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Summer-Fall 2001
Vol. 64, No. 1

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Rochester Review--University of Rochester magazine

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Review welcomes letters from readers and will print as many of them as space permits. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Unsigned letters cannot be used, but names of the writers may be withheld on request.


'Hobart Game' Goes into Overtime

My wife and I also attended that 1947 Hobart game ["Letters to the Editor," Winter-Spring 2001], but we sat with our Hobart friend and his wife in the Hobart section.

My friend's father was John K. Walker, chairman of the board of trustees of Hobart College. The day after the game I received a telephone call from Mr. Walker saying that he had discussed with three other Hobart trustees their desire to keep good relations with Rochester and apologizing for the conduct of the Hobart participants.

I told Mr. Walker that I was very ashamed of and embarrassed by the conduct of President Alan Valentine in scheduling the overly long halftime ceremony and that the only derogatory call I heard from the Hobart stands during the long and very cold intermission was a cry from one-"What about Hobart?" This was from a young World War II veteran close to where we were sitting.

Robert E. Witherspoon '35
Fort Myers, Florida




Regarding "That Hobart Game," I was present also. I remember the overlong halftime awards ceremony. But I also remember a member of the Rochester football team, fullback Howard Hoesterey, our own "Man in the Iron Mask." Because he had been badly burned in a fighter plane, Howie wore an unusual leather mask attached to his helmet to protect sensitive scar tissue on his face.

While I, too, cannot recall who won that game, I do recall Howie emerging after one play with blood streaming from under his mask-and a chorus of Rochester boos being directed at the Hobart team.

There also was something said, or printed in the local papers at the time, about "Al Val" being verbally accosted by Hobartians in the men's room of the stadium after the game. And that it was these folks that he referred to as "hoodlums," and he used this incident, together with the injury to Hoesterey, as the pretext for canceling the series with Hobart.

Chuck Lockett '50
Trinity, Florida




How Far Indeed?

We received the Winter-Spring 2001 issue containing the piece by [Anthony Center for Women's Leadership Director] Nora Bredes ["We Haven't Come Such a Long way, Baby"], in whose opinion women's "ambitions continue to be realized through their husbands."

Ironically, as usual our copy was addressed to "Mr. and Ms. David M. Hecht." I have repeatedly requested that this address be changed, since it is insulting and implies that I am somehow subordinate to my husband. My request has never been honored. It's time for you to do as Ms. Bredes suggests and take a small step to reduce gender bias by making this change for the many married alums.

Susan Karnes Hecht '79
Poughkeepsie, New York

We certainly intended no slight and are more than happy to accommodate requests for mailing Review on an individual basis. Unfortunately, making such a seemingly small change for all addresses becomes quite complicated in a database of 80,000 or so alumni names. Revamping the computer programs we rely on to sort names is, for now, too cost prohibitive to undertake. Someday, perhaps . . . -Editor.




Indiana's Finest

I wish to comment on the article "Rochester's 'Brand' of Hoosier" in the Winter- Spring 2001 issue. I must take to task your statement "[Myles Brand '67 (PhD)] was selected to lead the Hoosier State's flagship public university in 1995. . . ."

Perhaps you are not aware that another of the Hoosier State's public universities is Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. I contend that the worldwide reputation of Purdue University surpasses that of Indiana University except perhaps in the areas of the antics of its previous men's basketball coach and IU being the headquarters for the Kinsey Institute.

From the fields of engineering, pharmacy, and agriculture, among many other areas, and including an outstanding school of business, I believe Purdue's reputation is more than a match for that of Indiana University from an academic point-of-view. From an athletic point-of-view, the same conclusions can be drawn.

I might also point out that there are numerous other major state universities within Indiana, such as Ball State University and Indiana State University. It might be well to note that there are many well-known and well-respected private colleges and universities also within this state's borders. I refer to DePauw University, Notre Dame University, Butler University, Valparaiso University, Wabash College, Hanover College, Earlham College, Franklin College, and St. Mary's College just to name a few.

William A. Anderson '57
Columbus, Indiana




Susan B.'s Legacy

I would like to offer a correction to an article in the fall issue. In the sidebar entitled "Scholarship in the Name of Susan B.," the following statement appears:

"Demonstrating the breadth of the institute's program, faculty associates attached to it represent five of the University's six major academic divisions: the College, Eastman School of Music, Margaret Warner School of Education and Human Development, School of Nursing, and School of Medicine and Dentistry."

The William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, however, is not listed, even though I have been a faculty associate of the Susan B. Anthony Institute for several years.

By the way, I very much enjoyed the issue. The article on Martha Matilda Harper was especially well done.

Melinda Knight
Rochester
Knight is area coordinator of management communication at the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration.

Thanks for setting the record straight-Editor.




A Death Notice

Shame on you. In the Winter-Spring 2001 issue you failed to list the July 2000 death of Svend Eldrup-Jorgensen '58M (Res) in the "Faculty" section.

He was a very respected full-time member of the faculty of the Department of Anesthesiology for over 30 years and deserved a biographical listing.

His name did appear in the "In Memoriam" section.

Barney Labe

Our apologies for the oversight. Eldrup-Jorgensen retired from the Department of Anesthesiology in 1990, the culmination of a career at the University that began in 1959 -Editor.




Take a Bow

Thank you for mentioning my recent CD I Am Prospero in the "Books and Recordings" section of the Spring-Summer 2000 issue. As you indicated, many Eastman alumni participated in the recording.

In addition to those mentioned, John McKay '78E (DMA), professor of piano at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, is featured as the pianist on the 23-minute Variation Sonata: Journey Through Prisms.

His flawless performance and dedication to the music are a composer's dream!

Paul Goldstaub '77E (DMA)
Binghamton, New York




Calling All History Fans

The Department of History wants to establish close ties with all University alumni who enjoyed history courses, whether or not they were majors. We are forming a "History List," i.e., a group of alumni friends who would like to be informed of departmental activities, especially those planned for the new Meliora Weekends at Rochester. We hope to send out an alumni newsletter.

Please pass the word on to your friends and let us know if you would like your name placed on this list. We would appreciate hearing from you!

R. W. Kaeuper
Rochester
Kaeuper is a professor of history at the University.

Interested alumni may write to the Department of History, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627; or send e-mail to rkpr@mail.rochester.edu, or to rahz@ mail.rochester.edu-Editor.




Remembering Wilson Commons

In response to the "Happy 25th" [Wilson Commons anniversary] on page 6 of the Winter-Spring 2001 issue, I am sending some recollections:

When I started my freshman year in the fall of 1973, the area around the Wilson Commons site was already fenced off. At that time it was just a mammoth hole in the ground. The fenced-off area was fairly large, stretching from the side of the library, around the dining hall, and along the back of Morey.

This resulted in lots of extra "commuting time" between many locations on campus. Thus the well-known graffiti that was written on the "cattle shoot walkway" next to the library-THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS WHERE WILSON COMMONS IS-was so appropriate.

Obviously the construction of the Commons took a long time, and my recollection is that the completion date was moved back several times. There were frequent articles in the CT explaining the layout and features of the Commons. However, they always seemed a world away, sort of like seeing a rainbow but never being able to get to it.

I recall the excitement building in the winter of 1976 when much of the fencing came down and a "firm" opening date was set for Sunday, April 4, 1976. It seemed that the entire student body surrounded the building, waiting to enter on that nice spring day after the ribbon cutting and speeches. I recall walking through the building for the first time like many others, going from room to room in amazement.

Were we still at Rochester? Despite all the articles, the building was better than we could have imagined. The nonconventional layout was phenomenal. I also recall the noise level, particularly in the open area, was almost deafening.

As time went on, people found their favorite spots in the building and modified their daily routine to enjoy the building. How could we have existed without the Commons?

Rick Shorin '77
Ambler, Pennsylvania




It seems hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the opening of Wilson Commons. I feel like I know the place inside and out, yet I only had the chance to use it for about a month. That is because I am a member of the Class of 1976 and graduated shortly after Wilson Commons was dedicated.

Our class had the "special" privilege of seeing the building go up during our four years at the University. We saw the slow progress and we made our share of detours around the construction site-remember, THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS WHERE WILSON COMMONS IS?

I was there for the ground-breaking in the winter of our freshman year, and I was there for the dedication and opening in April of 1976.

What I remember most about that opening month was the great feeling that this would be the new focus of activity at Rochester, filling a void that was apparent throughout my four years at Rochester. For a campus so close to a vital urban area it always felt very isolated. There was no great, fun place nearby to hang out and socialize, aside from the Bungalow, Todd, and the library-and they weren't so great.

But here was this I. M. Pei-designed Wilson Commons, a fresh, modern multipurpose building that promised a much more exciting campus life. How jealous I was of all the underclassmen behind me!

I recall a real sense of connection in this bold piece of architectural design. I was the only person in my class (that I know of) to go on and get my master's in architecture, and I was doubly excited at the dedication because I had just been accepted to the architecture school of my choice.

I remember looking down from one of the stair balconies during the ceremony at Pei-the famous master architect himself. How could I have possibly imagined that one day, a mere eight years later, I would begin a two-year stint as an architect working at I. M. Pei and Partners in New York?

Richard L. Kadin '76
Scarsdale, New York

 

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