Good News All Around

What a pleasure it was to read the September/October issue! First, the cover story about Tucker Haas and THON [“Tucker Haas Has a Story,” p. 32] actually said something positive about fraternities and sororities, which I think is long overdue. Second, the article about the News Literacy Initiative [“Decluttering the News,” p. 50] was wonderful. News literacy is so critical these days. I spent most of my career as one of those people who help decide what’s important enough to report, and it drives me crazy to see poorly sourced or even utterly false stuff being passed off as news. Thanks to the Bellisario College and to my long-ago employer, WPSU-TV, for all you’re doing.

Stu Chamberlain ’65 Com
West Sayville, N.Y.

 

 

Block Solid

The aerial photo of Beaver Stadium on Band Day 1963 [“In the Zone,” Sept./Oct., p. 60] brought back memories of participating in Block S in 1967. I remember that my card was white, and we practiced before the game, so we had at least a minimum of coordination with the cards. 

Thomas Fenstermacher ’68 Bus 
Allentown, Pa.

 

NLI Memories

Thanks for the article “Open for Business” [Sept./Oct., p. 42]. I am always interested in articles regarding the Nittany Lion Inn, as it has been a part of my family’s memories. We returned to the Inn every year to visit with the staff my parents worked with during the late ’30s and ’40s. Above is a photo of my dad, Irv Zaleski, who was the head waiter at the Inn, taking a cigarette break. I am happy to see the restoration and that the Inn, which is an integral part of Penn State history, is continuing to be cared for.

JoAnne Zaleski Gari ’69 A&A
Richboro, Pa.

 

Campus Cheers

I always enjoy reading about the Nittany Lions in the Penn Stater, but it would also be enjoyable to read about the Behrend Lions, the Altoona Lions, and other campus athletics programs. I know the most about the comprehensive Behrend Lions. They have 24 varsity year-round programs with student-athletes from 14 states and three foreign countries. They enjoy excellent facilities and are led by long-term and superb athletics director Brian Streeter. They are co-founders of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, and they have won the Presidents/Chancellors Cup 23 of 24 years. These student-athletes and their coaches have been involved in Special Olympics and love representing Penn State. They deserve your coverage.

John M. Lilley
Reno, Nev.

 

Seal of Approval

Am I the last person from my alma mater to recognize the “seal” of the university in the July-August Penn Stater [“We’re Supposed to Make a Difference,” p. 34]? I could not help but take notice on the next page of our president wearing the “logo” and not the official “… application and expression of the university’s identity” (Webster’s Dictionary). A logo is more appropriate to the athletic and social aspects of the school. I am a proud owner of a beautiful white porcelain coffee mug with gold seal inserted with blue lettering. Also, another cobalt blue mug with gold seal and letters. Most of all an owner of a treasured gold and blue alumni lapel pin. Sadly, items with the seal offered in the school’s store seem to have disappeared. Fellow alumni: What do you think?

Roland Lindh ’61 Lib
Fort Washington, Pa.

 

Nittany Dorms

 

I enjoyed Bob Wolff’s story about the Nittany 25 dorms [Letters, Sept./Oct., p. 10], as that’s where I spent my freshman year in 1951. Ron Field and I shared Nittany 25/10 for a year before moving off campus and then on to fraternity life at Lambda Chi Alpha. Ron and I are in the last row [above] next to the fellow on the radiator in this somewhat distressed predigital photo taken 74 years ago. Should any of that happy crew still be bleeding blue and white, drop me a line!

Warren Maurer ’55 Com
Wynnewood, Pa.

 

Reestablishing Tradition

 

Through Phi Delta Theta at Penn State, my father, Bill McLaughlin, befriended genuinely good men that he would keep in his life forever. The chapter was temporarily closed in 2007; because the brothers of Phi Delt had such an effect on me, I knew I wanted to bring this chapter back. This project started as soon as I set foot on campus in August 2021 with a phone call to general headquarters, who put me in touch with our soon-to-be president, Braden Raymond. We immediately started to work together to gather as many people as we knew who had a passion for bettering themselves and their futures. Three years later, we are fully initiated as a chapter, with 60-plus members. In September, alumni and new members gathered [above] to celebrate our new beginning.

I am proud to be one of the founders of Pennsylvania Theta, and proud to be a Phi.

Tom McLaughlin
Oreland, Pa.

 

Town of We Are

 

This isn't exotic like the Pyramid of Giza or the South Pole, but we were driving through New Hampshire and happened upon the town of  "Weare," so we had to stop and take a picture.

Steve Newman ’85 Sci and Renee Goldberg Newman ’88 H&HD
West Des Moines, Iowa

 

 

 

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