 Tuesday, March 02, 2004
CHATTER: So how did you came? Did you drove or did you flew?
As I wander through the logs which tell me how some folks came to rogueclassicism, I am often reminded of the vertically-challenged Sid Dithers' famous line from SCTV (well, famous to me, anyway). Since it's a slow night, here's today's trio of interesting search engine terms which led some unsuspecting soul to rogueclassicism (with a link to the posts for that particular day):
margaret thatcher nude
history of asbestos
MAN WHO ARE IN TOUCH WITH HIS FEMININE SIDE?
rogueclassicism: just another wrong turn on the information superhighway ...
8:37:47 PM  
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CHATTER: Corrigenda
Don't you wish all newspapers would acknowledge their mistakes like the Palm Beach Post? Ecce:
Because of a reporting error, The Palm Beach Post Sunday incorrectly said Julius Caesar adjusted the Roman calendar in 446 B.C. and instituted regular leap years. Caesar made that change in 46 B.C. The story also referred to Caesar as a Roman emperor. He held the title dictator, which was given to a leader in times of emergency. The error appeared on Page 7D in the Accent section.
Reporting error eh? I guess we won't split hairs over the imperator/emperor thing ...
8:03:56 PM
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NUNTII: Classicist at the Helm
A Classicist has been appointed Provost of McDaniel College. Here's the press release:
A professor of classical studies with a decade of experience in administration has been named new Provost and Dean of the Faculty for McDaniel College.
Thomas Falkner believes strongly in the power of a liberal arts education.
"Students who have had the benefit of a good liberal arts education continue to find ways to educate themselves for the rest of their lives," said The College of Wooster Professor of Classical Studies, who has served as Dean of the Faculty and acting Vice President for Academic Affairs. "They become life-long learners."
An expert in Greek tragedy, Greek and Latin literature, and comparative literature and the Classical tradition, Falkner has taught Classics for 31 years, 27 of them at The College of Wooster in Ohio.
Even as an administrator at The College of Wooster, Falkner has continued teaching one course each year. "My idea of a good time is 50 minutes spent engaging students in the classroom," he said. "We should develop a restless appetite for knowledge in our students."
Chosen from a field of 86 applicants in a national search, Falkner will begin at McDaniel July 1.
"Dr. Falkner comes to us highly recommended as an enthusiastic advocate of the liberal arts, as a dedicated teacher and a learned scholar, and as an accomplished administrator," said McDaniel President Joan Develin Coley. "His colleagues praise his energy, intelligence, and humanity. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Hill. He is sure to enrich our community."
McDaniel College and The College of Wooster have been recognized by author Loren Pope as two of the 40 "Colleges That Change Lives."
"There is a genuine commitment here to excellence in teaching. McDaniel College is truly student-centered and understands that student learning must be the primary emphasis," he said. "The students I met spoke in glowing terms about the faculty. Students not only have good relationships with faculty in their classes, but their professors are also good advisers, helpful mentors – at times even friends."
At The College of Wooster Falkner has been instrumental in creating the new general education curriculum, establishing a Faculty Instructional Technology Center, and developing study abroad programs in Greece, Kenya, and Thailand.
Five times recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Falkner has written and edited four books and many articles on Greek and Latin literature, blending his passions for teaching and scholarship.
"There is a real synergy between teaching and scholarship. We want our students to be good scholars and it is important that faculty members continue their own scholarly development," he said. "The work that you are doing for your own scholarly projects often spills over into your classroom presentations, into the research your students are involved in."
A magna cum laude graduate of LeMoyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1969, Falkner studied at the American Academy in Rome before earning his master’s and doctorate degrees in Classics at the State University of New York in Buffalo.
"If I had been asked to sit down with a pencil and paper and describe the kind of liberal arts college I would like to be a part of, it would have looked a lot like McDaniel College. I am particularly impressed by the strong sense of community here," Falkner said.
Falkner, 56, was born and raised in Amherst, N.Y. His wife Rose Falkner is Director of International and Off-Campus Study at The College of Wooster. They have three daughters: Renate, 28, a professional violist; Annegret, 24, a graduate student in neuroscience; and Karelisa, 20, a sophomore English major at Oberlin College.
Provost Sam Case is retiring from the position he has held since 2001. Case’s leadership of academic planning and direction of the recent Middle States reaccreditation evaluation resulted in a final report which reaffirmed, in positively glowing terms, the College’s mission and strategic planning.
7:58:49 PM
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THIS DAY IN ANCIENT HISTORY
ante diem vi nonas martias
5:40:53 AM
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NUNTII: Another Reason to Fund Classics
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reveals an interesting program to help the homeless ... here are the relevant excerpta:
Since Robert McClain got out of the Racine County jail, he's been turning his attention to freeing his mind.
52 years old, a high school dropout and a survivor of two brain operations, McClain is studying such things as moral philosophy, American history, poetry and art.
"When I come here, I get enlightened in my everyday life," McClain said. "The things I learn here, the things I do in here, I see them in my life."
McClain, of Racine, is one of about 20 students participating in the Odyssey Project, a program designed to help low-income adults enrich their lives through the humanities. The eight-month course started in October and will continue through May, concluding with a graduation ceremony at Wingspread.
When he learned about the concept that "what is right is wrong, and what is wrong is right," McClain said, it changed his life.
"When I think I'm right and someone else says he's right, I don't get mad about it," he said. "They have their opinion, and I have mine, but maybe I can see that mine is wrong. For me, it makes me a better person to understand other people."
[...]
The program is based on the teachings of Earl Shorris, who tested his ideas at Bard College in New York through the Roberto Clemente Family Planning Center in Manhattan and has written "New American Blues" and "Riches for the Poor, the Clemente Course for the Humanities."
Shorris believes that by studying the works of Plato and learning about art, the poor can begin to break out of the "surround of force" that keeps them poor.
[...]
Christine Renaud, an associate professor at Carthage College and head of the classics department, is the course director. Renaud's job goes beyond keeping the course running smoothly - she also serves as a mentor and advocate for the students.
In just four months since the program began, Renaud sees that it has made a difference in students' lives.
"One student told me that 'when I'm in class, I don't feel homeless,' " Renaud said. "Another student said that, without the course, she wouldn't have had the confidence to go out and look for a different job. Several other people who didn't have jobs now do have jobs."
Students such as Sarai Ramsey, 34, Theresa Ellis, 48, and Maggie Senzig, 41, all of Racine, said they want to return to school, but they had been out so long that they worried about getting back into the routine of studying and doing homework.
All three said the course is giving them the boost they need to pursue their dreams.
C.J. Bjork, 20, a Carthage College sophomore and a tutor for the Odyssey Project, said his involvement in the project, and getting to know the students and their struggles, has made a difference for him.
"I've learned not to sweat the small stuff," Bjork said.
5:03:33 AM
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AWOTV: On TV Today
2.00 p.m. |HISTU| Code of Honor
Revered and feared in their own time, the ancient warriors from the
Greek city-state Sparta invented the boot camp, frontal assault,
state-sponsored education, and a lifestyle and aesthetic that still
bears their name. Who were these soldiers willing to fight a losing
battle in defense of honor and country? How did they become the
greatest fighting force the world has ever known? What kind of
society produced such men? We explore the cornerstones of life and
death in ancient Sparta. [2 hrs]
4.00 p.m. |HISTU| Tides of War
In the 5th century BC, all of Greece united against Persia. But
after the defeat of the invading Persian army, both Sparta and Athens
became rivals, each expanding in strength and influence. While Athens
ruled the sea, Sparta's celebrated army was unbeatable on land. When
the two Greek giants met on a collision course, the resulting
Peloponnesian War spanned 27 years, engulfed all of Greece, and
changed the nature of democracy. We explore the devastating effects
of the war and demise of Sparta. [2 hrs]
6.00 p.m. |HISTU| The Greek Gods
The Greek pantheon of gods acted like a dysfunctional feuding
family. Though all-powerful, the deities displayed near-human
frailties involving themselves in the wars and petty jealousies of
their mortal subjects. Join us for a tour of these magnificent
monuments and temples to see how the gods' changing faces reflected
the advancement of the Greeks.
7.00 p.m. |HISTU| Secrets of the Acropolis
With a thrilling combination of dramatic reconstructions and 3-D
animation, we step back in time to the Golden Age of Greece and the
birth of democracy, to an era of unparalleled human creativity that
produced the magnificent architecture on the Acropolis. Powerfully
evoking the pagan rituals that made the Acropolis the heart of
Athenian life, we explore all four key buildings: the Propylaia, the
Erectheion, Athena Nike, and the Parthenon--the most influential
buildings in Western civilization.
7.00 p.m. |HINT| Archenemy: The Philistines
Filmed on location in the Holy Land, this hour chronicles the
history of the Philistines, the ruthless warriors of the Hebrew
Bible's early period. Visits to archaeological digs reveal
fascinating artifacts that provide new information about Philistine
culture.
8.00 p.m. |HISTC| The Battle of Bannockburn
At the Battle of Bannockburn Robert the Bruce took on the might of
the English, now Tony and Neil use all the weapons in their
archaeological armoury in an attempt to locate the field where
Scotland’s most famous battle was fought.
8.00 p.m. |HINT| The Colosseum
Nothing symbolizes the Roman Empire at its height or Rome in
magnificent ruins more than the Colosseum. Built in 70 AD, it seated
80,000 people, boasted a retractable roof, underground staging
devices, marble seating, and lavish decorations. It still serves as
the prototype for the modern stadium. The complexity of its
construction, the beauty of its architecture, and the functionality
of its design made it the perfect place for massive crowds to
congregate for the bloody spectacles it contained.
HISTU = History Channel (US)
HISTC = History Television (Canada)
HINT = History International
4:44:12 AM
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