*
Is it enough?
- I think it isn’t. Please read the following document and
respond.
The administration of The American College, Madurai has recently
given a name to a building that has been in existence for a few years. That
building will from now on be known as Richard
P Riesz Hall. It was built in the space between the James Hall and the
southern compound wall of the college as hostel for the residents of a program
called Jeevan Jyothi . The building will not be easily visible to anyone who
walks through the campus unless one enters the central corridor of James Hall.
The JJ program was created by Dr. Riesz through his efforts and financial aid
from an external Church related agency to give persons with disabilities
computer education and training to make them employable. No doubt it is an
honor to Prof. R P Riesz the building is given his name. Probably this is the
first time in the history of the College a building has been named after a
living person. There rise a question. Does this honor Dr R P Riesz’s work in
the College adequately? A related question does this program exist at present?
Is the building used at present? I was there on 30th April this year
and there was no visible indication that it was in use.
Dr. Riesz had served the College as the Professor and Head
of the Post Graduate Physics Department for nearly three decades. He was
responsible for creating the department and for all the improvements made in
Physics Education in the College, in the Madurai Kamaraj University and the impact
made in other parts of the country as well. If the intention of the College is
to honor Dr. Riesz t it should be more for his work for betterment of Physics
Education and the College should have given his name to the P G Physics annex
of James Hall. One should also remember the pioneering work he had done as Dean
of Academic Affairs of the College during the early years of College Autonomy.
Let us look back into the history of P G Physics Annex. For
a long time post graduate education in Sciences was confined to larger cities
like Chennai. During the second five year plan period the Government of India
had decided to extend post graduate education to smaller cities like Madurai
and offered liberal grants. The College took advantage of this and got the PG
Chemistry and PG Zoology program and the building now known as Stoffer Hall was
built.
When the College was
ready to start PG Physics the second five year plan period was over and the
country had entered the third five year plan period. During this period the
grant for buildings was reduced and the College had to economize on the
building. So instead of an independent PG Physics building it was decided to
build an annex for the James sharing the stair way of James Hall and connecting
the two buildings in the first floor through what is known as the Japanese
bridge, a new idea at that time so that the college could start PG Physics with
the reduced grants. Cutting out the usual verandah spaces found in all the
other buildings in the college also helped. Dr. Riesz came as a missionary
supported by the parent mission in USA that had founded the College. The annex
was expanded to include workshops and research spaces with a different
government grant..
I think the PG Physics annex with all the additions made to
that building should be called Richard P Riesz Hall. Where to write the new
name could be raised by some persons. On the Japanese bridge of course will be
my answer. The name of Applied Science is written there at present. Removing
that name and writing the new name in that place will not be objected by any
one. The DAS also has ceased to exist.
If you feel I am correct please forward this letter to the
Principal of the college with a strong recommendation that Dr. Riesz’s name
should be associated with PG Physics annex also. Also please send the mail to
all P G Physics students and friends of the college you may know and request
them also to do the same. Thanks.
V. Srinivasan, Student of the college 1951-55, Lecturer in
Physics 1959-74, Head of UG Physics Department 1974-88, Head PG Physics
Department 1988-94, remaining as a friend of the college after retirement now
settled in Thane, Maharashtra
14/52 Vijay Vilas, G B Road, Thane West 400615,
srinivasan1936@dataone.in Mobile 9819595097.
Mail address of American College americancollege@eth.net
Phone 0452 2530070.
*
Dear Sam: What you have done is sufficient for the present. Let me hope this produces the expected result. Thanks VS
ReplyDeleteHopefully college does make a better proposition for retired teachers who had contributed to the development of academics in a better way hereafter.
ReplyDeletethe college as we knew does not exist anymore I think. I wish prof. vs's views are understood, in the right context. i wish if only the college today has some respect for its history.
ReplyDeleteAgreed to your sensible views sir.
ReplyDeleteI strongly support Prof. VS. Great plan.
ReplyDeleteIt's heartening to know, things happening in American College is beyond expectations....
ReplyDeleteAgreed 100% to the views of Prof Sam Geroge
ReplyDeletePG Annex is Stoffer's Hall?
ReplyDeleteIf Riesz is to be named to it, where will the name the Stoffer?
P.G. chemistry & zoology are in a separate block - Stoffer hall; it is NOT an annex of James Hall.
Deleteforgot the topography of campus??!!
This is the text of the mail I sent to the Principal:
ReplyDeleteSubject: Honoring Professor Richard P. Riesz
Dear Professor Christober:
As a former student and faculty member of the Physics Department, The American College, with great joy I am writing this mail to thank you for remembering Dr. Richard P. Riesz (RPR) to name a building after him.
My joy would be many fold if a more suitable building were selected for this.
Please consider the contributions of RPR to the American College:
Inception and heading of the PG Physics Department
Inception of Department of Applied Science
Implementation of many academic activities as the first Dean of Academic Affairs
Starting an extension of Jeevana Jyothi program in the campus
I don't want to put a percentage of importance to the above, which is very obvious. Please note that the above list is in the chronological order, which implies that the PG Physics Department was his first contribution during the height of his career.
And it is very clear the James Hall Extension, which houses the PG Physics now is the natural choice to his name.
I believe, this is the first time in the College history to name a building after a living person. Why not choose a living (read ongoing) program to name him after?
Thanking you very much in anticipation
Regards.
Arulraj Navamoni Navaraj.
The truth is that the present illegal administration is interested only in winning the favour of the Trustees somehow or the other. The naming of some buildings, done clandestinely, even without informing the academic community of the College-present and past shows its true intent. This is how the administration is run these days, throwing to the wind time-honored principles and traditions.
ReplyDeleteDr. A.R.V. writes ....Dear Sam,
ReplyDelete67 is not a small number for responses even though 67 out of 400 may suggest another conclusion. Are we not in times of comparative peace and quiet at the College? That is not when a lot of time is likely to be spent by a lot of alumni/alumnae worrying about the College. Hence perhaps the low response percentage. So may I suggest that you be not worried about percentages, but be happy with the actual numbers.
Best wishes to Dharumi and its Blog.
A.R.Venkitaraman
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDear ARV
ReplyDeleteI really don’t get the meaning of …//Are we not in times of comparative peace and quiet at the College? // in your response to the appeal of Prof.V.S.
Let me put a question back to you : Are we in times of comparative peace and quiet at the College?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletenot bad ... the count now is 138 !!!
ReplyDelete