Page 4
Features
October 18, 2001
Sports Illustrated at SJU
Chris Lusvardi
Editorial Staff
Over ioo people lined up last Thursday in front of the SJU Bookstore and outside Sexton Commons by the bus stop. No, it was not to take advantage of the Homecoming clothing sale, but to see Austin Murphy, the Sports Illustrated writer who wrote the book The Sweet Season about John Gagliardi and St. John's football.
Murphy spent the afternoon signing copies of the book. It took three hours for Murphy to finish signing all the books for the people who had come for the signing. He was originally slated to stay for one hour.
Before the event, Murphy attended a luncheon in the Quad. Afterwards, Murphy continued signing books in the bookstore office. Murphy also signed the books for football players after Thursday's practice. He took the week off from Sports Illustrated to attend similar events.
Murphy mentioned in an interview with The Record that the book has helped boost his confidence as a writer. "I have added confidence as a writer to have executed a project of this length/' Murphy said.
In 1999, Murphy spent the football season on the St. John's campus. Murphy
Austin Murphy, author of The Sweet Season, signed hundreds of copies of the book outside the SJU Bookstore. questions all the friends I made were the sweetest part of The Sweet Season" he said.
Erik Solberg, The Record "There are no
enjoyed his stay in Collegeville researching his book while still being able to live life with his family at his side.
Evidence of Murphy's impact on the campus was evident by how many people came to the signing, many of whom he had already met. "There are no questions all the friends I made were the sweetest part of The Sweet Season," Murphy said.
Murphy came to Collegeville to firm up relationships with his family. He and his wife, Laura Hilgers, have two
young children, Willa and Devin. His job for Sports Illustrated
requires him to travel away from them much of the year.
He left no doubt that his bonds with his family were strengthened, but added, "They remember their time here fondly, but are in no hurry to return," Murphy said with a smile, noting that their time here was a "few golden months."
The quality of football at St. John's surprised Murphy. "In Division III, I expected to meet nice white boys who
tried hard. I wasn't expecting St. John's to be so freakin' good," Murphy said.
Murphy also noted that most coaches do not adopt John Gagliardi's unique style. "Other coaches are afraid to take the risk and fail because football is a traditional sport. I hope that [my book] falls into the hands of a football coach here and there, and that he might realize that it's okay—even intelligent—to question some of the sport's long standing, petrified traditions, as Gagliardi has
led the way in doing for a half-century," Murphy said.
The Sweet Season is a regionally selling book, but has been selling nationally because "there are Johnnies everywhere," Murphy said. The book is in its fourth reprint after 30,000 copies were originally printed. Each reprint has had 2,000 copies apiece.
"It's easier to leave Collegeville now because I know I'll be back," Murphy said.
The Quad is all shook up
Nakia Pearson
Editorial Staff
When bricks start falling, people start running. Maybe not, though, in the case of the most recent renovations on St. John's University campus.
While Br. Linus Ascheman, overseer of the Quad 1 renovations, calls the process "messy," he admits that it has been kept out of students' way for the most part. The only aspect causing a little shift in regular student movement is the nearness of the Health Center to the construction sight.
Yet, even then, an abundance of temporary signs lead students directly to the south entrance, squaring off any possible confusion.
Part of th e construction that started last December included transforming Mary basement into the new offices of Career Counseling Services. Architectural alterations of the SJU Quadrangle have been under strategic planning for two years.
The reorganization of
departments, the main motivation for the renovation, has been studied and discussed among department boards for almost 6 years.
Br. Ascheman,
Assistant Treasurer for St. John's Physical Plant for 10 years, breaks down the process into a linear sequence: Last winter, the refurbishment of upper floors in Sexton Commons pushed the Senate to the the third floor of Sexton.
The Record moved out of Mary Basement to the Old Gym along with KJNB radio station. This change spaced things up for Counseling Services who moved from Quad 1.
Human Resources then moved to the old Counseling space,
Admissions moved to the Annex building near the New Science Center.
Then, the International Education Office is scheduled to move back to the Quad in November. The Financial Aid will move to the Science Building in the old Internationa] Education office.
In April, the Southeast section of the Quad will be completed.
Cheryl Knox, St. John's academic dean clarified in an email interview, "I know the renovation of Quad 1 was discussed within the SJU President's Cabinet before 1996, but no plan was approved.
"Since then, Gar Kellom and I led a committee of 'stakeholders' through much planning and deliberation to reach a final design for the west hall and parts of the south hall which was subsequently approved by the SJU President's Cabinet."
The idea is to achieve more competency and better communication by clustering together the similar departments.
After 20 years since the last Quad renovations, it was decided that the "Admissions office needed more space.
"When we're done, the Registrar's office, the SJU Writing and Math centers, and Academic Advising [will all be] pulled together,"
Ascheman explained. In the end, there will be more room for students as well.
Assistant Treasurer for St. John's Physical Plant for 10 years, Ascheman describes the "mess" behind the operation as the result of working on and remodeling the "oldest intact building" that culminates the Quad.
Originally, a stone house built by the monks when they first arrived, "the building is the second oldest one on campus and is not as robust and strong as the west half of the Quad," says Ascheman.
The "stakeholders" consisted of entities from the SJU writing center, SJU math lab, International Studies office, the Registrar, Academic Advising, Career Counseling & Peer Counseling and Personal Counseling.
CSB/SJU students, who will be benefitting from these collective deliberations have been somewhat curious in the development as well.
Sarah Laurel, CSB
junior offered her comments, "I like that we can see that they're [administrators are] constantly working on changing and improving the infrastructure here."
Productive changes are always wanted, but common knowledge reveals the inevitably of every good thing including some shortcomings.
Sara Johnson, an SJU Writing Center tutor speaks of the move: "It will be good for the Writing Center to move back to an academic building, but moving in the middle of the year always causes problems.
"We will probably lose clients next semester when we move, which is sad. The SJU Writing Center and Math Skills Center will have moved three times in the past year by the time we settle in the Quad.
"I'm looking forward to the Writing Center having a permanent place, regardless of where it is."
Indeed, the chaos of renovating and moving will soon be over.
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Looking back in time at St. John's University
Br. David Klingeman, OSB
Staff Columnist
Deutsch, Abbot Alcuin
Abbot Alcuin Deutsch, OSB, was the abbot of St. John's Abbey from 1921-1950.
During his long abba-tial term, The Liturgical Press was established (1926) and a number of buildings were constructed: the auditorium and music building (1927), Edelbrock House (1940), Emmaus Hall (1950) and most of the stone walls you see on campus.
Originally, St. Mary Hall was to be named "Alcuin Hall" dedicated to Blessed Alcuin of Tours, patron of Abbot Alcuin. Instead, the SJU library bears his name.
Incidentally, St. Mary Hall was dedicated and opened to student housing 50 years ago on September 13.
The Record of September 27 notes: "This is the first year of relatively normal conditions since World War II finds St. John's better able to realize its ideal of having students live on campus where they can enjoy the traditional spirit of family life."
Exhibition Day
In the nineteenth century, it was a custom that on the day of graduation the students put on an "exhibition" (plays, concerts, speeches).
Sketches of the first Exhibition Day on June 24, 1868, note that there were about 350 persons attending and it was the first performance made by the School Band.
Eventually, a new building was constructed for such events. On June 26,1872, the doors of the new exhibition hall were opened. The building was a plain frame structure (no'x3o') on slightly rising ground northeast of the current Engel Science Building.
It was equipped with a large stage, a drop curtain and scenery. It served as an exhibition hall through 1881 and was torn down in 1892.
Forests
In The Record of April 1889, Fr. Bruno Reiss, OSB, recalls his impressions upon exploring the land and forests around St. John's in 1857 'To the west, as far as my eye
could reach, I could see nothing but dense forest...
"Now I proceeded to inspect, mounting hills and climbing trees, to get a view of the surrounding country...On one of these expeditions my twill trousers and blouse were lacerated by the thorns and shrubbery...once I fell and broke my compass and lost my way and night overtook me in the woods...
"To increase my embarrassment, I was escorted by a pack of howling wolves, fire-eyed ghouls, who seemed to ask me: What are you doing around here?...
"In the course of this survey, one day I arrived on the shores of the beautiful lake, near which the University now stands."
Gymnasium (Guild Hall)
A hundred years ago, the gymnasium building (now called Guild Hall) was nearing completion.
The Record in the November 1901 edition presents a detailed description of the building construction: "For years past, the authorities of St. John's were contemplating the erection of a spacious gymnasium, in which they recognized an indispensable adjunct to a first class educational institution."
In the summer of 1937, the gymnasium was moved (150 feet to the west of the quadrangle) to its present location.
Health Care Center
The Health Care Center of Saint John's is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its present location.
The original campus infirmary was St. Gregory House (1908).
Records note: "The first patient was admitted on March 27, 1908. St. Gregory House is a small building, about 40 x 60, of two full stories and an available attic. An isolated section is reserved for contagious cases."
A Pictorial History.
Students (above) put on the play "Thomas Moore" around 1890 as part of the Exhibition Day. A nurse (left) waits for patients while she is on duty in the Health Care Center. The Old Gym, Guild Hall, (below) is constructed in 1901. The turret, a noticeable landmark today, is visible.
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