Tufts University - Jumbo Yearbook (Medford, MA)

Page 32 text:

Associate Professor Newlin R. Smith Economics

Page 34 text:

Sylvan Barnet, Fletcher Professor of English Litera¬ ture and chairman of the Department of English, is that rare phenomenon, a noted scholar and researcher who is also a dedicated and exciting teacher. Many know him as the general editor of the Signet Classic Shake¬ speare series, which is rapidly becoming a popular col¬ lege text in the study of Shapkespeare; we at Tufts have felt the force of the man’s personality in the classroom, have seen the flashes of wit and humor and brilliance that convince us that his mind is its own reference. A native New Yorker, Dr. Barnet was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of New York University in 1948. From Harvard he received his M.A. in 1950 and his Ph.D. in 1954. He travelled and studied extensively in Europe under the auspices of a Dexter Traveling Fellow¬ ship, and in 1954 took a position as instructor in the English Department at Tufts. When he was made chair¬ man of that department in 1962, he became one of our youngest department heads. His publications are legion. As freshmen, we knew him as one of the “Three Bs” whose Introduction to Literature was the handbook of English 2. With Messrs. Berman and Burto, he has authored numerous collec¬ tions of dramatic literature. His own research into the tragic drama of various Elizabethan and 19th century English authors has yielded many articles on drama, in addition to the Signet Shakespeare series. That Dr. Barnet is a teacher is evident after only a few minutes spent in his Shakespeare class. He is both interested and interesting, a dynamic character actor giving it his all. He reads from a comedy, interrupting himself with background information, critical comment¬ ary, occasionally with discussions of his discoveries and decisions as an editor. He reads with delight, delivers the punchline with eyebrows lifted. He is a demanding teacher. His criticisms on pa¬ pers concern the style and tactfulness of the writing as well as the thought - and he grades and returns papers with lightning speed, while they are still enough our own to have his criticisms stay with us. From his amazing memory come quotations and a veritable history of Shakespearean thought and production techniques. He wants his students to be interested enough to remember it all, to develop sufficient feeling for the material to match him quote for quote. Although he is “on” before a class, his personal magnetism is increased at close range. One of the busi¬ est, hardest-to-find men on campus, Dr. Barnet is, once found, a concerned and sympathetic listener, a well- informed adviser, a patient teacher. He has taught us, and taught us well. And for this we thank him. 30