The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SECULAR HERO LEGEND (PROFESSOR)

A VERY FAMOUS AND RESPECTED PROFESSOR AT HARVARD HAD A REPUTATION
FOR BEING A FANTASTIC LECTURER, AND ALL HIS LECTURES WERE ALWAYS
FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH LISTENERS. BY CHANCE, AFTER ONE OF HIS
BEST SPEECHES, A STUDENT HAD LEFT HIS NOTEBOOK IN THE LECTURE HALL
AND THE PROFESSOR OPENED IT UP OUT OF CURIOSITY TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT
THE STUDENT HAD WRITTEN. WHEN HE READ WHAT THE STUDENT HAD COPIED
FROM HIS LECTURE, HE SILENTLY WALKED OUT OF THE LECTURE HALL AND
VOWED NEVER TO GIVE ANOTHER LECTURE AGAIN. WHEN QUESTIONED, HE
ONLY SAID, "IF THAT IS WHAT THEY GET OUT OF MY LECTURES, I HAVE NO
RIGHT TO BE A LECTURER." AND TO THIS DAY HE HAS NEVER GIVEN
ANOTHER LECTURE AT ANY COLLEGE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM FR. MCKENDRICK IN AN ENGLISH CLASS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT