// Check for only letters
    // Use as `check_alpha(object);'
    function check_alpha(item) {
        // create a regular expression -- note start and end of word
        // and lack of quotes
        letters = /^[A-Za-z_]+$/;
        // check to see if the field matches the expression
        if (! item.value.match(letters)) {
            alert("The " + item.name + " contains non-alphabetic characters.");
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    // top-level
    function check_one(first) {

        if ( check_alpha(first) == false ) {
            first.focus();
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    // top-level
    function check_two(first,second) {

        if ( check_alpha(first) == false ) {
            first.focus();
            return false;
        }
        if ( check_alpha(second) == false ) {
            second.focus();
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }