PROFESSOR CHARLES RYERSON III

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Website: http://planetprinceton.com/category/news/

Princeton Theological Seminary Professor Charles Ryerson III Dies at 83

BY 

KRYSTAL KNAPP

Charles Ryerson IIICharles Anthony Ryerson III, who expanded the thinking of a generation of prospective Christian pastors and countless others in his teachings about the religions of South Asia, died peacefully surrounded by former students and friends on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. He was 83.

The son of Ada Littlefield and Charles Ryerson of Middletown, Rhode Island, he earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in 1955 from Oberlin College, a master’s of divinity degree in 1961 from Union Theological Seminary in New York, and a master’s of philosophy and doctorate degree from Columbia University.

While at Union, he was selected as an international fellow, part of an inter-disciplinary group of scholars drawn from the institutions associated with Columbia University. His doctoral dissertation “The Cultural Renaissance in Tamil, India” received a “distinction,” the highest dissertation honor that Columbia bestows.

In the years between his degree programs, Dr. Ryerson, known to his friends and students as “Charlie” spent time studying and teaching in India. From 1955 to 1958, he took part in a teaching fellow program sponsored by Oberlin College. In the 1960s, he was an overseas fellow as part of an Episcopal Church program. He also participated in student protest activities related to the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. From 1970 to 1972, he conducted doctoral research at Madurai University and was an associate lecturer at the Tamil Nadu Theological College in Madurai, India. In 1972 and 1973, he was instructor of oriental studies at Columbia University, and in 1973 he became a lecturer of religion at Hunter College, the City University of New York. He then went to Wichita State University in Kansas, where he was assistant professor of Religion for the 1976-77 academic year before returning to Hunter as an assistant professor.

In 1979, Dr. Ryerson joined the Princeton Theological Seminary faculty as assistant professor of the history of religions, and was promoted to associate professor in 1986. During these years, he regularly taught a course titled, “Religion and Society in India” for Princeton University’s religion department. In 1994, he was inaugurated as the Elmer K. and Ethel R. Timby Professor of the History of Religions at Princeton Theological Seminary. In 1995, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of divinity by the Academy of Ecumenical Indian Theology in Madras, India, in recognition of his services to the Indian church and Indian higher education. In June of 1999, he retired from Princeton Theological Seminary and became a professor emeritus. He lived in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood of Princeton until his death.

He wrote two books on the religious experience of South India, “Encounter in South India,” and “Regionalism and Religion: The Tamil Renaissance and Popular Hinduism,” an autobiographical account “India Reflections, 1955-2003,” and numerous articles.

He also developed a summer internship program in which Princeton seminary students traveled to India to experience the culture and the religious phenomena that they had read about in class. This trip, part of the seminary’s cross-cultural program, became a formative experience for dozens of future ministers and educators, and Dr. Ryerson saw it as an “arduous and exhilarating adventure to guide theological students into voyages of discovery, pilgrimages into new worlds of meaning, explorations of other understandings of the universe.” The historian of religions, he said, was “always trying to understand the un-understandable, and to experience what others experience.”

With Dr. Charles West, Dr. Ryerson initiated the Missions, Ecumenics, and History of Religions doctoral program at Princeton Seminary. For many years, he also served as a trustee of The American College Foundation in Madurai, and was president of the board for several years.

He is survived by his sister, Ruth Bouliew of Saginaw, Michigan, nephews Kenneth Bell and Charles Bell; grand-nephews and nieces Andrew Bell, Anthony Bell, Melissa Bell Petzold, Melonie Bell Brown, Ashley Bell Jordan, Jack Cohoon, and Casey Cohoon of South Carolina; and many great grand-nephews and nieces.

A funeral service will be held at on Saturday, October 1 at 1:30 p.m., at the Berkeley Memorial Chapel of St. Columbia’s Chapel, 55 Vaucluse Avenue, in Middletown, Rhode Island. A memorial service will be planned for a date and time to be determined at Princeton Theological Seminary. Gifts in Dr. Charles Ryerson’s memory may be made to the “The Trustees of the Endowment Fund of the American College, Madurai, India,” 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1020, New York, NY 10115.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016, 12:56 PM 

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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


CLICK the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/jeraldnaveen/videos/10205522580142953/














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LET US ALL REMEMBER THEM ............

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Dear Prof.V.S.,

I appreciate your vast memory of our campus

I appreciate for bringing out so many important names of our campus.

I very much appreciate for bringing the history of our college through this article.

It reminds me that so many who served / worked / studied in this campus loved the college so much dearly and passionately in its long run. 

Long live the college.(though it has lost its glamour now, that's what i personally feel.)

.with lovely memories of my life in the campus.........Dharumi

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Many buildings in American College have names named after persons associated with the College. Washburn Hall, Wallace Hall, Zumbro Hall are named after first three Principals of the College. Binghamton Hall named after the parish that contributed money to build that building in memory of Principal Zumbro . James Hall named after the donor Ellen M James. Only building named after a lady as on date. Dudley Hall, Stoffer Hall, Daniel Poor Memorial Library, Jubilee Chapel, Flint House. Oberlin Shansi building are other buildings that carry their respective name each with a special reason.

Recently the Principal of the College has given the name Paul Love Hall to the new building behind Oberlin Shansi building and Richard P Riesz Hall for the hostel of Jeevana Jyothi program. This obscure building not easily visible to many visitors of the College is located behind James Hall..

Why not use this occasion to name the other nameless buildings in the College?.

Professor James M Hess a missionary of the mission that founded the college was a Professor of English for many years, a great teacher. It seems he and his wife used to appear in costumes and enact the different scenes of Shakespeare's plays as he was teaching the plays. He retired in 1952. His name will be very appropriate for the building now known as centenary hall that houses the P G English Department at present.

Professor Lockwood a Professor of Mathematics had served the College died in Madurai. One of his sons was an Oberlin rep for a few years and another  son was associated with the College as a member of the Governing Council for many years. The building that now houses Mathematics department could be given his name. His portrait used to exist in that department for several years.

Rev Telfer Mook was associated with the parent mission was responsible for the transfer of some funds off the College from USA to India using which the shops and offices in front of the College were built. His name could be appropriate for that building that is a constant source of income for the College. The Indian Bank building could be named after another missionary Rev Paul R Dettman, a Bursar of the College for many years.

Miss A J Moses was the only lady lecturer/professor in the College for several years. In the early days of her service that was a requirement of the University that there should be at least one lady staff when there were lady students. She was also the warden of the women's' hostel of the College for many years. That building could be appropriately named A J Moses Hall

The College auditorium has an interesting history. It was a building built with a government grant with the agreement that part of the labor for construction to be from voluntary labor of Staff and Students of the College. The building was achieved amidst some discomfort. When the building was completed the them famous actor Sivaji Ganesan was invited to open that building. He did it and promised a lump some grant towards the construction. That however did not happen. The Auditorium that was to be named after him remained auditorium only. Our Professor Vasanthan well known dramatist had staged many plays in the Auditorium. He is a great teacher of Shakespeare as well. Will not Vasanthan's name be appropriate for Auditorium?

There is abuilding known as NRSC (Non resident Student Center) that houses Tamil department. Prof. Karmega Konar was a legendary professor of Tamil of the College for many years. Will not his name appropriate for that building?

The Humanities Hall has a history. It was built immediately after the second World War. Cement and Steel were scarce commodities. Yet the building was successfully built with Professor Ranjitham's contacts in Madras Government of those days and some donations raised locally and acknowledged with tablets in each room. There were a few attempts made to name the Hall after Ranjitham. But it was not acceptable due to some politics of those days. Ranjitham was a great nationalist. He supported the students of American College joning the freedom movement in the pre independence days. Can we not honor that building by naming it Ranjithaam Hall as a tribute to the great leader (congress man) of those days?

The indoor games building also could have a name. I would suggest the name of the first Physical Director of the College who retired as Professor of Physical Education -  . John Santiago Edward.

I will be happiest man is the PG Physica Annex is named after Dr. R P Riesz. 

Thanks a lot for your patience. 

Srinivasan 

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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 30^th 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.

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THANK YOU, MY BOYS

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 1985-88 ஆண்டு மாணவர்கள் இன்று (22.06.2016) கல்லூரியில் ஒன்று கூடுகிறார்கள். ஆசிரியர்களுக்கும் அழைப்பு உண்டு. ஆனால் என்னை அழைத்த போது கல்லூரிக்குள் நான் நுழைய தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது என்பதைக் கூறினேன். (தடைக்கான காரணம் -- இங்கே. )

 

இருந்தும் நேரில் பார்க்க விரும்பினார்கள்.  இருவர் வீட்டு முகவரி கேட்டு இரு நாட்களுக்கு முன்பே வந்தனர். கையில் அழைப்பிதழோடு வந்தார்கள். நீங்கள் கல்லூரிக்கு வர முடியாவிட்டால், நாங்கள் உங்கள் வீட்டுக்கு அனைவரும் வந்து விடுகிறோம் என்றார்கள். அனைவருக்கும் எதற்கு அலைச்சல். வேண்டுமென்றால் நான் கல்லூரிக்கு வெளியில் வந்து விடுகிறேனே என்றேன். ‘அது மரியாதையில்லை; நாங்களே வந்து விடுகிறோம்’ என்றார்கள்.

மாலை மூன்று மணிக்கு மேல் வருகிறோம் என்றார்கள். அதன்படி வந்தார்கள். சின்ன வீடு … அட்ஜஸ்ட் செய்து உட்கார வைத்தேன். சின்னப் பசங்களாகப் பார்த்தது. கால் நூற்றாண்டுகளுக்கு மேல் ஆகிவிட்டதே…. எல்லோரும் எங்கெங்கு என்னவாக இருக்கிறார்கள் என்று சொன்னார்கள். நான் அதிகமாக மாறவில்லை என்றார்கள் – தொப்பையைத் தவிர. (ஆக அப்போதே, அவர்கள் மாணவர்களாக இருந்த போதே நான் ஒரு ‘வங்கிழடாக’ இருந்திருப்பேன் போலும்! )

 ஒரு ”பையன்” .. அப்போது நான் வைத்திருந்த ஜாவா பைக் பற்றிக் கேட்டான்(ர்). இன்னொரு “பையன்” என் ஜோல்னா பை, கயிற்றில் தொங்கும் மூக்குக் கண்ணாடி,ஜிப்பா என்று தொடர்ந்தான்(ர்). இன்னொரு ”பையனுக்கு” இன்னொரு  ஆசை. என்னை ஜீன்ஸில் அன்று பார்த்தது போல் இன்றும் பார்க்க வேண்டும் என்றான்(ர்). ’நான் கிராமத்திலிருந்து வந்தவன்; உங்களை அப்போது ஜீன்ஸில் பார்த்தது போல் பார்க்க வேண்டும் என்றான்(ர்). உடை மாற்றிக் கொண்டேன். ஒரு மாணவன், “எல்லா தேர்வுகளிலும் நான் பிட் அடிப்பேன். உங்கள் supervisionல் மட்டும் நான் பிட் அடிக்கவில்லை” என்று  சோகமாகச் சொன்னான்(ர்).

 நான் இவர்களுக்கு முதலாண்டும், மூன்றாமாண்டும் வகுப்பு எடுத்திருக்கிறேன். என் வழக்கம் முதல் ஆண்டில் கொஞ்சம் ‘உதார்’ காண்பித்தும், மூன்றாமாண்டு  இறுதி செமஸ்டரில் அதிகத் தோழமையுடன் இருப்பது வழக்கம். ஆனால் முதலாண்டில் என் உதாரில் கொஞ்சம் பயந்து போய் ஒரு பட்டப் பெயர் வைத்தார்களாம். பெயரையும் சொன்னார்கள் – அதுவும் என் துணைவியாரிடம். வைத்த பெயர் – சிங்கம். (ஓரளவு இந்தப் பெயரை வைத்து இரண்டு மூன்று நாளைக்கு வீட்டில் ‘உதார்’ காண்பித்துக் கொள்ளலாம்!)

ஒரு cameraman வேற வந்திருந்தார். என்னோடும், துணைவியாருடனும் படங்கள் எடுத்தோம்.  சில மணித்துளிகள் என்றாலும் அன்பால் நிறைந்திருந்த நேரம் அது.

அழகான கைக்கெடிகாரம் அன்பளிப்பாகக் கொடுத்தார்கள். கைக்கெடிகாரத்தில் 85 ZOO என்று போட்டிருந்தது. கைத்தொலை பேசி வந்த பிறகு கைக்கெடிகாரம் அணிவது ஏறத்தாழ இல்லாமல் போயிற்று. இருந்தாலும் இன்று காலை போட்டோ எடுக்கக் கையில் கட்டினேன். அதன் பின் இப்போது வரை கழட்ட மனமில்லை. 

அதோடு 85 ZOO என்று போட்டு விட்டார்களே. அதன் மதிப்பே மாறி விட்டது. இப்போதே அந்தக் கைகெடிகாரத்திற்கு 31 ஆண்டு வயதாகி விட்டதே! 

The watch has got a great antique value now itself!

அவர்கள் பேசிய ஒவ்வொரு வார்த்தைகளும் எனக்குப் பெருமை சேர்த்தன. என்னைத் தேடி என் வீட்டிற்கே அனைவரும் வந்தது மிகுந்த நெகிழ்ச்சியைக் கொடுத்தது; பூரிப்படைய வைத்தது.

வாத்தியார்களுக்குத் தான் தெரியும் … பழைய மாணவர்கள் அவர்களைச் சந்திக்க வந்து, பழைய பக்கங்களைப் புரட்டும் போது ஏற்படும் பெருமிதம் எவ்வளவு என்பது!

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