<p>Has anyone else seen this? How appalling. I don't even know where to begin.</p>
<p>Letters</a> to the Editor - Opinions - The Sophian - Smith College's student newspaper since 1910</p>
<p>Smith should revoke her diploma.</p>
<p>sending some serious solidarity to my Smith sisters from Bryn Mawr</p>
<p>Is the person who claims to be a Smithie and who wrote that absurd and offensive letter really a graduate of Smith? I truly wonder. It was so over the top ridiculous that it seemed like a hoax to me…kinda like lurkers who have written offensive things in the past on cc.</p>
<p>From what I’ve read she exists. Some thought this another Logic 100 scam but doesn’t appear to be. The women of Smith have put up a beautiful FB site called: Cashmere and Pearls.</p>
<p>Oops it’s “Pearls and Cashmere” sorry I’m mildly dyslexic at times.</p>
<p>But you get the point…if you want to read some inspiring stories of Smithies past and present, search for it. </p>
<p>Couldn’t be prouder to be a Smith parent than right now.</p>
<p>I think it’s a hoax. The reason I think so is that in 1980-1984, Smithies were NOT wearing pearls and cashmere to any great extent (those were the last of the polyester years), and “angry feminists” at Smith were far more common than they are today. This period also marked the first national gay/lesbian march on Washington (I was a marshal!) and Smith had one of the largest college contingents. The dates don’t fit.</p>
<p>Having said that, thanks to the efforts of the past three Presidents of Smith, I think Smith is a FAR better institution today than it was 30 years ago (and definitely 40 years ago, when I was an undergraduate at Williams.)</p>
<p>(Another reason I think it is likely a hoax is that a quick check of my Internet White Pages shows that the only Anne H. Spurzem moved from Bronxville to Greenwich, CT three years ago. Now it is possible that she is still Pres. of Smith Club of Westchester. But it is just as likely that someone who didn’t know she moved, wrote the letter and signed Ms. Spurzem’s name to it.)</p>
<p>I checked the Smith Alumnae Club page and spurzem is listed as the president, along with her mailing address and email address. So, as hard as it is to believe, I think she does exist. But maybe your are correct in that the letter was written by someone else and sent with her name. I wonder if it was sent via snail mail or email? That would help unravel that part of the mystery. She also has a facebook page which lists Smith (and also 3 prep schools that apparently she graduated from or went to all in the same year).</p>
<p>If this was a “fraud” the person in question would have spoken by now. I am sharing verbatim President Christ’s letter on the issue.</p>
<p>Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,</p>
<p>Like many of you, I was shocked and dismayed by the recent letter to the Sophian by an alumna from the Class of 1984, and I have been buoyed and impressed by the logic, eloquence, and passion of the responses of the Smith community. It is my cardinal belief that diversity strengthens education for all, and that the very core of Smiths missionits founding principleis providing educational opportunity for those who have less access to it. That was Sophia Smiths dreamthat by founding a college for women, she could redress their wrongs, adjust their wages, and increase their influence in society.</p>
<p>The letter writer is ignorant about a number of issues. Admission to Smith is far more competitive now than it was in the 1980s, when the letter writer attended Smith. We now have the highest number of applicants and the lowest admit rate in our history. The most competitively admitted students at Smith are international students on financial aid; only 10% of applicants are admitted. The strongest and most consistent correlation with SAT scores is family income. Most students do submit scores and we, of course, submit them to all of the data-collecting organizations in which we participate, including U.S. News & World Report.</p>
<p>I am proud of the increase in the diversity of Smith over the past decade; we are all the richer for it.</p>
<p>Carol T. Christ</p>
<p>Whether this Anne Spurzem is real or not, the response to her letter has evoked such a passionate outpouring of fierce Smith pride, deep gratitude, and strong sense of self, that it’s been simply mesmerizing to read so many heart-felt stories. It’s got to be wonderfully validating for all these Smithies to read each other’s stories. I’m proud of all these strong, intelligent, articulate, thoughtful, ambitious and caring women.</p>
<p>Why did anyone feel the need to respond to her? The accomplishments of the Smith alumni speak for themselves. Why did anyone take the time to respond to a nutcase like this?</p>
<p>There is no way a screed like this-by an alumna, no less the president of an Alumnae Club-could go unanswered. The spontaneous outpouring of letters and testimonials by current and past Smithies is like nothing I’ve ever seen. As a man and father of a current Smith first year, I couldn’t be prouder nor endorse this effort more highly.</p>
<p>Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to give you all a perspective from campus, and just say that this place is positively exploding with Smith pride right now. It is an outpouring from every possible arena. It’s been a difficult and introspective past couple of hours for me, as this alum is from my hometown, but every unity org and house on campus is planning discussions and there is this intense display of pride and affection for our international and minority students. I do think that this will have an impact, just not the one that what’s her face intended.
Best, Lil</p>
<p>I am the daughter of a proud Smith alumna who, coincidentally, went to elementary school with Anne Spurzem (who at the time showed no signs of her current deranged outlook). She is, in fact, a real person, who currently lives in Greenwich. I am from Fairfield County and I’m a senior at a very competitive private school, where Smith is NEVER viewed as a so-called “safety school.” Though I did not choose to apply to Smith–because I preferred an urban environment, and Spurzy seems to completely forget the existence of Barnard in her crazed diatribe–I know people who are applying and have already been admitted, and they range from girls who love their pearls to proud, low-income gender**** individuals. Check out pearlsandcashmere.■■■■■■■■■■–kudos to all Smithies fighting back!</p>
<p>The reactions of the campus made me even more excited to hopefully be a smithie next year.</p>
<p>THe response of Smith campus has just been incredible. There is a tumblr called pearls and cashmere that you can look at to see how the students and alumnae are responding. It’s beautiful and makes me so incredibly proud of my school. </p>
<p>Future Smithies should take the time to see the diverse backgrounds of all those posting. No matter our differences, we ALL are Smith and that’s what I love more than anything</p>
<p>We must feel badly for small minded people. We can move on, but they have to think like that forever. </p>
<p>Cashmere and Pearls is a fascinating read, and I find it heartening that something that was intended to sow discord led to such a swelling of Smith pride.</p>
<p>If intensity of student and alumnae support were any indication, Smith would be ranked the number one college in the country. I can’t even begin to imagine this kind of outpouring happening my alma mater ("#1" LAC).</p>
<p>P.S. If anyone really wants to know WHY they should attend Smith, see the Pearls and Cashmere “event” on Facebook. Wow!</p>