Professor Emerita of Religious Studies Mary Gerhart, Professor Emeritus of Biology Joel Kerlan P'89 and the late Professor of English Deborah Tall were honored with the Distinguished Faculty Award by the Hobart Alumni Association and the William Smith Alumnae Association during Reunion 2011.
Mary Gerhart
Professor of Religious Studies
1972-2005
Mary Gerhart came to Hobart and William Smith in 1972 as a professor in the Religious Studes Department. While at HWS, Gerhart's courses cross-listed with women's studies and other interdisciplinary areas such as the minor, the Sacred in Cross-cultural Perspective. Gerhart taught courses such as "The Religious Imagination," "The Question of God/Goddess: Metaphoric and Philosophical Origins" and "Conflict of Interpretations." As a scholar, Gerhart and her colleague, the late Professor Emeritus in Physics Allan M. Russell received a Science and Religion Course Prize Award from the John Templeton Foundation in 1999. Professor Emerita Gerhart also published numerous books, including "Metaphoric Process: The Creation of Scientific and Religious Understanding" and "New Maps for Old: Explorations in Science and Religion."After her retirement, Gerhart continued to work with the late Professor Russell, including bi-disciplinary writing and lecturing in science and religion. She is currently writing on three thinkers: Hypatia of Alexandria, Hildegard of Bingen and Simone Weil.
Joel Kerlan, P'89
Professor of Biology
1971-2002
Kerlan was honored for his work at HWS from 1971 to 2002. Involved in many aspects of campus life, Kerlan's research interest was in behavioral endocrinology and biorhythms in birds, and he continuously had independent and Honors students in his laboratory. His work has been published in science journals, and he helped many students prepare for admission to medical school, dental school, veterinary school, and other health care fields. To this day, Professor Emeritus Kerlan continues to stay active on campus, with the pre-med program and admissions, including the Elizabeth Blackwell Scholar Program.
Deborah Tall
Professor of English
1982-2006
Deborah Tall came to HWS in 1982. Tall taught literature and writing at HWS and pursued her passions as a poet, essayist, and editor of the Seneca Review, the Colleges' national literary journal,from 1982 to 2006. Tall was the author of four books of poems and several nonfiction works, including "Summons," which was published by Sarabande Books and chosen by Charles Simic for the Kathryn A. Morton Prize. She was also co-editor, with Kuusisto and David Weiss, of "The Poet's Notebook," which originated from a special issue of Seneca Review. An innovative thinker, in 1997, Tall and John D'Agata '95 created what is now known as the lyric essay. Tall tragically passed away in 2006 of breast cancer, leaving behind many students, colleagues, friends, and family who remember her fondly.
Joseph N. Abraham, L.H.D. '81
Member of the faculty and Athletics Director
1945-1981
Abrahams' tenure was marked by great growth in the successful intercollegiate athletic program, including back-to-back NCAA Division III lacrosse championships in 1980 and 1981. Among his many honors, he was presented with an Alumni Association Citation in 1968 and was awarded the Statesmen Athletic Association Annual Award for outstanding contributions to Hobart Athletics. Abraham was a three time USA Olympic Trainer for the summer games in 1968 and 1972, was inducted into the Helms Hall of Fame for Athletic Trainers in 1970, and was the recipient of the Thomas J. Sheehan New York State Athletic Trainer's Association award in 1977. Abraham passed away in 1981.
Donald L. Woodrow P'83
Professor of Geoscience
1965-2001
Professor Emeritus Woodrow's research includes major emphases on Devonian sedimentology and stratigraphy in North America and Europe and on Great Lakes sedimentology. He was co-designer of the Science-on-Seneca program, which allows local high school students to explore the living environment of Seneca Lake through hands-on research. He is a past recipient of the faculty's scholarship and teaching prizes.
Valerie C. Saiving
Professor of Religious Studies
1959-1987
Her article, "The Human Situation," published in 1960 in the Journal of Religion, is often listed as the single most important and influential piece of writing in the invention of feminist religion in the United States in the 20th Century.
Her influence continues in today's programs at the Colleges. "One of the pleasant memories I have was the sense of solidarity I had when I came here in the 1970s," says Mary Gerhart, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies. "Saiving and Heaton supported each other and would support me, too."
William G. Hosking '47, P'74
Professor of Economics
1948-1974
Hosking, a Geneva native, began teaching in 1948 as a graduate assistant at Cornell. He also served as president of the New York State Economics Association and as the mayor of the City of Geneva. President Allan Kuusisto wrote at the time of Hosking's death in 1974 that "Hobart and William Smith Colleges have lost one of their most respected senior faculty members ... Bill was one of the most popular faculty members with students and alumni and alumnae and was a dedicated community leader as well." His wife, Mary Hosking, also served the Colleges for more than 20 years as a professor, coach, Director of William Smith Athletics, and as an administrator.
Walter A. Ralls
Professor of History
1961-1993
During his 32 years of teaching history at the Colleges, Professor Emeritus Ralls inspired countless students. One alumnus fondly recalls, "Dr. Ralls was my model adviser, teacher and mentor. He drew the map that guided my intellectual journey both during college and after." In the classroom, Ralls was described as "informative and enlightening," "a wonderful teacher who inspired a love of history," and "a terrific storyteller with a great sense of humor." He had an uncanny ability to begin class with the seed of an idea, germinate it with seemingly unrelated circumstances, and grow it into a complete picture of a given period of history. As Charles Updegraph III '90 describes, Ralls' courses "were wondrous journeys through not just history, but also culture, music, politics." Many of his former students still recall their experiences in his class and how they continue to enrich their lives today. Given his love of bringing history to life, it is not surprising that upon his retirement in 1993, Dr. Ralls moved to Virginia to work on a slightly longer story—a book on the British in India.
Valerie Kish
Professor of Biology
1976-1993
Valerie Kish was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award and Faculty Scholarship Award at Hobart and William Smith in 1982. Kish was named an honorary member of the Golden Key National Honor Society in 1998. She has most recently been awarded the Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant as project director.
"[Kish has] been credited as having made the college experience' for [her] students with her balance of scientific expertise and kind-hearted mentoring," says Jared Weeden '91, director of Alumni Relations.
Frank O’Laughlin
Professor of History
1949-1988
One of the architects of the Western Civilization program, O'Laughlin was dedicated to the idea that a liberal arts education should expose every student to the major texts and intellectual movements of representative cultures. Devoted to the life of the mind, he was a champion of general education curricula. Frank O'Laughlin was a ferocious proponent of these Colleges, caring deeply about delivering an education that would both enrich the lives of students and allow them to contribute to the public good. He imparted his near-encyclopedic knowledge of Western Civilization at the Colleges for 39 years, retiring in 1988. O'Laughlin passed away in 1999, but his legacy lives on through his book collection, located in the Warren Hunting Smith Library and containing nearly 10,000 volumes on subjects as varied as his interests.
John Loftus P'75, P'76, P'91
Professor of Art
1967-1995
Professor Emeritus John Loftus described himself as a "buoyant malcontent"—a man at odds with the world around him yet still productive. However, John's teacher and legendary painter, Hans Hoffman, understood his former pupil in a different way. He saw a novice painter who persevered despite his surroundings, and recognized in him an artist with a unique vision who faced the world courageously. At the Colleges, John taught studio art and art history. In addition to the long-lived, perennial Color and Composition, he was the instructor for various painting and drawing classes, designed for budding artists and non-art majors alike. He stepped down as department head in 1973 but continued on as a professor at the Colleges until 1995. He passed away in 2008.
Toni Flores P'94
Professor of American and Women’s Studies
1971-1997
Professor Toni Flores is remembered for the joy of living and learning that was imparted to those she touched. Toni's academic interests spanned folklore, folk art, Native American traditions, cultural anthropology, childbirth, body politics, poetry and feminist theory. She received the Faculty Prize for Curriculum Development in 1981 and was appointed to the Harter Chair in Humanities and Social Sciences from 1990 to 1992. In 1993, Toni delivered the convocation speech, memorably titled "Silence and the Blazing World." Her message to the incoming first-years was one that she lived day in and day out: observe, experience, appreciate, learn and celebrate life.
Anthropologist, teacher, mentor, friend, mother, poet, and dancer, Toni left her legacy to all she touched. In her own words … "All of it—feel all of it—but don't forget the joy."
Richard Heaton P'86
Professor of Religious Studies
1961-1994
Richard Heaton was a professor, friend and mentor who made the intellectual transition from adolescence to adulthood more comfortable. He saw wisdom in all individuals and instilled in them the feeling of importance. His philosophy on life was circular—"to whom much is given, from them much is expected." He received a B.A. in 1945 from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 1948. Heaton earned an M.A. from Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary in 1956, and later attended the University of Edinburgh, receiving his Ph.D. in 1961. At Hobart and William Smith, Heaton was professor of religious studies—chair of the department during the 1970s and 80s—and he co-directed the well-known "Western Civ" course. Professor Emeritus Heaton was an active member of many academic committees while at the Colleges, including the Middle States Evaluation that initiated the trimester system. He was the first adviser of Farm Club and Farm House, and directed the first Geneva, Switzerland, abroad program in 1985. He published multiple book reviews and manuscripts. Heaton passed away in 2000.
Marvin Bram P'91, L.H.D. ’99
Professor of History
1971-1997
Professor Emeritus Marvin Bram personifies what it means to be a truly great teacher: an inexhaustible intellectual capacity, a firm belief in the inherent goodness of human beings, a respect for the potential of each and every student, and a personal presence that is gentle and kind. Bram had a rare ability to see and teach the "big picture," and drew on an astounding depth of knowledge in multiple and diverse disciplines. A prolific author of scholarly articles and books, he has received numerous professional accolades, including the prestigious Sears-Roebuck Foundation Teaching Excellence Leadership Award. He was also appointed to a Donald A. Harter professorship and was a founding member of the National Humanities Faculty.
Joseph DiGangi
Professor of Political Science
1967-1997
Joseph P. DiGangi was much more than a faculty member and professor: He was a mentor, adviser, friend, and more commonly known by students and colleagues alike as "Joe." And who didn't know Joe as the professor who cooked a spaghetti dinner for his class at the end of each semester? DiGangi is an elected member of the Druid Society and was chosen by the students to be the 1995 Class Day speaker. Professor Emeritus DiGangi also received the "Faculty Excellence in Teaching" Award in 1993, which recognized a faculty member whose "courses had a reputation of being challenging and fascinating." His signature course, Constitutional Law, was among the most admired and respected courses on campus.
Eugene F. Murphy P'74, L.H.D. '90
Professor of Modern Languages
1959-1985
Professor "Monsieur" Murphy was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Sigma Iota, and Pi Delta Phi. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to France in 1951. He received the Russell Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of South Carolina in 1959. In 1980 he was awarded the Faculty Teaching Prize from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In 1967, Dr. Murphy received the Ordre des Palmes Academiques, an award from the French government for "Services to the French Culture and for the High quality of French Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges". In 1985, he was awarded an Honorary Degree at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He passed away in 1992. In the words of his students, he was the one professor whose 8 o'clock class was eagerly attended on a Saturday morning. He was a delight to listen to in English or in French was encouraging in a gentle and debonair way, and gave students chances. Professor Emeritus Murphy enabled his students to succeed, taking the time to talk, to guide and to counsel those aspirants. His classes were enlivened by his delight in words and anecdotes that teased one into further exploration.
Ralph Bullard
Professor of Chemistry
1919-1961
A true friend to his colleagues and students, a loyal member of the faculty, and a patriotic citizen were the phrases chosen by the Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in remembrance of Professor Ralph Bullard. Professor Bullard had a strong sense of social responsibility, which contributed to his incessant pursuit of protection against mustard gas, a feared chemical agent of warfare in World War I. While his research and resultant discovery proved invaluable to our country at war, his teaching proved as invaluable to many students. Walter H. Durfee, Hobart College Dean emeritus and President of the Colleges, remarked in 1957, "Throughout his career here he has been one of our most outstanding teachers, particularly with the students majoring in chemistry. He drives them very hard, and somehow manages to make them like it... Those who do their major work under him count themselves lucky, and they seem still to count themselves lucky when they have been out of college for many years."
Kenneth Carle P'82, P'84, P'90
Professor of Chemistry
1959-1992
Encouraging, upbeat, motivating-these are the words students from all decades repeatedly use to describe Professor Emeritus Kenneth R. Carle. Professor Carle's impact on his students is legendary. Thomas J. Nordstrom '73 recalls his first encounter with the "happy go lucky gentleman" in Coxe Hall as creating such a good impression that the "decision on where I wanted to go to college was made by the time we had driven home." Ken Carle was honored with the Faculty Award for Community Service for the 20 years he was chairman of the Pre-Med Committee. Other awards include the Sigma Chi Faculty Award in 1968, given to the faculty member who has done the most to improve faculty student relations, and the Hobart Student Association and William Smith Congress Annual Faculty Award in 1990-91. James Fingeroth '78 describes Professor Carle as "the archetype for what a mentor, a motivator, a big brother, a surrogate father, a friend, and a truly decent and thoughtful human being should be."
Benjamin P. Atkinson, L.H.D. '86
Professor of English 1947-1982
Fifth Dean of Hobart College 1959-1962
Professor Atkinson was the co-editor of the definitive anthology, Literature For Our Time, long a part of the Colleges' curriculum. His interests in language and literature led to courses in Chaucer, Victorian and modern poetry, linguistics, and the history of the English language. And no one of his generation was more respected as a teacher of writing. When he became Hobart's Dean in 1959, Ben Atkinson observed, with characteristic humility: "I am aware that I follow in a line of great deans. They include William Pitt Durfee, Milton Turk, and Walter Hetherington Durfee. I doubt if I can live up to these men, but I will try." For the students and colleagues who considered themselves fortunate to be at Hobart during his tenure, Ben Atkinson more than surpassed his modest expectations.
Otto Eugene Schoen-René
Professor of English
1945-1967
While Dr. Schoen-René's erudition and lifetime accomplishments were towering, it was his true love of Hobart and William Smith students that made for perhaps his most memorable legacy. He was a legend, gentle and supportive. He had a copious intellect that left students with complex feelings of curiosity and admiration. Learning was a life long goal for him, and he had an ability to interest students in both literature and the world of learning in general. He left a deep imprint. For a formidable and sometimes imposing man, he had a remarkable sense of whimsy. Learning to him was a puzzle, a delightful game, and his pleasure at discovery. When he died, he was remembered with a quote from Beowulf: "He was the gentlest, the most gracious of men, the kindest to his people and the most desirous of praise."
John Lydenberg
Professor of English
1946-1980
Lydenberg taught English and history courses and was instrumental in the founding of the American studies program. Students admired his teaching, his demand for excellence. They were inspired by his published critical work, his stinging marginal comments, and his support of all that required energy, dedication, and ingenuity. They remembered him as a bread baker, poker player, Fulbright scholar, gardener, fast walker, collector of ambiguous headlines, bird watcher, chess player, and faculty leader who helped to define the Hobart and William Smith community during his time here.
Lindsay A. J. Lafford P'65, P'75, L.H.D. '87
Professor of Music
In 1929, Lindsay A.J. Lafford began his career as a pupil of Hereford England Cathedral Organist, Sir Percy Hull. Before coming to Hobart and William Smith Colleges, he had positions at St. John's Cathedral in Hong Kong, Princeton, Middlebury, and Washington University in St. Louis. In 1948, he joined the faculty of the Colleges. During the next 31 years, he taught that fine music was both an intellectual and spiritual exercise. He enjoyed and shared an astounding diversity of taste in composers and styles. His love of music brought joy and beauty not only to his students but to the community as well. His teaching has reached out to encompass those students who were music majors and those students who simply sought a deeper appreciation of a musical heritage. With Schola Cantorum and other musical groups, countless students performed as ambassadors of the Colleges under his direction. He was a composer, performer, director, teacher, and carilloneur, and three decades of alumni and alumnae were privileged to have known this man.
Robert A. Huff
Professor of History
1962-1992
His students remember him as "the best of the great professors we had at college." His faculty colleagues considered him "simply the single best teacher we have on campus." He was one of the founders of the Women's Studies Program, was the first to hold the Donald R. Harter Chair in the Humanities and Social Sciences, and received both the Faculty Prize for Distinguished Teaching in 1976 and the Community Service Prize in 1988. A truly inspirational teacher, Professor Emeritus Huff brought the past alive, adding wit and clarity to the rigorous study of historical events. "There never was a mentor more caring, sensitive and committed to his students."
Theodore Tellefsen Odell ’20
Professor of Biology
1921-1965
Dr. Odell was strict, but fair. He believed that science majors should be put to the test to determine whether they could meet the exacting standards they would face in their postgraduate education and careers. As a result, the professional schools readily accepted the students he recommended. Dr. Odell was the author of 14 publications, department chair, faculty chair of student social activities, cross-country coach, and president of the Geneva Board of Education. The dedication of the 1966 Echo and Pine to Odell aptly stated, "His influence has been felt in nearly every phase of student life and of the Colleges' development…his patience, sincerity, and willingness to help others can be attested to by many grateful students."
Irving O. Bentsen ’54
Professor of Mathematics
1966-1991
Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science for seven years, Professor Emeritus Bentsen served on many faculty committees, and was awarded the Faculty Community Service Award in 1981. Highly regarded as a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher, his students responded to his love of mathematics and stretched to meet his high expectations. Students appreciated his fairness, his patience, and good nature, adjusting readily to his classroom style, participating actively in the solving of problems and development of proofs. With his character, teaching, leadership, and loyalty, Professor Bentsen was an inspiration to Hobart and William Smith students, his colleagues, and his community.
Charles Delamater Vail ’59
Member of the faculty
1872-1909
Vail began his Hobart career in 1869 as a tutor, and by the time of his retirement in 1909, he had served as a teacher of English and rhetoric, librarian, registrar, director of alumni affairs, and college historian. He was much sought after as a speaker. Professor Vail was widely respected by colleagues at colleges such as Columbia and Yale for his pioneering work introducing a new curriculum that stressed English language and literature as the classical Greek and Latin had once been taught,helping to establish Hobart as a leading institution. He and his wife, Helen Houghton Vail, were great benefactors to the Colleges before his death in 1921.
John Archer Silver
Professor of History
After teaching and studying in Europe and Asia for several years and receiving his doctorate, Professor Silver became Hobart's first professor of history, creating a new department which taught economics and political science as well as history. He was a complex man who courageously took positions because of his honesty and clear thinking. When he died, he was mourned by countless students to whom he had served as teacher, mentor, and friend.
Charles John Rose ’76
Member of the faculty
1881-1913
Professor Rose was an accomplished musician who wrote the music for the Hobart Alma Mater and served as organist at Trinity Church. His civility and grace in dealing with his students made him popular and gave him the opportunity to inspire students to improve themselves. He was known to tell his students that they should consider him not as an example but as a warning. In truth, however, he was of sincere and upright character, yet witty and urbane.
Francis Phillip Nash
Professor of Latin and Modern Languages
1871-1908
Following a 12-year career in law, Professor Nash turned to teaching and joined the Hobart faculty in 1871, serving,almost continually, as Professor of Latin and Modern Languages, until his retirement in 1908. He had strong interest in music, chemistry, microcopy, theology, and philosophy. Nash truly exemplified a liberal education, and he impressed students with his exacting standards, as well as with the breadth of his scholarship. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he served as the Hobart chapter's secretary for many years. He completed the first English-to-Italian translation of the Book of Common Prayer, and taught English and citizenship to many immigrants in the local Geneva community.
Joseph H. McDaniels, LL.D. '11
Professor of Greek Language and Literature
Hobart College appointed McDaniels Professor of Greek Language and Literature in 1868, a post he held until his retirement in 1911. Inspired by the respect that they held for him, students dedicated three yearbooks to Professor McDaniels. He was the bridge from the old curriculum, with its emphasis on the classics, to the new curriculum, which expanded a student's studies to include modern languages, social sciences, and the physical sciences. His lectures and articles were published in national outlets, and his reputation and the renown he brought to Hobart are still celebrated.
Abigail Mosey
Professor of Mathematics
1944-1991
Professor Emerita Abigail Mosey began her career at the Colleges in 1944, as a replacement instructor in the Navy's V 12 program. She became a full time instructor in 1946, and by 1979 was a full professor of mathematics. Provost Walter Durfee described Mosey as "one of the best teachers the department had in [his] 40 years of experience." She always sought experiences which would broaden her value as a teacher and counselor for whom, according to a former student, "learning and life were fully integrated." A faculty peer stated that, "her dedication to her teaching, her loyalty to the Colleges…and her concern for the well-being of each of her students are outstanding." She received the Faculty Prize for Teaching in 1978. Her enthusiasm, intellect, patience, and understanding, touched generations of students during her 47-year career at the Colleges. She passed away in 2008.
Brooks Otis, L.H.D. '77
Member of the faculty
1935-1957
A past Distinguished Faculty Award recipient described Professor Otis as, "the most outstanding scholar/teacher, by far, in every way, whom I have known at our Colleges…It was his many-sided competence…that enabled him to originate…the coordinate disciplines of natural, social sciences, and humanities into the Western Civilization program. It was one of the earliest and most thorough programs of its kind. It…became the model for others." A former student recalled that, "his ability to mesmerize…while lecturing about Plato, Virgil, St. Augustine…was awesome." Winner of Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships, Professor Otis was a devout man, whose wit and humility were obvious to all students fortunate enough to encounter him during his incredible career at the Colleges.
John Muirheid
Professor of English
1901-1947
John Muirheid graced the campus and the town of Geneva with his presence for 46 years. He was most noted for his wit and theatrics in the classroom, on the stage, and behind the scenes of many and varied activities. His "Daily Themes" course received rave reviews from generations of students who claimed that it fostered persistence, observation, and appreciation of the craft of writing. His classroom wit attracted non-English majors to tackle Shakespeare, composition, poetry, and even acting. He entertained students and friends with stories of his European trips and the New York City Theater. He was an accomplished thespian and musician who preceded Victor Borge with a non-playing routine on the flute. He was a charming man who devoted his life to the students of our Colleges. He taught them as he entertained them so that students during his tenure had the opinion that no program of study could be complete without at least one course under Professor Muirheid.
Maynard O. Smith P'76
Professor of Political Science
1950-1990
Professor Emeritus Smith taught classical, medieval, and modern political philosophy; American political theory, philosophy of social science, and the American political system at the Colleges for 40 years. Smith brought to the study of politics a vast store of knowledge, a great deal of patience, and some strong convictions. He challenged his students to isolate and analyze events and statements, to cut through rhetoric and emotional bias in order to learn the motives and objectives which shaped history, and which shape our lives. He pushed his students to challenge every assumption and support every argument until they had distilled the truth. Professor Smith was a gentleman of honor and principle whose soft-spoken style hid a firmness of purpose which inspired many students to reach beyond themselves.
Richard A. Ryan
Professor of Biology
1952-1987
Professor Ryan taught biology and ornithology at the Colleges for 35 years. He received praise from former students and colleagues for his high standards, his ability to engage students, and his commitment to the subjects he taught. As one former student explained, Professor Ryan would "shift back and forth to different layers of a topic being taught with amazing animation, anecdotes, and depth of understanding." His early morning bird watching and duck banding expeditions were surprisingly popular, and his mentoring of students inspired many to choose rewarding traditional and non-traditional careers in medicine, ecology, ornithology, and biology. He was considered a man "ahead of his time in his understanding of the delicate balance of things in the natural environment." He and his wife, Janice, are retired and enjoy living close to nature in Dundee, New York.
William Pitt Durfee, LL.D. ’22
Professor of Mathematics
1884-1929
William Pitt Durfee was "one of the most loved personalities in the history of Hobart." He taught mathematics for 45 years, was Dean of Hobart for 37 years, and served as acting president on four occasions. When he was appointed Dean of Hobart in 1888, it was believed to have been the first such appointment at an American liberal arts college. Known on campus as "genial Durf," he was involved in many aspects of campus life during his career. In 1918 he started the Student Army Training Corps, which helped the Colleges survive the difficult war years. Because of his dual role as teacher and dean, he touched generations of Hobart men in both a nurturing and scholarly manner. His sociability and classroom instruction distinguished him as a teacher of the whole man. He taught kindness, patience, and understanding as much as he taught mathematics.
Walter Hetherington Durfee, Sc.D. ’59
Professor of Mathematics
1921-1959
During his 38-year career at the Colleges, Walter Hetherington Durfee received many citations for excellence as a teacher, a friend to students, and a leader at the Colleges. Like his father before him, he taught mathematics with distinction, served as Dean of Hobart for many years, and filled in as acting president when the need arose. He was also appointed to the newly-created post of provost in 1948, and in both that position and as dean, brought many fine teachers to the Colleges Thus, Walter Durfee was regarded as both a gifted teacher and a valued colleague. His students remember him as a complete teacher who guided them through the difficulties of calculus and its practical applications in probability, physics, and chemistry. His dry wit, practical nature, and infinite patience in and out of the classroom convinced all students that they could master the mysteries of applied mathematics.
Elon Howard Eaton
Professor of Biology
1908-1934
Affectionately known as "Bug," Elon Eaton was an outstanding member of the Colleges' faculty during the early part of the 20th century.
He taught in secondary schools for 15 years, came to Hobart and the newly founded William Smith College in 1908, and established the department of biology. He taught courses in biology, ornithology, and hygiene, among others, and was chairman of the department for 26 years. He is perhaps best known for his books on the birds of New York, his studies and surveys for state and local governments, and serving as state ornithologist and curator of the New York State Museum. Students remember him as a notable scientist, a true sportsman, a great teacher, and a valued friend.
Edward E. Griffith, L.H.D. '88
Member of the faculty
1946-1976
E.E. Griffith taught every aspect of the theatre for 30 years as a member of the Hobart and William Smith faculty. His name is synonymous with the "Little Theatre," Hobart and William Smith's performing arts group. He produced over 150 plays, directed most of them, and taught his craft to hundreds of students. He demanded from his actors and production crews the same total commitment he offered them. The diversity and quality of the productions were remarkable for a small college campus. He also helped create the Children's Theatre and summer theatre in the Geneva community. Griffith will long be remembered by devotees of the theatre and the legions of students whom he touched with his theatrical magic.
Milton Haight Turk, LL.D. ’38
Professor of English
1890-1938
Professor Turk was the Horace White Professor of English, 1890-1924, and Beverly Chew Professor of English Language and Literature, 1924-38, heading the English department for those periods. He was an authority on Anglo Saxon, and he introduced Moby Dick (which few other English departments then sanctioned) to the curriculum. He was described as a man "who contributed more than anyone to the intellectual standards and academic integrity of the Colleges during his 48 years of service. He was a demanding teacher who was determined to get the best out of his students, yet he was revered by students and fellow faculty alike." He served as secretary of the faculty (1890-1907), the first dean of William Smith College (1908-15), librarian (1915-25), and dean of Hobart College (1925-38). He authored Hobart: The Story of a Hundred Years, and delivered Hobart's centennial address.
Kathryn Dapp Cook, L.H.D. ’84
Professor of English
1942-1979
An innovative teacher, Professor Cook enthusiastically shared her far-reaching interests and wisdom with all. Offering encouragement in so many ways, she introduced courses in comparative literature (before it was a discipline), modern novelists (including James Joyce), and Russian literature, which, in addition to Shakespeare, were her specialties. She was one of the architects and teachers of the Western Civilization program, and, from its inception, was a vital force in the Honors Program. Her high standards and expectations, her enthusiasm and energy, her interest in students, and her penetrating written comments on their papers led her students to try their best.
Horace Webster
Member of the faculty, Geneva College
1825-1848
A West Point graduate and member of its faculty, Professor Webster became a revered teacher and administrator during the early years of the College. He was the first professor of mathematics and professor of intellectual philosophy, was acting president (1828-30 and 1835-36) and treasurer (1844-48). He was a strict disciplinarian, but he was fair and always listened to what his students had to say. He loved and encouraged the faithful student in every way and was affectionately known as "Old Fess." He left in 1848 to become the first president of the Free College of New York (later CCNY).
John Towler
Member of the faculty, Hobart College
1852-1882
Hired as professor of modern languages and literature, Professor Towler could teach almost anything. He later became professor of mathematics, chemistry, natural philosophy, and civil engineering. He was dean of the Geneva Medical College from 1852-1872 where he taught anatomy, pharmacology, toxicology, and medical jurisprudence. He was popular with students and was a striking figure with his red-lined military cloak and long white hair. He also served as acting President and bursar. Professor Towler contributed greatly to the development of photography, and his book The Silver Sunbeam (1864) had nine printings and was translated into four languages.
Hamilton Lanphere Smith, D.Sc. 1900
Member of the faculty, Hobart College
1868-1900
Hamilton Smith was a world renowned astronomer who discovered the comet of 1844. He also was known internationally as a pioneer in tintypes and for his microscopic study of the diatomaceae and for the classification and arrangement of this group of cryptogramic algae. Author of many scientific books, he also was a man of culture and wide interests. The Colleges' trustees of that time said of him that "no personality more winning, more expressive of our academic aims and ideas in science and culture has ever been connected with the history of Hobart College." Professor Smith had an inextinguishable youthfulness of spirit that removed any barrier to his intercourse with students. He was often their confidant and friend as well as their teacher.
The Alumni Association of Hobart College and the Alumnae Association of William Smith College jointly award the Distinguished Faculty Award (DFA). The award was established to emphasize the importance that graduates of these Colleges place on the contributions of outstanding faculty members of the past.
The Alumni Association of Hobart College and the Alumnae Association of William Smith College awarded The Distinguished Faculty Awards for 2011 to Mary Gerhart, Joel Kerlan, and the late Deborah Tall during Reunion 2011. Over the course of the weekend there were several opportunities to gather in celebration of the year’s honorees. Click the Reunion link above for photos!
