  We present long-slit spectroscopy of the elliptical galaxy M32, obtained with
the 8-m Subaru telescope at Mauna Kea, the 1.5-m Tillinghast telescope at the
F. L. Whipple Observatory, and the 4-m Mayall telescope at the Kitt Peak
National Observatory. The spectra cover the Lick index red spectral region as
well as higher order Balmer lines in the blue. Spectra have been taken with the
slit off-set from the nucleus to avoid scattered light contamination from the
bright nucleus of M32. An analysis of numerous absorption features,
particularly involving the H$\gamma$ and H$\beta$ Balmer lines, reveals that
systematic radial trends are evident in the integrated spectrum of M32.
Population synthesis models indicate a radial change in both the age and
chemical composition of the light-weighted mean stellar population in M32, from
the nucleus out to 33", i.e., approximately 1.0 effective radius, R_e.
Specifically, the light-weighted mean stellar population at 1 R_e is older, by
\~3 Gyr, and more metal-poor, by ~-0.25 dex in [Fe/H], t han the central value
of ~4 Gyr and [Fe/H]~0.0. We show that this apparent population trend cannot be
attributed to a varying contribution from either hot stars or emission line
contamination. The increase in age and decrease in metal-abundance with radius
are sufficiently well-matched to explain the flat radial color profiles
previously observed in M32. In addition, the ratio of Mg to Fe abundance,
[Mg/Fe], increases from ~-0.25 in the nucleus to ~-0.08 at 1 R_e. Finally, we
find spuriously pronounced line strength gradients in the Mayall data that are
an artifact of scattered light from the bright nucleus. Scattered light issues
may explain the lack of consistency among previously published studies of
radial line strength gradients in M32.
