Tales out of School

HERB HILL'S ELECTION

In the fall of 1948 Professor Herb Hill taught History A 101 a very popular course in New England colonial history. It so happened that he was also a member of the Democratic Party in New Hampshire. (There were very few Democrats in New Hampshire at the time, even fewer than now.) Earlier in the year he had been nominated to represent the party for the gubernatorial race. This did not require any serious campaigning on his part, so he was fully able to hold his classes as usual.

Since his was a really interesting course and Herb was an easy-going fellow, he never bothered to take attendance. He didn't need to. The classroom was always full. The day before the election, however, with a twinkle in his eye he made the following casual remark as class ended: "Well, men, at our next class you'll find a New Hampshire state trooper outside the door taking attendance."

The election, of course, was the customary Republican landslide. No Democratic governor-elect. No trooper. No attendance taken, but the defeated candidate received a standing ovation from us as he strode into class the next day.