUTLINES PROGRAM
Dominican's Quality Undergraduate Education project (QUE)' has just completed a busy and successful year. Most recently, during the Spring Semester, "The Planet Earth-The Eighties and Beyond" was team-taught to approximately twenty students with funding provided from an NEH grant. The course was extremely well received by the students. Father Matthew Fox O.P., spoke to the class on "Cosmic Hospitality: Spirituality for the 2lst Century," and worked with both QUE instructional teams on their courses for the fall. Individual students and groups of students presented sorne innovative projects on the future as a part of the class.
Dr. Nancy Crumbine, Vice-President for Administration, Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire, served as exter.nal evaluator for the course and presented a thought-provoking lecture for the faculty on incorporating women's studies in the currículum.
Wendy Abshire Wins Alumnae Award
A second instructional team including Ms. Myra Smith, Dr. Mary Rush, Mr. William Evans and Sister Rose Bowen has been developing the syllabus for "Profit and Loss in Business: The Human Statement," the second course in the QUE/NEH project. This course will be offered in the day division in the Fall, 1981, with "The Planet Earth" being offered in the evening after ha ving been restructured for an adult student population.
Two members of this second instructional team will be attending the second national QUE workshop in St. Paul, Minnesota in August. Emphasis of this workshop will include general education and inh' r disciplinary studies, instructional use of the computer, course, and curricular design, and Business/ Management in a liberal arts
W endy and proud Dad
Wendy Abshire, a speech pathology major from Abbeville, La., was presented with the Mother Mary de Ricci Hutchinson Alumnae Award at the annual Honors Night ceremony on campus April 29. Wendy is a member of Delta Epsilon Sigma, Beta Iota Chapter National Honor Society, Cardinal Key and Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges.
The Outstanding Teacher Awárd was given to Sister M. Veronica, O.P. This was the third time Sister has received this award.
Sister M. Alexaidia, O.P., was honored for fifty years of service to the College.
setting.
ALUMNAE OFFICERS 1981-82
KATHY MACALUSO RAMIREZ '72
President MELANIE MANUEL GHIO '70
President - Elect JOAN LACEY YAGER '52
lst Vice-President DELIA O'DRISCOLL ARMAND
'68 2nd Vice-President
ELISE TRADER '72 Secretary-Treasurer
Members-At-Large
MARY ANN BRAGG'79 IDA MAE BICKHAM
LOMBARDO '57 BARBARA CAPDEVIELLE
MATTHEWS '69 ANN GLEASON STEVENS '72
DEBORAH VIAU VALIENTE '78 DEANNE DERBES WEBSTER '63
GRADS HONORED AT CATHEDRAL
A Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises honored 97 graduates Saturday, May 16, 1981, at St. Louis Cathedral. The Most Rttverend Philip M. Hannan, Archbishop of New Orleans, celebrated the Mass and presided over the exercises, Concelebrants were Rev. John G. Masterson, O.P., and Rev. Peter Blanchard, S.M.
Master of ceremonies for the 72nd annual ceremony was J ohn H. Chavenne, Chairman of the Dominican College Board of' Trustees. Mrs. Sybil Haydel Morial, Director of Special Services at Xavier University and wife of the Mayor of the City of New Orleans, delivered of the commencement address. Academic Dean Pamela Menke, Ph.D., presented the graduates while Dr. Mary Gerald Shea, l.H.M., awarded degrees to the graduates, twenty-one of whom graduated with honors.
Colleen Winston LeBlanc was presented with the President's Medal for Academic Excellence, having the highest scholastic average of the graduating class.
The graduates were received into the Alumnae Association by Kathy Macaluso Ramirez, Alumnae president.
Diplomas were awarded to five golden anniversary graduates: Elvina Echezebal, Elizabeth Estorge, Ruth Ann Kaack, Cecilia O'Connor Smith of New Orleans and Cecil Gonzales Richard of Opelousas, La.
HERE 'N THERE PAMELA SIL V A TRUXILLO '7 4
is an educational consultant on the St. Bernard Parish School Board.
MARIE MURPHY '79 has received her M.A. in Public Affairs from Stony Brook University. She has been appointed Assistant for Sponsored Research at the Research Foundation of the State University of New York.
ROYANN PRICE AVEGNO '71 and husband, Ashton, have been named recipients of the Alfred E. Clay award presented by the Children's Bureau of New Orleans. This award is given for outstanding services for children.
CINDY HEUMANN '79 graduated from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston with a Master of Science degree in Institution Management. She is now employed as a Clinical Dietitian at Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans.
LADELL LEMOINE ADAMS '75. has been named branch manager of the west bank office of BuccolaMcKinzie, Inc.
MARY CORDRAY '75 was chosen by the Gulfport, Mississippi J aycees as the Outstanding Young Educator for 1980.
ALICE RANDAZZA GEOFFRA Y, Ph.D. '44, director of Career/Continuing Education and Guidance for New Orleans Public School System, has been elected to represent Louisiana on the Southern Regional Council of the College Entrance Examination Board for a 3-year term.
JOANN VELCICH, Ph.D. '63, is president of Career and Educational Services, Inc., of New Orleans. She counsels men and women seeking a first or second career.
JAN MELANCON GUSTAFSON '63, was recently installed as president of the Women's Auxiliary to the New Orleans Dental Association. She is currently serving as state chairman for Dental Health Education for the Louisiana Women's Auxiliary. She is a mother of three adopted children. Her husband, Gus, practices dentistry in the New Orleans East area.
SHIRLEY KEEN JACKSON '44 retired from her long-time position as a secondary school counselor with the Terrebonne Parish School Board and has moved from Houma, La., to Picayune, Miss.
SISTER CAMILLE ANN, O.CARM. '62 became the third principal in Mt. Carmel Academy's 55 ye ar history.
DIANE CODIFER '67 will be teaching freshman Algebra 1 and Junior Geometry in the fall at Mt. Carmel Academy, New Orleans.
RENEE ANNE VIOSCA '63, librarian at St. Leo the Great School, has received an honorary Cultural Doctorate in Literature from World U niversity, Tucson, Arizona.
Joseph S. Mangiapane, husband of CARMEN PRADILLO MANGIAPANE '68 was recently appointed vice-president of the New Orleans office of Walter E. Heller & Co. Co.
CLYDIA DA VENPORT FINK '72 was admitted to the practice of law in Texas after passing the Texas Bar Examination in September. She has been elected to a three-year term on the Board of Managers of the Townhouse Association where she now lives. She and her husband toured South America this spring, visiting her parents in Rio de Janeiro.
JOAN LACEY YAGER '52 just zipped to Washington, D.C. to be present as her daughter, Susan, received a Master's Degree in English from Catholic University of America. Susan is now with John Wiley & Sons, New York publishers.
MARIE MURPHY '79 has received her M.A. in Public Affairs from Stony Brook University. She has been appointed Assistant for Sponsored Research at the Research Foundation of the State University of New York.
1981 HOMECOMING Homecoming 1981 is being
planned for November 8, 1981. The day will include a Mass in the chapel and a brunch. The reunion classes of 1971 and 1931 will be honored. Details of the day will follow in a la ter bulletin, but all alumnae are requested to reserve November 8 for coming home to Dominican.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Our regular feature, Alums in the News, will return with the next issue.
VITAL STATISTICS MARRIAGES
Susan E. Marsh '72 and Robert E. Case
Mary Beth Hotard '72 and Daryl K. Manning
Mary Della Real, '75. and Mark Cha pin
Barbara Jean Ehrensing '78 and Kevin G. Kratzberg
Geraldine Alvarez '78 and John Ford Riviere '76
Claire Wall Capella '78 and Joseph M. Bennett
Bridgett Mary Dwyer '78 and Capt. William M. Ramsey, U.S. Marine Corps
Jo Ann Vogt '79 and Karl F. Hagemeier, III
Debora Brogdon '79 and Bennett G. Fisher
Donna Ann Linn '81 and Michael C. Degan
Rosemarie Shawn Craddock '81 and Brett Charles Pederson
BIRTHS Charlotte Laguaite Knauer '64, hoy Pat Griffin Noyes '69, hoy Dana Duhon V oelkel '77, hoy Shirley Levy Dupre '80, girl
ADOPTIONS Royann Price A vegno, '71, hoy Kathy Macaluso Ramirez '72, hoy
DEATHS
Ross J. Mauldin, father of Anna Ross Mauldin Twichell '73
Felix Lipani, father of Madeline Lipani Russo '47
J ohn J. (J ack) McGoey, brother of Marjorie McGoey J oint '36
D. Albeo Allain, Sr., father of Therese Allain Inman '77
Thomas R. Kehoe, husband of Rita Hayes Kehoe '22
John B. Jackson, husband of Shirley Keen Jackson '44
Alice Casteix Meyer '51 Peter H. Diodene, Jr., father of
Denise Diodene Schiro '75 F.J. Hallaron, husband of Mae Fallo
Hallaron, father of Colleen Hallaron Logreco '47; Marie L. Hallaron Horil '46; and Sis ter Mary La Salle, R.S.M. '54
B.G. Florey, husband of Rosemary Labasse Florey '45
Ripley Pope Schoenberger, father of Holly Schoenberger,'70; brother • of Podine Schoenberger '22
Charles P. Verderame, father-inlaw of Maureen Mock Verderame '70
Dorothy Prima Krone '57 Loretta Middendorf Schwartz,
mother of Yvonne McLaffon Marks '44
Robert C. Leininger, Sr., father of Patricia Leininger Lagrange '60
CORRECTION Cathy Callans Lee '72 adopted a little girl, not a hoy as reported in a previous bulletin
St. Mary's Dominican College 7214 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
Return Postage Guaranteed Address Correction Requested MISS VERLY" LATINO
E863 HEHPHIS ST "EW ORLEA~S
PARENTS ONL Y: 11 this issue is addressed to your daughter who no longer maintains her permanent address al your home, kindly notify the Alúmnae Office of her new mailing address.
JOHN TOOLE ~cont. from page U
interest, then a growing excitement, and finally an incredulity: surely it was not possible that it was so good." With Walker Percy's help, A Confederacy of Dunces was published by LSU Press. Since then, the movie rights have been purchaseJ by Twentieth Century Fox.
Mr. Toole's students will remember his polite Southern manners, his impeccably neat appearance, his dry humor, his insights into literature, and his profound understanding of the absurdities of life in the 1960's. In 1969 Dominic:rn students mourned Mr. Toole and dedicated their yearbook to him. The sorrow and tragedy of his death continue. As Walker Percy states, "The tragedy of the book is the tragedy of the author- his suicide in 1969 at the age of thirty-two. Another tragedy is the body of work we have been denied."
Read A Confederacy of Dunces, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by former Dominican College instructor J ohn Kennedy Toole.
STAFF KATHY MACALUSO RAMIREZ
'72 President, Alumnae Association
JOAN LACEY YAGER '52 ANN GLEASON STEVENS '72
Co-Editors, Publications AIMEEANN REARDON '66 Director, Alumnae Relations
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