When the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France called for the European Commission to help owners of artwork looted during the Nazi-era regain their property, thousands of families that will ultimately reclaim treasures lost for more than a half a century had reason to celebrate. Parliamentary Resolution A5-408/2003 passed 487 to 10 on December 17, 2003. Owen Pell `80, a partner in the international law firm White & Case, drafted the concepts and coordinated legislative relations for the ruling, which affects thousands of artworks, valued at billions of dollars, unlawfully removed throughout Europe.

Pell began working on this issue in 1997 when he helped a family reclaim the Matisse painting "Odalisque". (see related story) "I saw firsthand the difficulties that any family, even one with extensive documentation and resources to pursue a claim, the terrible problems they had in getting that claim through the legal system," he said. The case inspired him to change the system and make it work more effectively and protect the rights of families who had lost works of art to Nazi looters, as well as the rights of current holders of art.

"It was 2 1/2 years in the making and involved people in the U.S. and Europe working very hard to move what is often a contentious issue through the legislative process in Europe, said Pell, a litigator for international law firm White & Case. "It's a big honor to get something through the European Parliament, especially when there were many people here who didn't think it would even get off the ground.

Pell said claims to art looted during the Holocaust face significant obstacles because of competing laws in numerous jurisdictions.

"In whose jurisdiction should a claim be filed?  Do property laws in one country interfere with legal obligations of another to return looted items?  A new approach is needed for a fair and equitable way for claims to be resolved," said Pell, who developed the concepts adopted by Parliament on behalf of the nonprofit Commission for Art Recovery.

Resolution A5-408/2003 calls on the Commission to undertake a study by the end of 2004 on:

• Establishing a common catalogue of data on looted cultural goods and status of existing claims;
• Developing principles of access to records concerning property  identification and location and linking relevant databases;
• Identifying common principles on establishing ownership, standards of proofs, and rights to trade recovered property;
• Exploring dispute resolution mechanisms to avoid lengthy judicial proceedings;
• Creating a cross-border authority for title disputes on cultural goods.

"The resolution is significant because it asks for action," said Pell. "The European Parliament has never taken firm action in terms of Holocaust-looted art. In the past, it's passed resolutions that were aspirational, but it did not take any action."

Pell said the next step is to persuade the European Commission (the executive arm of the European Union) to send back to the Parliament suggestions for a system that would improve opportunities for victims and their families to reclaim their property.

The Resolution's parliamentary sponsor, Willy C.E.H. De Clercq of Belgium, said: "After 50 years, it's wrong for these claims to be stalled due to the lack of an effective legal process, which is why we are calling on the EC to act swiftly to develop a mechanism where issues related to title and ownership can be resolved fairly, not just for looted art but similar situations."

Pell said while he was very pleased with the strength of the vote, much work still lies ahead. "There are still many miles to go," he said, "Winston Churchill would say this is only the end of the beginning."

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Murder and Mystery in Ireland: Harpur Alumna's First Book Revisits Old Tales

A recently discovered 19th-century coroner's casebook reveals bizarre tales of murder and investigation in the hills, valleys and towns of County Monaghan, Ireland.

Michelle McGoff-McCann `94 has written the first-ever book of its kind, describing the duties, events and cases encountered by a 19th century coroner in Ireland. Melancholy Madness: A Coroner's Casebook is based upon recently discovered new information.

In today's society, the role of coroner is one of mystery, only seen and read about in times of tragedy. Imagine then, the mystery surrounding the coroner's office in Ireland in the 19th-century. Methods of preparing a corpse and burial represented the foundations of spirituality in Ireland, and with such superstitious practices surrounding a dead body, an investigation such as an inquest conducted by a coroner and jury would have been regarded with suspicion because of the fear of the power of the dead.

The book highlights such cases as "The Illegitimate Half-Sisters of Oscar Wilde," which explains what happened to Emily and Mary Wilde, who died tragically while dancing by the fire at Drumaconner House. McGoff-McCann also explores the local legend of Sister Mary Keogh, who was discovered drowned in her convent's lake in "The Legend of the Sleepwalking Nun."

Melancholy Madness: A Coroner's Casebook can be ordered from Irish Books and Media. Call 800-229-3505 or e-mail irishbook@aol.com.

About the author:

A native of Binghamton, Michelle McGoff-McCann `94 fulfilled a lifelong dream in 2000 when she left her six-figure salary in Silicon Valley to move to Ireland to begin writing her book. She now teaches confidence building and creative writing in County Monaghan, Ireland, where she lives with her husband.

In her book, she acknowledges the late Professor Emeritus Milton Kessler for inspiring her to become a writer. "When you think about people who helped develop your creative confidence, Milt was definitely number one on the list," she said. "He worked at getting you to feel before you started to create."

McGoff-McCann said her professors at Binghamton gave her true artistic confidence. "They offered me a new vision in my own creative endeavors, specifically in research and writing. I feel honored to have been their student."

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Local Author Publishes First-Ever Biography of Harpur College's Namesake

Anne Herbert's fascination with history never started until she learned that one of New York state's most influential historians had little written about his life. In 1960, she was involved with the design of a small museum in Harpursville and found that there was almost no material available about the town's founder and Harpur College's namesake, Robert Harpur.

In the 1970's, the still-unfinished Harpur exhibit set her on her quest for information. As sources came forward and documents were unearthed, she realized she had a story which needed to be told. However, Robert Harpur's New York wasn't a work she created overnight. It became a process of years of study and scholarship.

A graduate of Syracuse University, Herbert resides in Endwell where she operates her own interior design business. In the 1960's, she wrote the weekly column Exploring the Past, which appeared in the Windsor Standard and Afton Enterprise newspapers.

Robert Harpur's New York follows one of America's early pioneers through his life, from his boyhood in Ireland to his arrival in America, and from his career as a mathematics professor and librarian at King's College in New York City in the 1760's, through his activities during the Revolutionary War. It describes his responsibilities in the early New York government and as secretary of New York's first Board of Regents, to his enterprises as a land developer and country squire.

Herbert paints a vivid picture of life in the late 1700's, illustrating housing, architecture, education, commerce, government, politics, family, travel by both and covered wagon, and agriculture. It is against this rich backdrop that she tells the story of Harpur's life. The book is not only a historical timeline; it is a fascinating account of New York's beginnings.

The book depicts Harpur's support of America's struggle for independence from England and his service to New York's earliest government. In 1778, Harpur became deputy secretary of state and secretary of the land board in the infant New York state government. He recorded the proceedings of the meetings he attended, which ultimately earned him his unofficial reputation as New York's first historian.

"Robert Harpur wrote and wrote," Herbert said. "Today, much of New York's governmental structure is based on these records."

Harpur's personal diaries and notes were among the many sources Herbert used in writing her book. The special collections and archives of the New York State Library in Albany had an entire sheaf of Harpur's original land documents. "They were written in such detail that I was able to get exciting information from them," Herbert said.

One of the challenges Herbert faces was that the original information was so old that it was often impossible to corroborate. The documents that recorded Harpur's ill-fated 1765 attempt to settle Scots-Irish farmers on Lake George included a list of all 87 of the farmers. The list included the surnames Harpur and Creighton, which were his father's and mother's. The information indicates that two of the families could have been his relatives, but it was not possible to prove.

No known portrait of Robert Harpur exists. When the British burned his Kingston house in 1777, a portrait of his wife was saved, but a possible companion painting of him was lost. For years, local historians were convinced that a picture of Harpur's son-in-law was actually an image of him.

Herbert believes that the historical figure she has brought to life was truly worthy of having Harpur College named after him. He was indeed worthy because of his support of King's College and later Columbia College, as well as his part in the development of New York state. Harpur was, however, not a popular teacher at King's College. The book includes a copy of a scandalous cartoon drawn by a student intent on mocking him.

Herbert anticipates that Robert Harpur's New York will connect the reader to this leading but mostly unknown upstate New Yorker who lived during the Revolutionary War era. "Hopefully this original research is going to provide the reference material on Robert Harpur for the future," she said.

Robert Harpur's New York is available in the Binghamton University Bookstore.

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Harpur Alumni Couple Honors Memory
by Susann Thiel

David Schultz `80, `86 and Helene Levy Schultz `81, `83 were lucky. Both were students of limited financial means who, like many of their peers, came to Binghamton for a high-quality, affordable education. While here, they found each other -- and found a dynamic, caring and respected faculty.

"Binghamton set the standard for me in terms of what a quality education is and what we should expect from students and faculty," said David Schultz, an associate professor in the Graduate School of Public Administration and Management at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. "I try to carry on these standards."

The Schultzes met as students when Helene volunteered on a US senatorial campaign that David was managing. Later, David served as a teaching assistant in Helene's philosophy class. The couple recently established scholarships in memory of two former professors who had a significant and lasting impact on their lives: Jack Kaminsky of philosophy and Paul Smith of political science.

Kaminsky, who died three years ago at age 78, helped guide David Schultz in serious research on the enigmatic 20th-century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. "He was one of the best Wittgenstein scholars in the world," Schultz said. "From Jack, I learned a set of disciplined writing skills that have forever impressed the way I teach."

Both Schultzes worked with Paul Smith, who with his wife, Joyce, was very active in Binghamton politics and community service. Joyce Smith had campaigned for mayor of Binghamton in 1973 and volunteered with local non-profit and municipal planning agencies. The Smiths actively mentored students and encouraged them to become involved in the community, believing that the best way to learn is by doing. Paul Smith, who pioneered student role playing in his classes, died in 2001 at age 73.

"His course in environmental politics made an immediate impression and influenced my thinking for years to come," Helene Schultz said. "Professor Smith took a special interest in his students -- learned their names and stayed in touch with many of them over the years. He helped me find a summer job with a political campaign managed by one of his former students, a Binghamton alum."

David, a Binghamton native, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Harpur College. He worked as an administrator for the city of Binghamton before going on to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. He served as president of Common Cause Minnesota for five years. To date, he has written or edited 16 books and more than 40 articles on law, politics and public administration.

"I chose to set up a scholarship at Binghamton, first, as an effort to pay the school back for the great education it provided for me," he said. "Second, perhaps more important, I had the privilege of attending Binghamton on a Regents Scholarship. Had I not had that scholarship, I'm not sure I could have afforded to go to any college.

"Graduating from Harpur without any debt at all made it possible for me to pursue many avenues, not encumbered by the worry that I had to make a lot of money to repay loans," David continued. "Unfortunately, today the state has cut back on funding to its schools, and students face far bigger debt loads than in the past. Creating scholarships is a small way of making up for that."

"Financing my education was difficult, and I feared that I would have to drop out for lack of funds," said Helene. "With work study and student loans, I was able to afford the first four years. In graduate school, I received a research fellowship that financed my last 18 months." Helene earned her bachelor's and master's in political science from Harpur College. She is currently a product marketing manager for Unisys Corp. and formerly worked as a civil servant, a membership campaign coordinator for a nonprofit organization, a technical writer and a personnel manager.

"Looking back, the skills I learned in public administration and public policy courses, as well as the broad education I received at Binghamton, provided a sound foundation for multiple careers," said Helene. "I believe that a good, quality education, like the one I received at Binghamton, plus knowing how to discover opportunities for growth and taking advantage of them at the right time, is more important than selecting the perfect major."

She added, "My experience with financial aid greatly influenced my decision to create two scholarships at Binghamton. There are so many career opportunities waiting for well-educated, creative and resourceful people. Students with aptitude and skill should not have to forego attending and graduating from Binghamton simply because they cannot afford it."

Interested in creating a scholarship at Harpur College? Please contact Debby Scalet, director of development, at 607-777-4277.

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January 31 Marks First Events Center Basketball Game

The University's men's and women's basketball teams will begin playing in the $33.1 million Events Center on Saturday, January 31 when the men play visiting Hartford.

The first women's game in the facility will be played Saturday, February 7, against the University of Maine. Until the move, all home games will continue to be played in the West Gym.

The Binghamton University Events Center will play host to hundreds of athletic, educational and community events each year.  Cheers and applause will soon resound at concerts, commencements, summer camps and sports clinics.  As one of the focal points of competition in this summer's Empire State Games, the Events Center will attract thousands of athletes, family and friends from across New York State.

At 156,000 square feet, and seating up to 6,000 for basketball and 8,000 for special events such as Commencement, the Events Center is the largest facility of its kind in the America East Conference and one of the largest in central New York State.  More than 100,000 visitors are expected to attend events at the center each year.

For more information on tickets, call the basketball box office at 607-777-SLAM (7526). For a construction update on the Events Center, see the Physical Facilities' Website.

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Robert R. Cotten II, who taught business law at Triple Cities College from 1948 to 1949, died on January 2, 2004. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he was active in local politics and served as Binghamton city counsel. He was instrumental in establishing Saratoga Heights Apartments, Binghamton's first public housing complex. Cotten also taught English, history and economics at Broome Community College. He is predeceased by a son and survived by his wife and six children.

1955: Hume B. Smith died September 15, 1991. His daughter, Joselyn, who misses him very much, would like to hear from his old classmates and friends. She is curious to learn about his experience at Harpur College in the early 1950's. Smith was active in the Speech and Debate Team, sang in the Harpur Choir, and played tennis. He earned a B.A. in Business Enterprises and eventually went on to work at Deutsche Bank in New York. If you remember Hume Smith, please contact Joselyn at GKGREENE@aol.com.

1969: Alan J. Sims earned an M.S. from SUNY Albany in 1971. He has spent more than twenty years as an administrator in health related higher education and has been the Registrar at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (formerly known as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science) for the last 2 1/2 years. Sims is currently president of the New Jersey-New York Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Recently, the Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and Officers of Admission elected him to a two-year term on their Nominations and Elections Committee. Sims also chairs their Graduate and Professional Schools Committee. He lives in Marlton, NJ, with his wife Ann Schultes Sims.

1972: After graduating from Harpur, Jesse Nolan spent a year working in the exhibition department at the Bronx Zoo, followed by two years traveling through Afghanistan and Iran. In 1979, he completed a three-year sculpting course at the National Academy of Design in NYC while working as a studio assistant to sculptors Sidney Simon and Lyman Kipp. In 1982, Nolan earned an MFA in sculpting from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Since 1984, he has run his own commercial sculpting business, Sculpture With A Smile, which specializes in toy prototypes. Among his designs are the Rescue Heroes and Imaginext figures, which he has created for Fisher Price for the last 3 years. Nolan and his wife, Linda, live in Jacksonville, FL with their children Julie (16), Connor (10) and Colin (7).

1973: Shelley Haven's paintings will be among the art displayed at "In The Face Of Others" January 12 - April 30, 2004 at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, One Wall Street Court, 142 Pearl Street, 2nd Floor. The show is organized by NURTUREart Non-Profit, Inc., an organization dedicated to supporting the careers of emerging fine artists and curators. Pictured left is Haven's 2000 painting, "Weeping Cherry, Brooklyn Botanic Garden."

1979: Christopher Arneson (M.M. `81) is assistant professor of voice at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. He earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers University. He is a professional voice trainer and vocologist who works with singers, actors, politicians, and public speakers. Arneson was co-director of the voice and speech department at the Actors Studio Drama School MFA program at the New School University in New York City from 1997 to 2002. Arneson also works with otolaryngologists and speech-language pathologists in the remediation of professional voice disorders. He has performed extensively in the United States and Europe in opera, concert and music theater, with engagements that have included the New York Philharmonic, the New Jersey Symphony, the Opera Orchestra of New York, Houston Grand Opera, the Santa Fe Opera Festival, the Netherlands Opera, and the Edinburgh Festival. Arneson is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and recently joined the Board of Directors for the New York Singing Teachers Association.

1993: J.J. Penna is also at Westminster Choir College, where he is associate professor of coaching and accompanying. Penna has a doctorate in music from the University of Michigan. A pianist, he devotes much of his time to the teaching of art song literature and maintains a coaching studio in New York City. Penna has performed and held fellowships at prestigious festivals such as Tanglewood, Chautauqua Institution, Banff Centre for the Arts, Norfolk, the Music Academy of the West, and San Francisco Opera CenterÍs Merola Program. Penna has worked on over 20 operatic productions at Tanglewood, Michigan Opera Theatre, University of Michigan, San Francisco Opera Center, and Tri-Cities Opera.

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Shop Harpur Online

Shop the campus bookstore from the comfort of your PC or Mac. Want to pick up a copy of the new Harpur history book The Cornerstone? Visit The Campus Bookstore.

For more Harpur College merchandise, such as hats, shirts and window stickers, contact the bookstore at 607-777-2745.

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Back Issues of the Harpur Hotline

Miss an issue? Want to read more? Check out: http://harpur.binghamton.edu/hotline

Harpur College Development Team Mission Statement:

The Harpur College of Arts and Sciences Development Team encourages alumni, students, faculty and friends to identify with Harpur College's past, present and future by engaging them in events and programs that connect them to the college. We facilitate ways for our constituents to enrich Harpur College through their financial contributions and personal talents and resources.

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