When I applied to college, Gary Little was the Seatte interviewer for Harvard. You can read about him in Wikipedia for details. He was an extraordinary guy. He was charming and smart and dedicated to liberal, Democratic causes. His own background was a difficult one that he had overcome to win himself a scholarship to Harvard. At the time of my interview, he was an important lawyer in Seattle; I believe an Assistant Attorney General at the time.
Seattle Harvard pedophile interviewer.
After about 25 years of skating around accusations and rumors of sexual abuse of boys, he was finally cornered and ended up committing suicide in his chambers in the King County Courthouse. All this culminated in 1988, twenty years after my interview.
When I applied to Harvard, I was both smart and naive, certainly sexually naive. I realized, when I looked back on it after a decade had elapsed, that the interview was inappropriate. But at the time, I thought it was exciting and challenging. He kept me in his office for about two hours, at one point threatening me that he could keep me there “forever” if I did not concede a point that he was making. Nothing overtly sexual occurred at all. Nonetheless, it was still sort of a seductive scene. I was of an age and experience level that I could not put together what was happening. The difference in “power” was exploited. He tried to make it clear that my ability to get into Harvard lay completely in his hands (and I was not sophisticated enough to either question that in my own mind or think that his harping on it was itself not kosher.)
I thought at the time that I accounted for myself well in the interview. My other college interviews all seemed bland by comparison. I enjoyed arguing, and it was unusual to get the intense attention of an adult for so long. And he made it clear to me that he thought I was “clever”, and my ego lapped that up.
As I have said, once I was in my mid-twenties, I realized that the whole thing was “off”. I had been toyed with. But I did not learn that he was actually a pedophile until it broke in the Seattle media many more years later.
Robert Livingston
Oh my, what a story of abuse and power dynamics! These days, college interviews are only conducted in public places (like coffee shops) for just such a reason – so there can be no abuse, or later accusation or hint of abuse claimed by the kid being interviewed, though it is a shame, as the venue is rife with distractions and less focused.
I can totally understand how you could be drawn in by this powerful, articulate man and the intense banter, going toe to toe. I’m sure it felt flattering. That was the point. How disturbing in hindsight.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. A warning for all.
Wow, this is one of the most amazing interview stories I have ever heard! He kept you there for two hours, and threatened to keep you there forever if you didn’t concede a point he was making? You kept your cool and enjoyed arguing with him, so you showed you were well suited for Harvard. But what an experience! Thank you for sharing it with us. And welcome to Retrospect! Now that you’re here, I hope you will stick around and write some more stories.
Wow, that is scary and dramatic, Robert. I’m relieved to know that nothing physical happened to you, but very disturbing nonetheless. Thank you for this revealing story, and welcome to Retrospect.
Thanx for your honest story Robert, scary indeed that sexual abuse is more prevalent than was once thought.
It’s still reeling to think of the abuse of boys and men in church vestries and locker rooms, and the abuse of women by predators caught in the Me Too movement.
As one friend after another spoke up about her Me Too experience, I didn’t have to dig too deep to remember my own.
Thank you, Robert. Not to normalize or excuse, but I suspect this is more common in teacher-student relations than most people think. A good teacher must be somewhat charismatic, and the power asymmetry is ripe for exploitation. Think of Socrates.
I went to an all-boys prep school, and some of my teachers were pretty clearly gay. One was a competent teacher so I made use of him for that purpose — and made sure to never be alone with him. The other was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, a beautiful and kind person who would never abuse a boy. I admired the hell out of him, and couldn’t care less if he was gay.
This is a very interesting story, Robert. So sad that a man in his position used it to exploit young men and boys, Thank you for sharing this and welcome to Retrospect.