Follies is a tale of sea change; A Boston dean's move from East coast to West coast ; from Greenwich Village childhood in an American Labor Party, theatrical, professional and religous skeptical family , to culmination of a career as Managment in a Jesuit university,
Following a fall-out with Boston University administration, a Dean's Search Announcement in a professional chronicle provides an opportunity for a brief escape from Boston winter. Youth memories of family political anger at the Catholic Church set aside, university visits evolve to the unplanned and unlikely invitation to serve as dean once again. After many conversations with my Jewish wife, the decision is made to trade in my uncertain Boston professional future for visit to a city we both love.
There was no clue that in less than a month on the job as new dean my mission to foster change would be distracted by a Marx Brothers-like performance of a trio of professors, casualties of Labor-Management battles storming into my office; a Sister extolling the sexual appeal of 'Father what-a-waste' when I sought to enforce class size limits for his class, and shower confessions of a naked University president who earlier had shared concern over Christmas tree condom ornaments in the School of Education, almost a year ago in now - my School. On sharing my unsettling first San Francisco month with the President standing buck-naked next to me in the University Health Center shower in the new University Health Center and indicating I was tempted to keep a log he garbled, " Tell it as you see it." Follies tells it as I saw it.
Personal tales of Greenwich Village days, McCarthy years' impact on our family, departure from Boston University complement humorous and poignant tales of Jesuit priests provide an added dimension to events as the dean seeks to adjust to his new environment and simultaneously overcome School resistance to change. Tension between faculty union and management plays out, celebrations and grievance over promotion and tenure decisions reverberate, celebrations of faculty accomplishment and pain of disappointment affect School climate. Camaraderie of deans and personalities of presidents shape the social climate and the majesty of special events is celebrated as the memoir unfolds. On the decision to retire as the dean realizes role of Sisyphus can't be played forever, the dean is reminded by the Provost at his Management , as opposed to the earlier faculty or Labor dinner, the good he has accomplished is irremediable. He is not as certain as he and wife decide to return to New England comforted in the knowledge their time in San Francisco was well worth the trip.