newsobserver.com projects - Bye, bye Bard - Comments

Re: This is typical

greenlamp — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:49:51 -0400

I don't think the Pope Center's report was criticizing the schools that do support Shakespeare considering Davidson puts so much emphasis on sustaining the arts.

I believe the report instead was merely to point out and maybe encourage schools to be more like Davidson and continue a strong focus on the arts. I will agree with previous posters though and say that the Pope Center probably needs to do a little more research into the actual course offerings than JUST off of the school's website before releasing reports such as this.

This is typical

JohnBurns — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:39:43 -0400

This report indicts several North Carolina universities and colleges for failing to "require" study of Shakespeare in English departments, and bases the determination of what is required on a review of ~~course guidebooks~~ school websites.

How much money did Pope pay for such amateurish ridiculousness?

Want proof of how limited and sloppy the purported "method" of this survey is?

How's this? During the time it was determined by the Pope Foundation to be inadequately focusing on the works of William Shakespeare, Davidson has twice hosted as artists in residence . . . wait for it . . . The Royal Shakespeare Company. In fact, the Company is in residence at Davidson from 2005-2008.

While I understand such a unique and vital link between Shakespeare and modern education might have been missed from looking at course catalogues, I will be happy to provide a link so that our intrepid "researchers" from the Pope Foundation don't miss it next time.

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY TEACHES AT DAVIDSON

Re: Bye, bye Bard

clnelson80 — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:52:30 -0400

This is exactly what I would expect when a group of self-styled conservative politicos decide to weigh in on a subject they know little to nothing about ...

Re: Bye, bye Bard

Proctor — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:48:55 -0400

Hark, Manteo, welcome to Olde Englande!
How are things in yon Roanoke Sing-lande?

Way out in Murphy they've heard of Shakespeare
Even though it's "So Far Away" from Olde Cape Feare.

Well, they may never come to London for the play,
But they can journey west to New London for a day.

New London, in the County of Stanly fair,
Whose native sons fill the radio roundball air.

Woody and Bob of blue shades know their verse
When basketball fundamentals slip to their worst,

Whilst Sir Roy and Prince Mike prod their troops
To return to the basics of hoops.

In the meantime, with no Shakespeare to read,
Our students can dash with still greater speed

To the academic goals that the times require,
But don't forget the music of "Earth, Wind and Fire!"

"Fair is foul and foul is fair..."
Woolly and Muddy, homer through the air!

"Lay on, McDuff!" Go make a good stew
In case the new curricula should ban barbecue.

And so if Will's plays are no longer a cinch,
At least Milton and Dickens are on the bench,

Waiting to come into the game of poetry and prose,
Hoping teachers will choose the rhododenron and the rose.

Bye, bye Bard

Michelle_Valenzuela — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:55:44 -0400

William, William, wherefore art thou, William?

Well, he's not in about half the colleges and universities in North Carolina.

A new report from the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy found that nearly 50 percent of North Carolina colleges and universities no longer require their English majors to take a course in the work of William Shakespeare.

Within the UNC system, seven campuses do not require English majors to study Shakespeare. UNC-Chapel Hill maintains the requirement, while N.C. State does not.

Of 34 private institutions surveyed in the state, 17 require English majors to take a course in Shakespeare; 17 do not.

The Pope Center says its report, “To Be or Not to Be: Shakespeare in the English Department,” is based on information from the Web sites of 49 four-year universities in North Carolina. When clarification was needed, university personnel were contacted.

The full report is available here.