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Franklin L. Ford, former dean of the Faculty, has returned from a one-term sabbatical in Europe and will be living in Quincy House beginning in September.
Ford served as dean from 1962 until this January, when John T. Dunlop took over as acting dean after Ford announced his retirement in December. Dunlop has since been named as Ford's permanent successor.
In the announcement of his retirement, Ford said his duties as dean were "demanding and almost endlessly distracting."
He came under attack from Faculty liberals several times, particularly after a letter stolen from his files was published in the Old Mole during the spring 1969 strike. The confidential letter from Ford to President Pusey criticized the Faculty's vote on ROTC as hasty and ill-conceived.
A few days later, Ford was hospitalized for a mild stroke, but he completely recovered after a few weeks.
In the following months, the Faculty passed several resolutions which were viewed as reducing the power of the dean.
Nevertheless, Ford told the Faculty meeting at which he announced his retirement that his "continuing pride in this Faculty, viewed simply as a body of scholars, has survived, and will survive."
Teaching
Ford, the McLean Professor of Ancient and Modern iHstory, continued teaching half a load even while he served as dean. He will resume teaching in the Fall.
Ford said he had a "wonderful" sabbatical but is happy to be back. He had told the Faculty in December that he felt no compulsion to leave Harvard after resigning as dean, and with his move to Quincy House he will be pretty close to the center of the University.
Ford, said last night that he doesn't feel Harvard is as bad off as is sometimes alleged. What it needs, he said, is for "Faculty and students to rally around and get about the business this Fall."
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