Invariably, they would laugh, and that was just what he wanted. “A burst of laughter is like an unexpected quiz, “ he says. “It shows they understand.”

Dr. Demidowicz

For Demidowicz, humor was the first of four ingredients essential in every class, followed by mastery of the subject matter, awakening students’ confidence and potential, and planting the seed of continuing with the language.

He believes the classroom is a two-way street. “You inspire the students, impart the knowledge, but they also have to inspire you,” he says. “Mutual respect is key.”

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University and a master’s from Middlebury College, where he studied abroad in Madrid. He earned a doctorate at University of Madrid followed by four years at the University of Paris.

Demidowicz joined the Oswego faculty in 1965 and taught for 32 years, retiring in 1997. And while the classroom was the center of his life, he served on a host of committees, including the departmental curriculum committee, where he developed Spanish 340-341, “Masterpieces of Spanish Literature.” A delegate to Faculty Assembly, he also served as chair of the Spanish department.

A highlight of his career was directing Oswego’s study-abroad program at Madrid, which he did for 10 summers. “It was a tremendous experience,” he says. “You saw the students in a whole different environment.”

Two unforgettable moments marked his teaching career. In April 1994, a group of students surprised him, presenting him with a plaque in appreciation of his teaching. Several years later, upon his retirement, a group would fete him at a party in the International Center, singing a song in Spanish. “It was a tender moment,” he says.

Retirement has allowed time to pursue his scholarly interests. In 2007 he presented a paper on the Spanish writer Conde de las Navas — the subject of his dissertation —
at the renowned Ateneo Library in Madrid. He was invited by the writer’s great-grandson. He also has published two articles in the literary journal, Isidora.

His pursuit of his passion for Spanish led to another important part of his life. He met his wife, Maria, in Madrid, and the two were married 50 years ago this year.

He cherishes his family, Maria and their son, Robert. The centerpiece of his life in retirement is their grandson, Eric, an avid golfer who spends his summers in Oswego with John and Maria.

The couple loves to travel and a highlight was a 2010 trip to Germany, Austria and Hungary, a cultural and religious pilgrimage which included the Passion Play at Oberammergau. They also travel to the Shaw Festival
at Niagara-on-the-Lake each summer.

Wherever their travels take them, they always return to Oswego and their home across the street from the college that was central to John’s career. “This was my life and it was a good life. There was laughter and tears, but I don’t regret anything,” he says.

The college’s first and only on-campus bar opened in Hewitt Union as the Rathskellar. Students were charged with converting the former post office and storage space.

“It was quite a project,” remembers Mark Wahl ’74, who designed and built the hangout as an industrial arts major. The Tavern included multiple levels, professional-grade stage and sound, murals and, of course, the bar.

“We actually went out and tore down some barns,” to get the wood, says Wahl, who went on to a career in designing and building as a contractor.

The Tavern thrived into the mid-1980s, when the legal drinking age was upped from 18 to 21. The space became Timepieces, an alcohol-free pizza joint, in 1986. Students also migrated to the Ozone dance club, in a different corner of Hewitt Union. It closed shortly after the Campus Center opened in 2007.

The Campus School closed in the budget cuts of the 1980s, but its legacy lives on in the thousands of teachers who learned their craft in its walls and the millions of their students who benefited from teachers trained in “The Oswego Method.”

That’s not too much of a problem for Pete Flanigan ’79. He has something that most Oswego alumni don’t: a Buckland’s on the first floor of his home.

Flanigan, the last of many former owners of Buckland’s, laid claim to decades of memorabilia. When the doors closed and bulldozers came, everything was fair game.

“I took what I could,” Flanigan said. That included half of the iconic Buckland’s sign that once stood outside.

“We got a truck and some rope and just pulled the thing down,” Flanigan said. He ripped out all the old electronics and split the sign down the middle. Flanigan’s half (pictured) resides in his Buckland’s-themed recreation room at home. The other ended up with his old business partner Pete Sobel ’82.

Rocco Varacchi ’70 and Cindy Spiak Varacchi ’72 first met on the beer-soaked floor of Buckland’s, where Rocco worked as a bartender and manned the grill.

“I tried to sell her a ticket to my fraternity beer blast, but she didn’t want anything to do with it,” Rocco Varacchi said.

For many, it was more than just a bar or a place to work.

“Buckland’s was family,” Bill Price ’70 said. “(Owner) Bob (Clark) took care of us, and we took care of each other.”

— Keith Edelman ’10

Many of the 13 students’ creations were designed in D’Innocenzo’s Dimensional Design class. The colorful mosaics were erected on Tyler and Mahar halls, Penfield Library and other spaces on campus.

“It was a very exciting project to work on,” remembers Amy Gingold Horwitz ’86, one of the Art Attack crew who also wrote an Oswegonian article about the project. “It was really wonderful that the campus was concerned about bringing out some environmental art at that time and giving funding to that project.”

Upon hearing that many of the murals still stand, the Albany-area resident commented, “It’s wonderful that they have preserved them — it’s fantastic!”

While the murals still bring pleasure to current visitors to campus, for Horwitz they’re a reminder of “an exciting time to be part of the Art Department in Oswego.”

Anzio Beach, Monte Cassino, Normandy: To most, these are names from a map or history book. To Charles Phallen, emeritus professor of technology education, they are places he served valiantly in World War II and visits now, at age 94, to receive honors from a grateful populace or pay  respects at the graves of fallen comrades.

A sampling of Oswego concerts 1967-1982

1967

The Association

The Doors

Simon and Garfunkel

1968

Tim Buckley

The Buckinghams

Deep Purple

The Electric Circus

Friend and Lover

Marilyn Horne

The Incredible String Band

Jay and the Americans

The Youngbloods

1969

Toby Ben

Leon Bibb

Don Crawford

Al Kooper

Leaves of Gold

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels

Sly and the Family Stone

1970

The Four Tops

The Lettermen

Melanie

Mountain

1971

Mandrill

Cold Blood

Gordon Lightfoot

Chase

War

1972

Fairport Convention

Roberta Flack

Billy Joel

Poco

Seatrain

1973

David Crosby

Richie Havens

B.B. King

The Marshall Tucker Band

Dave Mason

Don McLean

1974

David Bromberg

Earth, Wind and Fire

Hall and Oates

Billy Joel

Patti LaBelle

Ohio Players

Lou Reed

1975

David Bromberg

Peter Frampton

Emmylou Harris

Robert Klein*

Melissa Manchester

The Roger McGuinn Band

Poco

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Livingston Taylor

1976

Tom and Harry Chapin

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers

Andy Pratt

1977

Rick Derringer

Jose Feliciano

Andrew Gold

Hot Tuna

Billy Joel

Elliott Murphy

Tim Moore

Pure Prairie League

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

Steve Martin*

1978

Franklyn Ajaye*

Charlie Daniels

Jonathan Edwards

Duke Jupiter

Peter Gabriel

Art Garfunkel

Sammy Hagar

Henry Paul Band

Dan Hill

Sea Level

1979

America

The Kinks

McGuinn, Clark and
Hillman

Orleans

Renaissance

Livingston Taylor

1980

Pat Benatar

The Jerry Garcia Band

Hall and Oates

Roche Sisters

Frank Weber Band

1981

Steve Hackett

Molly Hatchet

Paul Barrere Band

1982

Gregg Allman Band

The New Song Quintet

The Ramones

*Comedian

SOURCE:
The Oswegonian,
The Ontarian and
Mark A. Baker ’79

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