The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE HATCHET MAN

IN SEPTEMBER, 1969, I STARTED AT U. OF D. AS A MATH MAJOR
AND THE PROF FOR MY FIRST MATH CLASS MATH 141 WAS MR.
TRAVIS. ONE DAY HE PROMISED TO TELL US WHY HIS STUDENTS
SUPPOSEDLY CALLED HIM "THE HATCHET MAN." (I HADN'T
HEARD THE NAME APPLIED TO HIM BEFORE THIS TIME, BUT MAYBE
IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS JUST A FIRST TERM FRESHMAN.) HE SAID
THAT HE HAD HAD ONE STUDENT WHO WAS BOUND AND DETERMINED
TO PASS ONE MATH COURSE HE WAS TEACHING, EVEN THOUGH IT
WAS ABOUT THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME AROUND FOR THE STUDENT.
THE REASON THE STUDENT WAS SO DETERMINED WAS THAT HE
NEEDED THE COURSE TO GRADUATE. FINALLY, HE SUCCEEDED
IN PASSING AND AFTER GRADUATION, HE GAVE TRAVIS A TOKEN
OF HIS APPRECIATION, A GOLD (PAINTED) HATCHET WHICH
TRAVIS SHOWED OUR MATH 141 CLASS.
DURING TERM II 70-71, I FOUND MYSELF ONCE AGAIN SHARING
THREE HOURS A WEEK IN ONE OF THE MATH CLASSES (MATH 431)
TAUGHT BY TRAVIS. HE EVIDENTLY STILL HAD THE HATCHET
SINCE HE TOLD US THE SAME STORY I HAD HEARD IN 1969.
ONCE AGAIN, HE SHOWED US THAT SAME GOLD HATCHET.

Submitter comment: IN MATH 141 HE GAVE ME A B; IN MATH 431 HE GAVE ME
AN A, SO HE CAN'T BE THAT BAD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): UNUSUAL GIFTS

Date learned: 10-30-1971