LETTER: Patriot's Plaque

Why is the name of Thomas Paine missing from the Houston Hall plaques honoring the memory of patriots of the American Revolution connected with the University? "At the time of his death, Tom Paine had accomplished more for human freedom, for the abolition of physical and mental slavery, and for the brotherhood of mankind, than any other American then living," wrote W.E. Woodward in Tom Paine, America's Godfather. Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was the great patriotic pamphleteer of the American Revolution, author of Common Sense, The Crisis, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason, Agrarian Justice and many other works. He was the first abolitionist journalist, and author of the first law to end slavery in any state of the United States, in Pennsylvania in 1780. He was an advanced speaker who inspired many throughout the world with his democratic social, political and economic proposals, many of which have become law in this nation and others. He was awarded the honory degree of Master of Arts by the University on July 4, 1780. I hope that this neglect of Thomas Paine will be corrected expeditiously. MARK STONE College '35