On Harvard, White Flight, and Service Academies.

The main focus of the text is a series of letters reflecting on social and institutional changes in American cities and military academies. One letter recalls the stable, working-class, mostly white neighborhood of Kensington in the early 1970s, emphasizing economic mobility rather than racial or crime-related reasons for relocation. Another letter offers a nostalgic account of mid-20th-century Newark, highlighting its cultural institutions, ethnic communities, and local character before significant demographic shifts. A third letter critiques race-based admissions policies at U.S. service academies, particularly West Point, arguing that such policies undermine traditional values and the development of military ethos. These perspectives provide firsthand reflections on urban change and debates over institutional traditions and diversity policies.