I congratulate you and the Institute for your coverage of the creation of The Bud Foote Center for Science Fiction. Certainly a worthy recipient of this honor, Professor Foote was a talented lecturer and inspiring teacher.

Georgia Tech is very fortunate not only to have received his donation, but also to share in such a long and prosperous association with him. As a student in his science fiction in literature class, I never got to know Professor Foote personally. I do recall vividly, however, the zeal and enthusiasm with which he taught his class.

Though it posed a significant weekly challenge of reading a novel and digesting enough to succeed on a quiz, the class remains one of my favorite learning experiences ever. From Shelley to Heinlein, Twain to Asimov, Professor Foote never failed to bring to life stories considered by many to be out of the mainstream.

Thanks, Professor Foote, and congratulations!

Jason Byars, ME ’96
Chicago, Ill.
P.S. I still cringe when I hear the term “sci fi.”

Football Etiquette

Coach Bobby Dodd regularly addressed the incoming freshman classes at Tech. In the fall of 1954, I remember sitting in the basketball gym with all the other freshman listening as he told us that he and the other coaches were paid to coach the football team. And if we, as students, did not like what was happening on the field, to yell at the coaches and not at the players. He said that the players were doing their best, and unless we could do better, don’t criticize the players. I have always followed that dictum.

I have excellent seats in the east stands. Unfortunately, there are many young alumni (i.e. graduates from the 80s) who do not follow Coach Dodd’s advice and often yell invectives at the players, not only as a group, but by name. The young athletes playing for Tech are doing the best they can, or I can assure you that George O’Leary will have them out of the game in a hurry. These players need only our cheers, not jeers.

Remember, we are sitting comfortably in our seats and the players are getting smashed on every play. If you can’t do better, please only cheer (and loudly)!

Beirne M. Prager, IM ’58, MS IM ’62
Memphis, Tenn.

Participative Management

I have an interest in the SEI article (Fall 1999, Alumni Magazine). In 1988, the Alumni Magazine reprinted an article that was the AMA magazine cover story for August 1987. It was about the Rohm and Haas Bayport Plant, of which I was the first employee and plant manager. The article was titled “Taking Participative Management to the Limit” and the details are remarkably similar to the SEI article. I’m sending a copy to Al West. I think he might get a kick out of reading it.

Bob Gilbert, ChE ’52
Houston

Good Ol' Days

Two items in the Fall ’99 Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine brought back the “Good Ol’ Days” for me. On page 13 was the 50 years ago graduating class that included 1,050 former GIs. I returned in 1947 as an instructor in the school of physics. I well remember the classes of 100 each I had at 7 and 8 a.m., five days a week, at that time.

I did get to know a lot of students. The former GIs in the dorms formed an Independent Students Organization, ISO, and asked me to be faculty adviser. They really didn’t need an adviser as they were self-motivated, but sometimes needed someone to help fight the battles with “The Hill.”

In intramural sports, we really cleaned out the fraternities, which usually dominated these events. It wasn’t quite fair as these were a group of men who had been all over the world doing all sorts of things, although they were just boys. However, it was fun.

The other item was a letter by Billy Wallace, EE ’46, about Professor Stalnaker that indicated he had changed some of his methods since I had him in ’42. Then, he would wander around the room with a piece of chalk stuck in his ear, grab it out and send it around the room by slapping it with a yardstick, not a slide rule. He was somewhat of a character, but a darn good professor on AC and DC motors.

LeRoy A. Woodward, Phys ’43
Atlanta

Wonderful Weekend

Parents Weekend was extremely enjoyable. Not only was everything planned so well, but you were able to arrange for absolutely perfect weather —and a tremendous win in the football game. The pre-game barbecue was outstanding and whoever did the food should be hired forever! The barbecue and all the fixin’s sho’ nuf tasted real Southern and were perfect for a meal before a football game.

Everyone was extremely friendly, courteous, cordial and professional. I want to extend an extra special “Thank You” to the Alumni Association staff for arranging for the parking. Keep up the good work.

Steven Berkman, M.D.
Closter, N.J.

Move Animated on Web

Thanks for the article on moving the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

I am the risk specialist who arranged for the environmental and professional liability insurance for the engineering team that designed the move of the lighthouse for the general contractor, International Chimney Corporation of Buffalo, N.Y. I sent a copy of the magazine to the underwiter that I worked with in placing the insurance for the engineering team, and I also sent a copy to the general contractor.

There is a Web site that has the animated illustration of the move: www.widomaker.com/~litehous/movie.html

This is cleverly done and I think it would be of interest to your readers.

Tom McCurdy, IM ’60
Atlanta

Mike Booher

Keepsake Issue

The article on the relocation of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse is excellent (Fall 1999). We are very proud of the successful project. We would like to receive a couple of extra copies. Bob Reynolds, pictured on the cover, recently retired. We would like to give him a copy as a keepsake. We would also like to provide a copy to the local library.

Steve Harrison
National Park Service
Manteo, N.C.

We’re pleased to provide a keepsake to Bob Reynolds and a copy for the library.

Great Job, But...

Thank you for the terrific article “Saving the Light,” by Karen Hill along with the photos by Mike Booher (Fall 1999 Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine).

My wife and I toured the outer banks in August BF (before Floyd) and visited the Cape Hatteras lighthouse at its new location. They were busy laying up the masonry foundations at that time. We will treasure the article and the photographs.

One little complaint: Why was it necessary to cut the plan of the operations in half—with one part on page 47 and the rest on page 48?

Heath Laughlin, Arch ’49
Big Canoe, Ga.

We work our award-winning designer so hard that at times he comes up with half-baked ideas—or half-divided operations plans. We were so impressed with his overall design of the lighthouse feature, however, that we winked at this eccentricity. Here’s how the plans look when the halves are whole:

Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine welcomes your letters. Address all correspondence to Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, 190 North Avenue, NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, Fax (404) 894-5113. E-mail, editor@alumni .gatech.edu (please include full name, city and telephone number).