1992_05 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper May 1992

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Hye Sharzhoom • March 1992
Bulbulian still seeking knowledge
By Jeff Ahronian
Editor-in-Chief
Berge Bulbulian, comfortably wearing
a t-shirt displaying the fact that he has donated blood to the Central California Blood
Bank, will proudly declare that the love of
his life is writing about foreign travel.
Bulbulian, who once thought that he
would be a full-time writer before he ulti-
mately got sidetracked with farming, has
written material on subjects diverse as
computers, Armenian grandmothers, European travel, and is looking forward to
writing a book on the life of Artemsia
Gentileschi, an Italian woman painter of
the 1800's.
Bulbulian was born in Mexicali, Mexico. His father worked in the Imperial
Valley near Palm Springs doing farm labor
until me family moved north to Del Rey.
"Before World War II," Bulbulian recounts, "the Armenians were treated terribly. I remember constantly being called a
'dirty black Armenian.'"
Bulbulian, who enlisted in the U.S.
Navy during WWII, attended Fresno State
College before graduating from UCLA
with a degree in Philosophy. Bulbulian,
however, still finds time to enroll into as
many CSU Fresno Armenian Studies
courses as possible.
"I am still seeking knowledge," Bulbulian states. "I'm aperennial studentand
will continue to be so until my mind stops
functioning."
Bulbulian, who serves as Secretary of
the Kalfayan Center for Armenian Studies
Advisory Board, states that the Armenian
Studies Program (ASP) has a lot to offer
and that the community should put forth a
lot of effort to see that it is maintained. He
goes on to say that he has benefited a lot
from the weekend ASP courses but would
like to see more participation from both
studentand non-students. "People should
know about what their background is -
about their history."
Bulbulian Questions those students who
take courses to just get a degree. "It's the
experience that counts," he remarks. Bulbulian in fact has very strong beliefs regarding higher education. He feels that
the overall quality of education has been
lowered because of the 'numbers game' -
when certain classes are ultimately cut
because of low enrollment.   "Classes
SnOuiu be offeieu because of iiecd, liOt
because of demand."
Bulbulian has been active in a variety
of service organizations including the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, which helps provide legal assistance
to the poor. When asked why he donates
his time, Bulbulian responds by saying
that he simply wants to make a difference.
"Eveiy peiSOii SiiOuiu give SOnicihing back
to society - you can't just take."
Travelling, because of the history,
architecture, and art associated with it, is
still essential to Bulbulian and Alice, his
wife of 45 years. They are looking forward to visiting Armenia in the next 2 to 3
years and hopefully contributing something of value to their homeland.
Hye Profile:  Berge Bulbulian
Occupation: Farmer.
Born:  November 10,1925 in Mexicali,
Mexico.
Marital Status: Married to AliceKriko-
rian for forty-five years.
Children: Three daughters and four
grandchildren.
The purpose of my job is: To produce
good grapes even when nature does not
cooperate.
First job: Digging weeds for a neigbor
at twenty cents per hour.
' What I enjoy most about my job: The
independence that results from being
self-employed.
I realized I wanted to be involved in:
Supporting Armenian Studies at CSUF
when I first heard Dr. Dickran
Kouymjian speak.
My most em harassing moment ever
was: I can't think of one. I guess it was
so bad I blocked it out of my memory.
The person who has had the mostim-
pact on my life is: Dr. Earl Lyon,
Professor Emeritus of English at CSUF.
All-time favorite television show:
"That Was The Week That Was."
All-time favorite movie: "For Whom
The Bell Tolls."
Favorite food: Eggplant—any way my
wife makes it.
Favorite vacation spot: In the USA—
Pacific Grove; Abroad—Paris.
Favorite sport: Ice skating (watching,
not doing).
People who make me laugh are:
Those whose clever humor is not based
on racial or ethnic slurs.
Biggest regret: I don't have any regrets.
If I could change one thing about
myself, I'd: Be a little more careful in
my work so I wouldn't be so accident-
prone.
Best gift I ever gave: Love.
Best gift I ever received: Love.
' Fondest childhood memory: The day
• my father took me to the Del Rey
library. It was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with literature.
Favorite way to relax: Reading.
Biggest gripe: Victims of bigotry who
become bigots themselves.
I'm most proud of: My great family.
Ten years from now, I'll be: Learning.
Saroyan conference offers something for everyone
By Armen Aghishian
and Renee Topoozian
Staff Writers
Every year, Fresno honors its native
son William Saroyan with a festival to
commemorate his works of art and all that
he did for the community.
The festival began on Friday, May 1,
with a mini-symposium, "William Saroyan: After a Decade". The Symposium
took place at CSU Fresno and was spon-
sc»rcdbytheArmenianStudiesProgramand
William Saroyan Festival Committee.
The guest speakers for the conference
were Saroyan biographer William Leggett
of Napa, and Dr. Dickran Kouymjian,
Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of
Armenian Studies at CSU Fresno.
The event, which was open to the pubbc,
attracted many studenta and community
members.
John Legget presented an eloquent paper
on"The Search for Saroyan: Three Postwar Novels." In the novels and plays,
published after Wort War II, Saroyan,
himself a veteran, championed many of
the sentiments and emotions carried by
much of the public during the time. The
three novels discussed were: the Adventures of Weslev Jackson. Rock Wagram.
and The Laughing Matter.
Legget stated that as a writer, Saroyan
was conceivably a "manic dpressive, who
gambled a lot and had the IRS after him."
Following a short reception, Dr.
Kouymjian presentedapaperentided, "Influences on Saroyan: Whitman and the
Others." Kouymjian pointed out that
Saroyan's book, Weslev Jackson was the
most translated book in the Soviet Union
and Eastern Europe where he was one of
the most popular American writers.
From Dr. Kouymjian's paper it is clear
that Saroyan was "critical of the critics."
He was boisterous yet modest and passionate. Like Whitman, "Saroyan never
used flattery to advance his career."
Saroyan's first work, The Daring Young
Man oh the FIvirig Trapeze. Wds written at
a much younger age than Whitman's first
book of poetry, Leaves of Grass. Saroyan
was very much influenced by Whitman.
" In Saroyan's novels," said Kouymjian,
"no man or woman is more important than
any other."
A lively discussion and question and
answer period followed the conference
enlivened by the fact many who personally knew William Saroyan were present
at the conference.
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