Feedback

Dear Readers,

If you served in the Peace Corps, or have historical memorabilia and stories, we’re still hoping to hear from you. We want to share your stories, and to do it, we need your help.

And to all those who already contacted us: Thank you! What a wealth of interesting tales. We look forward to presenting them in the magazine’s upcoming issues.

As always, email me about these things, or anything else on your mind, at pjack@uri.edu.

Thanks for reading.

—Pippa Jack
Editor in Chief

Write to us: pjack@uri.edu
Read more online: uri.edu/quadangles
Update your email address: pjack@uri.edu

Nannying No-No

I would like to comment on the letter from Brian McCarthy in which he castigated you for publishing a photo of a man in the bucket of a tractor [Feedback, June 2016]. You did nothing wrong, and neither did the man in the bucket.

The man has little risk of falling out of the bucket, since the bucket is tipped back and affords him a secure pocket-space. He does not need a harness, which is designed for use in cherry-picker buckets, where workers necessarily are leaning over the edge to do work. He does not need a flotation device, since the tractor, which is not amphibious, cannot be in deep water. Finally, there is little risk of the bucket falling or pitching him out, since it is a stable hydraulic platform. But besides all this, the man depicted is an adult, as was the operator of the machine. Even if the action had been ill-advised, we need to let adults take responsibility for themselves. Let’s show a little respect for someone else’s judgment.

—Phil Noss, B.S.M.E. ’78
Puyallup, Wash.

That Steelers Connection

I’m writing about your article about the Steelers that mentioned my brother Steve Furness [Back Page, June 2016]. Very interesting to learn about the history of how the Steelers came to URI.

From my point of view, I can tell you it is part of a fascinating Rhode Island story of the relationship between our family, URI and the Steelers. We grew up in Warwick with my mom as disciplinarian. She wouldn’t let Steve play football during his first year at Hendricken—instead he played baseball, wrestled and marched in the band at football games, playing the clarinet or sax. He went on to have a stellar high school football career as a “big” fullback and linebacker, which continued with the help of a scholarship to attend URI.

Steve was the first in our family to attend college, and we all spent a lot of time—like most URI families—attending football games and track meets and participating in various URI events. These were the days before the stadium was constructed and the “bubble” appeared, and we would take turns retrieving his hammer after throws in the scruffy open fields.

Steve played several years as fullback and eventually made a fateful decision to move to defensive line. Although considered by other pro teams, he was thrilled to be drafted by Pittsburgh in the fifth round in 1972, beginning his long relationship with the Steelers. Fortunately, the Steelers recognized his potential and helped develop him into a four-position defensive lineman. Over the years, the small town kid participated in a pro-football dynasty and obtained four Super Bowl rings.

As a result of our family experiences at the University, I also became a URI grad. I then went to Pitt Law and was very fortunate to live for many years in Pittsburgh toward the end of Steve’s football career, allowing our family to continue to share in the many memorable events that resulted from the relationship created between the Steelers and URI long ago.

—Peter Furness ’79
Saunderstown, R.I.

Steelers Serendipity

A few weeks before school started, I, with other members of the cross-country team, reported to the University for early practice sessions. It was a pleasant surprise to share the Butterfield cafeteria with the Pittsburg Steelers, who were also doing training sessions at the URI facility.

Years later, at the most recent Golden Grad Reunion, I went to the newly renovated Butterfield Dining Hall and talked with the manager, Tom Cronin. He indicated to me that I was one of the few who remember the Steelers practicing and eating at URI—and he also said his father was the chef at that time! The Steelers gave his father an autographed football to thank him.

When I got home that evening and read QuadAngles, I was quite surprised to read Shane Donaldson’s article on the Steeler’s summer camp at URI. Kudos to Donaldson for refreshing our memories.

—Bill Masuck ’65
Pawtucket, R.I.

The Importance of Planners

I just got my copy of QuadAngles and read the lifeguard article [On Guards, June 2016]. I appreciated the way author Dave Lavallee mixed the present with the past. I also enjoyed his father-son article. My son is now 19 and not a lifeguard, but he does work full time at Narrow River Kayaks, so the water is in his blood too.

I have already gotten some ribbing for the picture. One guy MADE ME autograph his copy. I am semi-famous!

It’s ironic that I made it into QA based on my lifeguard career and not my 30 years as a town planner. Not complaining, mind you, but I have always admired the accomplishments of those graduates who have been highlighted for their contributions to engineering, nursing, the environment, etc. I never thought my time in the orange would get me there.

On a serious note, the subject of city and town planning may be worthy of an article. URI’s city planning program was dismantled in 2006, but there is talk of bringing it back.

What planners do is somewhat of a dying art: project community needs into the future and work with decision-makers to prepare for the necessary tasks and funding to make things possible. It is often overlooked in local growth management, but can be the key step in setting of capital budget objectives and in managing (sometimes against public opposition) the process of making sound decisions for the entire town or city. Many graduates have gone on to become influential in the public domain, at both the town and state level, in Rhode Island and beyond, and I think readers would like to hear who they are, where they have gone and how they have influenced their communities.

It’s not a sexy profession, I’ll admit, but my colleagues and I toil in the trenches of public policy with the singular purpose of helping people live and work in a better environment than before. Almost everyone I work with as director of community development in Narragansett Town Hall says they would not want my job for anything. We try to make sense of every situation and find consensus—it’s a little like herding cats.

Anyway, thanks again for highlighting the work of the young people who keep our families safe in the summer. They are truly a special breed.

—Michael J. DeLuca ’80, M.C.D. ’88
Narragansett, R.I.

On On Guards

I loved the lifeguard story [On Guards, June 2016]. The page design and photography work nicely together, and the story reads equally well. I thought it was most successful in weaving the old guard, like Mike DeLuca, with the new. As a former lifeguard myself—and the son of one—I can tell you that everyone who has ever guarded here knows, likes and respects Mike.

I bet the story resonated with many others, too, especially East Coasters—Rhodies of course, but also the N.Y. and Jersey alums who come here partly for the beach culture the University and area offer.

—Dean Welshman
South Kingstown, R.I.

Marine Affairs Massachusetts

The latest edition of QuadAngles is great. I enjoyed reading it on the plane this week while on a long flight across the country for a work-related trip. I especially enjoyed the articles on the Human Zoo film (shocking but important) and nanotechnology [Human Zoo, The Tiny Tech That’s Changing Everything, June 2016]. It was also nice to see a short article about the important work my program, marine affairs, is doing [A Missing Piece in Environmental Rights, June 2016].

I have worked for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service in Gloucester, Mass. for the past 16 years. Initially, I worked directly on fishery policy issues (11 years), but over the last five years I have taken on a broader role as special assistant to our regional director and leader of our communications team. So I’ve put my marine affairs degree to great use! In fact, we have a few other URI marine affairs grads working at our office.

I miss R.I. and try to get back down there as much as I can. I was just down there a few weeks ago helping a friend who works for the Narragansett Lab collect biological samples at the Snug Harbor shark tournament.

—Allison R. Ferreira
Gloucester, Mass.