Letters, Oct. 3, 1955

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What an exquisite balance you achieved in presenting the life of Frank Sinatra one week, and that of Herman Wouk the next. I particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition of Sinatra's "Polo Grounds for a closet," and Wouk's "Possessions are disastrous," or again, Sinatra's "I don't need anybody in the world. I did it all myself," and Wouk, whose day "does not begin at his desk, but in prayer . . ."

CLAUDETTE DEENNAN

Los Angeles

Contraband

Sir:

So Nebraska has only elected two Democrats to state and federal offices in the past 15 years since the Omaha World-Herald has backed the G.O.P. candidates [Sept. 5]. If it really wants to test its power, it should try to elect a Democrat in this state, where it is practically a crime to smuggle a Democrat across the border . . .

JOHN C. KELLEY Lincoln, Neb.

Uncomplementary?

Sir:

Re "Theology and Jazz" [Sept. 5]: the Rev. Lawrence McMaster longs for the magnetism of jazz to fill our churches . . . But the danger of expressing religion through jazz is extreme because thereby religious emotion is emphasized to the total exclusion of religious intellect.

Worse yet, jazz is ultimately the musical (sic!) expression of coition. And while coition and religion in times past have not been totally unrelated, this relationship has found opponents (Hosea, et al.) and is still in some disfavor with the church.

Theology and jazz are opposing, not complementary terms. Theology is knowledge of God. Jazz does not contribute to this knowledge . . .

(THE REV.) GEORGE E. GOODERHAM

Rector

St. Mark's Episcopal Church Yreka, Calif.

Parental Pushing

Sir:

Too bad we have no way of knowing how many of Superintendent Smith's Kindergarten mamas are truly considering their children's best interests, and how many are just anxious to have a glorified baby-sitter for a few hours a day [Sept. 5]. Won't parents ever learn to stop pushing their children to satisfy their own selfish desires? Immaturity in a child meeting the school situation for the first time often means headaches for the teacher and parents, and sometimes develops in the child a dislike for school that can not easily be erased. Perhaps this incident will stimulate some work on a new and better standardized test.

I. N. SADOWSKI

Reading, Mass.