Regarding the shabby treatment Evelyn Harris by Smith College: Perhaps the Gazette considers this “old news.” However, this shameful action and the complicit piling on by the Gazette, The Boston Globe and NPR have had a devastating effect. Splashing “plagiarism” across the pages and airways along with Ms. Harris’ photograph, without any effort toward eliciting the real story was unconscionable. Whatever happened to investigative journalism?
When Smith decided to confer an honorary degree on Evelyn Harris, it was for her body of work and service to the community over decades. It was not for academic research, nor was it based on her acceptance speech. Having submitted and received approval for her planned remarks from Smith, Ms. Harris rightly assumed that the powers that be understood that her speech, like the covered songs musicians perform, would contain material original to others, and that she would be interpreting their words. To cry “plagiarism” and for the news media to repeat this, without thinking about the impact on Ms. Harris, is beyond belief.
Nearly all graduations speeches contain “plagiarized” material as there just isn’t much original stuff to say. Ms. Harris’ speech was not given as an academic treatise and should not have been subjected to this false standard.Smith, The Gazette, The Globe and NPR all owe Evelyn Harris public apologies with explanations of the events surrounding this giant faux pas. Clearing her name will not erase the pain of public humiliation, but it will set the record straight.
Catherine Bartlett
Northampton