Letters to the Editor
How to Combat Antileadership
TO THE EDITOR:
HEW Secretary John W. Gardner's article on "Hie Antileadership Vaccine" in the February issue made me realize that the older generation forgets about a phase of the educational process about which the college generation is very much concerned. I am referring to the military and more specifically the ROTC programs in all of which Dartmouth participates.
A graduate of Dartmouth's Army ROTC and currently serving my last year of my obligated tour, I am immensely pleased with the education given me by the Army both in and out of college. The ROTC program is geared to teaching the college student how to lead and how to make decisions based upon the information available to him. Throughout his training the cadet is given problems to solve and he is graded most heavily on the enthusiasm he puts behind his decision rather than whether the decision was right or wrong by the book. Cadets are constantly admonished, "Make a decision, cadet; any decision, but make it" by their training officers at summer camp. After commissioning, the young officer is put in positions requiring him to make decisions and is further counseled in his ability to act. Even in the military the leader has to operate within a framework which prevents him from becoming too dictatorial, which prepares the young officer for the leadership by consensus of the outside world.
The Antileadership Vaccine is in evidence on the Dartmouth campus by the opinion of most of the student body that ROTC is "Mickey Mouse." In addition to a negative attitude towards what is an excellent and a necessary program, the students are failing to take advantage of a program whose benefits they will reap for many years. As my point is not to make a sales pitch for ROTC, I will not belabor the point any further. I just desire to make the College aware of the fact that on campus are located three courses of instruction designed to combat the antileadership vaccine.
Fort Lewis, Wash
Peek a Boo - Boo
TO THE EDITOR:
I was amused at the pun in the February Undergraduate Chair (calling attention to itself by inverted commas): "hundreds of ... students [got] 'a peak at the porn.'" At least I assume it was a deliberate pun and not an egregious Freudian slip. In either case, the ALUMNI MAGAZINE must be careful, for pornography is erecting its loathed head all over; and I wonder if it should ever be sent through the male.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Basketball Slighted
TO THE EDITOR:
The February issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE made no mention of the basketball team. The March issue gave only slight mention. I would not believe that your magazine favors only teams that are on the winning side. It takes a lot more intestinal fortitude to be a loser night after night in front of a slim crowd. Let's give our 3-18 basketball team some recognition for a job well done. They deserve a banquet and some publicity.
Burlington, Vt.
Undeserved Credit
TO THE EDITOR:
I am pleased to learn that you are cooperating in the Dean's campaign against published obscenity by omitting all mention of the basketball team and its record from your most recent issue.
Downingtown, Pa.
