Classical studies at Memorial
Book launch
Photo
by Chris Hammond
Among the writers in In Altum (Back, L-R)
Bernard Kavanagh, Queen’s University; Iain Bruce, Jim Butrica,
Adrian Tronson. (Front, L-R) Christopher Marshall and Mark Joyal.
An idea to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of Memorial
College has turned into a celebration of the Department of Classics,
and an example of its scholarship.
Memorial’s classics department decided to celebrate the 75th
by compiling a book of scholarly essays by current and former members
of the department. The result is In Altum, a 379-page collection of
19 essays which includes a history of the department, one of the founding
disciplines at Memorial College in 1925.
Former classics head Dr. Mark Joyal said the idea came about three
years ago when then Dean of Arts Terry Murphy asked department heads
to think about ways to celebrate the Festival of Anniversaries.
“I thought ‘why don’t we put our scholarship on display,’”
Dr. Joyal said. “I thought this is what distinguishes our department
outside the university on the national and international scene.”
After getting the thumbs up from the current members of the department
for the idea, Dr. Joyal wrote to former members of classics to ask
if they would be interested. The response was “pretty much overwhelming,”
he said.
The result is a collection of original scholarship on topics from
Socrates to Cyclops.
The one writer not a current former member of the classics department
is Herbert Huxley who contributed an essay on J. L. Paton, Memorial’s
first president.
None of the articles have appeared in outside publications, making
this book a valuable contribution to classical studies, said Dr. Joyal.
“This was part of the purpose: to produce a piece of scholarship
that would be valuable to other classical scholars,” he said.
“There are many articles in the book that would be of interest
to classical scholars in all parts of the world.”
Dr. Joyal said one of the distinguishing features of the book is the
degree to which it is an in-house project.
“This is a project done by and for the Memorial community.”
He cited the help of University Relations and its Publications and
Photographic Services divisions, and Printing Services for technical
support, and funding support from the Smallwood Foundation and the
Office of Research, along with the dean of arts and Department of
Classics.
In Altum is on sale at the MUN Bookstore
The history of Memorial’s Department of Classics can be seen
online at www.mun.ca/classics/briefhistory.html
Classical studies at Memorial
Book launch
Photo
by Chris Hammond
Among the writers in In Altum (Back, L-R)
Bernard Kavanagh, Queen’s University; Iain Bruce, Jim Butrica,
Adrian Tronson. (Front, L-R) Christopher Marshall and Mark Joyal.
An idea to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of Memorial
College has turned into a celebration of the Department of Classics,
and an example of its scholarship.
Memorial’s classics department decided to celebrate the 75th
by compiling a book of scholarly essays by current and former members
of the department. The result is In Altum, a 379-page collection of
19 essays which includes a history of the department, one of the founding
disciplines at Memorial College in 1925.
Former classics head Dr. Mark Joyal said the idea came about three
years ago when then Dean of Arts Terry Murphy asked department heads
to think about ways to celebrate the Festival of Anniversaries.
“I thought ‘why don’t we put our scholarship on display,’”
Dr. Joyal said. “I thought this is what distinguishes our department
outside the university on the national and international scene.”
After getting the thumbs up from the current members of the department
for the idea, Dr. Joyal wrote to former members of classics to ask
if they would be interested. The response was “pretty much overwhelming,”
he said.
The result is a collection of original scholarship on topics from
Socrates to Cyclops.
The one writer not a current former member of the classics department
is Herbert Huxley who contributed an essay on J. L. Paton, Memorial’s
first president.
None of the articles have appeared in outside publications, making
this book a valuable contribution to classical studies, said Dr. Joyal.
“This was part of the purpose: to produce a piece of scholarship
that would be valuable to other classical scholars,” he said.
“There are many articles in the book that would be of interest
to classical scholars in all parts of the world.”
Dr. Joyal said one of the distinguishing features of the book is the
degree to which it is an in-house project.
“This is a project done by and for the Memorial community.”
He cited the help of University Relations and its Publications and
Photographic Services divisions, and Printing Services for technical
support, and funding support from the Smallwood Foundation and the
Office of Research, along with the dean of arts and Department of
Classics.
In Altum is on sale at the MUN Bookstore
The history of Memorial’s Department of Classics can be seen
online at www.mun.ca/classics/briefhistory.html
