NEW LOOK DEBUTS
The fall 2013 issue couldn’t be better. All of the changes were needed, and I enjoyed reading it.
RICHARD RECCE ’44
Wilmington, Del.
Congratulations on the fall 2013 Lafayette. It is excellent. From the coverage of President Alison Byerly’s inauguration to the fascinating articles on the arts, sciences, and writing, all were informative and thorough. The coverage of the seven first-year students (“We Begin”) was also well done.
As an alumnus I walked away feeling very good about my College. And that is what an alumni magazine is supposed to do.
ALAN PESKY ’56
Ketchum, Idaho
The fall 2013 issue of Lafayette is the most outstanding edition I have seen since graduating in 1960! From the exciting cover featuring the inauguration of President Alison Byerly to the enhanced class notes section that is now filled with news and profiles about alumni, the publication is wonderful. The graphs providing the results of the alumni survey are excellent, and I enjoyed learning what our College’s students are like today (“We Begin”).
TOM RENNERT ’60
Brandon, Vt.
What a wow issue of Lafayette magazine. Congratulations!
In our house we receive bulletins from University of Pennsylvania, University of Colorado, Rollins, and Florida Institute of Technology, but in my opinion they are playing catch-up.
Hats off to a professional publication.
GEORGE FOUKE ’55
Indialantic, Fla.
WRITING SKILL IS KEY
I was pleased to learn the significant difference from the Lafayette of my day in “Write This Way” (fall 2013 Lafayette). As a B.S. chemistry candidate, I had two semesters each of religion and English—the only nontechnical courses permitted. Several of us approached the department head and asked if we could enroll in a philosophy or psychology course to “broaden” our education. We were told that there was no need or time for that. All of the B.S. curricula had a rigidly controlled path.
When I reached industry, I worked in research and development that required a detailed, formal report at the conclusion of each project. I was one of the few who actually enjoyed writing these reports. Many of my colleagues were incapable of writing a meaningful technical report.
Sometime in the 1980s this practice was abandoned under the guise of reduced costs. Many of us were of the opinion that this was false economy. Even the failures needed to be documented or, surely, someone would eventually repeat the work as a result of making the same bad assumptions or misinterpretations that led down the wrong path before.
I realize the workplace has changed. But I have learned that most of the problems in life, whether in process development, device or structure design, or, more important, human relations, are the result of poor communication. The writing program described in the fall magazine goes a long way toward rectifying this.
RICHARD J. STAMETS ’52
Willoughby, Ohio
Send us your thoughts about this issue of Lafayette magazine.
Stevie O. Daniels,
Editor
Communications Division
Lafayette College
Feather House
17 Cattell St.
Easton, PA 18042
lafayettemagazine@lafayette.edu
Letters may be edited for length and clarity