The John Muir Newsletter, Spring 2015
SPRING 2015 jJui JMaaaa, JL^aXAXaa, V>P , THE JOHN MUIR CENTER Reflections on John Muir— One-hundred years after his death Bill Swagerty, Co-Director, John Muir Center During 2014, many institutions honored John Muir's legacy with an event associated with the centennial of his death on Decem...
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Scholarly Commons
2015
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| Summary: | SPRING 2015 jJui JMaaaa, JL^aXAXaa, V>P , THE JOHN MUIR CENTER Reflections on John Muir— One-hundred years after his death Bill Swagerty, Co-Director, John Muir Center During 2014, many institutions honored John Muir's legacy with an event associated with the centennial of his death on December 24, 1914. It was also the fiftieth anniversary of passage of the Wilderness Act by Congress in 1964 and the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Act, transferring the core of what would become Yosemite National Park from the State of California to the federal government. Pacific hosted the 60th California History Institute from March 20-22 focusing on "What has been saved; what has been lost: John Muir's Legacy, 1914-2014." The symposium began with a field trip to Martinez on March 20 to visit John Muir National Historic Site. Twenty-four students in the John Muir Class were joined by other Pacific students, faculty, and guests of the university. As always, rangers and interpreters opened the doors to the Strentzel-Muir-Hanna house on the hill and allowed us the privilege of seeing Muir's grave- site nearby. At the gravesite, Michael Wurtz, Head of Holt-Atherton Special Collections, read a 1914 obituary from a local newspaper which included mention of those who attended Muir's funeral. On March 21, another field trip by bus took students and guests to Coulterville along the route that Muir walked in 1868 on his first trip to Yosemite. Ken Pulvino, founder of the John Muir Geotourism Center, joined the bus in Modesto and explained Muir's stop at Horseshoe Bend, where he made an elaborate sketch of the landscape. Educator Monty Thornberg, current Director of the Center gave a presentation at lunch in the Hotel Jeffery on the activities of the Center, which promotes tourism and environmental education along the John Muir Highway. The Jeffery dates to 1851 and was a stagecoach stop for Yo- semite-bound passengers, as well as a resting place and reprovisioning opportunity for pedestrians like Muir on his long walk to the Valley. Bill Jeffery, husband to Pacific's Pamela Eibeck, explained his family's likely connection with the original builders. Unfortunately, after our field trip, the hotel experienced a major fire in the middle of the night on November 14, 2014, forcing closure. By 1889, it had burned three times, so this was the fourth structure-fire, but fortunately did not consume the entire building, which is currently undergoing restoration as a National Historic Landmark. We also saw the result of the Rim Fire, started by a hunter who set an illegal campfire on August 17, 2013 in Stanislaus National Forest. Named for the Rim of the World vista point on Highway 120 as it heads into Yosemite, the fire consumed 257,314 acres making it the third largest wildlife on record in the Sierra Nevada and costing around $127 million to finally extinguish with smoldering soil more than a year later. Although no human died, ten people were injured and over 100 structures were destroyed, along with untold wildlife, entire stands of forest, and plants. The USFS made it a high priority, fearing it would reach Yosemite and the giant sequoia groves, but fortunately the fire stopped short of the park. On March 22, attendees gathered in Grace Covell Hall on Pacific's Stockton campus for an all-day symposium. The morning session focused on environmental education. A film by (continued on page 3) Page 1 Page 2 FRIDAY, MARCH 21. Field Trip to Coulterville (John Muir Geotourism Center) Attendees will visit beautiful sires linked to John Muir, especially the John Muir Geotourism Center, (fee event) SATURDAY, MARCH 11: WHAT HAS BEEN SAVED, WHAT HAS BEEN LOST: JOHN MUIR'S LEGACY, 1914-2014 (BY REGISTRATION ONLY) 9:00 AM - 4:45 PM, GRACE COVELL HALL, STOCKTON CAMPUS PRE-REGISTRATION THROUGH MARCH 18TH MORNING SESSION; * Welcome by President Pamela Eibeck " John Muir's Connection with University of die Pacific, W.R. Swagerty * Terry Gifford. "Muir, RttsJun, Uncle Sam, Planet Earth Gains and Losses" Graham White, "John Muir: The Moral Imperative of Ew.TQttmental Edt 11:45 - LUNCH BUFFET (fee ei AFTERNOON SESSION: ' Keynote, Andrea Wulf, "Cosmos, Nature and the Web o) life: Ale^erwn Humboldt's influence on John Mi.tr." * Ronald Ehcr, "The Eternal Battle T\u WUmtxess I egacy of John Muir. Doug Scott, "/.,ln! Mm(t: Blazing the Path Voward th, 1964 Wilderness A.-i [MO Alaska National rnteresi Lands Conservation Act" ' Stephen Holmes, "Muir's / iterary I egacy: Science and Storytelling from The ( alifomia Alps' to Climate (lhange i eOmmunicatfon.* 'John Muir Class- University of the Pa< iftc, Summaric i of n eachprojeci Photos from Muir Symposium Including field trips and reception, March 20-22,2014 Photos courtesy of Bill Swagerty Page 3 (continued from page 1) middle-schoolers Tyler Young, Kyle Worrall and Nick Reinhart on "John Muir and the Yosemite" had all applauding. Young is a descendant of Muir and this tribute had Muir-Hanna-Funk family members especially proud of the young men's filmmaking and narration. In addition to Young, the family was represented at the symposium by Ross and Gladys Hanna, William and Claudia Hanna, Ross and Sally de Lipkau, James and Carol Hanna, Susan and Terry Flynn, David and Sharon Hanna, and Robert Hanna. Since the symposium, we are saddened by the passing of Ross Hanna, Muir's last living grandchild, and a graduate of Pacific ('49), who died in June and whose life was celebrated on June 21 in his home town of Dixon. After the film, old familiars to Pacific returned to share updates on their research. Terry Gifford of England reflected on "Muir, Ruskin, Uncle Sam, Planet Earth—Gains and Losses." Graham White of Scotland preached on "The Moral Imperative of Environmental Education," using Muir as his sounding board. A keynote by returnee Andrea Wulf, a German national who lives in London, on Alexander von Humboldt's influence on John Muir had all in awe of both Wulf's research, as well as her command of imagery and description. The author of Founding Gardeners and Chasing Venus, Wulf's The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World will be released later this spring. She will also return to Pacific this coming August to address the entire freshman class on August 25 with a summary of Humboldt's place in modern science. Following a Scottish-theme luncheon, which did not include haggis, but did feature Dundee Cake, registrants returned to their seats to an afternoon session on John Muir's Legacy. Ronald Eber, historian for the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club and a resident of Port Orchard, Washington, led off with remarks on "The Wilderness Legacy of John Muir," introduced by Harold Wood, chair of the Sierra Club's John Muir Education Committee. Doug Scott of Seattle followed, presenting on "The 1964 Wilderness Act and 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act," both of which he had a role in passing as an environmental lobbyist. Independent scholar Stephen Holmes, author of The Young John Muir: An Environmental Biography, and a resident of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, compared Muir's manuscript with the final printed version of his first major book, The Mountains of California (1894) pointing out many environmental lessons that Muir wanted to include that did not make it into print. The day ended with seven of twenty-four in the spring term John Muir Class summarizing their research topics. Megan Deino researched "John Muir and the Legacy of Calaveras Big Trees State Park;" Hailie Eackles, "The Bear Necessities," on Muir and bears; Lucy Kramer: "John Muir, Sheep, and Domestic Husbandry;" Kyle Shin, "Muir and Roosevelt: The Legacy of the Trip to Yosemite;" Ashley Salazar: "John Muir and the Wilderness of the Stickeen River;" Kathryn Teague, "John Muir's Glacial Theories as Predecessors to Modern Understanding of the Glacial History of Yosemite Valley;" and, John Wooten, "John Muir and the Fight for Hetch Hetchy." Other projects not reported at the symposium follow: Laila Abtahi, "John Muir's Natural Evolution of Art" Gwen Alldredge, "Muir's Alaska: Then and Now" Zachery Artozqui, "John Muir and Glacier Bay" Brandon Chan, "John Muir and the Redwoods" Emerson Gusto, "John Muir's Sketches of Trees in the Sierra Nevada" Chris Hansen, "An Analysis of John Muir's Impact on the Understanding of Glaciers" Hong Pei Lu, "John Muir and China: 1903, 2014" John Imfeld. "Long Down from on High: John Muir's Impact on Riparian Habitats" Dean Leonard, "John Muir and National Park Service Policy in Yosemite" Shawn Quiruz, "Muir's Encounters: Wolves Then and Now" Leslie Stirm, "John Muir and the Sand Hill Cranes and Other Migratory Birds" Cooper Stivers, "John Muir's Educational Growth: A Psychological Approach" Dylan Svihus, "John Muir the Agrarian" Dustin Willey, "Muir's Botanical Findings in Yosemite and Today's Botany" Trent Williams, "Muir Woods: 1908-2014" Page 4 Yosemite Conservancy Spring Gathering 2015 There is no better place to celebrate the wonders of spring than in Yosemite Valley, surrounded by blooming dogwoods, rushing waterfalls and good friends. Yosemite Conservancy's Spring Gathering was held on March 27-28, 2015. The festivities began with a welcome reception on Friday evening at Yosemite Lodge's Garden Terrace Room with appetizers and drinks. Saturday activities included guided walks by Yosemite experts, project tours, lunch and a special reception. All donors of $25 or more were invited to attend the Spring Gathering. Donors in the John Muir Heritage Society (with annual gifts of $1,000 or more) were invited to attend a special dinner on Saturday night and additional activities on Sunday. For more information on Yosemite Conservancy, please call 800.469.7275. 6th Annual John Muir Festival May 16, 2015 The John Muir Geotourism Center in Coulter- ville, CA presents the 6th Annual John Muir Festival. A family friendly event! Experience All Things Muir when you visit and learn about Muir's travels along the historic Muir Route along J132 to Yosemite. Meet other John Muir enthusiasts, experts and representatives from the John Muir Geotourism Center, Yosemite National Park and surrounding Yosemite region. On May 16, historic Coulterville celebrates John Muir's historic walks to Yosemite before Yosemite became a National Park. There are multiple venues for family fun—all within the Main Street area of Coulterville. Entertainment, activities and food in Coulterville Park, John Muir Geotourism Center and the Coulter Cafe. Enjoy the historic Yosemite Tapestries exhibit, created by Miriam McNitt, commissioned by Yosemite National Park in 1967 and displayed in the Park for over 40 years. These tapestries depict the natural history of Yosemite as well as panoramic views of the Park's wonders. Entrance is FREE. Festivities began at 10 am and go until 4 pm. John Muir Birthday-Earth Day Celebration *% Saturday, April 18th 2015 4202 Alhambra Avenue (at Highway 4) in Martinez FREE admission! 10 am - 4 pm nd the National Park St-rvice Come rain or shine! Presented by tbe John Muir Association a: r Keynote Speaker Beth Pratl-Bergstrotn, California Director of Ihe National Wildlife Federation Original east members to perform songs from the play,Mountain Days Meet "John Mull" and the Giant Sequoia he planted 130 years ago Exhibits and activities for everyone Live music And silent auctions John Muir's 1882 Victorian home and orchards John Muir Conservation Awards presented Youth Activities with National Park Service rangers Food and beverages are available for purchase Join the National Park Service to celebrate John Muir's 177th birthday during the annual Birth - day-Earthday event on Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 10 am to 4 pm at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, CA. Participate in fun activities for all ages to commemorate Muir's legacy. Special guest speaker Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, California Director of the National Wildlife Federation, will give the keynote address. The Celebration, held rain or shine, features family-oriented activities, food for sale, live music including a bagpipe band, song performances by original cast members of the play Mountain Days, and displays by national parks and local environmental organizations. Parking and admission are free. National Park Service Ranger Frank Helling will portray John Muir and recount some of Muir's many wilderness adventures. Visitors can enjoy self-guided tours of Muir's historic Italianate Victorian home where he wrote about protecting nature, as well as bid in two silent auctions. Proceeds benefit the John Muir Association, the nonprofit organization hosting the event in partnership with the National Park Service. The Association will also present the 37th annual John Muir Conservation Awards. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/ jomu/planvourvisit/ directions.htm PAGE 5 Shanna Eller Muir Center Staff Reorganization Since August, 2011, the Office of the President of University of the Pacific has supported an Office of Sustainability, housed within John Muir Center in the College. This past fall Shanna Eller, Director of Sustainability, was named Co-director of Muir Center by Dean Rena Fraden. In addition, Kendra Bruno, M.A., was hired as Sustainability Coordinator. A native of Kansas, Eller has lived in Portland most recently and holds a bachelor's degrees in the History of Art and Architecture, as well as Journalism from the University of Kansas. She earned her master's degree in Urban Planning at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a doctorate in Urban Studies from Portland State University, where she was Director of Community Environmental Services before joining Pacific. Bruno is a graduate of the University of the Pacific with a joint major in International Studies and Spanish. She earned a master's degree in Natural Resources and Peace from the University for Peace, Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. Both Eller and Bruno work closely with administration, faculty, staff, a cadre of students on campus, making Muir Center a lively hub for anything green on the Stockton campus. They co-taught a Pacific Seminar for freshmen in 2014 on the topic of "Fair Trade." The Office of Sustainability coordinates, advances and manages sustainability efforts on all three campuses of the University. Activities of the office are described separately in this newsletter. Muir Center continues to sponsor interns and has work-study assistance from undergraduates. David Sriboonreuang, a sophomore English major Kendra Bruno who is also minoring in Religious Studies and Ethnic Studies, has worked in the Center for the past three semesters and is digitizing the slide collection. He has also completed an inventory of the library and the video collection and is one of the chef-demonstrators at the University's new Kitchen Co-op. Recently he showed participants how to make macarons. David Sriboonreuang WkZ •& sa WILDS SCENIC - ^//^^;- A WILI jENIG festival A WILD LIFE Wednesday April 8, 2015 University of the Pacific 3401 Kensington Way, Stockton, CA Biological Sciences Building, Room 101 Free and open to the public * 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm reception with filmmaker Matt Black • •7:30 pm - 8:45 pm films • •Q&A with Matt Black and intermission* •9:15 pm -10:00 pm films • j patagonla Orion ?^-^ Jjjgg 0EARTHJUSTICE U&H Page 6 Things Cooking in the Co-op by Kendra Bruno New at Pacific this year, the Pacific Kitchen Co-op has created quite a stir! Beginning this Spring term, Pacific students, faculty and staff have been able to join as Co-op members allowing them to access a fully equipped kitchen, furnished dining area and delicious classes! The Pacific Kitchen Co-op is a place where members can go to cook their own meals, have a club meeting, have dinner with friends, bake some cookies and simply just enjoy themselves over some delicious home cooked meals. Want to make a cake, but do not have any of the kitchen gadgets needed to do so? The Pacific Kitchen Co-op does - all you have to do is bring your ingredients! Easy to join, the Kitchen Co-op is $35.00 (or $40 using meal plan) per semester and is open for reservations every day of the week, Monday - Saturday 8 AM - 10 PM and Sundays from 9 AM - 8 PM. Recently, the Kitchen Co-op featured three exciting classes during the month of February, including Cooking with Caspero!, Sushi Workshop with David, and a Cookie Decorating Class. Each class featured a guest chef from Pacific or the local community. Cooking with Caspero! had attendees up and out of their seats to learn how to make Chile - Lentil Tacos with an avocado cream sauce while honing their basic prepping skills! On Friday, the Co-op hosted Sushi with David in which David went through all the ingredients and prep necessary to make your own sushi at home - from California rolls to Dragon rolls! Each attendee was able to make their own rolls, under the guidance of David. Lastly, Cookie Decorating featured a local baker and decorator from Bird Treats who taught the class how to make the perfect icing and decorate six different cookies in a variety of styles! Learn more about the Kitchen Co-op at go.pacific.edu/Kitchen where you can find a schedule of our upcoming programs, membership agreement and some photos of the space! Questions? Send us an email at KitchenCoop@pacific.edu Cooking up a healthy community! PAGE 7 Delta Narratives Project California's Delta is the subject of a current project involving Pacific faculty, former faculty, and former Dean Robert Benedetti, who serves as project director. Funded by the State of California through the Delta Protection Commission, the project is based at California State University, Sacramento. The goal is to study the Delta in collaboration with the region's historical societies, museums, and archives in order to promote better awareness of the area, ultimately expecting nominating by the Department of the Interior as a National Heritage Area. Former English Department faculty member Gregg Camfield, now an Associate Provost at U. C. Merced, is in charge of "Literature and Art," while Philip Garone and Jennifer Helzer of California State University, Stanislaus are tackling "Reclamation and Restoration" and "Community and Society," respectfully. The lead essay, "Stitching a River Culture: Trade, Communication and Transportation," is being written by Bill Swagerty and Reuben Smith Dr. Smith is former Dean of the Graduate School at Pacific and Bill Swagerty and Reuben Smith professor emeritus of the Department of History. A native Californian, Smith grew up in the Bay area and earned his doctorate at Harvard University, specializing in the Islamic World. He knows Delta transportation history from years of working as a volunteer at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, where he continues to serve as motorman and conductor on electric trains. Swagerty and Smith began the project in October and have completed a draft of their essay after trips to several historical societies and ar chives including the Western Railroad Museum archives, Center for Sacramento History, State Railroad Museum Archives, Rio Vista Museum, Sacramento River Delta Historical Society in Walnut Grove, Yolo County Archives in Woodland, and San Joaquin Historical Society in Micke Grove. Other partners in the project include the Bank of Stockton and the Haggin Museum of Stockton. Presentation of results have taken place this spring in Walnut Grove and Antioch and will be presented later this summer in Sacramento with expectations of new interest in the Delta as sites are interpreted and museums open their doors with new exhibits. .^**r ■V.' U£,l ' —T"» oi., ■•* . . **§ ■ : $iffijJM mu.V; ' .; " k ■•.'- .'■. » H»''|FkftjfeB i.uiiWK TAP i HOI st 1 >- jl£X a LifililAaaia Patch BDH "■ ■ -A Clarksburg f'.li 4 Mues |>.r<| i"''*B^BI 1 giMU »>»K , ' -■ 'J kj, IM:W ' jJ&T %is««ii^fHB^ 3 Signs near Freeport Page 8 John Muir Journal Transcription Project Picking Up Steam In the wake of the 100th anniversary of John Muir's death on December 24, 2014, The Record (Stockton) ran an article - front page above the fold - about the Special Collections effort to crowdsource the transcription of the John Muir journals. The story was picked up by other newspapers and a couple of television stations, and it was tweeted copiously over the next few weeks. The publicity brought in over 30 new transcribers who dove into Muir journals with the same drive that Muir sojourned in the Sierra. Nearly 100 images have been transcribed, which means that well over half the 3000 images in the journals are now keyword searchable. The transcribers are devoted Muir enthusiasts digging for new inspirational quotes, long time hikers curious about Muir's wanderings on their favorite paths around the world, and grade school students who giggle when Muir discusses the "naked" rocks, but were awestruck when he pondered the value of scientific inquiry. The long term value to harvesting Muir's words in the journals will boost the discovery of the famous naturalist's ideas and thoughts in their initial observational form. The project continues. If you would like to take a crack at connecting with Muir, there are still plenty of pages to go. Visit go.pacific.edu/ muirwords and get started. has served the Special Collections for 10 years and has worked at Pacific since 1999. Nicole Grady is our newly minted Special Collections Librarian after serving three years as a temporary librarian. Nicole will continue to process collections, create exhibits, and assist researchers. We are excited that Nicole will also be available at the library's reference desk on a regular basis to assist students and extend Special Collections services to that desk. Nicole is a native Stocktonian and earned her Bachelor's degree from Pacific. She completed a Master's in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from San Jose State, and she's worked at the Lodi Public Library. Muir Materials on Exhibit If the people can't make it to Muir's mountains, sometimes Muir's mountains need to come to the people. Over the years the staff of the Special Collections have worked with a number of museums to bring letters, drawings, and journals to exhibits throughout the West. The most ambitious project was the 2011 mounting of A Walk in the Wild: Continuing John Muir's Journey, which "celebrated the legendary naturalist's life, work, and legacy in California and beyond." This last fall, the California Historical Society in San Francisco put together Yosemite: A Storied Landscape. This exhibit had a nice section that focused on the relationship between Muir and Josiah Whitney and included a couple of drawings of Muir's "glacial actions" to support his theory on the creation of Yosemite Valley. If you missed those, there is still a chance to see an original Muir work on exhibit. The Nevada Museum of Art and the Oakland Museum of California are working on an exhibition about Lake Tahoe that will run from August 2015—January 2016 in Reno; and February— June in Oakland. This exhibit will feature Muir's 1888 Journal "Trip with Parry to Lake Tahoe." The staff of Special Collections will continue to work with museums so you can, "climb the mountains and get their good tidings" without having to climb a mountain. PAGE 9 Muir in the News—1897 "Another distinguished citizen oi the Alhambra Valley—a man whose lame is world wide, is John Muir, the Naturalist. When Mr. Muir is not perched upon an ice glacier or scaling some loity mountain peal? you will rind him at his desk in his lovely home, the iormer residence ol the late Dr. John Strentzel. Mr. Muir, while at home, spends the greater part ol his time at his desk. He is an inveterate worker with his pen and contributions bring a good price Irom all the best magazines ol the world. He is rich, but doesn't know it, lor his mind doesn't run to money, but to the grandeur and sublimity ol nature." Contra Costa News, July 1, 1897, page 3 John Imfeld Chosen John Muir Center Outstanding Senior of the Year for 2014 John Muir Center's outstanding senior for 2014 was John Imfeld. Like John Muir, John Imfeld traveled a bit before settling down here in California. A native of Modesto, he entered college at Arizona State University over twenty years ago but, like Muir, did not finish his degree, opting for the temporal world of the work place. Unlike Muir, who worked in factories producing wooden products, Imfeld spent the better part of two decades in the health food industry, ten of them with Whole Earth Foods in Colorado. He came back to college, transferred from Modesto Community College and finished his degree this past December in Environmental Studies with minors in History and Sustainability. John's research in several classes combined historical geography with science and is very Central Valley-centered. His capstone project in History focused on "nitrate Pollution of the Groundwater in the Tulare River Basin." During spring, 2014 in "john Muir's World: The Origins of the Conservation Movement," Imfeld undertook an ambitious project titled "John Muir and the Riparian Zones of the San Joaquin Valley." Using Muir's own example of sampling one square yard of plant life at Hill's Ferry near Newman, John performed the same experiment 142 years later, finding a reduction in native plants from ten natural orders in 1872 to five today, representing a decline in species from sixteen native plants to six today. Projects combining natural science, environmental policy, and history are not common, but should be in a liberal arts college. Muir Center commends John Imfeld for his interest in the practical application of environmental studies and history to help understand and improve the health of the planet and especially the Central Valley. John is currently working as a paid intern for the Port of—- Stockton, researching the port's history. f s^ Page 10 The Passing of Ross Hanna (1922-2014) Ross Erwin Hanna, last surviving grandchild of John Muir died in Dixon on June 10, 2014. Born in San Francisco on October 20, 1922, Hanna was the youngest of six children born to Annie Wanda Muir-Hanna and Thomas Rae Hanna. The Hannas lived on the family property in Martinez during Ross's youth. A graduate of Alhambra High School in Martinez, Ross loved music and became an accomplished trumpet player in high school, participating regularly in the Pacific Grove summer band camp. Ross planned to become a professional musician and began a degree in music at Modesto Junior College, playing professionally for about a year, a few times with Dave Brubeck, who was a student at Pacific. After Pearl Harbor, Ross joined the U. S. Navy. After the war he started over at Pacific as a freshman, switching his degree to business and was the only non-music major in Phi Mu Alpha fraternity. While at a dance at Pacific, he met his future wife, Gladys Sto- even, who earned her music degree and teaching credential in 1947. They married in 1949 and moved to Dixon, where the Stoevens were in the meat business. Ross remained in that industry for thirty-one years, applying his business acumen while continuing to play trumpet in the Phabulous Phire- house Philharmonic Dixieland band and directing a local choir. Known as "Music Man" in the community, Ross was named Dixon Citizen of the Year and was on the Board of Directors of the John Muir Association in the 1990s. He was instrumental in the transfer of the John Muir Papers to Pacific in 1970 and remained a strong supporter of the Muir Center's events, attending every symposium since the early 1990s and meeting classes from Pacific at John Muir National Historic Site Ross Hanna & Bill Swagerty, 2004 Ross Hanna's Phirehouse Philharmonic Band on annual field trips. In February, 2005, he brought his band from Dixon to commemorate the launch of the John Muir California State Quarter, and despite declining health, he came to commemorate his grandfather's centennial legacy in March, 2014. Ross is survived by Gladys, sons Hal Hanna and Michael Hanna Muir, daughter Lynne Lincoln and their families. A celebration of his life was held at the Methodist Church in Dixon this past June 21. Gladys & Ross Hanna Pearl Piper (1923-2014) A remembrance by W. R. Swagerty Pearl Estelle Piper died at age ninety here in Stockton this past August. When I joined Pacific's faculty in the fall of 2001, the first person to greet me at the University was Pearl Piper, who had already worked more than sixty years, forty-six of them full time, at the University. When I mentioned that my mother, Eunice Thomas-Swagerty, attended Pacific in 1946-7, she asked to see a photo and recalled the girl from New Mexico who wore brown and white saddle shoes even while riding a horse or playing the cello. That was my mom alright. John Muir Center was Pearl's third home at the university. In the 1940s, ^^^^M^y ' L^AjHf ^V Ik ' ~ M W Pearl Piper in 1989 Photo Courtesy of Holt Atherton Special Collections while a student, she worked for President Robert Burns and later full time for Les Med- ford as Secretary of Admissions. Upon her official retirement in 1986, Pearl was honored with Pacific's highest accolade, the Order of Pacific, seldom given to staff, and only to those who have promoted Pacific's goals and given service beyond regular business or office hours. Pearl did all of this, volunteering to help with conferences, mailing, registrations, the newsletter, and much more. She helped former Center director Ronald Limbaugh with day-to-day operations from 1989 to 1999 and continued to volunteer after I assumed the directorship in 2001. Born in the Bay area, Pearl moved to Stockton with her late husband Roy E. Piper, Jr., who owned and operated a bakery. According to her son, Kenneth Piper, Pearl never went a day without basking in the sun and having a donut at a local bakery. She was also an avid car enthusiast and took pride in being able to take dictation in shorthand. Ever the optimist, she brightened the lives of those around her and never complained of being overworked, underpaid, or stressed. Pearl saved Muir Center's endowment funds ■ when a former dean tried to transfer these to PAGE 11 another department. Without hesitation, she went to the Finance Center and started her own investigation, ultimately putting enough pressure on administration to restore the designated funds. As her health and hearing declined, we seldom saw Pearl in the last years of her life, but Muir Center continues to benefit from her skills at organization and her commitment to Pacific. She will not be forgotten. She is survived by son Kenneth Piper, daughter Cathy Ever son and five grandchildren, as well as eight great-grandchildren. JOHN MUIR GEOTOURISM CENTER PRESENTS THE SIXTH ANNUAL The Yosemite Tapestries For more information on the John Muir Festival, see page 4 of this publication SIGN UP FOR THE ELECTRONIC VERSION BY CONTACTING: THE JOHN MUIR CENTER University of the Pacific 3601 Pacific Avenue Stockton, California 95211 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED ~T~ ~r ~r -j. . "i V rv >V- ^ The John Mu Center The John Muir Center promotes the study of John Muir and environmental- ism at the University of the Pacific and beyond. Center Objectives As one of California's most important historical figures, John Muir (1838- 1914) was a regional naturalist with global impact. His papers, housed in the library's Holt-Atherton Special Collections, are among the University's most important resources for scholarly research. Recognizing the need both to encourage greater utilization of the John Muir Papers by the scholarly community, and the need to promote the study of California and its impact upon the global community, the John Muir Center was established in 1989 with the following objectives: • To foster a closer academic relationship between Pacific and the larger community of scholars, students and citizens interested in regional and environmental studies. • To provide greater opportunities for research and publication by Pacific faculty and students. • To offer opportunities for out-of- classroom learning experiences. • To promote multi-disciplinary curricular development. Phone: 209.946.2527 Fax: 209.946.2318 E-mail: wswagerty@pacific.edu https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmn/1096/thumbnail.jpg |
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