Letters

Native American Character

The Alumni Magazine should be commended for personalizing the Native American "issue" by presenting various members of the Native American community at Dartmouth. It is refreshing to finally meet the people who have made Dartmouth's Native American program the standard by which other programs nation-wide are measured.

The article "Native Americans at Dartmouth the People and the Program" (May issue) revealed that Native Americans at Dartmouth have come from diverse backgrounds, many of which could be considered educationally "disadvantaged." But Dartmouth has had the foresight to renew its commitment to providing an educational environment in which the talents of these students are nurtured and developed.

The success of Dartmouth's Native American program is illustrated by the accomplishments of its alumni; including doctors, lawyers, politicians, artists, teachers, newscasters, and others.

As the College enters its 217 th year, we can all take pride in Dartmouth's continuing tradition of providing the finest educational opportunities to outstanding Native American students from throughout the United States. This, after all, is what the Native American program at Dartmouth is all about.

NATIVE AMERICAN VISITING COMMITTEEDAVE BONGA '74 BRUCE DUTHU '8O MIKE HANITCHAK '73 EMIL ALEN KRAUS '73 DICK LIPPMAN '42 CHRISTINE NICHOLSON '74 THERESE OJIBWAY '78 GUIDO RAHR '51 TOM SORCI '76 TOM TEEGARDEN '74

Pioneers?

Why not the Dartmouth Pioneers? "Oh, Eleazar Wheelock was a man without a fear, he went into the wilderness to teach the pioneer, etc."

Dartmouth was founded in the pioneer era. Most of the early students were sons of pioneers.

Relatively speaking, compared to the urban areas' population density, the Upper Valley is pioneer country. Probably the most distinguishing feature of Dartmouth in the public mind is it's relation to and activities associated with the nearby wilderness and mountains a pioneer country.

Few, if any, would mind the use of various characterizations of the pioneer figure. The pioneers were hardy, strong, coura geous, resourceful and made a contribution to Society, both women and men.

Jaffrey, N.H.

No Safety Glasses

Perhaps I'm over-sensitive, having lost the sight of one eye, but the photos shown in the September Alumni Magazine about the Hopkins Center Design Workshops indiciate no safety glasses in sight. Wow!

ROBERT F. FOSDICK '43

Simsbury, Conn.[Safety glasses are regularly used in the workshops, but they were discarded, for obviousreasons, when the Magazine photos weretaken.]

A Nomenclature Problem

I was very surprised by the statistics cited by Russell Reeder Jr. who wrote (in your September issue) that the regiment he led ashore at Utah Beach had 161 Reserve Officers out of a total of 167 officers.

In World War Two there were clearly too few Regular Army Officers to lead the large army we needed, but they were supplemented by three other classes of officers: (1) National Guard Officers, (2) Army of the United States Officers (AUS) mostly from Officer Candidate Schools, and (3) Reserve Officers, primarily from courses given in various colleges.

ROTC programs obviously produced men for that third group, Reserve Officers, and nothing more.

The Infantry Officer Training Schools started commissioning men in 1940 and by the time of the Normandy Invasion those AUS officers were the mainstay of the junior ranks. I cannot believe that Reeder's other leaders the Regular Army Officers, the National Guard Officers and, most particularly, the AUS officers totaled only five while he had 161 men from the ROTC. That would have been a most abnormal situation.

Since the West Pointers were so special a group, I suspect Reeder has made the common mistake of lumping together all of his other officers under the title "Reserves." But this does a distinct disservice to the AUS officers. All the enlisted men I knew much preferred to be led by a Regular or an AUS officer than by a National Guardsman or a Reserve Officer and, in any case, the ROTC does not deserve credit for producing anything but a Reserve Officer.

As for what he terms my "ridiculous" statement that, while not opposed to ROTC, I think it basically unimportant insofar as our defense structure is concerned, he replies that we could not have won World War Two without those Reserve Officers. That's an extremely debatable point, but I would point out that I was discussing the military needs of 1986, not of forty years ago. There is an old saying that military leaders are always preparing for yesterday's war. Reeder probably remembers that in 1940, after watching the Nazi might overrun most of Europe, our army was still training horse cavalrymen.

And if we are going to use the term "Reserves" so loosely, I might point out that, when called to active duty, I was a member of the oddly named Enlisted Reserves. And I certainly had no connection with the ROTC. I believe Reeder is simply having (understandably) problems with military nomenclature.

I regret that I'm unable to refer to Mr. Reeder by his proper title.

Weston, Conn.

A Lively Reader

Writing a letter to Dartmouth via the editor of the Alumni Magazine has been on my mind and in my heart for over 25 years.

Four of our family members attended Dartmouth, so my love for this school had no choice but to grow. I find the AlumniMagazine to be an excellent reminder to me of my obligation to Dartmouth and my con tinued reason for being proud.

Of course all alumni look at their own class columns or their class obituaries first, but I find each article interesting and worth reading. College symbols and shanties can be discussed too, but I choose to weigh all articles as expressed, and enjoy the diversified opinion that Dartmouth alumni always express.

Thanks "Alumni Magazine" you do an excellent job of expressing what our College is, does, and stands for teaching the ability to allow oneself time and knowledge to become a person with pride in oneself.

Syracuse, N.Y.

Welcome Deletion

Oil April 29, 1986, I wrote a letter to the former editor of the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, protesting the appearance on the masthead page of a demeaning "Indian Symbol."

As Mr. Greenwood's concluding remarks in a recent issue of the Alumni Magazine indicated, he was responsible for the appearance of the Indian symbol on the masthead page, and he continued to keep the symbol in the magazine despite prior protests from a Dean of the College.

It causes great joy in the hearts of thousands of Dartmouth men and women to see that one of the first acts of the interim Editorial Board was to remove the Indian Symbol bol from the masthead page. This action is to be highly applauded.

The Editorial Board should, however, go one step further and refuse to accept any advertising for products bearing an Indian symbol. Specifically, I refer to a Campion's advertisement for a necktie containing Indian headdress design. The appearance of an Indian symbol in any college publication is morally offensive and should no longer be countenanced.

Detroit, Mich.

Remedy for Boredom

Were I Elaine Anderson '83 of Hollywood, California, I'd avoid Alumni Magazine boredom by cancelling my subscription. I never got bored in Hollywood. On the other hand, Elaine might catch up to life. It moves ahead while people have boring pity parties.

I opposed distaff admissions. But a wayward math prof gone president of the College sold the fragile bill of goods. Each seat a lady fills at Dartmouth prohibits attendance of a potential pigskin Ail-American. It goes to a field hockey jockey. Albeit, it's done. We accept that Dartmouth will never be the same. That's change, our most permanent state.

Yes, I cheer for football. Grant me the right to be wrong, to live and let live. In Hanover 50 years ago I lived close to clean Ivy League football play. It is overemphasized generally today, but I don't think so in the Ivy League where it started.

And that's not all I got from Dartmouth. There was magical nature all around me, Plato and Beethoven only at arm's length, Scopes, Sacco and Vanzetti, and great fellowship. I also saw a shimmering candle of truth being directed my way, whatever I studied.

I'm still getting something from Dartmouth. It's meeting a stranger with a white D on a dark green sweater. It's the AlumniMagazine and gatherings in Dartmouth luncheon groups in many cities. It is also getting to know a little about you, Elaine. I never thought I'd talk some day to a Dartmouth lady as I always have and shall talk to a Dartmouth man. But I am, and it ain't bad. Your memories of Dartmouth will overcome boredom with the College. But those memories must mellow, must experience the same maturing process as a rare wine. You won't have to make it happen. Just let it happen. It will.

Mayfield Heights, Ohio