| Confessions
from a dorm dweller
Aw, that old
dorm (Fall 2004). Now that it is gone, the truth can be told: flooding
the flat roof on the second floor so we could skate on it, then having
to mop it up when it began to melt and drip through the ceiling; Ed Kuipers
’67 and I locking our room to keep the dorm counselors out until
we had completely painted it; defacing the cork floors as we tried to
hit the bull’s-eye with our pocket knives; dorm parties we hosted
for the coops women; and more! What memories my first year at Calvin!
Ron Fisher ’65
Waterloo, Ont.
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Piano encore
Thank you for the wonderfully enjoyable story
on Calvin’s concert pianos and some of the students, technicians
and teachers associated with Calvin’s pianos over the years (Winter
2004). Like their cousins the organists, concert pianists are unusual
in that they rarely travel with their personal instruments and thus spend
most of their careers making music on “borrowed” instruments.
In contrast to organs however, concert audiences are often unaware of
the history and pedigree of great concert pianos, the generations of artists
who have played on them, or technicians who have rebuilt them. Your article
captured well the emotions of the living traditions associated with every
piano.
I must, however, supply a slight addendum to your article in that you
missed an entire group of people whose work intersects with concert pianos
— the piano movers! On behalf of many Calvin students whose careers
in arts management began as stage managers at the Fine Arts Center, I
salute Harold Geerdes and Ruth Rus for the professionalism and perfection
that informed their careers and inspired ours. I have no doubt that when
Calvin adds its next concert grand, you will remember to include us.
Robb Scholten ’74
Brookline, Mass.
Lessons from a Web site
Last spring, while
attending a seminar on teaching about the holocaust at Stanford University,
I was introduced to Professor Bytwerk’s German
Propaganda Archive (Winter 2004). It was one of the Web sites highlighted
by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as being exceptionally
useful for teaching about the holocaust. No one in the group that I was
a part of had heard of Calvin College, and I was all too happy to explain
how Calvin is a Christian college and community which has a desire to
glorify God with scholarship.
The people in my group, mainly holocaust survivors and public school
teachers, were surprised to hear that there were Christians out there
who were dedicated to preserving the lessons of holocaust. I was able
to share a little bit of God’s love with these people through the
conversations that followed.
I’m so proud to be a graduate of a school that encourages this
kind of scholarship. I know most of the group was eager to direct their
students to the Web site, as was I. My eighth-grade students learned so
much exploring the site, especially by reading excerpts and viewing the
pictures.
Becky Diephouse ’00
San Jose, Calif.
Cohesive Calvin community
I can’t
lay the Spark down when it arrives in the mail. I read it from
cover to cover. Attractive, high-interest photographs, engaging articles
and information to keep alumni in touch with each other are the “cohesives”
that make us grateful in praise to God to be part of Calvin’s alumni!
Continue the effective ministry that provides countless servants participating
in the work of the kingdom of Christ. What blessings we share as we prayerfully
support one another.
George Groen ’62
Avondale, Ariz.
No geography problem here
The reader’s
letter “Geographically
Illiterate” (Winter 2004) reflects an air of intellectual superiority.
I had no difficulty understanding the location and people referred to
in the list of countries, continents, peninsulas, etc. Isn’t that
what writing is supposed to do, communicate so that people reading will
understand?
Al Van Dyk ’52
Bella Vista, Calif.
Hurricanes did more damage
When the Spark (Winter 2004) came to our home
in Winter Haven, it was with special interest that we read the article
by Niala Boodhoo on the Florida hurricanes. While she documented some
of the damage done, we wish the piece had included mention of other affected
areas in the state.
Located in the center of the state and where we own a home, Polk County
was hit more severely than any other county of the state. Three of the
four hurricanes crisscrossed the region; the damage here is unbelievable.
I am the pastor of Lake Alfred Ministry, and within our relatively small
congregation, the losses are many. Some of our church families lost their
entire home; our own home needs a new roof and major plumbing and electrical
work.
Thanks for drawing attention to this crisis. Please be in prayer for
those in Polk County and all across Florida whose lives have been severely
affected. Praise be to God whose grace shines brightly through even these
challenges.
Garrett H. Stoutmeyer ’55
Winter Haven, Fla.
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