As a UW alum, [and given] the focal point for the United Nations International Year of Freshwater 2003, I was delighted to see Erik Ness's article in the Winter 2003 issue of On Wisconsin [“Good to the Last Drop”]. I was particularly impressed by Stephen Born's work and was gratified to see that the author acknowledged the International Year of Freshwater. Many Americans are not aware of the year and the work we are doing internationally. My intern here at the United Nations, Laurie Costanza '02, was also delighted to see the article. We both fully understand the unique treasure of Wisconsin's waterways.

I want to take this opportunity, afforded to me by Erik Ness's insightful article, to encourage Wisconsinites to use the resources available to them wisely. Wisconsin is blessed with rich natural resources as well as academic resources through its university system. We should use the university's research capabilities to explore the ways to protect Wisconsin's waterways and to lead the nation in the protection of freshwater. The state's history of progressive natural resource protection is, I believe, a reflection of pride in this beautiful state.

Some of your readers may wish to visit our Web sites for more information: www.un.org/events/water and www.wateryear2003.org.

Marcia Brewster '68
Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Division for Sustainable Development, United Nations
New York, New York

Erik Ness's article appropriately publicizes Wisconsin's need to avoid future water shortages. Perhaps a sequel is in order describing the solutions communities in the arid southwest have put in place to alleviate future water shortages. For example, the city of Scottsdale, Arizona is treating its wastewater to better than original drinking water quality and injecting the treated water into a groundwater aquifer, where it is effectively "banked" for use decades down the line. In other words, the technical solutions to the problems are readily available today.

Gerald Teletzke '52, MS'53, PhD'56
Scottsdale, Arizona

As a busy real estate professional, wife, and mother of two school-age children, I am very judicious about how I use my precious spare time. Despite thinking that I do not have the time to read On Wisconsin, I find myself reading every issue cover to cover. The range and quality of articles is outstanding.

Your article about water quality management hit home, both because of the water issues facing California, my home for the last twenty-five years, as well as the unique challenges facing Waukesha, my home for the first twenty-five years of my life. I never realized how much we took Wisconsin's abundant water resources for granted. I am encouraged by the thoughtfulness and advocacy of Curt Meine and his team.

Marlies Melcher Bruning '74, MA'76
San Francisco, California

Loved the Ness article regarding water conservation in Wisconsin. I was a bit disappointed the article didn't mention the Forest County Potawatomi Community, which has spent millions of dollars over the past several years fighting the Crandon Mine issue, an issue that could have had a large negative impact on the Wolf River basin. Understandably, the complexity of the Ness topic may be referred to as the Nessie monster. And although the Crandon mine issue may have been overworked by the media in the past decade, Native American and non-Naïve groups should be given some credit for stepping forward to fight to protect the Wisconsin environment.

The Forest County Potatatomi Community and the Mole lake Community have made a historically important contribution to the future of water resources and the environment in the state of Wisconsin by using their own community funds to buy out investors.

Norman Henry Tribbett '83
Lake Placid, Florida

I read with interest your article by Erik Ness about Wisconsin's watershed. Your magazine came into my hands under rather strange circumstances, but having spent much time in northern Wisconsin, I was interested.

On my last trip to Wisconsin , I visited Moody lake in Washburn County. I was amazed when I came upon almost 100 junked cars on Moody's west bank. [They'd been] abandoned by somebody. All were replete with tires, antifreeze, transmission fluid, batteries, and so on. These cars were too old to be used for spare parts, and it was obvious that no parts were missing. I was amazed that such a thing could have happened in Wisconsin. Surely there are aerial patrols by the forestry service or another state department. Aircraft should have picked up on this.

It is apparent that all these pollutants are one day going to end up in Moody lake. It's so sad that the local EPA office and others are not aware of what is going on. As it now stands, Moody lake is going to be polluted.

I shall not live long enough to be affected. But the birds and animals that depend on Moody lake for their water are surely going to suffer. Put me down with Erik Ness. I am concerned.

Henry Potter
Commerce, Georgia

When I picked up the Winter 2003 issue, I was drawn to the excellent article by Erik Ness on the water scarcity problem in Wisconsin. It was like ringing a bell to announce all over again that the more things change, the more they remain the same. I wrote similar stories more than fifty years ago, when I was with the University News Service. Thanks to Erik and the editors, this old scribe got a joyful jolt.

Gerald Wollan '47
Bloomington, Minnesota
“Good to the Last Drop” was an unusually good piece of writing and, as a geologist, I particularly appreciated the way that Erik Ness characterized water as a geological material. [We] should be pleased with the fact that Wisconsin has already taken measures to conserve its water resources. I only wish we in Georgia were doing as well. Most people here seem poised to wait forever for someone else to do the hard work. I would expect Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin to take a lead role in this most important issue. Thanks to everyone for doing a fine job.

Fredrick Rich '73 (Professor of Geology, Georgia Southern University)
Brooklet, Georgia

Thank you for the article “Law and Monsters” regarding the UW attorneys representing defendants in the Hague International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [Winter 2003]. I had the opportunity to visit the ICTY as a member of an American Bar Association International Law Section Delegation to the Hague this past October. The chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, briefed us on the work of the tribunal and some of the challenges that the prosecutors face, such as extraditing alleged war criminals to stand trial. Ms. Del Ponte, incidentally, has twenty-four-hour-a-day armed bodyguards and has received numerous death threats because of her work.

We attended the trial of Slobodan Milosevic, a particularly chilling experience for me as in 1994–95 I worked for the United States Agency for International Development as the Women's Issues Adviser for the New Independent States (countries of the former Soviet Union) Bureau and read countless accounts of the rape camps. I nevertheless laud the efforts of the defense attorneys, as it sends an important message that the rule of law is a crucial ideal to uphold.

Susan Notar '87
Falls Church, Virginia
John Allen in ”Law and Monsters” does single out Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Kosovo but ignores the possibility that the United States arguably has contributed its share of great world criminals to those who support terror, violence, genocide, and butchery.

The U.S. involvement and very major support for such awful deeds as a matter of policy in Central America in the 1980s and Chile in the 1970s would be a good starting point, Mr. Allen, should you care to look. There are major figures who were principally responsible who should also be brought to justice, but Americans generally conveniently look away, for there is a lot of blood on American hands.

Jim Kowalsky '57, MMusic '62
Fairbanks, Alaska

We in the U.S. pride ourselves in the proposition that one is innocent until proven guilty. Or so I seem to recall from Law School almost fifty years ago. I see, however, that you “Far out ultra liberals” (FOUL for short) now label people without benefit of trial. I refer, of course, to Augusto Pinochet, whom you implicate along with Eichmann annd Tojo (an odd association).

Perhaps you would be so kind as to inform me when General Pinochet sat before the bench and was adjudicated guilty of some heinous crime. You FOUL people have never forgiven him for his part in the demise of [Salvador] Allende and [Orlando] Letelier. Sehr schade.

Please keep sending me this liberal rag. I enjoy your perspective. Note that when I go, my estate will go to a liberal arts college. But it won't be my alma mater. Hillsdale College! They take no federal money and no federal intervention. How refreshing!

Mark Leistickow
Green Bay, Wisconsin

(Editor's Note: While it is true that Pinochet has not been convicted, he has had to sit before the bench, facing indictments in Spain and Chile on charges that include torture. His prosecution was suspended due to Pinochet's ill health in 2002.)

I enjoyed your reminiscences about Porter Butts [“The Union 75,” Winter 2003], whom I bumped into a few times during the thirties. But you missed the punniest story of all about him: The union that represented the employees of the Memorial Union had a beef with Mr. Butts and took him to court. The next day, the Daily Cardinal came out with a daring headline (in those post-Victorian days): BUTTS CITED IN UNION SUIT.

H. Keith Timmerman '37
San Francisco, California
Thank you for the great article on the Memorial Union. I was especially interested in item number forty-four about the Royal Order of Catering Waiters, [having been a member of that group.] I helped serve the banquet in Great Hall the night that Coach Ivy Williamson made his remark about our speed and agility, which was probably the basis for the Wisconsin State Journal story on us.

We served everyone from the UW athletes' training table to guests like General Dwight Eisenhower and Governor Harold Stassen. They were attending the College President's Conference, and we served them lunch in the Old Madison room. The general, by the way, was a very gracious guest.

There was a great camaraderie among the student workers at the Union, and while we worked hard, it was fun.

A. E. (Bud) Ericksen '50
St. Augustine, Florida
I have been a life member of the Wisconsin Union since 1931 or 1932: it cost $20 at that time. I was a member of the Union Forum committee and got to meet some distinguished people of that age. I got all my haircuts at the Union barber shop (Bus Topp) for fifty cents. I attended the university for six years, and my total cost for fees and tuition was about $300. It used to cost about $24 per semester to register.

Bill Nathenson '34, LLB'35
Chicago, Illinois

It was in 1948 that I first ventured into the Union as a veteran of World War II and a first-year graduate student in economics. I walked out on the Terrace, and there was that beautiful lake. My thought was, “Life isn't going to get any better than this!” One could always go to the Union and there would be something to do. During my second year, I lived at the faculty club and made a daily journey to the Union for my evening meal, which always included custard for desert.

My undergraduate years at Washington State College and my graduate years at Wisconsin opened the gates to an absolutely wonderful life as a faculty member at the Universities of Richmond, Cincinnati, and Missouri. Wordsworth, however, said it much better than I can.

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

The Union and the university have changed a good bit in the past half-century, but both, as I knew them, are among my most precious daffodils.

John M. Kuhlman PhD'53
Weaverville, North Carolina
I loved "The Union 75." What wonderful memories we all have of this “home away from home.” Graduating in 1954 and having returned to UW-Madison only occasionally, I am unaware of the Union South referred to so often in your fine article, and could find no information about the location or nature of the building. Could you fill me in?

Kari Reymert Morlock '54
Lansing, Illinois
Editor's Note: Union South is located at 227 North Randall Street (near the engineering campus) and was opened in 1971 when it became clear that Memorial Union was not large enough to serve the entire campus. Union South features modern-style architecture, and it is perhaps best known to alumni as the site of tailgate parties that feature the UW marching band before home games.
I was distressed to read in your recent interview of Mark Guthier, the new U

[My wife and I are] both graduates of the UW. Gwen, the light of my life, graduated in '45. I was delayed due to a small military action — World War II — and so finished up in three months or so in '46.

The point of this letter is to ask about a picture in the article entitled “The Union 75.” On page 30, there's a photo of the Rathskellar. While I cannot be sure, even when I use a magnifier, I think we are both in this picture — right in front. I had a winter coat like the one shown, and Gwen is on my left.

I met Gwen about that time , and we have been inseparable ever since. We were married when I was in the navy in 1945, one day after she graduated. She was a Madison girl, and her parents were very kind to an electrical engineering kid who was working his way through school with at least two or three jobs at a time. I waited tables at the Georgian Grill, worked banquets in Memorial Union's Great Hall, delivered donuts to the dorms at 5 a.m., and took tickets at all the football games.

Bob and Gwen Lawrence
Media, Pennsylvania

I enjoyed Christine Lampe's feature, “Rockin' the Rankings” [Winter 2003]. But I have to side to some degree with the naysayers who doubt that Madison belongs in the top “rocking” cities in the U.S. My experience with the Madison local music scene was in the years 1982–84, primarily as a music critic with the Badger Herald and Daily Cardinal — and as a freelancer writing reviews for an indie music magazine.

I looked for it, but was never able to find a distinctive Madison musical “scene.” I define a musical “scene” as a locality that has one or more of the following: a dominant musical style, culture, community, club, publication, artist, record store, radio station, or identity. The Madison of 1982–84 had none of these. In this regard, I don't think Madison was any worse off than many other college towns.

The Madison band that stands out most for me was Killdozer, a punk group led by Mike Gerald. But even Killdozer, for all its in-your-face thrashing, seemed safe and unimaginative, a me-too hardcore outfit, comfortably slotted into an existing genre pioneered elsewhere. They eventually broke up and got “real” jobs.

Anyway, I appreciated your article. It brought back memories I've kept buried.

James Kobielus MA'84
Alexandria, Virginia

Thank you for the wonderful article “Seeing Signs” about the American Sign Language classes taught by Michael Ginter [Winter 2003]. You touched on so many important concepts like deaf culture and the intricacies of non-verbal communication, and you did all of this without using the repulsive label of “hearing impaired.”

As an undergrad at the UW, I majored in zoology. Since then, I have switched paths to become a nationally certified ASL interpreter. I am proud to see my alma mater embracing ASL, giving it the credit and respect it deserves. Author Josh Orton is obviously very perceptive — Mike Ginter's “nose scrunching” is famous in the deaf and interpreting communities in Wisconsin. My hands are waving in applause!

Amy Free '96
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

While reading my Fall 2003 On Wisconsin, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bit of nostalgia on page 12 [Dispatches] about the fall of the steel frame of the library under construction.

I was a junior that year, and I was walking up Langdon Street when I heard this tremendous roar. I turned around and ran in the direction of the noise. There, in front of me, spread around like so many pick-up sticks, was a mass of steel beams on the ground.

I recognized myself standing among the many curiosity seekers [in the photo]. If you look at the lower left hand part of the picture, there is a fellow wearing a leather jacket and light pants, with a reflection of the sun shining on his back.
Actually, I should not have been in that picture. I should have been in class! Shhh! Don't tell anyone.

Edwin Saul '52
Port Jervis, New York
I saw the steel structure come crashing down on that fateful day in March 1951. We were sitting on the porch of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house, which was across from Langdon Hall, so we had a clear view of the tragedy. All of a sudden, the house began to tremble. [The noise] grew louder as the seconds passed. We saw the steel structure moving, and it began crashing to the ground. This happened in perhaps fifteen seconds, and then the twisted steel beams were all in the basement. I did not see the building completed, as I received my draft notice ten days before graduation and spent the next four years in the Air Force during the Korean War.

Bill Benson '51
Superior, Wisconsin

The winter 2003 issue Dispatches section featured two articles near and dear to my heart.

First, the news of Ogg Hall's planned demise made me sad. Ogg was my beloved home away from home from 1984 to 1988, including one year on the staff of the hall. I can't imagine there was a better place on campus to live. I now have a renewed interest in hanging on to my old Ogg T-shirts and sweatshirts (though I've long since outgrown them in more than one dimension!). I'll also miss my old hangout, University Square, where I shopped, got my hair cut (not often enough), did my banking, and watched dozens of movies. So long, my old East Campus haunts. I'll miss you.

Second, the "Special Delivery" story about the UW Certified Nurse-Midwife program brought back wonderful memories of my daughter's birth eleven years ago, with the assistance of one of your featured nurse-midwives, Lisa Wachholz. My grandfather, a gynecologist from the University of Minnesota, helped pioneer the nurse-midwife program in the United States some decades ago. Yet, I was still apprehensive about using this service. My image of a midwife was rooted somewhere between medieval and hippie. Thanks to my wife, Kim, who insisted on using this service, I am now a strong proponent of the nurse-midwife program. Not only does it provide more personal attention to the mother, but it also lowers the costs for the hospital and the patient.

Christopher J. Rodel '88
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

After reading the very inspiring story on the course Freedom Ride 2001 in On Wisconsin Magazine [Fall 2001], I went immediately to my department chairman, Earl Smith, and explained that I wanted to plan a possible class in the South. He said he was interested in co-teaching the course.

First we contacted Wisconsin faculty and staff for advice, and this proved to be invaluable. Because we are already in the South, we modified the itinerary. The story in On Wisconsin, and advice from UW faculty and alums of the Freedom Ride trip, were especially important in identifying critically important, yet lesser known, civil rights sites.

In summer 2002, armed with a map and the issue of On Wisconsin, we set out on a planning trip through the deep South. One day in early August 2002 we rolled into Clarksdale, Mississippi. Hungry, we wandered into the Delta Amusement Café and ordered lunch. {Entering an adjoining room], I was stunned to see an image I recognized: the Confederate Flag covering the whole wall. We immediately pulled out the magazine and confirmed that we were in the same local eatery that had caused much student debate on the UW Freedom Ride trip.

The On Wisconsin article not only inspired our own course, Social Stratification in the American South, but it served as an important guide. In summer 2003, traveling by bus, fully equipped with multi-media technology, we taught our credit-bearing course with nineteen students. It was successful beyond our greatest dreams, and we are planning our return for the summer of 2005.

Thank you, On Wisconsin!

Angela Hattery
MS'91, PhD'96
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

I was pleasantly surprised to find the Winter 2003 edition among my Christmas mail and, as others have mentioned, after so many years of no contact. I found the articles and pictures in this issue to be outstanding. The information is timely, enlightening, enjoyable, and reminiscent (that could have been me in some of those old photos). I am pleased to see that our university in its “incredible breadth” is not just alive and well, but continues to challenge the future!

Winton Hughes '53, MA'71
Venice, Florida

What fun to see my photo from thirty-eight years ago, both on the Contents page and on page forty-two of the “Badger Beauties' article [Fall 2003]. In 1965 there were not many opportunities available for women to shine. I was proud to represent Kappa Kappa Gamma and the University of Wisconsin as a Badger Beauty; after all, ninety women from my sorority nominated me, so the all-male interviews didn't seem out of place.

Today, as a poet and professor of women's studies and English, I write and teach about the history and literature of women's lives — the silly and serious things we do — all part of our complexity. But I must hold those memories dear. I still wear that sweater!

Joanne McNeil Hayes '67
Marlboro, Vermont
After riding the range on my favorite horse, I came home to On Wisconsin Magazine and the “Badger Beauties' article. Going out from the page was the group photo of the 1960 Beauties — of which I was one. Did being a Beauty change my life? Probably not — but it has been a great conversation starter over the past forty-one years for my husband, Foster Friess '62 and my four children! Thanks for the great memories and wonderful article.

Lynn Friess '62
Mariposa Ranch, Cody, Wyoming

I really had some memories stirred up by your feature on the Badger Beauties. My first three years, I lived in Langdon Hall and had two roommates, one of whom was jean Salazar, a ravishing read head with the biggest green eyes on the face of the earth. She was from Texas and had that Texas attitude to go along with it all. Sororities were in charge of the Badger beauties in those years (1950–51), and they were all after her, both to pledge and to be a contestant. Boy, our room was all Badger Beauty talk, and wall-to-wall clothes, posing, cosmetics, hair styles, jewelry — it wore me out.

When I complained to my parents one weekend while I was at home, my dad — always my number-one supporter — told me that I was just as pretty as Jean (Ha!) and that I could win a beauty contest, too, if I put my mind to it. To sweeten the pot, he said he would give me $100 if I could do something just as significant as being a Badger Beauty.

Well, I can't remember now if it was 1950 or 1951, but I was the Independent prom Queen, and my dad was so thrilled he doubled the reward — which was a fortune to me at that time. He kept saying, “I told you so!”

And I do vividly remember Gena Rowlands's mole on her face and that sexy satin dress like it was yesterday. All the dresses were down to the ankles then, with lots of cascading material — very feminine, so unlike today's tell-all, show-all styles. I always felt like I was watching a friend at all her movies, even though we had never spoken more than ten words to each other! Your articles are good for trips down memory lane.

Bonnie Keith
Chino Valley, Arizona

You provided a convincing response to Terese M. Floren in the Winter 2003 issue (Letters). The fact that the photographed children [on the cover of the Fall 2003 issue] selected their own costumes speaks volumes about the faulty assumptions of politically correct thought. As you wrote, the picture did not diminish the varied roles played by women in society. As a matter of fact, it was nice to see a female exhibit the courage to select a feminine costume.

Building on this issue and the letter by Boyd Miller regarding the Badger Beauties, please do not subvert your magazine by bowing to the often-unrealistic demands of political correctness. In this case, for example, most firefighters are indeed male. And a beauty pageant is not intrinsically evil. It's no more excluding or sexual than is a collegiate football game.

The university of my graduate studies (not in Wisconsin) publishes an alumni magazine that is politically correct down to the individual article and photograph. This comes across as an intentional and frequent distortion of reality, and I find myself unwilling to donate my large amount of funds to the cause of future distortions.

One of several reasons I still hold strong ties to UW-Madison is because your magazine does reflect reality. Accomplishments by alumni appear to be selected based on the accomplishments themselves, not on the gender or race of the alumnus providing the contribution. In this environment, any donations I make to the university stand a better chance of recognition on whatever level, and they stand a better chance of enhancing the endless winnowing/sifting for truth instead of the portrayal of a world that exists only in the minds of some persons. I intend to continue and someday expand my financial support for the functional University of Wisconsin.

Dan Olk '83
Ames, Iowa

A Basketball Scholarship Fund has been established in the name of Charles Siefert by his family and former teammates. Chuck graduated from the business school and was co-captain of the 1953 Badger basketball team. To date, the fund exceeds $9,000, and anyone wanting to participate would be very welcome. Contributions can be sent in care of Trent Jackson, UW-Foundation, P.O. Box 8860, Madison, WI 53708.

Correction: In the article about Homecoming [WAA News, Winter 2003], a caption listed Larry Reed's degrees as MA'69, PhD'78. His correct degree is MS'76.