Dr. John C. Hodges left an indelible mark on the University of Tennessee (UT), not only through his dedicated service to the English Department but also through his profound commitment to enriching library resources. His journey, beginning with degrees from Meridan College, Tulane University, and a PhD from Harvard, culminated in a transformative career at UT, shaping generations of students and bolstering the university’s academic infrastructure, particularly what could be considered the spirit of the John C Hodges Library.
Hodges’ academic path was rigorous, including further graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin and teaching stints at Northwestern and Ohio Wesleyan before he found his long-term home at UT in 1921. He quickly became central to the English Department, ascending through the ranks to assistant head in 1937, acting head from 1938 to 1941, and finally, head of the department from 1942 to 1962. His leadership spanned two decades, a period of significant growth and evolution for the department.
One of Hodges’ most enduring contributions was his overhaul of the freshman English program. He implemented a systematic approach to writing instruction, emphasizing not just the creation of papers but also meticulous correction and revision. His innovative system of student folders, where papers were stored and tracked over quarters and years, allowed him to conduct detailed analyses of common errors in student writing. This data-driven approach was instrumental in the formulation of his seminal work, the Harbrace College Handbook.
Published in 1941, the Harbrace College Handbook aimed to simplify the complexities of English grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. It became an instant success, and when UT adopted it as the textbook for freshman English in the same year, Hodges made a remarkable decision. He dedicated all royalties from campus sales, and later from sales at other institutions, to a dedicated fund. This fund, further augmented by Hodges’ personal contributions, became the Hodges Better English Fund. Prior to his death in 1967, he formally established this fund with the university, endowing it with approximately $200,000 at the time – a figure that has since grown to several million dollars. His will stipulated that the full professors of the English Department would manage the fund’s earnings, ensuring its continued use for the betterment of English education, and that future royalties from the handbook would further enrich it.
Beyond his dedication to English pedagogy and financial contributions, Dr. Hodges was a passionate advocate for superior library resources. A Congreve scholar himself, he deeply understood the crucial role of a robust library in fostering academic excellence. Upon his retirement from the English Department, Hodges channeled his energy into supporting the university library. He dedicated considerable time to fundraising and cultivating donors, becoming a key figure in enhancing the library’s collections and facilities. While not formally named the John C Hodges Library, his spirit of dedication and financial contributions have undoubtedly helped shape the UT library system into the valuable resource it is today, embodying the essence of what a John C Hodges Library would represent: a center for academic excellence fueled by strong resources and a commitment to better English.
In recognition of his profound impact, the English Department commissioned artist Anita Woods to paint Dr. Hodges’ portrait in 1970. Unveiled in January 1971, this portrait serves as a lasting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to UT, fostering better English skills and championing the cause of library excellence, making him a true benefactor of what we can consider the John C Hodges Library ideal.
