4/27/2005

Jean Smith, Grant, and antigravity

Students - being innocent, ignorant, and contentious - are subject to fairly specific and stringent plagiarism rules at college.

Dr. Jean Edward Smith is a professor at Marshall University, where the student handbook says (p. 73) "It is the student's responsibility to clearly distinguish their own work [sic] from that created by others. This includes the proper use of quotation marks, paraphrase and the citation of the original source. Students are responsible for both intentional and unintentional acts of plagiarism."

Marshall is serious enough about plagiarism to make use of software called "Turnitin." "Turnitin is a plagiarism detection service as well as an online resource for faculty and students," the school's website says.

Keep this in mind and have a look at these two passages.

From Jean Smith's Grant, page 411, bottom paragraph:
The President's casket, draped in black crepe, rested on a raised platform under a domed black canopy. President Johnson, the Supreme Court, members of the cabinet and the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries, were seated in the room. At the foot of the catafalque were chairs for the President's family, represented only by Robert Lincoln. Mrs. Lincoln felt unable to attend. At the head of the catalfalque, standing alone throughout the ceremony, was Grant - the living symbol of the cause for which the President had given his life.

Correspondent Noah Brooks reported that the general "was often moved to tears." Grant later said he was grateful that Lincoln had spent most of his final days with him at City Point. "He was incontestably the greatest man I have ever known."
From Grant Takes Command by Bruce Catton, 1969 ed., page 479, bottom paragraph:
Draped in crepe and black cloth, the President's casket lay in the East Room under a domed canopy of black cloth. President Johnson, members of the Supreme
Court and the cabinet, the uniformed diplomatic corps and other dignitaries, were seated in the room. At the foot of the catafalque were chairs for members of Mr. Lincoln's family, represented only by Robert Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln feeling unable to attend. At the head of the catafalque, all through the service, stood General Grant, alone.

Correspondent Noah Brooks said that the general "was often moved to tears." Grant reflected said he would always be glad that Lincoln had spent most of his final days in Grant's company, and when he tried to sum up the man he could only say: "He was incontestably the greatest man I have ever known."
Thanks to the reader who tipped me to these passages, which were posted as part of an Amazon.com review.

If students are subject to defined laws of academic honesty -let's call them "gravity" - can their professors function in an antigravity environment?

More on this tomorrow.