ANSWER PAGE

Q. Could you tell me what is behind the “pink wall”? Why is the wall pink, and when was it built? R.M., Grapevine.

A. There’s nothing too mysterious about what lurks behind the pink wall. The wall, on Northwest Highway at Preston Road, is simply a barrier surrounding an exclusive neighborhood. It was built in the mid-Fifties to offset a group of apartment buildings from Northwest Highway. No one seems to know why the color pink was chosen, but don’t count on the wall being painted over; people work long hours to afford one of the condominiums or apartments behind the pink wall. Changing the color might pale the prestige.

Q. What has become of Kent Waldrep, the TCU football player who was critically injured in a football game during the mid-Seven-ties? I heard that he is working with a rehabilitation group somewhere in Texas. S.A., Dallas.

A. Waldrep, while a half- back for Texas Christian University, was almost totally paralyzed in a football game in 1974, but the injury left him far from helpless. In 1979, he began the Kent Waldrep International Spinal Cord Research Foundation, Inc. His organization has grown into the Dallas-based American Paralysis Association of which he is executive vice president. Waldrep’s latest effort is a fund-raising event called the Texas Tycoon Gala to be held at Willow Bend Polo and Hunt Club on September 12.

Q. I noticed a new sign in front of SMU’s Dallas Hall that says “Dedman College.” Has the name of Dallas Hall been changed? If so, who changed it? G.B., Highland Park.

A. Dallas Hall is still Dal-las Hall. The beautiful four-story Neo-Georgian structure with its copper dome and six Corinthian columns has not only been the central symbol of Southern Methodist University since its completion in 1915; it has also been a symbol of Dallas as well. It was declared a Texas historic landmark in 1979. The confusion is understandable. The new marker, which says “Dedman College -Southern Methodist University,” sits at the southern edge of the main quadrangle. Though it is several hundred yards from Dallas Hall, the 4-by-20-foot cast-stone marker, placed directly in front of the building, suggests that Dallas Hall is Dedman College. In fact, Dedman College refers to a curriculum classification within the university, not any specific structure. Previously called simply The College, it includes the general liberal arts subjects that all undergraduates pass through on their way to a specialized major. It also encompasses such specific majors as English and history. The renaming occurred after Robert and Nancy Dedman gave SMU $25 million to endow The College. Dr. Hal Williams, dean of Dedman College, assured us that SMU’s landmark need not suffer an identity crisis. “Dallas Hall remains the central symbol of the university, and the Dedman marker in no way changes that.”

Q. Each week 1 watch Q. Channel 8’s “Wednesday’s Child,” in which John Criswell introduces a parent-less youngster in the hope of finding him or her an adoptive family. I can’t help but wonder how many of the children actually find homes. What is the success rate? CO., Irving.

A. >”Phenomenally high,” says Criswell, a Channel 8 news anchorman. The broadcast, which follows the Wednesday evening news, has been on the air two years; of the 80 children who have appeared with Criswell, almost 60 of them now have families. The program works in conjunction with the Department of Human Resources, which gathers a list of eligible children who have not been able to find homes through more conventional means. “Wednesday’s Child” tries to feature a variety of orphans differing in age, race and sex; no child is excluded. Criswell emphasizes the youth’s physical and mental handicaps, if any, as well as his attributes. What happens to the children who aren’t placed right away? Aside from remaining in the custody of an orphanage or guardian, they may, after several weeks, be introduced again on the air. “These kids,” Criswell says, “have been through every possible adoption recruitment process. Often, we are their last hope.”