2 FORDHAM Letters F FOR FORDHAM FAKE I read with interest the item on page 6 of the Fall 2009 issue of FORDHAM titled “The Legendary Enrico Pavone (and Other Fordham Stories).” To give proper credit, the “some upperclassmen” who invented Pavone was in fact my very creative classmate Dennis O’Connor, FCRH ’66. Dennis created not only Pavone, but a body of Pavone’s poetry and his entire social circle and their jet-set activities. Dennis gave at least one reading of Pavone’s work, during which he memorably stated something like, “I feel I’m casting fake pearls before real swine.” He was also interviewed on WFUV concerning Pavone by a couple of faculty members. The scheme did unravel after a long run, and I’m not sure how much of a “good laugh” the faculty members had over it, but it was incredibly inventive and well executed. —Robert L. Nowicki, FCRH ’66 ROCK ON I was somewhat bemused, if not amused, by the tone of the letters by Messrs. Calianese and Hildebrand (“On U2 and Cardinal Dulles,” Letters, Fall 2009). Lighten up, fellas. The U2 campus event will likely never be duplicated, and deserved the coverage it received in FORDHAM. I have heard nothing but kudos for it. That the late Avery Cardinal Dulles is among our greatest is without challenge, and his career has been well documented and indeed lionized in past issues of the magazine. —John Halligan, FCRH ’63 I am actually quite proud of Fordham’s decision to both invite U2 to perform [at Rose Hill] on Good Morning America and to place Bono (or a self-portrait of Bono) on the cover of the Spring 2009 issue of this magazine. These events bring attention to the University that all can benefit from. I think admissions alone will benefit, as many young adults will have seen the concert and say, “I want to go there.” How is this a bad thing? It also must be noted that Bono has used his celebrity to bring aid and awareness to the plight and poverty of Africa through his various humanitarian efforts—too many to mention in this space. Yes, Bono is possibly the greatest rock star on the planet, and could very easily spend his spare time counting his millions of dollars. Instead, he has chosen to use his celebrity to do God’s work, which we all can learn from, and be inspired by. —Robert Pantuliano, FCRH ’93, GSS ’04 GRAZIE Thank you for writing an article about the Italian-American population around the Fordham campus (“A Walk on Arthur Avenue,” Fall 2009). I found it refreshing to read that we are well and surviving on Arthur Avenue. I am a Ph.D. graduate from Fordham who is proud of her heritage. The article was beautifully written and long overdue. —Clara Orsini-Romano, Ph.D., GSAS ’77 THE FEELING’S NOT MUTUAL Regarding Professor Heather Dubrow’s letter (“Civil War to Civil Rights”) in the Fall 2009 issue of FORDHAM, Col. Robert Gould Shaw’s relationship with Fordham (St. John’s College) should be kept in proper perspective. Without detracting from Col. Shaw’s exploits in the Civil War and his laudable command of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, his connection with Fordham was brief, tenuous and antagonistic. He attended Second Division, which eventually became Fordham Preparatory School, for only seven months. From the outset, he made it quite clear in his letters to his mother that he hated both Fordham and the Jesuits. He made few, if any, friends and felt victimized by the Jesuit rules and disciplinary procedures for boarders in those days. He certainly had no regard for any Fordham values, which Professor Dubrow intends to use in her classes. As a result of his intense dissatisfaction, his parents withdrew him from Fordham, took him on a tour of Germany, Sweden and Norway, and then enrolled him in a Swiss boarding school. On his return from Europe, he entered Harvard and, even though he managed to graduate, he did not like it there either. As Father Ray Schroth, S.J., notes in his book Fordham: A History and Memoir, Shaw never forgave the Jesuits for what he perceived as vindictive treatment because he did not convert to Catholicism as did his uncle. In light of Robert Gould Shaw’s lifelong animosity toward Fordham, one wonders why he was inducted into the Hall of Honor in the first place. —August A. Stellwag, FCRH ’53, and Francis X. Holbrook, FCRH ’49, coauthors of When September Comes: A History of Fordham Preparatory School FORDHAM magazine welcomes letters from readers. Share your thoughts, comments and Fordham stories with us by e-mail at FORDHAMmag@fordham. edu, by fax at (212) 765-2976 or by mail at 888 Seventh Avenue, 7th floor, New York, NY 10019. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. F RDHAM Publisher Albert R. Checcio Managing Editor Catherine Spencer Editor Ryan Stellabotte Associate Editor Miles Doyle Assistant Editor Rachel Buttner Design Stacy Lautzenheiser FORDHAM magazine is published by the Department of Development and University Relations, with editorial offices at 888 Seventh Avenue, 7th floor, New York, NY 10019. Contact [email protected]. Visit www.fordham.edu/magazine. Opinions expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of the Fordham University faculty or administration. Copyright © 2009, Fordham University. 10-0452 eeo/aa Cert no. SCS-COC-00648