further widening the gap between theraces.This country doesn’t ever ask itswhite citizens to divorce themselvesfrom their ethnic or cultural backgroundsin order to be an American. Onthe contrary, it has embraced those originsand takes pride in them. But nonwhiteethnic or cultural backgroundsare not valued on the same level.W.T. BOYKIN JR. ’77Teaneck, N.J.Don’t ignore freedom astouchstone of American historyTo the Editor:Professor Sarah Willie’s article (“Doesequality mean treating everyone thesame?” March <strong>1998</strong>) sets up straw menfor opponents. Many Americans did not“erroneously assume that formal equalityinstantly created informal equality aswell” in 1965. Americans know thatthere is more than one sort of equality—forexample, civil equality, equalityof economic opportunity, and equalityof economic condition. Americans disagreeas to how many of these equalitiesare proper goals of the nation.Many Americans do not believe it is theproper place of government to enforceanything as vague as “informal equality.”Nor did the ethic of assimilation evermean that “everyone was supposed toaspire to the same things,” with noqualifications. American assimilationcreated a large core of common cultureand values that encouraged an enormousvariety of individual aspirationsand cramped or destroyed the collectiveaspirations of many groups ofAmericans. Americans praised theresult of unprecedented individual difference.The argument is not betweendifference and uniformity, but betweentwo conceptions of difference.Willie talks of “a national history ofsystematic oppression and imperialism.”If she means that Americans areguilty of murder, rape, enslavement,and conquest, and that we have talkedloudly of our virtues while committingcrimes, I agree. If she thinks these areAmerican traits rather than human sins,she is wrong. She is also willfully blind ifshe looks at America and cannot seethat freedom is the touchstone of itshistory. At the very least, she shouldmention that this ideal (which shouldnot be confused with equality) hassomething to do with our past.I disagree with almost everythingelse Willie wrote. The letters of PeteBeck ’57 and Rick Valelly ’75 have inthem much of what I would have said. Iurge Willie to address the actual argumentsof her opponents and to modulateher views of history to include bothliberty and the lash.DAVID RANDALL ’93New York✍“ManyAmericans donot believe it is theproper place of governmentto enforce anything as vagueas ‘informal equality.’”Students need moreeducation about alcoholTo the Editor:I am writing regarding “Q&A: Does<strong>Swarthmore</strong> have a drinking problem?”in your December 1997 issue.In my experience it is easy for anystudent to sail through <strong>Swarthmore</strong>with a drinking problem without beingchallenged in any way about his or herbehavior. Associate Dean TeddGoundie’s definition of problem drinkingas that which “plays a role in ... vandalism... and in ... misconduct—includingsexual misconduct and the rare fistfight,”leaves out the more common andmore damaging effects of alcohol consumptionthat I imagine are still rampantamong <strong>Swarthmore</strong> students. Irefer to the negative emotional, physical,and spiritual consequences ofhabitual social drinking.The alcohol policy at <strong>Swarthmore</strong>appears strong on institutional controls,but there are some areas thatclearly need more attention. Althoughthe <strong>College</strong> is not responsible for thepoor choices some students makeregarding substance use and abuse, it isresponsible for educating young people.A single orientation-week alcoholseminar is inadequate. Students needmore information about addiction,more challenges to habitual drinkingbehavior, and more information andsupport about processes of recoveryfrom addiction. It’s not just the obviousinstances of abuse that are harmful.I am not suggesting that the <strong>College</strong>police drinking on campus, but thatconcerned groups of students, professors,and administrators come togetherto find ways to raise student awarenessof the range of drinking behavior.JENNIFER M. GALLOWAY ’90PhiladelphiaAn excellent startfor women in scienceTo the Editor:I would like to echo Maxine FrankSinger’s [’52] words in the Back Pagesarticle about <strong>Swarthmore</strong> as a trainingground for women scientists. (“I can doit,” March <strong>1998</strong>) Like Singer I was aNational Science Foundation Fellow,and I have gone on to a diverse andrewarding career in research. Half ofmy graduating class in chemistry,including the three top students, werewomen. The best chemistry students inthree classes ahead of me were alsowomen, whom I met in the dorm orstudying in the Underhill ScienceLibrary.These statistics crystallized for meseveral years ago while I was writing aremembrance of retiring ProfessorPeter Thompson, who was the chemistryprofessor who most encouragedme while I was at <strong>Swarthmore</strong>. I wasstartled to realize how unusual the supportof the department had been at thattime.Questions abound in our professionabout “doing science” in a competitivefunding environment and being awoman in a male-dominated field, butthese are not things I thought about inschool. I was impelled by the excitementof science and my own curiosity.However, the fact that I never thoughtabout gender and science until I workedfor a company with a male-dominatedengineering culture says that my educationalroots were well nurtured at<strong>Swarthmore</strong>.ANNE M. THOMPSON ’70Greenbelt, Md.Externship programstarted in ’70sTo the Editor:“Network News” (March <strong>1998</strong>) providedseveral fascinating examples of studentsworking alongside alumni in theexternship program organized by theAlumni Council and the <strong>College</strong>’s Officeof Career Planning and Placement. Ihope other <strong>Swarthmore</strong> graduates andparents are inspired to offer jobs orhousing next year.The reference to the Council“launching” the program, however, maybe misleading. Although dormant untilbeing revived in recent years, the originalexternship program was actuallylaunched by Jed Rakoff ’64 and his fellowCouncil members in the early1970s.JACK RIGGS ’64President, Alumni Council28 SWARTHMORE COLLEGE BULLETIN
CLASS NOTESWe’re not sure when this picture was taken, nor who these<strong>Swarthmore</strong> students are. If you know, please write to us.JUNE <strong>1998</strong> 29
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