Buck F. Edward Lund, Kenyon's president from 1957 to 1968.
Fauncey, or The Faunce Professor William Ray Ashford of the modern languages faculty, whose favorite expression—pronounced in erudite tones—was “Fancy that!” Ashford, who joined the faculty in 1924 and taught at Kenyon for thirty years, was also called “Daisy.”
Froggy Professor of Biology Charles S. Thornton, who did research on frogs.
The Fire Chief . Frank E. Bailey, dean of the College and history professor, who occasionally drove his wife's bright red Chrysler convertible. The name may also refer to his prominent role in saving students during the Old Kenyon Fire in 1949. Bailey was at Kenyon for more than twenty years, 1947 to 1968.
Jimsey .Professor of Speech and Drama James E. Michael.
Papa Nick and Mama Nick Mathematics professor Otton Nikodym and his wife, Stanislawa, an adjunct math instructor. The Nikodyms were Polish and spoke with accents. According to Doug Downey '51, when Mama Nick gave her class a pop quiz, she would say, “Ween you boys are feenished, poot your testes on ze table.”
The Nuge Kenyon's current president, S. Georgia Nugent.
Pappy Professor of English and Kenyon Review founding editor John Crowe Ransom—so called because of his southern origins and accent, perhaps. (Mrs. Ransom was called Mammy.) Ransom was also known as “The Crow.”
Psycho Sam Professor of Psychology Samuel B. Cummings, who taught at Kenyon from 1938 to 1971.
Rocky Gordon Keith Chalmers, Kenyon's president from 1937 until his death in 1956, because he came to College from Rockford College in Rockford, Illinois.
Snake Professor of English Frank Rouda.
Stu Magoo Stuart Rice McGowan, who arrived at Kenyon as a freshman in 1924 and ended up doing just about everything on the faculty and administration. In addition to teaching history and political science, at various times he served as registrar, dean of students, and assistant to the president. His two most popular American history courses were nicknamed “Cowboys and Indians” and “Cops and Robbers.”
The Toad Dean of Students Tom Edwards. (The dean's house was called Toad Hall.) Speaking at the dedication of Edwards House last summer, Professor of English Emeritus Perry Lentz attributed the nickname to the former swimming coach's “swimmer's build—the pigeon-toed gait, the slightly bowed legs”—and (quoting Huckleberry Finn ) to “premature balditude.” Lentz, who also recalled the fear that Edwards sometimes inspired (and a disciplinary run-in that he himself once had with the dean), couldn't bring himself to actually utter the nickname.