1994_12 The Daily Collegian December 1994

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Decemberl994
Hye Sharzhoom
A&E—-5
r
ASO Corner
Librarian keeps active at age 88
Mkrtich Pogosian
The best way to start this article,
is probably to introduce myself.
My name is Mkrtieh Pogbsian and
I am the new President of the Ar¬
menian Students Organization.
Being President haibeen demand¬
ing yet rewarding tife past semes¬
ter. Witfi the help ot the other ex¬
ecutive officers, we have made this
semester a successful one. The other
executive officers are Tina
Attashian", Vice-President; Marine
Pogosian, Secretory; and Harry
Zekian, Treasurer. .
The executive officers have been
very helpful and without them I
would not have been able to handle
the pressure that is pan of being
President.
Some of the things that we have
done this semester, besides having
\>ur regular meetings, are go bowl-
ing, have two successful bake-sales,
dinner meetings at Round Table
Pizza, and a dance.
The problem we as an execu¬
tive faced this semester was not in
planning events, it was trying to get
other Armenians to attend the vents.
Hopefully next semester we will
discuss some of the events that we
have planned.
Some of the things that we will
j discuss at the meeting, which will
take place are a barbecue, a trip to
' Magic Mountain, and events for
April 24. x
We are hoping that more mem
bers attend our meetings and func
tions next semester,    y
Finally I would like to thank
everyone who helped with events
that we have held, the members
who showed up tfthe meetings,
and my executive team.
See you next semester!
Karen Karabian
Spring 1995 Courses
■   Armenian Studies Program
Arm* St. 10- Introduction to Armenian Studies
(2 sections)
Arm. 108B- Armenian History II
Arm. \4%-Masterpieces of Armenian Literature
Arm. Sr. \2l-Armenian Painting
Hye Sharzhoom
Under a knitted blanket, sport¬
ing large-frame glasses and pink
slippers, lies Anne Avakian, a re¬
cent arrival at the California Arme¬
nian Home.
"FreSho, California—born
1906, the year of the earthquake.
I'm 88 years old," abruptly states
Anne.
Most will be surprised to know
at the age of 88, Anne wrote an
"Armenian Folklore Bibliography"
that was published by the Univer¬
sity of California Press. This is
.only one of the many publications
[sHeundertook after retirement
As a child, Anne krtew only
farm life'i She grew ip around
orchards and fields. "What more
can you say about picking peaches
and grapes?" said Anne.
She graduated from Fresno
High School with California Schol¬
arship Federation Honors and en¬
rolled in the teacher's program at
Fresno State University. In search
of a BA degree, Anne left for
Pomona College where her ambi¬
tion and tenacity were rewarded
with Phi Beta Kappa and Magna
cum laude awards.   .
After Library school at UC
Berkeley, she spent 36 years as a
librarian working for the United
States Department of Agriculture
at its Western Regional Research
Lab in Albany, California. Anne
was active in the California Library
Association, Golden State Chapter
and the Special Library Associa¬
tion, San Francisco Chapter.
"I especially like the works of
the Russian writer, Chekhov. I en-
Gifts and Books
»\t-
jcy his style and selected subject
matter," admits Anne. William
Saroyan has made an impact on
Anne also, in that he introduced to
America a side of the Armenians
The Armenian Studies Program and its Sahatdjian Library
and Avedian Archives would like to thank the following indi-
.   .       viduals for the generous donations to the
Armenian Studies Library Collection.
Alice Gureghian. retired librar¬
ian of Fresno, for ten boxes of En¬
glish and Armenian language books
and periodicals.
Anna Tookoiau of Rcdondo
Beach, California for a collection
of books and papers by the late
Dertad Tookoian and his surviv¬
ing wife, Siroun Tookoian.
Ben Amirkhanian of the Willian
Saroyan Festival Committee,
Fresno, fora collection of five video
tapes including an interview with
William Saroyan.
Betty Basmajian of Fresno fora
box of English and Armenia books
given in the memqry of Mr. &
Mrs. Vart Basmajian.
Dr. Arra Avakian of Fresno for
a collection of eight maps and two
posters relating to Armenia.
Elizabeth Nababedian of
Kingsburg for a small collection of
Armenian and English books in¬
cluding M. Ormanian's The Arme¬
nian Church.
Gary Conklin, filmmaker from
Los Angeles, for a video copy of
his film "Notes from Under the
Volcano" (1984) a documentary
on the making of the film "Under
the Volcano" directed by John
Huston.
Karnig Mahakian of Palm
Springs fora splendid album-scrap-
book devoted to William Saroyan,
including oldNQUppings and pam¬
phlets, ami a hirge collection of
miscellaneous clippings.pamphlets
and memorabilia related to Arme¬
nia and the Armenians.
Louise and Ralph Ayvazian for
a copy of the video film
"Karabagh'sWounds"byTzvetana
Paskaleva.
Lynn B. Ross of Alameda, Cali¬
fornia for a photograph, biograph y,
and other material'about John M.
Shotigian
Martin M. Tourigian of Drexe 1
Hill, Pennsylvania for a large col¬
lection of the original scores of
classical and modem Armenian
songs composed by him.
Michael Sohigian ef Fresno for
a miscellaneous collectiou of Ar¬
menian newspapers and periodi¬
cals.
Philip E. Ta vlia n of Fresno for
a collection of four books includ¬
ing Gourgen Yanikian, The Tri¬
umph of Judas Iscdriot (1950).
Ralph and Anahld Shamshoian
ofFresnoforseveral boxes ofbooks
and periodicals about Armenia.
RoseNvart Fox of Dayton.Ohio
forafinecollectionof 38 hardbound
and 28 paperbound books given in
memory ef her father, Harou tune
Krikor Tashjian. by his widow
Nazeline A. Tashjian.
Roxanne Bezjian, filmmaker
from San Francisco, for a video
copy of her film "Charles Garry:
Street Fighter in the Courtroom"
(1992).
#
Books and Articles i
Received:
Professor Dickran Kouymjian
and the Armenian Studies
Program would like to thank the
authors and publishers for the
following books and periodicals.
Adjemian, Hrant, Armenia and
Au Revoir, Erevan, dburtesy of
Edmond Azadian. Director of the
AGBU Alex Manoogian Cultural
Rind.
Anna Avakian
not presented before.
"1 lived in an atmosphere which
was prejudiced towards the Anne-,
nians," said Anne. Saroyan wrote
about the character of Armenians
that differed from public opinion.
Anne never married by choice.
She was devoted to her studies and
travels. "It's not even safe to marry
these days, you don' tknow if some¬
one has a disease or worse," said
Anne. Between knitting quilts Anne
has visited Russia, Afghanistan,
Paris. Rome, the-Orient, Japan.
England (a summer at Oxford),
Philippines, Hong Kong, and
AJasica. -—
Anne had a personal library
which housed over 1200 books, the
source of most of her reference
work. After the age of 65, her other
publications include: "The Avakian
Family" (1986) and "Armenia and
the Armenians in Academic Dis¬
sertation: A Bibliography" (1974
and supplement in 1987). In addi¬
tion, she wrote 300 book reviews
and articles for the California Cou¬
rier.
Parts of her personal library
containing numerous books on his¬
tory, literature, and folklore were
donated to Fresno State's Henry
Madden Library this year.
Anne is an established scholar
among the community. A state¬
ment to which Anne replies. "I am
no one famous." Fanfare is one
thing that she does not seek in her
life. Her sharp mentality and re¬
freshing intellect are powerful
weapons that remain in such a frag¬
ile body.
' OneofAnne'sremarkableand
unique collections was 300 vol¬
umes of pig stories which she gave
to the Mills College Library. These
books were accompanied by hun-
. dreds of pig objects, now in the
possession of a cousin who has
displayed them beautifully.
Anne lias recently gone from a
place of independence in her own
apartment to a new home where
she is constancy cared for. "I'- e
been thrown into an extremely dif¬
ferent environment than I'm used
to. I'm adapting to living here.
They do the best they can—we
don't starve," said Ann.
"Tm in the Armenian Home
now, but I'm near my family the
last years of my. life."
"Presto is my hometown and
in the younger days I was always
surrounded by Armenian neigh¬
bors, the church, and community. I
wish we had retained the old tradi¬
tions and values. I don't know how
well ever get back to family life
and a peaceful world."
"Life has been good to me. I
did what I liked to do and enjoyed
my friendships. I may not have the
energy to travel, but I'm doing the
best I can in my own circle."
In closing, Anne said, "I'm
just an ordinary person." Her niece
replied, "I think you are pretty ex-
Anne Avakian celebrates her
89th birthday in 1995 on January 6,
Armenian Christmas, a day all Ar¬
menians hold dear to their hearts,
and the day Anne Avakian's life
began. A life that brought hope, joy
and the remembrance of the true
Armenian spirit.
See BOOKS, Page 6
California State University, Fresno
ARMENIAN STUDIES
SCHOLARSHIPS
for 1995-19% Academic Year
For students who demonstrate an interest in
Armenian culture
Pick up your applications and supplemental
forms at the
Scholarship Office in Joyal Administration
Last year, thirty-two students were awarded
scholarships. This year, you too can apply for a
scholarship. The scholarships are for eligible
students who enroll in Armenian Studies
courses aNt California State University, Fresno
FILING DEADLINE:
FEBRUARY 1,1995
VN