It is not Duhaime’s deficiencies that his professors recall, but his abundance of intellectual curiosity. "Bob is interested in everything," observes Professor Joseph Spoerl of the philosophy department, "books, ideas, music, travel, politics, religion, the arts. What a delight to have in my humanities seminar a graduate of our college who demonstrated every day for my students the point and value of their education."

And just how has that education changed at Saint Anselm since the early 1950s? "Things are certainly more casual today," Duhaime observes, looking around Davison Hall, where he was frequently invited to dine with his Humanities classmates. And while he would like to see students a bit more dressed up, he admires the manner in which his classes were conducted: "I couldn’t help but be struck at how respectful the professors were of all of the students," he insists. "It’s very different from when I was in college when there was always some element of—well—intimidation. The element of respect in the seminars I was in really impressed me. The whole attitude in the classroom seemed elevated by the kinds of discussions that these professors led."

Some things, however, never change, and one constant for Bob Duhaime is the significance of meaningful relationships. "It was with the encouragement of good friends that I came to Saint Anselm in the first place." The youngest of eight children, Duhaime grew up in Manchester assisting his father in the family plumbing and heating business before enlisting in the army, where he was a gunnery instructor at Fort Knox. Meanwhile, his friends had enrolled at Saint Anselm and urged him to join them.

"I was discharged from the army one day and was enrolled at Saint Anselm and sitting in Professor Barbara Stahl’s class the next," he recalls. "I’ll never forget the lessons that she taught me, and I’m still friends with those same guys today. Whenever I speak to young people, I always emphasize the importance of having good friends in their lives." That Duhaime lives the advice he offers is evident in the number of new friends this lifelong learner has made on the Saint Anselm campus. "Bob’s gift for making other people feel necessary and appreciated," says Beth Salerno, "is something that will always stay with me."

This gift of Duhaime’s is evident when he strolls the cobblestone sidewalks of his adopted hometown of Peterborough, New Hampshire. Familiar greetings and warm conversations surround him as he makes his way through the downtown where his practice thrived for some 40 years, and where he remains a proud citizen and active supporter of the arts and culture. A former selectman, he also has helped guide the town on the planning board and the river walk committee. He continues to volunteer his dental services on a regular basis to northern New Hampshire’s neediest residents.

So, what’s next for this new Saint Anselm student? He describes tentative plans for a trip to Antarctica, with a stop at Elephant Island, where the explorer Shackleton survived for two years without losing a man. Then there’s that Christology course that he’s been meaning to enroll in, "or maybe Shakespeare. I never really got enough of that." Teased about earning a second Saint Anselm diploma, he smiles. "I think I remember reading once that the truly educated never graduate."

1 | 2