Michael Hughes ’73

One of my favorite memories of Harvey Mudd College came during my senior year (spring 1973). Several of us were taking the Modern American Drama class from Dr. Davenport and, rather than taking a final just before graduation, we were doing a project. Bob Peak and I wrote a play for the group to perform (“The Corn Mutating Cane Marshall”) which was mainly a silly farce, but which tried to incorporate a lot of the themes from the plays we had studied in class. As a result, one of the interludes in our performance became an “Off-Off-Off Broadway” tableau, which was more than a bit vulgar – in keeping with the theme.

As it happened, we were rehearsing for our one and only performance one afternoon on a stage in Gallileo Hall when Joe and Jean Platt walked in, with (I believe) her mother in tow, on a tour of the campus. Of course, this occurred right in the middle of the “Triple O.-B.” scene. The three of them stood there semi-dumbstruck for a few moments and then departed with great aplomb. Joe (yes, I know I should say “Dr. Platt” but after many nights of sing-alongs, he was always “Joe” to us) even came back to apologize for intruding, saying that he hoped he had not inhibited our artistic expression.

What a wonderful person he was and his concern for the students and love of the college did a huge amount to make the HMC experience worthwhile. I am certain that I am not alone in saying that he was one of the more positive influences on my life.

Mike Johnston

NJ

I remember Joe as a former President at Claremont. He was so helpful to me in my roles on the Board, and immediately welcomed me into his “family”, with always a friendly smile and valuable counsel. And Jean did likewise. My wife Mary would always ask if i had seen Jean and Joe when I came back to NJ after our board meetings. She, too, was taken by their friendship and charm. I will miss Joe. Jean, my sincere sympathy to you. I just lost Mary a month ago, and I know how you must be grieving. I’ll keep you in my prayers.

Bill Haddon ’64

Owner, Talleyrand Winery, Kelseyville; President, Friends of Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium

Albert Baez was one of the outstanding people brought to HMC (1959-60) by Joe Platt. Baez’ visiting professorship gave us not only the fabulous physics of Al Baez but the stunning music of his two famous daughters Joan and Mimi. Mimi enrolled at Pomona, and among other things was a star performer in the 1962 (?) Spring Sing which I organized.

Henry E. Brady ’69

Dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy at University of California, Berkeley

Joe Platt was an extraordinary man who made a vision a reality. He epitomized the combination of scientist and humanist that Harvey Mudd College sought to produce. His human qualities were exceptional, and he quite literally changed my life through his generosity and thoughtfulness. I would not be where I am today except for his willingness to stop and talk with me (characteristically getting off his bike to do so) when I was visiting the campus a year after graduation. I did not know where I was going next, and he suggested that since I had always been interested in science policy, I should become an intern at the National Science Foundation. A week later, through his intervention, I had an offer to go back to Washington DC to work at NSF. From that followed more work in Washington, graduate degrees at MIT, and a career in academia. He has been a model for what I hope to be as an educator, and I cannot even begin to thank him and Jean Platt for what they did for me, for Harvey Mudd College, and for science education in the United States and the World. I am deeply saddened by his passing. He was a truly great man.

Bob Blackman

Associate professor of history, Hampden-Sydney College

I remember fondly the sing-alongs in East Dorm. Science carols!

Amber Yust ’10

San Francisco, CA

I remember having Joe and his wife come in from time to time when I was working at HMC Computing and Information Services, asking about something or other. He was always fun to talk with while we were figuring something out.

Carol Tanenbaum

Claremont, CA

Updated from a song Sam and I sang on Joe’s 65th in 1980 and updated in 2010 to the tune of “Old Joe Clark”

Chorus:
Round, round, Old Joe Platt
Round and round with Jean
Don’t they make the neatest pair
Claremont’s ever seen.

They came here from New York
Where they left all that crud
They came here from New York
To help start Harvey Mudd. (Chorus)

They recruited such good people
Duane, Roy, Bill, Spiff and Bob
George, Art, Gray and Emery
They all needed a job. (Chorus)

They started building dorms
They built them everywhere
First East and West, then North and South
Which isn’t really there. (Chorus)

They stayed there over twenty years
Mudd fit them to a “T”
Then they packed their bags and crossed the street
To fix up C.U.C. (Chorus)

Now Paul and Peter’s building
Will very soon be done
Then Joe can return to Harvey Mudd
And teach Physics 51. (Chorus)

(new verses added in 2010)

Joe taught Mudd students in a lab
One went out on a limb
Asked if the “Platt” at “Platt Center”
Was related to him. (Chorus)

Joe and Jean had lots of fun
They traveled many a mile
Then Sam asked him to write a book
And he did it with great style. (Chorus)

Barbara Bergmann

Retired HMC staff

Some of my most pleasant memories of HMC center around Joe Platt. He was a great scholar and teacher, but my experiences were with the Joe Platt who was a true gentleman, a man who kept his ego in check but let his curiosity and sense of humor run free. A very good man who will be greatly missed.

Michael McKinney ’61

San Francisco, CA

I have fond memories of Joe Platt as a very humane and approachable President. I recall his playing the guitar and doing Tom Leher-like sing-alongs in the dorm. He was a very able leader in the early days of the college.

Bill Leppo ’61

Retired CEO, Leppo Instruments, North Plains, OR

Joe was visiting us new students on our first day at East dorm. He spotted my carved top Gibson L7C and asked if he could play it. He immediately sat down on my bed, began strumming and broke into song.

“Along the trail you’ll find me loopin’, where the spaces are wide open. In the land of the old AEC”