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1007 West Oregon
Urbana, Illinois
November 8, 1956

Dear folks, 

We didn't write right away last week for reasons you undoubtedly discovered in our last letter. 

As to the outcome of Jack's exam, it was passed. We were certain he had flunked until it was announced that he had not, so were very happy and surprised indeed. The qualifying this year was very tough and rather peculiar: good people that Jack thought would get top grades flunked and one person he thought would fail got [[strikethrough]] tht2 [[/strikethrough]] the top grade. Usually, [[strikethrough]] 100 [[/strikethrough]] 50 points out of 100 is the pass line, but this time Jack, with a 44, had still at least three people who did worse and passed below him. 19 people took the exam and 11 passed. 

All is not over, however. There is the oral. The committee have not yet announced the dates for people's orals, and have delayed unusually long in coming forth with the announcement. Probably they realize they gave a very poor test and are trying to decide how to remedy it. Usually the oral is more of a formality, but Jack fears it will be less of one this time. The oral is conducted by one member of the committee who made up the qualifying exam and two teachers who have had Jack. When he thinks of those instructors he has had he is not looking forward to seeing them across the table. It seems the senior staff members of the physics faculty are rather more than [[strikethrough]] necessarily [[/strikethrough]] usual brilliant [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] as research men, poor as teachers, and on mediocre terms with their students. 

If and when he passes the oral we will certainly feel relieved. To have to take it again would