I wanted to express my thanks to you for taking time to publish your visit with an excellent professor, Dr. Bovard, in NDSU magazine. I took two courses from Dr. Bovard with an invitation from him to become a TA and begin my Master's degree program in his department. That invitation was a real confidence builder for me and has contributed to my success in public education both as a Latin teacher and as a school administrator. His interest in his subject matter and his eye for detail taught me serious lessons about loving students and expecting nothing but the best from them. (One evening, I found him in the library checking an obscure reference in one of his student's papers. How impressive!) As a Latin major at NDSU, Dr. Bovard recognized my interest and tied it to his love of Classics. We had many discussions about the Romans and their influence on Will Shakespeare. Had my choices put me on another pathway, I might have taken up the offer Dr. Bovard made to me 20 years ago. To stay in Fargo, however, was not an option at the time and seems even less of one now that I have established a family and career in Casper, Wyoming. His lessons have moved with me, nevertheless. I have loved my role in education and attribute some of that affection to both Dr. Bovard and NDSU.
Mark Mathern
Casper, Wyoming
Class of '82

I just finished reading the latest NDSU magazine, and wanted to let you know how much I like it. I had to smile while reading the "excerpts" from Richard Bovard, because Dr. Bovard was my Shakespeare professor back in the early '80s when I attended NDSU. His classes were always challenging, and he had a passion for what he taught. If I could tell him anything today, it would be that I still read and re-read my Shakespeare plays - though now just for fun. Not the biggest deal in the world, I know, but sometimes it's nice to know that your efforts and influence made a difference. I hope he is enjoying his retirement.
Kristi Thorfinnson Wentzel
Fisher, Minnesota

The article "The Good War?" by Michael J. Lyons (Fall 2002 issue) cannot go unchallenged. I guess he picked or copied the title from Studs Terkel's book. His question like that of Studs Terkel implies that it is possible for a war to be a good thing, which to my mind because of my participation in it is an absurd proposition. World War II was the most destructive in terms of personal and material losses of any event in the history for the USA and the world. To suggest that any war is good is an attack on our sensibilities. As an infantry soldier in the Philippine and Okinawa campaigns of that war, I, for one, am offended first by Terkel and now by Lyons for their viewpoint of World War II. Perhaps neither has ever been involved personally, and that would make them unqualified to render judgement.
Harold L. Sletten
Class of 1948

Mr. Lyons is obviously trying to rewrite history when he says the Red Army had already assured Germany's defeat long before D-Day. Is he serious? To deny that D-Day was the defining moment of World War II in Europe is to ignore reality. If Germany had not faced the Anglo-American forces on the western front and in Africa, Hitler would have occupied enough of Russia to subjugate and control the entire nation well before D-Day. The Red Army would have been no match for an undiminished Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe. Artillery moved about by oxen did not compare with German panzers. It's worth noting here that the United States provided $13 billion to Russia in the form of lend lease, which of course was never repaid. Mr. Lyons is probably aware that following V E Day, General Patton was in favor of pushing on to Moscow. It's well within the realm of speculation that he could have done so, and the Cold War would never have occurred.
Richard Kukowski

I am alumnus of NDSU, CS Dept and graduated in the fall of last year (2001) with a Master's degree. I currently work as a DA engineer at Intel. Dr. Jorgenson was instrumental in guiding me during my master's thesis and was also on my committee. I am so glad that the very good work being done by Dr. Jorgenson is getting some attention. The work being done is really cutting edge and it gives students the chance to develop VLSI design flows that are the latest in the industry today! Oh well, I wish I could've been a part of it :-)
Robbie (Rohit) Nadig