To the Editor:
I was thrilled and very flattered to be the subject of a profile in your newspaper Wednesday. ["'Controlled insanity' suits film assistant Stowe well," Oct. 22, The Dartmouth.] Having never been interviewed before, I did manage to omit one crucial detail about my job. I somehow gave the impression that Bill Pence and I are the only people who work at Hopkins Center Film, and this couldn't be further from the truth. There are two other people whose efforts make my job possible and bearable: Marc McDonald '97 and Jesse Sweet '98. They spend hours here every day doing their jobs and continuously helping me with mine.
McDonald is the Director of the Dartmouth Film Society and beats me into the office each day. He delivers all the prints to the booths (8-10 cans a week), keeps all the posters current, writes the DFS newsletter and runs the DFS weekly meetings. More importantly, he helps create and refine each new film series and is constantly looking for ways to expand the DFS beyond its traditional borders. He works above and beyond the parameters of his job and I am already wondering how I am going to survive when he leaves next year.
Sweet, in addition to his senior courseload, ensures that film notes get written for every DFS film of the term. The film notes are an essential and time-consuming part of each series and Sweet spends many weekends editing and printing out some last-minute submissions. His position as Assistant DFS Director was created this year so that I (being new) wouldn't have to cajole and monitor note-writers twice a week. Thanks to his excellent efforts, I never have to worry. Like McDonald, Sweet is actively involved in each DFS series, helping to craft the best film presentation possible.
I would really appreciate it you could print this letter in the next available issue. I am horrified that I did not credit these two people whose commitment and involvement in this office make my job far easier than it could be. They are as big a part of Hopkins Center Film as I am and deserve much of the praise for its continued success. Thank you very much.
