Red-Whatever-They’re-Called-These-Days! [Miami went through all the predictable drama of having “Redskins” as the nickname for its sports teams. After much huffy virtue signaling the nickname was changed to “Red Hawks” or “Red Squirrels” or “Red, Red Robins Go Bob, Bob, Bobbing Along” or some damn thing.] See you in ‘22! Yours, Pat [As I was then called, until I switched to my initials in 1970 because – believe me – if you go through 23 years of being called “Pat O’Rourke” you begin to get some sympathy for those who, like Redskins, complain about ethnic stereotyping.] Thank you for a great essay! With that prompt to look back, my quarterly tuition at the University of Montana was about $187 per quarter for 12-18 credits, or about $560 a year, and textbooks could be had for $12.95 at the
Re: Dropping Out: The High Cost of Higher Ed Pat, As a fellow Classmate of yours at both DeVilbiss (H.S.) and and Miami University, your reminiscences of life on the Miami Campus in the mid ‘60’s brought back fond memories. I am blessed that I was listening to J. P. McCarthy’s (WJR Radio) noon “Focus” program in the early eighties when J. P. introduced and interviewed a guy from Toledo named P. J. I have enjoyed your writings since that re-introduction. Keep up the good work, and hopefully your DeVilbiss classmates will be able to shake your hand when we meet next summer (2022) to celebrate our 75th Birthdays.
Kindest Regards, Mike Muhn, DHS ‘65, Miami U. ‘69 P.J. O’Rourke Comment: As I wrote back to Mike – a star player on our high school’s formidable football team and a way cooler guy than me: Dear Mike, Great to hear from you! And thank you for the kind words. I think you and I had the good luck to go – when the going was good – to one of the best high schools and best colleges in America. Go Tigers! [our high school mascot] And go
university bookstore. After graduation in March 1978, I got my foot in the door as a seasonal biologist aide/ technician, hauling my gear to Wyoming, to Idaho, then back to UM for a couple non- degree graduate quarters in hydrology and other helpful subjects. That 1981-1982 period shocked me as books had become expensive enough that a number of profs would have copies of the textbooks available at the library for short- term reserve. Meal plans on
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American Consequences
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