I read that our beloved Ben Fairorth died (“A remarkable teacher who almost made it to age 100,” Aug. 13). Like many, I was surprised that he had lived so long. But I guess it takes a lot to extinguish a life force like that one.
Because of Ben Fairorth, I have been a writer my entire life and have made my living off of words, first as a reporter and then as a science writer in higher ed. It goes far beyond the vocabulary lists we memorized — palimpsest, averse, disparate — and his obvious wonder in the English language. Ben gave us permission to love literature and to love books …
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I read that our beloved Ben Fairorth died (“A remarkable teacher who almost made it to age 100,” Aug. 13). Like many, I was surprised that he had lived so long. But I guess it takes a lot to extinguish a life force like that one.
Because of Ben Fairorth, I have been a writer my entire life and have made my living off of words, first as a reporter and then as a science writer in higher ed. It goes far beyond the vocabulary lists we memorized — palimpsest, averse, disparate — and his obvious wonder in the English language. Ben gave us permission to love literature and to love books and to find in them a through line for our entire lives. This could be enough. I don’t think I would have known that without him.
And that hair! And the way he laughed! And how you always felt in on some kind of great joke in his classroom!
Thank you for writing about Ben and bringing him back so clearly. I loved him. I still hear him whispering over my shoulder, railing against a comma or urging clearer sentences. He will never be dead for those of us who had the great fortune to sit in his classroom.
Wendy Plump
Communications Lead
Department of Chemistry
Princeton University
