There have been several letters to Forum in criticism of Dartmouth’s plan to eliminate the Paddock Music Library during the badly needed upcoming renovation of the Hopkins Center for the Arts. As a conductor at the Hop for 25 years, I want to add my thoughts to the discussion. Hopefully, it is not too late for the administration to change its plans for renovating the building.
There are many things that need to be addressed in bringing the Hop up to equal status with our other Ivy League competitors, but eliminating the small, but excellent, Paddock Music Library is not one of them. The Hop currently has music rehearsal and office spaces that are inferior to those of even Hanover High School. This would be a great place to start with a renovation, not by eliminating one of the most effectively run and popular areas of the building. My students and I used the Paddock Library almost every day for score study and listening to their fine selection of the best music.
Is there another university at Dartmouth’s level that doesn’t have a music library? I doubt it. It seems that the college I love has been making one foolish mistake after another lately, and many of us hope this can stop happening. I am calling for the people in charge to begin to study more and survey the community for the effects of their decisions before they act.
Leave the music library alone!
MAX CULPEPPER
Hanover
The writer is conductor emeritus of Dartmouth College.
On behalf of the board of directors of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, we wish to thank the Valley News for sharing details of our upcoming vaccination clinics (“NH schedules shot clinics for educators,” March 11). The Public Health Council is working directly with the schools (individuals cannot sign up on their own) to ensure that process runs smoothly.
The Public Health Council is thrilled to be involved in these vaccination efforts, which will help keep our kids in school and help get our families back to work.
If you would like more information about our services, or would like to make a donation so that we can continue our work, please contact us at: Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, One Court Street, Suite 378, Lebanon, N.H. 03766; 603-523-7100; or at www.uvpublichealth.org.
DAN FRASER
White River Junction
The writer is secretary of the board of directors of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley.
On Tuesday, Republicans on the New Hampshire House’s Education Committee voted to remove free menstrual products from schools across the state. While I understand that this session’s GOP members are serious in their attempt to pave the way to the past, this vote, and its impact on girls and women, is quite the standout.
Have they no shame? Evidently not.
LAUREL STAVIS
Lebanon
The writer represents Lebanon in the New Hampshire House.
I’m interested in the proposal for playing fields near the old KMart in West Lebanon (“Riverside forest’s future debated,” March 16). I worked there for 15 years, from 1983 until 1998, and wonder what has been done to address the problem of flooding there.
We had water coming into the back of the KMart building under the receiving room door twice. Then there were other times when the river came close to that door. Once was during Hurricane Gloria in 1985. The other was probably the result of a lot of melting snow and rain in a wet spring. I wasn’t living here during Tropical Storm Irene. I heard the flooding was extensive. It just hit me that this might be a problem, and would make quite a mess of the fields. It would be nice not to have a soggy field.
JO ANN DUPREY
Springfield Vt.
We would like to add our kudos to those of Joan Frankenstein-Mitchell and Jim Mitchell (“Get outside and enjoy the Whaleback experience,” March 11). The skiing at Whaleback has been terrific the past two weekends, and we would like to particularly acknowledge the efforts of mountain operations manager Gerd Reiss, who we hear was out in the Sno-Cat starting at 2 a.m. this past Saturday morning single-handedly grooming the mountain for our enjoyment later that day. We understand the mountain’s other groomer, Wolf, did the same in the wee hours Sunday.
We have been skiers and passholders at Whaleback for most of the past 35 years, and it is a fantastic, close-to-home way to enjoy winter, especially this one, with indoor options so limited. We also have passes at Sunapee, and while it is touted as the No.1 ski area in the East for grooming, we would say Gerd and Wolf are right there with them.
DICK and STEPHANIE NELSON
Lebanon