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(Photo by Eugene Zakusilo)
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(Photo by Andrew Campbell)
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For Appearance's Sake
The pictures of students at Willard Hall [in "Date Jerks and Pizza Runs,"
News on Campus, fall 1999] in the 1950s brought back many fond memories!
What was wrong with men and women living in separate quarters? And what
was there to do after curfew time? We all had a great time and managed
to get our dates home in time. As I look around at contemporary college
students, it makes me think that those handsome young ladies exuded charm
and style along with their eagerness to learn. How pleasant it was to
work tables at the ZTA house and have the house mother make sure that
all the boys waiting tables were properly instructed and dressed appropriately!
Old-fashioned perhaps, but we might well need some of that consideration
for the civilizing aspects of life on today's university campuses.
Donald E. Smith (M55)
Madison, Wis.
Writing It Right
Thank you for sending me a copy of Northwestern. I found the issue and
"The Writing Life" [fall 1999] most enjoyable. I would like to make one
correction, however. To date, I have sold 270 million books. That's million
with an m, not billion with a b. I look forward to achieving the figure
you printed, but in the meantime ...
Sidney Sheldon (WCAS38)
Los Angeles
Elizabeth Bennett did a fine job, but she -- and the editors -- missed
[an important writer]. Margaret (Richards) Friskey (WCAS22) was a lifelong
Evanston resident until 1993 [and the granddaughter of Richard Haney,
one of Northwestern's founders]. From the late 1930s through the early
1990s, Peg Friskey enriched the world of children's literature with dozens
of books, published primarily by the old Children's Press in Chicago.
Ask any children's librarian in the English-speaking world about her,
and you'll likely hear that she defined the literature for almost half
a century.
Ken Layne
Los Altos, Calif.
Editor's reply: Thanks for bringing Ms. Friskey's writing to our
attention. "The Writing Life" focused only on authors of adult fiction
and poetry.
Digging Anthropology
As a 1951 PhD in anthropology, I was glad to see that the department is
doing well ["They Dig This Guy," News on Campus, fall 1999]. My own specializations
were cultural and psychological anthropology and African American studies.
I note in your piece on Patrick Quinn and the Northwestern archives ["Keeper
of the Past," fall 1999] that "the papers of Melville Herskovits ... are
among those heavily used."Professor Herskovits was my adviser.
Erika
(Eichhorn) Bourguignon (G51)
Columbus, Ohio
Sacred Sarett
A half-century ago, Lew Sarett taught a blasé-sounding course called Forms
of Public Address, which quickly became an enduring favorite. Professor
Sarett was the epitome of excellence, making every class an Oscar winner.
For that, everyone had to be on time and was expected to focus on his
every word. No distractions allowed! One particular day remains indelibly
in my mind. The professor strode down the aisle toward the podium of the
Annie May Swift auditorium. He was attired in his dark Sunday-go-to-meeting
suit, rather than his usual salt-and-pepper tweed. He carried what looked
like the Bible pressed to his bosom. The audience hushed. There was a
beatific expression on his face. As his eyes looked upward, he talked
in melodic intonations about the Golden Rule: doing unto others, telling
the truth and emphasizing the values so missing today. The words flowed
from his heart. He was delivering the best-ever sermon. As it ended, he
returned the Good Book to his heart, bowed his head and journeyed out
the door. In unison, the elated class stood up and clapped until the jubilant
professor returned to acknowledge the applause. The commotion brought
a wide-eyed dean James McBurney back from wherever he was to witness the
aftermath of that memorable performance.
Mickey McArthur (S49)
Sonoita, Ariz.
Information, Please
A question: Can alums make use of Northwestern library resources via Internet
connections?
Frank Sellers (J64, GJ65)
Falls Church, Va.
Editor's reply: All alumni have access to the library catalog and
many databases through the Internet (nucat.library.northwestern.edu).
However, not all of the library's online resources are available to alumni
or other users outside the northwestern.edu domain.
Act Naturally
In Judy Moore's "Garden Walk" [fall 1999], I was disappointed to find
that Northwestern, being the avant-garde university it is, does not seem
to be moving toward any sizable naturalizing, which is the mode of the
millennium. The one hopeful photo was on page 47.
Sally Hausken (SESP56)
Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Editor's reply: As evidence of Northwestern's commitment to
naturalizing wherever possible, Ann Ziegelmaier, Northwestern's landscape
architect, points to the native beach/ dune plant community east of the
sports and aquatics center, which was in the photo on page 47; the 1.2
acres of dry mesic prairie plants lining the lagoon; and the use of native
trees that are characteristic of the original oak grove upland dry mesic-type
forest in the remaining wooded areas.
Sad but Proud
As a professional school alum, I was glad to see that we are now included
in the mailing [Mailbox, fall 1999]. I am sad to hear, though, that my
school is closing. I have always felt the Northwestern University Dental
School was one of the best, and I am proud to be part of the Northwestern
tradition.
Philip M. Stoll (D79)
Chesapeake, Va.
Get Focused
I am pleased to see a well-written alumni magazine finally worthy of a
school of Northwestern's prominence. I do, however, agree in part with
the letter in the fall 1999 issue [from Michele Tuck-Ponder (J80)] that
described the layout as cluttered and too busy. I like much of the layout,
but the "front of the book" is something of a hodgepodge, with too many
items, too many photos and writing that is sometimes too cute for its
own good. I think you would be better off to cut back here and make room
for more features or essays or just longer news accounts.
Jerry Ackerman
(J61, GJ64)
Gloucester, Mass.
On Your Toes
I think Northwestern's Dance Marathon ["Gotta Dance!" fall 1999] is a
wonderful philanthropic event, and I am impressed with the dollar amounts
raised for charities. The article states, however, that the "... Dance
Marathon remains the nation's largest student-run philanthropy ... raising
almost $4 million for 21 different charities." I believe Penn State's
Dance Marathon is the largest student-run philanthropy in the nation,
having raised more than $13 million for the Four Diamonds Fund since 1977.
With 634 participants dancing for 48 hours, the Dance Marathon raised
more than $2.5 million this past year alone. The Four Diamonds Fund, created
in 1972 by Charles and Irma Millard in memory of their son Christopher,
provides financial assistance and emotional support for families with
children in Children's Hospital at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
in Hershey, Pa. I participated in the 48-hour marathon in 1989 as a Penn
State undergraduate, so I really enjoyed reading the article by AnnMarie
Harris and wish the Northwestern University student body continued success
with Dance Marathon.
Michael Xenakis (KGSM98)
San Francisco
True Spirituality
I've always been grateful for the experience of singing in the Alice Millar
Chapel Choir, but never more so than today, when I read of the death of
former chaplain James Edward Avery [in News on Campus, fall 1999]. Millar
Chapel was my haven at Northwestern, in no small part due to Jim's commitment
to making Millar a place where everyone could come together in a spirit
of fellowship to share profound words and wonderful music. By redefining
my image of a religious leader, Jim helped me come to my own personal
terms with spirituality in all its various forms. All of us who had the
privilege of knowing and working with Jim are surely better people as
a result.
Kathi Vieser (S86)
Baldwin, N.Y.
Egghead
Few things have ever made me prouder to be a Northwestern alum than learning
[in "Marketing McGenius," Alumni News, fall 1999] that Herb Peterson (WCAS41),
the inventor of the Egg McMuffin, was also a graduate.
Dan Pink (WCAS86)
Washington, D.C.
Fancy That
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my picture would appear
in the Northwestern University alumni magazine. But there it was on page
45 [of the spring 1999 issue] captioned, "A Young Man's Fancy." I don't
recall the name of the young lady, but the picture was taken by Ronald
R. La Count (WCAS55). The individuals who are responsible for producing
this publication are to be commended. It is outstanding (even when my
picture is not in it)!
Donald B. Williams (S55)
Silver Spring, Md.
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