I was pleased to read your recent front-page article on Winter Term (J-term) at Middlebury College.
This term made its debut in 1969 under the leadership of Dr. James I. Armstrong, college president at the time, who is quoted in a recent issue of the Middlebury Campus as having stated that “both students and faculty would benefit from the flexibility and freedom offered by the month-long reprieve between fall and spring semesters.”
As your article makes abundantly clear, these predictions came true, not only at Middlebury, but also at many other U.S. colleges and universities that now offer J-terms. Dr. Armstrong died on Dec. 13, 2013, but his legacy as an educator lives on.
David W. Pratt
Vergennes