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He's Got A Way With Words
Chester H. Schnepf's memories of NYIT will live forever in a new book of poetry, titled "The Sadness In Pine Needles Falling," (Jasmine Press).
Schnepf (B.F.A. '72) is an English professor at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. His book, which contains about 50 poems, represents Schnepf's journey from 1971 to 1998 and recounts some of his experiences at NYIT. It's the third poetry book he has published since graduating from NYIT.
"In a sense, we're all like pine needles trying to hang onto a tree," says Schnepf. "Each needle has a different story and every needle has a way of sticking around-no pun intended-even after falling from the tree."
Schnepf's poems are about "the potencies of memories. We recreate memories over and over again. We modify them and change them as time goes by. If we lose our memory banks we essentially lose ourselves."
Schnepf fondly recalls his time at NYIT. When he enrolled at the school in the late 1960s, a dirt road served as the main artery through the Old Westbury, N.Y., campus. Many classes had eight to 10 students and were occasionally held outside near pine trees.
Room to Think
"I remember spending a lot of time sitting under trees," says Schnepf. "It was the type of campus where you could get a lot of thinking done. Times were tough back then. Everyone was very active and outspoken about various political topics and government policies. Nobody sat on the sidelines" when it came to discussing topics like the Vietnam War and other pressing issues of the day.
The campus also had its share of famous visitors, Schnepf recalls, including Muhammad Ali. The boxing legend and Nation of Islam member spoke about black pride and Muslim views with roughly 700 students during a brief stop at NYIT in the early 1970s. H. Paul Field, a former associate professor of Communication Arts, hosted Ali's visit, according to Schnepf.
"Members of our student government joined Ali for lunch at a restaurant in Old Westbury," says Schnepf. "We sat with his whole entourage, which was quite large. They showed up in about six Peugeots."
Of course, Schnepf also devoted considerable time to his studies, which helped him to polish his writing style.
Two of his favorite professors were Howard Wamsley, Ph.D., former Chair and associate professor of English, and Maurice Wohlgelernter, Ph.D., former professor of English.
"Dr. Wamsley had a strong influence on my poetry," says Schnepf. "He was a very compassionate fellow. He was very concerned about what students thought."
Similarly, "Dr. Wohlgelernter was a wealth of information," he recalls. "You couldn't find a kinder individual. I remember him taking our class out to dinner after we had completed his course. That type of special touch is difficult to find in our society these days."
Schnepf's book is available online at Amazon.com and at major bookstore chains like Barnes and Noble. The book has received favorable reviews from Amazon.com readers and other online poetry forums.
Schnepf expects to publish a fourth book of poetry within the next few years.
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