WSM Spring 2002

Spring 2002

Essentials of the American Constitution

Essentials of the American Constitution examines five closely integrated components that make up the fundamental law: the compact, separation of powers, federalism, representation, and the Bill of Rights. The interaction among these components gives the constitution its dynamism. Landmark decisions handed down by the Supreme Court involve two or more of them.

The book’s unique approach shows how these components often work together, assisting, explaining, or reinforcing one another. Author Charles H. Sheldon provides an overview of the fundamental principles of the American Constitution and gives a firm foundation for readers interested in American government and politics, constitutional law, or civil liberties.

A member of … » More …

Spring 2002

Two Worlds

As a longtime teacher of multicultural children, Marietta Taylor Barron (’45 Home Econ.) observed the struggles of Mexican-Americans to overcome poverty and prejudice. She was determined to tell their story simply and visually for all youngsters to understand.

Two Worlds is the account of a pre-teen Mexican-American boy who challenged the system of school segregation in the California mining town where he and his family lived. The story is based on Barron’s own recollections. The author brings out the dramatic contrasts between the Latino barrio and the white section of town from a young person’s viewpoint.

A young Mexican boy decides, without any legal authority, … » More …

Spring 2002

Breederman

Author Murray Anderson (’50 Dairy Husbandry) weaves his experiences as a herdsman, milk tester, milking machine salesman, artificial inseminator, and fieldsman into a novel that describes the struggle for survival of small farmers in northwest Washington.

In Breederman, Anderson takes readers back to the ’50s and ’60s, when every farm was a family farm, and farmers knew how many cows their neighbors had and how many pounds of milk they shipped.

The book grew out of a series of vignettes Anderson wrote about his experiences as an artificial inseminator.

“One of my goals was to capture the struggles of families to remain on the farm … » More …

Spring 2002

Alumni president Ed Little: “I always wanted to work with children”

It’s been almost 30 years now, but Ed Little, president of the Washington State University Alumni Association, remembers it like yesterday.

A sophomore and a member of the Cougar Yell Team, he was in Eugene, Oregon, for WSU’s 1974 football game with Oregon in Autzen Stadium. Before the Cougars secured their 21-16 victory, Little received an urgent message on the sideline.

His father, Gerald, had been seriously injured in an industrial accident. Little was needed in Seattle. Athletic director Sam Jankovich immediately had his wife, Patty, drive Little to the Eugene airport. When they arrived, a ticket was waiting for the next flight north. The … » More …

Spring 2002

Robert Bates named University provost

For starters, alumnus Robert C. Bates wants to get reacquainted with Washington State University, its goals, and needs “so we can work together to make this fine institution even better.”

Bates began his duties as new provost and academic vice president in January. He is responsible for all academic issues, ensuring the excellence of WSU programs. His early plans, he said, include meeting with students, faculty, staff, and administrators throughout the state to become familiar with all aspects of the University’s land-grant mission.

The longtime administrator at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University was the clear choice in the national search to fill the provost’s … » More …

Spring 2002

New graduates entering a different world

Washington State University’s newest graduates are entering “a world vastly different and more dangerous than it was before September 11,” a world that cries out for their leadership in government, in science, in business, in education, in the military.

This was the message U.S. Congressman and WSU alumnus George R. Nethercutt, Jr. delivered as commencement speaker December 15 at the University’s first fall graduation exercise.

“Your generation is now called on to face a fearsome worldwide threat of terrorism similar to that serious threat which faced your grandparents, as they were stunned by Pearl Harbor and World War II.”

Nethercutt (’67 English), a Spokane native, … » More …

Spring 2002

Maloney honored for contributions to wood materials engineering

Growing up in the mill town of Raymond, Washington, alumnus Thomas M. Maloney may have been destined to wind up in the wood products industry. In fact, he spent his entire professional career at Washington State University working with wood.

Now professor emeritus, Maloney was director of the Wood Materials Engineering Laboratory in the College of Engineering and Architecture from 1972 until 1996. Last summer, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the International Society of Wood Science and Technology for his “extraordinary career contributions to the wood science and technology profession.”

Earning a degree in industrial arts at Washington State in 1956, Maloney led … » More …

Spring 2002

Coe earns Gibson Award for volunteer service

Longtime Seattle veterinarian Stan Coe received the 2001 Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award last fall at the Washington State University Foundation Recognition Dinner Gala in Pullman.

The annual award, established in 1981, recognizes sustained exemplary service and achievement on behalf of the WSU Foundation and the University.

“Stan has always been willing to go the extra mile in supporting anything required to promote WSU,” said James C. Kraft, Seattle veterinarian and 1996 recipient of the award. “Stan is an inspirational person, and his leadership in volunteerism is a great example for others.”

Coe was president of the Washington State University Alumni Association in 1984-85 … » More …

Spring 2002

It’s in the blood

“There I was [in May 1980], focused on completing my last month at WSU, and Mount St. Helens erupts,” recalls Kathi Goertzen ’80. “I spent the next few weeks basically living at the KWSU studio, not only reporting the news aspects, but also interviewing local farmers about the ash that had covered Eastern Washington and what affect that would have on their crops. I guess you could say that was my first ‘breaking news’ story, and after that, I had it in my blood.”

Her degree in broadcast communications in hand, Goertzen joined KOMO-TV in Seattle as the assistant to Art McDonald (’55, Speech Communication). … » More …

Spring 2002

Play-by-play announcer calls 500th football game

Alumnus Bob Curtis (’47 Speech Comm.) broadcast his 500th consecutive University of Idaho football game as “Voice of the Vandals” last October, when the UI entertained Louisiana-Lafayette in Martin Stadium. He also has been play-by-play announcer for Idaho basketball for more than 30 years.

Curtis got his start in sports broadcasting in his senior year at Washington State University, when he was employed to announce games in the Spokane region. Initially, he called a number of WSU and UI games before joining Idaho permanently.

His string of Vandal football broadcasts dates back to the fall of 1958. He has been named “Idaho Sportscaster of the … » More …