Penn State
Behrend Colleg
VOLUMEXXXIII NUMBER 11
Lane Plans Retirement After 32 Years Of Service
By Judy Bush
Collegian Staff Writer
Benjamin Lane, associate pro
fessor of English, is retiring this
spring after 32 years of service to
Behrend College.
Lane has been an English pro
fessor, Director of Admissions,
and Dean of Student Affairs,
along with many other positions.
He has seen many changes come
to Behrend and has contributed
greatly to some of them.
Lane came to Behrend in 1953.
He earned his bachelor’s and
master’s degrees from Penn State.
He was hired as an english pro
fessor for the two-year Electrical
Engineering and Technology pro
grams then offered at Behrend
Center.
Throughout his career, Lane
has consistently been an innovator
of new programs and a seeker of
new directions for Behrend. He
helped shape the history of
Behrend and Behrend’s face as we
now know it.
In the 1950’5, Ben Lane led the
charge on University Park to
allow Behrend graduates to
receive their degrees here, without
traveling the five and one half
hours (the thruway wasn’t built)
to State College. He helped in-
Behrend Plans
Master’s Program
By Julie Reynolds
Collegian Staff Writer
A Master’s program in Com
munications is possible for
Behrend College. It would be
premature to guess when this pro
gram might be implemented
because it is in the planning stage
only, said Dr. Terry Warburton,
person in charge of the com
munications major.
“It is not a project that is
thrown together overnight,” War
burton said.
The program’s final structure
will result from many additions
and deletions by people involved
in the program, he said.
In addition to many individuals
shaping the program, other fac
tors include money for additional
faculty, facilities, resources, and a
variety of university processes in
volving funding and approval.
Warburton said the program
will be a continuation of skills ap
propriate to being a professional
in the communications field.
The program will attract
undergraduates looking for addi-
troduce the first social degree pro
grams to Behrend.
Lane was Dean of Student Af
fairs for 17 years. At the time the
position was created, there was no
student involvement in the
government of the university, and
After 32 years at Behrend Colli
counts campus development.
tional skills, different kinds of
positions, or higher level entry
positions.
The program will include
research-related skills not provid
ed by undergraduate study and
focus more on the application of
communication skills rather than
theory.
Warburton expressed hopes
that the program will attract other
areas of the community as well. If
the program is set up properly, it
will atract people already working
in communications who are look
ing for promotion, advancement,
or the necessary skills to perform
their present job better, he said.
Finally, the program could at
tract undergraduates and profes
sionals from elsewhere.
“l hope we would have the
resources to design a program that
would be attractive to areas out
side the regions as well,” Warbur
ton said. “The object is not to
create a program that is to
specifically service the Erie
market, but many other areas as 1
well.” I
STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563
no student representation in the
University Senate. Ben Lane was
the first viable link between
students and administration.
Lane also changed the face of
Behrend by introducing us to the
arts. He mixed his strong personal
-4retttst , •
;e, English Professor Ben Lane re-
Marande heads Mossbauer Research
By Paula Maus
Collegian Staff Writer
Dr. Robert P. Marande, assis
tant professor of physics, has
been conducting Mossbauer Spec
troscopy Research.
Marande explained that
Mossbauer Spectroscopy is:
“...research on the glass phase of
liquid crystal and polymeric
materials.” In simpler terms,
various substances are subject to
gamma radiation. The absorption
level of gamma rays in the
substance is then studied and
compared with the level in other
materials.
The research takes place in Nick
110 which was formely called the
“Laser Lab”. It will be moved to
the Hammermill-Zum Buildings
upon it’s completion. The name
of the lab implies the use of laser
equipment, however, they are not
used for this research. A multi
channel analyzer, a gamma ray
source, a gamma ray detector and
other high technology equipment
is interfaced with an Apple HE'
thwi interprets all in
~ta.
Behrend students of
various majors (two physics, one
interest in the arts with his student
involvement, and initiated the
first Behrend Players and'the first
literary magazine. He remembers
that one of the plays, “Marriage
Proposal,” was done on stage in
Erie Hall with three barn doors
for the set.
Professor Lane remembers
when Behrend Center consisted of
Erie Hall, Turnbull Hall, the Ad
ministration Building, and the
theater, all on a dirt road. The
theater was the library and stu
dent lounge.
Speaking of the 1950’5, Lane
said, “It was a marvelous, hazy
world. Faculty knew every stu
dent. Everybody knew everybody.
Students lived in a' much more
controlled environment.”
'Sfi-.' 5 1
Lane recalls that receptions and
dances were numerous. Students
organized formal affairs, spring
proms, and Christmas dances that
were held in Erie Hall. Elaborate
decorations, such as a carousel
brought in for one prom, and a
25-foot Christmas tree on a turn
table, were common.
There was total separation of
the sexes on campus. Men’s and
women’s physical education
classes were not even held on the
same day to avoid chance
pre-med, two electrical engineer
ing) assist Marande in his
research. “If all goes as planned,
these students will present a paper
to the American Association of
Physics Teachers,” said Marande.
John Pastore, one of the five
students helping Marande, said,
“Even though we are in primary
stages of research, I can already
In This Issue
Behrend Alumnus
Runs for Judge page 2
Strangers Dinner Praised...page 6
Entertainment in Erie page 9
All-Stars Hammer
Erie Blades page 11
ian
meetings in the locker rooms.
There were separate dining
rooms for male and female
students. The 28 female dor
mitory students housed in what is
now the Administration Building
were required to dress formally
for dinner, in an outfit that in
cluded stockings and heels.
Lane remembers the 1960’s as a
time when student activism was
most influential. “Confrontation
was a tactic of communication,”
said Lane. “They were sensitive
times.”
It was in the 1960’s when, also
with Lane’s help, The Erie Arts
Festival was held at Behrend.
“Students organized the whole
thing,” noted Lane.
Bands played nightly. Famous
pianists and singers performed.
Arts of all sorts, ceramics, pottery
and painting were on exhibit.
There were balloon rides and
parachutists. The Erie Philhar
monic played. There was a circus
tent large enough to seat 1,000
people. The affair went on for
five days.
Professor Lane remembers
when Behrend was the only
branch campus with a gym
continued on page 4
see the benefits for my scholastic
advancement. This research has
already provided me with the op
portunity to experience graduate
level work.”
The Mossbauer Spectroscopy
Research is the first of its kind at
Behrend College and has been in
continued on page 3
MARCH 28,1985