John U. Monro: Uncommon Educator

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ix Acknowledgments John Monro had a way of changing people’s lives, and I am no exception. Reading his obituary in the Boston Globe triggered my decision to take early retirement , and writing his biography has provided me with a decade of inspiration, surprises, frustrations, and stimulation; put me in touch with fascinating people, many of whom deserve biographies of their own; forged a number of cherished friendships; and vastly expanded my understanding of the difference a committed individual can make. To my good fortune Monro also had a way of bringing out the best in those he touched. By and large the people I contacted as I sought a greater understanding of Monro were delighted to learn that his story was being told, and they went out of their way to help, often far beyond the limits of what I had requested. Virtually every person who agreed to an interview, a phone call, or an e-mail exchange deserves acknowledgment, but because that is not feasible, I offer the bibliography as an extension of these acknowledgments, in addition to its traditional role as scholarly apparatus. Several generous people got my research off to a promising start: Betsy Dean of Stonehill’s McPhaidin Library shared my excitement about the project and conducted her own preliminary search for materials about Monro. Then Monro’s daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Philip Dreyer, responded generously to my first inquiry and began putting me in touch with key people in Monro’s life. They have since given me unfettered access to Monro’s private papers as well as several day-long interviews, a guided tour of the South Freeport property, and prompt answers to a relentless blizzard of questions. At the Harvard memorial service I met Monro’s nephew Peter, who shared his impressive genealogical research, read most of the manuscript, and, with his x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS wife, Jill Bock, put me up during my visit to the South Freeport cottage. Other gracious overnight hosts include Betty Bamberg, Judy Brook, Peggy Jolly, Anna Leon, and Don and Tommie Toner. Faculty development funds and a summer grant from Stonehill College supported my first two years of research. At the 2005 Conference on College Composition and Communication, Ken Autrey and Jeff Zorn joined me in presenting papers that explored Monro’s work at Harvard, Miles, and Tougaloo. Ken Autrey, Kurt Cerulli, Shane Crabtree, Phil Dreyer, Prill Ellis, Kerri English , Ruth Gove, George Hanford, Ruth and Ed LaMonte, Rose Parkman Davis Marshall, Mike Shinagel, and Kim Townsend, among others, provided supportive but rigorous feedback on early drafts. Kevin Coachman, Tylvester Goss, Richard Hannon, Leslie Harmon, Keith Miller, Pamela Ralston Sanders, Lawrence Sledge, Pieter Teeuwissen, and Gloria McCrae Watson each provided a student’s-eye view of Monro. Family members—especially my mother, Jimmy Hagedorn; my sisters and brothers, Francette, Lynn, Mark, and Kurt; my sister-in-law, Mary McAvity; my sons, Dom, Mino, and Chris; their wives, Amanda, Maura, and Leigh; my nephew Tovar Cerulli and his wife, Catherine—and friends, especially Ann Hilferty , Sarah P. Morris, Martha Singer, and Ron Sudol, became cheerful if involuntary experts in all things Monro. LSU Acquisitions Editor Rand Dotson and Southern Biography Series Editor Andrew Burstein helped me trim and focus the book. Copyeditor Elizabeth Gratch immeasurably improved its accuracy and readability, and LSU Press editor Neal Novak smoothly guided it through the publication process. I gratefully acknowledge the help of the following and apologize to those I may have omitted. For details about Monro’s family background, early years, and undergraduate career: Jim Batchelder of Andover High School; Joseph Boyd; Lewis Brown; Donald Carmichael; Karen and Ted English; Martha Ferede; Bill Foster; Augusta Noss Howe; Jean Kuropatkin, formerly of Cambridge High and Latin School; Jon Kuypers of Camp Abnaki; Mary Monro MacGregor; Barbara Ann McCahill of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, North Andover; Vicki Booth Demarest Monro; John Morison; Debbie Moskul of Christ Church Episcopalian, Andover; Ruth Hardie Scheidecker; Bob and Ditsie Scobie; James Scobie; Eben Sutton; Richard Sutton; Charles Tanenbaum; and Edward Tilton. For information about the war years: James C. “Barney” Barnhill, editor of the CV-6 Bulletin; Arnold “Arne” Olson, public relations officer of the CV-6 Asso- xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ciation; Rod Carlson; William Davis; John Dunbar; Robert Hehir; Dorothy Higgins ; Jim Martin; Charlie Russert; Pedro Sandoval; CV-6 webmaster Joel Shepherd ; Donald Speer; Mike Turnipseed; Kenneth Wyffels; and Norm Zafft. For...