fA face he'll | U f By KATY KOONTZ k Daily Collegian Staff Writer Checking the mailbox can be the | highlight of any student’s afternoon if £ there’s at least a card waiting for him, V but after getting a letter and personal > invitation from the White House, it’s just ft never the same again. .. p That’s what happened to Mike 5 DeMarco (4th-political science) on the $ afternoon of the Texas A&M game. After > the Lions’ loss, he went back to Alpha * Chi Rho, where he is a pledge, and a 3 letter from President and Mrs. Carter 3 was waiting for him. The envelope contained an invitation to see Pope John II at the White House Oct. 6. "I opened it up and flipped out,” .‘j; DeMarco says. “The whole fraternity I; went wild.” * DeMarco is the national president of •)! the Catholic Youth Organization, and so Ji he wasn’t as surprised as one might £: think at getting the invitation. ; As the president of CYO, DeMarco says he has traveled “pretty much all r-over the country and out of it, too.” , Among other places, he’s been to the' j Dominican Republic, Italy, France, I Switzerland and Ireland since his j election in November 1977 Because of his CYO affiliation, DeMarco says, “I knew I could get to see the Pope, but I was thinking of going to New York to see him there at first.” So although he was planning on seeing the Pope, he didn’t really expect the White House invitation. After he got it, he switched his plans to Washington instead. The reaction of most of his fraternity brothers was surprise, he comments. “A lot of them,” he remembers, “said, ‘You’re going to see the Pope?’ ” The invitation allowed DeMarco to take only one guest, and his immediate dilemma was which of his parents to ask. Following protocol, he finally decided to take his mother, who, he says, was thrilled at getting the chance to see the religious leader in person. "I come from a real Italian neigh- li hm 'Million dollar business' just way to pass the lime ; : k iversity student mingles with pope and president m ** «■ -. borhood in South Philadelphia, and everyone there was really excited, too,” DeMarco says. “There was an article in my hometown paper about it with a picture,” he adds, “and they even taped a copy of the picture to the cash register at the local meat market. Everyone knew.” The morning he was to meet the Pope, DeMarco took the bus to Philadelphia to meet his mother. The two of them then took the metroliner into the capitol city. “The train was coming out of New York, and there were a lot of foreign speaking people on it. They were all from the embasies in New York and they were going to see the Pope, too. ” When he got to Washington, DeMarco went to the South Lawn where the program was to be held. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he says. “The place was big it was humongous. ” But even though he was in Washington, D.C., remnants of life at j r never forget t-- y ( *- Penn State were close at hand. DeMarco had to wait in line at the White House from 2 to 2:30 before he was allowed ir the gates. “Someone told me there were aboul 1,400 people there,” he says. “They were all the president’s friends, prominenl democrats and Catholic leaders. “First the president gave a speech,” DeMarco explains. “He spoke of the Pope as a poet and quoted some of his poems. He also said that the Pope’s visit emphasized his pastoral role. In words, he was dealing with people on a one to one basis and not just leading a great mass of people.” Then the Pope spoke. “He said we should stop nuclear warfare and stop the production of nuclear arms,” DeMarco remembers. After the speeches, a reception line formed, and some of the audience, in cluding DeMarco, filed up to see the Pope and the president. a weekly look at life in the University community A sunny smile lights up R. F. Perotti’s face (left) as he moves through a day filled with the musty smell of old books, (above) and the chance to tinker with old watches on the side (right and below). “I was so engrossed in meeting the Pope while I was standing in line that I actually forgot that the president was standing next to him,” DeMarco says. “I was at a loss for words when I got to Carter so I just said hello, shook his hand, and walked on by DeMarco then kissed the Pope’s ring and the man blessed him. The Pope also blessed some rosary beads, a cross DeMarco brought with him from friends, and his own medalian as well. Next, the Pope walked through the crowd to see the people who could not meet him in the reception line. “People were shouting ‘Poland!’ and waving papal and Polish flags,” DeMarco notes. “People were even holding up babies, and some of them had presents wrapped up for him, too,” he continues. DeMarco says what he will remember most about about the visit will be the Pope’s face. “I was looking at him so intently for an hour and a half,” he says. “It was overwhelming because I was only ten rows from the front about 45 to 50 feet.” The scene of the Pope standing next to Carter with the White House in the background was moving; DeMarco says. “And there were sharp shooters on the White House 'roof with“binoculars, as well,” he adds] Security was tight, he says, but none in the crowd got out of line. “I think there was a' demonstration going on outside the gates during the ceremony, though,” he notes. “It was kind of touching,” DeMarco says. “It seemed like no one wanted to leave and he didn’t want to leave either. “I think the older people feel more privileged in being able to meet the Pope,” DeMarco says. “Just being in his presence is an honor for them. “Younger people haven’t experienced enough of their religion to feel the same way. I feel it, but in a different way, than my grandmother would have. ” “I’m not really a religious person,” he notes, “But I am if I look at it in per spective.” History shelved in tiny bookstore ByKATYKOONTZ Daily Collegian Staff Writer The one-room shop nestles inconspicuously one flight above a laundry on Beaver Ave. Its yellowed, peeling paint and wooden floors go well with the collection of old books that fill the ceiling-high shelves. And the old pictures and memorabilia on the walls complete its antique image. R. F. Perotti, owner of the tiny rare book store, is a part of the old world atmosphere as he hustles about the shop pointing out special books and prized editions. Most of Perotti’s books are first editions or collectors’ items, including works of American fiction, history, art and music. For example, he owns, a copy of the first American-compiled encyclopedia of music and musicians. A copy of Webster’s Grammer from 1807 was Perotti’s oldest book, but he recently sold it. Now, the oldest work in his collection is an 1965 edition of Joe Miller’s Jests, a joke book first printed in England. Perotti’s copy is of the first American edition. First editions can be unusually interesting, Perotti notes. In his copy of The Life and Times of Edgar Allen Poe, for example, a picture of Henry Longfellow with a wine glass appears. Perotti explains that some people were upset because Longfellow did not drink, and so from the second edition on, the wine glass has been removed. One of his favorite books, however, is not one of his oldest. Its printing date is only 1967, and its author is Perotti, himself. Titled, Important Firsts in Missouri Imprints, the book deals with works published in Missouri from 1808 to 1850 and is the oi\ly book Perotti has written. ' Perotti has been collecting and selling books as a hobby since 1929, when he worked in New York City. He spent his lunch breaks and vacations buying books from dealers and then trying to sell them. Perotti has lived in New Orleans and .Kansas City as well, although he was born in Atlas, Pa. “I’ve been all over, but now I’m back in Pennsylvania because I liked it here arid I wanted to get back,” the former Treasury Department clerk says. Perotti has sold over 10,000 books in the last half-century, and he has had some of his books for 25 or 30 years. “I don’t While most of the world watched Pope John Paul II on television, -ion Mike DeMarco (4th-political science) received gave him a close-up view of the visiting pontiff. “You could make a million dollars in this business if you could find the book people wanted to buy,” he says. The trick, though, is finding what will sell. And it’s not easy. One book, an 1839 narrative of Zenas Leonard’s adventures in Clearfield, Pa., would be worth about $lO,OOO if another copy could be found, he notes. Only one copy, in a college library, has been traced. The mostr expensive book Perotti now owns sells for about $6O or $7O and is a 1929 edition of an art book in its first English printing. Formerly, it was printed only in Russian. Perotti has sold books for several hundred dollars apiece in the past. The highest-priced one he’s ever sold was the first book of poetry printed in Wyoming and it was listed at $450. Perotti sold it to Pattee at a discount and it became one of about 100 of Perotti’s books sold to the University. In his heyday as a book collector and dealer, Perotti put out seven catalogues to attract customers. These catalogues netted him thousands of sales, and he has sold most of his collection. Now, however, his business is less of a profit-making one and more bf something to pass the hours. When the shop is quiet, which is most of the time, he reads the American history books on his shelves and fixes antique watches—another item he collects and sells in the same shop. Perotti also follows football, especially the'Nittany Lions. “Maybe Joe should read this book here,” he says, jokingly, holding up an old treasure bearing the title, Functional Football. ’ “Maybe,” he adds, “he wouldn’t have been so embarrassed at the last home game if he had.” buy too much now,” he says. “It’s too expensive to travel around to the dealers.” Despite his varied collection, Perotti doesn’t See much local interest in his shop. “I can go about two weeks without selling one book locally,” he says. “I don’t sell enough here to pay for the rent.” He relies on his retirement pension for that. Perotti says that professors should have more interest in supporting a rare book store. “Old-time professors used to be scholars. You couldn’t keep them out of the bookstores,” Perotti comments. “Present-day professors are just in terested in having a job,” he adds. Thursday, Oct. 11 12 YOU'RE SURE.YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN WOMEN'S SPORTS, MARCIE? I SHOULD PROBABLY WARN YOU, JOAN. THSYDONT , &VS YOU MUCH VMS TO j seme IN AROUND HBRS. : THEY PUB ON TUB WORK * FROM DAY ONB! WHAI JOELT YOU'RE mALLXDom YOUR LrnW BIG EVENT/ s • UNIVERSITY CONCERT COMMITTEE UNIVERSITY CONCERT COMMITTEE LU C LU Z E S 1 fjn anticipation of the upcoming con- | 8 cert in Eisenhower Kuditorium, The Uni- % S versity Concert Committee would like to § z J m 8 once again remind its audience of the 3 I importance of abiding by University fire I I and safety regulations. | 5 Eisenhower Auditorium is an excep- m tionally fine facility and provides an ex cellent setting for concerts. However, because some persons •in past audi ences have not exercised good judg ment by refraining from smoking, con suming alcoholic beverages, and lighting matches, the Concert Committee has found it necessary to restrict the type of show it will present in the Auditorium. Thursday evening’s concert should be excellent, and the Committee asks your * full cooperation so that we may again § | utilize the Auditorium one of the finest | o concert halls in Pennsylvania. 3 P o cE § W Q § Thank You and Enjoy, g 8 o H ° | The Concert Committee 1 z m d m UNIVERSITY CONCERT COMMITTEE UNIVERSITY CONCERT COMMITTEE LsrmßYmi HAPPEN TO KEEP ON A VERY STRICT LAVNDRY SCHEDULE? Alert consumers spot the bargains in Collegian ads. 4 *. V •* i'll SENP YOU MY FIRST RECI MHT'ANP ONE Of S OCHS JUST rASS£O y OUT TOM ITS .ZL - ■ A ~ When completed, the circled words will Iform a quote from Shakespeare. 1 School org. 4 Elevator man 8 Paving material 14 Spare or floating 15 "A many splendored thing" 16 Goddess ot wisdom 17 Slightly more than one quart 19 Teeter 20 Meaning ot Latin "amamus” 21 Consume 23 Mare meal 24 Memos 27 "The Winter’s-":W.S. 30 Rose area 31 Storehouse 35 Make ajar, poetically 36 Algae product 38 Times without war 39 -nothing 41 Trilby 1 Ship's stem 2 Fork feature 3 Early son 4 Martini garnish 5 -pole 6 Got a Secret" 7 More calm 8 Savor 9 Had a snack 10 Resistor of sorts 11 Topological feature of Arizona 12 Med school course 13 Corvine calls 18 Knowledge 22 Total 25 Girder 26 Film units 27 Ancient attire 28 On the left, nautically 29 Girl'sname, meaning "lioness” 32 "Gesundheit" elicltor D 3 Hl« o 3 A y« 3C o 3 a»® o 3 kronic 42 Benedict - 43 Cheap marbles 44 Iron -45"A11 the world": W.S. 46 Men In uniform 47 Some beans 48 Substitute 52 Bones 53 Ordinal ending 56 Queasiness 60 Famed poet ot Germany 62 Body's Immunity device 64 Of the lips 65 Hammer parts 66 French article 67 Segal and von Stroheim 68 Classify 69 -dedeux 33 North Pole explorer 34 -Kefauver 36 "-In Her Ear": French farce 37 Deity 38 Wooden dowel 40 Stating opinion as fact 41 School member 43 Accidents 46 Obtain 47 Checkbook item 49 Ship parts 50 Beginning for national or lace 51 Pass out 52 Gawk 53 Fly high 54 Grease: combining form 57 Menu item 58 Writer Ferber 59 Some votes 61 Exclamation of doubt 63 Beginner UOJ V kfonfclV/ krantc The Daily Collegian Thursday, Oct. 11,1979—1: (icsswcid DJUDJ>| / by Mibe §berb (Answers in tomorrow's Collegian Classifieds) UOJ>| c o •■n c o c o 0888 c o
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers