M-80: Western Manuscripts & Documents, 1500-2000
21-25 July 2008
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: They provided a useful basis and background for the course, as they, no doubt, were designed to do. 2: Very useful. The book by Michelle Brown [A guide to western historical scripts from antiquity to 1600] was the most helpful. 3: The pre-course readings were highly relevant and essential for active class participation. 4: I read all of the assigned reading. Much of it involved studying examples, and therefore was not straight reading as such; but it was excellent preparation for looking at the real MSS. 5: Very useful – essential, in fact. 6: The pre-course readings were helpful and provided the context for in-class work. 7: They were useful mainly for allowing me to become slightly familiar with old styles of hand-writing. As far as the texts go, I think that they would mean more to me now, after the class. 8: They were certainly helpful. However, some were difficult to obtain through normal channels. I looked at some other material as a result, just to be prepared. 9: They certainly were relevant to the course, but I don’t think I would have been at a disadvantage during class had I not done the required reading. 10: Foundational to understanding the presentation of materials and information. I would have been lost without this important background information. 11: More useful than I anticipated! Many were chock full of examples, with relatively light or minimal explanatory text, so I initially wondered how much I was getting out of these readings. But throughout the course, I realized that I was better able to follow concepts in class, and I even knew answers to points other students brought up. (Presumably some of them had difficulty finding some of the more obscure titles.) 12: Very useful.
2) Were the course syllabus and other materials distributed in class appropriate and useful (or will they be so in the future, after you return home)?
1: For the week, yes absolutely. For the future, not so much. 2: They were excellent, particularly the workbook. It is a great reference source. 3: N/A. 4-5: Yes. 6: The course book provides examples of documents from particular periods and as such could be a useful reference (although the assigned readings, which include examples with commentary, could suffice). 7: Yes, very useful, although it would have been nice to have the work book examples captioned. 8: The examples of various documents we have been provided should be fairly useful in some respects, though the reproduction doesn’t allow for the best legibility. 9: The course syllabus was fine. We didn’t get any handouts or anything like that during class. 10: The syllabus was spartan, but sufficient. It was nice to have the workbook to refer back to for examples of what was discussed in class. 11: Yes, although some of the reproductions have writing that is so small that it’s hard to read! But very good examples; too bad the only identification of what they are is in the front matter; captions would have helped. 12. 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 appropriate?
1: NB’s stories/anecdotes told to illustrate a point, which also provided a wonderful glimpse into the world of “book history.” Yes, certainly the level was appropriate. 2: I found all content to be relevant. The intellectual level was high. 3: The direct exposure to a great variety of MSS was helpful; many things can only be taught through this sort of experience. The intellectual level of the course was appropriate; not too rudimentary nor too advanced. 4: All aspects were quite relevant for me. The intellectual level was stimulating. 5: The intellectual level was appropriate. The hands-on work with the documents (i.e., most of the class) was particularly relevant. 6: I enjoyed the broad overview of record creation and record keeping. NB’s stories are a delight. 7: NB’s knowledge was the most important aspect of the course. He knows so much about history, literature, language, &c. One learns from him no matter what he talks about. I will say, though, that others in the class, who had little acquaintance with history, literature, &c. at times seemed a bit at sea. 8: NB’s depth of knowledge on fairly obscure bits and pieces, as well as the incredible wealth of examples he brings, are all things that are difficult to find repeated in printed works – if at all. Absolutely! 9: The intellectual level was appropriate. I was most interested in learning how to read different types of handwriting, and I believe I at least got an introduction to this. 10: Discussion of and exposure to the earlier English scripts in actual documents to puzzle over and decipher. The pre-course reading in several of the texts will also prove invaluable, as I do work occasionally on this material in my job. 11: I enjoyed having an individual project to work on. I think we could have done more of these, but it was really nice just to have the luxury of the time allotted to become more familiar and confident with secretary hand; could have been more rigorous. 12. Yes.
4) If your course left its classroom to visit Special Collections (SC) or to make other field trips away from your classroom, was the time devoted to this purpose well spent?
1: We went to Monticello, which was a very welcome manner to spend Wednesday afternoon. 2: The trip to Monticello was great. 3: Yes, Monticello was a relevant and interesting diversion. 4: Yes, visiting Monticello was a great treat, and seeing a few Jefferson MSS was terrific. 5: The trip to Monticello was very well organized (by RBS staff, especially Ryan Roth) and was a great idea on NB’s part. The discussion with Jeff Looney [editor of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series] was particularly interesting. 6: Monticello was a wonderful field trip, and I would highly recommend future classes making the trip. 7: We went to Monticello for a most exciting and informative visit. 8: In some respects it was a little tangential, but in others it was a helpful reminder of how and why some of the material we looked at was produced – so it did certainly add to the course. 9: Yes. 10: The very enjoyable trip to Monticello did give me a different view of the versatile Jefferson – something I thought impossible in this TJ-soaked atmosphere of Charlottesville! 11: Monticello made for a nice field trip, but I think I would have skipped the stop at the research center, since they have few MSS. Maybe tour Monticello in conjunction with a look at papers in UVa Special Collections? 12. Monticello – very well spent.
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: The stories. 2: NB. 3: NB tells fantastic stories – storiesthat only he could tell. 4: NB. 5: The teacher, NB, is like no other. I would travel to hear him read the telephone directory, much less lecture on the subject at hand. 6: NB! 7: NB, one of the greatest book men ever. 8: NB. 9: NB is great, and is obviously very knowledgeable about the subject matter. He is very open to questions and very approachable. 10: NB’s apt and absorbing anecdotal discourse on the relationship between the handwritten documents we examined and their historical periods. The large amount of material to look at and the opportunity for hands-on use of so many primary documents. 11: NB certainly has an encyclopedic knowledge on the subject and is a great storyteller. 12. The teacher’s extraordinary range of knowledge and his ability to convey it.
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: There was some problem with document filing and organization that created some dead time during class. 2: By having the documents so that NB could get at them. There was a mix-up here. 3: It could have been more organized and more rigorous. 4: Having the MSS organized in such a way as not to cause NB such frustration. 5: RBS staff could provide the documents organized in the manner that is most efficient for the instructor. 6: Perhaps more structure. While the course gives a wonderful overview (1500-2000), it was challenging to try to grasp the individual time periods within the time span of the class. 7: NB was disturbed about the lack of order he found in the material. I think the class was not so bothered but he clearly was. 8: Nothing very remarkable. 9: A lot of class time was wasted because the MSS to be used in class were apparently very disorganized and therefore it took a long time to sort through and distribute them. Better organization could greatly improve this class. 10: Perhaps a bibliography of books on handwriting by historical period (those in the classroom at least). 11: Better organization. NB’s stories are great – fascinating, informative, &c. – but the overall structure was often lacking. 12. The MSS aren’t in order, but this is easily fixed.
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?
2: See no. 6. Apparently RBS re-filed the MSS and confusion ensued. 3: I was a bit disturbed by the way some of the materials were handled (e.g., books being placed on top of them, MSS falling on the floor) and the presence of food in the classroom. 4-5: None. 7: Everything was fine on that score. 8: I think it might be worth reminding everyone as a group what is expected. Coming from places with different practices it’s worth getting everyone on the same page. 9: We were given no instructions on proper handling of materials. 10: Seemed adequate; maybe more in mylar.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or other evening lectures, were they worth attending?
1-3: Yes! 4: Yes; I attended only Richard Kuhta’s lecture [No. 511]. I am kicking myself for being too tired to attend Mr. Belanger’s. 5: Yes. 7: Yes; TB’s state of RBS was excellent and Richard Kuhta’s talk was a carefully thought out, nicely presented talk. I found it very informative. 8: Yes. They were fairly interesting. The second part of video night on Tuesday was very informative. 9: Yes. 10: Very much so. 11: Yes to all.
9) Did you get your money’s worth? Any final or summary thoughts, or advice for other persons considering taking this course in a future year?
1: Yes. For those considering it, by all means do! 2: Most certainly. 3: I do not regret taking this class, but I would have liked to have learned more, perhaps through more structured assignments. 4: The library got its money’s worth. I, as always, got more. Many thanks to all. 5: Money’s worth: yes. If you want to reach out and touch history, this is the course for you. Studying the subject with NB is a bit like having Abraham guide you through the Old Testament. Do the reading before coming, since most the class is very usefully spent on practical analysis of the documents. 6: I’m delighted to see increasing inclusion of courses relevant to archivists, and I’d like to see more of them! What about a rare books for archivists class? Or a course on diplomatics, or a class with an instructor from the Ecole des Chartes? Overall, well done to NB for a great class, and to RBS for providing a venue for continuing education such as this. One last, and minor, point: more fruit and less carbs! It would also be great to see RBS go a little “greener.” 7: Yes. I don’t think this is a course for those whose background in history and literature is not strong. 8: NB could have picked any topic other than what we were to be covering and I doubt any one of us would’ve felt any less happy with the class. Well worth it! 9: I was very pleased with the RBS staff and felt well taken care of during the week. However, I was disappointed with the class, and felt that it could have been a lot better. Perhaps if the materials for class had been better organized before class, we could have wasted less time and spent more time learning and studying the MSS. Overall, I am not happy with my experience here, primarily because of the lack of organization and preparation that went into the class. 10: Absolutely! Wonderful course and opportunity to hear someone of great stature. 11: I was probably looking for something a bit more rigorous, but I certainly learned quite a bit and am familiar with a number of useful resources now. 12. Yes; well worth it.
Number of respondents: 12
PERCENTAGES
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
67% 67% 59% 34%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
17% 25% 33% 58%
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 scholarship home
17% 8% 8% 8%
There were 6 archivist/manuscript librarians (50%); 2 rare book librarians (17%); 1 general librarian (8%); 1 antiquarian bookseller (8%); and 2 book collectors (17%).