Distinguished Faculty Award Recipients

John Loftus
Professor Emeritus of Art 1967-1995

Professor Emeritus John Loftus has described himself as “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. In 1940, he entered Southern Illinois University, studying history and philosophy. John had completed his sophomore year when his studies were interrupted by a call to service in the United States Army. He served in the Signal Corps in New Guinea and the Philippines. He later returned to SIU and graduated in 1946. His experiences as an art educator include the Calhoun School, the University of Colorado and Ohio State University, where he was co-chairman of the Studio Humanities area. He spent 1963 to 1967 at the Philadelphia College of Art, then was recruited to become head of the art department at Hobart and William Smith. 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.

In 1991, the Colleges celebrated Loftus and his work with a show at the Field House Gallery, “John Loftus at 70.” Today, we honor the man, the artist, the “buoyant malcontent” and teacher yet again with the Distinguished Faculty Award.

Toni Flores
Professor of American and Women’s Studies 1971-1997

Professor Toni Flores is dancing amongst the goddesses with whom she inspired her students. She is remembered for the joy of living and learning that was imparted to those she touched. Toni arrived at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1971, at a transformational time for the Colleges. Armed with her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Bryn Mawr College (1967) and her Ph.D. in folklore and folk life from the University of Pennsylvania (1971), she taught first in the Anthropology and Sociology Department and then, starting in 1974, in women’s studies and American studies. 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, dancer—a goddess in her own right. 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
Professor Emeritus 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. 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.

Marvin Bram, L.H.D. ’99
Professor Emeritus of History 1971-1997

Professor Marvin Bram personifies what it means to be a truly great teacher. Take a look at some of his qualities: 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. After two years of service with the United States Army, Bram graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in general studies of the humanities and was awarded the distinguished Binyon Prize in Humanities. He also holds a Ph.D. in European Intellectual history from the University of Rochester. In 1971, he was appointed to the history department at the Colleges. 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 also was appointed to a Donald A. Harter professorship and was a founding member of the National Humanities Faculty.

Joseph DiGangi
Professor Emeritus of Political Science 1967-1997
Much more than a faculty member and professor, a student's teacher, mentor, adviser and most of all "friend" are words used over and over again by alumni and alumnae to characterize Joseph P. DiGangi, more commonly known by students and colleagues alike as "Joe," professor of political science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. And who didn't know Joe as the professor who cooked a spaghetti dinner for his class at the end of each semester? Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey in November of 1941, he received his bachelor's degree with distinction in political science from Lehigh University and his Ph.D. in public law and government from Columbia University. DiGangi is an elected member of the Druid Society and chosen by the students to be the Class Day speaker in 1995. DiGangi also received the "Faculty Excellence in Teaching" Award in 1993. The citation for that award stated "This teacher's courses have a reputation of being challenging and fascinating. His signature course (Constitutional Law) has been among the most admired and respected courses on campus during the past 25 years. This course is like a sovereign country, with its tradtions, its myth, and its generations of citizens." As a pre-law adviser, DiGangi counseled many students. As the times have changed, so too has the direction of the political science students. DiGangi stated in an article in the Pulteney St. Survey in 1989, "ten years ago all of our students seemed to be going into public service or into a legal aid career, today it's different. These kids want a career, a profession-and they're not adverse to making some money in the process."

Eugene F. Murphy
Professor Emeritus of Modern Languages
 

It is our pleasure to present to you, as a recipient of the 2002 Distinguished Faculty Award, the name of Eugene F. Murphy, former professor of modern languages emeritus here at the Colleges. Professor Murphy was born in Syracuse, New York. He was a 1941 graduate of the University of Toronto, where he was first in his class. He received his Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University in 1951. He taught at Grinnell College from 1946 until 1948, at The Johns Hopkins University from 1948 until 1954 and at the University of South Carolina from 1954 until 1959. From 1959 on, he was professor and head of the Department of Modern Languages at Hobart and William Smith Colleges until his retirement in 1985. Professor 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. In the words of his students, some who utilized the French language in their future vocations and some who only wanted to garner the one foreign language credit they needed, he was the one professor whose 8 o'clock class one eagerly attended on a Saturday morning. He was a delight to listen to in English or in French. He was encouraging in a gentle and debonair way. He gave students chances. Professor 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
Member of the Faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on December 6, 1895, the son of Charles Merrick and Mary Henrietta Blake Bullard, he took his bachelor’s degree in 1917 and his master’s in 1918 from Clark University. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Brown University in 1925. 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
Member of the Faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1959-1992
Encouraging, upbeat, motivating-these are the words students from all decades repeatedly use to describe Professor Kenneth R. Carle. Born in Keene, New Hampshire, on September 16, 1929, Ken Carle graduated from Middlebury College in 1951 with an A.B. degree in chemistry. He completed his master’s degree in organic chemistry at the University of New Hampshire in 1953. After earning his Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry at the University of Delaware in 1953, his desire was to return to a small college to teach. 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 “My 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1947-1982
Fifth Dean of Hobart College (1959-1962)
Benjamin Peter Atkinson was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Amherst College, graduated magna cum laude in 1938 and went on to Syracuse University, receiving his Master of Arts in 1941. 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
Member of the Faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1945-1967
Awarded a Harvard Club of Minnesota scholarship at the Blake School in Minneapolis, Otto Eugene Schoen-René went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1930. He received his A.M. degree from Harvard in 1938 and Ph.D. in 1941 (English philology). 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. 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 thusly 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1946-1980
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Oberlin College with a degree in English, John Lydenberg completed a master’s in English at Harvard in 1938. He earned his Ph.D. in the history of American civilization at Harvard in 1946. He became a full professor at the Colleges in 1954. He 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 Geneva academic community during his time here.

Lindsay A. J. Lafford
Member of the Faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1948-1979
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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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.” Born in New Hampshire in 1930, Bob Huff was a child of the Depression who grew to love history and to teach it at the Colleges for 30 years. Phi Beta Kappa at Boston University, he graduated in 1952, going on to Tufts University’s Fletcher School for his M.A. He was awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1967, five years after he had begun teaching history at HWS. 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, he 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1921-1965
Theodore Tellefsen Odell graduated from Hobart in 1920 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After working one year at a preparatory school, he returned to the Colleges. He received his M.S. in 1927 and his Ph.D. in 1934, both from Cornell University. 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 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1966-1991
A 1950 graduate of the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind, at Hobart he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year, and as a senior was tapped as a Druid. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in mathematics in 1954. He received his M.A. in mathematics from the University of Rochester in 1956, and then studied at Rutgers University from 1958 to 1964. Awarded his Ph.D. in 1965, Dr. Bentsen returned to the Colleges as Assistant Professor in 1966, and when he retired in June 1991, the Board of Trustees named him Professor Emeritus. Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science for seven years, he also 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 has touched, and was an inspiration to, Hobart and William Smith students, his colleagues, and his community.

Charles Delamater Vail ’59
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1872-1909
Charles Vail ’59 graduated from Hobart as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He was awarded Hobart’s Master of Arts degree in 1862. He 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 once the classical Greek and Latin had been taught. This helped to establish Hobart on the leading edge of the modern era. He and his wife, Helen Houghton Vail, were great benefactors to the Colleges before his death in 1921.

John Archer Silver
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1895-1916
John Archer Silver received a Princeton baccalaureate in 1886, and the Master of Arts degree in 1889. He taught and studied in Europe and Asia for several years before returning to the United States to obtain a doctorate in history and philosophy at Johns Hopkins University in 1895. Professor Silver then 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, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1881-1913
Charles Rose ’76 graduated from Hobart and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his B.S. in 1876 and M.A. in 1885. In 1881, Professor Rose joined the Department of Modern Languages and History at Hobart. 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 heard to tell his students that they should consider him not as an example but as a warning. In truth, however, his was of sincere and upright character, yet witty and urbane.

Francis Phillip Nash
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1871-1908
Francis Nash was granted an A.B. in 1856, and A.M. and LL.B. degrees in 1859 from Harvard University. A subsequent 12-year law practice in New York City proved too stressful. Upon his physician’s advice, he left law and turned to teaching. Professor Nash joined the Hobart faculty in 1871, and served, 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. To know him was 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 community.

Joseph H. McDaniels
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1868-1911
Joseph McDaniels attended Harvard University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was named class valedictorian. He was awarded his A.B. in 1861 and his A.M. in 1872. Hobart College appointed him 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 were great.

Abigail Mosey
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1944-1991
Abigail Mosey earned her baccalaureate from Nazareth College in Rochester in 1936 and her M.A. from Syracuse University in 1944. She 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, assistant professor in 1954, associate professor in 1958, and full professor of mathematics in 1979. Provost Walter Durfee described her as “one of the best teachers the department had in my 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.

Brooks Otis
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1935-1957
Brooks Otis received his B.A. in 1929, M.A. in 1930, and Ph.D. in 1935 from Harvard University. He joined the Colleges’ faculty in 1935 as assistant professor of classics and lecturer in sociology. A past DFA 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1901-1947
John Muirheid graced our 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1950-1990
Professor 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. He 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 was demanding, but fair, and he supported every student who made an honest effort. He pushed his students to challenge every assumption and support every argument until they had distilled the truth. He 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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. He taught as much by example as he did by instruction.

Walter Hetherington Durfee, Sc.D. ’59
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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 in the fortunes of 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, he brought to the Colleges many fine teachers whom he nurtured and encouraged. 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
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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 received his A.B. and M.A. degrees from the University of Rochester in 1890 and 1893, respectively. He taught in secondary schools for 15 years, came to Hobart and the newly founded William Smith College in 1908, and established a 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.

Milton Haight Turk, LL.D. ’38
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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 (1922) and delivered Hobart’s centennial address.

Kathryn Dapp Cook, L.H.D. ’84
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1942-1979
An innovative teacher, Professor Cook enthusiastically shared her far-reaching interests and wisdom with all. She offered encouragement in many ways and was chair of the English department from 1967 to 1970. She introduced courses in comparative literature (before it was a discipline), modern novelists (including James Joyce), and Russian literature. These, in addition to Shakespeare, were her specialties. She was one of the architects and teachers of the course, Western Civilization, and, from its inception and for 34 years, 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. Tributes to her from former students fill a book.

Edward E. Griffith
Member of the faculty, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 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.” He produced over 150 plays, directed most of them, and taught his craft to many 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 Geneva. He will long be remembered by devotees of the theatre and the legions of students whom he touched with his theatrical magic.

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 (1853-72), where he was awarded the M.D. degree and taught anatomy, pharmacology, toxicology, and medical jurisprudence. He was very popular with students and was a striking figure with his red-lined military cloak and long white hair. He also served as acting president (1875-76) 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
Professor of astronomy and natural philosophy for 32 years (and acting president in 1883-84), 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.