The Elm Student Newspaper
Richard Harwood remembered as avid college supporter, respected journalist
Eliot Caroom
WC supporter and prominent journalist Richard Harwood.
Courtesy of College Web Site
WC supporter and accomplished Washington Post reporter Richard Harwood recently died at the age of 75 in Bethesda, Maryland after a lengthy battle with cancer. Harwood led a diverse and active life, serving in the Marine Corps during World War II, including the campaign for Iwo Jima, according to Washington College Magazine's obituary.
Working at the Washington Post, Harwood had an illustrious career in which he served as national editor, assistant managing editor, and in the words of Vice-president for College Relations Meredith Davies-Hadaway, he "created the role of ombudsman at the Washington Post."
Commenting on Harwood's creation of that position, Davies-Hadaway said, "An ombudsman is the paper's in house critic. It was a revolutionary role that he invented. In the post-Watergate era where the media was no longer simply covering news but making it, Harwood's concept of an ombudsman was all-important."
In addition to these positions of leadership within the Post, Harwood was a veteran reporter who covered many prominent stories, including the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968. Vice-president for Administration Joseph Holt recently recalled that Harwood was in the kitchen with Kennedy when he was shot, and Kennedy died literally in his arms.
According to the obituary in the WC Magazine, "Post editor Ben Bradlee recalled that Harwood's phone call to file that story was the only occasion in his career when he yelled 'Stop the presses!'"
In addition to his military service, newspaper career, and authorship of several books and other works that were Pulitzer-prize nominated, Harwood took an active interest and role in WC during his retirement, though he had no previous connection to the school.
"He was one of the most important figures in American journalism, and we were very fortunate to have him on our campus," said Davies-Hadaway.
"When he forged a relationship with the Eastern shore, we were the beneficiaries of that at WC."She went on to recollect that "he was appointed Elm advisor the same time I was appointed as advisor of the Pegasus. In those days he was very active; he met Saturdays with the Elm editors to critique the paper.
He not only critiqued the paper weekly with Elm staff, but obtained summer internships for Elm editors at places like Rolling Stone magazine. Imagine working with the former managing editor of the Washington Post like that.""I am particularly grateful for the time he devoted to the Elm," said former Elm editor and junior Michael Duck, after being contacted by e-mail during his study this semester in France. "Last year, he even made time to come visit with the Elm staff, allowing us to ask questions and draw on his experience. He was a tremendous source of support for this newspaper."
"The thing that struck me about him was he had no ties here," said Holt. "None of his children went here, none of his family went here, and he realized that he could have more of an effect at a small college than at a place like UMD or UVA."
Harwood did not just advise the Elm. He also spoke at WC, founded an endowment, the Harwood Journalism series, served as executive editor of the Literary House Press, and on the Board of Trustees.
"His willingness to serve on the Board of Trustees was a demonstration of affection for the place, because that was a lot of work," noted Davies-Hadaway. "On a personal note, Harwood's battle with cancer was an immense inspiration to my husband and myself as we faced the same disease.
He was my hero."English and creative writing Professor Robert Day recalled Harwood fondly as well: "Mr. Harwood was wonderfully maladjusted to polite society.
This led him to be blunt, honest, and an extraordinary friend to me and WC."Alluding to Tom Brokaw's idea of the WWII generation being "the Greatest Generation," Holt said, "he really is at least for me an example of what Brokaw's talking about- you think about the example he set, in service to his country, and his family, and this college, and you think, where are the replacements? Do we make them like that anymore?"
Holt reported that President Toll has written a letter to one of Harwood's sons, John, who has helped WC in the past, asking him to continue his father's work here.
A memorial service will be held honoring Harwood Saturday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. in the Norman James Theatre. The service will be attended by his family, WC administrators and faculty, and hopefully a large number of students.
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