Letters

Thanks for the Van A Update

To the Editor:
I thank you for updating alumni on one of the most beloved men: John van Alstyne ("The Wizard of Asheville," Spring 1996). Dean van Alstyne is one of the reasons I stayed and succeeded at WPI. He is a man of such wisdom and kindness. From my first day of classes at WPI through the dreaded Competency Exam, Van A inspired me to succeed. He gave me confidence and faith in my abilities. It warms my heart to know that he is still giving his magic to students young and old.

Kimberly Berg Kitchens '83
Raleigh, N.C.

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President Chose the Right Name

To the Editor:
I am responding to the letter in the Spring 1996 WPI Journal by Erling Lagerholm, which argued the need for a new name for the school. While I find it hard to accept the need for a new name, times do change and we must go forward. In doing so we must never lose sight of the fact that the names WPI, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and, informally, Worcester Tech have been well-known and highly respected in the community and the business world.

Though progress is unavoidable, a drastic change such as that suggested by Mr. Lagerholm would be unwise and also a great loss to those of us who love WPI. Fortunately, President Parrish and his cabinet chose the right name, WPI. I support their decision 100 percent, and hope we can still informally be known as "Worcester Tech." I am sure it will continue to garner the same respect it has always inspired in the past. Remember, our alma mater begins, "Dear Worcester Tech, our Worcester Tech." May it always be so.

George Idlis '54
Cranston, R.I.

Editor's Note: Earlier this summer, WPI President Edward Parrish and his cabinet, a group of senior administrators, decided that the university should emphasize its initials, WPI, instead of its full legal name in its publications, on its stationery and business cards, and in other forms of communication directed to the world beyond the campus. For a report on this decision, the reader is directed to the Summer 1996 issue of the WPI Wire.