...And to Redeem the Tarnished Honor of Philadelphia...

...Comes this magnificent piece of news, via Theresa P.

(This post is a follow-up to Scoundrels of Philadelphia.)

Haverford College—which is on the outskirts of, yes, Philadelphia—has restored to its rightful owners a valuable 1641 letter by René Descartes that was only recently authenticated. It rightfully belonged to the Institut de France, from which it was stolen by the infamous (and ironically named) Count Guglielmo Libri some 170 years ago.

The last time one of the stolen letters turned up, the current owner held it for a huge ransom that the Institut couldn't afford to pay. So guess what Haverford did with theirs?

They gave it back.

"Haverford values social responsibility and commitment to community as much as we value rigorous academics,” said Haverford president Stephen G. Emerson, '74. "While we’ve certainly benefited from having the Descartes letter in our collection [...] there was really only one possible course of action: do the right thing, and offer to return the letter. We certainly hope someone else would do the same for us if the shoe were on the other foot."

Emerson gets TOP's mensch award for that. (Okay, TOP doesn't have a mensch award, but if it did, he'd get it.) Haverford, not surprisingly, has one of the oldest honor codes of any American college. What a shame that more of the movie villains from The Art of the Steal were evidently not exposed to concepts like "honor" and "doing the right thing" back when their minds were still impressionable.

(Jeez, and after all this time, I find the college I should have attended. Only 35 years too late. You know what they say: oh well.)

Haverford's president again: "In our ever-shrinking world, when strangers become friends and then partners at the click of a mouse, we want to do all we can to show, by example, what it means for scholars and citizens to collaborate for the common good."

Bravo.

Mike
(Thanks to Kent and Theresa)

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Original contents copyright 2010 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[Mhoffrob]

As a Haverford alum, I'm not at all surprised the right thing was done!

[Daniel Fealko]

Their "About" page states that being "Founded on the Quaker values of individual dignity, academic strength, and tolerance, we combine a rigorous academic program with an informal atmosphere of mutual respect and collaboration among students, faculty and staff."

What an absolutely refreshing approach to life in this day and age, especially given that they actually let it govern their actions. I can think of a few companies which, though supposedly also having a code of conduct, don't live by theirs.

[David Miller]

Now that is what I call a feel-good story -- and a real lift after "The Art of the Steal."

It's odd, when you consider how very simple it is to do the right thing (especially if one makes a habit of it), that people so often choose to do something else.

[Edward Taylor]

Mike -

I grew up in Haverford, and went to Haverford College. What they did with the letter is very much in keeping with the atmosphere at the college. We Haverfordians don't just talk the talk. This story makes me proud and lets me know that good honest people who value ideals more than money have not perished from this earth.

Ed

[D'11]

As a Dartmouth student, I'm a little surprised by the "college I should have a attended" line. No love for Hanover?

[Al Patterson]

This reminds me of one of my favorite jokes.

Rene Descartes walks into a bar.

The bartender asks him "would you like a drink?"

Rene says "I think not" and promptly ceases to exist...

I'm glad things are looking up for Philly re: Haverford College.

[Don Bryant]

David Miller stole a bit of my thunder; what Philadelphia did to Albert Barnes and his art collection...

Well I'm not so sure we should feel so uplifted about Phillie, but at least give Haverford kudos for doing the right thing.

[toto]

"While we’ve certainly benefited from having the Descartes letter in our collection [...] there was really only one possible course of action: do the right thing, and offer to return the letter."

In exchange for 15,000 euros. I thought owners of stolen art were not entitled to compensation when the art was returned.

"Haverford values social responsibility and commitment to community as much as we value rigorous academics". Right.

[Mike Johnston]

toto,
Your cynicism is misplaced. The compensation was offered as a reward, a finder's fee as it were, not demanded by Haverford, and at any rate was far less than the letter would be worth on the open market.

Mike