Prof. Fred Hagstrom is the Rae Schupack Nathan Professor of Art at Carleton.

Thank you for the recent “Banana Sweats” article, that really was about the important contributions to this College made by Ele Hansen and Pat Lamb.  Their passion for opportunities for women in athletics is a legacy at Carleton that has been important for countless students.  They were Title IX before Title IX existed.

I want to suggest that we could all gain by more articles that bring to light the contributions made by faculty, staff, and students from past years that still benefit us today and make us a better community and College.  It is too easy for these important people to drift from memory.  And we might learn to better appreciate what we have if we know more about some of the people who laid important foundations.

I have two suggestions that might be worth more attention. John Nason was an alum, and later served as President of the College in the 1960s.  He is honored by the Japanese American community because during World War II he started a program that allowed thousands of students to leave camps where they were incarcerated and enroll at colleges and universities across the country.  Accomplishments like that deserve broader attention.  Another person of note was Sy Schuster, a math professor who recently passed away.  In addition to being an important teacher, Sy was passionate about issues of social justice. His example was inspirational to many who were lucky enough to know him.I am sure there are many stories that would be good to grace the pages of the Carletonian.  It could be uplifting for us all to know more of them.