New hire In 1964, a teaching prospect had his first tour of the Heights By Paul Doherty
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bcm v summ er 2 0 13
i showed up
at the English department office in McElroy Commons just in time for my nine o’clock appointment with Professor John Mahoney, the department’s chairman. His was one of several department offices then on the second floor of McElroy. (Construction of Carney Hall was well under way; orange safety fencing surrounded the new building.) The January morning was sunny and very cold; wisps of snow were on the ground. Students were on winter break. The year was 1964. “Ooooooooh. Dr. Mahoney is not here. You’ll have to wait.” The department secretary gestured toward a chair. Her voice (British accent) was low, as if she were divulging confidential information. I took my seat. A few weeks before, I had interviewed with Boston College at the Modern Language Association (MLA) convention, held that year at the Palmer House, in Chicago. The interview team was John Mahoney and a department colleague, Donald Sands. This proved only nominally true, however, for Professor Sands rested on his hotel room bed throughout the meeting, eyes closed, though he did bestow