Middlebury College establishes Robert Frost Farm and Cabin Preservation Fund and writer-in-residence position

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. ? Middlebury College has established the Robert Frost Farm and Cabin Preservation Fund, as well as a Robert Frost Writer-in-Residence position, to be filled by the summer of 2009.

The newly created fund will support the maintenance of the historic Homer Noble Farmhouse, located in Ripton, Vt. From 1939 until his death in 1963, Robert Frost spent summers in the cabin on the farmhouse property, now designated a National Historic Landmark. While there, he spent time writing and also taught at the mountain campus of Middlebury’s Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and Bread Loaf School of English.

“As stewards of this well-loved and often visited literary landmark, it is our responsibility to care for it in the best way possible,” said Frost biographer and Middlebury College Professor of English and Creative Writing Jay Parini. “Frost is a part of our college history and we owe it to his memory and his admirers to make this a place we can enjoy for many years to come.”

The college has also established the Robert Frost Writer-in-Residence position as part of the English and American Literatures department. The recipient of the two-year appointment will live in the farmhouse and assume some teaching responsibilities during the academic year, and also teach during the Bread Loaf summer programs. A key element of the position is to provide some time for writing.

“The cabin and farmhouse have always been an important part of our summer experience at Bread Loaf,” said Director of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Michael Collier. “We’re pleased that this new position will continue to integrate the Frost property and memory into our programs and further strengthen connections between the undergraduate college and the Bread Loaf programs.”

For more information, visit go.middlebury.edu/frostfarm or contact Director of Graduate Giving Daniel Breen at dbreen@middlebury.edu or (802) 443-5863.

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