ENPages
1
Carl Bernard Wagner [S.S.?] Command USNTC Great Lakes, IL 3 April, 1945
Mr. Donald B. Tresidder
Dear Sir:
I'm always happy to hear from Stanford - Your greetings at the holidays and occassional letters help to tie me to the University even though I'm far away - I'm sure all former Stanford students feel the same.
In your letter of last month (March) a number of questions were [posed?]. In answering them I'd like to say that as Stanford goes ahead after the war - I hope that what has [gone?] before won't be forgotten after - teh traditions and extra-curricular fun that made Stanford more than just a place to get a degree.
I plan to return to Satnford as soon as possible - I had my freshman year only before I went into the Navy's V-12 program. In the Navy I completed two years of engineering at Cal Tech in Pasadena, but when I come back I want to major in
2
physical education. [Since?] I wasn't taking work in their department before, I can't give any suggestions on the program, but in general, I believe that credit should be given toward a degree for all practical work done in the service, especially in technical fields. Not much [more?] than lab credit can be given I imagine. The standard Navy school doesn't give enough theory or go deeply enough into a field to be the equal of a course at Stanford - and I imagine that the Army is even less technical.
As to housing, some fellows plan to live together in rented houses on or near the campus if possible. Probably the dorms will be more than filled. In my case, I want to get into my fraternity house. I was one of those initiated just before he left, and I want to help my fraternity get back on its feet at Stanford.
3
Reopening the fraternity houses will make the University more like it was before we left, and that is what we want.
The "Big Game" rally and bon-fire, all the ralleys, dances and activities are wanted by every former Stanford student I have talked to, and athletics. Why not start sports again, we'd like that very much. You said that there are eight hundred civilian men at Stanford now, one hundred of them veterans. True. The rest are mostly under eighteen, or can't get into the service because of physical reasons. But other schools are competing, and they don't have as many teams to compete against as close at hand as Stanford has. Many restrictions are going to be lifted when the war in Europe is over - why not lift the ban on sports at Stanford.
Every fellow who I've talked to who was in his first or second year
