RECALLING AN OLD LETTER OF Dr. CHARLES RYERSON ... STILL A VERY VALID ONE

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பேராசிரியர் சார்ல்ஸ் ரயர்சனின் கடிதம் உங்கள் பார்வைக்கு

This letter of Prof. Charles A. Ryerson Former President, The American College Endowment Fund (Trust) warns Bishop's move to bring the college under diocese control 
April 23, 2008

The Rt. Rev. A. Christopher Asir, M.A., B.D.
The Bishop of the Madurai Ramnad Diocese—CSI
Diocesan Office
Ratchanyapuram, K. Purdur
Madurai 625 007, India

Rt. Rev. and Dear Sir:
I last wrote to you in August and October of 2006. At that time, I was President of the American College Endowment Fund (Trust). I have served for more than thirty years as a Trustee and, for more than fifteen years I was its President. Last year I resigned my post in favor of Dr. Richard Reisz, who had taught Physics at the College for thirty years. I still am a Trustee, however, and as President Emeritus I am writing to ybu. I do know that Dr. Reisz has also been in communication with you about this matter.

I began my association with the College in 1955 as an Associate Lecturer of English with the (then) Oberlin program and have had a close relationship with the College ever since—including the years that I taught at TTS. Until my retirement from Princeton in 1999, I made almost annual trips to Madurai and have known all of the principals of the College and all the Bishops-of the Madurai-Ramnad Diocese. I was especially close to Madurai's first Bishop, Lesslie Newbigin, and to Bishop Pothirajulu, one of my former students.

It has come to my attention that you, as president of the Governing Council, may wish to place the College under Diocesian control. This would violate the provisions of 1934, when the College became independent of the Mission, and also under the agreements of 1947, when the College decided to stay independent of the newly-formed Church of South India—seeking to serve the Church but to be separate from it.

I find it difficult to believe that the Diocese would change the relationship, especially since the College has served the Church so well. Any change could force the Trustees to reevaluate their financial and moral support of the College. This would cause all of us much pain since I am certain you share our high opinion of the College and its service to the Church, the nation, and even internationally. I doubt that any change can be made unilaterally.

I would appreciate your communicating the real situation of theCollege since the reports we have received are so unbelievable. I also trust that you are enjoying your tenure in Madurai—one of my favorite cities.

With my best wishes to you and the Diocese,

Yours in Christ,
Charles A. Ryerson
President Emeritus,
The American College Endowment Fund

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There are FEW MORE letters / articles sounding the same info in some of our earlier posts.

Who wish to see them can click this link: http://saveamericancollege.blogspot.in/2008_04_30_archive.html

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Dr. CHARLES RYERSON .. AN OBITUARY

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Prof. Dr. Charles Ryerson or "Charlie" as he is known in friends circle came first to The American College as an Oberlin Rep during the very early days of the program. If I remember correct he is the fourth rep after Joe Elder, Dav Gallup and Dav Lockwood. Those days the Oberlin Building did not exist and the reps used Coe Lodge as their residence along with a few faculty members of the College. I had finished my graduation by that time and I had left Madurai. So I did not have any interaction with him when he was a Oberlin rep. He was probably used as a tutor in the English Department like Gallup and others were.

However Charlie had developed a love for people of Madurai and their religion. These interests brought him back to Madurai many times after his first visit and I had ample opportunities to know him. He knew more about the Meenakshi temple and other smaller and rural temples in and around Madurai than many in Madurai. He could talk on Chitra festival giving lot of background about the practices of people of villages participating in it. Bicycle was his favorite vehicle in those days and one could see him anywhere in Madurai riding on his bicycle.

He had many other interests and had motivated a few in USA to go over to India for studies and research. One such person associated with Charlie that I know of had spent lot of time on research about the Nadar community particularly their "uravin murai" practices that had helped the development of the community.

His another interest was Politics. At one time he was an authority on the DMK movement. He had such a good contact with DMK hierarchy that he could walk into Chief Minister Mr. Karunanidhi's office. Sometimes his visits coincided with general elections in the country probably because of his interest in political trends of our country.

He was Professor of Theology in Princeton. Though I had not been to his office some of my friends have told me that he had a picture of Meenakshi temple that I had given him was fixed on the wall in his office. The picture, a rare one, shot from helicopter flying over the temple taken by a great photographer of Madurai, Mr. Christopher.

He is one of my friends from USA who had visited my home a few times and enjoyed the hospitality of my mother. On one Chitra Pournami day we had a moon light supper in my home Charlie and another Oberlin Rep Dennis Hudson and one or more friends were there we enjoyed the evening looking at the fire works of the Alagar festival at a distance from the open terrace of my house. A meeting I can never forget.

May his soul rest in peace.

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P.S.

Dear Dharumi,

News is in hand that Prof. Dr. Charles Ryerson is no more. Suriakumar drew my attention to the news. After I got the news Prof. Samuel Lawrence called me over phone and asked me whether I could write a note on Charlie for the website you are maintaining. There are many who could do a better job. Yet I have decided to respond to our Lawrence. You may include it in the save American college website if you think it will be of any use there.     V.SRINIVASAN

Tthank you, V.S. ji.   .... தருமி

COLLEGE SONG BY SOME OF OUR ALUMNI - A NEW VERSION

College song by some alumni ... found in FB


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