The In Memoriam item about Sheldon Hackney (On the Campus, Oct. 23) reminded me what a wonderful figure he was — first in the history department, then as Princeton provost. His later career as president of two major universities and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities attests to his leadership abilities.

Tall, well-spoken, and blessed with a delightful Southern twang that injected a note of homespun humor into his lectures, Hackney was among my best professors. The day he brought in writer William Styron to his classroom to read from and talk about his novel The Confessions of Nat Turner is high on my list of favorite Princeton experiences.

Jeffrey Marshall ’71