My Time at Bona’s as a History Major (Bella Quijano)

When I first arrived at St. Bonaventure, I had no clue what I wanted to study.  I was one of the  "undecided" students.  My first semester was full of new and wonderful experiences. I was not very concerned about picking a major. I just figured it would come to me at some point, and it did! I did not want to remain undecided for long, so I thought about what I truly enjoyed about learning and what exactly fascinated me. History fit the bill.

              The main reason I came to St. Bonaventure was because of its size.  In a small school I knew that I would have a better relationship with my teachers. Before deciding on any major, I really wanted to connect with my professors. I instantly connected with all of my history professors. All my history professors have been wonderful. In every history class I have taken, all my history professors have created an environment where everyone, not just history buffs, thrives and contributes to the discussion.

Gabriel over the White House

I've been owing the History blog an entry for some time so it seems appropriate to mention Gabriel over the White House. We are teaching the film in History 429: 20th Century America in Film and History. The 1933 film appeared just after Franklin Roosevelt's Inauguration (March 1933) and is a call for a fascist style dictatorship that would push aside the inefficiencies of democracy to fix the nation's woes.

Attention SBU Students: Call for Papers to Present at a Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference

CALL FOR PAPERS!

Phi Alpha Theta, National History Honor Society <www.phialphatheta.org>

NORTHEAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE, Saturday, April 20, 2013

RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY <www.ramapo.edu>

History Convening Group, Salemeno School of American and International Studies

All undergraduate students are encouraged to submit an abstract of original historical research to present at the Northeast regional meeting of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. History paper topics may include any time period, theme, or region. You do not need to be a history major or member of Phi Alpha Theta to submit or present at the regional conference. Members do qualify for special awards and distinctions.

This is a wonderful opportunity to present your research, to meet interested scholars and other talented students from around the region. Participating in the conference is a great way to build career skills and resumes.

SBU HISTORY NEWSLETTER YEAR 18, NO. 3 31 OCTOBER 2012

SBU  HISTORY  NEWSLETTER

YEAR 18,  NO. 3    31 OCTOBER 2012

BY DR. THOMAS J. SCHAEPER

 

St. Bonaventure and the World Series

　John McGraw

         The recent success of the San Francisco Giants in the World Series reminded me that at one time St. Bonaventure had a close connection with both the Giants and the World Series. Did you know that a former Bona student once cancelled the World Series? The man who did this was John McGraw. The first World Series took place in 1903. Since that time there have been only two years when it was not held. The second cancellation came in 1994, when the players were on strike. The first cancellation occurred in 1904. John McGraw was the manager of the National League champion New York Giants. (The Giants moved to San Francisco in 1957). The National League was the older of the two leagues. The American League had started only in 1901, and McGraw hated the idea of giving the new, rival league publicity and respect by having the two leagues play in a World Series. So he refused to let his Giants play the American League champion Boston Pilgrims (later the Red Sox).

History Newsletter 9 October 2012

SBU HISTORY NEWSLETTER
YEAR 18, NO. 2 9 OCTOBER 2012
BY DR. THOMAS J. SCHAEPER

St. Bonaventure Cemetery

As everyone knows, St. Bonaventure has its own cemetery. I recommend it to students who need to escape from campus and get some fresh air and exercise. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place for contemplation about the meaning of life (and death). It’s also a place where one can find the graves of many persons who were extremely important in the history of our institution. Fr. Thomas Plassmann was the longest serving president in our history (1920-1949). Fr. Irenaeus Herscher served as library director and archivist for about a half century. It is fitting that our main classroom building and our mountain retreat are named after these two men.

New Member of the Department

Many of you have noticed that there is a new face in the Department of History this year. Mr. Christopher Dalton is a specialist in Chinese and East Asian History. He received his BA at the University of Florida and currently is completing his PhD dissertation for the University of Arizona. He has taught at several American universities and has also spent much time teaching and doing research in China. Mr. Dalton and his family live in Olean. I hope that everyone on campus makes him feel at home here.

Study of the United States Institute at St. Bonaventure University (Summer 2012)

St. Bonaventure University hosted a Study of the United States Institute about American government and history for student leaders from Central and South America, a program sponsored by the United States Department of State. Assistant Professor of History Maddalena Marinari served as academic director of the program. Please follow this link for more information: http://www.sbu.edu/alumniAndFriends.aspx?id=39738

Leanna Chojnacki Helps Bring Important Stamp Collection to SBU

On August 21, 2012, the St. Bonaventure University archives received an $11,000 United Nations stamp collection. Ray Albertella, an alumnus who graduated with a degree in History in 1962, donated this collection to the university after visiting the campus for the first time since he graduated. As part of my summer job working for Admissions, I signed up to give tours during the Alumni Weekend. One of the tours I gave was for the class of 1962 to show them what had changed at St. Bonaventure University since they attended the university 50 years earlier.

             During my tour, I showed the class of 1962 the Thisness piece to give them a sense of the types of clubs and activities in which current Bona students are engaged and mentioned the Model United Nations of which I am the current Secretary General. This peaked Mr. Albertella’s interest and after my tour he had started to ask me what our organization on our campus does. He soon told me about his collection of United Nations stamps and we exchanged email addresses.