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

Non-Profit Organization U. S. POSTAGE

PA 1 O New Orleans, La.

Permil No. 192

LA 70 124