Warner Bentley's Bust

Touchstone

DOZENS OF PASSERS-BY daily rub the shiny nose of the Warner Bentley bust in the Hop's corridor—for luck, for tradition, for fun—though few know the dimensions of the man's contributions to Dartmouth. Would anyone have dared rub Warner Bentley's nose during the 40 years he was director of the Dartmouth Players and director of the Hopkins Center? History does not record such an unlikely event, for inside Warner Bentley's compact frame was the mien of a marine. But after the dedication of the building in 1960, almost till his death in 1987, Warner Bentley patrolled the Hop, breathing life into all the arts. Now his image has taken on this responsibility, promising luck for performers—and exam-takers too.