Readers took the editor to task for various misdemeanors committed in the last issue, notably for the story on Backroads of Montana. Following are a few letters and my attempt at a defense:

“We received the Montanan this week and were very surprised to see the caption on page 20 of the three gentlemen ‘straddling the headwaters of the Missouri River.’ [You] may be referring to the Jefferson, the Madison or the Gallatin headwaters, but that is most definitely not the headwaters of the Missouri. The latter only occurs when the above three rivers combine near Three Forks, Montana. No human being could straddle these headwaters. Go see for yourself!”

Sincerely,
Sharon J. Dickman

Editor’s note: Thanks for your e-mail . . . . Actually, I believe I was right if you go by Webster’s definition: the small streams that are the sources of a river. I understand why you think it’s where the rivers meet, as there are markers near the highway, and a park, etc., but, from my understanding, the headwaters are where the streams begin that eventually join to make the big river. Thanks for reading the magazine so carefully! Please get back to me if you have a more scientific definition than what I’ve provided. Perhaps we could have a little ‘debate’ in the letters to the editor section.

Joan Melcher

Then there was that sentence in the same story referred to above, describing William Marcus: “. . . and Marcus, with his cultured elocution, is an unlikely Wibaux native.”

Karen Obrigewitch from Wibaux was not amused. She wrote: “Perhaps the kind of elitist attitude reflected in that statement is the reason our local high school graduates are ‘unlikely’ to attend the U of Montana. We are from the wrong side of the state — have no culture and can’t wax eloquent. Your loss, not ours.”

I quickly responded with a fairly long missive, explaining that the author of the piece, Patia Stephens, and I had spent a bit of time wondering if we should word the sentence in that way, but decided to for a few reasons: We wanted to give as rich a portrayal of the people in as brief a manner as possible (space limitations) and William’s manner of speaking is something everyone notices. I went on to note that I wouldn’t be one to put down someone from eastern Montana, since I’m proud that I spent my first eighteen years in Forsyth. I ended with: We surely did not intend to suggest Wibaux (or Forsyth or Ekalaka) are any less cultured spots — just that William’s way of speaking is more cultured than is usually found in Montana, or for that matter, the United States. I hope you keep reading the Montanan and that Wibaux high school students at least consider attending UM. I think they will find here an attitude that culture and eloquence have no geographical boundaries.

I received a gracious e-mail back from Karen. She wrote: “Thank you for your response and background on the intended meaning of the word ‘unlikely.’ I don’t know William, but his father and mother were well-respected and loved in this community. His mother died a few months ago (was a teacher for years). His dad, Wayne, was mayor, coach, teacher, principal and business owner in Wibaux for forty plus years.

“Our oldest son attended U of M and is a loyal Grizzly supporter and alumni! Our youngest — a daughter — spent her freshman year at Missoula before transferring to MSU — she had two older brothers there!”

But we weren’t done yet.

William Marcus wrote: “Thank you for the story that Patia Stephens wrote about Backroads. We’ve gotten lots of good comments from viewers and alumni who’ve seen the show — or want to see it!

“I must, however, respond to the comment about my hometown of Wibaux. If you knew my high school English teacher, Avis Zopfi, there would be no surprise that my ‘cultured elocution [makes me] an unlikely Wibaux native.’ Mrs. Zopfi instilled in me a respect for language and for reading. And Orrin Hall, my Problems of Democracy teacher, was an eloquent speaker. I learned a lot about presentation and syntax from both of them — to say nothing of my parents who were both teachers.

“There, now I can go home again!”

Best,
William W. Marcus
Director, Broadcast Media Center

That explains a lot, William.

I’ll let Patia Stephens respond to him, although I won’t miss a chance to plug my two favorite Forsyth teachers — Helen Smith, English, and Gene Tuma, geology.

Patia responds: “Neither of us had ANY intention of insulting Wibaux residents, although of course we saw how it might be taken that way. We simply wanted to describe your unusual (for Wibaux, for Montana, for the West) accent. I regret not being able to figure out a way to do it more gracefully.”

Amen.

Joan,

Someone was kind enough to send me the Spring 2001 copy of the Montanan. This is an excellent publication. Is there an electronic version? If so, I’d like to share some of the articles with the members of the Missoula Area Technology Roundtable to publicize the R&D and innovation at the U. (Yes, Russ, there is. Just go to www.umt.edu/comm. Current and past issues of the Montanan are available.)

The roundtable is a free effort that I founded to promote networking, cooperation and increase communications to encourage economic development in Montana. It currently has many participants who are out of the state and usually don’t have access to news about activities in Montana. As I found in the Silicon Valley, networking is key to economic growth of any area. [There are also] roundtables in Hamilton, Kalispell and Butte. I hope they can be replicated statewide.

Russ Fletcher
Missoula Area Technology Roundtable

Many thanks to the readers who sent in voluntary subscriptions. Here are a few of their comments:

Dear Friends at the Montanan:

I usually go to the Classnotes first, then return to the front of the magazine and read through. As I finished page 17, I was thinking: This is really great. I wonder how they afford all the improvements. Then I turn to page 18 and find it’s just a matter of faith. Well, good for you. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,
Dean H. Albert ’50

The Montanan:

I enjoyed the spring edition of the Montanan and the color was excellent. Keep up the good work. I hope the enclosed will help a little bit. I know I owe UM a lot more. It is a fine school.

Sincerely,
Owen Wilson ’52

Please accept this token for the beautiful Montanan magazine — very interesting pictures as well as news.

Regards to all,
Umberto Benedetti

I enjoy reading the Montanan and what is new at the U. The color is very nice. Adds more class.

Thanks,
Edith Anderson

Dear Editor:

Here’s a little help to “save a magazine.” I enjoy keeping in touch with the U, thanks to your efforts. I’m hoping to make it back to my first Homecoming in ’04 — my 50th. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,
Diane Hollingsworth Barry ’54

Dear Sirs:

Please accept this donation for the Montanan. It is a wonderful magazine.

Sincerely,
David T. Kearns