Speaker Tells Of Lincoln's Struggle With Depression February 12

Chestertown, MD, February 12, 2003 — In honor of Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Washington College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience presents a lecture by Joshua Wolf Shenk, author of the forthcoming book The Melancholy of Abraham Lincoln. Shenk's lecture will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at 7:30 p.m. in the College's Hynson Lounge. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Shenk's book, which will be published by Viking Press in 2004, brings a fresh and unexpected perspective to the often-mythologized life of the sixteenth president. An essayist who has written extensively about both history and mental illness, Shenk has spent the last five years working on a book that will chronicle Lincoln's lifelong struggle with depression. “Everyone who knew Lincoln said that his ‘melancholy' was one of his most striking characteristics,” Shenk says. As a young man, Lincoln's friends feared he would kill himself. And even as he rose in business and politics in his 30s and 40s, he was often consumed with despair. Lincoln was elected president in 1860, at age 51.

Shenk says that psychiatrists who have examined Lincoln's history agree that a diagnosis of major depression would apply. But Shenk warns against easy labels and diagnoses. “To really understand Lincoln's melancholy, you have to look at his whole story,” Shenk says. “And when you do, you see how this problem also underlay some of his great strengths-including his determination to do meaningful work and his deep and complex faith.”

Shenk's lecture, “Fiction, Not Fantasy: Shaping a True History of Abraham Lincoln,” will describe what he has discovered about Lincoln, as well as his experience conceiving, researching, and shaping his book. “Lincoln is one of the most written about human beings in the history of civilization,” Shenk says. “And this makes him a great subject for students of the biographer's techniques and of the role that mythic stories have in a culture.”

Shenk's essays and articles have appeared in Harper's Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, and the New York Times, as well as in the national bestseller Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression. He has worked as an editor or correspondent at the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and The Economist. He has been a Rosalynn Carter Fellow in Mental Health Journalism at the Carter Center, and currently teaches writing at New York University and the New School. He lives in New York City.

For more information about C. V. Starr Center events and programs, visit the Center online athttp://starrcenter.washcoll.edu, or call 410-810-7156.

Father Of A Nation: College Hosts Public Exhibit Of Washington Art And Artifacts February 13-28

Chestertown, MD, February 12, 2003 — In honor of George Washington's 271st birthday, Washington College has opened it archives and assembled its collection of George Washington images and artifacts for public viewing. The exhibit titled “FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY, FATHER OF OUR COLLEGE,” held in the lobby of the College's Tawes Theatre, Gibson Performing Arts Center, is free and open to the public daily, except Sundays, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., from February 13 to February 28, 2003.

Approximately 15 special items selected from over 75 in the College's archives of Washingtonia will be on display, some for the first time in many years. Items on exhibit include a 1784 copy of College founder William Smith's, “An Account of Washington College”; a 1789 commission for Chestertown's customs collector signed by President Washington himself; and various 19th century Washington-inspired busts, lithographs, prints and embroidery.

For the last four months, a small group from the Washington College community has worked to catalog artwork and historical items owned by the College which feature George Washington. This exhibit highlights the College's unique connection to the first president while displaying some unusual historical items rarely seen by the public.

Washington College—the first college chartered in the new nation—was founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, who consented to give his name and financial support to the College, and who served five years on the Board of Visitors and Governors before beginning his presidency. The Washington legacy is kept alive on campus in many ways, including the Washington Scholars Program, the Honor Code, a leadership development program, curricular offerings, and the academic programming of the College's C. V. Starr Center for the American Experience.

This exhibit was made possible by the Washington College's President's Office and the Campus Events and Visitors Committee.

Will Japan Go Ballistic? O'Neill Literary House Launches Spring Tea & Talk Series February 25

Chestertown, MD, February 10, 2003 — Washington College's O'Neill Literary House Tea & Talk Series kicks off its spring lecture series on Tuesday, February 25 at 4 p.m. with “Japan Going Nuclear?,” a talk to address the likelihood of Japan developing nuclear weapons in response to current tensions with North Korea and in its region. The talk will be presented by Dr. Andrew Oros, assistant professor of international studies and political science at the College. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Dr. Oros specializes in the international and comparative politics of East Asia, theories of international relations, and foreign intelligence and espionage. He has published articles in Japan Forum, Public and International Affair, Intelligence and National Security, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, and numerous other journals. His report “Can Japan Come Back?” was published recently in a Japanese newspaper.

The Tea & Talk Series will continue on March 18 with “Strings Attached,” a poetry reading and Celtic harp performance by Meredith Davies Hadaway, Vice President for College Relations at Washington College. Hadaway has played the harp in local and regional venues, and has traveled to Ireland as a guest artist for the Clifden (Connemara) Community Arts festival. She is currently a candidate for a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from Vermont College.

On April 22, Polly Kuulei Sommerfeld, a lecturer in drama at Washington College, will present “What's Equity Got to Do With It?”, a Q&A focusing on the challenges faced by professional actors.

The Tea & Talk Series provides opportunities for college faculty and staff to share their areas of expertise with the college and with the surrounding community. All talks are held at theO'Neill Literary House on Washington Avenue in Chestertown. Tea is served at 4 p.m.; talks begin at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

In Memoriam: Dr. Stephen N. Jones, Trustee Of Washington College

Chestertown, MD, February 5, 2003—The Washington College community is saddened by the loss of Dr. Stephen N. Jones, who passed away Sunday, February 2, at his Rockville home. Dr. Jones was a highly dedicated and effective member of the College's Board and was much admired and beloved by his colleagues. His presence will be greatly missed.

Born and raised on a Rockville farm, Dr. Jones received his medical degree from Georgetown University and began his medical career as a country doctor more than 50 years ago. When he retired in 1995, his expertise was widely recognized and he was well respected as the founder and leader of a group practice of 10 physicians. When he opened his practice in 1950, there were few internists and even fewer specialists in what was then the little town of Rockville; as was the manner of doctors of the era, house calls were his specialty, a practice that he continued even in the later years of his career. Dr. Jones was an internist who specialized in cardiology. In the early 1970s, he was instrumental in organizing Holy Cross Hospital's "heartmobile," an emergency response van equipped with heart-monitoring and diagnostic equipment. During his long career, he also found time to work as a clinical instructor at Georgetown University's medical school and to serve on the board of regents of both the medical school and the University. In 1992, the Montgomery County Medical Society named him Clinician of the Year.

In 2001, Dr. Jones was invited to become a Member of the Board of Washington College, an opportunity that he graciously and enthusiastically accepted. He became a dedicated member of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Financial Affairs; he was particularly effective in focusing on important problems and in finding useful solutions. Most of all, he was a considerate colleague who set a tone of cooperation, and made it a joy for others to work with him.

In this sad hour, his many friends at Washington College would like to honor his memory and accomplishments and to send our thoughts to his family. Dr. Jones is survived by his wife Ann, four children, and 10 grandchildren.

—Dr. John Toll, President of the College

Lecture Explores The Consequences Of Global Warming And The Impact Of Rising Sea Levels April 25

Chestertown, MD, February 5, 2003 — Washington College's Center for Environment and Society and Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, present “Global Climate Change and the Impact of Rising Sea Levels,” a lecture by Stephen Leatherman, Ph.D., Director of the International Hurricane Center at Florida International University, on Friday, April 25, 2003, at 4:30 p.m. in the College's Hynson Lounge. Originally scheduled in February but cancelled due to inclement weather, this event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Leatherman is an internationally recognized authority on coastal storm impacts, beach erosion, and the effects of sea level rise. His talk will address the effects that global warming will have on weather patterns, storm severity and coastal areas that might experience rising sea levels. He has authored or edited 16 books and over 200 journal articles and technical reports on coastal issues, and was the on-screen host and co-producer of the “Vanishing Lands” documentary film that won three international awards.

A faculty member of Florida International University's Department of Environmental Studies, Dr. Leatherman also directs the university's International Hurricane Center, (IHC), an interdisciplinary research center focused on the mitigation of hurricane damage to people, the economy, communities and natural environment. The IHC promotes an interdisciplinary, large-scale disaster research agenda to address this vulnerability, involving disciplines such as architecture, business, economics, engineering, finance, geosciences, insurance, political science, sociology, and urban planning in a long-term, integrated research program to help coastal regions mitigate hurricane exposure.

President Of Verizon Maryland To Speak About Developments In The Telecommunications Industry April 9

Chestertown, MD, March 18, 2003 — Washington College's J.C. Jones Seminar in American Business presents “The Exciting Changes Taking Place in the Telecommunications Industry,” a talk by William Roberts, President and CEO of Verizon Maryland Inc., Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at 7 p.m. in the College's Hynson Lounge. Originally scheduled in February but cancelled due to inclement weather, this event is free and open to the public.

William Roberts was named President of Verizon Maryland July 1, 2000, and oversees all of the company's local telephone operations in Maryland. Roberts began his career with C&P Telephone in 1980 as a business office manager. He has held positions of increasing responsibility in operations, human resources, marketing, public affairs, and government relations. Roberts serves as a member of the Maryland Economic Development Commission; board member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; the Foundation for the National Archives; the Greater Baltimore Alliance; the Greater Baltimore Committee; the Kennedy Krieger Institute; the Living Classrooms Foundation; the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education; the Maryland Chamber of Commerce; and the National Aquarium in Baltimore. He also serves on the board of trustees for Harbor Hospital Center, Villa Julie College and Morgan State University Board of Regents. Roberts also mentors homeless men at the Gospel Rescue Mission. Born and raised in Unionville on the Eastern Shore, Roberts graduated in 1977 from Morgan State University with a bachelor of science degree in business administration. He and his family reside in Chevy Chase, MD.

Have We Gone Too Far? ACLU President On National Security Vs. Civil Liberties At Washington College

Chestertown, MD, March 18, 2003— Washington College presents Nadine Strossen, President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), on “Protecting Civil Liberties and National Security After 9/11: How to Strike a Balance.” This event is free and open to the public.

Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law at New York Law School, has served as President of the ACLU since 1991, and has written, lectured and practiced extensively in the areas of constitutional law, civil liberties and international human rights. The National Law Journal has twice named Strossen one of “The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America,” and in 1998, Vanity Fair included Strossen in “America's 200 Most Influential Women.” Since becoming ACLU President, an unpaid, volunteer position, Strossen has made more than 200 public presentations per year and comments frequently on legal issues in the national media. She was a regular guest on ABC's “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher and is a weekly commentator on the Talk America Radio Network. In October 2001, Strossen made her professional theater debut as the guest star in Eve Ensler's award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues, during a week-long run at the National Theatre in Washington, DC.

Strossen's writings have been published in many scholarly and general interest publications (approximately 250 published works). Her book, Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women's Rights (Scribner 1995), was named a “notable book” by the New York Times and was republished in October 2000 by NYU Press. Her co-authored book, Speaking of Race, Speaking of Sex: Hate Speech, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties (NYU Press 1995), was named an “outstanding book” by the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights in North America. Strossen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College in 1972 and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1975. Before becoming a law professor, she practiced law for nine years in Minneapolis, MN, and New York City.

The talk is sponsored by Washington College's William James Forum and Goldstein Program in Public Affairs, established in honor of the late Louis L. Goldstein, 1935 alumnus and Maryland's longest serving elected official. The Goldstein Program sponsors lectures, symposia, visiting fellows, travel and other projects that bring students and faculty together with leaders in public policy and the media.