Dean Lomis Honored for Hellenism

“Hellenism has been defined in many forms and can be traced anytime from the Homeric age, through the classical period, to modern times,” says Dean Lomis, someone who knows, because he has studied – and taught – it. “Its meaning is an immortal entity that has captured the mind and the spirit of educated men of goodwill for the betterment of society. It is relevant for our time and for future generations. Greek Americans in particular, must strengthen our American legacy on the powers of Hellenism.”That was the core of Lomis’ philosophy, expressed at the Greek Studies Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis at a lecture.

His contribution to the field was honored on Oct. 14 at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Hellenic News of America (HNA) newspaper in the Concordville Inn-Best Western Hotel & Conference Center in Concordville, Pennsylvania. More than 400 people attended this event from across the United States. Paul Kotrotsios, the newspaper’s president, said “Dr. Lomis has been contributing articles to the Hellenic News of America from its first 25 years ago.”

Lomis’ biography is at http://www.umsl.edu/~cosmopoulosm/people/lomis.html. A lifetime of achievement was remembered by his family and friends who came from several states for the event. “The professor is the best man in the world,” said Nitsa Anastasiades of Newark, New Jersey. “He is a good friend, an excellent grandfather. We all have fun with him and his family.”

Helen Doukakis of Bloomington, Delaware said, “He is a very special friend to my husband for many years.” Steve Papantinas a former Greek Evzone from 1949 and his wife Elaine said, “We go to the same church where Dr. Lomis has a major role.”

Lomis’ wife is from Sparti, his father from Leonidion, Arcadia and mother from Nafplion. His son Van (Evangelos) said that evening that, “We’re proud that you have dedicated many years of service. You stand up for causes important to our heritage.” His daughter-in law Deme believes he is a great role model: “May God continue to bless you.”

The professor’s biggest fans are his grandchildren. They expressed sentiments that, “Papou Dean has the mind of a thinker. He is the coolest dude we know. Papou Dean is 81 years old but acts like he is25. He has so much energy that keeps us all going.” His greatest accomplishment is his family, he says.

Lomis was national Chairman of AHIPAC (American Hellenic Institute Public Affairs Committee) for four two-year terms, from 1982-1991,” said Eleni Kostopoulos in her article In the Spotlight: Dr. Dean Lomis. From 1969 until his retirement in 1996, he served as the director of the University of Delaware International Center and professor of Modern Greek in the Department of Foreign Languages.

In Lomis’ acceptance speech for his award, he recognized the extraordinary work of Basil Savopoulos in getting out the Greek vote in Delaware. Visit http://www.greeknewsonline.com/?p=9218. In his paper Hellenic Paideia: College-level Education for High School Students, Lomis was preoccupied with associating or re-associating Greek American youth to their cultural bearings.

For teenage Americans, including Greek-Americans, he envisages a special Greek language and culture college-level curriculum for high school. The relevant program that he proposes embodies two educational elements: one remedial, familiarizing the student with the Greek language, cultural heritage and ethos, while the second, utilitarian with cost-effective educational characteristics, offers advanced placement academic credits to enhance their collegiate studies.

To review the suggested structure of the program, curriculum distribution, adjunct faculty status and recruitment, tuition and expense arrangements, academic credit, and advanced college placement considerations, reference is made to the paper which will be included in the proceedings of the Conference. According to Lomis, success of this program will hinge on the academic institution with a viable Hellenic Studies program, which would provide the focus of leadership and guidance, http://www.greeknewsonline.com/?p=12163#more-12163.

Lomis’ article, The Two Faces of Greece: The Beauty and the Beast states that visiting Greece must be a plan for every Greek-American family. Aside from the experiences and enjoyment, it also a significant factor in providing Greece in its hour of dire need with both monetary and moral support.

“I very strongly recommend that every Greek-American organization make immediate changes to its plans for its next year’s annual convention, and from now make arrangements to make its 2013 Convention in Greece, and in the locale of its background. The AHEPA certainly can have it in Athens, but the Pan-Arcadians, Pan-Cretans, Pan-Laconians, Pan-Macedonians, and all the rest of the topical societies whatever their correct names might be, will experience and transmit back to their offspring the beauty of their ancestral roots, while giving that helping hand that the region of their origin so desperately needs. It must also be realized that new bonds will be developed, just like those of my five grandchildren this year, and the remaining three that I hope will join them next year.”

He added: “If Greece is to successfully survive the current severe economic crisis and financial turmoil, it must change its course from that of the last three decades. It is not that the Greeks have been always all wrong. They have survived for over four millennia, so they must have done something right. It is only that the current state of ‘globalization’ came too soon and was too much for their not-yet-ready limited society. Yet, the Greek spirit endures like its native Olympic Flame and it can be extinguished only by the Greeks themselves, something their patriotic psyche and never-dying philotimo will refuse to allow.”