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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Discussion of Klingler's column continues

"Unfortunately, for Notre Dame," Jonathan Klingler writes, "the vast majority" of the benefits of the relationship between Notre Dame and Saint Mary's "go to Saint Mary's." It isn't clear why this situation is unfortunate, however. In the fairly short list of benefits he goes on to list, the only one that would seem to involve some disadvantage to Notre Dame students is the possibility that a Saint Mary's student might get a better seat than a Notre Dame student at football games (but is it really true that this occurs "often" and what does Mr. Klinger mean by often?).The attitudes of Mr. Klinger suggest that Saint Mary's has been right to be wary of this proposed "marriage," as it obviously would be the old-fashioned kind in which the husband rules the wife. The traditional way to describe such colleges has been as "sister" colleges. Mr. Klinger ought to see Saint Mary's students as his siblings, with whom he is happy to share family resources, rather than as coy teases refusing to accept his rather cold blandishments.I hear a lot about tradition around this place, and yet it seems that our students are ready to discard a 150-year relationship in order to move down a few rows at football games. What kind of Notre Dame family is that?

Chris Vanden BosscheEnglish professorFeb. 14