Feldstein Remains Alive! Rumors of Death Untrue

Rumors of his death have been greatly exaggerated.

And for much of the past two days, the campus has been buzzing with talk that Baker Professor of Economics Martin S. Feldstein '61 had passed away.

But the professor, those close to him say, remains very much alive.

"He's alive and well," said Jane T. Trahan, Feldstein's secretary. "I can assure you of that."

The rumor started Thursday night, when students in Feldstein's Social Analysis 10 went to Jefferson Hall hoping to take a unit test, according to the course office. The optional tests, offered throughout the year, give students in the introductory economics course a chance to boost their final grades.

When students entered room 250, they expected to see unit test administrators and students at work. But what they found instead was a message on the chalkboard claiming that the test had been canceled because of Feldstein's death.

Word spread quickly, as students phoned their section leaders. A curious teaching fellow called unit test coordinator David Tabak within a few hours.

Tabak said he immediately knew the rumor had to be false. There had never been plans to administer the test on Thursday.

The schedule of tests given to students at the beginning of the semester did not list it as an option because there had been an hour exam for the course on Wednesday, Tabak said.

Not all 900 students in the course heard the rumor through the grapevine. "I didn't know that hap- pened," said Man-Kit Leung '98. "That's pretty funny."

Some immediately dismissed it, "I don't think anyone believed it," said Inge-Lise Peetz '98.

But many attempted to check the veracity of the rumor when they first heard it. "There were eight calls on Thursday night from people [asking] about the rumor," said Raj Shourie '95, executive editor of The Crimson.

Feldstein was traveling yesterday and could not be reached for comment

Some immediately dismissed it, "I don't think anyone believed it," said Inge-Lise Peetz '98.

But many attempted to check the veracity of the rumor when they first heard it. "There were eight calls on Thursday night from people [asking] about the rumor," said Raj Shourie '95, executive editor of The Crimson.

Feldstein was traveling yesterday and could not be reached for comment