The article by Jake Lahut in the 4/12/16 Argus is laughable.  Did he not read the entire book?  To write that Bob Norwine “was arguably the most influential director of admissions during his tenure from 1953-64 up until Nancy Meislahn…” is absurd.

President Victor Butterfield’s vision of a “Little University” would not be as successful as it is without two components: support and leadership by the faculty and a change in the composition of the student body.  Perhaps Mr. Lahut should reread, or read, pp. 337-390 of Dr. Pott’s book, “Wesleyan University, 1910 – 1970: Academic Ambition and Middle-Class America.”

Those pages document the role played by Jack Hoy, who was appointed Director of Admissions by Victor Butterfield after the departure of Bob Norwine.  Hoy carried out Butterfield’s vision by the aggressive recruitment of students of color, inner-city students, Jewish and low income students, to name a few groups.  That initiative, with all its implications, is what makes Wesleyan today what it is.

That is why.

Kirkpatrick is a member of the class of ’60.