To the Editors,
In the fall, I arrived at Dartmouth a freshman -- filled with the hope of finding a stimulating, exciting, intellectual atmosphere. To my great satisfaction, that's precisely what I stumbled upon; my three classes last term were gripping and thought-provoking, leading me to question some long-held beliefs and to discover myriad new ones. In short, I experienced the totality of what we term an "Ivy League" education; in my case, the class that perhaps best represented that was History 26, which covers U.S. foreign relations since World War II.
Professor Ronald Edsforth's dedication to the course and interest in the subject matter immediately made class not only informative but engaging as well -- not to mention fun! In addition, his class truly lived up to the College's high standard of intellectual freedom; we were free to adopt any stance our personal convictions led us to, with the sole caveat that we be able to successfully defend our positions. I vividly recall the day several students stood up and interrupted a lecture on the "Washington consensus" economic system by calling Edsforth's "entire argument a total red herring." The debate that followed was invigorating, to say the least.
Now, for whatever reason, Professor Edsforth is being let go.
I am certain the administration has legitimate motives behind such a move, even if it seems somewhat coldhearted to dismiss a hardworking faculty member who has been central to the Dartmouth community for eleven years. Could not a single course be found among the 100+ courses the history department offers for him to teach?
I hope to have one final chance to take Professor Edsforth's much-lauded "War and Peace since 1900" come spring. But should the school go through with its plan next year's incoming freshmen will not be as fortunate as I.
