http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2007/06/04/the-fashionable-english-department-berry/ A web site by Joshua Sowin that addresses culture, books, technology, ecology, religion, and other topics. Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:07:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2007/06/04/the-fashionable-english-department-berry/comment-page-1/#comment-36216 GeorgeT Tue, 05 Jun 2007 22:51:34 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2007/06/04/the-fashionable-english-department-berry/#comment-36216 In his memoirs, "Nothing Gold Can Stay", the late Walter Sullivan had some interesting things to say about the decline of his English department at Vanderbilt. He took refuge in teaching Creative Writing, where the only work of quality and common sense was still allowed. On one occasion the department eagerly accepted the employment application of a lesbian purely because she was a lesbian -- it would enhance the department's standing to have someone from a "minority". When she declared that she would not accept unless her girlfriend was also employed, the department, rather than refuse to have any further dealings with her as normal propriety would demand, jumped at the chance to get another lesbian on their staff. In his memoirs, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, the late Walter Sullivan had some interesting things to say about the decline of his English department at Vanderbilt. He took refuge in teaching Creative Writing, where the only work of quality and common sense was still allowed. On one occasion the department eagerly accepted the employment application of a lesbian purely because she was a lesbian — it would enhance the department’s standing to have someone from a “minority”. When she declared that she would not accept unless her girlfriend was also employed, the department, rather than refuse to have any further dealings with her as normal propriety would demand, jumped at the chance to get another lesbian on their staff.

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