TCNJ

47 FALL 2019 Remembrances Thomas T. Allsen, professor of history emeritus 1940–2019 CAMELS MARCHED through Tom Allsen's home — statues, fabrics, knick-knacks, advertisements. These sturdy beasts reminded his visitors that trade connected the great cities of premodern Eurasia. Allsen's writings focused especially on the Mongol Empire. His five books, a book-length entry in The Cambridge History of China, plus numerous articles and book chapters, used the exchange of goods to illuminate the distinctive cultures in a vast region. His linguistic facility enabled him to identify Chinese words as they appeared in Arabic and Persian sources — and the Arabic and Persian words in Chinese sources. He was TCNJ's most internationally renowned scholar. Allsen also was a gifted teacher. Meredith Roman '98 credits his "impressive energy and breadth of knowledge" with inspiring her to become a historian of modern Russia. Colleen McDermott Ujiie '02 recalls that his course on early Russia "made a prohibitively difficult subject accessible to a novice learner." Allsen's faculty colleagues in the history department remember him fondly. "It always amazed me that such a large, burly, tattooed Army veteran could be so kind and considerate," notes Celia Chazelle. He had a "huge impact" on Jo-Ann Gross, who found him the "kindest, most brilliant, modest, sincere, intellectually energetic person I ever met." It was my good fortune to overlap with Allsen during his entire career at the college from 1980 to 2002. He made me proud to teach in the same department. I was uplifted by his world-historical perspective, his infectious humor, and his rare decency. —Daniel W. Crofts professor of history emeritus SEND US YOUR NEWS! Wedding, birth, promotion, anniversary, award, or retirement? Submit news of your major life events to: alumni.tcnj.edu or Office of Alumni Engagement The College of New Jersey PO Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Information in the Class Notes section of TCNJ Magazine was submitted for publication. TCNJ staff members try to verify the accuracy of the information; however, the college cannot be responsible for incorrect information contained herein. If you would like us to correct any inaccuracies that have been printed about you, please contact the editor at magazine@tcnj.edu. IN MEMORIAM Wilda Holcombe '30, MEd '60 Vera V. McChesney '34 Jean Craig '41 Martha Wyatt '44 Hope Reynolds '48 Mary Boning '50 Rae Matro Plick '53 Ernest Rydell '60 Esther Beck '65 Carabelle Faunce '71 Janet Lomonico '72 Marjorie Steel '75 Judith Fredericks '76 Kenneth Cassell '78 Patricia Sadley Harman '78 James Smith '79 Loreto J. Santin '80 Robert Murray '85 Faculty Alexander Liddie, professor of English emeritus Eileen Smith, professor of chemistry emerita John Walthew, professor of elementary education emeritus

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