Lifelong Job Training: the Right Philosophy

I heartily endorse the Opinion page piece "Lifelong Job Training," April 16. I have spent the past 50 years gaining a technical education and supervising or educating people for technical employment. This includes serving on active duty in the US Navy for 21 years in various technical assignments, gaining three degrees in electrical engineering, including a PhD, and serving as an electrical engineering faculty member for 28 years.

I experimented with some of the concepts suggested by the authors during a period of nine years in which I served as director of engineering technology at a major university. They are on the right track. American business, labor, and government must all recognize and adopt a philosophy of "lifelong living and training for workers." Samuel V. Bell, Louisville, Ky. Hillary Clinton breaks the mold

I did not "object to the title, tone, and content of your editorial" about Hillary Clinton in "Hillary Pilloried," April 13 - as a previous letter writer did. I felt I got your message and it brought me up short. It caused me to recognize and question a mistrust I harbored of Mrs. Clinton.

I had to admit that although I have no reservations about women's capabilities and wish to see them have equal opportunity across the board, the vision of a young, attractive, professional woman having access to the White House, and perhaps even running for president one day, was not what I had in mind.

You "pushed a button," as they say, with that editorial. I wonder how many women like me are ready and able to be truly magnanimous about a woman's role when it comes to the upper echelons. Give us a Margaret Thatcher or a Jeane Kirkpatrick and we would have no problem.

I agree with the end of the previously quoted letter: "It may be that Hillary Clinton will have to break the mold and establish a new path for presidential wives." Sally Mann, Seattle