ambassador spring/summer 2010

the ambassadorTHE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN JAPAN • SPRING 2010

eggO’Leary’s

last

drop

SPRING 2010 the ambassador 1

contentscover story

A Good Egg 6As John O’Leary prepares to leave ASIJ after 32 years of teaching,

we look back on his time here.

features

Headmaster’s Message 3 Headmaster Carr says “Sayonara ASIJ.”

Modern Master 14Profiling alumnus architect Vladimir Ossipoff ‘26 who became a leading

exponent of the tropical modernist style.

A 20th Century Close Encounter 20Scholar Karen Severns looks at the connection between

Frank Lloyd Wright and ASIJ.

Game On 24Brian Nelson ‘85 on how his middle school sons and their friend

created a computer game.

Earth Child 28A look at how middle schooler Mark McNeil helped launch

Earth Hour at ASIJ.

Easy Riders 30Miles Bird ‘08 on his summer adventure working on a microfinance

project in Bangladesh.

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14

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featuresMESSAGE

featuresHEADMASTER’S MESSAGE

Editor | Director of Communications Matt Wilce

Art Director Francine Flora

Headmaster Timothy Carr

Director, Center for School-Community Partnership Tim Thornton

Alumni Relations | CommunicationsAndrea Booth

Data OfficerKanako Sato

the ambassador is published by the Center for School-Community Partnership, The American School in Japan.

ASIJ alumni, families, faculty and friends receive the ambassador. We solicit your comments and encourage you to submit ideas and articles for consideration.

Letters and inquiries may be addressed to:

the editor, the ambassador,The American School in Japan, 1-1-1 Nomizu, Chofu-shi , Tokyo 182-0031, Japan. Tel: 81-422-34-5300, ext.700Fax: 81-422-34 5304 Email: [email protected]://community.asij.ac.jp

Photograph and Cover Design by Francine Flora

Q&A 34An interview with Vikas Swarup, author of Q&A, the source of

the smash hit movie Slumdog Millionaire.

With Flying Colors 38James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers, speaks to the High School.

alumni section

Imperial Honors 40Bruce Brenn ‘53 receives the Order of the Rising Sun,

Gold Rays with Rosette.

Upcoming Class Reunions 42A look at this summer’s upcoming reunions and events

Class Agent List 44

In Memoriam 46

While cycling home from the Yokota track meet along the Tama River this past weekend, I had one of those moments when I wondered why we decided

to leave Japan. A beautiful sunset seeped through the clouds and illuminated the river. Cherry blossoms framed the panoramic picture with their delicate beauty. I was reminded by the scene in The Last Samurai when the fallen warrior breathed his last and said, “Perfect.” I’ll add this moment along the river to the trove of wonderful memories of our time in Tokyo and at ASIJ.

Truthfully, I don’t feel ready to reflect on the last seven years, as I’ve been asked to do. It’s only April, and we’ve got the crescendo of events that mark the conclusion of the school year yet to go. However, I’m reminded that the Head of School often has the job of “chief story teller,” so regardless of my readiness, it is time to begin to tell the tale. More chapters will be forthcoming in various venues and media, and the history may be written long after I’ve gone.

After accepting the ASIJ Headmaster job, my first formal introduction to ASIJ was at its last big birthday party—the final centennial celebration in San Francisco in June 2003. Ray Downs and Peter Cooper offered speeches and I gave my first as Headmaster. Over 1,000 alumni from all over the world had gathered in “Japan Town” to reminisce with their old friends about their days at ASIJ, and I felt privileged to be a part of it. Alumni from the 1930s all the way to recent grads from the 2000s exchanged stories with one another and with me, and my ears were filled with anecdotes about the profound impact of this special school. While not all rosy, the overriding theme seemed to be that faculty and staff had offered extraordinary care, and students had thrived as a result of their experiences at ASIJ and as residents of Japan.

A month later, our family, including Barbara and our two teenage boys, took up residence in the house that has since been converted to a turfed middle school field, and I began interviewing faculty and staff to learn about their experiences with and hopes for ASIJ. The historical picture slowly came into focus, and the current and future needs began to be defined. Clearly, this was a school of tremendous accomplishment, one poised to do great

Sayonara ASIJthings in the beginning of its second century of existence. ASIJ just needed a clear vision for the foreseeable future.

Gathering stakeholders from our entire community, including students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and even local barbers and soba shop managers, we asked everyone about their dreams for ASIJ. These were duly recorded, synthesized and analyzed. After many such communication loops and lots of hard work by the Vision Committee, ASIJ’s dreams were sharply articulated and deadlines for their realization were identified. While building upon the many accomplishments of the past, we wrote a robust action plan which was designed to energize the entire school community and ensure ASIJ’s leadership among international schools in the future. The plan focuses all of our efforts on maximizing student learning, encourages bridge building with our host culture, shifts ASIJ’s core instructional culture to one of collaboration and articulates a “guaranteed and viable” curriculum for all students.

Five years after launching the plan, we can declare victory on virtually all fronts. While making many important improvements, we’ve preserved what was distinctive about ASIJ through its first 100 years: living our mission of developing compassionate, inquisitive learners prepared for global responsibility by taking extraordinary care of our students and by challenging them to discover and pursue their potential.

During the vision process the notion of community was often repeated. Alumni, faculty, parents and students wanted to feel more like a “family.” Our vision’s focus on becoming “an exemplary international learning community” helped unify us with a sense of purpose, focused on student learning. Everything that we do needs to link to creating conditions for student learning in line with our mission, vision, core values (another product of our vision work) and our powerful student learning outcomes. This clarity of purpose has helped unify us and has grown our sense of “familyhood” between both campuses and all constituents at ASIJ, and it required significant cultural change.

For its first 100 years, ASIJ had experienced great success and was known the world over as a very good school. The danger

3SPRING 2010 the ambassador

the ambassador SPRING 20104 SPRING 2010 the ambassador 5



with any such success is complacency, or as Jim Collins labels it in his most recent book, “hubris born of success.” New ASIJ teachers at the beginning of my tenure encountered a sense of self satisfaction, a reluctance to collaborate, and a general resistance to change. Clearly, we needed to alter that core culture if we were to continue to innovate and keep current with educational practice. We’ve received important guidance from educational research and literature in the last seven years, much of it focused on professional learning communities. DuFour and Eaker write, “Substantive change that transforms a culture will ultimately require more than an invitation.” We began by extending many invitations to share leadership, work collaboratively, systematically analyze student learning data, write curriculum and help us chart plans for continuous development and renewal. Eventually, after building a supportive base of volunteers, we acquired these elements.

As a result, we’ve transformed our culture. This year, we had our WASC mid-term accreditation visit, and they were astounded at the progress that we made since their full visit in 2007. We’ve written six years worth of curriculum in three; collaboration is now the norm among all constituent groups; we have a hunger for new ideas; and student learning clearly informs decision-making school-wide. All this has had a leavening and energizing effect on our faculty and students, which translates into more excitement about learning. That, in a nutshell, is what a “learning community” is all about.

During this same period, we’ve enhanced the physical learning environment enormously. Outstanding financial and strategic planning work by our board, administration, and teacher leadership, with substantial fundraising support, has enabled us to rebuild almost our entire campus in the last ten years. A purpose-built Early Learning Center, a “field of dreams,” and a state-of-the-art theater are some of the highlights. We now have facilities which set the standard in Japan and have tangibly augmented the learning experience for our students.

Taken together, the last seven years have been a period of tremendous growth and development of the quality of an already good school. This has been a team effort, and it has been an honor to be a part of it. The proudest moments for me are those when I see our students shine. Kindergarten students, microphones in hand, telling stories in the traditional Japanese kamishibai method; elementary students leading our composting program; middle schoolers performing poetry reading to robust applause from their peers; and high school student teams claiming victory in an international robotics competition in Japan.

Barbara and I will move on to Jakarta with tremendous gratitude, treasuring the wonderful chapter that we’ve had in Japan and at ASIJ. No doubt, this exemplary international community will continue to thrive under the wise leadership of Ed Ladd in future. Thank you for your support and for helping ASIJ to become the great school that it now is.

Warmly, Tim Carr, Head of School

Showing President Bush and his wife Barbara around campus

Celebrating Andrew ‘09’s graduation with Tim’s mother, wife Barbara and son Ben ‘07

With General Colin Powell

Crossing the finishing line at ASIJ Community Fun Run

Helping out at an ELC PTA event

Reading to an ES classin the library

In costume for the ES Halloween Parade

Welcoming cellist Yo Yo Ma to campus

Family vacation with Barbara, Andrew ‘09 and Ben ‘07


featuresJOHN O’LEARY

the ambassador SPRING 20106

After 32 years at ASIJ, high school

physics teacher John O’Leary

(1978 –2010) is putting away his

box of eggs, water balloons and

rowing machine to retire this summer.

After three decades of inspiring

and amusing students with creative

lessons, O’Leary will return to the

States to his home in Olympia, WA.

As the school prepares

to say sayonara to one its

longest serving faculty,

we reflect on O’Leary’s

time at ASIJ .

As a physics student, the best part of class was the crazy demonstrations Mr O’Leary used to do. For one large group in the Ricketson Theater, he was going to demonstrate how force, or momentum, or some other complicated physics concept works. Placing a red brick on the stage, he asked for a volunteer. My friend Mark Marking was more than happy to help. Mr O’Leary gave Mark a hammer and placing his own hand under the brick, instructed Mark to hit it. Mark raised the hammer slightly, and Mr O’Leary said, “Go for it, really swing at it!” The hammer came down hard and tragically slipped off the edge of the brick directly onto Mr O’Leary’s exposed thumb. We were all pretty sure that wasn’t part of the demonstration. Mr O’Leary jumped up, grabbed his thumb and ran out of the theater to the nearest bathroom. We were taught that physics happens all around us, and coincidentally, we’d just studied acceleration and velocity the week before. As we followed him to the bathroom, we were able to calculate his actual acceleration and velocity by measuring the dots of blood along the floor. His acceleration definitely increased with each step, which we deduced was a result of his realizing how bad the thumb injury was. Physics aside, he came back into class about five minutes later with a paper towel around his thumb and attempted to continue with the lecture, which is a great testimony to his commitment to teaching. Sure he was the authority figure, but based on his pale face and wobbly stance we figured we could overrule him and quickly got him to the nurse. I’ll never forget that and many other lessons I learned from one of the greatest teachers in the universe.

Andrew Little ‘87

As we were preparing for Mr O’Leary’s annual egg drop contest, I was making last-minute adjustments to my design. The design held the egg inside two interlocking pieces of styrofoam, cradled in a nest of crumpled newspaper inside a plastic bag. The contest’s goal was to find the smallest, fastest, lightest “egg vessel” that would enable the egg to land intact on a target when dropped from the school’s water tower. I suspected that my design was too broad and floppy, so I asked Mr O’Leary if he had any string I could use, thinking I’d tie the string around the contraption to compress it. Mr O’Leary asked why I wanted the string, and when I explained, he suggested doing away with the outer layer and just going with the styrofoam alone. “Why not go for the gold?” So I did — and the contraption won the egg drop by a big margin. I think of that moment whenever I find myself holding back from real-life opportunities. Sure, it’s good to be prudent. But exercise too much caution, and you miss the gold-medal moments. Thank you, Mr O’Leary—that lesson has really stayed with me over the years!

Jennifer Krouse ’85

A good egg




Great memories of the “Golden Years of ASIJ,” as we like to call them… However, all of your years were golden. What great times we had: long runs along the river and through the park… longer bike trips into the mountains… great soccer games and seasons and teams (what a coach you were, the best)… trying to teach me photography, failing miserably, succeeding with Cami… master science teacher… annual end-of-year faculty parties, especially our sumo tournament, bad ending for me at the hands of John Seevers and you…. turkey hunts in the bochi after graduations… joining you and other old friends at the small bochi church on a visit back in early ‘90s. What a special group of faculty friends we had, and you were one of the closest for Cami and me. Thanks for all you meant to us, to your colleagues, and to your students and their parents. You were truly a special teacher, and a special friend! Jim and Cami Juergensen (FF 1975-81)

John O’Leary was my physical science teacher when I first arrived at ASIJ in the early ‘80s and I loved his class. To this day I have vivid memories of the sludge test we did in class where he gave us a large jar of goo and we had to use the methods taught us to figure out what was in it. We boiled, we precipitated, we cooled — all to see how the various materials behaved. Mr O’Leary was a fun and enthusiastic teacher, but fundamentally serious about the work. I also had John as a photography teacher and he taught me everything I know about the art and science of photography. To this day I employ his teaching as I take photos around the world, especially his advice on composition! Later in my high school career I had physics with Mr O’Leary, and it goes without saying that the way I look at the physical world was shaped by what he taught me… Later in life I went on to be a public high school teacher myself, and there is no doubt in my mind that this passion for teaching came in large part from his example. Thanks Mr O’Leary!

Bryan Gibb ‘87

I want to thank you for all the support you have given me over the years. I had never been singled out as being an exceptional student before your astronomy class. When you would involve me in class discussions as an equal, and as someone with knowledge to offer about astronomy (because of my involvement with astronomy camps over the summer), I felt so worthwhile and special. It’s difficult to feel confident with your passion, which in my case is science, when you are not the one getting top grades. But your support during my high school classes helped me realize that I am capable of much more than I had originally thought. Thank you for giving me that confidence and being a role model for me.

Ellen Brown ‘06

John and I have been friends and colleagues since 1978. A talented photographer, always accommodating, patient and flexible, his photographs are now an important part of the ASIJ history found in many scrapbooks, albums and homes, documenting life in Japan. Always energetic and ready to help, John’s departure will leave a hole that will be difficult to fill. One of my favorite memories involves traveling in the summer of 1980, when the US decided to boycott the Olympics to be held in Russia. John O’Leary, John Seevers, Gene, Janet and Lisa Witt and I decided to travel by ship from Yokohama to Russia and then boarded the trans-Siberian train. From Stalingrad, the Witts went to Germany and John, John and I backpacked through Scandinavia. What an amazing adventure that was. We watched tanks roll by going to Afghanistan, ate lots of borsch, learned that money could be made selling jeans on the black market, the subways really do have chandeliers, certain icons are probably meant to stay in Russia, the train into Finland really does come apart as the Russians searched for stowaways. And yes, those little opera glasses were trained on the three of us as we sat in the closest thing to the Czar’s box at the ballet in Stalingrad. The midnight sun was amazing, the fjords magnificent… so many memories made it one of those trips of a lifetime. John always has that easy smile, yet so sincere and thoughtful, an incredibly talented person who has a wonderful way of making you feel welcome in his life. I know John is one of those rare individuals that will be a friend forever. He will be greatly missed.

Gail Lanier (current faculty, 1978–present)

Early morning arrivals at school (before 7am.) will find, at least for the remainder of this school year, John O’Leary finished with a rowing workout and preparing lessons for his beloved physics classes. This morning ritual of exercise, study, sacrifice and determination accompanied by scores of late night, after-practice sessions has led him from a Kodak research scientist and “rookie” teacher and coach to husband and father, faculty liaison to the administration, spiritual leader in his church, school sports photographer and master teacher. On the surface, these accomplishments appear to come to John with relative ease, but in reality, they have been won through hard work. No student ever “drank from still waters” in John’s class. His love of learning, continuing personal growth and his concern for all people have overflowed into the lives of all of us at ASIJ and our surrounding communities. The formula for his success is simple – Work hard and give it all you have! ASIJ’ers follow his lead.Thank you for your friendship, support and guidance, and inspiration in shaping and defining the image of a true professional teacher and coach at the American School in Japan. You, my friend, are and deserve to be known as Sensei John O’Leary.

Bill Jacobsson (FF 1975-2008)




I never had you as a teacher nor as a coach in my four years in the high school, and yet every time I passed you in the halls you would greet me with a smile and ask how I was doing, like you had known me forever, or you would congratulate me on some random achievement I thought had gone unnoticed. I thank you for that. You were one of the kindest teachers I ever had the pleasure of knowing. Take care!

Glyn Noguchi ‘09

John came to Tokyo and ASIJ one year after Janet and I moved to Japan. Ray Downs was the headmaster, Jim Juergensen HS Principal and Jack Collins ES Principal. Stu Cole and Jim Wiese rounded out the admin team. This was a time that Dr. J, as we called Jim often refers to as the “Golden Years of ASIJ.” School was a lot smaller, less than 1000 students, no Middle School, far less complex and complicated. In this pre-internet time, with little access to English speaking TV and movies, where a phone call to the States was a big event, we seemed to spend a lot more time developing our relationships with fellow faculty members — they truly were our extended family. With Mid Squier leading the way, John was part of many bicycle adventures. I remember a weekend bike trip to Mashiko, where Janet and Gail Lanier drove our car to collect purchased pottery, where somehow everyone forgot to take a map. Again in those pre-cell phone days it’s amazing we all found each other in distant Tochigi prefecture. John and I also joined Mid as he prepared for a cycling trip across the States as part of an upcoming sabbatical, cycling two days to the Nobeyama/Kiyosato area via Chichibu, then returning to ASIJ from Kiyosato on the third day. John, will we ever forget the long, narrow tunnel ride on the Koshu Kaido through the Kofu pass?Our time together included Sunday evening worship services at St. Paul’s Lutheran held at the small Japanese church near ASIJ and frequent fellowship get-togethers. Close friends started noticing that John’s persona was different after meeting a special someone who became his wife. The marriage of John and Hiroko brought together two special people. It seemed like all of ASIJ attended the wedding ceremony and reception.ASIJ has been at the Chofu campus since 1963-47 years. Josh Reckord and I often talk about the fabric of a school and community. John has been a part of that fabric for 32 of those 47 years. His presence and spirit are woven into the history of this place.

Gene Witt (current faculty, 1977–present)

I first met John in 1982 while teaching at Canadian Academy in Kobe. He was the ASIJ boys’ soccer coach and I was the coach in Kobe. Over a number of years in the early to mid ‘80s, ASIJ, under John’s leadership, enjoyed a healthy rivalry with Canadian Academy as we scrapped for preeminence on the soccer field. John was always full of energy and a great motivator of the students on his team. As Kobe and Tokyo swapped venues for the tournaments in those early years, John and I got to know each other quite well and while our students were away on home stays, John and I were able to talk over dinner, not just about the soccer of the day, but also about the science programs in our respective schools.Fast forward to 1992 and ASIJ was looking for a science teacher for the 1993 year. Those discussions over sticks of yakitori must have still been still fresh in John’s mind as he invited me to come and join him and the others in the science department at ASIJ. John was department chair at the time and his enthusiasm and energy for the department and specifically for physics was evident from the word go. John had led the department in the early ‘90s to move to a conceptual physics program starting in 9th grade. This was a relatively new idea at the time but has now become fairly standard in many schools. The philosophy of a basis in physics being a foundation to build on in chemistry and biology was a brilliant change and one that has worked very successfully at ASIJ. As a chemistry teacher, I am constantly drawing on the 9th grade physics course as a way for students to understand concepts in chemistry. Every student at ASIJ now has to take physics and this is a great background for every student to take into life.John is a source of energy and inspiration within the science department who will be sadly missed but whose legacy to the school will live on.

Roger Onions (HS science, 1993–present)




I remember Ray talking about John O’Leary before he arrived on campus. I knew to expect a dynamic science teacher who also rowed, and who had wowed Ray. He was to fill a very important role in the science department, and he could coach, though I have no idea what sport. However, I had not expected someone with sideburns and mustache, and I was old enough then to realize he was “young.” He was also single, and I thought that would be a good thing too, as there were a number of single ladies on the staff. John’s dynamism and determination to bring joy and fun to teaching was fun for the rest of us to watch. I remember interviewing a graduate in Australia about 12 years ago, and she said Mr O’Leary’s physics class gave her a whole new appreciation for what learning could be. She remembers a goldfish, quick-frozen in nitrogen (I think) which John then tossed to some of the kids. She said, “That would never happen in an Australian school,” and she had a hard time convincing her college professors in Melbourne that learning could be serious and fun at the same time. On a personal level, I can’t imagine a more delightful and supportive friend on the staff. He frequently took superb photos for various events, and I’ll always be grateful for his packing my car for me when I was taking furniture and stuff up to Lake Nojiri before retiring with Ray to the States. I am happy beyond words to know the O’Learys will soon be living nearby in Olympia. I wish him well in his retirement and send my love.

Vicky Downs (FF 1959-99)

I continue to be inspired by the example John set. I took physics and AP physics, so I spent two years with him. More than science, I learned how to love one’s job. His enthusiasm for the classroom was infectious. The special events – like the egg drop, bridge building, and astronomy field trips were more effective for learning than most college courses I later experienced. After all, what better way to grasp the concept of trajectory than using a giant bungee to launch water balloons at unsuspecting elementary students!

Mike Frantz ‘87

There was the time when, while teaching, John heard a noise, looked out the window and saw a paparazzi photographer lurking in the garden hoping for a shot of Hikaru Utada ‘00. John chased him to his car and reached in to grab the keys, but ended up with the photographer’s glasses instead. We are still waiting for the guy to collect his lost property.

John Salisbury (HS science, 1998–present)

John O’Leary is part of the fabric of our lives here. John was also the one who got us all into f-stops and aperture readings when he gave us a class in photography... thank goodness for digital cameras. We cannot imagine the countless hours he has spent behind the lens with all the teams... hundreds over the years, from my (Karen’s) swim team alone. He led us on bike trips, and crewing down water ways. He taught us the wonder of the stars and the beauty under the ocean. He is the person returning students seek out, not to mention all of the athletes he coached from swimming to soccer. He has a heart of gold and is friend you can count on. He is part of what makes this place so special.

Karen and John Seevers (Current faculty 1977–present)


featuresALUMNI PROFILE

Pioneer of tropical modernism,

architect Vladimir Ossipoff ‘26

is renowned in Hawaii and the

West Coast for his unique style.

We celebrate his work and the

fascinating journey that took him

from Tsarist Russia to Tokyo and

on to California and Hawaii.

modern

Vladimir Ossipoff (1907-1998) at his Honolulu studio, circa 1975. (Photography by Francis Haar ©1975. Courtesy of Tom Haar).


master

featuresMESSAGE


Among the illustrious alumni of The American School in Japan’s early years the name Vladimir

Ossipoff ’26 may not ring a bell, but on the West Coast and in Hawaii, as well as to architecture and design professionals across the Pacific region, he is a titan in the field. Ossipoff, who attended the Tokyo Foreign School (forerunner of ASIJ) from 1919-1923, practiced architecture nearly his entire career in Honolulu and is today widely recognized as a pioneer in tropical modernism and as the “master of Hawaiian architecture.” His boyhood in Japan prepared him to execute a style that married Japanese and Western influences, even down to Japanese carpentry and building techniques, and the idea that he might have absorbed the work in Japan of Frank Lloyd Wright is tantalizing.

As a boy, in 1916, he saw Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel under construction, and in 1922, had Sunday tea there with his family on several occasions. As a student and practitioner, surely he was familiar with the architectural principals that Wright advocated, including the interplay of indoor and outdoor space and the integration of buildings with their sites, ideas that Ossipoff applied to his own work in the Hawaiian Islands.

Who was Vladimir Ossipoff? How did a White Russian family, in service to the Czar, come to live in Japan and send their eldest son to ASIJ? Why did he put down roots in Oahu, which in the 1930s was a territorial backwater, a remote tropical paradise, relatively undeveloped except for a downtown area and a few resort hotels on Waikiki beach, served only by steamship? His daughter, Valerie Ossipoff, who resides in Honolulu, shared something of her father’s background and early life.

“My grandmother, Glafira Bushueff was from the Lake Baikal area of Russia. My grandfather, Nicholas Vladimirovich Ossipoff, was from Tiblisi, in the Caucasus region. He was a colonel in the Imperial Army and was appointed as military attaché to the Russian Imperial Embassy in Japan. My father, Vladimir Nicholaevich Ossipoff, was born in Vladivostok, Russia on November

The Goodsill House (1952) was built for a young lawyer and his family in a tract situated on the southeast side of Diamond Head. All rooms open onto the lanai, which provides a unifying and connecting space and offers indoor-outdoor living. Entry to the house is through the backyard, a concession to the small lot size and need for privacy. (©2006 Victoria Sambunaris).

The Ossipoff House (1958), where the Ossipoff family lived for 30 years, is situated on the Kuli’ou’ou Peninsula to the east of downtown Honolulu. Designed as an escape from the fast-urbanizing city, this home catered to Ossipoff’s interest in gourmet cooking, fine wine and entertaining with a large kitchen, pantry, bar and outdoor barbeque. The bleached redwood board ceiling appears to merge into the eaves of the roof without support. This home was recognized by the Hawaii Chapter AIA with a Grand Award in 1958 and by the publication Architectural Record in 1960 as one of the 20 best houses of the year. (©Robert Wenkam)

Ossipoff with his class, at Tokyo Foreign School





25, 1907 but, because of his father’s appointment, was raised for the most part in Japan.”

Ossipoff’s family relocated to Japan in 1909, when Vladimir was 2 years old, traveling back to St Petersburg periodically in the typical pattern that later became “home leave” for many expatriates. On reaching school age, he attended boarding school at St. Joseph’s College (later St. Joseph’s International School) in Yokohama, adding English to his portfolio of languages which included Russian and Japanese. He entered the Tokyo Foreign School as a sixth grader when the campus was in Tsukiji, making the move to the new ASIJ campus in Shibaura in 1920. From childhood, he loved to draw and compiled his drawings, often complicated buildings, into notebooks. “His mother,” says Valerie, “reportedly suggested that he become an architect.”

When the Japanese government refused to recognize the revolutionary government in Russia, the Ossipoffs remained in Tokyo, living in exile in the embassy compound along with other diplomatic families. Then came the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and its accompanying devastation, which marked the end of their stay in Japan and Vladimir’s withdrawal from ASIJ. Valerie recounts, “The family was granted an emergency emigration visa and my grandmother and the three children left for America, stopping briefly in Honolulu before continuing to California. There were some other Russians in the area who befriended them. My father went to Berkeley High School and then the University of California-Berkeley where he earned his degree in architecture. My grandfather had died suddenly in an accident before he could leave Japan.”

Ossipoff graduated from UC Berkeley in 1931 during the darkest days of the Depression, but managed to find a job with an architectural firm in San Francisco. One by one, his colleagues were laid off. “ He was the last to go--he said because he was the lowest paid,” says Valerie. “ A classmate of his from Berkeley had returned to his family in Hawaii and contacted my father telling him that he had a place he could live. Their family evidently had money and they sent my father a ticket. With few options in the Bay Area, he went to Hawaii in 1931. Hawaii was not as severely impacted by the Depression as most of the mainland was. He had a job with a lumber company which offered design services with the purchase of building materials. He later went to work for one of the best architects in

Hawaii at that time. He convinced my mother to join him (they were dating in Berkeley) and they were married in 1934. Shortly thereafter he opened his own office and the rest, as they say, is history.”

While Ossipoff designed or collaborated on the design of many commercial projects, it was in residential architecture that he got his start and where he first made his mark. He opened his own practice in 1936 and with a single commission in hand, began the evolution towards his mature style of the 1950-70’s. Ultimately, his homes were known for their clean lines, angular structures, close attention to the site, utilization of local natural materials, the interplay between indoor and outdoor spaces with the use of glass walls and lanais, and an open floor plan. Ossipoff houses took advantage of cooling breezes and dramatic views, structures living in complete harmony with the unique island environment. He often hired Japanese carpenters and craftsmen, the best in the Islands, who could execute the details he required.

Vladimir Ossipoff’s career in Hawaii spanned 67 years, from his arrival in Hawaii in 1931 until his death at the age of 90 in 1998, but it was only recently that his life and work have been documented in an exhibition mounted by the Honolulu Academy of Arts and accompanied by a substantial catalogue, Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff. Proposed and curated by Hawaii native and now resident Critic/Director of Exhibitions at Yale University Dean Sakamoto, the exhibition ran for two months beginning at the end of November 2007 and subsequently traveled in 2008 to the Yale University School of Architecture Gallery, New Haven, CT and in 2009 to Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany. “Today, Ossipoff’s work and principles offer useful lessons for the future of place-sensitive architecture,” said exhibition curator Sakamoto. “His vocal and early ‘war on ugliness,’ cultural critiques on unbridled development and the need for energy efficient design were far ahead of their time and greatly influenced the Hawaiian landscape.”

With thanks to Valerie Ossipoff and Lesa Griffith, Director of Communications, Honolulu Academy of Arts. Photos used by permission of Valerie Ossipoff and the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Further reading: Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff, Dean Sakamoto, Karla Britton and Diana Murphy, editors, Yale University Press, 2007.

The Pauling House (1957), built for Dr. Linus Pauling, Jr. and family, perches 1,500 feet about sea level in an area of Honolulu known as Round Top. The particular challenge of the site, with its 180º panoramic view, was to preserve privacy while taking advantage of the outlook, as well as to deal with a rainy, windy climate. Because Round Top was above the Honolulu municipal water supply system, Ossipoff came up with an ingenious gable roof designed to channel rainwater into underground cisterns. (©Robert Wenkam)

Vladimir Ossipoff, circa 1955.

IBM Building (1962), at six stories, was the first multi-story building in the Ward Estate neighborhood between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. The most striking aspect of this rectangular, glass-walled structure is the grille that Ossipoff designed to ward off the hot tropical sun. According architect Dean Sakamoto, the grille, made up of pre-cast concrete pieces, was set at an angle to allow washing by the rain and to discourage the nesting of birds. Long a landmark in Honolulu, the IBM building is in danger of being demolished by its owners but is clearly in the sights of preservationists. (©Robert Wenkam)

Blanche Hill House (1961), sited along a stretch of south-facing, prime ocean front property on Oahu, proved to be exactly what its California-base owner had asked for—a casual vacation home, as open to the outdoors as possible. Ossipoff designed three separate structures set parallel to the shoreline, linked by a series of walkways and concrete platforms. The central lanai, its flooring of terrazzo, had a three-layer set of floor to ceiling sliding doors, including shutters, sliding glass doors and screen panels which could be adjusted depending on the weather. This home was also recognized by Architectural Record as a Record House in 1963. (©Robert Wenkam)


featuresHISTORY


featuresHISTORY

America’s greatest 20th century architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, made his first trip to Japan in 1905, drawn by his passion for ukiyo-e prints, and declared it to be the “most romantic,

most beautiful” country on earth. Under its spell, he endured repeated trans-Pacific crossings, first in search of prints and later, in search of refuge. In 1914, when Wright faced personal tragedy and public condemnation at home, Japan intervened with a commission that would eventually allow him to transcend his anguish and redeem his career: the Imperial Hotel. It would take six tumultuous years to complete and remain, as the many decades of his career passed, Wright’s largest and most complex design.

When he sailed away from Japan forever in 1922, Wright left behind one masterpiece, at least a dozen other designs, and another, equally significant, legacy: his transformative effect on the men who had shared his struggle, many of whom went on to build their own masterpieces, to alter Japan’s cityscapes and mentor a new generation of architects. Against the backdrop of the most

centuryclose encounter:20th

a

Frank Lloyd Wright and The American School in Japan

A 1920 bird’s-eye view of the ASIJ, as it appeared in the school’s fundraising pamphlet and 1920-21 Annual Report.

Scholar and documentarian

Karen Severns explores

ASIJ’s connection to

renowed architect

Frank Lloyd Wright


featuresHISTORY

turbulent century in history, Wright had built not just a hotel, but an enduring bridge that spanned two great nations, two great cultures—and helped unite them in a shared future.

But the extraordinary Imperial Hotel always overshadowed all else, surviving the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, thrusting the architect back into the limelight, and helping to keep him firmly on the world stage. In the end, Japan was the only nation outside of America in which Wright lived and worked. Although five of his other designs were built—the Imperial Annex, the Jiyu Gakuen School, the Aisaku Hayashi House, the Arinobu Fukuhara House and the Tazaemon Yamamura House—only the school and Yamamura House survive fully intact. The Imperial Hotel’s front lobby was reconstructed at the Meiji Mura architectural park near Nagoya after the Imperial was razed in 1967, an event that Edward Seidensticker, author of the definitive history of Tokyo, called “one of the tragedies of postwar Japan.”

Through the years, researchers have occasionally suggested that there are Frank Lloyd Wright designs in Japan still unaccounted for, but leading Wright scholar Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives at Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, believes that all the major designs have been identified.

Did the architect, whose prodigious output barely slowed even when clients were scarce, really design only a handful of buildings in the six years that he lived on and off in Japan? The country was his greatest inspiration, after all, and he had at his disposal a devoted staff of eager young Japanese draftsmen and craftsmen, whom he had proclaimed “the finest in the world.” For a creative genius who designed over 800 buildings in seventy years, a dozen or so in six seems incomprehensible. Have all the Wright designs in Japan really been identified? Surely there are others, perhaps even extant?

One recent discovery demonstrates the difficulty of identifying further Wright designs, despite what seems to be irrefutable proof. In 2007, when The ASIJ’s archives were being organized for digitizing, an intriguing file turned up. Inside was a camera-ready copy on vellum, shrunk to fit a fundraising booklet entitled “The American School in Japan: An Investment in Americanism.” The booklet included a bird’s-eye view and a site plan, with the caption “Sketch of Plans for the American School in Japan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect.”

The same drawings were also reproduced with attribution to Wright in Trans-Pacific magazine in 1920; and they appeared again under Wright’s name in the school’s Annual Report for 1920-21, published in August 1920. The report contained a long article about the bi-national efforts to raise funds for the new school building. Despite all the VIPs involved in the school, which already had 150 students from the leading foreign families, and the fact that the fundraising was being aggressively conducted both in Japan and the US under the leadership of the Carnegies and the Rockefellers, the drive failed.

Also discovered in The ASIJ archives was a letter on Sale & Frazar Ltd. letterhead from a Mr. Hansen to Mr. RF Moss of Truscon Steel Co., which provided engineering support and supplied steel to most of the buildings in Japan, including the Imperial Hotel. Dated April 13, 1920, the letter discussed the design of a two-story school building to be located just opposite Tamachi Station in central Tokyo, and concluded: “Mr. Frazar [chair of The ASIJ Board] would like very much to be able to report on this proposition at the next meeting of the Board… Would you in co-operation with your friend Mr. Wright be able to do anything on this? Could you give an estimate, and perhaps have a better plan drawn up?”

At the time, RF Moss was on The ASIJ Board, and it is possible that he pressed Frank Lloyd Wright into doing drawings for the proposed school. Wright was still in Tokyo working on the Imperial Hotel in 1920, and it is unlikely that Moss or anyone else would have affixed the great architect’s name to drawings that were not his. But because original drawings have yet to be located, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has declined to authorize the designs as Wright’s.

No other details have so far emerged regarding the fate of the designs, despite efforts to track down new leads. But there is another link between The ASIJ and Frank Lloyd Wright: new drawings were done for the school three years later, in 1923, by Antonin Raymond and a partner (these, too, went unrealized). Raymond, a naturalized American of Czech birth, and his French-born wife Noémi had accompanied Wright to Tokyo in 1919 to assist on the Imperial Hotel. They stayed on that project only a year, but lived in Japan for over forty years, developing an indigenous modernist architecture that owed much to Wright’s organic design principles. The Raymond office nurtured many leading lights, including Kunio Maekawa, Junzo Yoshimura, Junzo Sakakura (who would join forces in 1955 to build the International House of Japan) and George Nakashima, the famed furniture designer. Their fusion of Japanese traditional architecture with contemporary design, first pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright, enriched Japan’s mid-century building boom and contributed greatly to the nation’s continued stature in the global architectural arena.

Portions of this article first appeared in the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Quarterly Spring 2010 issue.

About the writer:Filmmaker and Wright scholar Karen Severns is the writer-director of the acclaimed documentary Magnificent Obsession: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buildings and Legacy in Japan. A cofounder of the nonprofit Wrightian Architectural Archives Japan, for which she organized building tours, seminars and special events from 2004-2008, she has spoken and written widely on Wright, architecture and historic preservation, and continues to lead unique architectural tours. Find out more at: www.kismetjapan.com

A 1920 site plan for the ASIJ, as it appeared in the school’s fundraising pamphlet and 1920-21 Annual Report.


ON


featuresSTUDENTS

game

My kids Sean ‘13 and Brad ‘15 like to be creative and to come up with inventions and

business ideas. Maybe this comes in part from participating in the ASIJ science fair when they were in elementary school. One evening in February 2009, during what we like to call “Scientific Theory Time,” my youngest son Brad (who was 10 years old and in the 5th grade at the time) decided that he wanted to make a video game for Nintendo DS. It was about three or four years before this that Brad was working on a digital animation movie project about Pluto being excluded from the planetary system, so ideas like this are pretty normal in our family, and I would suspect other parents of middle school kids hear the same things. In wanting to support Brad with his idea for making a video game, I suggested that we get a friend of mine involved who was working on making a video game of his own at the time. I figured this could be something of interest to my friend as well. Brad immediately said, “No, I would rather we work on this project with Chi and Masa.” Chi and Masa

Brian Nelson ’85 tells

the story of Frozen

Telescope, the team

his sons Sean ’13

and Brad ’15 and

friend Chris Marley’15

put together to create

an exciting new

computer game.

featuresSTUDENTS

are friends of the family that graduated from my university (USC), who the boys have known for about four or five years. A couple of years ago, Chi had created an educational tour day for Sean and Brad at the Tokyo University of Technology so that they could learn about digital animation filmmaking. Brad remembered this. I agreed to contact Chi and Masa as Brad suggested. After talking with Brad and Sean about the video game project and hearing back from Chi and Masa we decided to run the project meetings out of the apartment we live in on weekends between other activities and before dinner. We ended up spending about two to three hours each weekend, from April to October of 2009—roughly seventy-five hours to a hundred hours — on the project. It didn’t take long for Brad and Sean to start talking with friends about the video game project on the bus to and from school each day. Before long they were both asking me if their friends could join us in the project. Brad’s friend Chris Marley ‘15 ended up sticking with the project and attending many of the meetings.

Before the first meeting, Brad and Sean

worked on a PowerPoint presentation that included an agenda for the first meeting. While getting ready for the first meeting—or rather while we were waiting for Chi and Masa to show up—I remember Brad saying to me, “Dad, I would like to ask Chi and Masa what they want to drink when they get here, as I am organizing and running these meetings.” I gladly said, “Of course”, and was happy Brad was taking initiative to run his own project meetings.

Meetings were very active with lots of ideas and opinions about what kind of game that the boys wanted to create. Chi and Masa were very good about setting direction for how the boys would be able to go from early ideas to a final product; helping with information about components and functionality, art-work, sounds and music needed to complete a video game. Meetings were so interesting that almost without fail we would run over the allotted time, and would scramble to get done in time for dinner.

At one of the meetings it was decided that the boys needed a team name. Brad was into anything using the word “frozen”

SPRING 2010 the ambassador 27the ambassador SPRING 201026

featuresSTUDENTS

featuresSTUDENTS

and Chris looked around the apartment and noticed the telescope in the living room. The team name “Frozen Telescope”was born. Chi asked the boys to make a logo for the team name, and Brad whipped one up on the computer using Photoshop.

Along the way, we ran into logistics problems, as the boys, and/or Chi and Masa were not able to be in Tokyo at the same time for project meetings — mainly during the summer months during vacation. On at least two weekends the meetings were carried out using email and Skype. While the video game project was the main focus the communications process was also very educational. Almost every meeting had minutes, so that the boys could follow up with project work that needed to be done between meetings.

During the project we were lucky enough to have a guest participant from Seattle, WA, named Scott Wong of Brethren Entertainment. It was in the meeting with Scott that we learned it would be better to just move forward and get the game(s) out in the market and test them out, versus conducting surveys and market research like we had planned. It was a fortuitous meeting, as we would end up going back to Scott at the end of the project to complete the coding of the game, and to help us with the application process with Apple’s iTunes in the United States. In order to complete the actual coding of the video game, we outsourced the development to a company in Vietnam, late in the summer of 2009, sending them the project specs and development plans that the boys had put together. We learned fairly quickly that the project had hit some bumps and the team in Vietnam was not going to be able to complete the coding. The decision was made to pull the development and move it to Seattle and Scott’s team at Brethren Entertainment in order to finish on schedule.

In the early weeks of the project it was decided by the kids that they wanted to have the game finished and ready by the end of October 2009 in order to make the “Christmas rush” for shoppers online. So it was with this timeline in mind that we kept

the momentum going to finish on time. Chi and Masa were very helpful in making this possible by communicating with the team in Seattle. Along with the boy’s project team name Frozen Telescope, when you download Super Smash at iTunes, you will also see Chi, Masa, and the Brethren Entertainment developers’ names in the credits; as without them we would not have been able to get the project done in the time frame that we did.

After the game was completed, including changes made by Brad, Sean, and Chris, the game was ready for release with under the name Super Smash. The first price for the Super Smash game was $2.99, which was decided by the kids, but in hindsight we probably should have started at 99 cents. Again, it was a good learning experience to find out that you can always lower the price, but it is much more difficult to raise the price. In fact, this year the price was lowered to 99 cents and sales are not bad.

One of the unexpected results from the boys making their first video game was the invitation to speak at the Apple Store in Shibuya in December 2009. The boys did a great presentation and performed very well with many ASIJ classmates and friends and their parents showing up. We had T-shirts made to promote the game, which we handed out at the Apple Store and it was a lot of fun. Thanks to Andrew Shuttleworth, the store manager and everyone at the Apple Store in Shibuya for giving us the chance to participate in such a great opportunity.

Once the game was launched the plaudits were quick to roll in—much to our delight. One of the customer reviews on iTunes read, “Awesome game! Program is fun and graphics are cool…keep up the great work! FIVE STARS.” We also received support from baseball coach Bobby Valentine, who was good enough to offer the Frozen Telescope Team a tie-up with a game company that he has invested in. We took lots of videos of family and friends saying “congratulations” to the boys for completing their first game, including a nice message from John Woods (the Founder of Room-to-Read Charity) who put a comment about Super Smash on his Twitter account that has nearly 200,000 followers, as well as a really nice comment from the US Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos. Roger Christiansen, the director of Hana Montana, Friends, and iCarly also sent a message, “Congratulations to Brad, Sean, and Chris for their successful iPhone video game Super Smash. I wish them every success in the future!” As we were working on the game, we received interest from other parents whose kids had heard about the game or know Brad and Sean from school. If we get another project up and running in 2010, we plan to expand the group to include more kids. I think the fact that more kids are interested in participating in such a project is testament to the way ASIJ has encouraged them to be self-motivated and to pursue their interests. The whole project has been a wonderful experience for all of us involved and the boys are already planning their next big ideas. From the proceeds of the game sales the boys have already donated $500 to help people in Haiti, which, yet again, was an idea they came up with!


featuresGREEN INITIATIVES

earthchild

featuresGREEN INITIATIVES


At 8:30pm on March 27 skylines around the globe went dark. Iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Acropolis, Sydney Opera House, Golden Gate Bridge, Forbidden

City, Houses of Parliament and the skyscrapers of Shanghai’s Pudong district all disappeared into shadow as the world experienced Earth Hour. In Japan, Tokyo Tower and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial joined the list and thanks to the efforts of an ASIJ eight grader, the school and other companies and institutions were encouraged to participate this year.

When middle schooler Mark McNeill came across the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Earth Hour website last year, he was inspired to participate in the event with his family. Earth Hour started small in 2007 with only one city, Sydney, taking part with about two million people contributing. With global promotion, participation in 2008 mushroomed to 35 countries and over 400 cities, growing to 88 countries and 4088 cities in 2009.

This year Earth Hour saw 126 countries, all 50 US states and over a billion people participate—creating increased awareness of energy consumption worldwide. “Earth Hour is both a warning and a beacon of hope. By switching off non-essential lights for an hour, people will join a symbolic display that can inspire the change we so urgently need,” noted Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General.

Curious as to what action would be taken in Japan, Mark began to investigate. “We were shocked at how little publicity this event was given in Tokyo,” he says. Of 10 major cities in the world, he found, only Tokyo did not participate in the 2009 Earth Hour. That was enough to make him take action and so this year, as the event drew near, Mark was on a mission to get Earth Hour recognized more widely in Japan.

Enlisting the help of his dad, Jeffrey McNeill, Mark approached several well-known organizations and asked for their support for the 2010 Earth Hour. Overall more than 30 companies in Japan participated this year and as people like Mark continue to raise awareness for Earth Hour, that is sure to grow again next year. Tokyo American Club, the American Chamber of Commerce Japan, McDonalds Corporation and Coca Cola agreed to participate in Earth Hour. Coke went even further, emailing their 8 million strong membership about Earth Hour, urging them to observe low light or no light and use as little energy use as possible for the hour.

At Mark’s instigation, ASIJ held its own Earth Hour on March 19 from 9-10 am, with every division of the school, including the ELC, participating. Teachers and students adapted by focusing on interpersonal communication and foregoing technology for the hour. At Chofu alone, ASIJ’s electrician measured a day-to-day differential of a 408 kwh power savings, which translated into a 150 kgs reduction in CO2 emission for the day. “I hope to make this an annual ASIJ green event to continually raise awareness of awareness of our energy consumption,” says Mark.

Further information on Earth Hour can be found at: <http://www.panda.org/how_you_can_help/earth_hour/>

Middle schooler Mark

McNeill continues our school

envrionmental initiatives by

bringing Earth Hour to ASIJ


ridersfeaturesALUMNI PROFILE

“Asalaam alaykum.” “Alaykum asalaam. Kamoon Aachen?” “Bhaalo aahi, dhanyabaad. See you later today, Mr. Miles.”

I was practicing my Bengali phrases with Amin, owner of the Grand Prince Hotel, before heading downstairs. I descended three flights of dusty steps and walked past hotel security; the

guards leapt up and took turns animatedly pumping my hand. Just like yesterday and the day before I bid them a smiling goodbye and stepped outside into downtown Mirpur. Exactly two seconds later three laughing, barefoot, brown tornadoes in muddy Gap Kids clothes mobbed me. I tussled Rabia’s hair and slipped her a 10 taka note. She looked up and thanked me with big eyes and then was gone, running towards the bakery with her two younger sisters in tow. Chuckling, I checked both directions before beginning my real-life Frogger session—crossing the street. Several close calls later, in one piece and safely across the busy thoroughfare, I hailed a furiously pedaling scrawny, mustachioed man—my chauffeur for the morning. I climbed aboard his colorful rickshaw and began my bumpy ride towards the tallest building in Mirpur. And so began a typical day of work in Dhaka’s Grameen headquarters this past summer.

I applied to intern with Grameen on a whim. A previous

easy

Miles Bird ‘08 on his summer adventure working on a microfinance

project in Bangledesh and surfing trains with street kids

featuresMESSAGE


internship had fallen through at the last minute and, desperate for something to do over the summer, I followed a friend’s recommendation and applied for Grameen’s internship program. I committed to the program in May, and before I knew it, my homecoming with family in Tokyo was over and I was flying Thai Air to Dhaka.

Grameen Bank and its founder Muhammad Yunus have proven that poverty stricken borrowers can be relied on to pay back loans despite lack of collateral. This revelation to banks, governments, and development organizations around the world has changed the face of poverty alleviation; lending to the poor is a feasible, sustainable, and a powerful tool for combating poverty.

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Grameen Bank is the original microfinance organization. Over the summer I worked within Grameen Trust, which is Grameen Bank’s sister organization. Grameen Trust applies Grameen methodology to budding microfinance organizations all over the world. While at Grameen Trust I wrote articles for their newsletter, aided Professor Latifee (Director of Grameen Trust and co-founder of Grameen

Bank) in speechwriting, assisted employees with English, and developed the Grameen Healthcare website from scratch with the help of another intern.

Inspired by the entrepreneurial borrowers I read about everyday, I decided to take action both in and outside of my internship. I approached the board of directors of the Grand Prince Hotel with fellow intern John Prager ’08 and proposed to redesign their website and rewrite all of their English language material. In return, we would receive a heavily discounted rate in one of the hotel’s nicer rooms and have permission to hold events for other interns using hotel facilities. The board accepted our proposal, and soon after, our room was upgraded. Our room was much nicer; however, it is important to point out that “nicer” is a relative term when living in Dhaka.

When not at the hotel or working at Grameen Trust, my friends and I traveled around the country and even took a trip to Nepal. However, my most memorable experience all summer was riding on top of a train with two fellow interns and a posse of slum kids. Although hurtling through the Bangladeshi countryside at 60

mph may not be the safest mode of transport (at least according to my mom), I’ll remember the experience forever. Laughing with the slum kids, lying flat to duck branches and low bridges, running up and down the length of the train, the wind whistling the theme song from Slumdog Millionaire in my ears – I’ve never done anything like it.

I will never forget my adventures in Bangladesh or be able to undo their impact on my life view. Taking a risk, like spending a summer in Bangladesh or riding on top of a train with slum kids, is good business – going to the edge and coming back will change you for the better.

Miles is currently at Claremont McKenna College. You can view his train riding video on youtube.com. Search ‘Bangladesh train riding’ and it is the first hit.

left: Miles and Grameen bank founder Muhammad Yunus. | Right: the muddy GAP-wearing train riders



featuresVISITORS

featuresVISITORS

Q&A

I want people to read more. Reading allows people to discover more about themselves than playing video games.” This is the ultimate goal of Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup, author of

the best-selling novel. Q&A. Swarups book was the basis for the Oscar-winning movie, Slumdog Millionaire, the story of an uneducated Indian waiter who triumphs to win the quiz show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Swarup is currently in Japan as the Indian Consul General in Osaka, and took time during a visit to Tokyo to talk to the high school about his novel and how he came to write it.

You are a diplomat from India and you mentioned earlier that you never expected to be a novelist. What exactly made you write?I’ve always been a reader, but never a writer. However, I’ve also always wanted to tell a story to the whole world. When I had some time in England, I decided to put this desire into action.

What inspired you to write Q&A?Well, there were two events that inspired me to write this. The first one was the “Hole in the Wall Project” in which a high-tech computer was installed in the middle of a slum in India. Even though they had had no education, the young children in the slum taught themselves to use the computer without any intervention from experimenters. Similarly in Q&A, the main character, Ram Mohammed Thomas (Jamaal Malik in Slumdog Millionaire), wins the quiz show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” with almost no educational experiences. I wanted to prove to people that education is not the only factor in life that will determine how successful you become in your future.

The second was the incident in the UK when Major Charles Ingram was accused of cheating after winning the British version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” If a British army major could be accused of cheating, then an ignorant tiffin boy from the world’s biggest slum would definitely be accused of cheating!

What did you think of the movie adaptation of the book? Were you satisfied?Yes, I was satisfied. Much of the plot was the same and the theme I was trying to express became a lot clearer as it was a Hollywood movie. However, I was very annoyed when the Hollywood producers decided to change the title of my book without my consent! In addition, I was a little annoyed when they changed the name of the characters such as Ram Mohammed Thomas to Jamaal Malik. Ram Mohammed Thomas was a name that demonstrated Hindu, Muslim and Christian aspect where as Jamaal Malik is a Muslim name. The movie is quite controversial in India for this reason.

Are the characters in this novel real?No, this novel is entirely fictional. But some of the events that

Julian Watanabe ’10

questions author

Vikas Swarup about

his novel, the source

material for the smash

hit movie Slumdog

Millionaire.

“


featuresVISITORS

featuresVISITORS

took place in the novel are events that actually happen in the slums. This novel is something of an integration of my experiences as well as my knowledge of those who live in the slums of India.

The young kids in the film, were they actual kids that live in the slum?Yes they are. We actually had to arrange to get passports for them so they could travel to Los Angeles for the Oscars. They had no birth certificates, or for that matter, any legal documents. The head of the our passport office told me that these two kids, acting in a Hollywood movie, travelling in a plane for the first time, and standing on the stage with Steven Spielberg, really moved him. The message of that night was simple: Even if you’re from the slums or a rich family, it doesn’t matter, you can still be successful. That was the point of the book.

You’ve described that having your own book made into a film is just like giving away one’s daughter in marriage. Did you have a major input on the movie itself?Not really. I only made a few suggestions. The Hollywood staff pretty much had all of it covered since they had a $20 million budget on this film. I decided to trust them to remain faithful to the soul of the book.

What was your intention in writing this novel?As I said before, I wanted to tell a story. In addition though, I am also trying to increase the number of readers in this digitalized world. I am simply writing a novel to tell a story, to increase the choices of stories that people can read. My ultimate goal as an author is to increase the number of these readers because reading allows people to discover their inner potential.

Left: Author Vikas Swarup authographs his books at ASIJ. | Center: The HS students enjoy an Indian-themed party at the HS Library. | Right: After the party, with ASIJ faculty and HS Principal Rick Weinland.

flyingcolors

Six men. One Flag. In the midst of war in the Pacific, the Stars and Stripes is raised on Mt Suribachi on Iwo-jima, a single moment among many during a series of battles, but the click of a camera

shutter marks the capture of one of World War II’s most iconic moments and marks the creation of probably the world’s most reproduced photograph. Author Jamese Bradley’s father John was one of the six young men that raised the flag that day, yet for the rest of his life the moment remained a private one, a story untold to even family. Over time, that silence prompted Bradley to begin researching what happened that day and to try and piece together the story of the flag raisers leading to his first book “Flags of our Father.” During his visit to ASIJ Bradley relayed to highschoolers the process that led to the New York Times best-seller and his subsequent work.

Faced with silence from his father, Bradley told the High School how he turned to his own research to try to discover what had happened on February 23, 1945. The more he began to dig, the more the events on Iwo-jima began to fascinate him and he came to believe that the story behind such a widely reproduced image needed to be publicly told. “I had the advantage of dealing with a very famous photo taken during World War II, one of the biggest events in history. There were so many superlatives I just thought that if I put them all together, it would make an interesting book.”

“A number of veterans didn’t talk to me,” Bradley said. “One said, ‘I’m 80 years old, I’m on Prozac and I’m trying to get a good night’s sleep. I can’t talk to you about this, I can hardly think about it. I wish I hadn’t gone through it.’ But I would appeal to them and say, ‘you know, you guys are going to die soon, you’re in your 70s, and the reason you’re not talking is probably because you saw one of your friends die, but you’ll die and then that friend’s memories are just gone. Why don’t you talk to me and maybe we can bring that memory of that guy back alive’ and some of them did.”

Bradley was confident that he was onto a great story and those around him seemed to agree. “I would test my material; I’d say to people, ‘My dad was one of the guys who raised the flag on Iwo-jima and I’m going to write a book about the six guys in the famous picture.” and they’d say, ‘Oh, I’d buy that book.’ It just sounded interesting, it sounded exciting.” When he sent out the manuscript though, the response was less enthusiastic. The first publisher rejected the book. So did the second. Then a third, fourth, fifth… it seemed like Bradley was wrong. Maybe people weren’t interested in what had happened 50 years ago in the Pacific. Bradley never lost confidence though and after 27 rejection letters he found a publisher and Flags of Our Fathers hit the shelves and the best-seller lists. The book was later filmed by Clint Eastwood, who told Bradley a similar tale of rejection when he struggled to get Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby produced—apparently Hollywood didn’t think anyone wanted to see a boxing movie about a girl.

Following his successful debut, Bradley turned to writing full time and published Flyboys: a True Story of Courage and The Imperial Cruise which both also focus on the Asia-Pacific area. “Long before I was an author, I’d read biographies of great leaders of World War II, Mao, Roosevelt and European royalty,” he said “Reading about people is a great way to get into different worlds.” •

Bottom Image: James Bradley and Preston’15 and Clorisa Gagnon ‘14. Their great uncle, René Gagnon, was one of the Iwo Jima flag raisers.

James Bradley, author of Flags of our

Fathers and The Imperial Cruise, visited

campus to talk about his writing and the

story behind his most famous work.

with

featuresVISITORS


leggings, and workman’s split toed, rubber-soled jika-tabi. My brother saw this and whispered to me, “My god, they’ve only got two toes!” Fortunately this revelation was rapidly dispelled as the second porter came up the ramp in bare feet and rice straw sandals. My “international” education had begun.

I attended junior high and part of high school at the Tokyo American School in Naka-Meguro. My involvement with what became ASIJ subsequently extended over more than forty years. In the spring 2009 Ambassador commemorating my good friend Ray Downs ‘50, there was a picture of the 1950 student council on which both my brother and I were members with Ray. Years later, in 1984, I was fortunate to Chair ASIJ’s Board of Directors while Ray was Headmaster.

While studying Japanese history at the University of Oregon under Dr Paul Dull, my interest in learning Japanese gave rise to encouraging him to start a Japanese language course. After the U of O, I studied in the Center for Japanese studies and department of economics at the University of Michigan earning master’s degrees in both Far Eastern studies and in economics. In 1962-63 I did postgraduate work in Tokyo with Professor Tsuru of Hitotsubashi University and studied Japanese at the

Butler of the Interuniversity Center to Govenor Goldschmidt to promote the concept. The immersion program continues today.

Returning to the States in 1993, I have remained closely involved in Japanese business, cultural and educational activities. I have served or continue to serve on the boards of the Japan America Society of Oregon, the Portland Japanese Garden and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University. In the late 1990s I promoted the establishment of the Center for Japanese Studies at Portland State University in order to capitalize upon the outstanding academic talent in Japanese language, history and arts the university has. I have chaired the Center for Japanese Studies Advisory Board for 10 years. I also chair the Portland Japanese Garden Culture and Education Committee.

Exposure to Japan and the complexities of Japanese language and culture have been a foundation for my emphasizing that need for cross-cultural education and understanding. I firmly believe that by studying a different language and culture a person can, hopefully, become sensitive to listening, questioning, and understanding other people’s perspectives and motivations in this increasingly small world in which we live.



Imperial

On November 3, 2009, I was honored by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the

Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette for outstanding contributions to the promotion of education for the study of Japan, the deepening of understanding between Japan and the United States and the development of the realm of sports in Japan. Consul General of Japan Takamichi Okabe presented the decoration to me on November 30 at his residence in Portland, OR. Friends and colleagues from Portland State University, the Portland Japanese Garden, the Japan America Society of Oregon and Nike, as well as previous Imperial award recipients, attended.

I first arrived in Japan by ship the morning of January 7, 1947. My brother and I watched as the gangway was hoisted into place. Once it was attached we encountered our first, real Japanese as several porters came up the gangway onto the ship. Up until this time our total exposure to “things Japanese” was watching World War II newsreel clips in the local movie theater and seeing buck-toothed, bespectacled cartoon caricatures of Japanese leaders.

The first porter to board the ship was dressed in a Japanese army military hat, blue jacket, loose pants with wrapped

Bruce Brenn ‘53 Recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun,

Gold Rays with Rosette

Stanford Interuniversity Center in Tokyo. In 1966, I joined First National City

Bank of New York (it became Citibank) in its Far Eastern division and was shortly sent to Hong Kong. This was followed by management assignments in Madras and Calcutta in India. In 1973 I was transferred to Tokyo as Vice President and senior credit officer in charge of the corporate bank. Except for three years managing Citibank in Taiwan, I spent the next 20 years in Japan. Leaving Citibank, my work in Japan continued, setting up and running Nike Japan; supervising Continental Bank’s Asian branches, subsidiaries and affiliates; and managing Smith New Court Japan, a newly established securities company of the English Rothschild group.

As vice chairman and CEO of Nike Japan I was able to promote the organization of events and workshops to teach Japanese coaches safe and effective track and field training techniques using coaches such as Tom Tellez who coached world record holder Carl Lewis. In the 1980s I encouraged former Nike colleague, Neil Goldschmidt, after he became governor of Oregon, to establish a Japanese language immersion program in the Portland, OR, public schools. I introduced a friend and Japanese language scholar Dr Kenneth

Honors

SPRING 2010 the ambassador 41the ambassador SPRING 201040

Lucinda and Bruce Brenn ‘53


featuresREUNIONS

featuresREUNIONS

Class Reunionsupcoming

September 10-12, 2010 Los Gatos, CA50’s

50years

Wine and dine with ‘50s chums, tour the Hakone Garden in Saratoga and tuck into barbeque catered by the area’s top BBQ specialty house. Accommodations at the Garden Inn Hotel.Contact Charlie Wu ’57 <[email protected]>

decade

September 24-26, 2010Portland, ME‘60Portland is known for its fresh seafood, local beers, artisanal bakeries and the best breakfasts in the country. Museum visits, a ferry cruise to House Island for a traditional New England lobster bake will make this a reunion to remember.Contact Marsha Bassford Miller <[email protected]>

class of

August 15-20, 2010Chico Hot Springs, Pray, MTGary Fish is organizing this gathering for late ‘60s faculty and alumni from ’65-’69 in the Montana Big Sky country where he was born and raised. Fish reunions are known for their special character and down-home fun, and this one is not to be missed. Contact Gary Fish <[email protected]>

Former Faculty and

Alumni Reunion

June 2 -4, 2010Orlando, FLLake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa offers full amenities and close proximity to all the Orlando theme parks. Japanese food, disco dancing and karaoke will put ‘70s classmates in the mood to remember school days in Japan.Contact Cheryl Wise <[email protected]>

August 21-22, 2010New York City‘85The Class of 1985 paints the town red in New York for its milestone 25th reunion. Planning is now underway with details to be available shortly.Contact Jennifer Krouse <[email protected]>

class of

September 17-19, 2010San Francisco, CAThe Class of 1990 meets in the City by the Bay, for their 20th reunion. Friday evening, plan to see old friends; on Saturday, rock at the main event, then stay around for Sunday family fun.Contact: Kentaro Relnick <[email protected]> or Patty Sharp <[email protected]>

September 3-6, 2010New York City‘00The Class of 2000 celebrates their 10-year reunion in the Big Apple. Finalized plans will be posted to the class website (http://asijco2000.webs.com/reunion2010.htm) and ASIJ Class of 2000 Facebook page.Contact Gary Yamada <[email protected]>

class of

June 19 - 20, 2010Washington, DCall

ASIJ Calling all ASIJ Graduates! Scott Trickey ‘89 is planning a reunion for the weekend of June 19, 2010 open to anyone who attended ASIJ from any year. This event will be family-friendly, so bring the kids and meet old friends and new.Contact Scott Trickey <[email protected]>

60’s

70’sdecade

This summer sees everything from decade get-togethers to a 50 year reunion and an all ASIJ bash in DC. Get ready to reminice and have a good time!

25years

‘90class of 20

years

10years

reunion


1945Mrs. Martha Kipp Barber11369 Berwick St.Los Angeles CA 90049-3413 [email protected]

1950Col. Eugene A. Fox1450 Emerson Avenue, Apt. #105 McLean VA 22101-5747 [email protected]

1951Class agent required

1952Mr. William L. Brunckhorst1224 W Melrose St. Whitewater WI 53190 USA [email protected]

1953Col. William B. Seely1219 Georgetown Circle Carlisle PA 17013-3549 [email protected]

1954Mr. William H. Curtis840 Hawk Hill TrailPalm Desert CA 92211-7492 [email protected]

1955Rev. William L. Cryderman111 Blenheim Dr. Spring Arbor MI 49283-9706 [email protected]

1956 Mrs. Sandra McIver Thompson83 Church St., Unit 10 Winchester MA 01890-2545 [email protected]

Ms. Mei Sun Li 971 Hawthorn Dr, Lafayette CA 94549 USA [email protected]

1957Mr. Charles C. Wu 75 Whitney AvenueLos Gatos CA 95030 USA [email protected]

Class Agents1958Mr. Andrew W. Blum 110 E. Center St., # 947 Madison SD 57042 [email protected]

1959Mr. Knight D. Farwell PO Box 1074 Morehead KY 40351-5074 USA

1960Mr. David E. Bergt 6732 Vanderbilt St. Houston TX 77005-3827 USA [email protected]

1961Mr. C. Stuart Bennett 7683 SE 27th St. #128 Mercer Island WA 98040-2804 USA [email protected]

1962Mrs. Katherine “K.C.” Bauernschmidt Clarke 7306 Riverhill Road Oxon Hill MD 20745-1031 USA [email protected] 1963 Rev. Anne E. Weld-Martin 19907 SW Joann Ct. Aloha OR 97006-2575 USA [email protected]

1964 Ms. Angela C. Grant [email protected]

1965 Mrs. Myong S. Kellar 4613 W Seldon Lane Glendale AZ 85302 USA [email protected]

1966Mrs. Annie Nichols Campbell 150 E Barcelona Rd. Santa Fe NM 87505 USA [email protected]

1967 Mrs. Grenda F. Penhollow Moss2300 NW 58th St. OK City OK 73112 USA [email protected]

1968 Dr. Masahiro “Marty” Honda 665 Greenview Place Los Altos CA 94024-5335 USA [email protected]

1969 Class agent required

1970 Mr. Daniel Garnitz 3121 Lady Cheryl Dr. Fayetteville NC 28301 USA [email protected]

1971 Ms. Kathy K. Kobata 4085 Sunridge Road Pebble Beach CA 93953-3033 USA [email protected]

1972 Mrs. Karin Jaegel Flynn 5643 S. Thurlow St.Hinsdale IL 60521 USA [email protected]

1973Mr. J. Chris Reid 30 Chatham Rd. New Rochelle NY 10804-2514 USA [email protected]

Mrs. Pamela Backer Channell PO Box 338 Georgetown MA 1833 USA [email protected]

1974 Mrs. Mirja Karikoski Hanson 5510 Edgewater Blvd. Minneapolis MN 55417-2605 USA [email protected]

alumni alumni

1975Ms. Reiko E. Niimi 3301 Shirley Ln.Chevy Chase MD 20815 USA [email protected]

1976 Ms. Elizabeth Yanagihara Horwitz 18 Durant St. Newton MA 2458 USA [email protected]

1977 Mr. Carl E. Sundberg Komaba Park Homes #106 Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0041 [email protected]

1978 Mrs. Deanna Adams Smith 8009 Abbot Ct. McKinney TX 75070-6947 USA [email protected]

1979Mr. L. Dean Kistler 663 Sharon Drive Rochester NY 14626 USA [email protected]

1980Mrs. Julie L. Froude 401 Emerald Woods Dr.Oxford OH 45056 [email protected]

1981Mrs. Sherry Davis Tighe5347 West Mill Dr. Highland Heights OH 44143-3144 USA [email protected]

1982Ms. Lisa Bastick 2167A Turk Blvd. San Francisco CA 94115-4328 USA [email protected]

1983 Mr. Jiro Okochi148 Christopher St.Montclair, NJ 07042 [email protected]

1984 Mrs. Yuriko Takahashi Young88 Appleton Street Cambridge MA 2138 USA [email protected]

1985Ms. Jennifer A. Krouse 71 High Street, 2nd Floor North Adams MA 1247 USA [email protected]

1986 Mrs. Diane E. Stewart Wack 19 N. Rolling Rd. Catonsville MD 21228-4849 USA [email protected]

1987 Mr. Robert L. Sharp III 2413 Mimosa Place Wilmington NC 28403 USA [email protected]

1988 Mr. Sergei P. Hasegawa 85 Russell Street Brooklyn NY 11222 USA [email protected]

Ms. Kathrine L. Schmitt Simon 17100 28th Ave. N , Minneapolis MN 55447-1752 USA [email protected]

1989 Ms. Linnea M. Hasegawa 19 Kenmuir Ave. Morristown NJ 7960 [email protected]

Mrs. Diana K. Chang StuhrenbergFriedrich-vom-Spee-Strasse 17 Duesseldorf 40489 [email protected]

Mrs. Samantha “Samm” Fritz Hurd8533 Calera Drive Austin TX 78735 USA [email protected]

1990 Mr. Kentaro K. Relnick 1-15-10-901 Nishi Azabu Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0031 Japan [email protected]

1991 Mrs. Nicola M.Watkin Britton 4106 Ridgelea Drive Austin TX 78731 USA [email protected]

1992 Mrs. Jikja Chun Frank 1592 Santa Ana Ave. Costa Mesa CA 92627-3752 USA [email protected] Ms. Beth J. McGregor Vergidis 8915 Heather Ann Dr.West Chester OH 45069 USA [email protected]

1993Mr. M. Thomas Homer Reid 208A WA Street Somerville MA 02143-3127 [email protected]

1994Mrs. Margaret McCallum Hartley 2550 Luanda Pl. Dulles VA 21089 USA [email protected] Ms. Midori “Mimi” Kano 224 Easth 85th St. Apt 5ANew York, NY 10028-3014 [email protected]

1995 Ms. Sarah M. Suzuki 55 Phoenix Ave. Morristown NJ 07960-5015 USA [email protected]

Ms. Y. Pearl Maddox Vos 4461 Stuart Hall Blvd. Lexington KY 40509-4504 USA [email protected]

1996 Mr. H. Sunny Shimizu Pacific Livew Jiyugaoka Room 701Meguro-ku, Tokyo [email protected]

1997 Ms. Amy M. McIntire [email protected]

Ms. Alyssa K. Murphy 2714 Kahoaloha Lane Honolulu HI 96826 [email protected]

1998 Ms. Rose E. Hastings [email protected]

1999 Ms. Naomi D. Hayase 300 E. Providencia Ave. #103 Burbank CA 91502 [email protected]

Ms. Tamina M. Plum Upper Flat London N70BX [email protected]

2000 Mr. Gary T. Yamada 174 27th Ave San Francisco CA 94121 USA [email protected] Ms. Aimee F. Singer 440 Wainee Street Lahaina HI 96761 USA [email protected]

2001 Ms. N. Joy Mita 2-5-34 Tamacho Fuchu-shi, Tokyo 183-0002 Japan [email protected]

Ms. K. Kimble Lyons 168 Eastern Promenade Apt. 1R Portland, ME 4101 USA [email protected]

2002 Ms. Anna L. Tuttle 500C Russell St. Nashville TN 37206-4114 [email protected]

Mr. Mitsuhiko Tsukimoto [email protected]

2003Ms. Aileen N. Kurobe 2230 Ruhland Ave. Redondo Beach CA 90278 USA [email protected]

Mr. J. Chesley Burruss 2938-A Laukoa Pl. Honolulu HI 96813 USA [email protected]

2004 Mr. Jason C. Mothersill 2133 Stockton St. Apt. B308 San Francisco CA 94133-2040 USA [email protected]

Ms. Arisa M. T. Goldstone 220 Beverley St. Toronto Ontario M5T 1Z3 Canada [email protected]

2005 Mr. Tatsuya Izumi 2-5-12 Miyamae Suginami-ku, Tokyo 168-0081 [email protected]

2006 Ms. Mana Sasaki 511 124th St. S Tacoma WA 98444 [email protected]

Mr. Andrew Tai Dirkse [email protected]

2007 Ms. Rosalind E. Onions [email protected]

Ms. Carly N. [email protected]

2008 Ms. Mariko C. Funai [email protected]

Ms. Jemil M. Satterfield [email protected]

2009 Ms. Caitlin E. McHose [email protected]

Ms. Elicia M. Cousins [email protected]


alumni alumni

Vivienne Kenrick 1920-1999Miranda Kenrick ’65 reflects on her mother’s eclectic life.

In July 1946 my mother and 10-month-old sister Linden ‘64 sailed out of England to their new life in Hong Kong. My father had preceded them by air. Until that moment Mama had been out of England only once, on a brief school trip to France. Nothing in her London birth or upbringing had prepared her for what would come during the next 63 years in the Far East. The war had disrupted plans for university and she became a billeting and re-housing officer for bombed-out Londoners. In 1942 she married my father. He was from New Zealand and his war work led to a position in the Hong Kong government in Tokyo, after a couple of years in Hong Kong. Eventually in Tokyo he left government work and established a small trading company.

I was born in Hong Kong and was 5 months old when we arrived in Japan, in a snowstorm, on February 29, 1948. We believe that Mama was the first Western wife given permission to enter Japan after the war and to establish a household independently of the Occupation Forces. Although life was certainly hard, she always said that she felt at home right away. Quiet and modest by nature, she was also highly effective and within months of arriving in Tokyo she helped create the Jefferson Heights nursery-kindergarten and taught there for a year.

My memories of childhood center on horses. Mama began riding as a hobby and in 1950 opened a riding school in what had been paddy fields behind our house. She quickly became a prominent show jumper. Crown Prince (now Emperor) Akihito was, in his youth, an excellent horseman. To commemorate his coming of age in 1952, he invited a dozen riders to compete with him at a special event at the Imperial Palace. Mama was, as so often, the only woman and the only foreigner in the show.

The Japan Equestrian Federation wanted Mama’s superb show-jumper to represent Japan in the Olympic Games. She hated to lose him, but also rejoiced that he should have the chance of an international career. Re-named Fuji, he had the distinction in 1956 of being the first horse to go out of Japan after the war as an Olympic entry. He was also the first New Zealand-bred horse ever to compete in the Olympic Games and was in Japan’s teams twice, in 1956 and 1960. A friend wrote to me after Mama died “Apart from the big stab of grief, my first thoughts, though I never knew her in her riding days, were of her galloping off on her beloved horse.”

For the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the British team appointed for each sport a local liaison officer, referred to as the “uncle” in Tokyo. Mama was the equestrian liaison officer, the only woman on the team, and amused to be “Uncle Vivienne.” She also covered the equestrian events in the field for The Japan Times and Associated Press. Four years later, in Mexico, she again covered the equestrian events for AP.

Mama began writing in the 1950s. For many years she broadcast for Radio Japan, the overseas service of NHK. In 1963 she wrote her first Personality Profile, a weekly interview column for The Japan Times, never dreaming she would continue it, without a break, for 44 years. I don’t know how she did it, all those years before fax, the internet and digital photography. Each year she spent time in our home in England. She also traveled extensively and was sometimes overseas for months on end. She carried a portable typewriter with her and never missed a deadline. Not once, not even during the years of caregiving after my father had a stroke, nor even immediately after his death.

She was for many years area editor of Fodor’s Guide to Japan and also wrote nine books. She was an honorary life member of The Foreign

Correspondents Club of Japan. She belonged to a number of organizations in Tokyo, including the community theatre group Tokyo International Players. For her faithful attendance in the audience for 50 years, TIP also acknowledged her with life membership.

Mama was a wonderful travel companion and together we made many a long journey including what was long ago known as the overland “hippie route” from Kathmandu to London. She was in her early 80s when we camped in Bhutan, tiptoed into North Korea, and sailed to remote St. Helena.

She wore the same dress size all her adult life, rode a bicycle in Tokyo, and into her 80s swam regularly in the local pool. She was 85 when she was hit with severe anemia. She then endured without complaint four years of illness that included a minor stroke and a major blood clot. Until the end her memory and personality remained intact.

I miss her every day. She is irreplaceable.

1. Vivienne Kenrick, c.1993. • 2 to 5. Scenes from Vivienne’s life as a horsewoman in Japan, 1950s. She was often the only woman and the only foreigner. | 6. Vivienne was invited to participate in Crown Prince Akihito’s coming of age horse show in 1952.

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In MemoriamNeva Corl (AP 1968 – 81), of Lebanon, OH, died peacefully on October 17, 2009. Born July 2, 1927 in WI, she and her late husband Jovan worked for the General Board of Global Ministries as missionaries in Japan. She leaves behind family that include ASIJ alumni Daniel Corl ’71, Jaylene Corl Mory ’72, Nevin Corl ’77 and Shana Corl ’81.

Leona Hill (AP 1965-69) of Peoria, IL, mother of Dannette Hill Lanke ’69, passed away March 15, 2010 in Milwaukee, WI.

Kyle Kohnke ’11, who attended ASIJ from 2005-08, passed away on January 11, 2010 in Twinsburg, OH. He was the beloved son of Wendy and Keith Kohnke and brother of Rachel ’09. Kyle was a junior at Twinsburg High School where he also played football.

and chronicle of more than 30 years of work in the Canada-Japan field as a government official, industry representative, consultant and volunteer, culminating in the imperial honor, was featured in The Ambassador (fall/winter ’09).

Bill Jackson ‘67

William H. (Bill) Jackson III ’67, of Dallas, TX, passed away surrounded by family and friends on January 2, 2010. Born May 21, 1948 in Abilene, TX, to Doris and Dr WH (Dub) Jackson, he was the oldest of five children and moved to Japan when he was 3 years old. His parents were Southern Baptist missionaries. By the time he graduated from ASIJ in 1967, he had lifelong friends from all over the world and a fluent grasp of the Japanese language. Bill worked as a television sportscaster at KTXS in Abilene, TX, until he graduated from Hardin Simmons University. He spent his life working in a variety of churches and ministries including First Baptist church of Dallas, TX, the World Evangelism Foundation, Highland Park Baptist Church, Highland Park, TX, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization. He was married to Susan Flood, who became an indispensible partner in his life of ministry. He is survived by his wife, his parents, four children, five grandchildren and four siblings: Shirley Jackson Sloan ‘70, Lynda Jackson Hughes ’71, David ‘72, and Juanita Jackson Hayden ‘73.

John Powles ‘66

John Powles ’66 passed away at Lions Gate Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia on March 14, 2010. He fought a long battle with cancer with grace and courage and was an inspiration to all. He leaves behind his wife Michelle, parents Cyril and Marjorie Powles (AP 1957-70), his brother Peter ’70, his step-daughter Marie Anick Brazeau and his beloved grandchildren Katherine and Erik Vinson. John was brought up in Japan where he lived and worked half of his life. His career started at Expo ‘70 in Osaka, work which led to a management position with the Canadian government’s Department of Expositions, where he eventually became responsible for all international expositions in which Canada participated. In 1987, he joined the Council of Forest Industries as director of Asia and Japan operations, based in Tokyo. He was the first non-Japanese to receive the Ministry of Construction Award. He also served as president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Back in Vancouver, he founded an international trade consulting company, and became the president of the Canada Japan Society for eight of the past 11 years. In 2005, the Premier of British Columbia appointed John head of the Japan Market Advisory Group under the aegis of the Asia Pacific Trade Council. In 2008, the Japanese Government announced that he would receive the Order of the Rising Sun Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in recognition of his lifelong work in improving relations between Canada and Japan. John’s life story

Yone Riber

Former home arts teacher Yone Riber (FF 1957-64) passed away at the age of 95 on July 4, 2009 in New York City. Her daughters, Marianne Riber Hurd ’63 and Agneta Riber ’66 were by her side. Yone was born on October 7, 1913, the fourth of nine children of a prominent and wealthy Wakayama family. Her father, Isaku Nishimura, studied architecture in the United States and on his return to Japan in 1914, built his family a Western-style house in which Yone grew up. In 1935, Yone sailed by ocean liner to the States for studies at the New York School of Interior Design. After further studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, Yone returned to Japan and began teaching French at Bunka Gakuin, the co-educational and liberal arts college in Tokyo founded by her father and for which he was renowned. During the early days of World War II, she married a Swedish man, Curt Riber at her father’s Gotanda home and lived out the war years with him in Hakone. In 1957, preferring to return to professional life after her divorce, Yone visited The American School in Japan in Naka-Meguro to inquire about a teaching position there. She was offered the opportunity to teach either French, which she had taught at her father’s college, or Home Arts. Because she felt that making a lovely home was among the most important things that one could do, she chose to teach Home Arts. What many students of that era would remember most was the aroma of cookies and cakes baking in the Home Arts room. Yone always

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alumniknew how to create a homey atmosphere which her daughters enjoyed at home and her students also enjoyed at school. Her daughter Agneta remembered her gifts to her and Marianne of dolls dressed in identical navy coats with matching caps and lavender evening gowns for each one, made by Yone after the children were in bed. At bedtime, she and her sister would drift off to sleep as Yone played the piano for them. Her choice of teaching profession, says Agneta, was also to stay close to her children and their world. After leaving ASIJ in 1964, she made a home in New York, as Marianne was attending college in the US, and lived there for much of the remainder of her life. Each summer, she would return to the family compound in Karuizawa, and kept the mid-century modern ranch-style home in Yokohama on the Bluff that her architect brother had designed and built. Agneta writes, “Many people called her ‘Mom.’ She was a natural mother and was affectionately ‘adopted’ by many whose lives she touched. Young people always found her easy to talk to at ASIJ and throughout her life. Her thoughtful advice was often sought and valued. A teacher, an adviser and a mother…perhaps they are all the same. She taught me much. She will be greatly missed.”

Harold Rogers

Harold Rogers (FF 1947-51, AP 1974-1986) passed away on July 12, 2009, in Tokyo. Born in New York City, he received his BA from Columbia University in 1941 and an MA from Columbia Teachers College in 1942. After the outbreak of World War II, he entered the US Navy Japanese Language School at the University of Colorado with students who were to later become pioneers in the field of Japanese studies, including Donald Keene, Helen Craig McCullough, and Edward Seidensticker. After being honorably discharged from the navy, Mr Rogers went

to California to teach French and Spanish to Japanese-American internees at Manzanar High School. During the military occupation of Japan, he became a teacher there and stayed in Japan from 1946 to 2009. Immediately after he arrived, he went to Sendai to teach illiterate American soldiers to read and write English; he later worked in Fukuoka and Tokyo, where he taught French, Spanish, and occasionally Latin at various Department of Defense Dependents’ Schools. In connection with this, he taught at ASIJ, which had been temporarily taken over by the US military. There, he had Ray Downs ‘50 as his student. Mr. Rogers’s friends and relatives remember his storytelling, poetry recitals, sarcasm, and jokes. He is survived by his wife Sophie Fumie; brother George and daughter Paula ’86.

Mihoko Sato (FS 1984 -88), former secretary to HS Principal Robert Winer passed away at the beginning of January. Robert Winer writes, “She was always very dear to me, always loyal and understanding and supportive and friendly. I don’t have much biographical information on her, but I do know that she was working in a factory in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb dropped. A small knoll separating her factory from ground zero saved her life. All the young women who ran out to see what had happened died of radiation poisoning.”

Frances (Frannie) L. Schroth (FF 1968-70, 1972-75) of Chestnut, IL, passed away on Thursday October 29, 2009. She was born February 23, 1943 in Brenham, TX, the daughter of Don Jamie and Elsie Shade Langston. Frannie and her husband, Larry, a junior high counselor, joined the ASIJ faculty in 1968, where she taught English to high school and later to middle school students. After the 1969-70 school year, they relocated to the US but returned to ASIJ for three more years in 1972. Frannie was beloved by her students and respected by her peers. She is survived by her husband, Larry Schroth, her children Sara and Lincoln and two grandchildren. A memorial reunion in her honor of is planned for the afternoon of June 19, 2010 in Woodland, CA. For information, please contact Brenda Gabrych Andersen ([email protected] or 530-521-7892) or Larry Schroth ([email protected] or 217-792-5827).

Gerald Sherman ’74 passed away in Las Vegas, NV, on October 13, 2008.

Alumni News goes online!

It’s easy to post your news on ASIJ’s NetCommunity. Here’s how:

1. First, you must be registered for NetCommunity. If you are not, please go to the alumni login page, scroll down and follow the instructions for new user registration. Please allow several days for your registration request to be processed.

2. Go to the alumni welcome page and click on “Class Notes” on the left hand side menu.

3. Click on Edit My Class Notes and type in your entry. Please include your name.

4. When you submit your entry, it will take a couple of days to approve. Your update will then appear on your class year page. It belongs to you, and you can update or edit it at any time.

5. Any photographs you send by mail or to <[email protected]> will be included in alumni photo gallery sent each month in the e-news and archived on the alumni site. At this time, NetCommunity does not have the capability to post a photo with the note.

Center for School-Community PartnershipThe American School in JapanAPO AP 96328-5000

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