A TRIBUTE TO ARLIN TURNER

Virtually innumerable awards, honors, and accolades have been given Arlin Turner, James B. Duke Professor Emeritus, Duke University, and former editor of American Literature—far too many to attempt a listing here—but perhaps the best and most meaningful tribute, at least for those of us who knew and worked with him as graduate students, is the briefest: scholar, teacher, gentleman, friend.

For the few of us who have had this privilege of close acquaintance, no other person in the academic profession either so fully or so well exemplifies these qualities.

As tributes go, this special issue of Studies in American Humor, entirely of essays by former students of Professor Turner, is totally inadequate. Indeed, it would require a separate publication of this length for each former student to catalogue the occasions he has enjoyed the unstinting aid, counsel, and friendship of Arlin Turner. However, we hope it does indicate in some measure both the debt of gratitude we owe him and the respect and affection we have for him.

JackMeathenia, Ph.D.
Duke University, 1972

Editor’s Note: Professor Turner retired from Duke University in the spring of 1979. Even though the date of this issue is October 1976, the essays were collected for publication coincidental with that retirement date. For various reasons, though, Studies in American Humor has fallen behind schedule, and the actual publication and copyright date of this issue is October 1979.