FEEDBACK

There was great excitement at the Oasis Senior Center when our

director, Celeste Jardine-Haug, was included in the Daily Pilot’s list of

most influential people. That she was named so high on the list was

further cause for our excitement.

While Celeste has been chosen, we feel she represents honorto the

other staff members who all work so hard to provide educational and

recreational programs for the 5,700 seniors in our organization. We are

so grateful to the city of Newport Beach for providing the staff and our

venue, which, by the way, is bursting at the seams.

GWEN COLLINS

president, Friends of Oasis

I would like to correct a comment made in the Sept. 20 edition of the

Daily Pilot regarding the Top 103 special section.

My name was listed on page S16 and reference was made to past

ownership of the “now-defunct AirCal.”

Unfortunately, describing AirCal as “defunct” was unjust to not only

the owners, but as a public company, it was unjust to every employee and

shareholder who invested their funds and worked hard to make it a

success. I want to emphasize that AirCal was a successful airline because

of the employees and customers. It was successfully sold to American

Airlines in 1987.

Thank you for your time.

GEORGE L. ARGYROS

Harbor Island

For eight years, I have looked for the name of county superintendent

of schools, John F. Dean, on your list of 103 most influential people in

the Newport-Mesa community.

He and his family moved to Newport Beach in 1953, where he taught at

Ensign School, became principal at Harbor View in 1956, director of

curriculum from 1961 to 1966. He was Norm Loats’ curriculum assistant

when the districts unified in 1966, until he left to become dean at

Orange Coast College.

In 1970, he became professor of education at Whittier College, where

he remained until he won election as our county superintendent of schools

in 1991. He is now in his third term.

Dean has served on the board of directors of Hoag Memorial Hospital

Presbyterian since 1972, was president of the California Reading Assn.,

is a published author, and he has just completed 50 years in education.

It seems to me that he has been a major contributor to the Newport

Beach/Costa Mesa communities and is more than worthy of your

consideration.

LYNN APRIL HARTLINE

Newport Coast