LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Meredith Was Oldest
Olympian
I enjoyed your article concerning WVU's Olympic participants
[Summer 2000]. The oldest participant in the 2000 Olympics at
Sydney, Australia, was a WVU graduate, Bruce Meredith '61. Bruce
and I were fraternity brothers at Delta Tau Delta from 1956 through
1960. Meredith competed in the Sydney Olympics on the team from
the Virgin Islands. I believe Bruce should be recognized as a
former all-American from WVU who still competes in his chosen
sport.
John E. Busch '60, '63 JD Elkins, West Virginia
Keyser Was Called New
Creek
In reference to your article on the West Virginia and Regional
History Collection [Fall 2000] and the picture of Union troops
near Keyser: During the Civil War, the community now known as
Keyser was called New Creek. It is mentioned by that name in
many history books, including the history of the 1st Virginia
Cavalry, which describes an attack on the railroad there. The
town's name was changed to honor the president of the B&
O Railroad when he located a large car repair shop there.
Clinton L. Rogers '57 Hernando, Florida
Saposnekow's Views
Two Letters to the Editor in your Fall 2000 issue presented different
views of Jacob Saposnekow, the late WVU sociology professor.
Here's my own assessment of Professor Saposnekow. I chose his
sociology class as an elective because I had heard from other
students that he was a thought-provoking teacher, which indeed
he proved to be. However, I quickly grew tired of his political
pontifications, especially his Marxist-Leninist, soft-on-communism
"preaching" that urged young, impressionable students
to climb aboard his ultra-liberal thought train. But what I resented
most—and made clear to him numerous times in class discussions—was
his unyielding assault on religion. He would often berate and
ridicule many of us students who dared to state publicly that
we believed in God. And that's what I remember most about him.
Tom Pendergast '53 Winnsboro, Texas
Thanks to Coach Nehlen
We honor Don Nehlen. We admire you, Coach Nehlen, and all that
you stand for and the wonderful contribution that you have made
to the young people of our country. It was a pleasure to have
served with you (as commander and professor of aerospace science,
1982-85) for a short time at WVU. God bless you and yours and
thank you for your contribution to WVU football, education, and
honesty and integrity in higher education and athletics.
William T. Stanley, Col. USAF (ret.), Anna Ruth Stanley