We'd like to hear from you Northwestern welcomes letters from readers. We reserve the right to edit for space and style. Send letters to Northwestern 1800 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60208 Fax: 847-491-3040 E-mail: letters@northwestern.edu The identity — but not the ardor — of the individuals in this archival photo, from 1951's centennial issue of the Syllabus, is under gentle dispute. (Photo courtesy of Syllabus)	I Only Have Eyes for You Imagine my surprise when I saw the photo titled "A Young Man's Fancy" [Alumni News, spring 1999] of my special college love, John Wise (McC51), and me. John and I met often at the Rock, and on this particular day in 1948, a Daily Northwestern photographer snapped this photo. Donald Williams (S55) ["Fancy That," Mailbox, spring 2000] is absolutely positive that the photo is of him although he "does not recall the name of the young lady." Interestingly, this photo appeared in the 1951 centennial Syllabus, which would make it impossible for it to have been taken in 1955! Sorry to burst your bubble, Mr. Williams. Bernadette Butler Bloomfield (S48) Chicago McGovern's Moxie Of course William McGovern ["Tibet or Not Tibet," Mailbox, spring 2000] wasn't the first Westerner to enter Tibet, but he was probably the first Westerner to dye his blue eyes brown by squeezing juice from walnuts and entering the capital, Lhasa, undetected. Edwina McDermott Scott (SESP52) Tucson In 1941, I was assigned to do a piece on McGovern for the Purple Parrot. Here's a quote from the article: "McGovern disguised himself by staining his body yellow and squeezing lemon juice into his blue eyes to darken them. He attempted and succeeded in making a journey through Tibet to the Forbidden City of Lhasa to study the theocracy of the world's most isolated civilization. While he was in Tibet, a group of angry Buddhists stoned his house. He sneaked out the back way, joined the group, and participated in the stoning. ..." Harry H. Foulks (WCAS47, L49) Sacramento, Calif. Grade A Geographer An 'A' grade for the piece on geographer John Hudson ["North by Northwestern," spring 2000]! Reminded me of a happy stint as a visiting professor in 1973–74, laboring alongside John and other geography colleagues in University Hall, under the chairmanship of Edward Espenshade. Whether the department's demise was anticipated as early as that I don't know, but I doubt that Professor Hudson was then predicting eventual relocation to his "metal annex" or the opportunities and challenges he so obviously relishes as the lone geographer on campus. And now there's to be Hudson's interpretation of the regional geography of the United States and Canada. Colleagues far and wide will be anticipating something quite special indeed. Bruce Young Professor emeritus Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario Down Memory Lane The photo "Spring Fashions" [Alumni News, spring 2000] was of special interest. It is a photo from the 1962 Syllabus that I edited — and the young man pictured is my ATO pledge son, Bob Miller (EB64), from Albany, Mo. The photo prompted a wonderful trip down memory lane — page by page through the 1962 Syllabus. Thanks for the incentive to take that trip. Richard Turner (J62) Chicago On the Waterfront I enjoyed the item about the early-1960s lakefill project ["Lakefill Revisited," News On Campus, winter 1999]. I was a member of the audience in October 1964, watching ambassador Adlai Stevenson prepare to dedicate the campus. It was indeed a blustery day, and I remember very clearly Stevenson's text flying from his hands just as he began the formal part of the speech. What he said was: "Well, it wasn't very important anyway." Loren J. Chudy (J67) Toronto, Ontario One Sunday in July 1962, my two daughters and I took our sailboat from Wilmette harbor and headed south along the shoreline. As we passed Northwestern's waterfront, we saw a tug with a barge alongside heading north. We kept on sailing south and eventually reached Devon Avenue about an hour later. On the way back to Wilmette harbor, we passed the north end of the Evanston campus, and, lo and behold, a small island of sand had appeared out of nowhere. It was the start of the lakefill — we were there at the beginning. A. Norman Freeman (WCAS35) Naples, Fla. Psst! Pass It On In the last issue of Northwestern, you encourage alumni to recycle their magazines [Mailbox, spring 2000]. Your magazine is far too impressive to be read by only one person. I recommend alumni "recycle" their magazines by donating them to the college placement offices of their local prep or high schools. It is a great marketing tool for prospective students. Rhu McBee (S81) College counselor Tilton School Tilton, N.H. Encouraging Words Because I was at the University for only a year, I've never considered myself to be a "real" Northwestern student. But for some reason, your redesigned magazine has made me feel more a part of the community of graduates. I enjoy the well-written and wide-ranging material, like book reviews and research, and the stories of graduates. You've gone beyond the dollar-gathering material I see in other alumni magazines. Dennis Dorwick (GMu76) Lara Vic, Victoria, Australia I just had to grab the closest thing on hand to say what a great magazine you have produced! It's so well edited! I have not read all the long articles yet, but the shorter pieces are so well laid out and so to the point. I like the interspersing of past history with up-to-the-minute accomplishments of both the school and of alumni. Ethelyn Olson Brewster (WCAS59) Galesburg, Ill. On the Peace Corps I was glad to see Northwestern recognize the Peace Corps ["Making the World a Better Place," spring 2000], a great idea and a great movement. To say it changed me as a person and as a basketball coach is to deal in gross understatement. I'm sure every single alumnus who sent you his or her story told you the same thing. Dan Peterson (SESP58) Milan I am disturbed by the article "Jordanian Journal" that tells readers Jordanian society is anti-Jewish but provides them with no historical context or facts to evaluate this charge. Readers are left to interpret this "deep-seated hostility toward Jews" in the way they understand best, that is, in the Western context of racism and anti-Semitism. I was a Senior Fulbright Research Scholar in Jordan in 1993–94 and a USIA/ ACOR Research Fellow there in 1994–95. Among my colleagues were a number of American Jews who did not feel compelled to hide the fact that they were Jewish. Nor did they suffer any negative consequences for being openly Jewish. Noting the author's current affiliation as regional director of a Zionist youth organization leads me to wonder if she really entered into an objective or open-minded relationship with Jordan or Palestinians. You do your readers a disservice by printing an article that appears to reduce all of this to the simple idea of hatred. Louise Cainkar (G81, 88) Chicago Preserving a Painful Past The article ["Preserving a Painful Past," winter 1999] is rightfully laudatory of Sara J. Bloomfield (WCAS72), director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. But there are some glaring errors that deserve comment. The museum was built to commemorate and memorialize the victims of Nazi brutalities committed against the Jews, Poles, Gypsies and others, and not, as the article states and implies, against the Jews, Gypsies, left-wing dissenters, homosexuals and others. Polish losses in numbers alone during World War II were as high as Jewish, and listing them among "others" is demeaning to the victims and historically incorrect. The Holocaust is not only and exclusively a Jewish tragedy. Edward J. Kaminski (UC60, G64) Professor emeritus in pathology/Medical School Morton Grove, Ill. RETURN TO TOP