Duked Out

It' s been a good run for Duke University's "Gang of 88" during the past week. As George Leef noted here earlier, one of the group's most prominent advocates - English professor Cathy Davidson - was recently appointed by President Obama to the National Council on Humanities in Washington. But there's more: in case you missed it, check out KC Johnson's piece over at Minding the Campus on the American Historical Association's Eugene Asher Distinguished Teacher awardee for this year, Duke history Professor Peter Wood, not to be confused with NAS's president of the same name. I can't comment on Wood's performance as a teacher or scholar when he sticks to his subject. But as Johnson's article illustrates, his use of the classroom to malign the character of students, lacrosse players in particular, is not what most observers would characterize as "distinguished." Apparently, though, the AHE did.