With the disintegration of our long-time adversary, the U.S.S.R., an assessment of sorts may be in order. Those of us who were in school during the late ’50s and the following years were the beneficiaries of at least one Soviet innovation, Sputnik. After the October 1957 shock, the teaching of math and science took a new orientation. Suddenly, the study of classics was overtaken by the study of chemistry and physics, with much money being pumped into the latter areas, which came to the fore, with slide rules, calculators, and computers.

We are indirectly indebted to the former Soviet Union for this. This competition was not harmful. It kept us on our toes as a people.

Will we be able to say the same to declining Irans, Iraqs, Libyas, Koreas, or Cubas?

“Spahseeba” (thanks), U.S.S.R. I know what the square root of 2 is, and the difference between oxidation and reduction. William R. Sawtell Greenville