Tom Arthur

No disguising his enthusiasm

By Mary Aldhizer Sloat ('83)

When Tom Arthur entered a classroom, his energy had a way of reaching out and grabbing the attention of each student. There was no disguising his enthusiasm for his subject, theater.

Chaperoning a group of students for a semester in England would have left many professors frustrated, grumpy and downright exhausted. He may have been all of those, but it never showed.

"Thank you, Tom, for opening my mind to the beauty of theater."

While Gower Street was home for the semester, Tom made sure we kept moving. He led us to two and even three plays a week, field trips to museums and castles, breakfasts of neatly arranged toast and even Thanksgiving in London. Every event was memorable and most enjoyable in no small part due to Tom’s enthusiasm.

Yes, he taught us a lot, but he was so much more than a teacher, he was an inspiration. Arthur fostered a love of theater in me that continues to serve and enrich me. I have shared this love of theater with my children who are now developing a love and appreciation for live productions. Thank you, Tom, for opening my mind to the beauty of theater.