Alumni of '30s, '40s recall music, friends, fun

NMSU's Cornerstone Campaign for Excellence aims, among other goals, to restore the campus' old YMCA building, designed by famed architect Henry C. Trost. The building will become an Honors Center. Before it was closed in 1982, the structure served as a dormitory and later housed the music department and ROTC program. Recently, Aggie Panorama asked several alumni and a former faculty member to share memories from back when students made beautiful music in the building.

J. Paul Taylor, '42, '54, '63

New Mexico State Rep. J. Paul Taylor recalls that he took his future wife, Mary, to the Music Building on their first date. The Taylors, who live in Mesilla, N.M., have been married since 1945.

The memorable event was the senior piano recital of Taylor's good friend Dorothy Neatherlin. "It was a very nice affair," Taylor said.

The recital room held two grand pianos, Taylor said, and elegant drapes dressed the large windows.

Taylor asked Dorothy if he could bring his friend Mary, a girl with "beautiful black hair" who attended college in El Paso.

Dorothy (Neatherlin) Gaume, '41

Then

Now

Taylor and his date were among the friendly crowd who came to hear her play on March 18, 1941, said Dorothy (Neatherlin) Gaume of Belen. "My parents were there, and both of my sisters," she said.

"One number we chose was a concerto, and my teacher Erlis Brooks, who I respect so much, played with me."

Erlis (Brooks) Bender

The recital was held in a "great big room that had two grand pianos," said Erlis (Brooks) Bender. "I enjoyed all of my students a lot. Dorothy was a good student. If I assigned something to her, she did it."

Like Taylor, Bender still can picture the building's impressive window coverings. "Dark blue velvet," she said instantly, "although I could be wrong."

At age 85, Bender, who lives in Alamogordo, often travels to NMSU with a group for symphony concerts.

J. Henry Gustafson, '40

A member of a male quartet in college, J. Henry Gustafson of Las Cruces says he spent a great deal of time in the Music Building, cutting records. But the setup was a peculiar one: the recording equipment was in an adjoining room to the singers. "Somebody would put a sheet of paper under the door, and when they pulled it out we were supposed to start singing."

One time the strange arrangement tickled the singers' funny bones. "We'd take a deep breath, start to sing, and then laugh. We laughed for about 15 minutes," he said.

"The Music Building was an integral part of my college experience," Gustafson said.

Blanche Hubbard, ex-'32

It all started as a favor for a friend, said 89-year-old Blanche Hubbard, who revealed a bit of deception she pulled off as a student.

One day a friend of hers wanted to take his girlfriend for a coke instead of practicing piano at the required time. Hubbard offered to play in his place. Because the Music Building's practice rooms in the basement had windows at ground level, the two students could sneak in and out at will. They began swapping practice times. That way, Hubbard said, she could spend an occasional hour with her boyfriend at the Horseshoe's arbor.

"If you stepped on top of the piano, you could go right out the window. I kept thinking we were going to get caught," Hubbard said. "I don't think they (the piano faculty) cared as long as they heard music coming from that building," she joked.

"When I think about it, I think goodness me, and we yell about the things kids do now!"

Rita A. Popp, '93

Wemlinger gift supports YMCA building fund

A recent gift of stock from Eugene J. Wemlinger supports the Trost-designed YMCA building renovation project in the ongoing Cornerstone Campaign.

When the building reopens its doors as an Honors Center, the director's office will be named in honor of Wemlinger, a longtime friend of NMSU.

The Wemlingers retired in Las Cruces in 1972 and soon became involved in a variety of activities at the university. Wemlinger's career in the mining industry brought him in contact with faculty members of the earth sciences (now geological sciences) department. In 1981 he donated his interest in several Montana mining operations to the NMSU Foundation. When that interest was sold, the proceeds established an endowed scholarship fund in the department. The scholarship benefits students sophomore level or higher who plan to pursue careers in a geologic profession.

The Wemlingers also have been strong supporters of KRWG-TV and the University Library. In 1991 they established a charitable gift annuity, naming the library and their scholarship fund as beneficiaries. Mrs. Wemlinger passed away in July 1997.

The NMSU Foundation seeks $1.7 million to support the renovation of the YMCA Building to become the home of the undergraduate Honors Program. Several additional naming opportunities exist in conjunction with this project. For more information, contact Marcia Muller, vice president for university advancement, at (505) 646-1613 or P.O. Box 3590, Las Cruces, NM 88003-3590.

Ann Palormo

Foundation funds minority Ph.D.s

NMSU has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $150,000 by the New York City-based Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The funds, earmarked to increase the number of minority students pursuing doctoral degrees in molecular biology, will provide fellowships for five new Ph.D. candidates.

The Sloan Foundation is one of the most prestigious foundations in the United States and a leader in advancing science and technology. Its goal is to produce 100 minority Ph.D. students per year with the purpose of "changing the face of engineers and scientists across the nation." This is the first grant the foundation has awarded to NMSU.

Glenn Kuehn, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Rebecca Sellars from the NMSU Office of Development collaborated on the grant application.

Ted Greenwood, Sloan program officer in charge of minority and women's programs, said NMSU is unique among institutions the foundation usually funds. NMSU already has a pool of qualified minority students eager to pursue their studies but lacks the financial resources to bring these students to the university, he noted.

Marcia Muller, vice president for university advancement, said the gift has implications on many levels. "Attracting the attention of a top-tier national foundation like Alfred P. Sloan will help bring national recognition to New Mexico State University and its many quality programs," she said.

Ann Palormo

New Mexico State University has embarked on a three-year capital campaign to remodel the Trost-designed YMCA Building to serve as a home for the University Honors Program and to provide funds for scholarships, faculty development and program support. The total campaign goal is $9.7 million with $1.7 million to remodel the YMCA building, $3 million for scholarships, $3 million for program support and $2 million for faculty development. HIGHLIGHTS (through April 1998) 206 donors have made gifts or commitments of $5,000 or more since the start of the campaign.

Over $8 million (87%) has been committed toward overall goal of $9.7 million.

Gifts for scholarships and student support amount to $3,899,324. (130% of the $3 million original goal.)

Gifts for program support amount to $3,471,994 (115% of the original goal.)

Gifts and commitments for the building fund total $252,016.

Gifts for faculty support total $507,500.

For further information, please contact:

		NMSU Office of University Advancement,
		P.O. Box 3590, Las Cruces, NM 88003-3590,
		(505) 646-1613.