Remembering Littauer While Celebrating Kennedy
The world did not begin with the Renaissance nor did public affairs education at Harvard begin with the Kennedy School, much as it is rightly admired.

As the article on Kennedy’s early years in the school’s autumn 2003 Bulletin notes, Harvard’s Graduate School of Public Administration (Littauer Center) — Kennedy’s direct predecessor — had programs of preparation for the public service and for improving the competence of persons already so established by the late 1930s and for the three following decades. I was there in 1939 to 1940 as an administration fellow and in 1940 to 1941 as a Littauer fellow.

I think the Kennedy School is doing a great job and is a great asset for American governance, a feeling reinforced by the stimulating anniversary celebration I recently attended. However, a few bows of special respect might be made to those who came before, even if their school was not a completely separate institution.

Bob Matteson MPA 1941, PEG 1953
Bennington, Vermont

Editor’s note: While no disrepect was intended, we agree that more could have been said about the vision and work of those who came before 1978. Certainly one of these figures was the recently deceased Richard Neustadt, whom we profile in this issue of the Bulletin.

A Winner
The spring 2003 issue has been read with very considerable interest. A good friend who is a Harvard alumnus (Ronald D. Lindmark SMG 1985 of Arden Hills, Minnesota) periodically gives me his copies of the Bulletin. Suffice it to say that the Bulletin is the best alumni-type magazine with which I’m acquainted. Association over a long time with five different major universities provides some basis for judgment (Syracuse, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa State, and Minnesota).

Henry H. Webster
St. Paul, Minnesota

Patch Test
I want to let you know that alumni do read your publication. I was especially pleased to read your article, “World-class Training for Local Officials,” which featured a Cleveland Fire Department shoulder patch among other insignias.

I am a graduate of the July 1992 State and Local Government program. The program still inspires me to do my best to contribute to improving fire and emergency services in my community, state, and country.

I retired from the Cleveland Fire Department in 1993. I then became Chief of the Shaker Heights, Ohio Fire Department until 1998. I now work with the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association and Kent State.

Thank you for recognizing the Cleveland Fire Department in your magazine.

Walter V. Zimmerer, Sr. S&L 1992
Strongsville, Ohio

It’s Gold Again for the Bulletin
The Kennedy School of Government Bulletin earned top honors in the magazine category in the CASE District I competition. Entries were judged on the quality of both design and editorial content. Based in Washington, DC, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) provides support to educational institutions in enhancing the effectiveness of their communications, alumni relations, and fundraising programs. The Bulletin has previously won gold and bronze awards.

Let us hear from you!
Read something in the Bulletin that made you angry? Learn something new? Want to see more or less of something? We want to hear what you think. Send comments and questions to publish@ksg.harvard.edu.