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Letters

Red or blue?
I just loved the "fair and balanced" tone of Bryan Moore’s letter accusing The TCU Magazine of lack thereof in the winter issue. Puke indeed!
Phil Mangum '81

Bravo, The TCU Magazine! How refreshing to read those politically inspired letters. For too long TCU has suffered the stereotype of a bastion of single-minded, conservative thinking. Our alma mater is now the second most selective school in Texas. As it strives to gain respect in the higher echelons of academia, TCU serves itself well by emphasizing that social and political eclecticism do indeed exist among its graduates, faculty and hopefully its student body.   
Clifton Barnhart '68

I was amazed to read the letters by Bryan Moore '96 and Cathy Wells '89 regarding their view that coverage of TCU student's attendance at last year's presidential conventions was biased. One writer confidently states "the majority of TCU grads are Republicans" and "that the vast majority of TCU’s endowments come from Republicans" without the slightest bit of substantiation. He is outraged that a TCU student attendee of the Republican Convention was happy to have his "Republican views reinforced." He further seems upset over the choice of academic study of this student as if the study of entrepreneurial management is itself, to quote the writer, "slimey."

Ms. Wells apparently makes the same assumptions as Mr. Moore about the politics of the TCU student body, alums, and supporters. As an alum I’d like to mention to her that I did not feel patronized by the story. When I graduated with my MBA over 30 years ago, I considered TCU to be rather middle of the road politically. I did detect some right-wing bias in the business school and, my goodness, what would be expected? One of my graduate professors awarded me a "B" in a course in which I had earned a very high "A." He took severe issue with my very strong views about environmental protection. Oh, well. The 3.9 GPA on my MBA never held me back and the story was fun to tell here in Oregon where most business types are very pro-environment.

Just a few months later, I found myself being verbally abused during a job interview here in Oregon. I was attempting to market my MBA to a major environment group. Unfortunately, this idea was a couple of decades premature. I found myself under attack for my choice of education and for even suggesting what I had learned could be used to advantage by such an organization. Their loss was my gain as I joined the West Coast high tech revolution soon after that interview. I never again attempted to offer assistance to an environmental advocacy group.

These two experiences taught me that bias exists in equal measure on both sides of the political spectrum. If you want to see blatant, vicious, and totally biased partisanship in a university I suggest you look elsewhere than TCU for your proof. It appears to me from a distance that TCU is doing a fair job of being rather neutral politically.

I also wonder how the two of you managed to earn degrees without understanding the basics of persuasive writing. Words mean things and it’s nice to seek proof prior to forming conclusions. Unless, of course, the conclusions precede the evidence that supports them. 
John Marshall '71 (MBA '73)

Remembering Bob

I have long been a fan of The TCU Magazine and thank you for your good work in reporting all of the activities and interesting feature stories that are so appealing to alumni. I had the pleasure of knowing Bob Schieffer since he and I were Phi Delta Theta fraternity brothers. Although he had a busy schedule working at KXOL Radio, while not going to class he managed to attend a few fraternity events and rub shoulders with the "boys." I last saw him in the early 1960s in Lubbock where he was working on a story for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I think he would be the same friendly guy today that he was in those days.
Vance Kent Apple '61

How fantastic that TCU will have the Schieffer School of Journalism. I graduated with Bob Schieffer and remember him as just once of the nicest guys on campus -- friendly and dependable. He wouldn't remember me, but it's fun to tell my friends that Bob Schieffer and I graduated together from TCU! He is quite remarkable and an incredible product of TCU. I look forward to the summer issue with lots more information about him and his friends.
Jane Harlan Ward '59


A kind deed, indeed

Thanks for another special issue. I was pleased to see the NCAA stats on TCU athletics. And thanks for representing such a fine university. I met my wife of 33 years when I was a young CPT in the USAF and Jan, (the former Janet Mallory '71) was a 19-year-old junior at TCU. Our middle son Christopher '01 and wife Clare '04 are already recruiting son Caleb Patrick, 18 months. On our first visit to TCU with our sons (ages 2, 5, 8 at the time) we entered the Student Center to buy some soda. It was closed that summer day and I didn’t have enough coins to purchase five sodas. A nice fellow came over wearing a TCU golf shirt (so I thought he worked there) and gave us enough coins to get our drinks. I introduced all of us and bragged on Jan as an alumnae. He then introduced himself: "That's great, I’m Bill Tucker." As we were out of ear shot, Jan said, "He’s the Chancellor! I have "goose bumps" recalling this incredible moment. And yes, he did "work there!"
What is so cool is our 5-year-old at the time, Christopher graduated "magna cum laude" from TCU!
Patrick Yurasek


Phillip Grace
What a fantastic and interesting article on Phillip Grace! Would you be able to e-mail me a copy of it so I can forward it on to some friends?
Suzy Allan

Prot U

Thank y ou for featuring my novel Prot U in TCU Tomes in the Spring 2005 issue. However, those who don't remember me may wonder exactly what my connection to TCU is. I served as Student Publications Director and instructor on the journalism faculty from 1995 to 2000. The novel is a satire drawn from my teaching experiences in Texas and Wisconsin. I now reside in Milwaukee and my e-mail address is berumpf@milwpc.com.
Eva Augustin Rumpf