University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

UVa Remembers LBJ

Lynda and I would like to
express publicly our deep
appreciation to the many
members of the University
community for their
expressions of sympathy and
condolence following the
announcement of Mr.
Johnson's death last Monday
evening. We hope to respond in
a more personal way to as
many individuals as we can
identify during the next few
weeks, but at this point we
haven't even been able to open
all of the letters and telegrams
which were sent during the
first 48 hours.

It was especially heartening
to see fellow University
students at both the Capitol,
Rotunda, and the church
services in Washington, and to
find cards signed simply "Your
Friends at the University of
Virginia" and "From Your
Friends at the U.Va. Law
School" attached to the
various floral arrangements in
Texas.

Mr. Johnson shared much of
our enthusiasm for the
University and I know he was
looking forward to delivering
the commencement address in
June. He was very impressed
by the many thoughtful
get-well messages he received
from members of the
University community
following his heart attack here
last April, and on a previous
visit he had thoroughly
enjoyed a walking tour of the
Grounds just after dusk.

We didn't discuss the
specific topic for his
commencement address during
our lengthy visit over the
Christmas holidays, but I knew
some of the heady ideas his
most recent dreams were made
of. It wasn't until two days
after his death that his chief
speech writer told me he was
planning to deliver "the
greatest speech of his life."
Sincerely,

To Your Health

As members of the first
Year Council who were
involved in the recent food
services controversy, we would
like to personally express our
views on the matter. We
specifically wish to address
ourselves to the recent
agreement enabling those on
contract to sell their meal
tickets. While we do not
purport this to be a permanent
solution to the problem, as we
do desire that all those on
contract be granted the
opportunity to get off it, we
do feel that it is the best
feasible temporary solution.

The purpose of the First
Year Council is to act on
behalf of this year's first-year
class. It is toward these
students that we felt our most
pressing responsibilities. As
meal tickets were prepaid, this
plan to sell them was the sole
possibility open to Council to
get students off the contract
this year.

All that need be done to
reassign the meal ticket is to
find a buyer, agree on a price,
and go to the Food Services
office to finalize the sale. Food
Services has graciously
volunteered to handle all of the
paperwork free of charge. All
these steps should be taken
before the beginning of second
semester.

We write this letter not to
allay criticism, but to advise
the first-year students of the
alternatives open to them. We
understand there are people
who do wish to buy meal
tickets. We hope those who do
want to get off contract will
take advantage of this
opportunity.