Letters to the Editor

A Passionate Educator

Your title, "A Life, Shared," about professor emeritus Donald Murray '48, was perfect, because he loved nothing more than sharing his passion for writing with others. I have his laminated reminder "Nulla dies sine linea," and I look at it every day, not necessarily acting on it, but knowing that I should. He was a dynamic, passionate educator, and he will be missed. Jane Harrigan's article captured the essence of the man and the teacher. The quotes from students and friends illustrated the profound influence he had. I for one will never forget his amazing warmth and certainty of his calling. Teachers like him are rare and unforgettable.

Priscilla Daggett '57
Plainfield, VT
(The author is the daughter of the late
UNH professor Gwynne Daggett.)

Do Not Forget

As a classmate of, and fellow ROTC cadet with, Ben Keating '04, I often joked with him about life after UNH. When Ben died, his classmates gathered to honor and pay tribute to him. We carried him from the plane, served as his honor guard, and made a toast to his memory. Since that time, those of us left here in the New Hampshire Army National Guard have been or are being deployed as well. I left for Afghanistan at the end of March. Another classmate leaves for Iraq in a few months. I beg the UNH community to honor those alumni who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

1st. Lt. Matthew Paquin '04
Afghanistan

Charting a Wise Course

In "On Thin Ice," David Sims '81 portrays Mark Fahnestock as the genuine, dedicated scientist that he is, one who realizes and acknowledges that research and its findings can and should be questioned and continuously investigated. The closing paragraph of the story bears repeating: "Perhaps Jakobshavn's current behavior is just a cyclical phenomenon, or perhaps what's happening now is but a tiny perturbation compared to what's in store for a warming planet. Whatever the case, it's up to scores of scientists like Fahnestock to tease answers out of these big, complex systems so that we can more wisely direct our newfound, globe-changing powers and chart a sustainable path to the future of life on Earth." Well done, David Sims.

Joyce Evans Barry '52
Keene, NH

Editor's note: Two readers won an autographed UNH hockey puck by correctly identifying Dick Umile '72 as the future UNH hockey player. The winner among on-campus readers (who receive the magazine first) was Andy Glode; the off-campus winner was Robert Watson '73 of Durham, N.H. The other players, from left; Jerry Healey, St. Lawrence class of 1970, played varsity hockey; Bob Dyer, '74 Salem State, inducted into their Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1992; and Alan DeTeso, who played on the Stoneham (Mass.) High School hockey team.

Editor's note: Dick Dart '49 was able to provide names of players from the 1950 football team posing with an elephant (Fall 2006). From left, they are the late Don Miosky '52, the late Earl Eddy '52, Bill Haubrich '51, Tony Bahros '52, the late Tom Gorman '51 and John Clancy '53.