To Merge or Not to Merge
Should Conrad and Cather, Milton and Melville live under a collective roof at Middlebury?
That's the question the faculty's Educational Affairs Committee must answer. If affirmed, the faculty will cast a vote that could result in the most noteworthy rearrangement of the College's curriculum in nearly a century.
The committee is studying proposals that would abolish the Department of American Literature and Civilization and create two new departments and majors: a Department of American Studies and a Department of English and American Literatures. By merging the two, Middlebury's curriculum would no longer feature a stand-alone major in American literature, the only one of its kind in the liberal arts arena.
"The barriers between the two departments have seemed more and more artificial," explains Brett Millier, chair of the American literature and civilization department. "The reasons for the creation of a separate major are being challenged in the national field, which is rapidly moving toward cultural studies.
"I admire and respect my colleagues in the department," she adds, "but they are more focused on the study of American culture. I'm supporting the change because I want literature to be read as literature."
John McWilliams, who served as chair of the department for 10 years, is opposed to the merger. "As the proposal stands, the study of American literature will be watered down to a handful of elective courses within the English department," he says. "The great advantage of the American Literature major has been the ability to offer comprehensive coverage for all students. That will no longer be the case."
McWilliams cites the facts that the new major would require a student to take only two courses in American literature, that no course or author would be required, and that it would be possible for a student to graduate with a major in English and American literatures "having not read one word of Faulkner, Emerson, Melville, Dickinson, or Twain."
However, Millier says that she has no worries that American literature will be "swallowed" by the English department. "By all estimates, there will be no reduction in the number of courses offered in American literature at Middlebury," she says, a statement echoed by John Elder of the English department. "I respect the fact that the College has such a strong tradition in American literature; that's why we feel strongly that the major should be English and American literatures," Elder says, emphasizing that the initiative did not come from his department. "I can say with certainty that American literature will have a solid place in the curriculum."
Rather than diminishing the study of American literature, Millier says, the new major would offer students the opportunity to study literature in a wider context. Adds Elder, "American literature and English literature are so interwoven, it's a natural fit. You read Melville better if you've read Milton; you read Heaney better if you've read Frost."
Both Elder and Millier argue that the students who will benefit most are those who want to pursue graduate studies in English or teach high school English, though Millier is quick to point out that she believes all students will benefit, regardless of graduate school plans.
McWilliams was one of two dissenters in the American literature and civilization department (the vote in the English department was 12–3 in favor of the change) and says that if the proposal becomes reality, he won't, as a College Professor, become a member of the new department. "If asked, I may teach a course in, say, Native American fiction because I'm interested in the subject," he says. "But this will be just another 'specialty' course thrown together in a hodgepodge of courses. The new major would surely offer many interesting courses, but it will not offer a curriculum in American Literature."
Ask, Do Tell
When Marine Captain David Doucette arrived on the Middlebury campus in early February, he became the first armed forces recruiter to visit the College in more than a decade, and his appearance set off a torrent of protest and debate that may alter the College's policy concerning on-campus military recruitment.
Doucette was the first military recruiter to test the waters of the College's nondiscrimination recruitment policy, which was written shortly after Middlebury adopted a nondiscrimination statement in 1991. As written, the policy requires employers recruiting on campus to sign an agreement pledging non-discrimination in hiring. If they refuse to do so, a provision allows them to gain access to campus facilities only if they agree to hold an open meeting, explaining their hiring practices. Because of U.S. Code Title 10—the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prohibits openly gay individuals from serving in the military— the armed services must agree to hold an open forum on campus before they are allowed to recruit at Middlebury.
"We've been approached by military recruiters a number of times, but after we've explained our policy, they've elected not to come," explains Jaye Roseborough, the executive director of the College's Career Services Office.
That is, until Doucette arrived.
On a chilly Tuesday evening, Doucette faced a crowded lecture room in McCardell Bicentennial Hall, where he gave a 15-minute presentation explaining the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He then answered questions for more than 45 minutes; all but one question in this respectful exchange was critical of the military's anti-gay policy.
The next day, as Doucette set up an information table inside Proctor dining hall, a cohort of students, faculty, and staff gathered outside in silent protest. The following Monday at the faculty's monthly meeting, Baldwin Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy Mike Olinick presented a resolution calling for the elimination of the special provision.
Olinick cited the Solomon Amendment—which a pair of federal judges recently ruled violates the free-speech provision of the First Amendment—as unduly influencing the College's rationale for allowing on-campus recruiting by employers who discriminate. The amendment allows the government to deny federal funds to colleges and universities that do not permit the military to recruit on their campuses.
"Many faculty, students, and staff believe that the federal- court finding provides us with the opportunity to change our policy to one which is more consistent with our position on
discrimination," Olinick wrote in an e-mail to all faculty members before the February meeting. After an hour of intense debate, Olinick's resolution passed, 62–27 (with four abstentions). Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science Murray Dry, however, was one of the dissenters. He fears that a change in policy would have an adverse effect on the College, and that the risk of losing federal funding would be unacceptable.
"I think the current policy strikes the proper balance between our emphasis of nondiscrimination and allowing students to learn about opportunities in the military," says Dry. "And I think that losing federal funds is a very real possibility," adding that he believes the Supreme Court will uphold the Solomon Amendment. "The idea that allowing the military to recruit on campus will somehow lead people to confuse the military's nondiscrimination policy with the institution's (which is the basis for the legal argument against Solomon) is mistaken. By requiring a separate forum, you are clearly demonstrating the differences in opinion on the matter between the military and the institution."
Once Upon a Time in Oxford
William Faulkner's ultimate goal, according to English professor Jay Parini in his highly readable biography of the writer and man, was to "write something worthwhile." Given the unparalleled burst of inspiration that spawned such novels as The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, Faulkner more than admirably achieved his aim.
But Parini's One Matchless Time—Faulkner's own phrase for that prolific period from 1928 to 1942 during which he wrote nine novels and several Hollywood screenplays, as well as essays and short stories—is less about the already well-catalogued greatness and more about the personal and emotional journeys that nourished it. Parini offers a sympathetic portrayal of the oft-maligned artist who consistently prevailed in the face of criticism, not to mention a robust drinking habit. And while Parini, too, upholds the long-accepted view of Faulkner as the definitive "voice of the South," he brings more depth to the lifetime of facts by revealing a humanistic perspective of the man as well as the voice.
Indeed, the facts are not unknown. But Parini spins from them an engaging tale that reads more like a novel than a critical biography. His candid discourse is inviting as opposed
to academically didactic, and he easily weaves scenic glimpses throughout—from young Bill as a perennial eavesdropper on the school playground to his afternoon rides on the family's Shetland pony; from the motherly affections of his adored Mammy Callie to his budding friendship with mentor Sher-wood Anderson; and, later, from a string of drunken revelries at home and abroad to the unsettled old age of an eccentric.
Parini's enthusiasm for his subject is contagious and, more than anything, serves as a reminder to those who have read Faulkner—and an invitation to those who have not—to celebrate the resonant prose for what it can teach us, not only about the author and his extraordinary sense of place and character, but also about ourselves. Yes, his voice is that of the "old South," but the deeply felt personal conflicts and intricate familial dynamics are universal and timeless.
Throughout his book, Parini reminds us that Faulkner must not be read but reread. I, for one, am ready to unshelve my own circa-'80s editions and see things anew from an older—and perhaps wiser—perspective.
—Blair Kloman, M.A. English '94
Recently Published
Civil Peace and the Quest for Truth: The First Amendment Freedoms in Political Philosophy and American Constitutionalism (Lexington Books, 2004) by Murray Dry, Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science
Genre and Television: From Cop Shows to Cartoons in American Culture (Taylor & Francis Books, 2004) by Jason Mittell, assistant professor of American civilization and film and media culture
Music in Rural New England Family and Community Life, 1870-1940 (University Press of New England, 2004) by Jennifer Post, assistant professor of music
The Moral Theology of Roger Williams: Christian Conviction and Public Ethics (Westminster John Knox Press, 2004) by James Davis, assistant professor of religion
Five Questions For ...
Kevin Buckland '05
Buckland, an independent scholar studying comparative mythology, has organized a number of public arts projects at Middlebury, including projects in Carr, Forest, and Gifford Halls. He says his mural in PALANA (Pan-African, Latino, Asian, and Native American) House, where he lived last year, draws upon commonalities that he has found existing within the legends of many different cultures. "This relates to PALANA in that it focuses on our common humanity and the experiences we share as humans," he says.
1. Why did you become interested in myths?
Because myth lies at the base of every culture, and the myth allows us to access our innate humanity as it existed before being defined by our culture. Everything's myth—it's just people making up ways to explain the world. It depends on how literal you want to get.
2. How long have you been involved in art?
I've done art all my life. In high school I did a summer program at the Art Institute of Chicago, where I first began oil painting, my one true love in life.
3. Why did you decide to do a mural on the wall in PALANA?
I am president of VACA (Vitality of the Artistic Community Association), which is a group aimed at bringing art into the lives of the community. I want to put an end to having white walls, because students don't learn anything by looking at white walls. I've known I was going to paint it for about a year, so the mural's development was kind of an ongoing process.
4. Could you describe the PALANA mural?
The mural begins with constellations from various cultures. People all over the world have gazed up at the stars and have created images and stories from them. And then there is an ocean—the biological origin of life—as well as the primordial substance of biblical creation. Then there is a tree and the creation of land, which is based upon the ceiba tree, which in Mayan mythology was believed to have stood at the center of the earth and held the sky. In the tree are monkeys, and then the progression from monkey to man climbing the stairwell. On top of the stairs is man holding a burning stick, with fire being a symbol of man's ability to create—a form of godliness. Rising up the next level of stairs is a field of corn, representing man's move toward agriculture and civilization. A pyramid rises on the highest wall, representing man's connection with the spiritual, which I believe to be the highest form of evolution.
5. Are you pleased with the result so far?
I am happy with how it's turning out. This is the first mural I've done myself, although I hope to continue muralism during the rest of my life. It's wonderful to be able to paint on the ceiling and eventually create an entire environment.
—Lindsey Whitton '05
Climate Conference Issues Global Warning
In a delicious bit of irony, on the coldest week of the year, Middlebury found itself playing host to a conference about one of the hot-button environmental issues of our time: climate change. "I'll tell you how I'm feeling this morning. I'm feeling cold," quipped Bill McKibben, the author, activist, and Middlebury scholar in residence, who was one of a handful of environmental luminaries who headlined the conference entitled What Works? New Strategies for a Melting Planet. "It's a testament to all of you that you're willing to tackle this issue on a morning when it's 30-below outside."
What Works?, co-organized by Middlebury economics professor Jon Isham and independent consultant Sissel Waage, was the culmination of a January course taught by Isham, in which he encouraged his 20 students to devise strategies to grab public and political attention for an issue that seems far away to many. Indeed, John Passacantando, executive director of Greenpeace USA and a conference attendee, echoed Isham's premise in an opening session: "Now, while attention has been moved away from the environment, is the time for developing new strategies and new skills. We need to take in all the data we can, and all the strategizing and theorizing. And then you need to throw it all out, and just try stuff."
His remark captured the egalitarian spirit of the event, much of which was devoted to small and large student-run discussion groups—referred to more grandly for this purpose as World Café and Open Space Technology—the notion being that a grassroots movement should begin with ideas generated at the grassroots level.
And the ideas, ranging from the ethereal to the very concrete, were flying fast and furiously. Some of the participants wanted to talk about building bridges with other activist groups and convening another conference that would be more diverse. Others floated the idea of organizing a rally in Detroit this summer to press for the production of more hybrid cars and better use of existing technology to increase gas mileage in standard models.
"We need to develop a different way of looking at global climate change, both the problems and the solutions," said Thomas Hand '05 a few weeks after the conference. Hand was particularly impressed with a discussion moderated by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, the authors of a controversial essay ("The Death of Environmentalism") that argued that environmentalism in its current incarnation is a failure, destined for the scrapheap of history. "For too long, we've been telling people what they can't have and what they can't do," Hand said. "Well, that doesn't really jibe with the 'American spirit'—'you can do anything'—does it? To really effect change, we have to gain the support of a far more diverse group than what we have now."
To the extent that the conference boasted a celebrity, it would have been McKibben, who sprang to prominence in 1988 with his book The End of Nature. For the most part, McKibben was seen and not heard throughout the three-day conference. However,
he closed the gathering by warning attendees not to lose heart on the long road ahead.
"It's not your fault if we don't solve this problem," said the author of such books as Enough (about genetic engineering) and Long Distance (about his year in training as an endurance athlete). "That realization is very useful because it frees you up to try anything and everything."
"I would say that the conference certainly exceeded my expectations—which were quite high," Isham said after the event. "My objective was to bring together a variety of leaders in the new climate movement—people based on campuses and in businesses and in a wide range of nonprofit sectors—in order for them to share, test, and build new climate strategies. I'm confident that this happened and that people came away feeling very energized about the whole thing."
McKibben, too, felt the conference was a smashing success, and he was quick to credit Isham and his students. "I thought it was the most invigorating conference I've ever been to," he said. "Jon Isham and the students were the core of the affair, and their energy sparked the national figures to think more deeply and urgently than is usual in such conclaves."
For his part, Hand has plans to put into action ideas he gleaned from the conference. The senior from Dorset, Vermont, is helping to assemble a Vermont climate coalition and has spearheaded a group on campus—informally known as the Sunday Night Group—that meets weekly (on Sunday night, of course) to discuss climate-change issues. The Sunday Night Group has been drawing 50-odd people, and Hand is thrilled that the meeting has attracted attendees who are not members of any of the traditional environmental groups at Middlebury. "Here we are, reaching beyond the usual cohort," Hand explained. "This inclusiveness, this pairing of nontraditional partners, is key, I think, to establishing a coherent voice that can address problems that affect all of us.
"We're attempting to simulate on campus what we hope to do in the world outside Middlebury. So far, it's a good start."
—Sally West Johnson '72
Planning Ahead
The Planning Committee for Middlebury's Future is well into an intense yearlong effort to develop a plan that will guide Middlebury over the next six years. The plan "will focus renewed attention on Middlebury's core mission: to provide the strongest learning environment for the talented young people who choose to study here," said President Ronald D. Liebowitz in December, when he appointed a steering committee and 11 task forces to oversee the process.
Many alumni and parents have already responded to letters that President Liebowitz sent out in January, inviting their participation. "We have received thoughtful and occasionally provocative advice and perspectives," says John Emerson, dean of planning. He adds that a survey will be mailed to alumni and parents in April to collect more information about their views. (An online version is available at the planning Web site at www.middlebury.edu/administration/planning.) "The survey addresses broad issues and is intended to gather information about what alumni and parents value most about the Middlebury educational experience," Emerson explains. "This information will provide useful perspectives for the steering committee, as it reviews the task force reports."
Farewell to Walter Booker '37
As the magazine was going to press, we received word of the death of Walter Brooker '37, vice president emeritus of the College, who passed away March 30. A member of the College's administration from 1956 until his retirement in 1981, Brooker gave tirelessly of his time and his talents on behalf of the College. A complete obituary will appear in the magazine's summer issue. A note to the Middlebury community about Brooker from President Ronald D. Liebowitz is available online at www.middlebury.edu/brooker.
[Syllabus]
Course Black Chicago
Department American Literature and Civilization
Instructor Associate Professor Will Nash
Course Description This course examines the development of Chicago's African-American community and explores the evolution of black cultural forms in the city. Drawing on texts from history and sociology, we will work to understand how and why the black community grew as it did. In the context of that analysis, we will also consider the music, literature, and visual art associated with black Chicago.
Reading List
Spear, Allan, Black Chicago: The Making of a Negro GhettoGrossman, James, Land of Hope: Chicago, Black Southerners, and the Great MigrationTuttle, William, Race Riot: Chicago in the Red Summer of 1919Kenney, William, Chicago Jazz: A Cultural History, 1904-1930Hirsch, Arnold, Making the Second Ghetto: Race and Housing in Chicago, 1940-1960Wright, Richard, Native SonBrooks, Gwendolyn, BlacksHansberry, Lorraine, A Raisin in the SunGreenlee, Sam, The Spook Who Sat by the DoorGrazian, David, Blue Chicago: The Search for Authenticity in Urban Blues Clubs
Nash says: Several years ago, I received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to begin a research project on how African-American artists in Chicago respond to their particular regional-historical context. I hoped to identify patterns of response that are demonstrably connectable to what's going on in the city at the moments the artists were working. In other words, I wanted to know "What's so Chicago?" about these artists' works. I've discovered some ways that the African-American arts scene in Chicago differs significantly from parallel occurrences in other major American cities. For instance, Chicago was home to the only Black Arts Movement-era writers' workshop to sustain itself for more than a decade. Even more interesting to me, the gender politics of that group are much different from what one sees in the major writers' workshops in New York, which some view as the cradle of the Black Arts Movement.
Student Ellen Whelan-Wuest '06 Says This class was one of the most socially and culturally relevant classes I've taken at Middlebury. Professor Nash balanced the dynamics of the class incredibly, incorporating interesting, challenging readings with stimulating and controversial class discussions. I walked away feeling like I'd been a part of a community and not just an American civilization class.
Game Night
For the second consecutive year, the Middlebury men's and women's hockey teams were skating for national championships on the same March evening. Middlebury Magazine was on hand for the men's title game at the College's Chip Kenyon Arena, while closely monitoring the women's efforts 300 miles away in Elmira, New York. What follows is a chronological account of the evening:
6:45 Fans continue to stream into The Chip for the 7:00 start. The concession stand is doing a brisk business selling hot dogs and miniature pizzas. The Midd student who bears a flowing Panther banner on a mast takes a warm-up lap—trailed by a gaggle of youngsters, Pied Piper-style—around the concourse.
6:52 Middlebury takes the ice, and the crowd erupts. St. Thomas, clad in purple, follows seconds later, and a contingent of Tommie fans from Minnesota attempt to add their voices to the din in the arena.
6:57 The starting lineups are announced; all but one Panther starter is a freshman or sophomore.
7:00 The puck drops on the 2005 national title game.
7:01 Freshman goalie Ross Cherry '08 makes his first save at the 19:12 mark.
7:02 First "You wear purple" chant emanates from the Middlebury student section.
7:14 The roof almost lifts off The Chip as Middlebury gets on the scoreboard first, when Mickey Gilchrist '08 slips the puck past the St. Thomas goalie with 10:35 left in the first period.
7:27 2–0, Panthers. Patrick Nugent '05 blasts home a power-play goal with 3:18 left in the opening period.
7:33 Intermission. The line at the concession stand is at least 30 people deep. Official attendance is announced as 2,165.
7:49 At the start of the second period, the public address announcer informs the crowd that the Middlebury women's team has evened the score with Elmira in the second period of the national title game. Three hundred miles away from the action in Elmira, 2,000+ Middlebury fans in The Chip erupt.
8:01 Forward Levi Doria '05 delivers a hard check on a Tommie, propelling the player into the boards right in front of the Panther student section. A young man with his face painted blue and white bellows: "Levi Doria, you're my hero!"
8:06 With 9:00 left in the second period, John Sales '07 nets an unassisted goal, and Middlebury leads 3–0.
8:12 Fans start the first "Wave" of the evening, a sure sign that things are going well. 8:21 In the Zamboni room just off the ice, Butch Atkins readies his rig for his second intermission run.
8:25 The first nail enters the coffin. With just five seconds left in the second period, John Sales rockets home his second goal of the game, giving Middlebury a 4–0 lead.
8:41 The Middlebury women have taken a 3–2 lead in upstate New York, and the score is announced to the delight of the partisan crowd. 8:46 In the press box, Director of Athletic Communications Brad Nadeau opens his laptop and starts to bring up championship stats that he had researched earlier in the day. After rattling off a few, he simply gestures at the screen for his final fact: three of Middlebury's six championships have come by shutout. Apparently, he doesn't want to jinx the freshman netminder by saying this out loud.
8:54 5–0, Panthers. Darwin Hunt '07 nets a short-handed goal, with an assist from Brian Phinney '05. The crowd goes wild, but no one is more excited than the cluster of fans sporting Hunt sweaters in the section behind the Middlebury bench.
8:56 News from Elmira. After Middlebury had taken a 4–2 lead, Elmira sliced the margin in half with five remaining.
9:02 A phone rings in the press box. Nadeau answers. Silence for a few seconds, then "It's over?" He smiles.
9:04 The home crowd learns that the women have won in Elmira. Pandemonium.
9:12 With 1:00 remaining in the men's national title game, the fans in The Chip stand in unison and start cheering and clapping. On the Middlebury bench, players begin to hug, and Bill Beaney cracks his first smile of the evening.
9:13 The horn sounds. Mickey Gilchrist leaps into the arms of his classmate Ross Cherry, and soon the rest of the team piles on in front of the Panther net. Cherry has secured the shut out and the Middlebury men's hockey team has captured its seventh national championship.
9:21 More than three-quarters of the fans remain for the awards ceremony. Senior captains Brian Phinney, Levi Doria, and Patrick Nugent receive the 2005 trophy and, as the rest of the team gathers behind them and Queen's "We Are the Champions" blares from the sound system, they begin a slow skate around the ice.
9:31 Just outside the Middlebury locker room, a group of former Panthers congratulate Beaney. Last year's captain, John Dawson '04, grabs the Middlebury coach in a bearhug.
9:46 Cherry, Sales, Phinney, and Beaney file into the press room. Beaney looks stoic, but pleased; Cherry appears stunned; Sales is all smiles; and Phinney has tears welling in his eyes and streaming down his cheeks.
10:01 As the press conference wraps up, some 300 fans patiently wait for players to ascend the stairs to the athletic complex's main level. Some wait for autographs, others to offer their well wishes. All are intent on celebrating the Panthers' seventh national title.