1987_02 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper February 1987

              Page 4
HYE SHARZHOOM
FEBRUARY 1987
ARMENIAN STUDIES PROGRAM 10th ANNIVERSARY
Gifts Highlight End of Year
Hardee of Fresno(her husband Jerry also a
Fresno State graduate), Joan Najarian
Moore of Bakersfield, and Elbert Matthew
Najarian of Sebastopol. A granddaughter,
Beth Najarian of Fresno, is also a graduate
of CSU Fresno and a former member of the
Armenian Students Organization.
Mr. Khoren Davidson of Fresno has
donated a Kodak slide projector machine,
two empty carousels, two projection
screens, and two carousels of slides. The
slides are from the region of Zeitoun and
depict the Armenian heroes who lived in
that region. The Armenian Studies Program
thanks Mr. Davidson for his generous
contribution which will greatly benefit the
CSU Fresno Armenian Studies Program.
The family of the late Dr. Souren H.
Tashian of Seattle, Washington has
donated a collection of his books. The
Armenian and English language books are
on a variety of topics. Also in the
collection are records and maps.
Mrs. Grace Paul of Fresno has donated
two books written by her father, the late
Rev. Arsen Goergizian, who was a native
of Van. Mrs. Paul has been a generous
supporter in the past years with numerous
donations of books to the Armenian
Studies Program.
The Armenian Studies Program
welcomes the donation of books,
photographs, and archival material
especially material dealing with the life of
Armenians living in Fresno.
The California State University, Fresno
Armenian Studies Program has been the
beneficiary of several donations of
collections at the end of 1986. Significant
numbers of books, records, photographs
and other archival material has been
received with great appreciation.
The John O. Najarian collection was
donated by his wife, Mrs. Helen Najarian
of Fresno. The collection consists of a
variety of English and Armenian language
books and series of periodicals from the
early thirties and forties.
John O. Najarian was bom March 15,
1882 in Kharpert. He moved to the United
States in 1910 and lived in the Boston
area serving in the U.S. Navy before
moving to California in the 1920's. He
moved to Fresno in 1927 where he worked
for his brother, Matthew, who owned
Carpenter's Hardware at 1133 Van Ness. In
1936 he bought the store from his
brother, sold it in 1948 and purchased
Blackstone Hardware, which had been
founded on Blackstone Avenue near Olive
Avenue in about 1930.
Najarian was an Armenian law school
graduate and a former president of the
Armenian Democratic League and a member
of the Armenian General Benevolent
Union and he died on July 3, 1986 in
Fresno.
He is survived by four children, all of
whom are graduates of California State
University, Fresno: John O. Najarian, Jr.
of  San   Anselmo,   Alice   Louisa  Najarian
fii*ii«ii«ii»ii«ii«ii«ii«ii*ii«ii«ii«ii*ii«ii«ii«n«i!«ii«ii«ii*ii«ii*ii«ii*ii«>ii»ii«ii*i;«ii«ii*ii«ii«ii«!i«ii»ii«ii«
| Charles Dowsed is Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian at Pembroke College, |
1 Oxford University, England. A very erudite linguist and philologist, his books and g
I articles have dealt with various aspects of Armenian civilization particularly those |
g neglected or overlooked by other scholars. His translations are noted for their precision •
1 and grace. In the past decade he has taken to writing odes in Armenian, classical and =
I modern, and illustrating them with his own drawings or caricatures. Hye |
I Sharzhoom and the Armenian Studies Program are honored to publish the poem •
• written especially on the occasion of Dr. Dickran Kouymjian's receiving the |
1 Outstanding Professor of the Year award for 1986 at CSU, Fresno. |
_   A CONGRATULATORY ODE |
TO DICKRAN KOUYMJIAN
ON THE OCCASION OF HIS BEING AWARDED THE |
TITLE OF f
OUTSTANDING PROFESSOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF        |
CALIFORNIA,
FRESNO CAMPUS 1986
Congratulatory
Notes
Dear Dickran,
We extend our heartfelt and warm
congratulations on the occasion of. the
10th Anniversary of CSUF Armenian
Studies Program and personally to you for
your devoted service as coordinator of
Armenian Studies Program and as the
rightful recipient of the "Outstanding
Professor of 1986" title. Keep up the good
work~we are proud of you.
Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Church
It is a pleasure to congratulate California State University, Fresno, on the
Tenth Anniversary of the Armenian Studies
Program and especially Professor Dickran
Kouymjian for his role in development and
enlivening the program and for his
recognition as an outstanding teacher. I
extend all good wishes with the hope that
the campus community and the Armenian
community of the San Joaquin Valley will
avail themselves of the many opportunity
to be enriched by the history and culture
of the Armenian people.
Richard G. Hovannisian
Professor of Armenian & Near Eastern
History
University of California, Los Angeles
Dear Dickran:
I would like to take this opportunity to
extend my heartiest congratulations to you
on your selection as CSU, Fresno's
Outstanding Professor for 1986.
I am delighted to see that your dedicated
efforts to education have been recognized
in this way. I am truly sorry that my
schedule did not allow me to be in the
district on October 27, to join with your
many friends in celebrating the tenth
anniversary of the Armenian Studies
Program at CSUF, and to add my own
personal words of congratulations.
With best wishes,
Sincerely,
Tony Coelho
Member of Congress
Dear Professor Kouymjian:
Congratulations, Dickran, on your
Fulbright lectureship to the Soviet Union
next spring. This is another outstanding
example of your stature and recognition in
the area of Armenian studies.
Students at Erevan State University are
in for a mind-expanding experience,
particularly those who attend your Saroyan
lectures.
Best wishes always.
\
Sincerely,
W. Ann Reynolds
Chancellor of the California State
University
|
|
s
=
I
I
I
i
—
=
=
Greeting to our friend Dikran,
Of the like of Kouymjian,
Proclaimed by Fresno's assessor
Annual Outstanding Professor.
Most aptly, too, not before time,
|    For how often, when from a distant clime
I    His Air France plane was late in landing,
| Have colleagues cried, "Dikran's outstanding!
I I, of Oxford's nondescript crew,
Am mighty proud.that him I knew
When he was mortal, like me and you.
How many years 'tis since we took a walk
Down the East Side of New York,
Talking of ishkhan and atabeg,
To be narrowly missed by a rotten egg
Chucked by a Katzenjammer Kid
Behind some tenth-storey curtain hid!
Although we made much argument
As to for what the egg was meant -
For my British English, too dam posh,
Or his Groucho Marx moustache
(I call it that, though every man know'th,
Armenians have prior claim to the growth,
For is not the famous movie man
Not know as Palabiyikian?) -
We never then could agree
If the egg was thrown at him or me.
But now I see I must take the blame
For that disrespectful aim,
Since the alternative would be
A shocking case of lese-majeste -
Unthinkable, as an'- sap 'II
Confirm, in folk of the Big Apple,
Renowned for manners more refined
ASO members celebrating at the ASP 10th Anniversary
Banquet
Than the common run of humankind.
And then - pardon me if I boast! -
I am more fortunate than most,
being co-enshrined in a Work of Art,     |
Having played a small, subordinate part   |
In a diptych of the Chinese School       |
Of the ambidextrous South Georgian rule. §
I regret I could not attend the Feast
Given in his honour, but at least |
I send this Ode of Congratulation        |
For all he's done for the Armenian Nation, f
Of which he's a worthy scion and true.    =
Air France sends its greetings, too.
•ii«ii»ii»ii«ii«ii»ii»ii«ii»ii»ii»ii»ii«ii«ii»ii»ii«ii#ii»ii«ii«ii«ii«ii#ii»ii»ii»ii«ii»ii«ii«ii«ii»ii»ii«ii«ii»ii»itt
BANQUET,
continued from page 1
idea of coming here. Without her work and
sacrifice we wouldn't be here today."
Speaking about the Program Dr.
Kouymjian said, "In ten years more than
fifteen hundred students have taken
Armenian Studies courses. It is a remarkable number of students. There is
nothing in the country that can compare
with it. These students are the link
between the first and the third generations
of the Armenians in Fresno. In order to
strengthen this Program it is imperative
that we build it up, and the way to build it
up is to guarantee job security for our
second professor. What will do that? An
endowment for the Armenian Studies
Program on this campus. I think we have
arrived at the right moment to establish
this endowment: The endowment, a chair
in Armenian Studies, will guarantee a
second position in Armenian Studies. It is
the intent of myself, professor Der
Mugrdechian, and the officers of this
university to start that endowment this
year."
Dr. Kouymjian concluded by thanking
the supporters of the Armenian Studies
Program for their continued encouragement.
The Armenian Studies Program is
planning a community wide campaign to
support the proposed Chair in Armenian
Studies at California State University,
Fresno. Hye Sharzhoom with its national and international circulation will
also play a vital role in the campaign.
Many guests from the campus
community were present at the banquet
demonstrating the close contacts Dr.
Kouymjian has developed on campus over
the years. Faculty present at the banquet
included the Acting Coordinator of the
Ethnic Studies Program, Dr. Lily Small
and her husband Rev. Sylvester Small.
This fall another anniversary banquet
will be held and the event promises to
become an annual fixture in the Armenian
community. There are many activities
sponsored by the Armenian Studies
Program each year which contribute to
the education of the California State
University, Fresno students in general
and also to the Armenian community of
Fresno. The Armenian Studies Program in
its diverse activities is a point of contact
between Armenian and non-Armenians as
well as Armenians and Armenians.
The evening came to an end with guests
meeting with Dr. Kouymjian and the
special guests of the evening.