Characters on a Campus

by Lawrence Cappiello

In the play Life with Father, the main character goes to an employment service to engage domestic help. In the interview he is asked, "Sir, what is the character of your home?"

He fixes the interviewer with a steely stare and replies, "Madam, I am the character of my home."

When I arrived on campus in 1965, there were two faculty members who will be forever remembered.

Dr. Oscar Silverman was the librarian and taught in the English department. He was always in baggy tweeds, always had an old pipe in his mouth, and more importantly, always had a flower in his lapel - usually a rose.

Dr. John Horton was a fixture in the history department. He was the quintessential "college professor," a lecturer with a voice and inflection that demanded attention, and a grasp of material that was sure to keep the student interested.

Just as Horton was about to retire, the history department made its move to the new Amherst campus. One day I ran into Dr. Horton walking near Hayes Hall. After a respectful greeting, I mentioned that I heard that his department had moved to its new office.

He looked at me through his very thick glasses and in that magnificent voice said, "Yes, I understand that. Have been there! Haven't been able to find it!"

It may be that characters on a campus define the character of the campus.