Professor Alison Lurie in the classroom in 1977. (Rare and Manuscript Collections) Cornelliana From Corks to Corey to the Cosmos: The Hill’s Most ‘Legendary’ Courses Stories You May Like Popular Course Offers Life Lessons from Faculty Dream Team Connecting Students with Nature—and with Each Other ‘LaFeber Posse’ Gears Up to Honor Legendary Professor We offer a (not-at-all-comprehensive) roundup of quintessentially Cornellian classes—and invite you to weigh in! By Joe Wilensky While each Cornellians’ experience is unique—especially given the University’s multitude of schools, colleges, and majors—certain courses have stood out as legendary over the decades, some enriching the lives and minds of generations of alumni. So we set out to compile a roundup of those particularly memorable offerings—admittedly, one that’s in no way comprehensive. Some of the entries—particularly large intro classes that draw students from across disciplines—have become Big Red legends through their sheer size and longevity. Others are requirements that have evolved into rites of passage for students in certain majors or schools. Still others feature a professor (sometimes, one famous far beyond the Hill) whose unique approach expands undergrads’ minds and ignites a love of learning. Read on for a taste—in no particular order—of some of the most legendary, popular, and unique classes taught from the mid-20th century to the present. And please add your own memories in the comments! ‘Intro to Wines’ Offered in its current form since 1972—and required for Hotelies, though wildly popular with students from all disciplines—the course has long been a rite of passage on the Hill, with many taking it their senior spring. Tasting time. (Noël Heaney / Cornell University) Over the past half-century, just three people have taught it, all of them alums themselves: Vance Christian ’61, MS ’65; Stephen Mutkoski ’67, PhD ’76; and now senior lecturer Cheryl Stanley ’00, Mutkoski’s former TA. Tens of thousands of Cornellians have taken the course—with enrollees easily identified by the little black cases in which they tote their glasses to class. ‘History of American Foreign Relations’ For years, this two-semester course packed auditoriums with students—who sometimes brought friends and family—eager to hear professor Walter LaFeber bring the topic to life, lecturing without notes and only a brief outline on the blackboard. The course jump-started the careers of numerous figures in U.S. foreign policy (including the late Sandy Berger ’67, who served as National Security Advisor under President Bill Clinton)—but also broadly imparted a passion for, and understanding of, the role of government and the importance of diplomacy. ‘Masters of European Fiction’ Unofficially dubbed “Dirty Lit”—reportedly because a previous prof had focused on authors’ intimate lives—it was among the courses Vladimir Nabokov taught while at Cornell from 1948–59. Nabokov in his Cornell office. (Rare and Manuscript Collections) It quickly became one of the most popular on campus, as Nabokov (whose Lolita was published during his time on the Hill) lectured on Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Marcel Proust, Franz Kafka, Robert Louis Stevenson, Gustave Flaubert, and James Joyce. Some of the course’s contents went on to be published in his posthumous 2002 volume, Lectures on Literature. ‘The Development of American Ideals’ Over the decades, more than 8,000 students took the two-semester ILR School course, taught by Milton Konvitz, PhD ’33. They learned about the philosophical, political, and religious foundations of American ideals and institutions, as well as how those foundations shaped our constitutional and labor laws, and civil and human rights. ‘Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds’ Fungi have shaped our civilization and the natural world in which we live, playing crucial roles in everything from agriculture and climate to disease and the environment. A “Magical Mushrooms” lab. (Sreang Hok / Cornell University) The class explores fungi as food; decayers of organic matter; pathogens and symbionts of plants and animals; and sources of mind-altering chemicals. Originated by George Hudler (now a professor emeritus) in the early ’90s, it has become one of the largest courses in the School of Integrative Plant Science, with more than 300 students. It’s now taught by associate professor Kathie Hodge, PhD ’98. ‘Science and Technology of Foods’ Who wouldn’t want to make ice cream in class? Offered each fall and taught by lecturer Chris Loss ’96, PhD ’05, the course explores the roles of engineering, biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, nutrition, toxicology, and microbiology in foods. Late in the semester, student teams design ice cream flavors, competing for the chance to have them sold at the Dairy Bar the following spring (or even beyond). Past winners include the coffee-flavored “Ezra’s Morning Cup,” now a Dairy mainstay. ‘Our Solar System’ The intro course was called Astronomy 102 when Carl Sagan taught it in the 1970s. His remarkable ability to explain the nature of geologic time to first-year students—not to mention his ability to share his awe of the galaxy’s wonders—helped establish the future “Cosmos” host and Pulitzer Prize-winning author as a legend on the Hill. Sagan teaching in the 1970s. (Rare and Manuscript Collections) None other than “Science Guy” Bill Nye ’77 (who today leads the Planetary Society, as Sagan once did) has cited the course as giving him a deep appreciation for the cosmos. Stories You May Like Popular Course Offers Life Lessons from Faculty Dream Team Connecting Students with Nature—and with Each Other ‘American Folk Literature’ Professor Harold Thompson’s class—colloquially known as “Romp-n-Stomp” to the many who took in during the mid-20th century—introduced students to literature and culture through folklore, audio recordings, and lively in-class performances (hence the nickname). Course alumni include folk musician Peter Yarrow ’59 of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, who was a TA during its final semester in 1959. ‘The First American University’ A member of a multigenerational Big Red family, Corey Earle ’07—a staffer in Alumni Affairs and Development—has long been Cornell’s unofficial historian. He launched his popular course, fondly known as “Storytime with Corey,” in 2011. Earle in Uris in spring 2023. (Sreang Hok / Cornell University) The class packs Uris Auditorium on Monday evenings. And when the pandemic moved it online in 2020, its popularity soared: many students attended with their parents, and generations of alumni tuned in. ‘Intro to Oceanography’ For more than a decade, students have filled Bailey Hall for professor Bruce Monger’s spirited lectures exploring the vastness of the oceans. The course is offered through the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, which is shared by CALS and the College of Engineering. Monger delves into how waves, tides, and marine ecosystems work—all while mixing in climate activism and calls to action. ‘Human Bonding’ Human development professor Cindy Hazan designed this popular course, which she has taught for more than a quarter-century—leading 600 undergrads each spring through the scholarly exploration of love, sex, marriage, dating, and other matters of adult romantic attachment. Hazan lecturing in Bailey in spring 2023. (Sreang Hok / Cornell University) As a student once wrote in a course evaluation: “It’s great to be getting credit for thinking about the things I’m thinking about all the time anyway.” ‘Better Decisions for Life, Love, and Money’ A team of six professors launched the course in 2018 as a pilot project, offering life lessons from economists and psychologists who draw on research in their fields to offer a deeper understanding of human behavior and how it affects decision-making. Spread mostly by word of mouth, enrollment increased, even through the pandemic—and when in-person classes resumed, the course moved into the 700-seat Statler Auditorium. ‘Restaurant Management’ This required capstone course is a longtime rite of passage for students in the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, incorporating such topics as market analysis and operational management. Student teams prepare orders in 2015 for Establishment, the current incarnation of the course’s restaurant. (Cornell University) It culminates with each team overseeing an evening in which paying customers—often comprising friends, family, and faculty—dine on a menu they’ve designed, with classmates staffing the kitchen and dining room. ‘Children’s Literature’ It was one of several popular courses taught by English professor Alison Lurie, an acclaimed author of novels, short stories, and essays. Lurie—who won a Pulitzer Prize for her 1984 novel Foreign Affairs—also led a fiction seminar for MFA students, undergraduate writing courses, and classes on folklore during her long career on the Hill. She passed away in 2020 at age 94. ‘Intro to Psychology’ Held in Bailey, it has long been one of the University’s largest courses. It was taught by James Maas, PhD ’66, for nearly half a century, until his retirement in 2011, and by David Pizarro for a decade afterward. Pizarro in Bailey in 2014. (Cornell University) The course covers the essentials of intro psych while delving into intriguing topics such as perception, memory, morality, and creativity—giving students tools to understand the human mind while fostering an ongoing sense of wonder about it. Top: Professor Alison Lurie in the classroom in 1977. (Rare and Manuscript Collections) Published May 3, 2023 What Cornell courses would you call ‘legendary’? Comments Michele D Goldberg, Class of 1985 5 May, 2023 Richard Polenberg’s intro to recent American history parts 1 and 2! Reply Joseph Magid, Class of 1979 14 May, 2023 Absolutely. Prof. Polenberg played tapes of famous presidential speeches and had us read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. An outstanding course. Reply Dan Mansoor 14 May, 2023 Agreed. As an engineering major, Polenberg almost had me switching colleges! Reply Benjamin fish, Class of 1999 17 May, 2023 Pollenberg was the GOAT! For recent American history. Great class. Reply Steve Sauter, Class of 1976 14 May, 2023 Yes, absolutely. History went from my least to most favorite course thanks to Richard Polenberg’s course. No notes, non-stop speaking and making the topics jump out at us. And I’ll never forget the standing ovation we gave him at the end of the last class of the semester. Reply Midge Lowenthal Glazer, Class of 1956 14 May, 2023 Prof. Nabokov’s “Masters of European Fiction” and Prof. Konvitz’s American Ideals Both have stayed with me for a VERY long time!!! Reply Lee Leonard, Class of 1963 14 May, 2023 Milton Konvitz’s American Ideals was my favorite college course over six years. I delivered Vladimir Nobokov’s newspaper when I was in high school in Ithaca. Reply Carol (Solomon) Levine, Class of 1956 20 May, 2023 I was privileged to be a student in Nabokov’s seminar on Russian lit in which we read Pushkin and others and heard his translations plus lots of stories. His wife Vera attended every session. I learned so much! One piece of advice has stayed with me: the best reader is a re-reader. Reply William (Bill) Schanze, Class of 1957 20 Feb, 2024 After the first quizz was graded, Prof Nabokov asked me to meet him in his office. He opened, “This class is not for you.”- Nuts! He has recognized my dyslexic incapacities. I then announced I could do better. He rewarded my persistense and I mastered my favorite class with this solution: If he could translate Tolstoy in six languages, he could translate my phonics in English. So, I wrote like hell, ignored spelling, and proved my mastery of authors, which I correctly assumed was the purpose. All of Prof Nabokov’s exams were written and required detail. My favorite detail was Tolstoy’s in Anna Karenina; “Russians derived their confidence from knowing they know nothing.” Tolstoy was no dyslexic but we may share agnosticism. Reply Randall Nixon, Class of 1978 16 May, 2023 Agreed! It was universally popular in the ’70’s. Reply David G Schowalter, Class of 1988 16 May, 2023 Not at all surprised to see this in the comments as it was the first one I was going to add! Fondly remember this course from the ’80’s. I still talk about things I learned in this course. Reply Richard D. Tunick, Class of 1967 23 May, 2023 George Harris Healy’s two semester course in British Literature deserves a presence in any array of extraordinary Cornell educational experiences. He filled Baily Hall to the rafters and held the entirety of the audience spellbound for every minute. There was a lengthy waiting list every year, with students from every college. You could hear a pin drop from the most remote seat. This course remains a considerable part of my educational core. Healy was awesome in his total command of such a vast subject. As a teacher, he was on a par with Walter LaFeber, Clinton Rossiter, and Alfred Kahn, but lacking in their approachability. How do you approach a godlike figure? Reply Natalie C Tyler, Class of 1973 27 May, 2023 Somebody (I don’t know who carried on the tradition) always put an apple on his desk for the final lecture of the class. He was remarkable and my first real introduction to close reading and interpretation. I loved the memorabilia he brought to class. Reply Jason Wittman, MPS, Class of 1964 27 May, 2023 I don’t know of another professor who would have students sitting in the ilse at Sat at noon – 1PM on a football game weekend. Why, because the students brought their dates to the class! I attempted to get him to allow taping of his lectures but he said only if he didn’t know it was happening and the School said it could only be done with his consent. We all lost on that one. Reply Susan London Russell, Class of 1968 13 Jun, 2023 What I most remember abt Prof. Healy’s lectures is that he often received standing ovations. I still love William Wordsworth’s poetry and thought fondly of Healy when I visited the village of Grasmere, where Wordsworth is buried, in the Lake Country of England. I still have the two-volume Norton Anthology of English Literature with snippets of Healy’s immortal commentary in the margins. Reply Dana Kellerman, Class of 1986 16 May, 2023 100% Reply Joshua Albert, Class of 1985 16 May, 2023 Yes – that was deemed a must by many on my floor in UHall 5. Reply Benjamin fish, Class of 1999 17 May, 2023 I was going to say this course as well. Class of 99 Reply Marty Mack, Class of 1975 18 May, 2023 I would add American Ideals taught by Milton Konvitz. Reply Doug Hughes, Class of 1980 23 May, 2023 Yeah. Guy was an actual game changer for me. Made history fun and real. First guy EVER to teach independent, critical thinking. Funny as F. Reply Peter Fanelli, Class of 1975 23 May, 2023 Field Natural History with Richard B. Fischer. In 32 years as a NYS Environmental Conservation Officer I often used the knowledge of the great outdoors that he imparted as the public expected me to know something about everything. Reply Fred Chanania, Class of 1970 22 Aug, 2023 Agreed. I took the course with him over the summer (CAU) twice and it changed my life and my professional direction from law to environmental science. I wrote Dick every year until his death telling him what an impact he had, and I hope I have carried on his tradition as I taught my own students about the natural world. He is never forgotten. Reply Kelly Banach, Class of 1979 24 May, 2023 Definitely! Reply Jessica Woo, Class of 1993 6 May, 2023 Agree with Michele Goldberg, and I would add Chem 207, which was widely regarded as the hardest intro chem class in the country in the early ’90s. Maybe not fondly remembered, but certainly legendary! Reply Eric Kierstead, Class of 1983 14 May, 2023 Agree 100% – this is a classic course so many of us took our freshman year. Very demanding! Also very well taught and educational. Reply Carolyn Rogers, Class of 1959 16 May, 2023 I remember “Romp and Stomp” as “Stompinging and Singing” in the late 50’s Reply Erin Walter, Class of 1992 23 May, 2023 Agreed. It was also the dream team of professors. Reply Keith McAfee, Class of 1991 23 May, 2023 I loved Chem 207, the intro course. I remember several experiments that were awesome, such as separating water into oxygen and hydrogen balloons (that he then exploded loudly) as well as an oscillating reaction like this one: https://youtu.be/_gyzhvMLImg, just sitting there on the table, flipping colors back and forth. So cool. Reply Roberta Walter Goodman, Class of 1980 14 May, 2023 L Pearce Williams Intro to Western Civilization. I can still see him demonstrating the crossbow against the mounted knight. Highly entertaining, and worth taking a 9:05 course as a senior. More important, he covered a vast amount of material in a meaningful way. Also Richard Polenberg’s 20th century American History and Alvin Bernstein’s Rome of the Caesars. Joel Silbey’s 19th century American sequence. All of those courses really made me think about how we remember and interpret history, and by extension what we read in the news and see on tv. Reply Joseph Magid, Class of 1979 14 May, 2023 Ditto on my Fraternity advisor, Prof. Bernstein’s Rome of the Ceasers. “Who has seen Godfather Part 2?” in section & proceeded to point to the few who had not, “you, you and you, you all fail! How can you understand the Praetorian Guard if you haven’t seen Godfather Part 2!” I must add Professor Williams History of Science I & II for which he quite literally wrote the books. He was Aristotle and Galileo at the front of the room. Reply Randall Nixon, Class of 1978 16 May, 2023 Al Bernstein was my faculty advisor, and he changed the trajectory of my life. In addition to becoming a dear mentor, he was very supportive of me and the other student-athletes who took his courses. When he passed away, I was devastated. Reply Nancy Rogers, Class of 1978 22 May, 2023 History of Science with L Pearce Williams was one of my favorite classes, too. I was telling my son about miasmas from that class just yesterday. Reply Douglas McIlroy, Class of 1954 23 May, 2023 Williams must have followed Henry Guerlac, who would be my top nomination. His fascinating lectures were backed by a three volume collection of scientific writings that spanned millenia. The course inspired me to write pieces for the Cornell Engineer about him and about Daniel Bernoulli’s stunningly original statistical mechanics (which I read in Latin). Reply Richard Meltzer, Class of 1965 14 May, 2023 Also Prof Williams “History of Medicine.” Would have enjoyed it even if I wasn’t pre-med. Reply Ira Casson, Class of 1971 14 May, 2023 L. Pearce Williams was a larger than life iconic figure to this freshman and his roommate in 1967. My roommate dubbed him “The Prophet”. Reply Randall Nixon, Class of 1978 16 May, 2023 Pierce was one of my favorites. His door was always open, and he could expound at length on any topic. I ran track and played football, and he would come to our games and meets. He was very supportive of the entire student experience. Reply Stephen Wilson 22 May, 2023 I’m surprised Intro to Western Civilization wasn’t included above. I audited the course as a grad student and found Williams’ lectures engaging and informative. Reply Jerry Diener, Class of 1969 23 May, 2023 L. Pearce Williams also taught The History of Science. Great course that made you think about the scientific method and every time you thought our predecessors had achieved critical scientific thinking and methodology, his next lecture showed we weren’t there yet and why. He had great dramatic delivery. Reply John Babbitt, Class of 1969 23 May, 2023 As a ChemE I certainly remember the electives intro astronomy by Prof. Sagan and intro Psych by Prof. Maas…. both inspirational lectures!! “Billions and Billions” and “You Are What You Were When” still vivid memories!! Reply Ed Santavicca, Class of 1973 23 May, 2023 As an engineering major I loved the History of Science course taught by Professor Williams. It was extremely popular at that time. He had a way of bringing meaning to scientific discover that went beyond the science. Reply Clifford Ribner 23 May, 2023 Professor Williams intro to, Preview of, his own class was priceless: “This course comes full circle, from Peking man to Richard Nixon.” He literally invented the history of science as a major discipline of intellectual history and was a truly great professor, as was the entire history faculty in the 1970s, without exception. Reply Richard Oswald, Class of 1957 23 May, 2023 Williams did not “literally” (not even figuratively) invent History of Science in Western Civilization. Prof. Henry Guerlac taught the course since about 1947, and Williams was his assistant when I took it. Williams gave a lecture occasionally but mostly sat with the class and observed. Even Guerlac did not invent the course, or program, although he did establish it at Cornell: “In 1941, Guerlac took an appointment as assistant professor and chairman of the History of Science Department that had just been created at the University of Wisconsin.” http://acshist.scs.illinois.edu/awards/Dexter%20Papers/GuerlacDexterBioJJB.pdf All of the praise bestowed here by other alums on Williams – and I don’t doubt that it’s deserved – could apply equally to Guerlac; taking his course was pure pleasure and intellectually stimulating. I was in Chemical Engineering, and for us the course was mandatory. I suppose that the director of our school, “Dusty” Rhodes, chose it as a good way to introduce us to the humanities, since most of us were taking our electives in technical subjects, and indeed it was. You could almost drop “Science” out of the title – it was a survey of over 2 millennia of western philosophy, with emphasis on science. Reply Janet Sisman Levy, Class of 1974 23 May, 2023 Agree totally. L. Pierce Williams was a brilliant, captivating lecturer. His Intro to Western Civilization was a standout course for generations of students. Reply Robert Rosenberg, Class of 1963 14 May, 2023 Clinton Rossiter- The American Presidency ( I may have title wrong as it was 60 yrs ago) Healy-Brit. Lit (again not sure of title) Reply Ivan Rosenberg, Class of 1964 14 May, 2023 I fully agree with Robert. Both courses are the ones I remember. The profs brought alive what could have been dull. I recall they had proctors at the door to Healy’s class to ensure only those registered would attend – it was that popular. And Healy had great respect for students. He would bring priceless items from the Rare Book Room and just leave it on the table to be surrounded by viewing students, trusting them. Another memorable course I took was Introduction to Quantum Physics by Nobel prize winner Hans Bethe. Like Rossiter and Healy, despite being a world class thinker, Bethe was able to bring his subject alive to introductory students. Reply Allan S. Morton, Class of 1965 23 May, 2023 Rossiter, Alan Bloom and Walter Berns, all of blessed memory, were the highs of my time at Cornell. Reply Jennifer Howell, Class of 1977 14 May, 2023 Agreed- I still think of what I learned in that course every election. But I don’t remember the presidents by their number! Reply Chuck Roby, Class of 1967 16 May, 2023 Totally agree. I loved Professor Rossiter’s class. Reply Anne Powell, Class of 1966 17 May, 2023 Word was that Prof. Healy scheduled Brit Lit on Saturday mornings—(at 10:00?)—to keep enrollment numbers within reason…and it was always fully enrolled. He made sure that it was over in time that students (and he himself) could attend the football games. Reply David George Marsh, Class of 1965 23 May, 2023 I remember he invited a gentleman from Kenya who asked the students if anyone wanted to learn “Swahili”, his native language. Afterward Prof Healey said “Unfortunately today you’ll have to listen to plain old Healey”–what a quick wit! Reply Richard D. Tunick, Class of 1967 23 May, 2023 Absolute classic. Wonderful course with an incredible teacher and genuine, warm, and caring individual. A gift in every respect. Reply Steve Goldstein, Class of 1965 29 Aug, 2023 Thank you for mentioning Prof. Rossiter’s course,The American Presidency. He wrote the book and was quite a legend at Cornell for many years. I mostly remember when JFK was assassinated, I tried to reach Prof. Rossiter in order to ask him to please have his scheduled Saturday morning class. I didn’t realize that plans were already underway to have a university wide event the next morning at which he was the principal speaker. In my senior year I took an honors seminar with him which was held in the John L. Senior room which was located in Olin Library. What a treat. Reply Martha Little Munson, Class of 1970 14 May, 2023 Urie Bronfenbrenner’s CD 115 was the best introduction to social science research and human development. His class filled Bailey Hall every MWF! Reply Linda Byard, Class of 1968 14 May, 2023 I agree with Martha’s comment. I admire greatly how Urie Bronfenbrenner could engage all the students into what seemed to be a dialogue. I took CD 115 in the Fall of 1964 in a very crowded Bailey Hall, a very first class for me, and I still remember how Prof. Bronfenbrenner would give us “handles” to remember important topics. For example, he asked us to please stand up if we had both of our grandmothers alive. And then to stand up if both our grandfathers were still alive. That was an intro to male/female longevity, and it was very clear which sex was doing better. Reply Robin Aronow, Class of 1976 15 May, 2023 I totally agree. Can’t believe it was left off the list. No better introductory course! It influenced a lifetime of students, including me. Reply Roberta Paikoff Holzmueller, Class of 1983 16 May, 2023 by the time I was on the Hill, Dr. Bronfenbrenner only taught advanced/graduate classes, and I was fortunate enough to take one with him spring semester of my senior year. Agree completely, he was incredible! Reply Gail Karlitz, Class of 1968 16 May, 2023 It was Fall 1964 – my first semester. Bronfenbrenner would discuss a study and then ask, “what was the problem in the methodology?” My thought: “I’ve been in college for 2 weeks. How should I know?” But I learned critical thinking. And so often, in that packed hall, I just felt like it was Bronfenbrenner and me. Reply Paula Millenthal Cantor, Class of 1959 30 May, 2023 Professor Urie Bronfenbrenner, one of a kind, and how fortunate I was to have him as teacher and advisor. Reply Sonnet Bonelli, Class of 1986 18 May, 2023 I took a small upper-level HDFS course (15 or few of us) with Prof. Bronfennrenner in my Junior or Senior year and it was quite remarkable to have discussions with such a world-renowned social scientist. The thing about Cornell is that you would be taught by those that actually wrote the text books and had conducted the pioneering research and studies in the field! Reply Deborah Gale, Class of 1971 24 May, 2023 I had no idea the impact this course would have on me, even many years later. After ending long careers in two different fields, I returned to human development by becoming an early childhood special educator, in my 60s. This course was the beginning of that interest. Reply Don Juran, Class of 1962 27 May, 2023 I took CD 115 my junior year as an A&S sociology/anthropology major, assuming I’d learn little but would garner an easy A. I was 100% wrong on both counts. Bronfenbrenner would sit up there and read the abstract of a study, then ask, “Well, do you buy it?” And then we’d pick it apart. Critical thinking for sure. Reply Jean Ispa, Class of 1969 24 Mar, 2024 I completely agree! I took his class in the Fall of 1967 – I was enthralled! Reply RONALD HELHOSKI, Class of 1967 14 May, 2023 Keeton-Biology Reply Karen Parfitt 14 May, 2023 Agree—Bill Keeton’s intro bio courses changed my major, changed my life. Reply Ira Casson, Class of 1971 14 May, 2023 ABSOLUTELY! After all, he wrote the book. Reply Ellen Pigage Elliott, Class of 1965 23 May, 2023 Agree – made the topic exciting for me when I least expected that and was only taking the course to fulfill a requirement. Reply Pauline Ts'o, Class of 1983 26 May, 2023 I agree – I was going to add him! Reply David Schwartz, Class of 1973 7 Jun, 2023 Bill Keeton’s Bio 101 lectures were the highlight of my freshman year. I remember people criticizing him because his lectures sounded just like his textbook. They apparently didn’t get that it was the other way around: he wrote the textbook from his lectures! I took great pride during Christmas break when I got together with high school friends and found out that all of them taking biology at other colleges used “Biological Science” by William Keeton as their textbook. Reply Judith Barth, Class of 1969 14 May, 2023 I agree with Martha on Bronfenbrenner’s course, but also Dan Sisler’s Ag. Econ – an amazing man and teacher – an inspiration to all his students! Reply JOSEPH SACCO, Class of 1975 14 May, 2023 I agree! Daniel Sisler was an extraordinary teacher. His elaborate notes in complex diagrams, all connected, fascinated me. Reply Gail Karlitz, Class of 1968 16 May, 2023 It was Fall 1964 – my first semester. Bronfenbrenner would discuss a study and then ask, “what was the problem in the methodology?” My thought: “I’ve been in college for 2 weeks. How should I know?” But I learned critical thinking. And so often, in that packed hall, I just felt like it was Bronfenbrenner and me. Reply Lonny Levin, Class of 1983 17 May, 2023 Agree about Professor Sisler. For his final lecture of the semester, the lecture hall was ‘standing room only’ because students who weren’t in the class came just to hear it. Reply Nancy Rogers, Class of 1978 22 May, 2023 I took Dr. Sissler’s class because I asked fellow students for recommendations for a great professor in any topic and this class was recommended. I loved it. I learned so much and he made it so interesting, fun and relevant. Reply Paul Jensen, Class of 1971 10 Jun, 2023 Agree. Professor Sisler’s course was great. Also agree on Professor Keeton’course Reply Victor, Class of 1969 14 May, 2023 Charlie Ackerman’s Sociology of Deviance (210) or “Nuts and Sluts” as it was commonly called, held in Uris was a must. Also Bill Keaton’s biology 101 was a masterful experience. Reply Richard Ahlfeld, Class of 1968 14 May, 2023 Completely agree on Sociology of Deviance. Prof. Ackerman taught the course in Bailey Hall in ’68 Reply Ken, Class of 1967 14 May, 2023 An openly gay professor before Stonewall! Speaks to the openness and tolerance of the Cornell environment at that time. Reply Jill Rosenfeld, Class of 1971 14 May, 2023 I agree! Jill Reply Ellen Crockett, Class of 1969 16 May, 2023 I was going to say the same – Nuts and Sluts was a must! Reply H. White, Class of 1970 17 May, 2023 Ackerman also taught Intro 101 that filled the hall with over 600 students. In fact, all his courses were highly popular and well attended. I remember there were protests when Cornell denied his tenure, so he returned to Harvard. Reply Gina Strauch, Class of 1980 14 May, 2023 Although it was never a big popular lecture, my favorite was Introduction to Farm Techniques, which I think of affectionately as Sheep Shearing and Tractor Driving. I don’t think it’s been available for many years though. There’s an article about it in the May 1982 issue of Cornell’s Agriculture and Life Science News. Reply Victor, Class of 1969 14 May, 2023 Should have said held in Bailey Hall, not Uris for Ackerman. Reply Mark Steckel, Class of 1980 14 May, 2023 Though I took Wines with Vance Christian and sat in on Carl Sagans class, the two classes below should be considered “classic”: Bio 101-104 with William Keeton-great lecturer and he died too young.; Chem 357, 358 (organic chemistry) with Nobelist Roald Hoffman (though his Nobel Prize came one year after my graduation) Reply Tim O'Connor, Class of 1980 28 Dec, 2023 Agree!!! Reply Daniel Dumas, Class of 1972 14 May, 2023 As a freshman in Electrical Engineering in 1968, I loved Psychology 101, taught by Allen Funt, which drew on materials he developed for his TV series, Candid Camera. Bailey Hall was the venue – a very popular class, and not just for Arts and Sciences students! Reply Carolyn Rogers, Class of 1959 16 May, 2023 I remember “Romp and Stomp” as “Stomping and Singing” in the late 50’s Reply Steve D, Class of 1970 23 May, 2023 Funt was invited in as a guest by Maas for one of the Psych 101 lectures during the term. Reply David Schwartz, Class of 1973 7 Jun, 2023 Psych 101 was taught by Jim Maas, as noted in the article, but he drew upon the “Candid Camera” film library in teaching social psychology. I believe he was a friend or collaborator with Funt and it’s possible Funt was a guest lecturer the year you took it. Reply Shira Evergreen, Class of 2002 14 May, 2023 AS&RC 280: Race, Power and Privilege, co-taught by Prof. James Turner, Africana Studies and Research Center and Prof. Donald Barr, Policy Analysis and Management. This course was instrumental in my consciousness around racism and privilege and is perhaps the most important class I took at Cornell. I would suggest you add it to the list above! https://cornellsun.com/2002/03/04/interest-brings-back-africana-280/ Reply Vivian Relta, Class of 1979 21 May, 2023 I agree wholeheartedly! The course had a wait list every year. I was blessed to serve as part of TA team. I learned as much as any student enrolled. Thank you for posting this! Reply Marcia Yeager, Class of 1958 14 May, 2023 For Home Ec students, given in the Hotel school. Prof. Beck’s Tea Room Accounting. I used that silly information when I played secretary for my husband’s practice for a year. Reply Sami Besalel, Class of 1987 14 May, 2023 Professor Farrell’s “Fantasy and Horror in Literature” was among the best classes I took in college. Taking a scholarly approach to classic and modern horror (from “Dracula” to “The Shining”) made already popular content more accessible and meaningful. Studying “The Lord of the Rings” from a philological perspective deepened not only my understanding of JRR Tolkien’s work but my appreciation of the scope of his talent, planning, and world-building, while providing context to contemporaneous events such as WWII. Those who took that class with me in. eighties still refer to it today. Reply Eliot Schuman, Class of 1975 14 May, 2023 I agree with the Bronfenbrenner posters. I thought the course was Freshman Psychology 101. Reply David Abramowitz, Class of 1989 14 May, 2023 Government 111 in the 80s with Ted Lowi and Benjamin Ginsburg. Worth missing Luke and Laura on “General Hospital.” Reply Andrea Koch, Class of 1992 17 May, 2023 I was a TA for Professor Lowi in 1992 for this course. He was incredible. NO ONE could make American Beauracracy as interesting as he could. Each lecture was a thrill and privilege to behold. Reply Erin Walter, Class of 1992 23 May, 2023 I agree. I was a chemistry major and took this class because it was recommended. It was great. Reply Dave Yerzley, Class of 1966 14 May, 2023 British literature. Unfortunately I can no longer remember the name of the professor. However, his lecture within that course on who wrote Shakespeare was a classic, which he turned into a real performance. The year I took the course, it fell on the friday of a big weekend, and the lecture hall was packed with people and their weekend dates, standing room only. Reply Donnelly Nariss Maysey, Class of 1997 14 May, 2023 Andrea Parrot’s Human Sexuality. Reply Amy Smith Linton, Class of 1985 15 May, 2023 Andrea Parrot’s Human Sexuality was among the most fascinating — not just for the eye-opening and frank discussion of the topic, but for the reaction from the SRO crowd. It strikes me now, so many decades later, how truly educational a class this was: the topic sells itself, but the way in which Dr. Parrot handled questions, included multi-media, encouraged thought and discussion — it was a wonderful class. Reply Joanna Cohen, Class of 1996 16 May, 2023 Agree! My two favorites were “Love” (Prof. Hazan’s class mentioned above, which I think was called “Close Relationships Across the Lifespan”) and “Sex,” Prof. Parrot’s course. The fun of being an HDFS major! Reply Heather Bouchey, Class of 1992 23 May, 2023 100% agree! Reply Carol Anne (Slaughter) Holland 16 May, 2023 This and Sandy Bem’s Gender Roles were two of the most meaningful for me. Reply Erin Walter, Class of 1992 23 May, 2023 Yes. I was told that before graduation, I “had” to take “Love” and “Sex”. I still think and talk about Relationships through the lifespan. Reply Paul Witt, Class of 1973 14 May, 2023 Beverage Management aka Wine Tasting. The good news; because I took the course I won an all expense paid two week wine Tasting tour of Italy. The bad news; scheduling it right before a Chem lab was not a great decision. Reply Richard Ahlfeld, Class of 1968 14 May, 2023 Public Opinion, Prof. Rose Goldsen, taught in an ILR auditorium. Reply Carla Bach, Class of 1979 23 May, 2023 Yes she was a revolutionary thinker as she taught us to analyze the media’s insidious impact, manipulation of the public… She also was a generous, astute, far-thinking advisor professionally for me and friend (granted, our connection was also via my aunt, her close friend since childhood). Others who made a major impact were Richard Klein, French & French literature, Jonathan Schwartz- Modern literature esp Joyce, Conrad, and Lawrence, and a wonderful Asian art professor whose name escapes me; he abandoned a business career there when he fell in love with this subject… Reply George Robinson, Class of 1966 14 May, 2023 About Intro to Psychology: Maas was Henry Gleitman’s teaching assistant in the early 1960’s. Gleitman, who was a stage actor as well as an eminent psychologist, was so compelling the enrollment grew twenty-fold. That course changed my career. Maas certainly deserves praise for carrying on his mentor’s inspiring pedagogy for so many years. Reply Susan Cohen Pel-Or, Class of 1959 14 May, 2023 “Bus Riding” in freshman ILR. Each trip was to a difference industry. Most remembered – going down into a coal mine! Reply Paul Roman, Class of 1964 23 May, 2023 Every student everywhere should be required to take that class, although it is long gone at Cornell…..I took it in 1961 and seem to remember almost all the trips! Memorable is an early robot “wiring a board” for the innards of a computer at the IBM plant in Endicott, or watching huge drums filled with smooth stones that were bringing to perfection dinner plates at Syracuse China. Reply Karen Parfitt 14 May, 2023 Ron Mack’s small psych seminar …I forget the title of the course, but it was fundamentally life-changing. Reply Kelly Banach, Class of 1979 24 May, 2023 Mack’s Abnormal Psych had us diagnosing each other and our family members. Reply Ira Casson, Class of 1971 14 May, 2023 Introduction to Genetics with its Drosophila lab at all hours of the day and night during February-March in a building on the Ag Quad was a rite of passage for biology premeds. Reply Lee Kass 23 May, 2023 The Genetics lab was taught by Harry Stinson, who was the Chair of the Section of Genetics Development and Physiology when I arrived at Cornell for graduate school in September of 1971. It was taught in the basement of the Plant Science Building. Reply Teem-Wing Yip, Class of 2001 23 May, 2023 Oh, yes, drosophila lab brings back memories of Spring 2000….memories that I don’t think about often for a reason! (I didn’t realize that it dated back to the 1970s!) Reply Art Lasko, Class of 1971 23 May, 2023 I remember climbing the hill in freezing weather in the middle of the night to “collect virgins” fruit flies! Reply Ira Casson, Class of 1971 23 May, 2023 YES! that’s the one. Reply Robert Sheinbein, Class of 1975 14 May, 2023 Milton Konvitz lectured in Constitutional Law. Amazing. Reply Lewis B. Ward-Baker, Class of 1952 23 May, 2023 It was one of the courses that is memorable for me seventy years later. It was deservedly popular with students from all the colleges in the early 1950’s. Reply Eric Alterman, Class of 1982 14 May, 2023 In addition to those on the list: Bendedict Anderson, Civil/Military Relations Ted Lowy, Government 101 Dick Polenberg, Intro American History L. Pierce Williams, Western Civ Dominick LaCapra, though I never took it, those two philosophy courses That woman who taught “Human Sexuality” Isaac Kramnick, Intro political theory Reply Steven Harris, Class of 1976 16 May, 2023 LaCapra’s 19th and 20th Century European Intellectual History courses were tremendous. Memorable lectures on Hegel and, especially, Freud (students came from across campus to audit these, leaving the lecture hall in Morrill SRO), Marx and Engels. Reply Emil Bricker, Class of 1966 14 May, 2023 Allan Bloom’s government/philosophy course featuring Aristophanes and Plato. What a wonderful lecturer—hilarious and serious by turns. His enthusiasm was catching, and I still haven’t escaped its influence. Reply Carl Anderson, Class of 1968 14 May, 2023 He chain-smoked throughout each class, but never seemed to exhale. I found that most absorbing. Reply Nicholas Adams, Class of 1970 23 May, 2023 Agreed. Class was packed––in ILR? The challenge: was there any book that changed your life? (He suspected that some might be have been changed by the Bible. But the real markers was Plato. The course stopped with Machiavelli. After that, according to Bloom, there was no philosophy. Reply Ruth Lin, Class of 1994 14 May, 2023 I agree Jessica re: Chem 207. Also would add (the next class, the spring semester of the intro course) Chem 208 taught by Nobel Prize winner Professor Roald Hoffmann! Reply Paul C. Goldsmith, Ph.D., Class of 1966 14 May, 2023 Perry W. Gilbert (College of A&S) taught Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy until 1967. He had a legendary ability to produce symmetrical drawings using both hands simultaneously at the chalkboard. His good friend and college roommate Harland P. Banks (College of Ag & Life Sci) taught an amazing introductory course in Botany that opened your eyes to the plant world. Robert A. Plane (College of A&S) used his own textbook (Sienko and Plane) to teach his large introductory course in Chemistry. Like the other professors mentioned, his lecture hall was always full. Reply Robert D. Shlien MD, Class of 1975 16 May, 2023 Robert Plane’s class was amazing. I believe at the time he taught Chem 208. The lecture hall was always packed and he frequently had a demonstration to show off the incredible characteristics of one element or another. Definitely an inspiration for me to pursue science eventually leading to graduate study in Biochemistry and an MD. Reply peter Bloom, Class of 1965 16 May, 2023 Agree with this one! Peter Bloom ‘65 Reply Edward Hodgson 16 May, 2023 H P Banks Botany 101 should be on the list. In the very first lecture in botany, he had a big plant in a terracotta pot and was explaining the leaves, etc and, as he did so, increasingly bashing the pot against the lecture so that, eventually it broke revealing the roots to the astonished class just as he explained the roots Reply Lee Kass, Class of 1975 23 May, 2023 Exactly the class that came to mind when I saw this post. Reply PAUL C GOLDSMITH, Class of 1966 23 May, 2023 And Prof Banks proclaimed, “What goes on below the soil is just as important as what goes on above!” That demonstration made quite an impact and is still memorable some 57 years later… Reply Nancy Rogers, Class of 1978 22 May, 2023 Dr. Banks was great. He was my advisor, and I still remember talking with him about primitive plants like equisetum. Another favorite botany class was plant anatomy with Dr. Paolillo. Reply Lee Kass, Class of 1975 23 May, 2023 The latter was my major prof. A great teacher. Reply Lewis B. Ward-Baker, Class of 1952 23 May, 2023 Those two-handed chalk drawings of animal anatomy in the Introductory zoology course were stunning and unique in my experience. Reply PAUL C GOLDSMITH, Class of 1966 23 May, 2023 I can still see my classmates attempting to duplicate the symmetrical embryo cross-sections with only one hand, as they frantically changed colored pens and pencils to draw and label the multiple layers and structures. Too bad we did not have cell phone cameras! Reply David Ginter, Class of 1984 24 May, 2023 Sienko had the best chem demonstrations in the Intro Chem courses. Some specactular (like the thermite reaction). Reply Paula Millenthal Cantor, Class of 1959 30 May, 2023 I am so glad to see Dr Perry Gilbert mentioned. Known in his field as, among other things, a world authority on sharks, could also call every person in Stimson’s lecture hall by name. His lectures on how vertebrates developed, from the lowest forms to the human being, were absolutely poetic. He instilled in us an awe for the process of creation. Reply Roy Geiss, Class of 1968 14 May, 2023 Richard Feynman gave a series of lectures on physics in the late 60’s which were fascinating and informative and attracted an overflow audience. The best discussion of the fundamentals of physics ever! Reply David Harding, Class of 1968 24 May, 2023 Feynman gave the Messenger lectures at Cornell in November 1964. “The Character of Physical Law.” The BBC recorded them and they’re available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk40PnWhv4dWMeFJtf47qFzug4SG_rIws There’s also a book based on the lectures. He had been a professor at Cornell 1945-1950, then wound up at CalTech for the rest of his career. Reply Logan M. Cheek III, Class of 1960 24 May, 2023 Concur. The recorded Messenger Lectures are extraordinary. Reply Tim Lynch, Class of 1990 29 May, 2023 Agreed that the Messenger Lectures are truly outstanding stuff. However, just to nitpick, it’s spelled “Caltech”, not “CalTech.” As someone who got my master’s degree there after Cornell, I can assure you that Caltech folks get very persnickety (justifiably) about that. 🙂 Reply Jim Mead, Class of 1975 14 May, 2023 Physics for Poets. Gotta love a single question unit final – “How would you describe Space and Time and Special Relativity to Lady Bird Johnson?” Reply Clifford Ribner, Class of 1973 23 May, 2023 Professor Silverman taught that when I took it and he was great Reply Reeve Vanneman, Class of 1967 14 May, 2023 I was too late for Nabokov, but his student, Prof Carden, taught a great Russian lit survey. And in four years at Cornell, she was my only woman professor. Hard to believe. Reply Natalie C Tyler, Class of 1973 27 May, 2023 I loved (and feared) Professor Carden. I got a D or a D- on my first paper but also a long, one-paged single spaced response to the ways I could have approached the topic and the ideas I could have generated. She made me understand that reading was a deeply personal conversation with the author. She made me feel Chekhov. Her opening gambit was frequently “What struck you about the reading?” and I used to read noting when I was struck. It sounds elementary but nobody had ever taught critical thinking in my previous educational experienced. Reply Mitch Frank, Class of 1975 14 May, 2023 At the end of Prof. Lafeber’s first semester course in the fall of 1973, the students gave him a standing ovation, but he had already quickly left the classroom, I believe, in anticipation of exactly that happening. He was the most self-effacing man. Second semester, in Spring, 1974, we were not so easily denied. With 10 minutes to go in the last class, in what was clearly a planned and brilliantly strategic move, two very large guys got out of their class seats and stood right next to each other in front of the doors in this classroom in Ives, barring any exit. This clearly was not going to be allowed to happen again. When he said the final words of his final lecture, he jumped up off the front table, which he almost always had been sitting on with his legs dangling while he lectured, and started walking towards the doors. As he approached the guys, I was in the front row, I recall one of them saying to them, “Not this time, Professor. Turn around and take it.“ And Professor Lafeber was instantly engulfed by wildly cheering students, shaking his hand, putting him on the back, and profusely thanking him. It was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. He was, and I have taught for many years, simply the greatest professor I ever saw. By far. Reply Michael Waxman, Class of 1969 14 May, 2023 George Stoller who taught economics was one of those people who was dryly funny.. He was a diehard hockey fan,too (no surprise – he was Czech). Every time I returned to the Hill he would sit down with me in his office to talk economics and hockey (not always in that order). Also, I enjoyed Richard Polenberg’s classes – despite being held on T-Th-Sat at 12 the number of students enrolled grew “exponentially.” Reply John Donnelly, Class of 1960 23 May, 2023 Prof Stahler, then a graduate student, was teaching a section of the introductory economics course when I arrived at Cornell in 1956. The course was superb and he was an excellent teacher. Not surprisingly, he later became Chair of the Economics Department. With fond memories of him as scholar and friend. John Donnelly class of 1960 Reply Eliot Schuman, Class of 1975 14 May, 2023 Audio versions of Konvitz’ lectures are available through ILR. They are amazing. Close your eyes, and you are back. Call ILR Admissions Office. You won’t regret it. Reply Carl Anderson, Class of 1968 14 May, 2023 Anything by Edward Whiting Fox. He filled in for the second semester of European History when I was a freshman. I also took 19th and 20th Century Europe as a sophomore and History of the French Republic as a senior. He and his courses were the most engaging experiences of my academic career and have been models for a lifetime of learning and sometimes teaching ever since. I’m profoundly grateful! Reply Terrell E. Koken, Class of 1962 15 May, 2023 Freshman Math 191, taught by Paul Olum. Only fall of 1958, for some who had tested out of freshman calculus. It was a course in linear algebra, unprecedented at freshman level. It stretched my mind. Olum later took the office of president, at University of Oregon, a sad loss to Cornell. Reply Mel Siegel, Class of 1962 15 May, 2023 Philip Morrison teaching junior year classical mechanics. He made it sound like poetry. Reply Tim Lynch, Class of 1990 15 May, 2023 Glenn Altschuler’s American History course was pretty legendary, I thought, though I don’t have any clear-cut examples. And a story from my Psych-101 experience in fall of ’87: part of one lecture was just a rapid-fire set of slides featuring optical illusion after optical illusion. Eventually after 5-10 minutes there was a strangled cry from the balcony: “Make it STOP!” I found out many years later than the friend I shared an apartment with from 1988-1990 was the selfsame person who yelled that… Reply George Weiner, Class of 1964 15 May, 2023 I recently saw an ad for an auction featuring Shakespeare’s first folio and remembered that I first saw a copy in George Healy’s Brit Lit course. I’m now 80, and I remember his discussion of the line from Eliot’s Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock, “I grow old, I grow old, I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.” I still have my copy of Norton’s Anthology complete with marginal notes. Psych 101 was also memorable. I can’t recall the professor, but Jim Mass was the TA. Reply David Ryan, Class of 1993 16 May, 2023 Professor Katzenstein‘s Intro to International Relations, and his Political Economy seminar. Reply Toby Jorrin, Class of 1992 23 May, 2023 Completely agree. Prof Katzenstein’s international relations and political economy courses were phenomenal. Reply Matthew Sagal, Class of 1957 15 May, 2023 As a Chem. E., I only took a few liberal arts courses. Nabokov’s was memorable, as others have pointed out. Another was a course in ethics taught by Stuart Brown. Reply Thomas F. Nytch, Class of 1958 15 May, 2023 No one has mentioned Prof. Sienko’s Introductory Chemistry 105, a big-lecture course for Pre Meds and Vets – or so I thought. For this incoming Freshman his explosions and dramatic chemical reactions illustrating the power of energy in this world, and to begin to understand them, (as they always were done to prove a point) was a wonderful introduction to a “College Education.” Reply Lisa Freeman, Class of 1981 16 May, 2023 I agree- and I would add Keeton’s Intro Biology. I will always remember his lecture on display behavior and how he moved seamlessly and logically from bird mating to warships off the coast of disputed territories. Reply Otto Richter, Class of 1952 15 May, 2023 Dr. Harold Reed’s class on “Money Currency and Banking” was a must for Economics’ majors in the 1950’s. He was an interesting lecturer and a “teaching” professor. All exam’s were un-announced quizzes-kept us on our toes! One day he threw a black-board eraser at a student who had fallen asleep! One of the few classes that taught me information that was useful in later life. Reply Elaine (Goldberg) Abelson, Class of 1957 15 May, 2023 and who could forget…. Clinton Rossiter’s course on the American Presidency Mario Einaudi on European politics in 20th century- Comparative Government ? (hardest course I ever took) Arthur Miezner course on F. Scott Fitzgerald and post WWI world and writers Reply Alice Singleton, Class of 1968 23 May, 2023 Professor Einaudi was wonderful. His accent forced careful listening, which was always rewarding. I was fortunate to have had L. Pearce Williams, Clinton Rossiter, Walter LaFeber, Andrew Hacker and Prof Sienko (who coauthored the Chem 101 textbook!)But another faculty star was Nelson Pike, who taught Philosophy of Religion. I still remember him pacing back and forth on the stage, stepping over and around campus dogs. I learned to think critically (perhaps too critically!) about religious philosophy. I’m so thankful to have been at Cornell in the mid to late 1960’s! Alice Singleton Class of 1968 Reply Kim Fisher, Class of 2006 15 May, 2023 It seems more recent alums aren’t commenting, so I’ll add that I’m proud to have taken 5 of these legendary courses! Human Bonding is one that I reference fairly often to this day. And Wines, of course. Reply Kenneth (Kim) Eike, Class of 1969 15 May, 2023 Kind of embarassed to be an engineer; so few comments from engineers. How about Tools for Fools? ME course on machine tools. I think it was a required ME course; I took it I think in 67-68 school year. Kimball Hall, second or third floor. I still have two gears that I machined, one graded well, other still has red grease pencil marks on it! Reply Mark Katz, Class of 1986 16 May, 2023 Even though I managed to escape the ILR School after three labor-intensive semesters, I never encountered a Cornell professor more engaged in their studies and engaging with their students than Nicholas Salvatore. His Labor History 101 class was more than a history class; it was a masterclass in the love of learning. Reply Thalia Goldstein, Class of 2002 16 May, 2023 Diane Ackerman’s Mind and Memory (English 301, maybe?) was the best course I’ve ever taken. I think I took it in 2000, and on Tuesdays it was a lecture by various faculty across arts, sciences, engineering, ag, etc, talking about their creativity in their work, whether elephant communication or dance. On Thursdays we had small group discussions of books, our own journals, and everything between I was lucky enough to have Prof. Ackerman as my group leader, and the course absolutely changed my life and started my own research path. I model my Psych of Creativity course (at GMU in Virginia) off of it! Reply Steven Harris, Class of 1976 16 May, 2023 I will always remember the late Dan McCall’s American Renaissance literature class in Goldwyn Smith. His enthusiasm and intellect were infectious. Reply Duane Ross, Class of 1983 16 May, 2023 Thank goodness someone finally mentioned Dan McCall! I completely agree that his enthusiasm and, dare I say, quirkiness made his class thoroughly enjoyable. Reply Maria Czarniecki, Class of 1990 17 May, 2023 I loved Professor Wachsberg’s Philosophy/Ethics of medicine class. Can’t recall exact title of course, but he was excellent. Reply Jonathan Cohen, Class of 1978 18 May, 2023 Yes, Steven, I loved this class and Professor McCall. His spirit lives on in his novels, including Jack the Bear. Reply Peter Hedlund, Class of 1993 1 Feb, 2024 Definitely agree with Dan McCall, although the course I took with him senior year was on Hemingway, Faulkner and Fitzgerald. Certainly memorable and gave me a real appreciation for these authors. Reply Robert Tucker, Class of 1980 16 May, 2023 Tim Teitelbaum, taught intro to Computer Science, was a great guy. Also, Benjamin Widom in the chemistry department. I took Physical Chemistry with him but do not recall the exact class number. The subject matter was thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. For the entire semester he lectured without a single note or ever referencing a textbook to assist. He had it all head. To this day I’m still amazed! Reply Kenneth Lehner, Class of 1980 17 May, 2023 Teitelbaum’s course taught me things I used throughout my forty year career in computer science. I still remember one of the grading rubrics was taking points off for “code too clever.” Having John Hopcroft (later receiving the Turing Award) as a professor was something else. Remembering Carl Sagan’s “relativistic Porsche” from a prelim (IIRC, he won his Pulitzer during the class of his I took). John Rankin coming back to teach an astronomy course the next year as Joanna Rankin. Reply Justin Fisher, Class of 1971 23 May, 2023 Hopcroft was an amazing professor – I remember him sitting on my living room floor working out an algorithm for determining which bulbs were out on my Christmas lights (I was a grad student in CS and held a Christmas party). I think Hopcroft had a good time! Reply Lawrence Kelly, Class of 1977 16 May, 2023 I appreciated all the Professors mentioned above, Maas. Lafeber, but they knew the students appreciated their genius. I , on the other hand, have always wanted to thank the Art History professors whose names I cannot recall. Circumstances found me at Balch looking to make an impression. Upon entering the young lady’s room, the artwork on the wall caused me to exclaim, “Ahh, Breugel”. I really wanted to thank my professor at the time. Allow me, at this late date, to express my appreciation. Reply Peter Bloom, Class of 1965 16 May, 2023 Rossiter the American Presidency Williams history of science Mizener Shakespeare Gilbert Comp anatomy Reply Jeffrey W. Cowan, Class of 1986 16 May, 2023 LaFeber’s History 313-314 for sure (no other class compelled students to bring visiting parents or friends on a Saturday morning). Psych 101 (the most popular/populous lecture course at not only Cornell but also any Ivy or top 20 school) Ted Lowi’s Government 101 and L. Pearce Williams’ Intro to Western Civ (each was magnificently charismatic and passionate while effectively teaching huge amounts of information) Government 313: the Nature, Limits and Functions of Law. It launched my legal career (as it surely has done for countless others — or spared them from a career that was not a good fit for them). Reply Christine (Nielsen) Berg, Class of 1987 16 May, 2023 I was a Comparative Literature major. There were only six of us in my year, and I never met any of them until my senior year. Our classes were usually very small. What I remember most are some of the extraordinary guests we had in some of our classes. Roald Hoffman, the Nobel prize winning chemist, came to one to teach about poetry – not many people knew he was a gifted poet. In another class, Eudora Welty spoke to us. She was a tiny, bent-over, elderly woman at the time, but spoke with passion and wisdom. My brother always mentioned Professor Yervant Terzian, who taught the Astronomy survey course after Sagan, as being a wonderful teacher. Reply Joe Levitt, Class of 1975 16 May, 2023 Prof. Dannhauser’s political philosophy, which I took freshman year fall 1971. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack after only the second lecture, but his analysis of Plato’s Crito so inspired me for the rest of my Cornell career and was a catalyst for my joining the College Scholar program. Honorable mentions go to Prof. Michael Kammen for American Colonial History (and author of People of Paradox which win a Pulitzer) and Prof Urie Bronfenbrenner’s HDFS early human development in the Human Ecology School. Reply Clifford Ribner, Class of 1973 23 May, 2023 Yes, Professor Dannhauser’s Introduction to Political Philosophy class was truly great. It’s a pity he had a heart attack so young when you took it. I was unaware of that. I took it in the fall of 1969, my first semester. I was very naughty and cutting a lot of classes that semester, but his was not to be missed. Reply Cindy Fuller, Class of 1978 16 May, 2023 I took Wine Tasting with Vance Christian and history with Richard Polenberg. I also want to put in a plug for Introductory Nutrition, NS 115, with Marge Devine. Her class got me interested in taking more human nutrition alongside my animal science major courses. One thing led to another, which is how I earned a PhD in human nutrition at Cornell. Reply Mark Bogomolny, Class of 1984 16 May, 2023 My very first class on the hill was an introductory AgEc class. I was sitting in the big auditorium in Warren Hall when an apparently blind man walked to the front of the auditorium, folded up his cane and began the lecture. Throughout the semester I watched Dr. Sissler lecture, use the blackboard, overheads, and other teaching aids. What as amazing class. Still in awe. Reply John Sotiriadis, Class of 1996 16 May, 2023 Professor Mankin’s Greek mythology class, sunglasses and all. Reply Monica Y, Class of 1997 23 May, 2023 Yes! That was a fun class. Sunglasses, and the red socks cap! And our final paper was to create our own mythology Reply Anne Catlin Johnson, Class of 1995 23 May, 2023 Yes!!! The list above is fantastic and includes a lot of my favorites, and I must echo about Prof. Mankin’s Greek myth class. Roman Experience was fantastic too – so much fun that I earned a concentration in Classics (as an engineer), after tacking on another legendary course – The Comic Theater – as a senior. Final assignment was to watch Animal House. Reply Jason Wyatt, Class of 2002 16 May, 2023 Maas changed my life. I have not used an alarm clock since 1998. I have the most amazing sleep health. I benefit from what he taught me every single night. The most useful of useful classes. Reply Mary Shepherd (Buchmayr), Class of 1992 16 May, 2023 Dr Robert Venebles’ two semester class on US and Native American Relations. Eye opening for me at the time. Reply Rachel Rubino, Class of 1994 19 May, 2023 Eye opening for me as well!! Really appreciated and enjoyed this class. Reply Kelley Prebil, Class of 1999 23 May, 2023 Agree about Dr. Bob’s classes! I lived in Akwe:kon and appreciated him bringing attention to Native American Studies, American Indian Program, and the local Native history and identity. We loved it at “The House” when tours from the class would come by to learn about our abode and its rich symbolism. Dr. Bob’s lectures were always packed! Reply Steve D, Class of 1995 25 May, 2023 The article title immediately brought this series to my mind as well. Professor Venables animated, inspired, entertained, and brought universal themes of the conflicts, behaviors, interests, and dilemmas of human existence to life through the lens of Native American history. Hands down the most memorable classes I took at Cornell! Reply Edward Chai, MD, Class of 1991 16 May, 2023 graham bailey applicable mathematics (421) non linear dynamics and dynamical systems american dream fred somkin history 281 early warfare east and west charles peterson history 383 introduction to modern china asian studies 221 edward gunn ethics and public life philosophy 283 henry shue too many to count four years is too short Reply Mark Morein, Class of 1977 17 May, 2023 Gothic and Victorian Lit, by Prof Eve Sedgwick in 77. She had a wonderful policy, if there was a book you really didn’t like you could explain why to her and not go to class. Only one pass per person , but it meant that everyone there was really interested ! Reply Andrea Koch, Class of 1992 17 May, 2023 Professor Ted Lowi’s Introduction to American Government was amazing. Reply H. White, Class of 1970 17 May, 2023 During the turbulent 1960s decade, Robin Williams’ classes on race, desegration, bigotry & stereotyping, and family values seemed deeply appropriate. Williams was a lon-time faculty member and retired soon afterwards. Reply Benjamin fish, Class of 1999 17 May, 2023 I agree with Venable’s class on native Americans. Psych 101 with Maas (which my father took as well). I don’t even know what an alarm clock is. I will add 2 of my own: Any comm class with Brian Earle was great. And business law with Dale Grossman was a life changer for me and the reason I became an atty. Reply Jocelyn Bowie, Class of 1981 17 May, 2023 I agree with everyone’s comment about Pierce Williams, but I’m surprised to be the first to mention Isabel Hull’s classes on modern German history. She is an absolutely hands-down amazing professor. Reply Steve Kawaler, Class of 1980 18 May, 2023 Frank Drake and Yervant Terzian co-taught Astro 101 in the 1970s. Two brilliant lecturers (and kind souls) who recently passed away. Reply Anne Paulin, Class of 1987 20 Jun, 2023 Yes, I so enjoyed Astro 101 and 102 from Prof Terzian. I can still picture him spinning in his desk chair to demonstrate how rotating planets speed up or slow down. He was holding a brick in each hand and stretching out his arms and pulling them in again to change his rotation speed, much like a figure skater would (without the bricks of course). Reply Mark Feldman, Class of 1984 18 May, 2023 Don Greenberg’s Structural Concepts (ARCH222) which I took in the spring of 1981. With his wonderful foam beam and highly targeted conceptual teaching, we learned structural design from base principles, and how to ask the right questions. His exams were held on Saturdays, without a time limit – and the problems were specifically ones we had not encountered before. The requirement to review, frame and solve these problems taught us how to think in ways that have nourished me often over the years. So important to so many of us. Reply Jonathan Cohen, Class of 1978 18 May, 2023 Liberalism and its Critics taught by Issac Kramnick Intro to English Literature with M.H. Abrams Reply Nicholas Adams, Class of 1970 23 May, 2023 I would add M.H. Abrams on Romantic poetry––was it English 365? When he recited Wordsworth, looking out on the Quad, you could almost imagine the poet right there in Upstate New York. as I teacher I used his definitions of Romanticisms (and quoted from his book, The Mirror and the Lamp) over and over. He was a person of extraordinary intelligence, gentle and sharp at the same time. Reply Scot Martin, Class of 1981 19 May, 2023 I would nominate two courses/professors that had great influence on me: Professor Daniel Sisler who taught, among other courses, Economics of Agricultural Geography and Professor Dick Aplin who taught Introduction to Business Management. Professor Sisler, who was blind, would amaze his classes by writing on the chalk board, wander around the stage and then return to point at exactly the words he last wrote. Professor Aplin in one class, would tear off his shirt to reveal a graph written on his undershirt that he wanted everyone to remember! No one forgot that graph. Reply Mindy Comstock, Class of 1985 23 May, 2023 Hey Scott! Mindy Manley down here in Texas, from hockey at Cornell. I loved Prof. Sissler, too. I’ll never forget the story of his friend who had a llama in Alaska. That llama would come in the house, settle down to watch TV, and eat his own bowl of popcorn. He had the best stories! How are you? mindycomstock@gmail.com Reply Peter Matlon 23 May, 2023 I served as Dan Sisler’s TA in 1971-73 and he was absolutely the most impressive teacher and role model I’ve met in my life. He was a gifted speaker who explained the nuances of complex economic, agronomic, food science and geographic interactions in memorable, enjoyable and (apparently) effortless ways. But behind each lecture were hours of careful preparation, all organized by Dan onto braille note cards to which he would refer from time to time. He loved telling stories and the power of humor. One of his favorite stunts at the end of a lecture was to surreptitiously feel his braille watch hidden behind the lectern, turn his glass eyes up toward a wall clock and announce “I see that we’ve come to the end of our class today” before dismissing the students. Students were always dumbfounded, until they broke out laughing at the joke he had just played on them. Dan’s blindness gifted him with an intellect and strength of character that translated into making him a great TEACHER in the large sense. I’m forever grateful for having known and worked with him. Reply Kenneth L Gallaher, Class of 1975 19 May, 2023 Rold Hofmann taught a graduate course which I would call Melecular Orbital Theory for Organic Chemists. It was Thursday and Saturday at 9am as I recall. I audited it as I was nearly through with my PhD but made nearly all the classes Non-mathematical – he really made you feel like you understood it. Reply Robert (Bob) Chin, Class of 1980 23 May, 2023 Roald Hoffmann before he won the Nobel Prize (1980) – teaching freshmen Chemistry, 207-208 in the late 70′. We were his first freshmen chem class. His first prelim was a math game which covered nothing in our notes or textbook. When the average turned out to be a 50 – I remember him telling us, “That’s why you are at Cornell”. I was about to move back to Texas realizing this was going to be hard. Reply David Bilmes, Class of 1978 23 May, 2023 My freshman year I took Chem 108 with Roald Hoffman. It was the Chem class for students who weren’t pre-med majors, but needed to fulfill their science requirement. I always struggled in Chem, but he was an amazing professor and I remember how he was always doing all sorts of exciting chemical reaction demonstrations. I was so happy for him when he later won the Nobel Prize. Reply Michael P Hymanson, Class of 1974 20 May, 2023 Particularly enjoyed Urie Bronfenbrenner’s course on Development of Human Behavior. Reply Michael Marrero, Class of 1982 21 May, 2023 Intro Biology -Prof. Keeton- he wrote the textbook used by almost every intro bio course in the country! Reply David Bilmes, Class of 1978 23 May, 2023 I was lucky enough to have Keeton for the intro Bio class my freshman year. It was the 100-level Bio class for students who weren’t pre-med majors. He gave half the lectures, and another professor whose name I don’t recall gave the other half. Whenever Keeton lectured, the room was packed. When his teaching partner lectured, the room was half-empty. I still remember Keeton getting a spontaneous standing ovation after he finished giving a lecture on the dark reaction of photosynthesis. His lecture about birds, and how they find their way to fly north and south each year was also memorable, as was his lecture about the heart, since he had had heart surgery. At my 40th reunion, we stayed in the new dorm on West Campus named for him, and my class will be staying there again for our upcoming 45th reunion next month. Reply Nancy Rogers, Class of 1978 22 May, 2023 I wish I could go back and take some of these classes with these professors that I missed when I was in school or only sat in on. I feel lucky I got to hear Dr. Maas talk to the Cornell alumni group in Maryland about sleep many years ago, but I wish I had taken his class. Reply Heather Bouchey, Class of 1992 23 May, 2023 Human Sexuality, Andrea Parrot (I think) Reply Kyle Buelow, Class of 1989 23 May, 2023 Dr. Raffensperger’s Cultural Entomology class was tremendous, both in how he taught and the content. I remember hearing Muddy Water’s King Bee as I walked in one day, then he taught us about bees. I also remember him teaching about the origins of the black plague. Rare to have such takeaways from a class. He was the best professor I ever had. Reply Eugene Sorets, Class of 1984 23 May, 2023 L. Pierce Williams’s Western Civ was an absolute revelation for this freshman. He presented history in all its uncertainty and drama, not to be taken for granted. I still have all his books. Reply Charlie Staadecker 23 May, 2023 There were three courses in the Hotel School that were definitely in the category of memorable and unforgettable. 1. Jerry Wanderstock’s “ Introduction to Meats” where a whole side of beef was dissected. 2. Laura Lee Smith a five credit course in Chemistry. Would make or break your GPA. She had a habit of writing critical formulas on the blackboard with her right hand and with an eraser in her left the words would disappear to the groans of the entire class. 3. John Sherry a famed NYC attorney traveled to Ithaca every Thursday to conduct his class which he did over 35 years. He wrote the preeminent book on hotel law “The Laws of Innkeepers”. He was Conrad Hilton’s personal attorney. Reply John Pijanowski, Class of 1999 23 May, 2023 ED240 The Art of Teaching created by George Posner Reply Linnea Johnson, Class of 1977 23 May, 2023 Surprised to see Dr. Posner’s name after all these years. My father was his graduate advisor at what was then SUNYA. I did take the course but my talent for educating was nil at best. Reply Judith (Judy) Singer Bercuvitz, Class of 1960 23 May, 2023 Arthur Mizener’s course in Shakespeare, Donald Grout’s course in the History of Western Music, which became a famous textbook after I took the course, Goerge Healy’s course in British literature taught me so much about British poetry that I never forgot (did he become the Rare Book librarian?), Nabokov’s course (I took it about its last year, before he became “rich” from Lolita) and was it Prof. Rice who taught a survey course in Western History? Maybe Corey can tell me. Reply Nicholas Adams, Class of 1970 23 May, 2023 There were many. No one has mentioned Esther Gordon Dotson’s lectures on Renaissance Art; she was also my adviser and I wrote my thesis for her. I asked her, many years later, how I managed an art history major by only doing courses in the middle ages and the Renaissance. She smiled and shrugged. I don’t think she was fond of rules (the administration was not generous to her in her early years of teaching there) and she wanted me to do what I wanted to do. But I would also add Robert Farrell on Chaucer; Mario Einaudi on European government; Andrew Hacker on American government; Anthony Caputi on Shakespeare. I still live off my college courses. Reply Laura McClellan 23 May, 2023 Professor Robert Summers’ first-year Contracts class at the Law School. Reply John Blackton, Class of 1966 23 May, 2023 The Steve &Mario Show 2PM Goldwyn Smith B Mario Einaudi and Stephen Muller’s engaging intellectual romp through Bismarck, Weimar, Italian Fascism and more. Under the flag of Comparative Government Reply Mike McGarry, Class of 1989 23 May, 2023 Dick Baer’s Religion, Ethics, and the Environment (NR 409 maybe?) was one of the few classes in my major (Natural Resources) that held appeal to non-majors. Freshman writing seminar titled “Writing from Experience” referred to among participants as “Lying from Imagination.” “Verts” was a 6-credit course in vertebrates that had t-shirts. Reply APS, Class of 1990 23 May, 2023 I was reading all the way down the list before posting Vertz and here it is! Comparative anatomy from earthworms on out. Also Karl Niklas’ Botany, Tom Gavin’s Field Biology Reply David G Marsh MD, Class of 1965 23 May, 2023 And who can forget Brit Lit Prof George Healey reading,John Donnie’s, “Death be not Proud,” the day after JFK was shot. Not a dry eye in the crowd? Reply Cindy Sommer, Class of 1966 23 May, 2023 Biology 101 in 1962 taught by William Keeton! I remember everyone hanging their fetal pigs outside the windows of Donlon Hall to keep them cool – then bringing them in to study for the lab exam. Reply Lisa Sotir Ozkan, Class of 1988 23 May, 2023 Ted Lowy’s Intro to American Government 101 – his class packed Bailey, and I still hear “Discourse – Discourse is the heart of the matter.” Walter LaFeber’s course, of course Any course taught by Nellie Furman in the French Lit department Reply Richard C. Goldberg, Class of 1974 23 May, 2023 Additional mention is required concerning Profs. Joel Silbey, R. Laurence Moore and Sewall Cushing Strout, all giants. Prof. Silbey provided invaluable insight into the historical basis of American political voting behavior; Prof. Moore (happily still with us), showed the uninitiated what American intellectual history was, and why it matters, deeply; and Prof. Strout fleshed out in both historical and literary contexts the elements that infiltrate and influence American culture and institutions. What these scholars showed to us in the classes of the 1970s continue to provide powerful tools of understanding 50 years later. Reply Barbara A. Bruno, Class of 1968 23 May, 2023 I don’t recall his name, but a professor who taught the Chaucer course in the late 60s seemed like a Chaucer character who had come to life. Delightful! Reply Victor Reus, Class of 1969 23 May, 2023 I think it was Anthony Caputi, and I agree. Reply Elizabeth Grover, Class of 1975 23 May, 2023 For me, definitely the best classes were American Foreign Policy with LaFeber and Polenberg’s Recent American History class. I also took a class on the American Presidency in the Government Department in fall semester 1974 after Nixon resigned and was pardoned by Ford–very timely! My son attended Cornell and took a few courses online that I also listened to–American Pop Culture with Glenn Altschuler was terrific, especially since it covered an era in which I grew up. There was also a class on Prisons in American Studies (can’t remember the professor’s name or the exact name of the class) which gave me great insight into the American prison system and the reasons why so many minorities are incarcerated in the US. Reply Barry Biederman, Class of 1952 23 May, 2023 I would add Fritz Stern’s course in German history. He was just starting out on a magnificent career, producing a landmark book on Bismarck and rising to become the Provost of Columbia. An electrifying teacher. Also, Carl Stephenson. His seminar on Medieval History was a study in how to approach the past as lived experience. He taught lessons applicable to any historical era – or any humanistic study. Another great teacher. Reply Steve Lockhart, Class of 1984 23 May, 2023 Wow, so many talented and dedicated professors, but three stand out in my memory. I was fortunate to take a course in Dostoevsky, taught by visiting professor Nina Perlina. An entire course in Dostoevsky–what a treat! Bruce Land’s lab course in neurobiology was very memorable. For the final project, each team was handed a vial of some unknown substance. We had to guess what it was by measuring its effect upon the conduction of impulses along a frog’s nerve cell. As a EE, I want to say how much I appreciate Professor Ralph Bolgiano’s course in electromagnetic theory. In addition to helping me understand a difficult subject, he was inspiring–instilling an appreciation for these laws of nature. “Let there be light!” Reply Gordon Greenfield, Class of 1989 23 May, 2023 I was a teaching assistant for Doc Aplin’s Intro to Business 101 in AgEc. He was one of the most passionate, funny, caring, committed professors ever. For a big lecture, survey course, he was always looking for ways to shake things up to help engage students and help them remember key points. Intro business courses are not generally considered ‘fun,’ but he did his best. I miss the man and it is still one of my fondest memories of grad school. Reply Judy Thoroughman, Class of 1993 23 May, 2023 Andrea Parrot’s Human Sexuality class was the best. She did a lecture as Queen Victoria and answered questions as her highness after the TAs had handed out graham crackers to everyone as she explained the origin of the cracker. She hosted a live sonogram in class, had an alum that was drag queen as a guest, and invited a current student talk about what it was like to live with HIV in a period before treatments were widely available. Reply Bill Leonard 23 May, 2023 Joe Bugliari’s classes in Business Law during the 1970s were a special treat. His engaging personality, lucid explanations, relatable examples, and sense of humor truly brought otherwise dry subject matter to life. Reply Luis Chaya, Class of 1989 23 May, 2023 I really enjoyed professor Harry Conway’s “Mechanics of Materials”. Brilliantly explained!. His british humor was outstanding. I particularly remember when, referring to a classmate’s comment, he said: “You might remember I previously explained that the formula is an approximation..you know what an approximation is? If you stick your finger in the ocean, its level will rise….but not very much! Reply Lewis B. Ward-Baker, Class of 1952 23 May, 2023 Henry Alonzo Myers had us sitting spellbound on the edge of our seats so as not to miss a word three times a week as he took us through “Drama and the Theater, Part I” from the Greeks through the Romans,the Middle Ages, and Shakespeare. My life on amateur stages over the past seventy years has been inspired and enlightened by what he said. Reply Dustin Moskowitz, Class of 1991 23 May, 2023 So I took Intro to Wines (and Spirits) HA430 in Fall 1990, as a CAS senior. The Lecturer was Ms. Barbara Lang. Why would she have not been included in the list of teachers? (I truly have all my notes from school, and an entire 3-ring binder for Wines alone!) Reply DAVID KIRKWOOD, Class of 1968 23 May, 2023 Harry Caplan’s “Baby” Greek was a legendary course from the 1920’s into the 70’s. He combined the seriousness of a classical scholar with the wit of a Jewish comedian–and never forgot a student. Reply Mary Bailey 23 May, 2023 Dominick LaCapra’s courses on 19th and 20th Century Intellectual History (1971-72?) were thrilling, models of great lectures: absolute command of an inclusive narrative and, often, a soaring flight into a new hypothesis he was just beginning to work out. He connected all the dots before we knew who all the dots were, thus propelling our own research and development. Grounding and inspirational: I remember a few standing ovations in Bailey Hall. Reply Bruce Taylor, Class of 1972 3 Jun, 2023 Agree with everything here. One of my favorite moments at Cornell was his recall of moments he had trouble acclimating himself to French culture when he was at the Sorbonne. He recalled a number of Frenchmen with “crises de foie”. He was surprised at how these folks had spiritual crises. The French idiom for an upset stomach is “crise de foi”. I never missed one of his lectures. Reply Rick Grinter, Class of 1976 6 Jun, 2023 Dominick LaCapra’s lectures were works of art. I still study Intellectual History today – there are some wonderful lectures recorded in the 90’s and available on YouTube by Michael Sugrue. These remind me of LaCapra. Reply Bevan Das, Class of 1990 23 May, 2023 David Delchamps course on circuits in electrical engineering. The only professor who wrote, in cursive, legibly, on the blackboard as fast as he talked, throughout the whole lecture. Any course with Gordon Teskey on classical poetry or theater. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of poems and plays, and delighted us with story after story throughout class times. Sadly, they were only small class sizes. Reply John McDaniel, Class of 1982 23 May, 2023 Wow, What a lot of good names – Profs. Silbey, Lowi, Teitlebaum, Bugliari. Here are a few more – Prof. Maxwell and Prof. Muckstadt from OR&IE, Prof. Sachse from Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and one I think of often – Prof. Schuler who taught an economics course regarding government programs such as building a bridge. Each one was welcoming to all students — whether the students were part of their field, bright or not so bright. Reply Mark Kritz, Class of 1959 24 May, 2023 Back in the 1950s engineering was a five year program, and one of the classes I particularly looked forward to in my last year on campus (1959-60) was Vladimir Nabokov’s. But that turned out to be the year that Hurricane Lolita swept VN off to Montreux, and Herb Gold came in to teach the class instead. Gold wasn’t VN, but he was excellent in his own way. I enjoyed his class very much, and have followed his work to this day. (He is living in San Francisco – where the wings of chance eventually swept me as well!) And of course VN later published his lectures in a two volume set, allowing me and many others access to his Cornell lectures. Reply Robert Wappman, MPA, Class of 1992 24 May, 2023 Intro to American Politics with Professors Ted Lowi and Ben Ginsburg was a staple for anyone pursuing American politics and government. And, their textbook was widely used in countless editions across the U.S. in countless colleges and universities for aspiring politicos. Reply Logan M. Cheek III, Class of 1960 24 May, 2023 Two nominations, both of which predate most reader’s’ experiences: 1. Before Lefeber or Lowi, there was Dexter Perkins’ “Ideals and Self Interest in American Foreign Policy”. Perkins had retired as a full Prof. at the University of Rochester, but agreed to come to Cornell as the John L. Senior Professor. In those days, there were very few named professorships, so that alone was a BFD (Big Fantastic Deal 😉). But the Senior professorship was unique in its day (and may still be) in that it paid the holder’s salary as well as for his TA’s. His expected stay of one year stretched into several, from 1954-1959. Always packed Goldwin Smith A. As sideshow, it happened that in addition to his Boston Latin, Harvard and Cambridge credentials, and President of the American Historical Association, his mother-in-law was Wilma Lord of Fanny Farmer of the cookbook and chocolate factory fame. The Fannie Farmer Cookbook is still in print 126 years after its 1896 first edition. In my early career years in Rochester, the Fanny Farmer chocolate factory on South Main Street was a constant reminder of my days on the Hill with Dexter. 2. Walter Berns and his predecessor, Robert E. Cushman, our constitutional law scholars. I attended Cushman’s last lecture in the Spring of 1957, when all other government classes were dismissed to attend. I thought “Who can top this?” That happened to be Walter Berns. Berns was the only Professor I experienced who not only received a standing applause for his semester’s last lecture, but frequently received them for others. He was, unfortunately, a victim of the 1969 riots, in which he had to flee Ithaca under threat from Thomas Jones, later a Cornell trustee and an executive with CitiGroup, Traveler’s, and TIAA-CREF. Those events also led to the departure of many others of distinction in our history and government departments. Principal among them was Allan Bloom. But Berns recouped with help from Joe Coors, (class of 1939), and in addition to his association with the founder of the Heritage Foundation, went on to a distinguished career at Georgetown, and resident scholar at The American Enterprise Institute. Jones later attempted to apologize; Berns ignored him, noting, “First you tried to kill me, and now you manage my retirement fund!” Reply Logan M. CHeek III, Class of 1960 25 May, 2023 Additional observations on Robert Cushman and Walter Berns. Clearly, Robert Cushman’s All Star students was (ta,tah, drum roll and cymbals, please) the late Associate Justice of the United States, RBG. I’d also nominate as Professor Berns’ career major league, all star student my late classmate, Janet Reno ’60, later US Attorney General. Janet started and graduated as a chemistry major, but I’m sure it was Berns inspired teaching that steered her into law school and public service. Reply David Ginter, Class of 1984 24 May, 2023 A couple years ago I was doing a deep dive on the Milgram experiment and Stanley Milgram. Remembering my Psych 101 experience, I made an inquiry on Dr. Maas’ website for recommendations as to the best books on the topic and the man. Same day I get a phone call from Dr. Maas himself and chatted with him on the matter for more than a half hour. That is a personal highlight for me. Reply Diane McChesney, Class of 2002 24 May, 2023 “Monkey Chow” – Exotic Animal Nutrition with Harold Hintz. Slide-based with some very random topics thrown in every few minutes to keep attention. Reply Lauren Trakimas Frye, Class of 2007 24 May, 2023 Roman Art- I can’t remember the professor, but he had many slides from his own experiences excavating at former sites of the Roman Empire. This was refreshing for a pre-med student. Reply Anthony Blackmon, Class of 1979 25 May, 2023 Where’s “Brownies with the Dean” Reply Bill Johnson, Class of 1970 25 May, 2023 Archie Ammons taught English 101. There were about 20 of us in his class. Archie was a poet…a great one at that. He was among the first to receive a MacArthur Award. His class was composed of students from all corners of Cornell. I was an engineering student. I once submitted an essay hand-written and one page long. He gave me a B+ with the annotation “Powerful, Short” He was the one professor I continued to meet with through out my time at Cornell. Reply Alec Stevens, Class of 1994 26 May, 2023 Not much love in these comments for engineering classes! Among the notable favorites, I took Psych 101 with Maas as well as Wines. Another memorable class was my Freshman Writing Seminar class “Writing about Film”, although I can’t remember the name of the professor. Tim something, I think. I still remember all the classic movies we had to watch for “homework,” like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, Rear Window, and others. In the ugly buildings of the Engineering Quad, however, Civil Engineering 116 (a/k/a Bridges) with Professor Mary Sansalone was a great class for me. It was hands on and accessible, when most of my other classes as a freshman engineering student were theoretical and taught in lecture fashion with 100-500 students. Classes like CEE 116 persuaded me to stick with an engineering major with the hope that I could get into more hands-on work, which I definitely did. The capstone of my engineering studies was MAE 490 – Special Investigations in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, a/k/a the CUHEV team. In this “class”, we built hybrid electric vehicles and raced them against other engineering schools at the end of each academic year. Even though I no longer work in vehicular engineering, it’s safe to say that the CUHEV experience defined my time at Cornell. It also opened the door to my career as an engineer and created a lifelong group of friends. Reply Tom Clausen, Class of 1973 5 Apr, 2024 I think the Film Prof. you mentioned may have been Don Fredrickson, who provided wonderful context and insight to the classic films he featured. Reply Rick Kuhar, Class of 1986 26 May, 2023 Pollenberg’s Recent American History was my favorite class at Cornell, and I’m a Hotelie! With each lecture, more like storytelling, he found a way to connect the story to Ithaca or Cornell. I wonder if anyone remembers”Ethnographic Films”? We used to call it Wednesday Night at the Movies! Reply Natalie C Tyler, Class of 1973 27 May, 2023 Geology 101-102 was my chosen “science” and how I feared it. Professor Shailer Shaw Philbrick was a genius at connecting geologic history in a comprehensive way. He took us on field trips. I loved the way he spoke of the wonders of French Lick, Indiana. I learned that passion is all around: he cared for a rock the way I cared for a sonnet and his excitement was contagious. The guest lectures with Carl Sagan were a bonus. Science was no longer opaque to me after my year with Professor Philbrick. Reply Aaron Feldman, Class of 2000 27 May, 2023 Prof Neal Zaslaw’s Haydn and Mozart. What a great way to connect with some of the best music ever written. Reply Anne Paulin, Class of 1987 20 Jun, 2023 Phew, I had to scroll far down to see someone finally mention Neal Zaslaw! I took “Bach to Debussy” with him as well as his Mozart class – an entire semester just on Mozart. Woot! Reply Michael Ernstoff 28 May, 2023 This comment is different. It relates a course feared and detested by most Electrical Engineering students in the very early 1960’s . Professor Osborne’s courses in AC and DC machines was required for graduation with an EE degree. The fact that many students had great difficulty getting a passing grade was reflected in typical prelim exam grades; they were often down around 60% and they were not graded on a curve. In hindsight the poor grades were probably a combination of a failing to understand Professor Osborne’s objectives as well as the belief that studying AC and DC machinery was a waste of time in a era when transistors were on the verge of dramatically changing electronics. In the end, Professor Osborne offered a double or nothing option, so students could graduate. Pass a one-term make up course and you’d get credit for both courses toward your course requirement. It is often said that what is old is new again. Today, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), electric motors consume more 50 percent of all electrical energy in the United States. Electric motor design has once again become an important topic. f.y.i. I passed the all the courses in the sequence. Reply Steven Murphy, Class of 1979 30 May, 2023 Dr. Gerald Fink’s intro Genetics course stands out me. Notorious for low means on his prelims, I must have been inspired, as I got a 100 on the first exam …. It was all down hill from there. And counting genetic mutations in fruit flies …. I can still smell the ether from the poorly working hoods in the Plant Sci. building. Reply Rick Grinter, Class of 1976 6 Jun, 2023 I took so many memorable courses during my time at Cornell; Sagan’s Astronomy 102, Maas’ Psychology 101, and Mack’s Psychopathology. A couple that were not, in my opinion, sufficiently highlighted were Intellectual History by Dominick LaCapra and Problems of Mind by Norman Malcolm. Reply David Schwartz, Class of 1973 7 Jun, 2023 I’m surprised nobody mentioned Bio 320: Neurobiology and Behavior. Friends and I called it “Gee Whiz Biology” — an accolade for the many awesome (in the true sense of the word) things taught. The first half of the course, Animal Behavior, was taught by two idols of mine, Tom Eisner and Steve Emlen. They got applause after every lecture. Eisner, a Holocaust survivor or refugee, had a celebrated career and was one of the founders of the field known as chemical ecology. When he died some fifteen years ago, Natural History magazine ran a stirring tribute. I haven’t heard anything about Emlen and would like to know more about him if anyone knows. Reply Cindy Duke, Class of 1985 2 Apr, 2024 I took this class in the ‘80’s. It was wonderful. I LOVE prairie dogs! Reply Paul Jensen, Class of 1971 10 Jun, 2023 I really enjoyed Professor Newhall’s Physics coure Reply Anne Paulin, Class of 1987 20 Jun, 2023 I took Alison Lurie’s Children’s Lit class in my very last semester at Cornell thinking I’d be able to relax while reading Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland. I had never heard of Lurie at the time, but you’d think the fact that it was a 400-level course would have clued me in that this would not be an easy A… Reply Larry Matlack, Class of 1967 12 Dec, 2023 Nelson Pike. Freshman year in Philosophy of Religion. I’d never seen anyone so intensely involved in his subject. My recollection is no notes. Reply Marilyn Brewer Lhuillier, Class of 1965 24 Apr, 2024 Yes, I remember this course Philosophy of Religion 322 (you can find an article on this course by Nelson Pike in the 1964 Cornellian yearbook). Apart from being one of the handsomest professors on campus (a majority of the class was feminine) he presented an argument in favor of the existence of God, and followed up with an argument in favor of the non-existence of God. And his last words at the end of the course were: “It’s up to you to decide.” Reply Cindy Duke 2 Apr, 2024 I was a graduate student in the ILR school and took Arbitration from Prof Gross. I remember getting my first couple of papers back, usually briefs on sample cases. These initial efforts on my part came back with lots of notes from Prof Gross, written in red pen, at the end of sentences or paragraphs I had written and usually read, “Why is this relevant?”, or “How do you know this?”, or simply, “Why?”, “So what?”, “Where’s your proof of this?”. WOW- I learned to think clearly and critically pretty fast! Today, my partner and I enjoy reading editorials, letters to the editor, and other opinion pieces through the lens of Prof Gross. In honor of Prof Gross, we often give the writer a failing grade! Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Alumni MD Keeps Adventure Travelers Healthy on the High Seas Campus & Beyond ILR’s Worker Institute Helps Guide a Newly Energized Labor Movement Cornelliana The Hill in Haiku: Alumni Wax Poetic about their Alma Mater