On Wise Teachers

Mentoring

Kudos and enthusiastic congratulations to Jim Collins '84 for his thoroughly readable and evocative "Mentor" series in the November issue. For me, and I suspect for most alumni, some of our brightest and best memories of the Dartmouth experience are those of outstanding teachers and their impact on us, both inside and outside the classroom. In my own case, I came to know Charlie Widmayer '30 first as an undergraduate, then as a member of the College's development staff. Whenever we met, he unfailingly inquired about my professional career and my interest in journalism. I wholeheartedly agree with your feelings about him he was indeed a paragon of integrity, and a real friend besides.

Acton, Masacusetts

Ihaven't Been Moved to send anything to you since you published a piece by me in 1968, but your last issue—featuring great teacher/mentors, including Jim Cox, one of the greatest—was simply terrific!

You even eulogized Charles Widmayer (who edited my piece without making me wince) and justly so.

These people give Dartmouth its soul. I hope there's more of this kind of material to come.

New York, New York

The Reflections on college mentors struck a responsive chord with me. Among my most pleasant memories of Dartmouth were the amiable relationships that I experienced with professors and administrators. What a shock it was to discover in graduate school that this pleasant atmosphere of easy-going collegiality wasnot the norm at other institutions. When I went to talk to one of my law-school professors about a paper, he deigned to give me five minutes to discuss it. And I was made to feel even then that I was imposing! How different it was at Dartmouth, where it was rare to find a professor's door closed.

I am sure that for each Dartmouth graduate one or two professors stand out (for me it is Professor Leo Spitzer), but I believe that a mentoring relationship exists between the College and her students. That is the real beauty of Dartmouth.

Abilene, Texas.

As A philosophy major, I greatly appreciated the recollections in "Mentors" of Rosenstock-Huessey and T.S.K. Scott-Craig (doesn't the S. stand for Stevens not Stuart?). However, for me the mentor in the department was Fran Gramlich.

He didn't "teach" philosophy, he engaged us all in a joint search for understanding—a search he was as much a part of as we were. His energy and enthusiasm turned us all on to the excitement of philosophy.

When I decided to go to graduate school he, along with Maury Maudlebaum another mentor—advised me to study psychology. They said that way I could continue my interest in philosophy and earn a living besides.

I did, and do. Rarely a month goes by that I don't have occasion to think of Fran with gratitude and warmth.

Larchmont, New York

The "S" in Scott-Craig's name stands for Stevenson.

Your choice of eugen Rosenstock-Huessey was truly inspired as was the word sketch by Ronald Spiers '48 (magnificent photo of Eugen, too!). Perhaps Spiers never visited Four Wells, Huessey's home in Norwich, and hnce was not exposed to Eugen's warmth and joy outside the classroom. Eugen was a very human being and quite in tune with the humanness of others.

Let me add, too, a nomination for mentor for decades of students: Professor Herbert Faulkner West. I was just a bit surprised he was not included in your excellent set of monographs.

One only need listen to the recording of "Herb West's Last Lecture" in 105 Dartmouth to know this man had a great influence on the intellectual development of hundreds, probably thousands, of Dartmouth students. His incredible skepticism, cynicism—and, at the same time, ingenuousness—were refreshing to a student in the midst of scholars who were often quite taken with themselves and their fields.

Herb personified the cry of "Question Authority" years before it became popular. He was truly controversial (which he just loved), yet contributed to scholarly endeavors in his own ways, through his writings and through his founding of the Friends of the Dartmouth Library, with which he tirelessly sought and obtained many magnificent acquisitions.

Princeton, New Jersey

Although rosenstock-Huessey is now dead, the "just about inaudible" tapes of which Mr. Spiers spoke have been, in a sense, reborn. The Eugen Rosenstock-Huessey Fund of Norwich, Vermont, embarked some six years ago to transcribe and clean up the tapes of the Dartmouth lectures that were recorded by a small succession of remarkable students. At this writing, the verbatim transcripts and electronically enhanced cassettes from eight major Dartmouth courses are available, along with half a dozen sets of tapes and transcripts from courses and lectures Rosenstock-Huessey gave elsewhere. The courses range across vast horizons and contain the titles Universal History, Greek Philosophy, Cross of Reality, and the Circulation of Thought, to name just a few.

The"man in Florida who has written a book about him" is George Allen Morgan, whose Speech and. Society (University Presses of Florida, 1987) is a scholarly primer of Rosenstock-Huessey's thought. The book also contains a comprehensive bibliography of Rosenstock-Huessey's published works, compiled by a man from the Netherlands, Lise van der Molen.

All of these items—and more! are available through the Argo Books catalog, which can be obtained by writing to RR2, Box 366 A, Jericho, VT 05465 or by calling (802)899-4883.

Jericho, Vermont

Your (our) november issue set a new high for quality and interest. Keep up the good work. You continue to help increase my alreadyabundant pride in Dartmouth.

Hartland, Wisconsin

The engaging recollection of Warner Bentley by Jerry Zaks '67 ("I was Frightened of Him," November) reminded me of my auditions under the awesome gaze of the same unforgettable mentor.

In the autumn of my junior year, the Dartmouth Players' technical director, George Schoenhut, intercepted me at the Hanover Inn Coffee Shop and informed me that Warner wanted me to play Gramps Maple in the Robert Sherwood play, "The Petrified Forest."

In doing so, George explained that Warner remembered my performance as an aged character whose name I can't recall in a lamentable play produced by Sigma Nu for the Intrafraternity Play Competition the year before.

Surprised and flattered, I appeared as requested the following evening in the Green Room at Robinson Hall for the first reading. Although several roles were cast immediately after that session, I was asked to read the Gramps Maple role on several more evenings without so much as a nod from Warner.

Months later, William J. Mulligan '5O, who played the menacing Duke Man tee in "The Petrified Forest," confided to me that, following the last audition for the play, he had asked Warner if and when he was going to cast me.

"He's so young-looking, I don't see how he can look old enough," said Warner. "Besides, I'm still waiting for that Sigma Nu guy to Show up."

"He is that Sigma Nu guy," said Bill.

Warner was certain that Bill was mistaken, but they eventually unearthed an all-but-forgotten file containing the humble playbill that proved Bill was right.

While Warner and I never mentioned the mixup to each other, I had the great fortune to appear in all of the plays that he directed during the next two years and was never asked to audition again.

Not even for William Saroyan's ancient Kit Carson in "The Time of Your Life."

Stamford, Connecticut

Ijust want to tell you whata wonderful feeling it was reading those profiles of mentors.

This sort of thing really shows the value of what is going on at the College.

Rindge, New Hampshire

The Recent Ment Tors Issue was excellent with the exception of one glaring flaw!

Most or the older photos should have been credited to Adrian Bouchard rather than simply Dartmouth College Archives. Some time spent researching who had actually shot each of the photos would have allowed you to give proper credit to one of Dartmouth's most unsung mentors!

Montpelier, Vermont

Good ROTC Stand

It was with pleasant surprise that I read in Dartmouth Life that the College has taken a firm position against the ROTC's ban on gays and lesbians. I had been unaware that the College now has an equal opportunity policy, extending to all campus programs, which expressly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

This renews my faith in Dartmouth and prompts me to be more generous in my support of the College.

San Francisco, California

Readers loved the special Mentors issue, but pointed out that we missed some.