Dartblog

In the latest edition of the Dartmouth Review, Professor Jeffrey Hart shades into his real feelings about former College President James Freedman. And he includes this gem:

In my adventures with Freedman a wonderful episode took place in the Spring of 1992.

The College was about to undertake a major capital fund drive. Someone in Parkhurst had a bright idea. To attract attention to the excellence of Dartmouth as a teaching institution, medals would be awarded for distinguished teaching at Lincoln Center in New York before a black-tie audience of important donors. Just who would receive those awards was determined by consulting recent graduates.

I wish I had been in Parkhurst when the results came in. Freedman had to give me one of the medals, which turned out to be very large objects indeed.

Only Freedman himself did not hand me the medal. Or hang it around my neck. I’m sure the plan had been to award the medals on the stage before that important audience in the largest auditorium at Lincoln Center.

Instead, an administrator handed the medals to us as we straggled in through the front door of the building. The other recipients must have been surprised by this. Only I knew the reason.

Thanks to a kind reader for pointing out the piece—and for observing that such a thrashing venger as Freedman, wantonly wailing at students (and professors) he disliked, might, liberally speaking, be called—just a touch, just a mite—evil.

Might, I said.

APROPOS: From George Potts ‘60:

Your (and Prof. Hart’s) recent comments about former College President James Freedman are very pertinent relative to the current dust-up regarding the Board of Trustee’s packing attempt. It is clear to me that Dartmouth’s administration has an inertia that tends to perpetuate poor leadership. I think that many alums recognize this and feel betrayed by this redolent redux.