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Here From the Beginning, SB Prof Set to Retire

By Barry Wenie

He’* been an English profeaeor here *ince the uniyersit/s inception. before it *rrived at Stony Brook — during the day* in the late 1950 s w hen the university waa located in Oyster Bay. He spent oountlee* hours *erving on the Arta and Faculty eenates, and helped bring aboutthe unionization of faculty here. He spent nine years aa the director of GraduateStudies in English. Now, after 27 years of teaching here. Edward Fiess is retiring.

In his office in the Humanities Building, sur-rounded by numerous files of memorabilia and newspaper cłippings of his years here. Fiess dia-cussed the early years at Stony Brook. and hislifeas a teacher.

“Weil. the first thing that anybody who remem bers Oyster Bay will tell you, is that everyb-ody knew ev ery body else.” said Fiess. When Fiess started at Oyster Bay in 1957. there were only 12 faculty members and one administrator. Over the next few years. morę faculty were added and then, said Fiess, talk began to center around movingthe college to Stony Brook.

“AU of us knew a empus would be opened up here." said Fiess. “A few of us moved out here and reverse-commuted to Oyster Bay.”

“It looks morę like a campus now that the major construction is over.” said Fiess. “When we were building, st rangę things happened. When the Main Library was built, it was toosmall. and instructiona were sentouttoezpand iton the sides and on the top. which accounts for ita shape."

Still. circumstances almost prevented Fiess from observing the building* on the campus — or teach-ing at all. A native of New York City, Fiess almost went to trade school “for ‘billing machinę operat-ing'. a phrase I shall never forget” because of finan-ciał difficulties, but he ended up in Townsend High School instead. Aocording to Fiess, the school waa for “bright boys," and was abolished in the 1940's by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia for being “elitist.”

“Nobody, but nobody said anything about bright girls." said Fiess of the absence of female studenta. Fiess said that there is currently a movement to re-establish the school as a co-educational school on the campus of Qucens College.

From Townsend Harris. Fiess traveled to Ohio. where he did his undergraduate work at Antioch College. Although he wasn't surę that he would make it to college, Fiess claimed he wasn’t unsure of what his career goals were. “I don’t feel that I had any doubt once I went to college that I waa headed for teaching," said Fiess. “I didn’t have any of the feelings of whafll it beT."

Fiess reveived his masters degree at Westland University in Connecticut and eamed his PhD at Yale University. He taught in Ohio and in the City College system before his move to Oyster Bay.

Fiess’ intereet in teaching also invohre an interest in issues ooncerningteachers. He wasasupporter of the Senate Professional Association, which. despite its various problem*, led the way for unionization here.

“There’s been a change in academic life during the last three dccades.”said Fiess. 'Oneof the things (University) Ih-csidont (John) Marburger said when he look over was that it was nicetosee that the Faculty Senate was arguing over educational issues. and not over money.”

After teaching both undergraduate and graduate studenta, Fiess said he felt morę interaction with studenta in the graduate classes because of their smali size.

“Weil, it’s been my fate this semester to te ach two large lecture classes — there are 94 student* in my EGL 218 (American Literaturę ID class," said Fiess. -Ifs been my ezperience that a large group

Ooimo KenneOy

Edward *»est

tends not to ask question8."

One class that Fiess has taught to both under-graduates and graduate* is Mark Twain.

Next year. however, Mark Twain will not be offered because Fiess muat retire. Retirement is mandatory at 70 according to SUNY guidelines. Fiess had wanted to teach another year. but because of a technicality — he will tum 70 in the sum mer. which iaconsidered partof the current school year. he cannoL Although Fiess said he will not appeal (continued on page 9)

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