Letters

Eyes on East

I would like to commend President Joel Seligman and the entire University community on the initiative to save East High School (President’s Message, September-October). As the president said, there is no more important challenge than that facing education in our country. As a graduate of both East (1969) and the University (1974), I have a personal interest in the success of this plan.

I believe there are many graduates like myself and the late Mitch Miller ’32E who attended both institutions. Such alumni have a desire to see this effort succeed. Please keep us updated on the progress.

Kurt Eyrich ’74

Augusta, Georgia

I found President Seligman’s message on East High School of personal interest since my father, Herbert Baird ’22, graduated from East High in January 1918. In the process of compiling a family history, I found the class yearbook online (www.libraryweb.org/~digitized/yearbooks/East/1918_Jan.pdf). The class history gave me a glimpse into his life at that time. The website has digitized copies of East High’s yearbooks from 1904 through 1930.

Included in that yearbook was an ad for J. W. Johnston’s Snow White products. As a student, Dad worked for Mr. Johnston who was the founder of what is now the Rochester Scottish Pipes & Drums.

Doug Baird ’50

Asheville, North Carolina

Situating South Sudan

Great article in the September-October 2014 issue on how the university has become the number one destination for students from the program on the continent of Africa ("A Great Gathering"). Great to see so many countries represented too.

Hopefully others have pointed out that the new country of South Sudan is missing on the map on page 37. South Sudan was formed in 2011 and my wife and I now know people with family there.

Mark Doehnert ’75

Falls Church, Virginia

ROC ’em, SOCKS ’em!

I was delighted to read the article about the SOCKS student group and their yarn bombing (“Knit, Purl . . . Boom,” September-October). I’m sending a photo of the ONE sock I knitted before my arrival at the U of R in the fall of 1960. I knitted my way through the U of R, keeping company with the bridge players. At least I had something to show for my time!

Yes, I’m coming to reunion weekend; and yes, I AM a grandmother, still knitting and crocheting very “in” cowls, socks, hats and sweaters. My sympathies to those who do not yet know how to knit or crochet.

Shall I bring my needles and crochet hook to reunion?

Phyllis Zych Budka ’64

Schenectady, New York

A Rainbow by Degrees

Observers of the glorious photograph on pages 14 and 15 of the September-October 2014 issue will note the secondary rainbow, fainter and with colors reversed, resulting from light which is reflected and further refracted in the raindrops. In the photo, it is approximately 9 centimeters above the primary. The separation to an observer “on the ground” is 9 degrees.

John Hitchcock ’62M (Res)

Pittsburgh

Olá, Portuguese

As a parent of a Portuguese-born daughter, Joana Coelho ’17, I was very surprised to find out about the Portuguese language being offered at your school (“Global Rochester,” September-October). My daughter is fluent (can speak, write and read it, plus knows Portuguese history) because she attended Portuguese classes at our community club where I have been a teacher for almost 20 years. While she has lived in the States since she was seven months old, we go back to Portugal every year to spend time with our families during our vacations at Christmas.

After looking at 14 or so colleges as soon as she saw U of R she would not think about any other. Joana loves being there and takes premed classes because she wants to be a pediatrician. We are so happy for her and are sure her future will be bright because of the choice she made.

Rosalina Coelho

Poughkeepsie, New York

Were There Fries with That?

With regards to your board plan picture (“Class Notes,” September-October), not only did I hold on to my card, but I also still have it 44 years later. The Boar’s Head Dinner, held every year in the Men’s Dining Center, was probably the most memorable event in that building.

David Brams ’72

Tamarac, Florida

A Letter in Numbers: Class of 1938

I am a surviving member of the Blue Ribbon Class of 1938. We were named the Blue Ribbon Class because we were high achievers. During our freshman year, we were given a national achievement test and our class scored above Harvard’s class that year. I thought you might be interested in a profile of our class. I went through the Interpres of our class and here are some findings. I doubt that many of my class are still alive because I invited reactions to a letter some time ago and received no reply.

So for the record, here are some findings. Reactions welcomed.

William Form ’38, ’40 (MA)

Columbus, Ohio

The writer is a professor emeritus at Ohio State University and previously was on the faculty at Michigan State and the University of Illinois.

Department of Corrections

A story about the invention of the blue noise mask (“Image Inventors,” September-October) misstated the invention’s place in the University’s licensing history. The technology has returned the third most licensing and royalty revenue to the University. A Medical Center team’s work that helped lead to vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV), now marketed as Gardasil by pharmaceutical giant Merck and as Cervarix by GlaxoSmithKline, is the top licensing success, followed by work by Porter Anderson in David Smith’s lab that led to a vaccine against pneumococcal meningitis, sold as Prevnar by Wyeth (Pfizer).

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Review welcomes letters and will print them as space permits. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Unsigned letters cannot be used. Send letters to Rochester Review, 22 Wallis Hall, P.O. Box 270044, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0044; rochrev@rochester.edu.