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November 7, 2003 Vol. 56, No. 19

Exploring Iowa's connections to Nazi Germany

Michael Luick-Thrams, author of a book about the successful rescue of 186 refugees from Nazi Europe who found a haven at a former Quaker boarding school near West Branch, Iowa, will give a multimedia presentation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Bulldog Theater, Olmsted Center. The presentation, sponsored by the Drake Center for Global Citizenship, is titled "Far from Hitler: Iowa's Connections to Nazi Germany."

Luick-Thrams, now executive director of TRACES, grew up on a farm between Mason City and Clear Lake, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State University, and went on to earn his Ph.D. in modern European history from Humboldt University in Berlin.

Under LuickThrams' guidance, an exhibit of documents, photographs, artifacts and interviews from the Scattergood Hostel for European Refugees has been developed. The exhibit will open at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at The Caspe Terrace (home of the Iowa Jewish Historical Society), 3320 Ute Ave., Waukee, and continue through Jan. 11, 2004.

"Despite local ambivalence towards the plight of the mostly Jewish exiles, Quaker farmers and college students gave their 'guests' a chance to rest before launching new lives in America," according to a recent article in The Jewish Press.
Hundreds of Drake musicians to perform 'Carmina Burana'

Four Drake University choirs and the Heartland Youth Choir with a combined total of 260 singers will join a 75-member orchestra in performing Carl Orff's colorful and energetic "Carmina Burana" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. The orchestra, conducted by John Canarina, is made up of Drake faculty, students and professional musicians.

Written in 1937, "Carmina Burana" is a scenic cantata that provides a great introduction to serious music, particularly to people who think serious or "classical" music is boring and monotonous. The work features a collection of songs about wine, women and love - based on poems found in a Benedictine monastery.

" Carmina Burana" uses 13th century texts written by undergraduates, seminarians, and disenchanted monks who had left the university and monastery to spend their days and nights drinking, singing, making love, and praising all of those pleasures in verse, says Aimee Beckmann-Collier, director of choral activities at Drake. "The music is very accessible," she adds. "In fact, portions of it have been used in car commercials."

Tickets for "Carmina Burana" are $15 for adults, $7 for students. They are available through Ticket-master, the Civic Center Box Office and the Drake Fine Arts Box Office, x3841.

Dancers struggle with a lack of coordination and rhythm in Drake's production of "Stepping Out. "
Struggling dance students triumph in Drake's 'Stepping Out'

 Drake University Theatre will present "Stepping Out," an unusual and delightful play that was recognized as the Best Comedy of the Year in London in 1985 and earned a long and successful run.

" Stepping Out" focuses on Mavis Turner, an ex-chorus girl, and her ferocious pianist who run a weekly tap dance class for local amateur dancers. The students are from all walks of life, but most of them share one thing in common - an overabundance of left feet and a lack of coordination.

" We see them struggle, bicker, laugh and argue over a six-month period until their charity recital where they miraculously present a triumphant Broadway-style finale," said Director Clive Elliott, Drake's Daniel B. Goldberg artist in residence.

Drake's production features tap choreography by Tony Humrichouser, visiting assistant professor of theatre arts at Drake.
A TalkAbout dinner and discussion led by Elliott will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at First Christian Church, 25th Street and University Avenue. Tickets, which cover the TalkAbout and play, are $17. For reservations, call x3995.

Performances will start at 8 p.m. Nov. 13, 14 and 15 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Performing Arts Hall, Harmon Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students and senior citizens. For tickets, call the Drake Fine Arts Box Office at x3841.

Drake hosts Celebration of Books

The third annual Celebration of New Books for Children and Youth will take place Nov. 10-12 at Cowles Library. The event is sponsored by Drake's School

More than 800 book titles from 2003 will be on display for preview by teachers, librarians, parents, students and others. The display hours are 1 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12.

In addition, children's book illustrator Karen Ritz will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the Cowles Library's Reading Room. She has illustrated more than 30 books for children, including Ian's Walk and Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express. A book signing will follow her presentation.
International Night set for Nov. 14

The Drake International Students' Association will present "Around the World in 80 Minutes," a performance that includes dancing, singing and fashion displays, at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, on the Jordan Stage in Sheslow Auditorium in Old Main.

International Night 2003 will feature a multitude of acts from a wide range of countries, including Ghana, India and Indonesia.
After the performance, there will be an international food festival from 8 to 10 p.m. in Hubbell Dining Hall. The food festival will be followed by dance party in Parents Hall, Olmsted Center.

Tickets for the entire night are $10 before Nov. 12 and $12 after that. They are on sale in the Olmsted Center. For more information, call Gurmukh Roopra at x4599.
Eleanor Zeff stands in front of the famous Topakpi Palace in Istanbul.
Zeff attends seminars in Turkey, revises one of her classes

Many Drake professors appreciate the University's recent drive to internationalize the campus and the curriculum. Eleanor Zeff, assistant professor of politics and international relations, took advantage of this opportunity and visited Turkey for a faculty development seminar. The seminar was sponsored by the Council of International Educational Exchange, which also directs student study abroad programs.

CIEE is a non-profit, non-governmental international education organization and has offered 150 seminar topics in 34 different countries since 1990. Every country has its own program directors to run both student and faculty programs. Student study programs are held during the school year and faculty seminars in the summer. Drake faculty members have previously gone to Croatia, Senegal and Northern Ireland on CIEE faculty seminars.

Zeff studied several topics in Turkey during the 12-day seminar in June, which began in Ankara and ended in Istanbul. Some of the topics that she studied included "Islam in the 21st Century," "The Struggle between Islamic and Secular Education in Turkey," "Turkey and Europe" and "Multiculturalism in Turkey."

Zeff believes that CIEE Faculty Development Seminars support Drake's vision of a more internationalized campus. "One of their main objectives is to provide Drake faculty with international study and travel opportunities to enrich courses," she said. For example, Zeff plans on adding a unit on Turkey in her "Transitions to Democracy" course next spring as a result of the experience.

Zeff emphasized that she wants Drake faculty to be aware of these high-quality seminars. For more information, visit www.ciee.org.

Drake receives two pianos from Hahn's estate

Drake music students and faculty performing on the Jordan Stage in Sheslow Auditorium now have the chance to use two of the finest pianos made, thanks to a gift from Stanley Hahn, FA '48.

Drake received Hahn's Bösendorfer Imperial Grand piano, which he had bequeathed to the music department, shortly after his death in October. Hahn also bequeathed a smaller Bösendorfer to the music department.

Hahn, in speaking of his bequest to Drake in September, said, "I've always wanted to give something to the University and this is the nicest thing I have to give."

"For me, it's a dream come true," said Chiu-Ling Lin, chair of the music department and professor of piano. "I've been at Drake for 27 years and during all that time, we've never had pianos as fine as these."

Hahn lived in Owatonna, Minn., where he taught at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and Shattuck-St. Mary's School. He served as the organist at local churches and taught private piano lessons, teaching as many as 50 per week. The Bösendorfer Imperial Grand donated by Hahn is unique in having nine added notes in the bass, which provide extra resonance to the entire piano.

At the celebration of his life, held Oct. 16 at the Owatonna Center for the Arts, Hahn was eulogized as an excellent teacher and one that, years after their days as his pupils, former students visited to renew their friendship and express their appreciation. To satisfy his professional integrity, he learned about the structure and function of pianos and organs so that he could ensure that the instruments for which he was responsible were maintained to perform as well as they could.

"Stanley Hahn was a gentle, compassionate, generous, humble, and resolute person whom so many came to admire," commented Dr. John Arnesen, one of Han's closest friends. "By example he taught us what truly civilized people can accomplish."

Former theatre professor remembered as a devoted teacher

Glorianne Engel, associate professor of theatre arts at Drake from 1968 through 1979, died Oct. 24 in Phoenix, Ariz., after a long and courageous fight against diabetes. She was 63.

"Dr. Engel was an extremely important influence on myself and my fellow theatre arts majors," said Marc D. Schwartz, FA'76. "She was multifaceted as a director, scene and lighting designer, and as a Shakespearian scholar."

Engel and William S.E. Coleman, professor emeritus of theatre arts, were doctoral students together at the University of Pittsburgh. "Glorianne was the first person I hired after I came to Drake," Coleman recalled. "She was a devoted teacher who opened her house to her students and helped them find important jobs in the professional theatre. She was quite versatile as a theatre person.

"While at Drake she directed, designed sets and shared scene shop supervision. She was instrumental in shaping the curriculum that the department still offers. Her production of Alfred Jarry's 'Ubu Roi' was selected to go to the regional finals of the American College Theatre Festival. Her work was always characterized by a love of theatre and people. She will be greatly missed."

After leaving Drake, Engel became associate professor of theater at Arizona State University. As a founding member of Actor's Theatre in Phoenix, she created Writer's Circle, a forum for professional playwrights to develop new plays. She also developed a summer program for gifted underprivileged children in Phoenix.

Memorial contributions may be made to Temple Beth Israel or Actor's Theatre in Phoenix.
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