Baby Talk

In the fall of 1954, my daughter, Kathy, was the first “day baby” in a home management house when my husband and I were both working on our master’s degrees [“Parenting Practice,” May/June, p. 67]. We would drop Kathy at the home management house at 8 a.m. and pick her up at 5 p.m., allowing us to concentrate on our classes and not worry about transferring Kathy in the parking lot! She thrived in the program, but could only stay one semester as they did not want a child who was walking. Kathy was photographed being fed and bathed while being cared for there, and she still has these photos hanging in her apartment!

Nancy Saylor Gamble ’52, ’55 MEd H&HD
State College

 

 

Marking History

Reading about the unveiling of a new campus historical marker [“History in the Marking,” March/April, p. 64] brought to mind the day in 1989 that I started what would become a 25-year involvement with the marker program. The program was the brainchild of Roger Williams, then executive director of University Relations. As then–special projects manager in University Relations and sometime university historian, I was the first person with whom Roger shared his idea. I was immediately caught up in Roger’s enthusiasm, but I said something to the effect of, “Who will pay for the markers? We have no money for it in University Relations.” Roger said something to the effect of, “Don’t worry, we’ll get the money,” although he didn’t elaborate. I believe he was already confident that Vice President for Development Dave Gearhart and the new executive director of the Alumni Association, Peter Weiler, would—literally—buy into his idea. And why not? The program has turned out to be a fabulously successful public relations tool and has given rise to similar programs at other universities.

Michael Bezilla ’75 MA, ’78 PhD Lib
Lemont, Pa.

 

 

Recipe Error

Thanks so much for publishing the Nittany Lion Inn’s recipe for lobster bisque [Letters, March/April, p. 10]. I made it and it was excellent, but I think there’s a pretty big error. It seems that the chef cut it down from institutional size in the list of ingredients but didn’t adjust the butter and flour in the directions. I followed the recipe and made a roux with a stick of butter and cup of flour, and it turned out like wallpaper paste! I’d suggest revisiting with the chef—or starting with about 1/8 of the butter and flour. Thanks, and We Are!

Linda Krieg ’85 Com
Key West, Fla.

 

Piece of the Post

After seeing Nick DiFrancesco’s story in the May/June edition about his goal post piece [Letters, p. 11], I was reminded of my piece of Pitt’s goal post. As pledges of Alpha Zeta in 1968, like all previous pledges, we were required to get a piece of the goal post when the game was at Pitt (in the old stadium). We cut up a large piece to hang in the AZ basement and small pieces for ourselves. Note the score on my piece: Penn State 65, Pitt 9 on 11-23-68.

Alan Wood ’71 Eng, ’04 PhD Agr
Cornwall, Pa.

 

Common Cause

The May/June Penn Stater gives the impression that Penn State has an infinite amount of money. At least for Taj Mahal building projects—all at University Park. $85 million for a new art museum (when we already had one). $407 million for several engineering buildings (all, seemingly, because the old building along College Ave. is widely regarded as ugly?). We also just built a big liberal arts facility. Spent millions on a field hockey stadium. And of course we have $700 million to renovate Beaver Stadium. Yet the Penn Stater does not mention that Penn State is imposing heavy budget cuts on the smaller campuses. Where are Penn State’s priorities? Even your magazine frequently refers to alumni “returning to Happy Valley,” forgetting that many thousands have gotten their degrees from smaller campuses, never setting foot at University Park. Penn State cannot survive without a strong statewide presence!

Randall Newnham ’88 Lib
Reading, Pa.

 

Remembering Charlie

When I graduated in meteorology in 1965, Charles Hosler was our professor, then our department head, and became dean of Earth and Mineral Sciences, but he always remained, for decades, first and foremost a friend [“The Power of Projection,” March/April, p. 58]. Charlie was not only interested in you, but in everything. His inquisitiveness was contagious. What we were learning was so new that we joked that “90 percent of meteorology was discovered or created in the past 10 years.” Textbooks were obsolete. We were on a wild ride with Charles Hosler at the leading edge of a critical yet everyday science.

Hosler’s permanently twinkling eyes and passion for life and pursuit of understanding were, as noted, contagious. Even though I transitioned from meteo to law by 1971, it seemed that our team leader never forgot about us. I was/am over 5,000 miles from the campus, but decade after decade, a note from Charlie would appear, introducing me to a recent grad who was headed to Hawaii, and mightn’t I share some aloha with him or her? Or, “We’d appreciate your sharing some thoughts regarding how we might approach x or y?”

We sent a son to campus a quarter-century after I left, and it felt good knowing that someone there might be considered family. To me, Charles Hosler will always be in any first thoughts about Penn State.

Ken Kupchak ’65 EMS
Honolulu

 

Ahead of Her Time

I was pleased to see the article “Triple Threat” [May/June, p. 34] on Barbara DeWitt Sunderlin’s esteemed career at Penn State. What was missing (due to space restrictions) was that Barb earned nine varsity letters—four in basketball, three in field hockey, two in lacrosse—all while making dean’s list every semester. She was VP of her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, graduated summa cum laude, was student marshal of her graduating class, as well as “Senior Woman Athlete of the Year.” In January 2005, at the alumni brunch honoring past women’s basketball players, women’s athletic director Ellen Perry stated that “had there been female athletes recognized as All-Americans back then, Barbara DeWitt Sunderlin would have been Penn State’s first female All-American.”

Drew Sunderlin ’73 EMS
Dagsboro, Del.

 

 

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