The
History of the Hofstra University
Geology Department
(1935 - 2004)
Drs. Bennington, Radcliffe, Wolff, and
Merguerian, March 2004
Compiled by Dr. Fred
Wolff – Student and Faculty Member: 1957 – 2004
Edited and Digitized by Dr. Charles Merguerian
– Faculty Member Since 1981
Web Format by Dr.
J Bret Bennington – Faculty Member Since 1993
© 2004
THE
HISTORY OF THE HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Departmental
Time Scale |
CENOZOIC
(Yet to be) |
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THE
ARCHEAN (1935 – 1947)
Academic Year
1935–39
Dr. George I.
Finlay – Professor of
Geology.
A.B., Harvard
(1898); Ph.D., Columbia University (1903)
Hofstra
College was an extension of New York University during this interval. There was no Hofstra Bulletin. Dr. Finlay was an old timer that probably came to
the Hofstra campus to teach a physical science course, to satisfy the science
requirement for students.
1939–40
George H.
Burnham – Assistant
Professor of Physics.
A.B., University
of Colorado; M.S. New York University.
Jacob M.
Schmidt – Assistant
Instructor.
A.B., Phillips
University; M.S., University of Oklahoma.
Along
with Dr. Finlay, Professor Burnham
taught Physical Science 1–2 (a year course). Graduating Hofstra seniors needed a science course and this
was it!
1940–41
George H.
Burnham – Assistant
Professor of Physics.
Jacob M.
Schmidt – Assistant
Instructor.
At
this time, our offerings included Geology 1 (Physical) – Geology 2 (Historical)
course; 3 hours lecture and 3 hours lab (4 credits).
1941–42
George H.
Burnham – Assistant
Professor of Physics.
Jacob M.
Schmidt – Assistant
Instructor.
Dr. John T.
Hack – Instructor in
Geology.
A.B. (1935); A.M.
(1938), Ph.D. (1940), all from Harvard University.
The
Geology 1–2 course ran for the whole year. Dr. Hack
must have been pretty good – as he received all of his degrees from Harvard!
1942–43
George H.
Burnham – Assistant
Professor of Physics.
Jacob M.
Schmidt – Assistant
Instructor.
Dr. John T.
Hack – Instructor in
Geology.
By
this time we offered Geology 1 and Geology 2 courses (4 credits each).
1943–45
No
Instructors/No Courses.
Last
two years of World War II – very few students and fewer instructors.
1945–46
Dr. Loyal F.
Ollmann – Chairman of
Mathematics.
A.B., Ripon
College (1935); M.S., University of Wisconsin (1937), Ph.D., University of
Michigan (1939).
Dr.
Ollmann taught Physical
Science 1 and 2 (3 hours lecture and 3 hours lab – 4 credits). He was Chairman of the Mathematics
Department and remained in this position until 1966.
Dr. Loyal F. Ollmann, 1956.
1946–48
No Instructor
listed.
General
Geology 1 and 2 Courses offered (4 credits). Four biology courses and 8 advanced geology courses also
offered for a B.A. Biology – Geology specialization. Instructor was probably Henry A. Curtis.
THE
PROTEROZOIC (1947 – 1957)
Start of Geology
Program – Curtisian Epoch
Starting
in 1947, the Geology Program included the following courses:
Physical Geology
– 1
Historical
Geology – 2
Meteorology – 11
Conservation of
Natural Resources – 12
Climatology – 13
Physical Geology
of U.S. – 14
Geology and
Geography of Long Island – 15
Coal and Oil
Geology – 17
Structural
Geology – 18
Sedimentation –
19
Economic Geology
of Metals – 20
Engineering
Geology – 21
Mineralogy – 31
Petrology – 32
Geomorphology –
33
Paleontology –
34
Stratigraphy –
36
Economic Geology
– 41
Special Problems
– 43–44
Military
Mapping– 46
That’s
20 courses! As new ones were added, some were dropped. Only 12 to 14 were in the bulletin at
any one time.
Curtisian Epoch
Epoch marked by
start of instructor continuity with 7 years of Henry A. Curtis and B.A. specialization with
Biology–Geology or Chemistry–Geology.
Henry A. Curtis started the geology program through the influence of
William H. Kay, Lynn Bogue Hunt, and other students.
Henry A. Curtis, 1951.
1947–48
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
Geology.
A.B., Colgate
University (1942), M.S. Hofstra University (1955).
1948–49
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
Geology
No
Geology degree offered but a Biology–Geology specialization.
1949–50
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
charge.
Austin D.
Brixey Jr. – Instructor.
A.B., University
of Virginia (1941), A.M. Columbia University (1948).
Hofstra
offers the B.A. biology–geology or chemistry–geology specialization.
1950–51
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
charge.
Taught Geology
15 which included a $25 fee for plane fare across Long Island.
Joseph A.
Puig – Instructor who
taught hard rock courses.
A.B. New York
University (1948).
Robert A.
Finks – Lecturer.
B.S., Queens
College, C.U.N.Y. (1947)
Dr.
Robert Finks became a paleontologist and professor at Queens College from 1955
to 2002). The Nexus Yearbook
finally has pictures of students with their degree and major listed).
Henry A. Curtis, 1952.
1951–52
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
charge.
Joseph A.
Puig – Instructor.
Hofstra
Geology offered Geology 1 and 2 plus 8 of 14 advanced courses toward the B.A.
Biology–Geology or Chemistry–Geology specialization.
1952–53
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
charge.
Humbert Revel – Instructor.
B.A., New York
University (1949).
Hofstra
Geology continued to offer Geology 1 and 2 plus 8 of 14 advanced courses toward
the B.A. Biology–Geology or Chemistry–Geology specialization.
Humbert S. Revel, 1955.
1953–54
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
charge.
Humbert S.
Revel – Instructor.
James J.
Geraghty – Lecturer.
B.S., City
College of N.Y. (1949).
James
Geraghty received a M.A. from Columbia University became a hydrologist, and
started the (now international) geotechnical engineering firm of Geraghty and
Miller.
Henry A. Curtis, 1953.
1954–55
Henry A.
Curtis – Instructor in
charge.
James J.
Geraghty – Lecturer.
Humbert S.
Revel – Instructor.
Nathaniel M.
Perlmutter – Lecturer.
B.A., Brooklyn
College (1941); M.A., Columbia University (1953).
N.
M. Perlmutter worked as a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey. The Geology Club has its first yearbook
picture that includes Humbert Revel and 8 students! (See our accompanying volume on the History of the Graduates
and Geology Club.)
1955–56
Dr. Roger H.
Charlier – Chairman and
Special Lecturer.
B.S., Liege
University (1943), License/Science, Bruxelles University (1945), Ph.D., Friedrich–Alexandra
(1947); Professional Geologist Certificate, McGill University (1953).
Dr. William
J. Croft – Instructor in
charge.
B.S. (1950),
M.A. (1952), Ph.D. (1954); all from Columbia University.
Humbert S.
Revel – Instructor.
Seymour
Tilson – Instructor.
B.S., Brooklyn
College (1949).
Humbert S. Revel, 1956.
Dr. Roger H. Charlier, 1956
1956–57
Dr. Roger H.
Charlier – Chairman.
Humbert S.
Revel – Instructor.
Olivia V.
Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
A.B., Brooklyn
College (1943); A. M., Columbia University (1948).
Department
still had the B.A. specialization in Biology–Geology for the last year.
Olivia V.
Haselau–Perry, 1957.
THE
PALEOZOIC (1957 – 1975)
Includes Durhamian
and Wolffian Epochs
Dr.
Forrest Durham
established the modern foundation for the Geology Department and the geology
major. Start of Chairman
continuity and choice of B.A. or B.S. in Geology.
Dr. Forrest Durham, 1958.
1957–58
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor and Chairman of Geology.
A.B. (1948),
A.M. (1950), both from Cornell University; Ph.D., Syracuse University (1954).
Dr. Roger
Charlier – Special
Lecturer (on leave).
Humbert S.
Revel – Instructor.
Olivia V.
Haselau–Perry –
Instructor.
The
department offers a B.A. degree in Geology with students required to have 32
semester hours of geology courses to graduate. A Geography program was introduced by Dr. Charlier in
1957. The courses included:
Regional World
Geography 11
Principles of
Geography 14
Geography and
Geology of NY State 15
Senior Seminar
152
Workshop in
Geography 153, and,
Geology of
Europe, 154.
Dr.
Charlier left for “greener pastures” in the mid–west, so the courses and the
Geography program were dropped late in 1958.
1958–59
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Chairman,
Geology Department.
Henry A.
Curtis – Lecturer in
School of Education.
Humbert S.
Revel – Instructor
Olivia V.
Haselau–Perry –
Instructor.
Dr. Otto Haas – Visiting Professor.
L.L.D., Ph.D.,
University of Vienna (1914).
Julian Kane – Instructor.
B.A., New York
University, M.A., Columbia University (1950).
Dr.
Durham recognized the importance of a field program and introduced a summer
field course. By the 1958–59
academic year, the Geology Department had 6 instructors. Dr. Haas was a paleontologist working
at the American Museum of Natural History. Julian Kane was to teach as an adjunct for 31 years (until
1987). The Geology Program now
included the following courses:
Physical Geology
– 1
Historical
Geology – 2
Structural
Geology – 19
Field Methods –
20
Mineralogy – 31
Petrology – 32
Geomorphology –
33
Seminar – 52
Earth Science
(for Teachers) – 107/108
Hydrology – 121
Optical
Mineralogy – 131
Summer Field
Camp – 134
Sedimentation –
135
Paleontology –
137
Advanced
Paleontology – 138
Economic Geology
– 141/142
Petroleum Geology – 144
Stratigraphy –
146
Special Problems
– 151/152
Engineering
Problems and Economic Geology – 209
Advanced
Historical Geology – 210
Readings in
Geology – 251/252.
Dr. Otto Haas, 1959.
Olivia Haselau–Perry, 1959.
1959–60
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate Professor
– Chairman.
Dr. Laurence
E. Andrews Jr. –
Assistant Professor.
B.S., Virginia
Polytechnic Institute (1948); Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University (1952).
Henry A.
Curtis – Lecturer –
School of Education.
Dr. Otto Haas – Visiting Professor from Vienna.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Dr. Laurence Andrews, 1959.
1960–61
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Laurence
E. Andrews Jr. –
Assistant Professor.
Humbert Revel – Instructor – (Left Hofstra for
U.S.G.S. in Washington D.C.).
Olivia V. Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer – (Replacement for H.
A. Curtis in 1961).
By
this time the department offers B.A. with 10 geology courses and a B.S. degree
(12 geology courses + 1 year mathematics, chemistry, and physics and 2 years of
language).
1961–62
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Laurence
E. Andrews Jr. –
Assistant Professor.
Olivia V. Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth L.
Rosenthal –
Lecturer. (Replaced Humbert
Revel.)
B.A., CUNY,
Brooklyn (1941); M.A., Hofstra (1959).
Arthur E.
Wegweiser –
Lecturer. (Replaced Dr. Otto
Haas.)
B.A. (1955) and
M.A. (1958); both from Hofstra.
1962–63
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Laurence
E. Andrews Jr. –
Assistant Professor (On Leave).
Olivia V. Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth L.
Rosenthal – Lecturer.
Arthur E.
Wegweiser – Lecturer.
1963–64
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Laurence
Andrews – Assistant
Professor.
Olivia V. Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
Henry A.
Curtis – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
1964–65
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Olivia V. Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
Henry A.
Curtis – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Dr. Laurence
Andrews – (Left
permanently for Minas Gerais, Brazil as a mining consultant; no replacement for
10 years!).
Olivia V.
Haselau–Perry, 1964.
Julian Kane,
1964.
Dr. Forrest Durham, 1964.
1965–66
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Olivia V. Haselau–Perry – Instructor.
Henry A.
Curtis – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
1966–67
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Clifford
Bennett – Lecturer
(Replaced Henry Curtis, after 18 years of near continuous service).
B.A., Syracuse
University, (1949); M.A., Hofstra (1961).
Olivia V.
Haselau–Perry – (Left to
get Ph.D. in Geography at Columbia University. Believed to have done research in India – but lost all
contact with Hofstra).
1967–72
Dr. Forrest
Durham – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Manfred
(Fred) Wolff – Assistant
Professor.
B.S., Hofstra
(1961); M.S., University of Rochester (1963); Ph.D., Cornell University
(1967). (Replaces, after 10 years
of dedicated service, Olivia V. Haselau–Perry.)
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Clifford
Bennett – Lecturer.
Dr. Wolff was the first undergraduate (Class of 1961) to “return to
the roost” – others will follow.
Wolffian Epoch
As
Chairman for four years, Dr. Fred Wolff expanded the variety of courses and convinced the Dean and
Provost to keep the B.S. – B.A. Geology major going. His pivotal chairmanship secured the viability and growth of
the Geology department for the future.
1972–73
Dr. Fred
Wolff – Assistant
Professor – (Acting Chairman as Dr. Forrest Durham becomes terminally ill and
passes away in 1974.)
Julian Kane – Adjunct Senior Professor
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Clifford
Bennett – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Tough
times as the department is down to one full–time professor plus three adjuncts
– but expansion would follow! Dr.
Wolff brought long-standing stability to the department for the first time and
introduced new technology in the form of tens of thousands of overhead slides. This stable interval resulted in the
development and modification of many new and more specialized courses for the
majors including:
Environmental
Geology – 10
Environmental
Geomorphology – 33
Lunar and
Planetary Geology – 115
Geochemistry –
132
Igneous and
Metamorphic Petrology – 133
Marine Geology –
136
Sedimentary
Petrology – 145
Physical
Stratigraphy – 156
Fred Wolff, as Hofstra Student, 1961.
Dr. Fred Wolff, as Faculty Member, 1975.
During
the Wolffian Epoch updates in the Geology Program included:
Physical and
Environmental Geology – 1
Earth History
and Crustal Evolution – 2
Historical
Geology – 105 (was 170)
Oceanography –
123
Paleoecology –
138
Biostratigraphy
– 140
Conservation of
Economic Resources – 141
Dr. Wolff Pictures
Drs. Forrest Durham and Fred Wolff,
1970.
Dr. Wolff in Death Valley, 1996.
Dr. Wolff Examining Turbidites of the
Normanskill, 1975.
1973–74
Dr. Fred
Wolff – Assistant
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Usman
Sayeed – Assistant
Professor.
B.S., Andhara
University [India] (1960); M.S., Memorial University [Canada] (1970); Ph.D.,
University of Nebraska (1973).
Dr. Sayeed temporarily replaced, after 15 years of dedicated service,
Dr. Forrest Durham).
Julian Kane – Adjunct Senior Professor
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Clifford
Bennett – Adjunct
Lecturer.
1974–75
Dr. Fred
Wolff – Assistant
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Usman
Sayeed – Assistant
Professor.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Senior Professor.
Ruth
Rosenthal – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Sister
DeMontfort Babb –
Adjunct Lecturer.
B.A., Marywood
College (1954); M.A.T., Indiana University (1969).
Dr. Harold E.
Roellig – Associate
Professor and Adjunct Special Lecturer from Adelphi University.
B.A., Concordia
Seminary (1954); Ph.D., Columbia University (1967).
Dr. Wolff, circa 1985.
MESOZOIC
(1975-)
Radcliffian Era
Dr.
Dennis Radcliffe was
appointed as Chairman and has guided the department and diversified programs
for 30 years. Under his direction
the program included the B.A. degree in Earth Resources (later Environmental
Resources) and expanded to four full–time faculty and 5–8 rotating adjunct
faculty. Under his dedicated chairmanship the department expanded to become the
best classical undergraduate Geology Department in the New York City area.
Dr. Dennis Radcliffe, 1975.
1975–77
Dr. Dennis
Radcliffe – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
B.S., University
of Durham (1960); M.S., University of Alberta (1964); Ph.D., Queens University
of Ontario (1966).
Dr. Fred
Wolff – Associate
Professor.
Dr. Harold E.
Roellig – Associate
Professor.
Julian Kane – Senior Professor – Earth Science
Sister
DeMontfort Babb –
Adjunct Lecturer. (Replaces R.
Rosenthal.)
Michael
Sichko – Adjunct
Lecturer as of Fall 1976. (Our
longest consecutive semester adjunct as of 2004, and still going strong!)
B.S., City
College – CUNY (1963); M.A., Brooklyn College – CUNY (1966).
Stanley
Schleifer – Adjunct
Lecturer. (Fall 1976.)
B.S. (1966);
M.A. (1970); both degrees from Brooklyn College, CUNY.
Dr. Radcliffe
Pictures
Jan Lake, northern Saskatchewan, 1963.
Climbing Mt. Askival in western Scotland,
Isle of Mull, 1958.
Twirlin’ the dials of the atomic
absorption machine, 1980.
Talamantes,
Chihuahua, Mexico; exploring manganese tungsten deposits, 1971.
Drs. Fred Wolff and Dennis Radcliffe,
1976.
1977–78
Dr. Dennis
Radcliffe – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Fred
Wolff – Associate
Professor.
Dr. Harold E.
Roellig – Associate
Professor.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Sister
DeMontfort Babb –
Adjunct Lecturer.
Michael
Sichko – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Dr. John Remo – Adjunct Lecturer.
B.S. Manhattan
College, (1972); Ph.D., Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, (1976).
Standing (L to R): Michael Sichko, Dr. Fred Wolff, Dr.
Dennis Radcliffe, Julian Kane.
Seated: Sister deMontfort
Babb, and Dr. John Remo, 1978.
1978–80
Dr. Dennis
Radcliffe – Associate
Professor – Chairman.
Dr. Fred
Wolff – Associate
Professor.
Dr. Harold E.
Roellig – Associate
Professor.
Julian Kane – Adjunct Lecturer.
Sister
DeMontfort Babb –
Adjunct Lecturer.
Dr. John Remo – Adjunct Lecturer.
Stanley
Schleifer – Adjunct
Lecturer.
Michael
Sichko – Adjunct
Lecturer.
The
department forges ahead with a full staff. New and respected adjuncts were added in the 1976-78 period
including Dr. John Remo,
Stanley Schleifer,
and Michael Sichko. Our adjunct instructor cornerstone, Professor
Sichko has taught at
least one course in consecutive semesters from 1976 to 2004 (a 28-year record!)
and is still going strong.
Although not offering continuous service, Adjunct Professor Julian
Kane holds the record
for longevity (1975 – 1989), a 31 year record. On the full-time staff, Dr. Fred Wolff has served from 1967 to 2004, an
astounding record of co