Word: murrayism
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Since then there have been six other reputable surveys, the latest just published by the Journal of American History. Hundreds of questions were sent to 1,997 historians by Robert K. Murray and Tim H. Blessing of Pennsylvania State University. Answers from 846 historians, a good return from this cantankerous breed, arrived in time for the first computer deadline, and the emerging data provided not only a fascinating profile of greatness, or lack of it, but an intriguing look at those who set the rankings...
Cleveland, however, who was eighth in the first survey, was down to 17th in the Murray-Blessing rankings. Of contemporary interest was the fact that Ford was graded higher than Carter, and out of the nine Presidents since 1929, all except Nixon rated average or above. Nixon got some credit but not enough to keep him out of the lowest-rated group...
...assumption that Eastern Establishment historians dominated the scene and weighted assessments according to their bias and intellectual arrogance. This study may have discredited that myth. The institution that had the most Ph.D. historians was the University of Wisconsin, with 70. Harvard was a poor second, with 49. When Murray-Blessing separated the experts into categories such as the Ivy League and the Big Ten, they found insignificant variations in assessments. For instance, the Ivy League rated Chester Arthur lower and Martin Van Buren higher than did the folks in the Big Ten. Only their mothers could care...
Responding historians were generally enthusiastic about the survey, but Murray and Blessing concede that they got critical comments from colleagues on survey questions and organization. Nevertheless, the authors believe in their work enough to suggest that the ratings of past Presidents are not likely to change much in the future. The two scholars concluded from their data that those historians who participated made their rankings not on the dubious grounds of personality traits like idealism, flexibility and obduracy, but on the solid dimensions of actual presidential accomplishments...
Robert K. Murray Pennsylvania State University University Park...