Whitlock Retires Unexpectedly, Vacating Dudley Mastership

Charles P. Whitlock unexpectedly resigned as master of Dudley House late last month, privately announcing his retirement to College officials after holding various administrative and teaching posts at Harvard since 1948.

An acting master will probably be appointed for 1982-83 because Whitlock, a former dean of the College, resigned too late in the year to allow for the usual search and hiring process for a new master, officials said this week.

Whitlock declined to explain his departure, but several administrators and tutors speculated that he may have retired at the age of 63 merely because he had grows tired of Harvard employment, possibly combined with health problems.

Students Find Out in September

Dudley House students, who all live off campus, will be informed of Whitlock's resignation when they return to the College in September. Dudley Senior Tutor John R. Marquand said yesterday.

House Committee Chairman Leshe Crossley said yesterday, "I did not know he was planning to retire."

Top University officials responsible for selecting masters will decide by mid-August whether to search for a permanent master or a temporary one for the fall. Dean of the College John B. Fox, Jr., '59 said this week.

Current trips abroad by President Bok and Dean of the Faculty Henry Rosovsky have prevented an immediate search.

Some House officials speculated that an acting master would be chosen from Dudley's Senior Common Room, a group of professors and other University officials affiliated with the House.

Whitlock Silent

Whitlock declined to comment on possible successors. In acknowledging his retirement, he said only, "I'm reluctant to talk about anything to do with Dudley House."

Other House officials also generally refused to discuss why the former lecturer on Social Psychology had decided to retire abruptly. However, they said they were not very surprised by the decision citing Whitlock's lengthy career at Harvard.

"The boat that he's got in Gloucester seems a lot more appealing than coming back to Dudley for another year," said David W. Biomquist a former Dudley Government tutor.

Since 1948 Whitlock was held in a variety of high posts, but he had lost considerable authority within the University in the past six years. In addition to serving as associate director of the Bureau of Study Counsel as Senior Tutor of Dudley in the 1950s, Whitlock acted as special assistant for governmental relations to President Nathan M. Pusey '28 from 1958 to 1970.

Whitlock was dean of Harvard College from 1972-76, but Rosovsky replaced him with Fox. Whitlock had also recently been a Bureau of Study Counsel consultant.

Some of his colleagues said the sudden announcement was consistent with Whitlock's general aversion to publicity. Suid Blomquist: "He's still the B-24 pilot who likes got up and fly around, and to hell with ceremony.