J.F.K.

SIR: WE ARE STUNNED INTO PARALYSIS. WE CRY OUR OUTRAGE NOT FOR REVENGE BUT FOR THE MASSIVE LOSS OF THIS MAN, THE PRESIDENT. HE MADE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO EVERY HUMAN BEING IN THE WORLD. HE WAS A SINGULAR LEADER OF OUR LIFETIME.

L. R. NICHOLL CLAREMONT, CALIF.

Woman's Place

Sir: What a sad commentary on our American culture your report on women is [Nov. 22]! It's no wonder that we educators see so many unhappy, anxious, insecure children in our schools. Their mothers are outside of their homes involved in "the search for something more challenging." If these women had any spiritual values, they would thank God that they are blessed with husbands and children and devote their talents and energies to fulfilling their roles willingly, lovingly and efficiently.

As a successful professional single woman, I find it awfully difficult to understand why a mother of six children has to leave her home for a job that is exciting and rewarding. Those American women cannot see the forest for the trees.

EDNA MAURIELLO Assistant Professor Education State College Salem, Mass.

Sir: Many worthwhile groups that provide activities for children and youth, the handicapped, ill and aged are very short-handed because so many able women have gone to work. The benefits derived from such organizations are desired by these same women and their families, but when asked if they will help in leadership, they are too tired, or too short of time. Is this fair?

These positions of leadership are among the most challenging offered in our society and give a genuine sense of accomplishment, indeed. What bigger problem do we have before us today than guiding (or saving) our youth at all levels economically and socially? These jobs, when done well, demand intelligence, education and creativity. They have the advantage of being part time, requiring little extra in matters of wardrobe and lunch money, and provide the best kind of fellowship with others of all ages.

I and many other women are tired of the "trapped-housewife" theme.

(MRS.) MARGARET A. FUAD Visalia, Calif.

The Rights of the Majority

Sir: Your article about the Lovett School in Atlanta [Nov. 15] disregarded a very vital right. While affiliated with the Episcopal Church, it is not a church-supported school. Those who are currently supporting this school have every right to determine the race of the boys attending it.

I am not speaking of segregation in public schools; they are supported by all, including those who support the Lovett School. Segregation on a racial basis is stupid--there are good and bad elements in all races. This is not a question of the merits of segregation; it is a question of the rights of citizens to educate their children in a segregated school if they wish to pay the added expense involved.

I have been an Episcopalian since birth. Several of the parishes I have attended have had Negro communicants. In independent and public school and in college, my children have had Negro classmates with my full approval.

The Negro has been denied many of his rights--this should not be tolerated. At the same time we should not tolerate the effort of the Negro to deny the right of others to refuse to associate with him on an educational or social basis if they do not care to do so. Majorities have rights too.

S. G. WILLIAMSON JR. Providence

Sir: As a Negro Episcopalian, I am glad that the Lovett situation in Atlanta (about which I had some prior knowledge) has been brought to the attention of the nation. It is high time the hierarchy, which governs our respective dioceses, gets off the fence once and for all!

Perhaps the Bishop of Atlanta should remember the words of Our Lord--"Inasmuch as ye have done it to these the least of my brethren, ye have done it to me."

BERTHA L. HOXTER Philadelphia

A Word for the Average

Sir: New York City Superintendent Calvin Gross [Nov. 15] appears to be a laser beam cutting into the Stygian morass called American education. If this is really true, I may be coaxed into returning to the classroom firing line as a teacher.

SEYMOUR S. ROVNER Tarzana, Calif.

Sir: I have often thought that the "average" student in the New York City public school system was the neglected student.

After reading your article on education, I feel even more positive that the attention is focused completely on the "bright" student, the "dull" student, and the student who is a problem because of discipline.

I thank God I was able to transfer my average son from a public high school to a fine private school in New York City. The encouragement and attention given there has made him anxious and able to attend a fine college.

MARY McHuon New York City

Sir: Do our educators want the end product of their effort to be a scholar or a person? Let the powers that run our schools ponder the following:

A group of vocational teachers undertook a survey to determine why employees were discharged. The teachers contacted several thousand companies, and they expected a long list of reasons. They were amazed to learn that more than two-thirds of the persons losing their jobs had been fired for ONE reason: they couldn't get along with people.

IRVING PERLIN Human Relations Counsel New York City

Persecuted Donkeys

Sir: When I read the story of Pele, the "criminal" donkey [Nov. 15], I was reminded of a similar story of a persecuted donkey by the German author Christolph Martin Wieland. In Geschichte der Abderiten, he intended to point out absurdities of small-town government and life. A Grecian dentist named Struthion and a donkey driver nearly came to blows over whether or not Struthion might stand in the shadow of his rented donkey since he had not rented the shadow as well. Struthion felt that the donkey came with the shadow.

The two took their quarrel to the city-state of Abdera, which soon divided itself on the question until civil war seemed imminent. The problem was solved when the people set upon what they considered to be the real troublemaker--the donkey--and consequently tore him into a thousand pieces.

Who would have thought such an exaggerated story would have a real-life parallel?

CECILIE SMITH Morgantown, W. Va.

Hands Across the Sea

Sir: This is in reference to your article [Nov. 8] on the restoration of a severed human hand by Red Chinese surgeons in Shanghai.

The early Shanghai group was headed by Professor P. C. Tung, Chief of Surgery of Shanghai Medical College. He was trained in St. Louis by the great master Dr. James Barrett Brown.

Later, many Americans taught there. To these, their teaching and influence, I believe credit should be given.

MILTON Lu, M.D. Lancaster, Pa.

Sharing the Honors

Sir: In the Art section [Nov. 15] you have an excellent presentation of some of the new buildings at Yale. The color photographs and layouts are very beautiful. However, credit for the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library should be given to the firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. I was merely the partner responsible for the design, and my partner, David Hughes, was in charge of the administration of them. In addition, there were various other people in our office whose efforts made this building possible.

GORDON BUNSHAFT Partner Skidmore, Owings & Merrill New York City

Breaking The Silence

Sir: As a Swede, I am proud that Swedish craftsmanship stands for solid quality.

But American eyes are quick to turn from our stainless steel to some of our spineless, sordid screen productions. I sincerely hope that America will refuse to have filth poured over their country in the name of art.

As TIME pointed out [Nov. 15], there has been a strong reaction in Sweden against the perversion and dirt of Ingmar Bergman's film The Silence.

Movies and TV could help to restore national character in Sweden and America, along with definite standards of right and wrong. In those fields I believe Sweden can and will contribute daringly and decisively with productions that will last long after The Silence has been buried in silence.

(MRS.) BROR A. W. JONZON Vancouver, Canada

Inspiration

Sir: One evening in August 1955, I was reading the TIME cover story on Frank Sinatra, in which he was reported as saying: "If it hadn't been for my interest in music, I'd probably have ended in a life of crime." I stopped short on that sentence, remembering another TIME story, shortly before, that reported a murderer shot down in Chicago in a gun battle with the police who said: "I always been fond of music. Maybe if I'd been any good at it, I'd have done it that way instead." By about 3 a.m. the next morning, I'd written a short story about an encounter between a pop singer and a criminal on the run, which later emerged as a very successful television play called "The Man from Brooklyn."

A few years later, I read in TIME Magazine a haunting story about refugees in Europe, under the heading "Bitter Sanctuary." At once, an idea for a stage play which had been vaguely in my mind came into sharp focus, and I sat down at once and drafted it. That play is now to have its first production next month at the Salisbury Playhouse. The title? Naturally, Bitter Sanctuary.

I wonder how many other writers find inspiration -- not really too strong a word -- in TIME's detailed and sympathetic reporting of human events? Anyway, this is my grateful acknowledgment.

ROSEMARY ANNE SISSON London

La Vie de la Soiree

Sir: Your fine cover story on Nicole Alphand [Nov. 22] portrays a remarkable woman and a remarkable way of life, but it omitted a large facet of that life. Nicole Alphand has been directly responsible for several hundred thousands of dollars pouring into Washington charities' needy coffers. She has organized benefit balls, attended and sponsored countless luncheons and fashion shows, donated "specialties" from her chef and French products to bazaars, opened the embassy to paid tours (benefiting the Salvation Army and Good Will Industries). In addition, indirectly she and the ambassador are responsible for even more thousands of dollars by adding their glamour and prestige to many other charity affairs that would be dreary without them. Washington needs 107 more Nicole Alphands!

JANE E. WHEELER Washington, D.C.

Sir: If Madame Nicole Alphand is important enough to have her picture on the front cover of your magazine, and if your story about her and the other goings on in Washington is even partly true, heaven help this country! We have surely entered our decadent period, and we're in real trouble!

LEONARD MARIN Homewood, Ill.

Sir: It occurs to me that so much chic and taste is absolutely vulgar. Judging from the TIME photos, Mme. Alphand appears to have reached the peak of human automation. Do the American officials in Washington all really fall for such Continental decadence and tinsel? It makes me feel I should come to the defense of my country. And a husband who kisses you on both cheeks if you're in and shakes your hand if you're out: really!

Give me the African yearly jammed session any day.

ANNE FESSENDEN Lecturer in French University of New Mexico Albuquerque, N. Mex.

Sex, Soap & Brains

Sir: Without a doubt the least excited readers of the goings-on in the "Harvard Sex Scandal" [Nov. 8] that the various tabloids have been immortalizing lately are to be found at Harvard itself. We could have put the gentlemen of the press well at ease and saved them their vain searches these last few weekends through the cellars of Cambridge for further evidence of the promiscuity that they hoped was to be found. To those of us who do not always have the time or inclination to go elsewhere for our bacchanalian weekends, the only alternative might be thought to be Radcliffe, but this, in fact, means complete abstinence, for there is little to recommend such an idea. In Radcliffe we have a seminary in which the prime virtue seems to be the displaying of the most acute sartorial inelegance that it is possible to imagine, an inelegance that has as its cardinal philosophy the belief that at all times brains and soap are mutually exclusive.

However dismal these facts may be for Harvard men, they nevertheless bear eloquent evidence to the world at large of the biological impossibility of any real sex scandals in these parts, even if we are to pursue the principle of chacun `a son gout to the limits of absurdity.

E. K. FARIDANY Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Harvard University

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