This website is now published on my mobileme account. Any opinions expressed, however, are totally my responsibility.

The original website was published through the courtesy of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Jim Andris, Sept. 17, 2003.

Christmas 72

My colleagues at SIUE, Bob Hildebrand, Dave Hoffman, Dudley Curry (chair), and Rosanda Richards

Greetings! This year has been full of changes and challenges for me. I'm still an instructor in philosophy of education at Southern Illinois University. My teaching goes well. I still have not finished my degree work. After a long period of dissention and turmoil within our department, Foundations of Education, we have elected a new chairman and have seen a great improvement as a result of it. I am working with him next year in an experimental teacher education program. We will be teaching philosophy of education to perspective teachers who are actually in the high school setting. i am producing some videotape materials which will help to make the philosophy more interesting and "relevant" to the students. Also, I am experimenting with how to make large group instruction more effective. In addition to all this, I have been finding out more and more about university politics as I participate in various committees and task forces. It is all very fascinating.

Mom in my mobile home with the Arp Odyssey synthesizer and electric piano

This summer I formed a rock group. It is called "Cold Harbor." We have played some, but have trouble since we are unknown in the area. We play almost any rock or soft rock, e.g. Carole King, Three Dog Night, and Blood, Sweat, & Tears. Ellen, the lead singer, is a student at SIU as is Mike, the base player. Ott is a well-known area drummer. I fill in the harmony at the electric piano (The Carpenters have one just like mine) and ARP synthesizer. The synthesizer is an amazing instrument which will "synthesize" almost any familiar sound: guitar, organ, rain, police sirens, and "wow-wow" sounds. We are a dynamic group and love to play. High school dances are our best "gigs," but the last place we played was at Ace's Cow Shed in Belleville.

Speaking of music, recently I played ragtime piano on the Delta Queen. I was hired by Mariam Edgar, hostess and entertainment director for the ship. Mariam is a life-long friend. We all had a good time, and one lady gave me a dollar tip! The beginning of summer found me visiting Tom and Mary Alice Breiter and their four children in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Tom teaches math at the university there. He and Mary Alice were close friends at Ohio State with me. this fall I got together with Linda Amos in St. Louis who is an Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies at the School of Nursing at Boston University. We also went to school together at Ohio State.

Mom and dad are retired now and come out to visit me every so often in their camper. They just left, in fact, for Arizona and California. Just got a card from mom saying that the Grand Canyon was "truly the land of enchantment," so I guess it is a good trip. Dad sold the store and fishes every day that it is above freezing. Mom is "catching up on her rest" and refinishing furniture, which she does beautifully. Brother Tom has taken over as family "overseer" while dad and mom are away. He has a charming girl friend, and though they would probably shoot me for saying this, they seem pretty serious. Sister Vicki is wife (Jerry Smith) and new mother (Jeffrey Daniel, born Nov. 15, 1972.) I can't wait to visit them at Christmas and try my hand at doting uncle—provided I don't have to change diapers! They have a lovely home in Marietta. Grandmother, bless her heart, is still as alert and active as ever, though she has begun to take the steps one at a time.

Vicki and Jeffrey	Brother Tom, Diana Dunn and mom
Jerry and Vicki Smith	The family in Vicki and Jerry's kitchen

Well, that's mainly what's up. I look forward to hearing from you about the latest. Good luck in the coming year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jim Andris