The Strength of the Hills: Middlebury College, 1915-1990

In this, his second volume examining the history of Middlebury College, David M. Stameshkin explores a unique administrative and social past and recounts the story of those individuals whose legacies endure today. He describes the school's evolution from a tiny, secluded, "poor man's college" to a thriving, multifaceted institution of international stature, outlining how it survived two world wars and a Depression, the GI Bill boom, the unrest of the 60s and 70s, and demographic and financial challenges which have been faced by all institutions of higher education recently. He also examines curriculum changes, the development of a truly coeducational college, fraternities and sororities, the caring and often charismatic faculty, the movement toward diversity, and the birth of world-renowned foreign language, English, and writers' schools at Bread Loaf. Throughout, the interplay of physical location, strong leadership, and sometimes serendipitous fortune have shaped an institution whose progress is as steadfast as the mountains that contribute to its identity and its spiritual strength.