72: Introduction to Latin Paleography [M-40]
26-30 July 2004
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: Very helpful. 2: Readings were useful for a general background; they only become meaningful, however, as the classes evolved. 3: Very useful. They gave a good introduction to the topic and the problems in the discipline. Also, they will serve as useful references after the class. 4: The readings were all useful, though most useful was AD’s book, The Palaeography of Gothic Manuscript Books from the c12 to the Early c16. 5: Generally useful. 6: [AD’s] book was the best introduction and summary one could hope for. 7: The pre-course readings were crucial, particularly in my case, but I suspect were essential for those in the class with much more experience and expertise than mine.
2) Were the course syllabus and other materials distributed in class useful (or will they be so in the future, after you return home)?
1: Yes. 2: Course syllabus a very useful teaching/reference tool during class, and will be an excellent summary and reference for the future. 3-4: Yes. 5: They are extremely useful, and I will use them in the future. 6-7: Yes.
3) What aspects of the course content were of the greatest interest or relevance for your purposes? Was the intellectual level of the course content appropriate?
1: This course has directly impacted my work with late c14 music manuscripts for my dissertation research. Because of its focus on late medieval types, it is highly apropos to my scholarly work. Intellectual level was high. 2: The course, in my opinion, was most valuable for drawing attention to differing letterforms, and putting their development into a chronological and geographical context. 3: It was all useful and relevant. 4: The course was at a high level. It was of particular value for providing a rational and non-subjective system for the classification of scripts. 5: Transcription of cursive and cursive Anglicana. AD is impressive, fascinating, charming, and challenging. I salute him as a teacher and as a scholar. 6: Yes. 7: All of the distributed class matter was most useful in the class, but more importantly, will become great reference tools to be shared with colleagues. In fact, as I am called upon to work with classes of graduate students, frequently, I shall be in a position to share a great deal of this material with others.
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: I felt we kept at a fairly good pace and covered much material in a thorough and efficient way. I now feel much better equipped for my dissertation work (as it relates to paleography). 2: The personal observations and off-the-cuff descriptions by AD. 3: I liked it all, but being forced to do the transcriptions was the most useful. I preferred doing them for homework so that I had more time, but doing them in class in a limited time period was excellent practice. 4: The careful alteration to the details of the slides I found most valuable, as it helped train me to notice key features of scripts otherwise easily overlooked. AD managed to combine a rigorous approach with gentleness in dealing with our mistakes. 5: AD, then the collection of scripts we examined, and then the folios we examined, and finally, exposure to research materials. An outstanding experience. 6: The opportunity to learn from a great scholar firsthand. AD sets the highest standard and brings the material alive. A great privilege to hear his lectures. 7: AD is incredibly generous with his impressive knowledge, expertise, and experience, not to mention patience! I have not often worked very hard and had such a good time doing it!
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: One always wishes there were even more time, but otherwise I have been thoroughly delighted. 2: I think at times the slide quality could have been better, and there could have been slides with details of individual letterforms or idiosyncracies in scripts. 3: Everything was excellent. 4: Perhaps each student could bring or be supplied with a cheap broad nib calligraphy pen -- I think using such a pen really helps to understand why the scripts look like they do. 5: I doubt the course could have been made better. 6: N/A. 7: Aside from devoting two weeks to the course, I can think of no improvement needed.
7) We are always concerned about the physical well-being both of the RBS teaching collections and of materials owned by UVa’s Special Collections. If relevant, what suggestions do you have for the improved classroom handling of such materials used in your course this week?
1: None. 2: N/A. 4: None. 5: All materials were well taken care of. 7: None.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or Monday night lectures, were they worth attending?
1: Yes. I found them quite stimulating and informative. 2: Moderately. 3: They were both interesting. I think that it is good to immerse yourself in as many activities as possible while at RBS. 4: Sunday was a useful introduction to the week. I did not attend Monday. 6-7: Yes.
9) If you attended Museum Night, was the time profitably spent?
1: Yes -- especially Video Night -- I felt I learned some very relevant information that I will be able to use in my teaching. 2: N/A. 3: I enjoyed the videos, and plan to watch the ones I didn’t see later. 4: I found Video Night more profitable than Museum Night. The films on calligraphy were very good. 7: Absolutely!
10) Did you get your money’s worth? Any final thoughts?
1: I am truly grateful for the rich experience that RBS has provided me. I had an absolutely wonderful time here, have been able to share ideas, interact with highly gifted scholars, and have acquired a much greater grounding in Latin paleography. Thank you for this rewarding opportunity. 2: I certainly consider the course was well worth the time and effort spent, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who works, or will work with, manuscripts of any kind. 3: The learning experience was amazing. RBS is an incredible opportunity, and more people should take advantage of it. 4: Yes. A marvelous professor and course. A must for anyone who will be reading a wide range of gothic scripts. For those yet to come: spend a reasonable amount of time studying the medieval abbreviation system on your own -- you will find this will make life easier. 5: Yes. Revive Latin skills if they are rusty. Attempt some transcription if that is something you rarely do. 6-7: Yes!
Number of respondents: 7
Percentages
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
29% 14% 43% 43%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
14% 43% 57% 57%
N/A: self- N/A: Self- N/A: stayed N/A: lived
employed, re- employed, with friends nearby
tired, or had retired, or or lived at
summers off exchange home
57% 43% 0% 0%
There were two rare book librarians (29%), one archivist/manuscript librarians (14%), one teacher/professor (14%), and three full-time students (43%).