Features
A Man for All Seasons
by Jerold Wikoff(page 4 of 4)
In one Washington demonstration in the capitol rotunda, both were arrested. Lou pleaded guilty. Patricia pleaded not guilty, but following a four-day trial was found guilty. “We paid our fine and they let us go,” Hammann said with a shrug.
In 2004 the Hammanns helped stage an alternative political convention in Philadelphia prior to the November election. There have been many peace demonstrations as well. More recently, environmental concerns have consumed most of their energies.
Deeply worried about the environment, the Hammanns began exploring in 1998 the idea of creating a co-housing community in the Gettysburg area. “In part we did it for personal reasons,” Hammann said. “Our one daughter, Sandy Hartzell, had participated in a similar project in Seattle and we hoped to entice her and her family back to Gettysburg. At the same time we were looking for a way to create a living environment that had a reduced impact on our earth.”
The Hammanns spent nearly four years looking for a suitable co-housing site, and finally settled on a Christmas tree farm in Cashtown to the west of Gettysburg. “It was the perfect piece of land,” Hammann said. “The 80-acre tree farm was on a hill facing south, the right direction for solar energy.”
Working with Sandy and Bill Hartzell, the Hammanns moved the project forward. Today, nine houses are completed and inhabited at what is called Hundredfold Farm. “Our plan calls for a maximum of 14 houses clustered on six acres,” Hammann said. “We were about to add three more houses more before the financial crisis, but it will now take some more time for the project to reach final completion.”
Hammann is understandably proud of what he has accomplished at Hundredfold Farm. “This isn’t a retirement community,” he stressed. Only he and one other member of the co-housing project are fully retired. Everyone else is still in the work force, choosing to live at the farm to participate in an alternative to usual suburban living. “The farm continues to be a working farm with trees still being sold at Christmas,” he said. “Everyone in the community contributes to that effort.”
The community has worked hard to make their lifestyle as “green” as possible. “All of the houses have solar panels, and we produce twice as much electricity as we need,” Hammann said. “In addition, the sun preheats all of our water, the panels preheat our water, which means low gas bills.”
Water was another concern. “We found someone to design a system for processing waste,” Hammann said. “We recycle every drop of water we take out of the ground. Anything that goes down a drain in the house is brought back up to the greenhouse where it is cleaned by a strictly non-chemical process that uses aquatic plants, bacteria, algae, water hyacinths, etc. And that water becomes our flushing water. Each house is plumbed twice. One for taking the water out of the ground, and the other for flushing toilets. By the way, flushing toilets is 30 percent of normal water use for each person in a household.”
Creating Hundredfold Farm has not been easy. “We’ve had our share of problems,” Hammann said. “For example, getting the permits that allowed us to build cluster housing on land that was zoned for independent housing on one to two acres. And getting approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for our water treatment system—that was a nightmare. But it’s been worth it. Every now and then I have the feeling that I’m living on the frontier. I feel I’m doing something unusual. And I like it.”
Lou Hammann can be reached at lhammann@gettysburg.edu. You can also learn more about Hundredfold Farm at www.hundredfoldfarm.org.
Comments
Remembering Lou Hammann
I had Lou for only one class - the Senior Scholars Seminar that he co-taught with Carl Leinbach in 1976-77. The topic was conflict, a topic that Lou was passionate about. As I think back on that course, what touches me was his willingness to allow me to go off on a tangent with my major project. I wanted to do something related to my psychology major, and he and Carl allowed me to do a project on the resolution of role conflict in the developing child. I don't think that was necessarily the sort of project they had envisioned, but Lou always wanted to encourage a student to pursue an interest or passion. And I appreciated that.
Lou and his wife, Pat, are people who truly live by their principles. Their role in establishing the Hundredfold Farm demonstrates that. The values of that community include the avoidance of a sense of hierarchy through joint ownership of common land, decision-making by consensus, stewardship of the environment, the cultivation of intergenerational relationships, etc. This is Lou - a person who not only holds these values, but finds a way to live by them. We at Gettysburg College talk about the importance of leading a life of integrity, a life in which one's values are aligned with one's actions. I can't imagine a better example of that than Lou Hammann.
—Janet Morgan Riggs '77, Gettysburg College President
"Philosophers think twice about that which others never think once." Lou shared this "Lou-ism" with me last fall semester. He took me to lunch and engaged me in what I had come to expect from any conversation with him — warm hearted, world-bending confusion.
After the meal I told Lou, "You know, you're to blame for it all."
"Blame for what, Alex?" he asked with pretend incredulousness.
"For getting me tangled up in philosophy."
And it's true. His Philosophy 101 course during my first year wetted my thirst for philosophy. Without the blind dates with Descartes and Whitehead that Lou set me up with, without the philosophical dissection of Shelley's Frankenstein, and without the loving respect he showed me - as if I were one of his colleagues - I would not have majored in philosophy, which was the best decision of my Gettysburg College career. Lou's inspiring and inquisitive method of leading class discussions set the tone for my four years here and set me on the philosophical path. It's along this path that I see myself continuing to trek for many years to come.
—Alexander T. Englert '09
Lou is at home in the paradoxical, the quixotic, the mysterious and all that myth captures better than reason. "If you're not confused, you're not thinking," he tells bewildered young philosophy students as he celebrates the mind's struggle with the wild anarchy of the world. As a philosopher of this world rather than a dreamer of perfect worlds Lou loves the conversation that is philosophy and the community it creates."
—Lisa Portmess '72, Professor of Philosophy
Remembering Lou Hammann
I had Lou for only one class - the Senior Scholars Seminar that he co-taught with Carl Leinbach in 1976-77. The topic was conflict, a topic that Lou was passionate about. As I think back on that course, what touches me was his willingness to allow me to go off on a tangent with my major project. I wanted to do something related to my psychology major, and he and Carl allowed me to do a project on the resolution of role conflict in the developing child. I don't think that was necessarily the sort of project they had envisioned, but Lou always wanted to encourage a student to pursue an interest or passion. And I appreciated that.
Lou and his wife, Pat, are people who truly live by their principles. Their role in establishing the Hundredfold Farm demonstrates that. The values of that community include the avoidance of a sense of hierarchy through joint ownership of common land, decision-making by consensus, stewardship of the environment, the cultivation of intergenerational relationships, etc. This is Lou - a person who not only holds these values, but finds a way to live by them. We at Gettysburg College talk about the importance of leading a life of integrity, a life in which one's values are aligned with one's actions. I can't imagine a better example of that than Lou Hammann.
—Janet Morgan Riggs '77, Gettysburg College President
"Philosophers think twice about that which others never think once." Lou shared this "Lou-ism" with me last fall semester. He took me to lunch and engaged me in what I had come to expect from any conversation with him — warm hearted, world-bending confusion.
After the meal I told Lou, "You know, you're to blame for it all."
"Blame for what, Alex?" he asked with pretend incredulousness.
"For getting me tangled up in philosophy."
And it's true. His Philosophy 101 course during my first year wetted my thirst for philosophy. Without the blind dates with Descartes and Whitehead that Lou set me up with, without the philosophical dissection of Shelley's Frankenstein, and without the loving respect he showed me - as if I were one of his colleagues - I would not have majored in philosophy, which was the best decision of my Gettysburg College career. Lou's inspiring and inquisitive method of leading class discussions set the tone for my four years here and set me on the philosophical path. It's along this path that I see myself continuing to trek for many years to come.
—Alexander T. Englert '09
Lou is at home in the paradoxical, the quixotic, the mysterious and all that myth captures better than reason. "If you're not confused, you're not thinking," he tells bewildered young philosophy students as he celebrates the mind's struggle with the wild anarchy of the world. As a philosopher of this world rather than a dreamer of perfect worlds Lou loves the conversation that is philosophy and the community it creates."
—Lisa Portmess '72, Professor of Philosophy
Welcome to the College's first web-only edition of Gettysburg magazine. We hope you enjoy our new online design. Our decision to produce one online edition a year was motivated both by a desire to become more environmentally friendly and to reduce spending during this financial downturn. We do plan to continue to produce three printed versions of the magazine each year. Since summer is often the "lightest" issue, it seemed appropriate timing for our cyberspace launch.
Read the full message from President Riggs
2009 Gettysburg College. All Rights Reserved
Hi Lou, Although I did not know you in college, I read the article about you with much interest, particularly when I read that you have settled on a Christmas tree farm near Cashtown. I grew up on an apple orchard near Cashtown and now live on a Christmas tree farm in upstate NY which I started in 1960 as a retirement project.
Joe Stevenson - 51 | Posted Jul 10, 2009 01:59 PM
I ended up double majoring in psych and religion because of Lou. Took at least 6 courses with him including "Center to the Fringe." As a Senior he let me teach his class for a week as part of some research I was doing in Scientology. I'm so glad he's happily retired and his classes remain one of my fondest memories of my years at Gettysburg
Christopher B. Stagg - 74 | Posted Jul 10, 2009 07:42 PM
Lou Hammann was my favorite and most interesting professor at Gettysburg - I had him for 2 semesters of Bible about which I was woefully ignorant. He made us think and laugh and listen because he often said unexpected things. I am so glad you told us about what came next in his life after I left Gettysburg.
Czrol (Gunkel) Heckman - 1966 | Posted Jul 12, 2009 10:59 PM
Prof Hammann is (yes, the word is "is", not "was") one of my most admired people. Every time I visit the college I try to look him up. I convinced the Class of 1963 to invite him to our 45th reunion last year...and he better show up for our 50th.
Gary Bootay - 1963 | Posted Jul 11, 2009 04:24 PM
I came to Gettysburg with a rote and uninspired knowledge of religion as absorbed in my traditional suburban church upbringing. Lou Hammann both entertained and enlightened me. I became a student of Christian religion for the first time, despite all the years of Sunday School, church youth clubs, etc. Thank you, Lou, for a very memorable time.
Richard Matthews - 1967 | Posted Jul 14, 2009 07:37 PM
I had Professor Hammann for two classes (Religion and Cinema as well as Introduction to Religion). It was my intention in both cases to have a class where Professor Hammann was the instructor. We became acquainted while I was working at the front desk in the library. I felt that Professor Hammann had something to teach me. Professor Hammann exposed me to new ideas and media and still is a huge inspiration to me. He opened so many doors of thought and perception that I never left a conversation without some new piece of information or new way of seeing. Professor Hammann was a great teacher of mine, but also took time to speak with me on a personal level. What is even more amazing is that I have other similar sentiments about several other professors at Gettysburg College. Gettysburg truly has an amazing faculty. A faculty that never grew tired of my incessant questions and questioning.
Scott G. Buhrman - 98 | Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:48 PM
Until I read this article, I did not know of the connection between Prof. Hammann and Contemporary Civilization. It is no wonder, then, that two of the three most influential courses I took at Gettysburg were CC and Introduction to Religion. The latter tore down everything I knew about Christianity and then laid a foundation for future growth. The former introduced me to ideas that I have spent a lifetime continuing to pursue. The irony is, I was a biology major with a minor in math. It is hard to measure how influential this one man was on my life. I wish him the Best.
David H. Bushman - 68 | Posted Jul 17, 2009 09:29 AM
Lou Hammann was my academic advisor and professor of religious studies at Gettysburg College. Of all the professors I have encountered there is no doubt that he was the most effective teacher and stabilizing force in my college education. He also happened to become one of the best friends I've ever known. The evolving relationship became for me an object lesson in the reality that it is altogether possible to be an authority figure, a partner in conflict, and a caring person simultaneously. He had a campuswide reputation as being one of the stirring professors in the classroom. That is why I chose his course in the first place. We spoke at the end of the first class and a long-term relationship began. Needless to say, his first lecture lived up to all the hype for me. He began the class with a brief "Hello" and "I am Dr. Hammann." Then asked a simple question while holding up a piece of chalk at the chalkboard. "What am I holding in my hand -- are you sure?" Then he placed the chalk on the floor, crushed it with his heel, scooped it up with a 3x5 card, and threw it out an open window. Then said, "Go get that piece of chalk." I suddenly knew I was going to love learning. My brain had never been so stimulated by such a small gesture before and I wanted more. What audacity and guts to let you know that whatever you thought you knew before coming to class was absolutely out the window with the chalk. We must start our search for truth anew here, now, and with each other. I was hooked like a hungry fish. I'll admit that I still have never experienced such a profound moment. I can still see the room, the chalk, the open window, and the dazed look on the young freshman class. Well, my well was primed for such a moment. Who ever heard of a 30-year-old freshman living with all those teenagers in the freshman dorm. It turned out to be a shock to the systems of all concerned. The students had an older brother figure even if they had to make some head adjustments. The faculty seemed to like having deeper questions than 20 years of sheltered living could yield. Now, things were not as simple for the administrators who were not accustomed to adult critique of their rules. This is precisely where Lou came in and became crucial to my academic and mental health. As my academic advisor and volunteer friend he walked beside me when facing the giants and in the lion's den. We took them on at every turn whenever we agreed that their policies or rules did not permit me the academic latitude or restricted my educational options. We homed in on the basics. He and I often came out of the battles scarred but always with the smile of victorious. I do not know how things would have finally turned out or if I would have graduated had it not been for his support and guidance. I would, most definitely, not be the same person or have learned so many important things about standing on and for principles. These are not included in the college catalogue but could benefit every student. His courage is the primary thing that sustained us through the times of battle. His sense of integrity sustained our friendship outside the classroom. On my first visit to his home to meet the family I found him to be the same person I knew in all the other circumstances - confident, inviting, and dazzling. On that occasion he pointed to the rocky hills behind the house and said that Zeus and Thor might appear over them at any time. You can bet that I never made that stop without an attitude of expectancy or preparedness that it just might happen. Before meeting him I would certainly have never entertained such a ludicrous idea. Now, I would never dismiss the notion out of hand, thanks to Lou. Those memories are among my prized earthly treasures and grow in value each time he and I touch base. Rev. Adam J. Kittrell '73
Adam J. Kittrell - 1973 | Posted Jul 24, 2009 04:25 PM
I thought Professor Hamman the smartest person I'd ever met, so it's something of a shock to read that this was not always so and that like me in CC in 1962, "Until then I had no idea that people thought things like that." CC, British history, Lou Hamman's World Religions, even the Bible classes were all new worlds of thinking for me that changed my life. How can we measure a great liberal arts education in a world of the immediately practical and financially compelling? Lou Hammon's students can answer that question.
Jim Madison - 1966 | Posted Aug 01, 2009 09:57 AM
I remember "Religions from the Center to the Fringe" well. It was, I agree, literally - a trip. I was not a very religious person, but that course had a dramatic impact on how I reacted to and dealt with people of religious and cultural backgrounds different from my own. It was truly a study about diversity and how to deal with it. I also remember a trip we took to Beltsville, Maryland to a Hare Krishna event. My family was so outraged that my mother sent a letter of objection to Professor Hamman. Yes - the class was a trip in every sense of the word, and I am so happy that I signed up for it. I am intrigued by the whole concept of Hundredfold Farm. Kudos to Professor Hamman, his family, and friends for embarking on such a mission. I am very curious, and a bit envious, and would very much enjoy a tour sometime when I'm in the area. Best regards to Professor Hamman and Gettysburg College - both great examples to all of us through the years. Respectfully, Peter Brown '81
Peter C. Brown - 1981 | Posted Aug 19, 2009 10:39 PM
Prof. Hammann has been a profound influence on the lives of myself and my husband. We met Prof Hammann when we took his Religion and Mythology class in our sophomore year. From that time forward, Prof. Hammann became a true role model and, later, friend. During my time at Gettysburg I was very active in social justice -- both in the community and at the college -- and Prof. Hammann always found time to help me wrestle with the hard questions that emerged. Prof. Hammann married us after we graduated, bringing his unique understanding of us and the world to our service -- an act which remains among the deepest of my experience. In about a month, he will be baptizing our twin daughters at the farm, a place where he and others have created a community that embodies their beliefs and words. There aren't adequate words to do justice to the vibrancy, intelligence, passion, and compassion that Prof. Hammann displays in his everyday life. My husband and I look forward to our visits with Prof. & Mrs. Hammann, not just because we love them but because just as in college, we know we can anticipate a conversation that is meaningful -- full of debate, laughter, searching, and wonderment.
helen DeVinney - 1998 | Posted Aug 11, 2009 08:36 AM