Letters

Loved the latest issue of Potash Hill (Winter 2012). Great articles, great photography and art. Way better than the one from my alma mater and others I’ve seen from other colleges. —Sally Andrews, former Marlboro College librarian

Paying it Forward
Last night, for whatever reason, I had a flashback to my Marlboro days. It was 1985, I believe, and a bunch of us got together and landed a short-term job outside of Boston, framing walls for some apartment buildings they were building. The money was good, and we needed the money, so off we went with toolboxes in tow. Then it occurred to us that we didn’t have enough cash to pay for a motel and gas and food while we were down there. I ended up picking the short straw, and had to go to Rod Gander [Marlboro’s president at the time] to borrow some money for the trip. Without hesitation, Rod gave us some cash and we were all set. Although, as we were leaving, Rod did smile and ask how I was coming on my clear writing requirement…. Well, needless to say, the trip went fine, we made good money (for back then), and paid off Rod. I had not thought about that time for probably over 20 years, and this morning I asked myself what Rod would say. I like to believe that Rod was simply “paying it forward” to the college.

—Peter Madden ’88
(Thank you, Peter, for this memory and your contribution.)

Helicopter Progeny
Readers of the Winter 2012 Potash Hill may be interested to know that two of the kids pictured on the last page, sitting on the helicopter that flew Governor Shumlin to Marlboro College, are the great-great-grandchildren of John and Olive MacArthur, who came to teach at Marlboro when it was founded. They are the great-grandchildren of John MacArthur, who still lives in Marlboro. Skip a generation and they are the children of Robin MacArthur and her sister-in-law Lauren Beigel MacArthur ’02, both Marlboro alumnae. The two kids in question are Avah, the one sitting in the driver’s seat, and Milo, the quizzical-looking one in front who keeps counting his toes and coming up with four.

—Dan MacArthur