We’ve Got Mail…

Praise us or pan us, but just put it down in words. Bravos or boos, we want to hear from you.
2073

Smooth as Ice

The Davises and the Whites want to thank you for doing such a lovely article [on Olympic medal-winning skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White, May 2010]. The whole style of the article, the clothes and accessories, the mood you captured, even the Q&A — all exceptional.

— Paul Davis, West Bloomfield Township

Sunny Outlook

You were the first to officially review Extreme Weather: The Wild World of the Great Lakes State, so I was gratified that you enjoyed it. Your write-up [May 2010] was exactly what I hoped people would think when they read it. There are many facets to our weather, and I wanted to explain them in a non-rigorous format that would be a quick, easy read. Thanks again for the nice article; you made my day.

— Paul Gross, WDIV-TV

History Lesson

Regarding “Gender Gap” [May 2010]: Although you did touch on the subject near the end, there are too many children without a male influence in the home. A male teacher could be a very good role model for single-mother children.
The one thing I did want to mention was that you failed to say that teaching was [once] a male profession. In the United States, women teachers were frowned upon and mistrusted. In rural towns, the teacher worked for room and board. The teacher would stay in the home of various students and teach for a certain amount of time at the one-room schoolhouse. Single men were actually thought to be less promiscuous than single women. Male teachers were clean and straight-laced; women were “looking for a husband.”
My friend Betty was born in Massachusetts in 1921. Although raised on a farm, attending a one-room schoolhouse, her father was a farmer, lawyer, and teacher of law at Boston University. In 1938, she headed off to college in Waterville, Mass., [with] the intention of becoming a teacher. When it was noticed that it was her major, she was given an aptitude test. She was then informed that she should be a librarian. She changed her major and, after graduating, did work as a librarian. When she and her husband moved to the Detroit area in 1952, she took another librarian post. Not too long after moving here, her pastor approached her about becoming the new Bible teacher at her church. She taught Bible studies for more than five decades. Although her college discouraged her from trying to join a male profession, she proved them wrong.  It’s interesting to discover that what was once a male-only profession is now turning men away.
Thank you for your interesting article. I will pass it on to Betty, who is still active in the Baptist church, reading, and doing the daily crossword in the newspaper and other puzzle books — and living on her own.

— Miss Josh Emmett, Clawson

‘Tee’ Time

Just a note to express my appreciation for the buzz created for us by the story in Hour Detroit [April 2010].
You are regarded as the arbiter of what is cool in our area. Additionally, the national cable show Extreme Pawn filmed at Speedy Tees [in May, with scenes] including much of the exterior where the “Hour” mannequins were being proudly displayed. (To be aired on the truTV network.)

Thanks again for everything. — Keith Abentrod, Speedy Tees, Birmingham