Up Front
"Words are the only things
that last forever."
-William Hazlitt
|
"For
an aching mind, words are physician."
-Plutarch |
Those few who write well hope that Hazlitt was correct. And so they choose their words with great care. Continuum's founding editor is such a writer. And many of the words so thoughtfully chosen by Byron Sims will undoubtedly "last forever." "By" is what freelancers would call a $10 per word man. When he writes, we all pay close attention to every word. Your letters tell us that you do the same. By is retiring and this is his last issue as editor of Continuum. (See And Finally....) By set lofty goals for this publication. We knew those goals would be reached because for many years we watched him successfully edit Continuum's predecessor publication, the University of Utah Review. We were confident that our fledgling would be expertly launched and wisely fostered. The University community is well aware of By's ability to write. His remarkable skill has been used by several U of U presidents for speeches and letters, and in other ways. He has shone his light on our athletics program through brilliant descriptions in Crimson Club newsletters. Alumni honors have been poetically illuminated in By Sims' prose. Ask the campus community to describe By Sims and his talent and you hear of a gracious soul who is warm, humorous, and wonderful with words. Like other good writers, By uses words in many different ways. Nuances are important. Time to think is essential, as is a zest for life. Humor usually adds needed spice. If there is a formula for successful writing, By learned it well a long time ago. A "Utah Man," By graduated from our Department of Journalism. He worked for both Salt Lake newspapers and spent some time as Director of Information and Alumni Services at Westminister College before joining our Public Relations staff in 1974. For over two decades, By has proven that critical and complex issues can be covered fairly, usually with a touch of hope and always with a touch of class. Continuum's primary objective is to reflect the wonders of this great University—the achievements of those who were educated here, the strivings of today's students, the ability of our world-renowned faculty to pass on knowledge and to uncover new knowledge—and to make known the commitment of our superb staff members. Effectively achieving those goals is, we know, a highly ambitious pursuit. With By Sims as our editor, we have come a long way. We shall miss you, By. All of us wish you a happy life. But don't get too comfortable in that easy chair. Your talents must continue to be shared. We'll be calling on you to do a story for us from time to time. |