News From Fort Schuyler

April 10, 1998 - Volume 2, No. 17

SAILING RIGHT ALONG - The Director of Waterfront Activities and Sailing Team Coach, DAVE COUGHLIN, Class of 1988, reports that our Sailing Team is ranked nationally in the Top 20, out of more than 300 collegiate teams. You can see these elite sailors sailing in the waters off Fort Schuyler as they compete in the NY Maritime Open on April 18-19.

FAMILY TIES? Here's an interesting question from WALTER BURKE, Class of 1981: "I know there are many families with multiple graduates. An interesting question may be the family with the LARGEST number of graduates." The bidding starts at two (WALTER 1981 and his brother PETER 1984). Yes, I hear three (JOE BROWN 1981 and his brothers TOM 1983 and BOB 1988.) Do I hear four? More??

PAY ATTENTION NOW! The final Library Lecture of the semester has been specially selected by Luce Library impresario and lecture coordinator, Reference Librarian John Lee, to help cadets focus on those looming final exams. On Tuesday, April 21, a renowned (and entertaining) hypnotist, N.S. Baer, will demonstrate and discuss hypnotic phenomena as they may relate to improved concentration and reduction of anxiety. The lecture will take place at 8 P.M. in the S&E Lecture Hall.

COLLEGE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS - A graduate of the Class of 1971, THOMAS F. KEENAN, has recently been appointed to the College Council by Governor Pataki. Tom is Past President of the Alumni Association and Vice President of V.Ships Marine, a ship management company.

SHAMELESS PROMOTION - Here are a few highlights from the Spring 1998 Semester Report for the always active Stephen B. Luce Library:

• The introduction of full graphical INTERNET ACCESS at PCs in the library Reading Room was a big hit with our cadets. During the semester we were able to increase the number of FULL TEXT DATABASES in response to student research needs.

• The Readers' Services division again coordinated LIBRARY LECTURE PROGRAMS this semester. There were full capacity audiences for a talented team of comedians (Laugh into the evening) and a "hot off the press" look into the changes going on in the former Soviet Union (Russia and Eastern Europe Today - from Flea Market to Free Market) which was co-sponsored by the Naval Science Department.
• Recent LIBRARY EXHIBITS highlighting resources relating to current or historical events included: Women in the Maritime Industry; AMVER- Forty Years of maritime safety; Literature of the Sea (in conjunction with the very successful conference at the college); Titanic- The movie and the literature (Titanic is now in the news, but it's not new at the Luce Library, which has over 40 titles about this famous ship, dating back to 1911.) Coming soon is a display of Humanities Department Faculty Publications and a special exhibit, Making of a Biography featuring Prof. Ian MacNiven's major new, authoritative, voluminous biography of writer Lawrence Durrell.
• The SHIP'S LIBRARY, an integral component of the Summer Sea Term experience, is being prepared for SST 1998. In recent weeks, thanks to a Parents' Association Ship's Library Video Program grant, over twenty-five new feature films have been purchased for use aboard the EMPIRE STATE VI this summer. Besides new additions to the Ship's Library' paperback collection, the Robert Gove Memorial Collection, our popular collection of "salty books" brought aboard for shipboard use, has many new titles.

FINAL REMINDER, WITHOUT RESERVATION - There will be an informal meeting of alumni who work or live in (or close to?) Manhattan on Thursday, April 16 at Jeremy's Ale House, 254 Front Street (212) 964-3537. Come at 6:00 P.M. - no reservations necessary- just show up! For more detailed information call the Alumni Association at (718) 834 - 4530.