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Edward Channing's Writing Revolution: Composition Prehistory at Harvard

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Edward Channing's Writing Revolution: Composition Prehistory at Harvard University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Spring 2017 EDWARD CHANNING’S WRITING REVOLUTION: COMPOSITION PREHISTORY AT HARVARD, 1819-1851 Bradfield dwarE d Dittrich University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation Dittrich, Bradfield dwarE d, "EDWARD CHANNING’S WRITING REVOLUTION: COMPOSITION PREHISTORY AT HARVARD, 1819-1851" (2017). Doctoral Dissertations. 163. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/163 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EDWARD CHANNING’S WRITING REVOLUTION: COMPOSITION PREHISTORY AT HARVARD, 1819-1851 BY BRADFIELD E. DITTRICH B.A. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 2003 M.A. Salisbury University, 2009 DISSERTATION Submitted to the University of New Hampshire in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English May 2017 ii ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©2017 Bradfield E. Dittrich iii EDWARD CHANNING’S WRITING REVOLUTION: COMPOSITION PREHISTORY AT HARVARD, 1819-1851 BY BRADFIELD E. DITTRICH This dissertation has been has been examined and approved by: Dissertation Chair, Christina Ortmeier-Hooper, Associate Professor of English Thomas Newkirk, Professor Emeritus of English Cristy Beemer, Associate Professor of English Marcos DelHierro, Assistant Professor of English Alecia Magnifico, Assistant Professor of English On April 7, 2017 Original approval signatures are on file with the University of New Hampshire Graduate School. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... ix 1. INTRODUCTION: THE ORIGIN MYTH ................................................................................. 1 Literature Review: The Lost Half-Century ................................................................................. 5 Historical Context: Industrialized Writing in Composition’s Prehistory ................................. 12 The Archives ............................................................................................................................. 18 Notes: Chapter 1 ....................................................................................................................... 23 2. EDWARD CHANNING AND THE BOYLSTON CHAIR .................................................... 25 The Boylston Chair and the Classical Tradition ....................................................................... 28 Channing’s Background ............................................................................................................ 34 A Question of Qualifications .................................................................................................... 37 Notes: Chapter 2 ....................................................................................................................... 45 3. THE WRITER AND HIS TIMES: NEGOTIATING CHANGE AT HARVARD .................. 47 Digression One: Peabody and Kirkland .................................................................................... 47 A Writer’s Preparation .............................................................................................................. 49 Reports to the President and Overseers: Declamation Debacles .............................................. 58 Digression Two: Barberous Practices ....................................................................................... 64 Composition at Harvard ............................................................................................................ 67 Notes: Chapter 3 ....................................................................................................................... 72 4. GIVEN THE MULTIPLICITY OF BOOKS. ....................................................................... 74 Introducing Henry Burroughs ................................................................................................... 78 v Sophomore Year: Fall 1831-Spring 1832 Critical Consumption ............................................. 83 Junior Year: Fall 1832-Spring 1833 Writing for Personal Gain ............................................... 92 Senior Year: Fall 1833-Spring 1834 Cultivating Originality ................................................. 102 Conclusion: A Multiplicity of Sources ................................................................................... 114 Appendix: Transcript of Fig. 5. ............................................................................................... 118 Notes: Chapter 4 ..................................................................................................................... 119 5. CONCLUSION: CHANNING’S RETIREMENT AND POSSIBLE LEGACY ................... 122 Future History ......................................................................................................................... 122 Conclusion: On Ethical Mythmaking ..................................................................................... 125 Notes: Chapter 5 ..................................................................................................................... 133 WORKS CITED ......................................................................................................................... 134 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Deciding to conduct archival research is a bit like volunteering to be haunted. The specters you begin to see everywhere are harmless – helpful even. But at their best they are beguiling to the point of distraction, and at their worst they are overwhelming to the point of exhaustion. This dissertation could not have been completed successfully without the guidance and support of the people who helped me sort out these noisy shadows, and those who kept me oriented to the present. I’d like to begin by thanking my dissertation advisor, Christina Ortmeier-Hooper, for her unwavering support even before this project began. She saw coherence and importance in my miscellaneous academic interests long before I did, and guided my (occasionally meandering) progress with unwavering tact and patience. That I leave UNH with a healthy measure of confidence in myself as a scholar is due mainly to the many hours I spent over coffee with Christina. She also invited me into the world of writing program administration, and broadened the possibilities I saw for myself in the field. It is immeasurably comforting to know that I can continue to rely on her guidance for years to come. I am, of course, grateful in a million ways to each member of my committee. First, though, an apology to every student who sat through any class I taught before meeting Tom Newkirk. His faith in students, his respect and enthusiasm for writers of every age and ability is effortless and uncanny and inspiring. In my mind, Tom and UNH are inextricable, and I am a kinder, better teacher of writing just because I was fortunate enough to arrive there in time to learn from him. Likewise, thank you to Cristy Beemer: without her relentlessly positive energy and reliably good advice, my time at UNH would have been far drearier. To Alecia Magnifico, for being, however briefly, an excellent neighbor, and for always being willing to take on more vii than she needed to. To Marcos DelHierro for diving right in with great aplomb, providing excellent feedback and useful career advice even while acclimating to the bitter white north. In addition to my committee members, I would also like to thank the UNH Graduate School for financial assistance that helped me to complete this dissertation. With the support of a Summer TA Fellowship in 2016, I was able to conduct the final stages of the archival research that is central to this project. Molly Tetreault, the Director of the Connors Writing Center, has probably provided more support for this dissertation than she realizes or would admit to. Ever a true writing assistant, her thoughtful responses to chapters were incisive and encouraging. More importantly, having a front row seat to watch her develop the CWC into the exciting community it is today has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my entire graduate career. Just walking into that space on a regular basis, watching the writing assistants be thoughtful and kind and unspeakably talented, has been a constant reminder that studying writers and writing is important and exciting. My friends and colleagues at UNH, past and present, invigorated me when this project was going well, and distracted and supported me when it was overwhelming. Thank you to every single graduate student I have shared the halls with, but especially to Adam Cogbill, Matt Switliski, Wendy VanDellen, Sarah Franco, Xiaoqiong You, Danielle Lavendier, and Lauren Short. Completing a Ph.D. program is bewildering in ways that only one’s fellows can truly understand. They have all made this process much more manageable, and much more fun – through weekly trivia, whiskey fueled conversation, and liberally applied good humor. I am fortunate
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