Dean Stone Night: 50 years of celebration

By Danny Bobbe, Rachel Honrud & Rachel Cook
J-School Web reporters

The 50th Annual Dean Stone Night, where University of Montana journalists drink like sailors, dress like accountants and collect nearly $100,000 in scholarships and award money, was defined this year by the return of distinguished alum and a farewell to a favorite professor.  

The event drew students, alumni and professors from all J-school disciplines: print, photo, broadcast and production.

Many were dressed to kill, others could have scheduled 15 minutes with an ironing board.    

“Welcome, everyone, to the greatest celebration of the greatest journalism school in America,” said Journalism Dean Jerry Brown to a roaring ovation.

photo by Lizz Rauf

Kaimin editor Peter Bulger may not survive after this photo is published on the Web of him dancing with other Kaiminites.

All who attended the celebration were winners in some respect; plastic gold medals were available on every table to ensure this. The staff of the student newspaper, the Montana Kaimin, reminded everyone that life would go on if they failed to collect any of the many prizes. They did this by paying a tribute to Carol VanValkenburg, chair of the print department and Kaimin adviser, who failed to win anything during her college career at UM. The tribute included Peter Bulger, Kaimin editor, dressed in drag, prancing around to the tune of “I Will Survive.”   

But those who did win awards were overjoyed and often surprised.

Wayne Smith, a photo sophomore, was nearly speechless after winning the Lee Enterprises Native American Scholarship that came attached to a sum of $4,000.

“I’ve never gotten anything like that before in my life. I’ve never even won an award,” Smith said. “Nobody’s ever gonna believe it.”

Another of the evening’s big winners was Alex Krigsvold, who planned to celebrate after picking up a $5,000 scholarship.

“I’m going to celebrate,” said Krigsvold an R-TV junior, “buy my fiancée something nice.”

Many students were not around to claim their award. Some did not attend; some were missing in action.

R-TV professor Denise Dowling was surprised when graduate student Kim Cosgrove did not come to the podium to collect her prize.

“I know she’s here somewhere. Is she at the bar?” said Dowling.

photo by Natalie Mourton

Kim Cosgrove runs to the podium to claim her award. "I was in the bathroom!" she said.

Cosgrove came running in, refuting the idea she was indulging in alcohol.

“I was in the bathroom!”

One highlight of the evening came when J-School alum and current anchor of CBS “Up to the Minute” Meg Oliver spoke to the audience about her time as a student at UM.

At one point as a student in Missoula, Oliver’s production crew missed its deadline by five minutes. Dowling, then a visiting professional, cut them no slack. It was a hard lesson that Oliver said was part of the solid journalistic foundation the J-School gave her.

Retiring J-School professor Sharon Barrett was given a fond farewell that included shared memories from former students and a slideshow filled with quotes about her notorious teaching style.

“There are only a few words I can use to describe Sharon Barrett as a teacher: deadpan, stubborn as hell, and if you’re lucky, relentlessly scathing,” said one.

program design by Rachel Cook

Dean Stone Night is an evening filled with many formalities, like Brown’s “State of the School” address, but it also has room for some absurdity.

Many of the school’s professors took the podium behind J-School legend Robert McGiffert. He, donning a pair of aviator goggles and scarf, led the staff in a rousing and random song about Charles Lindbergh.

One of the many thrills of the evening was when former Pollner professor Henriette Lowisch returned.

Attendees had a choice between pork and a vegetarian dish. The pork was tender. The cheesecake, served for dessert, was also a big hit.

“The cheesecake was like, the best cheesecake ever,” said both the Rachels reporting on this story.

Author’s note: Senior print student Daniel Person was the first to call Dean Stone Night an event where journalists drink like sailors and dress like accountants.  

photo by Lizz Rauf

J-School faculty and staff sing "Lucky Lindbergh," led by professor emeritus Bob McGiffert. Students enjoyed the display, although they were perplexed by the choice of song.

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