BLOOMSBURG STATE COLLEGE
Bloomsburg
Pennsylvania
AnLhropology Newsletter
Vol. 3, No. 1
September 1978
Department of Philosophy and Anthropology
. It's a plane . . . No, it's the first issue of the 1978-79 Anthrolt 's a bird
pology NewsleLtet. This year's volume, which should be composed of eight issues,
will be even betler than last year's. To make sure that's true, this year's volume
wj�l feature greater participation by students. Steve James will serve as general
eJicur along with Dr. Minderhout, while Bill Creveling and Jan Dunlevy will be handling
t:.e interviev,s. And as the article by Brent Lees in this issue shows, there will be
features by several of the anthropology majors. In future issues watch for Steve's
surrnaary of his fieldwork this summer in the Louisiana oil fields and for Bill and
:an's interviews with faculty and students campus-wide. In addition, Dr. Greenwald
ha1:1 promised a review of the movie "Animal House" from a social structural perspective.
So . . • get teddy for a good year.
��;:.L major and i nteresled student should have a copy of the department's occupation
g�ide (white folder) as well as the handout on graduate schools in anthropology. You
should also take a look at the program listing in the new catalog (pp. 153-155).
?lease note the errors in the listing of the degree requirements. The course listed
�6 Suciology 470 is actually 46.470, Anthropological Thought & Theory, while 45.332
shu0ld be 46.332.
Join the AAA! The American Anthropological Association is the primary organization
tor anthropologists in the United States. The AAA holds an annual conference (this
year in Los Angeles), publishes a quarterly journal and a newsletter, and generally
serves as a focal point for anthropological activity in this country. The most
Lecent issue of American Anthropologist contains articles on the place of decision­
making as an adaptive process in the primate line, on the relationships between
�unters/gatherers and fanners, on the usefulness of African ethnography, and on man,
energy, and anthropology. Each issue also contains numerous book and film reviews
in the field. A student membership is $20 per year. If you're interested, write
�u the AAA, 1703 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20009.
Southwest Trip Reeder and Minderhout are again planning to sponsor a three-week
tour of the American Southwest. The tour will focus on archaeological sites and
American Indian life in northern Arizona and New Mexico. Natural wonders such as
the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert will be included an the tour. A different
itinerary will be used from the one of two years ago. The proposed itinerary will
feature less driving and greater concentration on a few particular sites, e.g.,
Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Aztec Ruins, and Canyon du Chelly. While the details
have yet to have been confinned, the trip will probably leave the day after spring
commencement (May 20) and return on or about June 8. Because of the difficulties
encuuntered in using college vehicles, private transportation will be highly en­
;ou�aged. If you are interested in joining the tour, contact Minderhout or Reeder.

3

The dig is historical and certainly pre-revolutionary; coins and trade goods
recovered precede George III. In tenns of variety, it is not likely that a richer
site exists nearby, or, if it did, it would not be more accessible to interested
participatiori . There is a large area to dig up and a great deal of cataloging aric'
r1assification to complete. Consequently it is possible to learn a great deal by
lending assistance to the project in some way. -Even those who cannot enroll in
the course may be able to find time to help on an occasional basis; just to visit
and observe might be infonnative. There is even space and work enough to pennit
independent research provided that the student operates responsibly under the
control of the site overseer, Mr. John (Jack) Hetrick, who functions for the
local historical society and is a forty year veteran of local archaeological
activities.
Interested students may make inquiry at the Philosophy/Anthropology office.
This is an outstanding opportunity to both serve the public and to experience
an aspect of anthropology that is not always available without accruing obligations. Yet the density and spectrum of artifacts is enough to guarantee
almost immediate reward for any efforts you might wish to give.
(Mr. Solenberger, who held a faculty research grant this sunrrner to evaluate
and lay out the Fort Augusta site, wishes to add that prehistoric Indian stone
artifacts and cord-marked pottery have also been found at some levels of the
site.)
M.A.N. Club News The tlan ~nd Nature (M.A.N.) Club held its first fall meeting
at 7 p.m., Thursday, Septmeber 14, in the Green Room, KUB. This club combines
the local archaeological interests of the fonner archaeology club with a concern
for man's relation to the ecological environment. Although current members
are mainly anthropology students, biology majors have taken a leading part in
environmental improval projects. All interested are welcome at the meetings.
At the meeting on September 14, slides were shown of archaeological finds at
Fort Augusta and of last year's prehistoric Indian dig. Plans will be made for
M.A.N. members to visit and work at Fort Augusta at other than class hours.
Other suggested activities will be welcomed.
Selected Excerpts of the Life & Times of David Minderhout 1 Ph.D. by Bill Greveling
and Jan Dunlevy. Dave spent his first two years of academia at Grand Rapids
Junior College where he received a scholarship to study speech. The diversity
of his curriculum exposed him to a variety of fields including anthropology.
According to Dave, his first course in anthropology was "terrible" - the worst
in anthropology he would ever take, but he didn't realize it at the time. After
receiving his Associate of Arts degree at GRJC, Dave continued his studies of
speech and debate at Michigan State University. After one semester Dave realized that speech was not the field that could satisfy his academic interests;
Anthropology was. During the remaining two years of undergraduate work and one
year of graduate work at MSU he developed an interest in British social anthropology. His thesis dealt with the application of economic models to the study
of political innovation. Doctoral work at Georgetown University culminated
in the infamous Tobago linguistics study.
Dave's first "civilian" work led him to the far reaches of the earth,
namely deepest darkest Bloomsburg, for in 1973 he and his wife conducted research on child language in the area for the Central Susquehanna Intermediate
Un:'-t. He inrrnediately fell in love with the area and knew that this was the
place his heart longed to be. Dave's first teaching job was at Temple.

4

Q.

Have you naticed any difference between your students at Temple and
your students here?

A.

The Temple students didn't seem to be better students, but they
were more aware of current events and the world around them. I think
the greater awareness could be due to the diverse media in the Philadelphia area.

Anyone who has ever had Dave Minderhout for a class has to be aware of
his seemingly unique attitude toward students. He is always willing to find
time when you need help or just want to talk, and his lectures are aimed at
getting the message across, not on impressing his students with his vocabulary. When askeq about his personal philosophy behind teaching Dave revealed
that he considers teaching a privilege. He also thinks he benefited much more
from his professors who maintained a similar, less formal relationship with
him while he was attending college.
Dave has given up trying to predict which way his future will take him, but
he does have a few goals he would like to see come to life. For one, he'd like
to take a sabbatical and study pre-Columbian art in Mexico. Secondly, he'd like
to see BSC's anthropology department grow with the addition of a fourth professor
and to see more of his students going to graduate school. And finally, Dave
would like to publish some books. He's got three in mind right now, one of
which is in the process of being written. This book, on an anthropological perspective on art, will deal with two main topics. He would like to look at the
underlying cultural principles regarding Western attitudes toward art, something
which has never been dealt with in anthropology. He would also like to look at
the possibility that art is a survival behavior related to human evolution.

Q.

What person, in the whole wide world, and in any time period in the
whole history of the entire earth, do you respect the most and why?

A.

I would have to say Thomas Jefferson because he was able to exercise
expertise in such a wide variety of fields. He was a diplomat, architect, philosopher, gardener, archaeologist, and inventor.

Dave also seems to have a wide variety of interests. Besides anthropology,
Dave dabbles in horticulture, bird-watching, wood-carving, and a host of collecting
hobbies.
Stay tuned next month when your young reporters will conduct a crossdisciplinary survey on your favorite professors' viewpoints on sociobiology.
Suggestions7 Yes, we need them! We need suggestions for the newsletter, for
the anthr.opology bulletin board, and for any special programs,parties, speakers,
etc. Give your suggestions to anr of the faculty or to Steve, Jan or Bill.
Faculty Office Hours:
Dr. Minderhout (219 BCH):
Mr. Reeder (219 BCH): 1

&

10 & 1 TuTh; 9 & 1 W

2 W; 12:15 TuTh; 5:30 W evenings

Mr. Solenberger (Bo)rer Garage):

3M; 2 - 4 W; 11 Th; 2 F