Thank you
I was both saddened and delighted to see the article about Yale Huffman in your fall issue [“A Point of View“]. I was saddened to hear about the loss of his sight but delighted to find a way to relay a message to him. Around 40 years ago, I was a night student at the DU law school and was slated to take a course entitled Legislation. The regular professor had health problems, and at the last minute, the school recruited Yale Huffman to teach the class. He examined the usual curriculum and decided not to follow it. Instead, he told us he was going to teach us “how to win when the law’s against you.” As I remember, it was only a two-credit course for one quarter, but of all the courses I took in law school, I can look at that single course as the one that most often made the difference in my cases over the years. I had many fine instructors, but when the alumni office asked me to identify my most influential professor, the answer was Yale Huffman. I would be grateful if you would pass this message on to him and tell him, on behalf of a grateful student, “Thank you.”
Rocco Santarelli, JD ’68
Almont, Colo.
Miscellanea
In the fall 2005 issue of the magazine there was a small article [“Miscellanea”] about the Denver Boone that incorrectly stated that Boone made only rare appearances after 1984. In the 1989-90 school year, Boone was at every home hockey game leading the team on the ice, at home basketball games and in the Homecoming parade. He even represented DU at the CU mascot skiing event at Winter Park. Not bad for a mascot that is “retired.”
Jay Johnson, BSBA ’90
Ft. Myers, Fla.
Archivist Steve Fisher responds: Mr. Johnson is correct. Boone did not have an official retirement date as such, but continued to make appearances on and off until the Ritchie Center opened in 1999. The opening of the new athletic facility coincided with the introduction of a new mascot.
Point of pride
As the Clarion managing editor from 1952-53, one of my greatest challenges was dealing with an eager, overly exuberant, inquisitive and brash sophomore, David Rothenberg, who, along with most of the Clarion staff, confronted and questioned McCarthyism, DU’s future and an imperfect world. David, we were sure, would most likely return to New York after graduation and stir things up back there. Your article [“The Measure of a Man,” summer 2005] on David’s lifelong endeavors confirms that; he clearly merits the accolades bestowed upon him for his commitment to make this a better society.
DU should indeed be proud to claim him as one of its own.
Donald Baker, BA ’53
Hampton Bays, N.Y.
Photo ID
On page 35 [fall 2005], you showed a picture of two young women students and asked for the identity of the young woman on the left. She is Carol (Plank) Blomquist, attd. 1951-56. We were classmates at Denver’s North High School, graduating in 1951. I found her picture in the 1952 Kynewisbok. The picture in the magazine was probably taken in 1951. I always enjoy the magazine.
Robert Bamford, BS ’55
Aurora, Colo.
Brownsville by bus
To the DU students who participated in the Brownsville by Bus course [“Brownsville or Bust,” summer 2005], a belated welcome to magnificent southern Arizona. To writer Jennifer Farrell and photographer Matt Suby, my compliments for their vivid and factual presentation. Yes, we who live in southern Arizona do have an immediate problem with illegal border crossers, of which the rest of the United States seems to be only vaguely aware. My reluctant conclusion applies as well to the DU students who needed that trip to open their eyes to what has become a serious national problem. My home is 40 miles from the Nogales crossing. The undocumented persons non grata are very familiar to us, whether on foot or when causing high-speed accidents on our highways, their ultimate destination being safe houses in Phoenix or Tucson. The U.S. Border Patrol is always in evidence but is, unfortunately, seriously out-manned in an area so large. I commend those responsible for putting together the DU trip — the Marsicos and professors Taylor, Sutton and Keables — and the students who were willing to stick their chins out in their quest for learning. Keep up the good work, all of you.
William Liebler, BS ’49
Green Valley, Ariz.
Binge drinking
The disjunction between the spring 2005 article “The Binge Drinking Battle” and the summer 2005 article “DU’s favorite dive” is disappointing and concerning. The article on binge drinking was an excellent and thorough exploration of a very serious social problem — the increase in binge drinking on our nation’s college campuses. The article detailed efforts that the University of Denver, the Denver Police Department, and fraternities and sororities are making to address and prevent binge drinking. The article on the Stadium Inn bar, however, makes it clear why binge drinking remains an issue. The article contained the quotes “grads and dads can depend on an early happy hour to help them through the ceremony” and “I never had to worry about driving after one too many.” The fact that these quotes pass editorial scrutiny and are given prominence in the official magazine of the University of Denver is dumbfounding. Until those in positions of authority and responsibility stop “winking” at the issue and indulging in such irresponsible statements, binge drinking will continue to be a problem, and the efforts of individuals and institutions working to address the problem will be undermined.
Victoria Vuletich Kremski, JD ’93
Owosso, Mich.
Writing initiative
Several issues back, the magazine contained an article that so excited me I have lugged it onto dozens of airplane flights as I looked for some time during my travels to respond. Many months later, I hope this is not too late. Tamara Chapman’s article “Mastering the written word” [fall 2004] addressing the Marsico Initiative’s writing-intensive courses highlighted an idea whose time has come. As a former language arts teacher, I saw some poorly written essays from my high school and middle school students. However, none were as bad as the abominations I painstakingly helped to edit on behalf of my business-major fraternity brothers. Near dizzy from the gallons of red ink, during these torture sessions I gained some sense of the feeling my Freshman English professor was plagued by quarter after quarter: one of a perennial upset stomach. One of my College of Education professors beseeched us that no matter the topic we are teaching, we are always teaching reading and writing. To build on this, it could be said that we human beings are linguistic creatures and the world in which we live is a linguistic phenomenon. Considering that the currency of a university education is ideas and possibilities, assuredly this is true. One’s capability for and capacity to lucidly discuss, debate and analyze ideas, thoughts and points of view in the written form is truly an expression of the educated mind. Thank you, DU, for your leadership in this arena. Here’s to having the prowess of writing be a potent part of everyone’s education!
Scott Beckett, BA ’96, MA ’98
Irvine, Calif.