American Philological Association
Excellence in the Teaching of the Classics Awards for the year 2000.
photo right: award winners Hans Mueller and Robert Cape
Introduction by Daniel Levine
(after Thucydides 2.35; with help from the notes of J. S. Rusten)
Most of those who have spoken here at this time and place praise the one who established this speech as a patrios nomos, on the grounds that it is a fine thing that it be pronounced for those from our number who have excelled in the Teaching of the Classics. But I would have thought by the very action which you now see prepared at APA expense around this Plenary Session here that the honors of those who have become fine teachers by their action would be sufficiently set forth, and that the virtues of these teachers not be endangered by one man who speaks well or poorly, as to being believed.
For it is a difficult thing to speak in a moderate way when the appearance of truth is verified only with difficulty. For on the one hand, those listeners who know the situation and are well-disposed would think perhaps that these teachers' virtues are explained too sparingly, compared to what they wish [to hear] and know [to be true]. And on the other hand, those who have no experience of these fine classics professors would think -- due to envy -- that some things said here are exaggerated -- if these listeners might hear something exceeding their own natural limitations.
For praises are endurable when they are spoken about others, as long as everyone thinks that they are capable of doing -- without any help -- that which they hear about. But because they are jealous of praises when they are excessive, as a result they actually become incredulous.
But since it was so approved by those of long ago, that these speeches are good, it is necessary for me also, following our custom, to attempt as far as possible to satisfy your wishes and fulfill your expectations.
ROBERT W. CAPE, JR. is Associate Professor of Classics in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where he has taught since 1994.
What you need to know about Bob Cape is that he teaches everything, and a lot of it. At Austin College in the past five years he has taught twenty-two different courses in forty-one different sections. Bob teaches an average of 3.6 courses each semester. His offerings range from Greek and Latin (including composition), to classics in translation courses, and courses called "Who Owns the Past?" "Ancient Rhetorical Theory and Modern Political Discourse," and a freshman seminar entitled "The New Caesar's Palace." He has twice taught an intensive January term course in Rome; this was no vacation -- the students had daily reading assignments to accompany their daily site visits.
Professor Cape has been a pioneer in Web-based study of Latin and Roman Civilization. Many of you have doubtless sent your students to his Internet Workbook for the Oxford Latin Course. This site is full of reinforcing exercises, games, reviews, and explanations that help students to learn and profit from the OLC. Furthermore, his "Virtual Catalog of Roman Coins" is a treasure-trove of images and information -- which he has profitably integrated with his classes. It has been visited over 30,000 times. This is a man with a mission who uses the latest tools of the trade to keep Classics relevant and accessible.
In fact, accessibility is the word that best describes Bob Cape in his students' minds. They tell story after story about calling his office to leave a message at midnight and later, and finding him there. They all tell of how he goes out of his way to help them with questions and problems in their work. This is an open-door professor. He is the sponsor of Austin College's Classics Club, and volunteers his both his weekend time and his house for student meetings and the annual Roman Banquet and play reading.
Bob Cape insists on bringing the Classics to life.. One student reports, "This man loves Cicero! If you get him started about Cicero, he will not stop! He made an assignment in one of my classes that we were supposed to memorize a passage of Cicero where Cicero is publicly attacking Catiline. Dr. Cape always wanted us to read the Latin with feeling, yelling if we had to. This particular passage was very adamant and someone jokingly stated that we should put it to heavy metal music. At this point, Dr. Cape got very excited and even imitated what someone might look and sound like doing exactly that. He really tries to get students going with the assignment. He even set up a news show in Latin where students dressed up in togas and gave official reports and interviews all in Latin." Another writes: "One of the most unique things I have known Dr. Cape to do was bringing a bust of Cicero into the classroom while we were translating the First Catilinarian. As each student translated a passage, Dr. Cape would turn the bust to face the student who was working... the bust provided a much needed sense of levity in the classroom... as well as providing a jumping off point for class discussion about the author of the text... What speaks best about Dr. Cape's excellence as a professor is this: I have never known him to let a student get away with not learning." One student who took courses from Bob for four years said that his Roman Civilization course was the hardest course he had ever taken, but that he was amazed that his professor lectured for the entire semester "without any notes, anytime," thus inspiring his students to work all the harder. An Austin College alumna recalls that Professor Cape allowed her group in a Roman Oratory class to theorize about how Cicero would have defended O. J. Simpson.
The APA Teaching Excellence Committee is most pleased to present an "Excellence in the Teaching of the Classics" award to Robert W. Cape, Jr.
HANS-FRIEDRICH OTTO MUELLER has been teaching Classics at the Florida State University since 1995. Not only is Professor Mueller his Department's Director of Graduate Studies, he also holds the position "Courtesy Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction in the FSU School of Education, and thus is intimately involved in three important pedagogical endeavors: teaching undergraduate classics majors, training future college teachers of the Classics, and certifying high school Latin teachers.
Professor Mueller's course syllabi are welcoming, informative, and models of wit. Each syllabus includes outreach: "All students are encouraged to make use of our office hours. Please stop by too if you are interested in advice about other offerings in Classics or how the Classics might fit into an undergraduate program as a major or minor."
Professor Mueller is strict and demanding, and his students respond positively. On a Latin Prose Composition syllabus he writes with more candor than most of us dare: "Late work will be treated neither kindly nor gently." He also states: "Compositions will provide occasions for discussions of infelicities, mistakes, options, and alternatives. There is no better way to learn. Those who make no mistakes would be better off in another course."
His students respond most positively to his tutelage. One FSU student wrote on a nomination form for his university's Excellence in Teaching Award, which he won in 1999: "He has a way of making any topic interesting and making you believe you can accomplish anything you try. There is just something about Dr. Mueller that brings out the best in everyone, academically and personally." A frequent theme among his students is the relaxed manner of their professor, combined with the rigor of the course.
One student wrote of his own decision to drop out of college for a year to consider whether or not he wanted to complete his education. He decided to come back to college after thinking about how important Dr. Mueller's classes were, and how this professor offered a model for learning and for maintaining high standards. He returned, majored in Classics and English, graduated with honors, now teaches high-school Latin, and attributes his success to the inspiration of Hans Mueller. Another writes, "I didn't feel like coming to class was a chore. Dr. Mueller provided the information with originality. I always had one good laugh each class if not more." Another wrote, "The thing I liked most about this course was the instructor. He was such a weird teacher. Coming to class was always a new experience because I was never really sure what Dr. Mueller was going to do."
Indeed, what will Dr. Mueller do next? His Provost attended a Roman banquet in which Hans dramatically portrayed a lovesick Cyclops reciting in Latin and English. His Dean reports sightings of Dr. Mueller "at dusk leading scores of students by torchlight from the Classics Department to an outdoor amphitheater where students read aloud in Greek, Latin, Etruscan, Sanskrit, Hebrew and English translations." Dr. Mueller's classics colleague Nancy T. DeGrummond has been a university teacher for more than thirty-six years. She enthusiastically and confidently calls Dr. Mueller "one of the exceptional teachers of our time," and says "All of this would not be so meaningful, of course, were it not for the fact that Mueller is appreciated enormously by his students. They revere him, they follow him around, they knock on his door at all hours; they love his witty, but classically dignified lectures and conversation. Because of his versatility, accessibility and willingness to teach overloads, he has attracted the highest enrollments in the history of Classics at FSU."
It is a pleasure to present the 2000 Award for Excellence in the Teaching of the Classics to Hans Mueller.
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