Letters to the Editor: Remembering Christina Crosby

Dear Editor,

The Class of ’86 recently celebrated our 35th year reunion. That means I have been reading the printed copy of the magazine cover to cover for 36 years! I grab my glasses and open to the Class Notes, in tiny font in the back. I love what our alums are doing. Always inventive, courageous, a little intimidating. (An odd side note: Our class secretary, Eric Howard ’86, just took a job as executive director of the Timber Framers Guild where coincidentally my husband has been affiliated for many years. So we are back in touch.)

But, but, I despaired when reading about Christina Crosby, whose story was unimaginable. I was in the very first class of British Literature that she ever taught at Wes when she was hired—I want to say from Brown? She was nervous that first class. But so, so great, even on day one. Engaging and honest, clear and—a weird detail I remember—she wore the most comfortable and stylish pants, grey-brown and herringbone. I tried to replicate her style in my own life as a professor at NYU Grad Film, thinking it would offer me more credibility. I was young like her, so not a bad theory, in fact!

I hadn’t known anything about her accident, or subsequent memoir, so as you can guess it was gobsmacking. But that’s what you do at the Wes Mag, right? Create compelling narrative of our Wes lives in long-form magazine format, wherever the life story has led.

Thank you for this good journalistic work. When I read it, despite the narratives sometimes being heartbreaking, I am so pleased for the education Wesleyan offered to help launch us all.

Melany Kahn ’86
West Chesterfield, NH