Dictionary of Newfoundland English Note: Lectureship in humanities established to honor George Story (MUN Gazette, 1996)

Dr. George M. Story was one of the editors of the Dictionary of Newfoundland English. We will explore something of the history of the Dictionary and it's editors and contributors through occasional notes on internet resources relating to them. Here is one to an article announcing the creation of a Lecture in honour of Dr. Story back in 1996 at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

March 7, 1996, MUN Gazette:

Lectureship in humanities established to honor George Story

By Pam Frampton

There's not much chance that the late Dr. George Story, a scholar of international repute and one of the editors of the Dictionary of Newfoundland English, will ever be forgotten at Memorial. But the chances of that happening are now even slimmer, thanks to a recent resolution by the Board of Regents which approved the establishment of an endowed lectureship in the humanities in Dr. Story's name.

The George M. Story Lecture in Humanities will be co-sponsored by the Office of the Vice-President (Research) and the Office of the Dean of Arts -- each will contribute $20,000. Approximately 75 per cent of the interest earned on the endowment will be used to pay for a small honorarium and expenses for visiting lecturers; the remaining interest earned on the fund will be re-invested. The fiscal management of the fund will be the responsibility of the university comptroller. An annual call for nominations will be made to members of the university community, with a deadline of March 1. Dr. Kevin Keough, vice-president (research) and Dr. Terry Murphy, dean of arts, will select the lecturer each year after appropriate consultation.

"It was something we undertook because George was one of the most -- if not the most -- influential scholars I've come into contact with since I've been at the university," Dr. Keough told the Gazette. "George was enormously generous in his fostering of scholarship, especially among his junior colleagues. The lectureship is intended to highlight scholarship in the humanities, to honor George, and to give members of the community the opportunity to hear distinguished, international scholars who will embody the high quality of scholarship demonstrated by George himself."

Dr. Murphy said that deciding to endow a lectureship was part of a broader exercise to honor Dr. Story's memory. A medal of excellence, the George M. Story Convocation Medal in Arts, was awarded for the first time at spring convocation 1995, to Janet Lynn Hutchings of Cow Head -- though the medal wasn't quite finished at the time. It will be awarded at the discretion of the Senate Committee on Scholarships at the dean of arts' recommendation. It is meant to reward a student graduating with a bachelor of arts who has demonstrated both academic excellence and a strong commitment to serving the university and the community -- qualities which Dr. Story displayed during his 40 years at Memorial.