Memories of “Bill” Faulkner with the IMP Society

By Jack Docherty (Education ’61)

I entered the University in January, 1958, as Mr. Faulkner began his second and last term as Writer-in-Residence. I would always speak with him when I saw him walking on the grounds, and especially at the track meets which he frequented. At one meet we were talking on the field and I asked him how much longer would he remain in Charlottesville before returning to Oxford, Mississippi. He said “a fortnight.” I didn’t know what that word meant, and I went back to my room and looked it up in the dictionary. Every time I’ve heard that word since then (admittedly, not too often) I think of him. He had that beautiful British way of speaking, with neat phrases and often unusual wording. Speaking with him was always a joy for me. He was also surprisingly humble. Once I had two young co-eds in my car and was showing them around the Grounds when I spotted Mr. Faulkner walking unnoticed. “There's William Faulkner,” I told my lady friends. They were extremely excited and asked me to stop, which I did. He was very sweet with those girls. The four of us had such a lovely experience that I was glad we had stopped to talk.

I was, or rather I am a member of the IMP Society. In 1958, The IMPS decided that Mr. Faulkner should receive the IMP Award we give annually to an important Professor, and invited him to attend the awards dinner. We also invited Professor John Coleman, the distinguished English Professor, to accompany Mr. Faulkner at the ceremony. (I can't remember if it was at Fry Springs or Farmington.) On the night of the dinner we sent one of our members – I’ll call him “Henry” in this account, though that is not his name – to pick up Mr. Faulkner and the VIP guest Professor Coleman from the English Department. Well, Henry had put a few swigs of his favorite bourbon, Virginia Gentleman, in him before he left our pre-dinner cocktail party to pick the two up – enough so that he was feeling no pain. He returned with both of our distinguished guests. We realized just how much of bourbon Henry had downed when he came into the room with his arm around Mr. Faulkner as if they were old and best friends. They were about the same height. Henry, with his arm around Mr. Faulkner, proceeds to introduce the ten or twelve IMPS in the room to his new pal, “Bill” Faulkner! Professor Coleman began having a nervous breakdown which got worse every time Henry called Mr. Faulkner “Bill.” As for Mr. Faulkner, he was loving it! He loved the whole evening and we all had a great dinner and evening. This wonderful man and author gave a warm thank you speech. Of course a more sober member took Mr. Faulkner home.

In closing I want to remark how humble and shy Mr. Faulkner was. While attending Mr. Jefferson’s University we often speak about being a “gentleman.” To me and my fellow classmates, Mr. Faulkner was the walking symbol of what that word means. And God, could that man write!! We were blessed, we few 4500 men students wearing coats and ties, to have William Faulkner walk with us and share with us his genius on our immortal grounds.

While a student on an athletic scholarship Jack Docherty was elected the President of his school and was a member of the Jefferson Literary Society, the IMP Society, the TILKA Society and the Honor Committee. He played on the football team and was the last boxer to represent the University of Virginia at the NCAA Boxing Championships. Although he says he still doesn’t know how he did it, he graduated in 3 years. After UVA he worked at Bristol Myers Squibb before he became the Founder and CEO of a Boston Orthopaedic Medical Firm. He assisted in the design and development of total hip and knee joint replacements and reconstruction at the Harvard Medical School Hospitals. In 1997, he retired to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He can be contacted at docxx@webtv.net

©2010 Jack Docherty