1/1 - eCommons@Cornell - Cornell University

like to elaborate on his statement that
"during post-World War II years, only
two women were admitted to the
DVM class each year, purportedly
because the college was allotted only
two beds in the dormitories for
women."
In those days the number of
women admitted to the university
each year was indeed based on the
number of approved housing spaces
available for women. Each college
requested a desired allotment and the
central administration then divided
up the spaces. The Veterinary college
could have had more spaces for
women but the word from their admissions
office at the time was that
the college was established to help
farmers and usually women did not
help meet that objective, for three
reasons: most could not handle farm
animals; usually they decided on
small animal practice, of little or no
help to farmers; and often they gave
up their practices in favor of marriage.
Thus, with a very small Vet college
class entering each year, two women
seemed about right to them. (They
felt one by herself would be lonely.)
All of us who spoke with prospective
students, parents and guidance
counselors presented this explanation
over and over for many years. It
made sense to us and apparently to
them. I don't recall anyone ever objecting.
The world was a different
place in those days.
When housing restrictions for
women were swept away and equal
rights became law, all those reasons
why women shouldn't enter the vet-
erinary professions rather quickly
faded away. Robert W. Storandt '40
Director Emeritus of Undergraduate
Admissions
Ithaca, New York
GOOD GUY
Editor: We as Cornellians can rightfully
take pride in Gary Wood's athletic
accomplishments at Cornell and
beyond. However, there was much
more to Gary.
Gary had so much warmth and
consideration for others.
Yes, he was tough as nails and
extremely competitive, but underlying
the tough exterior was one of the
most caring human beings I have
ever met, whether helping his high
school friends get started in business
or calling to see if the kids were okay.
I remember talking to Gary during
a season he was playing with the
Ottawa Roughriders in the Canadian
League. Canadian football rules subject
a quarterback to a lot of physical
abuse. The field is wider, and getting
out of bounds to avoid a hit is more
difficult. During the game, Gary was
hit hard on the sidelines, knocked out
and apparently started to convulse.
In telling me about the situation, his
major concern was that the episode
had frightened his oldest son, Jonathan,
who at the time was about 4
or 5 years old and was at the game.
Gary was also a very loving and
attentive husband. Whenever Rita and
I were with Gary and Jill, I knew I was
in store for a lot of "Why don't you do
those things for me?" questions when
we got home. Gary was also a great
ambassador for Cornell. He was
proud, but not boastful of his Cornell
association. He gave a great deal back
to the university, well beyond the
fame and glory he brought to it.
Gary was my closest friend. It is
impossible for me to replace him in
my life. We knew each other 34
years, were teammates, partied together,
watched each other marry
and watched our families grow. That
kind of relationship gives you a special
insight into a person.
So when you think of Gary Wood
don't remember only the statistics.
Al Aragona '63
Woodland, California
CORNELL MAGAZINE
10
Editor: The recent and premature
passing of Big Red football Hall of
Famer Gary Wood '64 is a shock. I
recall three small anecdotes that
probably will not be mentioned in his
obituaries:
In Yankee Stadium one evening
in early fall of 1965, Giant quarterback
Y. A. Tittle was injured, with the
Giants' ball on the four-yard line. In
came Gary Wood. He ran a quarterback
sneak and scored the winning
touchdown on his first National Football
League play.
The Giants traded Gary to New
Orleans in 1967. At a Touchdown
Club luncheon in New York I asked
Wood, "How come?" He smiled
wryly and answered, "I made one bad
call, and (snapping his fingers) just
like that I was a Saint!"
Late in August 19711 went to a
Canadian Football League game at
the British Columbia Lions' home
arena in Vancouver. Gary Wood
was the visiting QB. He took a terrible
physical beating in a losing
cause. I went into his post-game
locker room.
He looked at me and said,
"Geez, am I glad to see a friendly
face. This is one tough way to make
a living."
M. D. Morris '44, BA '76
Ithaca, New York
LOGICAL
SHOT
Editor: Many thanks for publishing
the interesting story by Robert
Sullivan on Gillian Sharp, the biathlete
from Ithaca ("The Key to G.
Sharp," January/February '94).
This was especially welcome
because shooting sports, as well as
the Second Amendment and the essential
role it has had in forming and
maintaining our Republic, have been
maligned by a flood of inaccurate and
biased articles in the press during the
past several years.
The fact that Cornell Magazine
not only printed a positive article
about marksmanship, but featured
Sharp and her rifle on the cover demonstrates
that our alumni magazine
is as independent and logical as is our
great university.
William H. Day, PhD '65
Newark, New Jersey