In each of these courses, I started without the necessary prerequisites. This has been a good arrangement for me because I was able to learn the basics by using them, rather than by learning them independent of a real application. In Data Structures I learned all the material that was covered in Introduction to Programming. In Compiler Design, I learned the material of Foundations of Computer Science (NFAs, DFAs, etc.) and a new language (Pascal, for which I wrote a compiler). In Parallel Processing I learned to write technical papers, and the basics of computer architecture (which I have followed up this spring by sitting in on some of Dominique's classes in Modern Computer Architecture). In Advanced Artificial Intelligence I learned the material of Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (lisp, and various AI paradigms). In addition, of course, I also learned the material that was expected for each of the courses.
My work with Dominique Thiebaut in the summer of 1994 solidified my understanding of the unix programming environment, and the suite of applications I developed for him allowed me to learn the material that would have been presented in a course in Software Engineering. Running my own unix box on the net for the past year really went along very well with my interest in operating systems. By far the most valuable resource that Hampshire provided me --- and I say this with utmost sincerity --- for my development as a computer scientist was a fellow student, Peter Couvares. He got me started with Linux, was always there to answer my silly questions for me. Peter was the real teacher of the operating systems independant study I did with Al Woodhull. I read an operating systems textbook to complement my system administration work. Al and I would have many questions for Peter when we met weekly. Certainly if Hampshire hopes to significantly improve its computer science education it must figure out how to make use of its exceptional advanced students.
A number of Community Service Projects I've been involved in are still in my memory: Physics Tutor -- Freshman year 2-3 nights a week ; occasional work sophomore year, slightly less than occasional junior year; Quantitative skills work, S94; Farm Worker, F93-S94; Construction work on the Enfield Greenhouse with AAron Godwin in the summer of 1994; HTML programmer. More recently (F94), I've been a peer advisor. This involved a day of orientation and four days of meeting with new students. I took my group to the Quabbin Reservoir, told stories and wrote poetry in groups inthe weather tower; I showed them my div 2; talked with them about how they could do so much here. Also held a swing dance and an intro-to-contra session for the new students.
When I think back on the Physics TA work I did, I think that that experience was a foundational component of my distaste for classes and teachers with bad attitudes. I knew how much I was teaching the students I would work with for practically free; at the same time, I knew what harm Allan Krass was doing to some of them for 40,000 dollars a year. Some day perhaps I will do an experiment and see whether it's possible for a really good teacher to teach a class at all.
By the spring of 94, I realized that there was a need for some partner dances. Luckily, I was finally good enough to be able to teach dance lessons myself. That spring I held 5 swing dances and 2 contra dances in the Red Barn. Taught and DJed the swing, and put up all the posters for all dances. Some folks study social science, and I solve social science problems.
I have continued my position as contra-dance and swing-dance organizer through the fall of 1994. In fact, I also called at one of the contra-dances and played guitar at another. I write this the night after we held a contra-swing dance at the Red Barn. I remember one moment last night when I realized that I had personally taught each of the 30 people who were dancing, that I had organized all the dances they had been to. I gave the musicians a chance to play, to get payed for doing what they do. I gave the dancers an introduction to the incredible world of dancing and the social confidence that goes along with that. I am heartily impressed with my progress - from my first enjoyable exposure to dancing, contra dancing my Freshman year, to learning to swing dance the following year, organizing small swing dances and getting off-campus groups to play contra-dances that spring to this year, when I have called and played in contra-dances. (Note: my committee rejected this paragraph, insisting that I didn't give enough credit to others who had helped previously with this kind of thing)
Two full Fridays in the fall of 1994 were taken up with my acceptance of an offer to be the student member interviewing candidates for the Lemelson shop position. When I arrived, 5 minutes before the first interview was to begin, I was given a list of 10 questions. I was to ask number 3. I was very surprised at how fitting the questions might have been for someone applying to a job at Amherst College; yet they seemed to be rather administrative when attempting to find someone who has the energy and mind that Hampshire needs. This was my real-life introduction to how Hampshire has failed in a lot of ways -- hiring people not for what they could do at Hampshire but for what they could do at University XXX.
I have been attending NS and CCS school meetings increasingly since my arrival at Hampshire. And boy am I glad to say how touched I am to be able to say that I am a member of both schools.
This year I am even a member in full standing of the Educational Policy Committee. I didn't speak at all during the first month or so of meetings. For one thing, it was very strange to be on a Committee at all. It was intimidating. I had never really been in a position where I was formally asked to contribute to decisionmaking for a large body. I had never been asked so seriously to present ideas to a group of adults. I remember applying to be on a committee in high school, and in the interview process it was clearly demonstrated by most of the group that my opinions could only harm the group. An additional problem on the committee was that many of the members seemed to have opinions so different from mine that I was unable to figure out what I thought about their issues. They wondered, for example, what requirements would ensure that everyone really earned a B.A. But meanwhile I thought that the B.A. was such an artificial construction that I was unable to discuss the requirements. I am able to now, although I disbelieve.
Additionally, I am in the honorable position of ``Senator''. Perhaps one day this will become an interesting position.
SIN, meetings beginning F93, initial database submission-getting. Construction of a usable database and integration into the Hampshire gopher. F94, more getting information.
Every now and then somebody acknowledges that we've helped them. Gosh it feels great! Here's one I got the day I wrote the first draft of this retrospective:
As far as I'm concerned, getting a note like that was a vastly more real community-service evaluation than Louisa Martin from the Admissions Office ever gave.
I leaned to dance. When I came to Hampshire College I was scared of dancing. Now I have learned numerous ballroom and folk-dance forms.
I have really learned to live with other people.
Perhaps most importantly, I have learned to be truly honest and self-critical (willing to question anything I think, say, or do).
Perhaps one of the greatest ways I feel successful as a learner and a thinker is that I can understand nearly any material I am confronted with. I can tutor a friend in statistics, although before I arrived at her door I didn't know what a standard deviation really was; I can talk intelligently about agriculture with farmers, professors, and students studying agriculture; I can talk education with nearly anyone; conflict resolution with Chris Fitz; history and philosophy with historians and philosophers. I find that I have succeeded in Alfred North Whitehead's suggestion for education, that the quantity and diversity of materials forces one not to learn all the material, but to learn about material.