Letters to the Editor

DePauw M AGAZINE

Spring 2021

The How-To Issue

IN THIS ISSUE:

Alums tell how they do all sorts of things / DePauw and Greencastle seek more than their common ground / DePauw’s contribution to conquering COVID-19 / and more

TO THE EDITOR:

Congratulations on a most engaging edition of the DePauw Magazine. It was a great read cover-to-cover and blended both uplifting and thoughtprovoking stories. From the opening on the question about God and the pandemic, to the article about Dr. White’s bookshelf and the many “how to” stories, the issue reinforces the value of our time at DePauw. The issue’s common themes of looking internally for both inspiration and happiness, the need to think critically about the human condition and our collective triumphs and challenges as a society are the core principles received from the DePauw experience. I look forward to future issues of the magazine that are equally thought-provoking. – Scott Russell ’78

The spring issue is over the top! You outdid yourselves. What a great theme and it was delightful to read about town/gown. – Laurie Hamilton ’58

Spectacular issue … I have read many issues of the DePauw Magazine … This latest is by far the most interesting. (There is) one omission in the article that talks about the town/ gown relationship in Greencastle being tighter than usual. I give ex-president Brian Casey credit for starting this in a big way. – Richard Patterson ’61

It was my honor and privilege to … give a presentation titled “Manda’s Story” to the DePauw community via Zoom from the Bottoms building Feb. 25. My narration detailed the enslavement of my daughter’s brain by her addiction to heroin and her subsequent death from it on March 30, 2002. … So it was with dismay while perusing the DePauw Magazine, spring 2021, I read your article, “How to sell pot (legally).” ... There is a very dark side to marijuana ... To be truly educated about marijuana, I highly recommend this website: learnaboutsam.org. Marijuana is often one of the stepping stones to heroin (as it was for Manda) and other life-threatening drugs. – Mann Spitler III ’70

I usually just scan the DePauw magazine and recycle it. However, this time, I went through the entire magazine and read the stories … I was so impressed with each one of these. I wanted to thank you for your efforts to make this edition one of the best. – Dorothy Taylor ’76

I recently read your article “How to sell pot (legally)” and am writing to express the many concerns and frustrations I have with the article and the university’s PR team. First and foremost, the article reeks of privilege as it celebrates an elite white businessman’s participation in the ongoing racist history around the war on drugs, and especially cannabis. To write an article like this without mentioning that white people make up 80-90% of the $10 billion (and exponentially growing) industry while Black and brown people are disproportionately still criminalized for simply possessing weed despite legalization, is not only irresponsible, but also violent as it participates in and upholds this ongoing racist history around weed.

Moreover, if the university’s PR team uses cannabis stories to promote the university, the PR team has a special responsibility in ensuring that weed is decriminalized on campus, that all weed-related student conduct citations are thrown out and that university resources are being poured into the Black and brown communities that have been the most affected by the war on drugs. – Hyeree Ellis ’18

Editor’s note: Similar letters were sent by Rebecca Conley ’17, Emily Fox ’18, Rachel Hanebutt ’15, Mike Littau ’18, Annalysse Mason ’17, Eleanor Price ’17, Ellen Tinder ’17 and Lauren Wigton ’16.

Re. “town-gown”: A wonderful article! Hats off to everyone who has contributed to the renaissance of Greencastle.

I attended DePauw from 1963 to 1967, a time when the Greencastle town square was vibrant and thriving, a picture-perfect small town center. I next returned in 1994, delivering one of my sons for his freshman year. Greencastle was depressing, a shadow of its former self centered on a square full of boarded-up buildings. It only got worse during my son’s four years at DePauw.

Fast forward to June 2017 when 10 of my ATO pledge brothers and I convened for our 50th reunion. We were impressed with the DePauw campus, its extraordinary growth and beauty. I was perhaps more impressed with the revitalization of Greencastle. We lived in Europe for 13 years, during which I dined in over 30 Michelin Three-Star restaurants in France, Italy and Germany. I found Bridges pizza to be surprisingly worldclass. … Almost Home’s comfort food knocks it for six as well. Our 2017 group has returned every year since and … both are already booked for October. Now, if someone would only bring back the Monon Grill and its wonderful hash browns, eggs and sausage ... – Stephen R.S. Martin ’67

Is there another book coming after CASTE? – Ron Shiffler ’66

Editor’s note: President White will announce the next book for The President’s Book Club in the fall issue.

Editor’s note: The following letter is about “The Bo(ul)der Question” feature about racial justice that appeared in the fall 2020 issue:

I wanted to thank the DePauw Magazine for the section on the Bo(u)lder. I also realized that I had some concerns about my section being taken out of context. I was asked to comment on the work of white people supporting the Black Lives Matter protests downtown last summer. Taken out of context, those comments could seem to appreciate the work of white supporters, while ignoring the work of Black activists and organizers. I would like to name that Black people have been fighting to get the United States to recognize that Black lives matter since before this was a country, and also name the courageous and sustained work done in the current movement, before and after it used the name ’Black Lives Matter.’ The surge in white activism supporting the movement is worthy of note, but only in the context of naming the true leaders and designers of the movement – Black activists throughout this country. – Rachel Goldberg, associate professor and director of peace and conflict studies

This latest issue … touches on the core and depth of thought that was encouraged at DePauw. Although I didn’t participate in Dr. White’s book club, your coverage will make me buy the book. – Rebecca Neal Hancock ’84

“The How-To Issue” is outstanding! It shows how people put energy, personality and risks together with an education to achieve success on personal, career and financial levels. The review of the first ever President’s Book Club conversation about “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson was interesting. For a followup book choice, I recommend “Blackout: How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape from the Democrat Plantation.” – Paula Selby Kavanaugh ’70

You did it again! I just finished a cover-to-cover read of DePauw Magazine. Fantastic job! I loved all the stories and the organization … and the beautiful look. – Nancy Miller ’64