University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

Professors Defend Shannon

In your issue of Friday,
November 19, Mr. Mark
Mittleman refers to Provost
David Shannon as "stupid" and
"venal" and otherwise covers
him with a torrent of abuse. He
says he does not know Mr.
Shannon. That is obvious from
the way he describes him. The
whole piece is libelous and
should not have been printed.
The right of free speech has
never implied a right to vilify
an individual over a difference
of opinion on a public issue.

We submit that Mr.
Mittleman's action was
dishonorable.

B And G

The department of buildings
and grounds is not doing the
job it should. The University
needs more pathways to
accommodate its growing student
body and its bicycles. Concrete
paths (or brick paths if it can
be afforded) are far superior to
worn red earth which is sure to
turn to mud this winter and
how, then, will the students be
able to get to class those
valuable seconds earlier.
Buildings and grounds knew
that cars would make a mess of
the grass in the amphitheatre
and they did a great job there.
But they must keep it up. They
must respond to the call. To
the hod, B and G!

Drab Home

Although I can understand
and empathize with those who
recently voiced their distress
over the plans to build a prison
in the Green Springs area, I
find it distressing that no one
voices concern over the actual
prison itself. What of the
human beings who must live in
the "drab, windowless" prison?
If Virginia is to build a
maximum security prison, why
not make it a model and
example of the more
progressive humane approaches
to prison structures and
management exemplified by
recent prison experiments in
the Scandinavian countries,
New Jersey, and California
(i.e., more pleasant prison
facilities and provisions for
cottage visits with wives and
families.) This is not to say that
I'm not concerned about the
devastating effect that the
prison as described would have
in the area, for it undoubtedly
will destroy the beauty of this
historic site; but I am even
more concerned about the
planned structure and
management of such a prison
about which few seem to be
concerned.