Out of the Mud
Sirs:
In the educational section [June 25] under the heading "Kudos" in which were listed the names of important persons who had during this year's commencement period received honorary degrees from the various colleges and universities, and under the University of Missouri there was omitted the name of Theodore Gary of Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. Gary is an important figure in international business and in Missouri was formerly chairman of Missouri's first Road Commission and is the man principally responsible for the beginning of Missouri's present system of good roads which was carried through under the slogan "Get Missouri Out of the Mud."
I am a subscriber, constant reader and a great admirer of TIME.
H. L. HARRIS Automatic Electric Inc. Chicago, Ill.
U. of V.
Sirs:
The juxtaposition of your very interesting article on President E. A. Alderman of the University of Virginia and the list of "famed" personages given honorary degrees by other institutions of learning (TIME, June 18) is a striking coincidence. In an article in The American Mercury last winter, the statement was made that the Secretary of Commerce had received an LL. D. from the University of Virginia. In response to a request for verification of this statement, I received the following letter from President Alderman:
"The University of Virginia has never conferred an honorary degree upon anyone in its entire history. The statement, therefore, that a degree of LL. D. from the University of Virginia has been conferred upon the Hon. Herbert Hoover, is an error."
I believe that the University of Virginia is unique in this particular among American colleges and universities.
It is worthy of note, also, that President Alderman is the only president that the University has had in its 109 years of existence. Previous to his selection, the University was administered by a member of the faculty with the title, I believe, of "Chairman of the Faculty."
RICHARD D. Micou The Racquet Club Washington, D. C.
Cornell University has given only two honorary degrees in its entire history—to Andrew Dickson White, co-founder and first president of Cornell, and to David Starr Jordan, now president emeritus of Stanford University. State universities, as a rule, are chary of granting honorary degrees. For example, the University of Minnesota has honored only its president emeritus, William Watts Folwell, 95.—ED.
Acumen, Luck
Sirs:
Was it political acumen, prescience or coincidence that caused TIME to print on its. cover the pictures of the vice-presidential nominees of the two major parties just before they were nominated? It was easy enough, of course, to predict who the presidential nominees would be, but to pick the right men from the great numbers of vice-presidential aspirants was quite another matter. Congratulations, TIME!
R. W. EGGLESTON Chicago, Ill.
Answer: half acumen, half luck.
Acute, TIME picked Senators Curtis & Robinson for cover positions because they were the most "logical" candidates for the tickets' second places. Lucky, TIME was vindicated by the extraordinary coincidence that both political conventions acted "logically."—ED.