Eye of an Icon
The vignette by Richard Babcock ’69 on Adrian “Bouch” Bouchard and accompanying photos hit close to home [“True Classic,” July/August]. Bouchard was not just a classic—he was also an iconic symbol of mood and transparency. I remember the days when he, as a photographer for the College, and I, as an engaged junior, were commissioned by the College’s office of the secretary (Mike McGean ’49 and David Orr ’57) to arrange and present the first “Dartmouth on the Road” slideshow to multiple alumni clubs around the country.

Bouch and I worked around the clock to produce 40 slides that best represented the College of its time. While I tried in vain to include some of my meager photos (of study abroad and bicycle trips to Woodstock, Vermont), Adrian’s were by far more elaborate, distinctive, and, yes, beautifully and articulately time-elapsed (such as the one of upperclassmen rowing on the Connecticut River at dawn on a wide screen in the early morning fog). 

Adrian’s photos of me and my family appeared on the cover of the July 1973 issue of DAM. What a remarkable and humble man with incredible talent and a true understanding of and appreciation for the College on the Hill. Thank you, DAM, for recognizing his important achievements.

STEPHEN H. QUIGLEY ’73
Marblehead, Massachusetts

A Time of War
Thank you for the timely and pertinent interview with Marta Hulievska ’25 [“Standing Up for Democracy,” July/August]. I was displaced from Latvia due to war and personally appreciate what she is going through. Her spirit is high despite great uncertainty, and we all are pulling for her. The class of 1964 initiated a person-to-person refugee relief program spearheaded by Larry Laster ’64, who lives in Romania, a scant 90 miles from the Ukraine border. This is a small, personal, and sincere effort to support her plea to “not stop caring and not forget about Ukraine.”

IVARS BEMBERIS ’64
Chesterfield, Virginia

I Knew Her Back When
I was so thrilled to see Chelsey Luger ’10 on the cover of DAM [“Earth Tones,” July/August]. Her work is incredibly inspiring and clearly “filling a hole in the greater wellness culture.” Chelsey was in the first cohort of the Dartmouth Partners in Community Service (DPCS) postgrad fellowship program, which I was honored to be a leader of, along with Karl Holtzschue ’59. We found paid job opportunities in the nonprofit world in New York City, interviewed seniors on campus, sent the best candidates to the organizations, gave each successful match an alumnus mentor, and continued to meet monthly as a cohort to share experiences. While DPCS still exists, it’s a shame that the College canceled its postgrad fellowship program, which Chelsey was part of, after seven successful years and 65 fellows.

NANCY STEIN WOOLF ’86
Chappaqua, New York 

Odd Angles
I studied the Hopkins Center redesign article [“Revival,” July/August]. I am not an architect but have followed the advance of architecture closely since my first introductory course in 1951. In my view as a physician, I consider the curvilinear steps dangerous, beneficial only to the legal and insurance people. Second, I fail to understand the angularity of the new addition except to attract attention by its oddity. Lastly, rain, ice, and snow will certainly fill each “V” of the window walls.

RAYMOND E. JANKOWICH ’52
Stratford, Connecticut

I noted at my 45th reunion in June and in DAM the beautiful renderings of the Hopkins Center expansion plans. But I am concerned that an appropriate site be included for the memorials for the fallen alumni of Korea and Vietnam, which will be displaced (not for the first time) by the needed expansion. May the new locations be contemplative and respectful, yet not hidden from memory!

NICK SAKHNOVSKY ’78
Daytona Beach, Florida

The Truth Is Out There
Regarding the letter from John V. Baldwin ’71 [“Out of This World,” July/August] about the thoughts of John White ’61 on UFOs [“Continuing Ed,” November/December 2021]: Whether DAM should publish such a letter depends on the quality of argument favoring intelligent aliens on distant planets sending UFOs to Earth, doesn’t it? I greatly doubt intelligent aliens send UFOs to Earth, but UFOs exist. 

One night on deck with others a mile from shore, we saw a UFO above the Chu Lai Air Base in Vietnam, and nobody could explain just what it was. We could say only it was some kind of super-maneuverable flying machine, able to change direction quickly, repeatedly, abruptly, and move up and down hundreds of feet each time. Though unsure what it was, we were nearly 100-percent sure it was manmade and directed. Save to conclude it was a real thing that flew, we had only questions. If that does not define a UFO, tell me what does.

The test of whether DAM should publish unusual notions is how well writers support their arguments. Is novelty or off-beatness ever grounds enough for a liberal arts alumni magazine to reject an article or letter?

F.E. ROBERTS ’62
Portland, Oregon

Small Serving
I was glad to see “Occom’s Legacy” (July/August) but disappointed it was buried on page 12 and not a cover story. It’s a huge story of how generations of Dartmouth students were never taught the truth about Eleazar Wheelock’s perfidy, not to mention that he had several slaves. I’m glad that Occom’s papers have been returned to the Mohegans..

DAVID C.-H. JOHNSTON ’66
West Hartford, Connecticut