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Letters – Winter 2016

handbill

Tom Kennedy (Ѱٲ’73) shared a memento from a 1969 concert he attended at Folsom Field.

Mementos of '69

Just a couple of weeks before reading the “Return of the Dead” article [Summer 2016], I was reminiscing with a fellow Buff about the two stadium shows we saw in our time at CU. The first was on Sept. 7, 1969, and was headlined by Country Joe and the Fish. To shore up my memory I pulled out my handbill (above) from that show. 

Tom Kennedy (Ѱٲ’73)
Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.

Good Works

Regarding “Everywhere and Anywhere” [Fall 2016] on alum Gayle Smith (Engl’78) — her predecessor in humanitarian good works and leadership was probably Julia Taft Vadala (PolSci’64; MA’69). Julia was a White House Fellow, tapped by President Ford for Operation BabyLift, worked on refugee crises worldwide and finished her career at the UN. Julia was also our liaison for the U.S. government with the Dalai Lama; she loved him.
 
Paula Sparre Holcomb (Բ’64)
Sedona, Ariz.

Everywhere, Email 

I was happy to see the article about email at Colorado [“Origins,” Fall 2016]. As a Tri-Exec, I had the privilege of being part of the conversation about ubiquitous email for students when student government (then the University of Colorado Student Union, or UCSU) partnered with other campus entities in that conversation. For at least a while, the main student server was named ucsu.colorado.edu for that reason. Back then, of course, we were excited to get email. Quite a difference from today, when email is a bit too ubiquitous and we find ways around it. Thanks for an interesting feature!
 
Malinda M. Matney (Ѳѳܲ’92)
Ann Arbor, Mich.
 
I recently read your article about early email at CU. I still fondly remember using Pine and Elm as clients via my old Mac II plugged into the Farrand Ethernet. My address in 1992 was gpenn@colorado.edu. I wish I could have kept it like many universities allow these days. I was a desktop admin for the housing department at Farrand and Baker’s computer labs, so I remember crawling the early web using Netscape, too. It must have sparked something, because I ended up leading eCommerce for major brands. Thanks for the memories!
 
Gary Penn (ܳ’96)
Lake Forest, Calif.

Of Mind and Matter 

Thank you very much for the article about Amy Cuddy (Psych'98) that you published in the summer 2016 issue ["Of Mind and Matter"]. A friend of mine had a brain injury earlier this year and I was able to share the article with her. It was such an encouragement to her then, when I first shared it with her, and it continues to be. 

Wendy Stethers (MechEngr'92)
Kaneohe, Hawaii 

Cuba Cover 

I enjoyed Glenn Asakawa’s (Jour’86) photo essay, “Colors of Cuba” [Fall 2016] in the recent issue of the Coloradan. He captures many of the wonderful scenes I observed, having been to Cuba in 2008 and 2012. I, too, would go back again in a heartbeat.

That said, I’m disappointed you chose the photo of the young woman for the cover, rather than the more colorful photograph of the older woman with the cigar, her vivid headdress and brightly painted nails. Once again, as frequently occurs when attractive, young women are photographed, she is being objectified, specially by the pose she has taken.

I’m not a hardened feminist, but this cover photo is a continuation of using women, and some men, to “sell sex” on magazine/book covers, ad copy and other promotional materials. And to be honest, both genders sometimes objectify themselves by the manner in which they dress or behave in their daily lives.

Thanks for hearing me out.

Nancy Foster (dzܰ’71)
Denver, Colo.

Homecoming Queen 

I especially enjoyed the pictures on page 48 of the fall Coloradan. I believe the picture on the lower right is of Mary Mothershed Pryor (A&S’64) and her homecoming court in 1962. I was a freshman and our dorm wing in Sewall Hall unanimously nominated her for homecoming queen. She was every bit as nice as she was gorgeous! She was our resident adviser; we all loved her and we were all so thrilled when she won. I remember very few people from my freshman dorm, but I will never forget Mary, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this memory.

Sue Hauser Mischke (&;’66)
Beltsville, Md.

More on Alferd Packer 

Thanks for the interesting article on the Alferd Packer Grill [“Boulder Beat,” Summer 2016]. I can attest that at least from 1957 to 1960 Alferd Packer’s name was on the grill, but I cannot recall if his middle initial was. I was an undergrad in those years. In 1960 I entered the law school (you could be admitted without an undergrad degree in those days) and got married to my wife of now 56 years, so had other things [to do] and lost track of the grill. 

Doug Irish (’63)
Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bronze! 

The last Coloradan that I received had an article about Emma Coburn (Mktg’13) [“Sports Q&A,” Summer 2016] and her long distance running. I wrote her last name down on a piece of paper along with women’s steeplechase. I read in today’s Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper that Ms. Coburn won the bronze medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Rio Olympics. Way to go! 

Philip Benninghoven (&;’63)
Topeka, Kan.

Painting the Flatirons 

I, like so very many of your readers, thoroughly enjoyed the two-page Flatirons article [Infographic, Spring 2016]. I sure never guessed that our Third Flatiron adventure would fall between those of a roller-skater and a nudist.

On the night of Oct. 14, 1955, my roommate, Jim McCune (EngrPhys’57; MPhys’61), and I climbed the backside of that Flatiron with paint, brushes, stirring paddles, rope and carabiners in backpacks. While Jim stirred the paint, I painted the U.

Emery Cowan (Jour, Span’10) told the “painting” story very well in the June 2009 Coloradan.

Frank Ellis (侱Բ’56)
Pensacola, Fla.

Photo courtesy Tom Kennedy 

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