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Letters

Thanks, JJ Johnston

I was very interested in the fall 2006 story about JJ Johnston. I was a business administration student, and I had Mr. Johnston for Business Law during my junior year. I was majoring in secretarial science and was one of probably three or four females in the class. At that time, I planned to be an executive secretary, preferably at an oil company. I credit Mr. Johnston for sparking my interest in law. He ran his class like a law school class. We had to prepare certain cases and be able to describe and defend a position on the case. There was one day a week when he mainly called on the women, although you had to be prepared at all times in order to avoid the embarrassment of being quizzed and not ready to participate. I did not consider going on to law school at the time because the only women I knew who did that were extremely smart, and I considered myself only an average student. It took me awhile, but I eventually went to work for a lawyer in Spokane, Wash. I became a paralegal and had a career in legal work for 20 years. I even entered law school after I was over 40 years old, but because of my many responsibilities for family and finances at the time, I had to give up that goal. But, I had a great career and am so appreciative that I had that class with Mr. Johnston, or I would have missed all the fun I had working in the law business. Thanks, Mr. Johnston.


F. Radell (Hall) Mitchell (BS ’55)
Oxnard, Calif.


It was with mixed feelings that I read of Professor James Johnston’s retirement. I took his Business Law course in the spring of 1948 and remember him as a great teacher. I also remember his politically incorrect jokes. My grandson (now a junior in DU’s Daniels College of Business) took the same Business Law course some 58 years after I did. When my grandson noted our family’s long-term involvement with Professor Johnston, he told my grandson that he remembered me, and further, that my grandson was a better student than I was. What wonderful chutzpah! Give me a break, Professor Johnston — and many great years ahead in your retirement.


Mel Mogulof (BS ’49)
Berkeley, Calif.


We appreciate your article on JJ Johnston. My husband, Bob Gray (BSBA ’66), and I are somewhere near the center of JJ’s card file. We have fond memories of his classes. JJ had fun reminding me that his wife was a Pi Phi and I was a lowly “anchor clanker.” JJ also helped Bob out with a little speeding ticket when he was on the way to guard duty. The judge was very understanding. After several years in the banking industry, Bob ended up in the construction industry. I became a contract administrator and negotiator dealing with the likes of Lockheed-Martin and Time Warner. Perhaps some of JJ’s lessons rubbed off. Feel free to pass this on to JJ with our best wishes in his retirement. He will never know how many students he impacted in the most favorable way. What a great guy. The world needs more Jimmy Johnstons.

Vicki Gray (BS ’62, PADM ’66)
Santa Ana, Calif.


World War II memories

Your article about veterans enrolling at DU following World War II brought back many memories [“What a day, V-J,” fall 2006]. My husband, Michael Bocko (BS ’50), attended DU following his discharge from the service. As a married student, he was eligible for housing on campus, and we lived in “Butlers” just south of the campus on Gaylord Street. As a business major, all his classes were downtown, and he not only carried 18 hours but worked at the now-defunct Montgomery Ward store on South Broadway. Most of the time he put in a 12-hour day. Because we were so goal-oriented, it was a heady time for us. We knew that the DU degree would open doors later on, and that is exactly what happened. At his retirement, Michael was CEO of the Colorado State Employees Credit Union. We have a special place in our hearts for DU and our experience there.

Emily Bocko
Aurora, Colo.



Bee buzz

Your article on bees [“Rhapsody in Bee,” fall 2006] was interesting to me, as I worked for a beekeeper for five years while going to college. I did the normal beekeeping tasks like supering or stacking, requeening and pulling honey. My main job was to run the extracting plant. In the summer of 1963 I extracted 150 tons of honey out of our plant in Bridger, Mont. We were running about 2,600 colonies, so our average was pretty good. In those days, honey was selling for 12 cents a pound, I was making $365 per month, and tuition at DU was $300 per quarter. I guess the best thing about the “good old days” is that they are gone. You may want to ask Jerry Webb about introducing a new queen bee to an existing colony. It is interesting and tricky.


G.D. “Corky” Christman (BSBA ’64)
Billings, Mont.



Kudos and suggestions

As soon as I picked up our copy of the DU magazine, I could tell it had been redesigned, and your column confirmed it. I think it looks great! I like the larger format, the full-page bee photos are beautiful, and the entire magazine has a sophisticated look and feel. Good work.


Chuck Toney
Policy Analyst, University of Georgia


I love the new look of the magazine, judging from the fall issue received in today’s mail. Really classy! The abundant white space makes it so much easier on the old eyes. I really dislike (and avoid) publications that think every graphic needs to be bleed-edge and that text overlaid on graphics is fine despite large irregularities in contrast. Thanks also for including our 50th class reunion photo. It was a great event. I was a reluctant attendee, since I hadn’t been to a DU class reunion ever and anticipated a stodgy old collection of unrecognizable rest home aspirants. What a bunch of live wires! And what stories we had to share!


Richard Berry (BSBA ’56)
Honolulu


The magazine is very enjoyable, informative and well done. However, I do have a suggestion. Since many of us alumni have not been to the campus in years, it would be helpful to include a map of the campus highlighting the areas discussed in each issue. For example, although I can picture it, the article on the updated “green space” in the “heart of campus” would be enhanced by a map highlighting the area covered.


Jonathan Wool (BA ’80)
Malone, N.Y.


The editor responds: Because the University receives so many requests for maps, it has posted searchable campus maps and corresponding photos online.

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