Alumni in the News

The following letters to the editor include PAW readers’ responses to alumni in the news.

15 Responses

William Hayden Smith *66

1 Year Ago

Reckoning With Climate Deniers?

In The Daily Princetonian Dec. 19, a clarion call is made to reckon with climate deniers educated by or at Princeton (Opinion: “Princeton must face its legacy of educating climate deniers,” by Tom Taylor *21 and Lynne Archibald ’87).

Apparently, Princeton has educated some black sheep, among them, with customary high visibility, persons such as Professor William Happer *64, who can think deeply.

That is high praise, in fact. Educated persons who do not follow the herd are becoming more and more rare.

In 2022, following win after win in fighting from the climate change high ground, climate change enthusiasts have come to a fork in the road. Vladimir Putin, of all people, precipitated this event. Decarbonization, the prime means of fighting climate change, has brought Europe to the point where death by starvation and freezing are imminent. Already, climate change enthusiasts have shown the resolution and fortitude to take the fork in the road; admitting nothing, while redoubling their waste of trillions of dollars along a failed path.

Now, we read that those same persons will “reckon with” the Princeton educated climate deniers. If the reckoning is done with the same competence as the climate battle, there is little to fear.

btomlins

2 Years Ago

In Response to Alito ’72, a Defense of Women’s Rights

We, the undersigned Princeton women of ’72, have been deeply shocked by the leaked Supreme Court draft authored by our classmate Justice Samuel Alito.

We are about to celebrate our 50th reunion — half a century since we graduated from Princeton. As a pioneering class of Princeton women, we find it bitter indeed to see the draft Supreme Court opinion reverse the strides we thought we were making, as part of one of the first classes of Princeton women, towards a world of equity and fairness for women of all races and social and economic positions.

We ask our classmates, and the community of Princeton, to protest the logic that ties us to a constitutional originalism which resists any movement toward justice but, rather, moves us backwards. As Jill Lepore so aptly put it in The New Yorker, “Women are indeed missing from the Constitution. That’s a problem to remedy, not a precedent to honor.”

Instead, we want to call attention to this urgent truth: We hang on a precipice, balanced between the draft opinion and the final Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade. The right to manage one’s own health and most intimate personal and family decisions without outside interference is at risk right now and should be preserved to ensure social justice for ourselves, for our classmates, and for the world Princeton purports to serve.

Women of ’72

Susan M. Squier ’72
Daryl English ’72
Judith White ’72
Joan Matthews ’72
Helene Fromm ’72
Holly Lovejoy ’72
Jacqueline Ariail ’72
Claudia M. Tesoro ’72
Barbara Julius ’72
Alice Kelikian ’72
Diana Foster ’72
Meggan Moorhead ’72
Ann Sease Monoyios ’72 *74
Yaffa Ventura-Beck ’72
Anna Baird Chitty ’72
Vera Marcus ’72
Helena Novakova ’72
Angenette Duffy Meaney ’72
Larissa Brown ’72
Sherry Peltz Leiwant ’72
Jerri Donovan ’72
Carol Rahn ’72
Barbara Geller ’72
Mary Watkins ’72
Susan Brownstone Eig ’72
Ellen Moriece Rome ’72
Mary Baldwin ’72
Elizabeth Houghton ’72
Katherine Ott Verburg ’72
Amanda Eggert Stukenberg ’72
Sherry Boswell ’72
Mary McLeod ’72 *75 *85
Gayle Delaney ’72
Anne Mariella ’72

Friends of the Women of ’72

Christine LaLonde Robinson h’72
Mara Melum ’73
Carol Obertubbesing ’73
Macie Green Hall VanRensselaer ’73
Beth N. Rom-Rymer ’73
Nancy Teaff ’73
Ellen Hymowitz ’73
Barbara Dash ’73
Alice Fahs ’73

Anonymous

2 Years Ago

Women of ’82: In Defense of Women’s Rights

We, the undersigned women of the Princeton Class of ’82, share the dismay so eloquently expressed by our sisters in the Class of ’72.

Unlike them, for our entire reproductive lives, we have had the right to choose whether to bear a child or not. That the Supreme Court is now poised to deny the right to that most personal and profound decision to us, our daughters, our sisters, our granddaughters, is profoundly shocking.

Women across America stand to lose our human liberties and the futures we have worked so long and hard to ensure. The basic human right to bodily autonomy and safe, appropriate health care should not be dependent on the state in which a woman happens to reside.

If we are pushed back to the days of knitting needles and wire hangers, of women forced to bear children of rape and incest, the consequences will be devastating, and not just for women.

We will be watching the Court’s decision closely, and we will be voting in November.

Kate Aisenberg ’82, Psy.D, Ph.D.
Anca van Assendelft ’82
Bonnie Bermas, M.D. ’82
Adrian Brown, M.D. ’82
Julia Cloud ’82
Cynthia Crowley ’82
Laura Curtis ’82
Sharon Fairley ’82
Sarah Feldman ’82, M.D.
Penelope Finnie ’82
Donna Clarke Ford ’82
Susan Gemmell ’82
Laura Gold ’82
Judi Greenwald ’82
Shelly D. Guyer ’82
Valerie Hale ’82, M.D.
Glennis Hall ’82, M.D.
Gwen N. Harris ’82, M.D.
Nancy Hendrickson ’82
Alison Holtzschue ’82
Catherine McVay Hughes ’82
Dianne Johnson ’82
Susan Kellie ’82, M.D. MPH
Susan Kohler ’82, M.D.
Susan Sheps Margulies ’82
Marion Hardie Mathes ’82
Martha McCully ’82
Franne McNeal ’82
Jane Mentzinger ’82
Kate Miller ’82
Diana Noya ’82 *84
Carol Dodd Oliva ’82
Silda Palerm ’82
Patricia Pedersen s’82
Jocelyn Phelps ’82
Sheila McHugh Puopolo ’82
Heather Dembert Rafter ’82
Julia Herndon Reynolds ’82
Elsie Armstrong Rhodes ’82, M.Div.
Lainie Friedman Ross ’82, M.D., Ph.D.
Nancy Altmayer Silver ’82
Debra Silverman ’82
Ruth Singleton ’82
Melissa Smoot ’82
Naomi H. Miller Stein ’82, M.D.
Sandra Stites ’82, M.D.
Debra Subar ’82
Katharine M. Swibold s’82
Caroline Turner ’82
Molly Groton Urban ’82
Sarah Walzer ’82
Kristin White ’82
Tina Madison White ’82
Elise Prickett Willis ’82

James R. (Jim) Paulson ’72 *77

2 Years Ago

Dismay Over Dobbs Ruling

I was very pleased to see the letter from 54 Class of ’82 women (PAW, July/August 2022) expressing their dismay at the (then pending) reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision and supporting the views Class of ’72 women had expressed in June.

I share their dismay. In fact, I am appalled and deeply embarrassed at the role played by classmate Sam Alito ’72 in the Supreme Court decision.

Unfortunately, Alito probably now cares little about Princeton or the opinions of other Princetonians. He is not listed in the Alumni Directory online, and on the Supreme Court webpage, he is the only justice who does not mention where he got his undergraduate degree.

Marc C. Capalbo *89

2 Years Ago

Supreme Court Justices’ Role

James Paulson ’72 *77 suggests Supreme Court Justices should care about the opinions of students or alumnae of their alma maters (Inbox, October issue). Should that only be Princeton? And which students?

Surely Justices’ colleges should play no role whatever in their decision-making. Their sole allegiance should be to the case before them, and to our Constitution. I believe they are sworn to this.

This growing attitude towards democracy alarms me: Decisions one disagrees with are “appalling.” Disagree? Argue the merits of the minority side — although our system already does this. Further legal arguments to be made? Make them. But in all the noise following this specific decision, I heard no additional valid argument. “I don’t like it” is not one.

Democracy will not survive when there is no acceptance for the other side of any given opinion. Under democracy we agree to be bound by the wishes of others.

Rather than expressing outrage we should give thanks that we live in a society that finds its direction in this way. The quickest way to lose this is to bow to the opinions of some elite subset, even though they might be Princetonians.

America is a Republic, not yet an Aristocracy. Long may it remain so.

Norman Ravitch *62

2 Years Ago

Conservative Does Not Mean Angry

A proper change in Roe v. Wade would in my view have involved a modification of this old ruling, as Justice Ginsburg would have agreed, not a total abolition. And an angry one at that. It is unfortunate that the conservative justices emulate the anger of the president who appointed them in three cases and in the other two an anger built on something else. We see now two things. Roe v. Wade has been interpreted by progressives in an extreme way. And a near total ban on abortion in various states could drive many women to suicide or at least total despair. There is a middle ground and extremists on the Left as well as the Right bear a heavy burden here of doing the wrong thing for women and their families.

btomlins

2 Years Ago

Standing With the Women of ’72

The more than 72 men of Princeton University’s Class of 1972 whose names appear below speak out in strong support of our exceptional female classmates who expressed their deep concerns over the leaked draft opinion of the United States Supreme Court, whose author is our classmate Sam Alito, in the Mississippi abortion rights case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

We share our female classmates’ perspective that if this opinion were adopted by a majority of the Court, it would undermine advances in women’s reproductive rights that have been established over the five decades since we graduated from Princeton.

We cannot improve on what our sister classmates have written. But in response to their challenge to every member of our class to take a stand, we write now to affirm our support for them and their expressed viewpoint. We’ve hastened to place our support for our female class members into the public record in advance of the Court’s anticipated ruling in Dobbs. In so doing, we address our classmates’ extraordinary letter and the draft Dobbs opinion, not Sam personally. If we had more time to canvass our class, we are confident that many, many more ’72 men would have signed onto this statement.

Ours was the last all-male freshman class admitted to Princeton. Our female classmates joined us in the following years, at a time of major transitions and turmoil occurring both on Princeton’s campus and in the nation at large. Despite at times enduring heavy headwinds, they have distinguished themselves, our class, and the University during our shared time as students and in all the years since our graduation 50 years ago.

We are proud to stand with them.

John Griffith Johnson ’72
William M. Fawley ’72
Michael L. Rodemeyer ’72
Norman B. Duffett ’72
Peter E. Hawley ’72
Donald H. Pyle ’72
Terry G. Unterman ’72
Jesse M. Hackell ’72
Maurice D. Lee ’72
Edward L. McCord ’72
Peter Gordon McAllen ’72
M. Duncan Grant ’72
John M. Lee ’72
Richard E. Shaw ’72
Jerel M. Zoltick ’72
John C. Roebuck ’72
Dennis P. Crimmins ’72
Robert M. Miles ’72
David W. Chapin ’72
Peter S. Unger ’72
James R. Lawson ’72
Walter D. Lichtenstein ’72
Michael E. Fix ’72
Philip Le Breton Douglas ’72
Peter E. Braveman ’72
Robert B. Van Arsdale ’72
Daniel C. Morris ’72
Charles F. Kireker ’72
Randolphe P. Swenson ’72
Bruce G. Nickerson ’72
Arn D. Flitcroft ’72
Gordon R. Whitman ’72
Owen P. Curtis ’72 *75
Robert D. Ramsay ’72
Timothy A. Harr ’72
Lawrence F. Gilberti ’72
Benjamin Zee ’72
Wilson G. McWilliams ’72
Joshua E. Greene ’72
Murdoch Bruce McKay ’72
Eric L. Richard ’72
Carlos W. King ’72
Bruce C. Harris ’72
Roderick Plummer ’72
Thurman V. White ’72
Patrick S. Yeung ’72
Howard M. Rossman ’72
Larry Saunders Gregory ’72
Andrew I. Dayton ’72
James H. Hinton ’72
Douglas J. Harrison ’72
Jonathan E. Buchan ’72
William S. Warfield ’72
Elliott McClinton ’72
Mylor E. Treneer ’72
Morris Weinberg ’72
John H. Hedeman ’72
Edward G. Lazaron ’72
Paul E. Sinsar ’72
John K. Hepburn ’72
Claude B. Hoopes ’72
Lawrence D. Rovin ’72
Phillips H. Hamilton ’72
Alfred M. Rogers ’72
J. Donald Porter ’72
Dennis M. Grzezinski ’72
Jim Marshall ’72
Charles H. Brown ’72
Edward M. Strauss ’72
David A. Jones ’72
Stephen Lane ’72
Thomas B. Yoder ’72
Martin D. Franks ’72
James R. Murphy ’72
Todd L. Hixon ’72
Mark H. Eig ’72
P. Wilson Boswell ’72
Daniel K. Gardner ’72
Thomas Hanna Jones ’72

Joseph E. Illick ’56

3 Years Ago

Remembering Nash ’55 *64 and Flippin ’56

Recently Princeton has lost two of its finest graduates, Gary Nash ’55 *64 and Royce Flippin ’56.

Gary, who earned a Ph.D. at Princeton, moved on to UCLA. He was known throughout California by teachers in the public schools for his message that American history belonged to the people, that it was, indeed, about the people — by which he meant everyone, as his books condemning racism and exposing elitism made clear.

Royce, who is most often remembered for his superb athletic skill, was also — like Gary — a community leader, and as his career makes clear, a compassionate man who was loved by all who knew him.

I feel most fortunate to have known both of these men.

Sue Hunt Hollingsworth ’80

4 Years Ago

In Appreciation of Sally Frank ’80

Regarding the recent article in The Daily Princetonian, “How the Eating Clubs Went Coed,” (July 13, 2020), I am hoping you will permit me to use this forum to address Sally Frank ’80.

Dear Ms. Frank,

Like you, I graduated from Princeton in 1980. Unlike you, I took the path of least resistance. I studied, played sports, and bickered successfully at Cap and Gown my sophomore year. I did not know you, but I certainly knew of you, as we all did because of your attempts to bicker at the all-male clubs. My silence spoke volumes, and for that I apologize. How I wish the thought to recognize injustice had even occurred to me back then in those seemingly carefree days of the late 1970s. Fighting for gender equality is similar to fighting for racial equality; if one accepts the benefits of the status quo, one is complicit in injustice.

It wasn’t until after your brilliant legal victory that I fully understood the enormity of what you had taken on. I am 40 years late here, but nevertheless I want to go on record as saying thank you. Generations of women, Princeton students among them, have benefited from your passion to fight for gender equality.

Charles Scribner III ’73 *77

4 Years Ago

Henry Martin ’48 Remembered

I just read the news of the death of Princetonian and New Yorker cartoonist par excellence Henry Martin ’48, and thought he’d like me to share as his fitting memorial a classic cartoon he drew for me in 1976 while I was completing my doctorate at Princeton in art history and commuting to Scribner publishing, where my dad was publishing Henry’s two collections of cartoons: Good News/Bad News and Yak, Yak, Yak, Blah, Blah, Blah (both in 1977). The first prompted a long-running syndicated cartoon panel in newspapers under the same title, which I lifted for the book from one of his classic business cartoons, illustrated on the cover. He was unique, and the angels are now chuckling!

Aruna Ranaweera ’98

4 Years Ago

Another Henry Martin ’48 Memory

I’d like to add to the “Remembering Henry Martin ’48” item in the October issue.

In conjunction with his 50th reunion in 1998, Henry Martin ’48 — a member of my grandfather class — held an exhibition of his cartoons at Firestone Library where I had the privilege of meeting him in person. The meeting was arranged by the late Dean Marianne Waterbury, my mentor in the International Students Association of Princeton (ISAP). Since I was the outgoing editorial cartoonist at The Daily Princetonian (1996-98) and the outgoing president of ISAP, Dean Waterbury coordinated with Henry to present me with a montage of Henry’s Princeton-themed cartoons as a fabulous graduation gift. The other side of the montage contains farewell messages from international students. The cartoon montage is a wonderful homage to Princeton and has been proudly displayed on my wall since graduation:

Click to engarge

After a long hiatus, I resumed drawing editorial cartoons in 2017. My work can be found on my independent editorial cartoon website, sillyreality.com.

Paul Mendelson ’62

6 Years Ago

The Current Cabinet

Much to my surprise and joy, I was relieved to read recently that not one of President Trump’s Cabinet has a degree from Princeton. Yes, there were a couple of Yalies and a John Harvard among the “select and distinguished group.” One takeaway from this is that a college education doesn’t mean a damned thing!

Ken Scudder ’63

6 Years Ago

Support for Mueller ’66

This year’s Women’s March in San Francisco lacked the shock and fury of the post-inaugural mass action, but was more purposeful and directed. The best part was sign-watching: thousands of heartfelt handmade signs, from the eloquent “I will not accept what I cannot change. I will change what I cannot accept” to the snarky “Trump wants to stop regulating corporations. When will he stop regulating my body”?

My favorite, of course, was the T-shirt with, simply, “It’s Mueller Time.” Go, Tiger!

Kevin R. Loughlin ’71

7 Years Ago

In the Nation’s Service

Published online Oct. 23, 2017

The phrase “Princeton in the nation’s service” has again resurfaced. In October 1973, Richard Nixon fired both Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus ’55 when they each refused to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Now, 44 years later, Donald Trump is apparently considering firing Robert Mueller ’66 as special prosecutor. He would be wise to recall that Nixon’s demise arguably began with the “Saturday Night Massacre” and if he fires another Princetonian in “the nation’s service,” he does so at his own peril.

Jon Arnon ’75

8 Years Ago

Judicial Nomination

Recently I attended a very enjoyable Chinese New Year dinner organized by the Princeton Club of Philadelphia. We agreed that my classmate Judge Denny Chin ’75 is the obvious choice to join Justices Samuel Alito ’72, Sonia Sotomayor ’76, and Elena Kagan ’81 on the Supreme Court.