Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
Over lunch today with with several members of the Class of 1960, back in Hanover for their fiftieth reunion, I heard quite a few stories about Dartmouth College in the old days--the interstate system hadn't yet reached this far north, so even the drive up from Boston, the nearest big town, was slow and meandering, and if you wanted to make a call to your parents you didn't pull out your cellphone, you fed quarters into the one pay phone in your dorm--but what everyone spoke about with the greatest intensity was professors. One man spoke of a history professor who lectured so vividly that he seemed to bring every figure from American history back to life, enabling the young men in the class to feel they had had important encounters with Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. Another told of an English professor who knew every lyric to every Broadway tune. "He made us see that American popular culture could be an art form of its own." Still another told of a philosophy prof who had, simply, changed his young life. "It was only an introductory course, but that guy taught us to think."
These men had all graduated from Dartmouth five decades ago this very day--but they could still describe high moments in the classroom as if they had taken place last week. We all know this at some level, of course, but this lunchtime demonstration represented a vivid, moving proof: There is no higher calling in life than that of the teacher.
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May '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
I hate to be a cynic--I really do, especially in response to a feel-good post by you, Peter--but it depends on the teacher. It's taken me twenty years to undo most of what I was taught by the history--and to a lesser extent, English--depts. at Ohio State. I resent it, actually. (e.g., in '88 I had a German history prof. who chuckled his way through some "manifestly true" economic argument for why wishing the wall to come down was silliness.) I had exactly two great teachers. One taught grammar. One taught linguistics. ( I married the latter.)
May '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
There is no higher calling in life than that of the parent, you mean. As Steyn would tell you, we could do with more parents. And parents are the best teachers, anyway.
Jun '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
Your sentiments, Mr. Robinson, are much appreciated by a teacher on his way out the door after nine years in public education. Gone are the days when teaching was a lifetime occupation. The average teacher in my state survives a mere five years before throwing in the towel. It's become an impossible task given the present state of our culture. I liken my time in the classroom to the lot of a British pilot during the Battle of Britain. You enter each new school year like it's a dogfight, confident in victory, but resigned that you'll lose a third of your squadron before it's all over. You're an ace by the third year, and a wing leader by the fifth, but eventually your number comes up. You go down in flames just like the rest. Not bitter, just say'n. Then comes the phone call from a former student: "Mr. Paules, we need to talk." Uh-huh. The conversation is the confirmation of victory. Against all odds a good teacher establishes something known as legacy. Booyah!
May '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
Now I'd like to undo my earlier cynicism by saying thanks to Mr. Paules for those nine important years.
Jun '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
I missed this yesterday, Mr. Robinson, but thanks to Sarah Palin for posting on Facebook this little, but mighty important artifact from history, of which you played a very important part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MDFX-dNtsM
Thank you sir for all you have done or attempted to make this country and this world a better place.
May '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
Again, thank you for a moving post.
As an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, I encountered a professor whose name, shamefully, I have forgotten, although the books he assigned still grace my shelves. He taught a year-long seminar on the intellectual history of the early Christian Church. That year with him probably did as much to establish my intellectual foundations as any experience of my young life. I am forever in his debt.
It is too bad that the prevailing academic culture does not more highly value great teachers. Publishing and rainmaking are the primary drivers of a successful career. (Well, there's left-wing rabble-rousing, too.) These days teaching seems a sort of fortunate avocation of academics otherwise occupied with their "real" work. It's no wonder so few of our young people can actually think anymore.
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
Peter, while stationed in Korea, I taught English to children and adults part time. I must say, it was rewarding far beyond my expectations. Interestingly enough, in Korea it is considered cool to be smart. You actually have the opposite of what we experience here in the states in that it is the students who do poorly that are ostracized by the other kids, so there is peer pressure to excel. Additionally, Koreans hold teachers in very high regard, so I experienced nothing like the kind of hideous experience described by Mr. Paules. My thanks to him. I know I couldn't have done it. I often wonder how my students are getting along. I know that many of them had a better command of the English language than some Americans, but that's a topic for another day.
May '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
Well said. Great teachers are treasures. I had a great English teacher in 7th grade (1962) who caused me to fall in love with Literature. A History Prof. 7years later who caused me to change my major from business to history - and remain fascinated with the subject to this day.
We do not seem to have a lot of true impact teachers but they do make a difference.
Jun '10
Re: Notes From a Small College in New Hampshire
A history professor who can make history live is a rare commodity. All too often the life is sucked out of history, distilling it down to a few dusty facts too dry to swallow. I've a brother who teaches and he attributes this to using the title "Coach" to identify history teachers.