The University of Michigan, an encyclopedic survey ... Wilfred B. Shaw, editor.

DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICAL STUDIES

In 1944 Professor Campbell Bonner retired as chairman of the Department of Greek. He was succeeded by Warren E. Blake, who served as chairman until the two departments — Greek and Latin — were united as the Department of Classical Studies in 1946. John G. Winter retired as head of the Latin Department, but remained as Professor of Latin until his retirement in 1951. Professor James E. Dunlap became chairman of the new department and served until 1957. Under his chairmanship, the department began a program of systematic visitation of high school Latin departments in schools that desired contact with the University. This resulted in greatly increased mutual interest and good will between the secondary schools and the department as well as the University.

Professor Dunlap was also instrumental in organizing the Michigan Classical Conference, in which he sought to bring together all teachers of Latin, at all levels, in the state. It was also during his chairmanship that Professor Waldo E. Sweet was appointed to the staff of the department. Professor Sweet had already been active on the Michigan campus during several summers preceding his formal appointment, and had conducted Latin Workshops that had attracted national attention. Professor Sweet's pedagogical innovations consisted in presenting the Latin language in terms of structural linguistics. In 1957, Gerda Seligson came to the department, and later was joined by Glenn Knudsvig. Both of these devoted teachers carried on the implementation of the linguistic method and established it as the foundation of instruction in Elementary Latin. Through the Seligson Players and their presentation of Latin comedies, Professor Seligson developed and maintained a lively interest in this aspect of ancient culture.

In 1957 Professor Dunlap retired from the chairmanship, remaining on as Professor of Latin and Greek until his retirement in 1960. In his place, Professor Gerald F. Else of the University of Iowa, was appointed chairman. Professor Else, who had been chairman of the Department of Classics at Iowa for fifteen years, brought to the department a thorough knowledge of administrative procedures and an international reputation for scholarship, particularly in the fields of Greek philosophy and drama. During his chairmanship, the graduate program of the department was completely revised and strengthened, and the more systematic and clear-cut approach to graduate study in the Classics thus brought about resulted in the attraction of larger numbers of graduate students to the department, and to a very marked improvement in their quality.

In 1968 Professor Else asked to be relieved of the chairmanship, which then passed to a succession of younger men of varied talents and specialties, but of equal energy, vision, and scholarship. The chairmanships of Theodore Buttrey (1968-71), John Pedley (Acting, 1971-72), John D'Arms (1972-75, reappointed 1976), and again John Pedley (Acting, 1975-76, during Professor D'Arms' leave of absence) maintained the strong and highly respected programs established by Professor Else.

In the years between 1946 and 1976, members of the faculty at both junior and senior levels maintained the department's regard for scholarship and produced works of the highest quality. H. C. Youtie continued his activity both here and abroad with addresses, papers and substantial publications in papyrology. On Professor Youtie's retirement in 1976, his work was carried on with the same high standard by his successor, Professor Ludwig Koenen, who came to the staff from the University of Cologne.

In the thirty years since 1946, four aspects of the work of the department are conspicuous. First of these, because of its unique nature, is the work in papyrology already mentioned. It has conferred upon the University the distinction accorded to one of the preeminent centers of papyrological studies in the entire world.

Second was the establishment by Professor Pedley of both graduate and undergraduate programs in Classical Archaeology. Courses on both these levels had previously been taught by Professor Hopkins and others, but it was through Professor Pedley's efforts that these were developed into full-fledged programs in this field. In addition to this, Professor Pedley, as Director of the Kelsey Museum (1973-76), brought about the complete reorganization and remodeling of the Museum.

Third was the founding, organization, and implementation by Professor Else of the Center for the Coordination of Ancient and Modern Studies. Under his direction the Center held a number of successful and informative conferences, issued several publications, and served as a forum for the expression of significant ideas.

Finally, mention should be made of two rather unusual activities of members of the staff. Professors Hopkins and Buttrey both conducted highly successful television programs dealing with Homer, Greek Tragedy, and Archaeology. These programs, recorded by the University of Michigan and broadcast by Detroit's Channel 4, attracted wide attention and much favorable comment, and constituted a unique contribution to the field of ancient studies. They reached viewers not only in Michigan but in many parts of the country, since widespread use was made of the recordings elsewhere.

Throughout this period, the annual Jerome Lectures were continued in conjunction with the American Academy in Rome. They were delivered by outstanding scholars such as Gisela Richter, Lily Ross Taylor, and George Hanfmann. During this same time, the department was host to a number of distinguished Visiting Professors, each of whom made a more than ephemeral contribution to the cultural pattern.

O. M. Pearl