1985_02 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper February 1985

              Page 2
Hye Sharzhoom
February, 1985
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Editor:
Thank you for your acknowledgement
of the receipt of the Saroyan neighborhood map drawn by my father, John
Karabian, from memory in 1981. Unfortunately, my father passed away in May,
1983. All his life he was a proud son of
Bitlis even though he was born in Fresno
in 1911. Memories, names, places, and
people of old Armenia town in Fresno or
more particularly the Emerson School
neighborhood were vivid in his memory
right to the end. He use to be called upon
to resolve disputes between old friends as
to who lived where, who was married to
whom and what events happened in the
days gone by.
After graduating from Fresno High
School in 1928, he went to work for
Berberian Brothers. He worked for them
all his life until his retirement in 1970.
Berberian Brothers was first at 800 Broadway, the Broadway and Butler. Later they
moved to 333 Van Ness (next to Bekins)
and finally to its present location on Van
Ness (near the old California Field). So
you see, my father stayed in the old
neighborhood all through his adult life
even though we lived in the Longfellow
School area.
You will find that any of the additions
made to the map are made by people who
did not understand the restraints my
father placed upon himself. He dated this
map circa 1920's and 1930's well aware
that people and families moved away and
others came in. Nevertheless, you will
find that it gives a 99% true picture of the
neighborhood for the following reasons:
1. It accurately tells who was in place
when William Saroyan was experiencing
his boyhood memories about which he
wrote in the years to come.
2. It dates the beginning of almost
every Armenian family in Fresno. To this
end, it is an important chronicle since
every one of us trace our beginnings not
only to Bitlis, Dickranagert, Van, Kharpert, etc., but we can also trace our roots
to a specific place in the old neighborhood. His generation as I said in the film,
"Strangers," "was the Saroyan generation." They were born in Fresno of
immigrant parents and had common
bonds between them that were unshake-
able and unbreakable with the passage of
time.
Sincerely,
Walter Karabian
Los Angeles, California
(See page 10 for Karabian map.)
Editor:
With great pleasure I received the recent
issue of Hye Sharzhoom that you were so
kind to send me. I appreciate very much
being put on your mailing list and I hope
you will continue to send me this most
interesting journal.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. J. J. S. Weitenberg
Netherlands
Editor:
I had missed the Hye Sharzhoom and
am pleased it has been revived. Not only
do my mate and I enjoy reading it, but our
children and grandchildren are interested
to see it and are at least prodded by it to
wonder and learn about their beginnings.
The November issue is the best of all
issues, if my memory serves well...and
thanks for the note in the Hye Sharzhoom
about the modest contribution of material. Certainly it is dwarfed by the others
of much more substance.
Here is a donation to be used equally
for the Armenian Studies Program and
the ASO. Our best wishes to all of you.
Sincerely,
Michael Sohigian
Fresno, California
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
ARE ALWAYS
WELCOME!
<U8
Editor:
Vahe K. Messerlian
Assistant Editor:
Randy Baloian
Staff:
Massis Chahbazian, David Gabrielian,
Gary Kazanjian, Aram K. Messerlian,
Sharon Toroian
Contributors:
Alan Atamian, James Baloian,
Marietta Famellou, Jenny Kasparian,
Aghavni Kazanjian, David Minier,
Bill Sahatjian
Chief Typesetter:
Arlene Dervishian
Ad Manager:
Jim Malkasian
Mailing Manager:
Karen DeOrian
4u\3 cmpcr-nMr
Advisors:
Hagop Karamanlian, Dickran Kouymjian,
Mark Malkasian
Hye Sharzhoom is the official publication of
the CSUF Armenian Students Organization
and Armenian Studies Program and is funded
by the Associated Students. Articles may be
reprinted provided Hye Sharzhoom is acknowledged.
Hye Sharzhoom welcomes prose, poetry, articles, manuscripts and other material from its
readers. For further information concerning the
newspaper or the Armenian Studies Prorgram,
contact the Armenian Studies Office (209) 294-
2669 or the Ethnic Studies Office (209)294-2832.
Armenian Studies Program
CSU, Fresno
Fresno, CA 93740
Dear Dr. Kouymjian:
J' espere que vous avez passe un bon
sejour en France et suis bien content de
voir le recommencement de Hye Sharzhoom. Vos etudiants devraient etre
complimentes pour leur publication. C'est
vraiment bien fait. C'est beau de sentir
que l'Armenie continue dans le sang et
l'esprit de ces etudiants d'Armenelogie qui
sont, pour la plupart, des Armeniens.
"Shonoragalem" aux etudiants de l'ASO!
If I may, I would like to ask two
questions which may or may not have
answers or be possible:
1. Is there a Correspondence course
available on Armenian History, Art, Culture, or related subects? If not, could the
CSU/ UC system include such a course in
their offerings of Correspondence courses?
There are many Armenian-descent young
people (and probably adults also) who
would benefit and yet are scattered through
out the U.S. and the world.   The word
could be spread via the Hye Sharzhoom.
2. Why are other universities such as
Harvard, UCLA, etc., receiving so much
assistance and CSUF so little? Perhaps
you need to advertise your need in Ararat
and Hye Endanik (San Lorenzo, Italy)
magazines. Also, the Armenian General
Benevolent Union Association (N.J.)
could assist in funds and spreading the
word. I will write to them if you believe
that will help.
Enclosed is a donation to help with
your excellent work. Thank you for your
work to keep a great and noble heritage
alive.
Most sincerely,
Daniel Alexanian-Remy
Kingston, New York-
Staff Editorial
A Cinderella Story
Remember Cinderella. She was the one
who was not allowed to go to the ball
because she was supposedly not as attractive as her two stepsisters. Instead, Cinderella was banished to spend the night at
home, while — through their mother's
pocket book — the sisters attended the
ball in new gowns. Of course we all know
what happened next: Cinderalla is saved
by her fairy godmother who provides her
with acceptable attire and transportation
to the ball. She later goes on to marry the
prince (and lives happily ever after) while
her two sisters never amount to much of
anything.
So much for fairy tales.
Of its many distinctions, Fresno contains the largest percentage of Armenians
of any city in the United States. Through
their skill, ingenuity, and devotion, Armenians have contributed much to the development of the Fresno area. Armenians have
also been ardent supporters of CSUF
activities. Among the many beneficiaries,
football and basketball teams receive a
generous portion of this support. To be
slightly presumptuous, it is likely that
these two programs are highly valued by
most of the Armenian community.
This brings us to an unusual and unexplain-
able statistic: of the twenty—three donations received for the Armenian Studies
Program and the Armenian Students Organization (in response to the November issue
of the Hye Sharzhoomji, only FIVE have
been from Fresno residents. This is even
more perplexing when one considers that
80-90 percent of the circulation or over
5,000 copies of the Hye Sharzhoom are
mailed within the Fresno area. It is rather
distressing to know that only 5 out of
5,000 (. 1 percent) saw fit to send a contribution to the paper. On the other hand,
although the Hye Sharzhoom has a limited distribution outside Fresno (approximately 10-20 percent or 600-1000 copies),
these distant readers accounted for 78
percent of the responses.
How is this phenomenon to be interpreted? Do Fresno Armenians take for
granted a publication like the Hye Sharzhoom (organ of the Armenian Studies
Program and Armenian Students Organization) being only one of two such Armenian student newspapers in the nation (the
other being the The Armenian Horizon
from U.C.L.A.). Has the Fresno Armenian community grown so apathetic as to
slight the presence of an Armenian studies
program and student organization on
campus? Perhaps these endeavors do not
seem as attractive as other programs at
CSUF.
The Armenian Studies Program and
Armenian Students Organization are not
struggling for existence, nor are they
penniless paupers. However, additional
monies enable these groups to reach their
full potential, making possible activities
with greater variety and depth. These
activities are not only meant for the
students, but for the entire community.
Thegoalsof the ASPandASOare simple:
to educate all interested persons about
Armenia, and to provide an atmosphere
of Armenian awareness within the community. Just as an athletic team works
toward a championship, the ASP and
ASO also strive to meet their goals.
By no means is support measured in
monetary value alone. A simple letter
complimenting a particular event conducted by the ASO or an insightful article in
the Hye Sharzhoom does wonders for
morale. Even uncomplimentary responses are not discouraged; they show that
people are not indifferent to the world
around them.
The whole point is that nobody likes to
be ignored, especially within one's own
surroundings. The members of the ASP,
ASO, and the Hye Sharzhoom/<?e/f/iere is
something important about being Armenian — not just as some ephemeral feeling
of collegiate unity, but as a life long sense
of ethnic solidarity. One has to question
the Fresno Armenian community in failing to at least recognize the efforts of their
own college youth Conversely, it's a
pleasant surprise to receive support from
outside sources; in fact, it says a lot for
these donors who do not live in an Armenian environment of nearly the same population density as Fresno.
Thank heaven for fairy godmothers.