No. 41: Type, Lettering, and Calligraphy, 1450-1830
5-9 August 1996
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No. 41: Type, Lettering, and Calligraphy, 1450-1830 5-9 August 1996 |
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1. How useful were the pre-course readings? 1: Very useful to understand names and historical context. 2: Readings very useful  an excellent list with commentaries for future study in this vast subject area. 3: The most handoutsthe most useful (now and for the future at home) that I have ever seen. 4: Extremely useful, though, the course now done, it will prove far better in reviewenrichment, rather than introduction. 5: Very usefulthey gave me a fairly good foundation from which to work. 6: Essential, but will be more beneficial now after the course. 7: Pre-course reading list was very long and detailed. I picked up some things to read beforehand, but am now glad to have the list as a reading guide for the future. To some extent, it's hard to know your way around the list and be excited about it until after the course. 8: The readings were a perfect introduction to the course; as a propaedeutic warm-up they were invaluable. They'll also serve as this course's exit list for future reading and approfondissement. 9: Our bibliography was a life list with many titles difficult to locate. I would have liked to have seen them all during the week, if they are available here (as was suggested). 10: Useful. It was difficult to decide what to read, but the bibliography provides a base to keep learning about the subject. 11: Absolutely wonderful course reading list. 12: Very useful. Excellent bibliography. 13: I couldn't get most of them, but the one I found was very useful. Pretty overwhelming, though, to have such a long list. I'm glad to have it now so I can pursue texts later. |
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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: Yes good class material (handouts) for reference during course sessions. 3: The most complete syllabus evera guide for almost unlimited future study in this subject. 4: Yes. 5: Yes. Reading list (bibliography) should prove useful in the future. 6: Yes, both before and after. 7: Syllabus and handouts were nice. Not too many, pertinent. List of names was very helpful. I checked people off as we went through the course. 8: Yes, and what I said above will apply here. The syllablus will acually serve to reorganize materials that were taken out of strict sequence because of the displacement. 9: Handouts were helpful, if not necessary. They might have been improved with a timeline format handouthow one might approach the complexity, I don't know. 10: Yes and yes. 11: Everything distributed in class will be useful in my continuing education post-RBS. Syllabus will serve as a memory tickler. 12-13: Yes. |
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3. Was the intellectual level of the course content appropriate? 1: Almost too high (not really). 2: First-rate in the cultural, historical, political background for the development and changes of design over the centuries. 3-6: Yes. 7: Intellectual level was perfect for me the reading list looked a bit imposing, but the topic was very accessible. 8: The level of the course was exactly right for my purposes, ie, just high enough to be challenging without being forbidding. It has opened my eyes to look for the things I will need for my own project. 9: Yes, although there was some difference in the level of students' knowledge as demonstrated in discussion and questionsall seems to come out in the wash and was not intimidating. 10: Absolutely. The course was challenging and stimulating without being frustratingly difficult. 11: Exactly what I had hoped for. 12: Yes. I would have enjoyed more of it. 13: Very intense, since I had no background, but I think with follow-up at home everything will jell. |
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4. If your course had field trips, were they effective? 1: Yes. 2: Visit to view UVa Special Collections material perhaps we could have had two of these sessions; one seminar provides not much time to look at the books. 3: Sorry to lose the lecture time by having the class split in half, but a larger class I have had in Special Collections passing books around could not coordinate what was being said about them while the books were being passed. This worked. 4: Yes. The visit to Special Collections went very well. The studio time spent casting type was especially helpful. 5: Yes. 6: The times in Special Collections and the printing Museum were both very helpful, if not necessary. Both provided an opportunity to apply the classroom details to the real item. 7: Yes, I loved seeing the actual books and would have liked seeing even moremaybe some could be brought down to the classroom? 8: It was helpful to see the specimens we focused on in actual printed books and to observe how paper quality, etc., affects type. 9: YesI liked it that we did this in smaller groups so we could actually see and get close to the books. 10: The Special Collections visit was OK. It's always hard for several people to see one bookbut useful. It was a good thing we split the group. Desbib Museum was a good way to supplement the course. The type casting was great. 11: Yes. Museum Day was a pleasant surprise, full of serendipitous discoveries. 12: Yes. Special Collections has wonderful resources to support this course. 13: Yes, very useful. |
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5. Did the actual course content correspond to its RBS brochure description and Expanded Course Description (ECD)? Did the course in general meet your expectations? 1: Yes. 2: Presentation and range of materials covered actually surpassed my expectations. The intellectual level which provided such a good historical background was truly impressive. 3: Yes. Very much so. 4-6: Yes. 7: Exceeded expectations. 8: It matched the description perfectly, and it actually exceeded my expectations. More material was presented and the organization was perfectly lucid. 9: Exceeded my expectations. 10: Yes, and it exceeded them. 11: Course went above and beyond my expectations. 12-13: Yes. |
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6. What did you like best about the course? 1: Understanding the evolution and derivation of types. 2: The instructor's profound knowledgte of his subject, his obvious love for it made the course very stimulating. Wonderful slides. 3: The rare extent of factual knowledge, combined with so much wisdom in putting it together in a form a novice could handle. 4: JM's wonderful historical sense the breadth he could draw on to critique the history of lettering and type design within the histories of architecture, art, politics, etc. For my purposes, both scholarly and in the classroom, this is the most productive. 5: I found the hands-on approach quite usefulit was great to actually be able to hold, say, a type mould, matrix, etc. JM did a fine job of putting type history into a broader historical/cultural context. 6: JM's breadth of knowledge. The depth of knowledge was there (and expected). The breadth was invaluable for putting the details into context. 7: JM's love for and knowledge of the material. Great collection of slides, lovingly collected over a long period. JM's stories and way of tying together people, places, movements, and buildings in their historical context. 8: I was most impressed by having in our lectures not only an astonishing amount of facts and details, but a gentle and humorous presenter. His personal presence made the course a most outstanding experience. A gentleman, a fine scholar and teacher. 9: The instructor and his generosity with his knowledge and the students' and their congeniality, curiosity, and interest. 10: JM's incredible comprehensive knowledge of the subject. His ability to put the subject into historical, political, cultural context. By the way, JM's ability to lecture without slides and notes during the day we had to evacuate Alderman was really great. 11: JM. 12: The instructor. It is a rare privilege to study with an authority of JM's knowledge and reputation. His ability to explain type development in relation to historic context and influence provides a perspective not otherwise available. I also appreciated his erudition on the relationship between historic models and twentieth century type design. 13: JM's total involvement and interest in the topic. You can't help but catch the excitement. |
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7. How could the course have been improved? 1: Hardly. 2: Better classroom space a little tight and cramped in such a small room. 3: I don't think it could be (unless it was extended in timemore of it). 5: Classroom was somewhat cramped. 6: A summary chart would be very helpful. It could be set up by century, country, trends, key names with radiating circles of influencewhatever. The point is, I now need something visual to put the material (names, places, styles) into a sequence. This I shall do; but during the lectures, it would have been valuable for reference. 7: One tiny suggestion: on Friday we had a little review/testing of our memories. I think maybe two more times of that would be nice during the weekhelps you review and put things in order, makes you think. 8: There was at times a bit of difficulty in accessing the print specimens in books. When the course coincides with Desbib, access to the Museums might be scheduled. I have to thank David Ferris expecially for doing everything to smooth out this slight rough spot. 9: See the suggestion about handouts, above. Possibly more examples to take home as reminders of the slidesor at least a list of the slides. Am I requesting a textbook? 10: A list of the slides shown would have been helpful, but not vital. (I believe JM thought of this himself midweek.) It would make it easier to double check what was shown in the slides with the notes I took. 11: More JM. 12: Stan Nelson's video could be part of the advance preparation. More direct examplesfrom BAP typography collections and from Special Collectionsto supplement the slides. Handouts at the end of the coursepictorial examples of the various styles and periodsfor review. 13: Give us a digitized copy of all the slidesha ha. |
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8.Please comment at will on the quality/enjoyability of the various RBS activities in which you took part outside of class, eg Sunday afternoon tour, Sunday night dinner and videos, Bookseller Night, tour of the Etext Center or Electronic Classroom, printing demonstrations, evening lectures, &c. 1: Excellent. 2: J. Kevin Graffagnino was enjoyable on the whole, although a little too much empahsis on himself; Brett Charbeneau was very engaging and his suggestions about bibliogrpahy as a scholarly enterprise were worth listening to. TB's talks are always pertinent and engaging. 3: Very good very interesting, lively. 4: Very enjoyableespecially BC's lecture. 5: JKG's quotations lecture was a bit on the fluffy side. Otherwise good. 6: JKG's lecture was too lightweight. After ten minutes, there was nothing more to say. BC, by contrast, was entertaining and instructive. He is a good speaker, although diction and pacing could be improved. 8: BC's lecture was absolutely delightful and instructive, so much so I wish to make an effort to have him repeat it at my institution soon! TB's was truly encouraging in its realism, precise observation and cheerful pessimism.10: BC was greatlighthearted and informative. Didn't much care for JKG's talk. I think TB's is a good way to put a perspective on RBS.11: JKG kind of a dudon the whole he was just a little too self-serving. Reeling off quote after quote really got to me. BC a witty stay-awake crowd pleaser (plus he had something to say). 13: JKG's was self-serving to himself, BC was great, TB good, too. |
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9. Any final thoughts or advice for other persons considering taking this course in a future year? Did you get your money's worth? 1: Yes. 2: For anyone seriously interested in bookmaking, I would consider the subject essential. 3: Would certainly encourage anyone whose work or interests relate in any way to this field. 4: It is time very well spent. 5: Very worthwhile. 6: Read more; know more before you come. 7: This was a wonderful course a history of the world (up to 1830) through letters. I rarely glanced at my watch, I look lots of notes, I never got drowsy in the darkened room watching slidesbecause JM did such a good job of bringing the material to life and putting it in order. I know I won't retain every detail of the course, but I go away with a greater appreciation for and understanding of type. 8: I certainly got my money's worth. And the more of the reading one can do beforehand, the better one can deepen the knowledge the course conveys. 9: Take it! Definitely a bargain. 10: Read as much as possible, familiarize yourself with the central figures, and enjoy. Also, students in the course will have to wrestle with the strong desire to go immediately to Rome to see inscriptional capitals. It was money well spent. 11: JM's course should be taken by anyone who ever wonders about how those letters are placed upon the page of a book. He knows his printing history, as well as cultural history; kept me fascinated by all of his anecdotes, and helped me understand the development of typography so that it seemed by the fourth day that a sort of light appeared. Everything started to make sense. Now to go back to the real world, read everything from his marvelous list, and begin to apply his teachings. JM is amazingly patient with his students and shows an exuberance in his subject that is infectious! |
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Number of respondents:13 |
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*One student (7%) funded by private donor and matching foundation grant. **One student (7%) between jobs. |
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There were thirteen students, seven rare book librarians (55%), three general librarians with some rare book duties (24%), one archivist/manuscript/conservation/binder/pres-ervation librarian (7%), one collector (7%), and one retiree (7%). |