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A Plunging Meteorite market? I thoroughly enjoyed Tim Brady’s lively tale about a University of Minnesota geologist’s battle with an Iowa farmer over the meteorite that fell in a field so many decades ago (“Romancing the Meteorite,” November–December 2008). The end of the story states that the meteorite is on loan to the Smithsonian Institution and is worth $300,000. Considering the economic situation, might I suggest that the U sell the meteorite and apply the money where needed most? Or is the value of meteorites dropping like everything else? Louis Rieker (B.S. ’52) Minneapolis An Amazing Finish The article about Gopher track star Heather Dorniden (“Running on Full,” November–December 2008) described the near disaster for Dorniden at the track meet where she fell during a 600-meter race. The fact that she jumped up and not only finished the race but won it is amazing. I thought your alumni would like to see it for themselves. Go to www.bigtennetwork.com/awards and click on the “Most Courageous Performance” video. She is truly inspiring. (Note: The video is linked in the online version of the story here.) Kari Weckler (B.A. ’08) Minneapolis A War Vet Remembers This is a commentary on the article on returning veterans (“From Combat to Campus,” July–August 2008). There are fewer and fewer World War II veterans to give some historical perspective. I graduated from Foley High School in 1942 and graduated from the School of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota in 1944. I turned 18 a week later and became 1A and eligible for the draft immediately. I was selected for a Navy training school program in electronics and served on a repair ship and at a transmitter station in Hawaii. In late 1946, I was discharged and entered the University in the winter quarter in 1947. At that time, there were hundreds of returning servicemen taking advantage of the G.I. Bill. Housing was at a premium. Many veterans wore remnants of their service uniforms to class. Because there had been a gap of several years between graduation from high school and entrance into the University for the men but not for the women, it was a student body of “old men” and “young girls.” The men were serious about their studies and tolerated no nonsense from either their classmates or their professors. They had been flying planes, manning ships and submarines, shooting at and being shot at, and making essentially life-and-death decisions for a couple years. Fraternity initiations were not quite the same for many who had been “initiated” under real conditions. There was no shortage of fellow veterans and no effort to make any special association. For the most part, they were as Tom Brokaw stated: the greatest generation. Many of my classmates have done very well as representatives of the University of Minnesota in their profession and in community affairs. I am proud to have been a part of a group of returning veterans of years ago and can empathize with the current group. I wish them well. Philip Dziuk (’44, B.S. ’50, M.S. ’52, Ph.D. ’55) Homer, Illinois To submit a letter, go to www.alumni.umn.edu/opinion or write to Letter to the Editor, Minnesota Magazine, McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak. St. SE, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Guidelines are at the Web address above. | |||||||||||||
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