by Tom and Gerry Vale

The class which we know as "Experiencing Great Literature" was initiated by Plato-notable Fred Ross in 2002.  At first it was dedicated exclusively to poetry (was it titled "Experiencing Great Poetry" at its beginning?), but within a couple of years broadened to include, each semester, a novel and a play, along with poems.  This three-part structure continued for the remainder of the class's existence.  For almost a decade, Fred coordinated the group, and he himself led all presentations.  In 2010, a few other individuals began to present some of the material.  Subsequently, within a few years, coordination passed to Phil Paulson (along with, before she moved out of state, Patricia Becker); Phil was also a frequent presenter.  Covid interrupted the class in 2020, but resumed in fall of 2021; perhaps that interruption contributed to the declining enrollment that led to the class cancellation this spring of 2023.

 

It was a class of rich "experiences."  We read 34 novels (from Danel Defoe to Toni Morrison), a comparable number of plays ( from Beowolf to Athol Fugard, with at least 9 by William Shakespeare), and innumerable poems (both as individual pieces and as collections by authors and time periods, from John Milton to Robert Frost).

 

Thanks to Fred for the initiation and to Phil for carrying on, heroically, to the end.  Maybe someone will think to restart the group in the future.  If not, we will greatly miss it.