LecturesTheaterClasses
SeminarsThe Mitchell Gallery
CALENDAR OF EVENTS | ST. JOHN’S COLLEGEWWW.SJC.EDU
MAR | APRIL | MAY | JUNE 2015
LECTURES
Friday night lectures are heldin the Francis Scott KeyAuditorium at 8 p.m.Community members areinvited to attend the questionperiod that follows eachlecture in the ConversationRoom.
March 20 Steiner Lecture.“Our Kinsman, Mr. Hawthorne,” by WilfredMcClay, professor/Blankenship Chair, Universityof Oklahoma
March 27 “The Deduction ofTruth from the Phenomena inIsaac Newton’s PrincipiaMathematica,” by MaryDomski, professor, Universityof New Mexico
April 3 “The Life of Cordeliain Shakespeare’s King Lear,”by Michael McShane,professor, Carthage College
April 10 “Aristotle on theArno, Plato on the Thames:Prudence, Performance, andProbability in the Decameronand the Canterbury Tales,” by Robert Hanning, professoremeritus, ColumbiaUniversity
April 17 “‘In Want of a Wife…’or a Husband, in Pride andPrejudice,” by SusanPaalman, St. John’s Collegetutor
All events are held at St. John’s College60 College Avenue
Annapolis, Marylandunless otherwise noted.
All events are free andopen to the public unless otherwise noted.
The Calendar of Eventsis published by the Communications Office
during the academic year.
For more information call the Communications Office
at 410-626-2539.
Gregory Shook, [email protected]
Jennifer Behrensart director
St. John’s College does not discriminate in appointments, conditions of employment,
admissions, educational policy, financial aid programs,athletics, or other activities on the basis of race,
religion, age, sex, national origin, color, disability and/orhandicap, sexual orientation, or other characteristics
protected by any applicable federal, state or local law.
CALENDAR
THEATER
The King William Players, theSt. John’s student theatertroupe, typically presents twoperformances each semester.Unless otherwise noted, allplays take place in the FrancisScott Key Auditorium and arefree and open to the public.For more information:www.sjc.edu
April 24 The King WilliamPlayers will perform Arcadia,a 1993 play by Tom Stoppard,who is regarded as one of the most significantcontemporary playwrights inthe English language. Praisedby critics, the play exploresthe relationship between pastand present, order anddisorder, certainty anduncertainty.
MARYLAND HISTORYLECTURES
These lectures are co-sponsored by the Friends ofSt. John’s College and theAnne Arundel County Trustfor Historic Preservation. Thelectures, which are free andopen to the public, are held at8 p.m. in the Francis ScottKey Auditorium. For moreinformation: www.sjc.edu or410-626-2881.
March 10 “The Treaty of ParisPeriod (1783-1787),”presented by Mark Croatti,lecturer, the AmericanUniversity, the George
ON CAMPUS: PTOLEMY STONE
One of the more uniquestructures on the St. John’scampus is the Ptolemy Stone,an ancient Greek tool used tomeasure changes in themotion of the sun at itshighest point. “Ptolemy isone of the very earliest totake something that seemsvery complicated and reduceit to rational andcomprehensible ideas,” saystutor Nicholas Maistrellis.“The Ptolemy Stone has onlyone function: it allows you tomeasure how high the sunrises at noon. By doing so, wecan measure how quickly orslowly the sun orbits aroundthe Earth.”
“The tool is very importantfor studying Ptolemy,” saysSt. John’s junior NinoBenashvili (A16). Ptolemystates in the Almagest thatthe sun’s highest point in thesky each day changes duringthe year due to its angularorbit around the Earth. Thisslanted revolution is whatcauses the differences inlength of daylight anddetermines the seasons.Continued on p. 5
THE MITCHELL GALLERY
An Ear for Music, an Eye for Art:Selections from the Ahmet ErtegünCollectionMarch 11 to April 19This exhibition presentsmodernist works from the BakerMuseum’s largest and mostsignificant single collection,amassed by the late AhmetErtegün (St. John’s College, Classof 1944), the Turkish Americanmusician and businessman bestknown as the founder andpresident of Atlantic Records.
Throughout his impressivecareer, Ertegün built anextraordinary collection of pre-1940 American abstract art thatreflects his inimitable approachto assembling subjects andthemes. Works by WernerDrewes, John Ferren, VaclavVytlacil, Dwinell Grant, IlyaBolotowsky, Burgoyne Dillerand Albert Swinden, amongothers, will be included.
This exhibition is organizedand on loan from The BakerMuseum, Artis-Naples
March 21 NexGen Event. Enjoylive music and swing dancingin the Great Hall, along withviewing the “Ahmet ErtegünCollection” exhibition.
March 22 Opening Receptionand Family Program. ArtEducator Lucinda Edinbergwill lead a tour of the “AhmetErtegün Collection” followedby a hands-on workshop from3:30 to 5 p.m.
March 26 Book Club. Joinmembers of the MitchellGallery Book Club for a docenttour of the “Ahmet ErtegünCollection” followed by a
discussion of A Portrait of theArtist as a Young Man by JamesJoyce, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Themeeting will be led by BarbaraGoyette, vice president of St.John’s College. Registration isrequired. Contact Kathy Dulisseat 410-626-2556.
March 31 Seminar. St. John’stutor David Townsend and artistEbby Malmgren will lead aseminar related to the exhibitionat 7 p.m. Space is limited.Registration is required. Call 410-626-2556 to register.
April 8 Art Express. Art EducatorLucinda Edinberg will give alunchtime gallery talk on the
“Ahmet Ertegün Collection”from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.
April 19 Sunday Afternoon Tour.Art Educator Lucinda Edinbergwill lead a tour of the “AhmetErtegün Collection” at 3 p.m.
St. John’s College Community ArtExhibition 2015April 26 to May 10This annual exhibition offersmembers of the St. John’sCollege community anopportunity to explore the visualarts. The result—a diversecollection of ceramics—paintings, drawings, prints,sculpture, textiles, andphotographs, elegantlyrepresents the artistic talent ofthe community.
April 26 Artists and OpeningReception from 3 to 5 p.m.
May 7 Book Club. Join membersof the Mitchell Gallery Book Clubfor a docent tour of the“Community Art” exhibitionfollowed by a discussion of aselected text (TBD), from 2:30 to4:30 p.m. Registration is
required. Contact Kathy Dulisseat 410-626-2556.
Image & Imagination: Anne ArundelCounty Juried Exhibition 2015May 21 to June 7The Mitchell Gallery is pleased topresent this all-county, juried,multi-media biennial exhibitionof artists who live or work inAnne Arundel County. Workscreated in diverse media withinthe last two years will be ondisplay and the exhibit willfeature both two- and three-dimensional artwork. Erik H.Neal, director and president ofthe Chrysler Museum of Art, isthe exhibition juror.
March 8 CLOSING DATE for Callfor Artists for Image andImagination: Anne ArundelCounty Juried Exhibition.(Opening date is February 6). Toenter online, visithttp://themitchellgallery.org.
May 21 Opening Reception from5 to 7 p.m.
The Mitchell Gallery at St. John’s College is a hidden treasure in historicAnnapolis. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 2012, theMitchell Gallery is dedicated to bringing art of world renown to the Annapolis
and wider communities since it opened in 1989. The galleryattracts more than 10,000 visitors a year to its museum-qualityexhibits and is a resource for viewing, discussing, and learningabout the visual arts.
Unless otherwise noted, all exhibits and events take place in the MitchellGallery. For more information, hours, docent tours, and event registration:410-626-2556. Thanks to the support of members, gallery programs are freeand open to the public. To become a member, call 410-295-5551 or visit www.sjc.edu/mitchellgallery.
The Mitchell Gallery Hours and AdmissionNoon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Friday. Closed Monday. Docent tours Thursdays noon to 3 p.m.
top: Oscar Bluemner, Ruggles Street, 1926, watercolor and gouache on paper. The Baker Museum Artis—Naples.
bottom: Esphyr Slobodkina, Crossroads, 1943, oil on board. The Baker Museum, Artis—Naples.
Washington University,the University ofMaryland, and the U.S.Naval Academy. He alsocovers politics forAnnapolis magazine andis the director of TheAnnapolis Forum. Hislecture will explore theseries of crucial eventsthat took place inAnnapolis between theend of the Revolutionand the start of theConstitutionalConvention, includingGeorge Washington’sresignation from theArmy in 1783 and theratification of the Treatyof Paris in 1784, amongothers.
April 21 “Annapolis1865: Peace At Last!”presented by theAnnapolis HistoryConsortium, a group ofAnnapolis historians.The presentationconcludes a seriescovering each year inAnnapolis during theCivil War. In 1865,Annapolis experienced avisit from PresidentLincoln, victory andpeace celebrations, theassassination of thepresident, the departureof the Union Army, thereturn of the U.S. NavalAcademy, and manynumerous adjustmentsin Annapolis when thewar concluded.
May 12 “Uncovering theHistory of Anne ArundelCounty” presented by AlLuckenbach, who servedas the Anne ArundelCounty archaeologist for 26 years. Thepresentation will explorethe significance of theAnne Arundel Countyarchaeology program,covering many of thesites he has exploredover the years.
ANNAPOLISARCHITECTURELECTURE SERIES
The Mitchell Gallery atSt. John’s College willpresent a lecture serieson Annapolisarchitecture from the20th and 21st centuries.Led by local historians,architects, and scholars,the series addresses thequestion of how to“read” buildings byidentifying style, design,and historical context.The lectures will be heldin the ConversationRoom in Mellon Hall onMarch 1, and June 7,from 2 to 5 p.m.Refreshments will followeach lecture. The cost is$30 per lecture, andadmission is by ticketonly. Walking tours inHistoric Annapolisfollow most lectures.Appropriate walkingattire is recommended.For tickets and more
Continued from p. 2
CAMPUS TRADITION:MARCH MADNESS
At St. John’s, all students areinvited to participate inathletics. The welcomingatmosphere is ideal for thosewho are new to sports as wellas seasoned athletes. I hadnever played basketball on ateam before coming toAnnapolis, but during myjunior year I was a MarchMadness captain—anexperience that I will neverforget.
March Madness is a double-elimination basketballtournament that takes placeevery spring at St. John’s. Thegames have a different set ofrules from the regular season.For example, coed teams aredrafted by novice captains,and female students earndouble the points for eachbasket. I still remember agame when one of the femalestudents made several shotsfrom the three-point line inone quarter, which made foran exciting finish. Most of all,I had fun leading the teamand meeting new people.Here’s to another greatseason of March Madness!
—Eunji Kim (A15)
information:www.sjc.edu/mitchellgalleryor 410-626-2556
March 1 “20th Century:Annapolis InstitutionalArchitecture (United StatesNaval Academy).” SaraPhillips, architect of theUnited States Naval Academy,and James W. Cheevers,senior curator of the UnitedStates Naval AcademyMuseum, will discuss the U.S.Naval Academy campus,followed by an optionalwalking tour of the AcademyYard, weather permitting.Registration is required.
June 7 “21st Century: TheFuture of Architecture(Richard Neutra’s Mellon Hallrenovation).” Steve Ziger,principal architect ofZiger/Snead architecturestudio, will discuss the 2002renovation of St. John’sCollege's Mellon Hall (1958),originally designed byRichard Neutra. Registrationis required.
THREE CENTURIES OF SILVER IN ANNAPOLIS:CREATING, COLLECTING, CHERISHING
May 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Celebrate the 25thanniversary of theMitchell Gallery at St. John’s College withan all-day programfeaturing an exclusivetour of the U.S. NavalAcademy Museum’sSilver Collection,illustrated talks bynoted silver experts, abuffet luncheon, and atea and wine receptioncatered by ReynoldsTavern. Learn aboutthe place of silver objects in the history of our city, state, and nationas our speakers explore the artistry of silver—from the colonial erato American naval ships at sea. Space is limited.
For tickets and more information, visitwww.sjc.edu/mitchellgallery/silver or contact Kathy Dulisse [email protected] or 410-626-2530.
MARYLAND DAY AT ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE
The Friends of St. John’s College invite the community to celebrateMaryland Day at St. John’s College. Visitors may take a guided tourof McDowell Hall, the venue where Francis Scott Key (a St. John’salumnus and author of the “Star Spangled Banner”) attendedconcerts and classes and where the Marquis de Lafayette was feted by the City of Annapolis. The tour, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Saturday, March 21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Light refreshments will be available. For moreinformation: 410-626-2530
Caritas Society memberspromote relationships betweenSt. John’s College and thelarger Annapolis communitywhile raising financial aid fundsfor St. John's students whocannot meet college expenses.Caritas members and guestsgather for luncheon meetingsand social events featuringvarious presentations(reservations usually required).Fundraisers and other specialevents are open to the public.For membership information:www.sjc.edu/caritas
Purchase tickets and makereservations online atwww.sjc.edu/caritas-events.Send checks payable to CaritasSociety, 60 College Avenue,Annapolis, MD 21401. Forinformation, leave a voicemessage at 410-972-4505 orsend an e-mail [email protected].
March 8 Film Screening ofTim’s Vermeer. This Penn andTeller documentary followsinventor Tim Jenison as heseeks to understand thepainting techniques used byDutch Master JohannesVermeer—a fascinatinginvestigation for both art loversand engineers. Francis ScottKey Auditorium, 3 p.m.Reception to follow. Tickets: $15
April 9 Luncheon Meeting andBiennial Election. A review ofthe year’s Caritas activities andbiennial election of officersafter which a graduating seniorwill speak about the “Johnnie”experience. Hodson BoatHouse. From 11:30 a.m. to 2p.m. Advance reservationsrequired. Tickets: $25
May 6 45th Anniversary Gala.Enjoy this festive 1940s-themedevent, with good food andmusic, reminiscing with Caritasfriends, and honoring Caritasfounders and past presidents.Vintage ‘40s-inspired attire isencouraged. The Blue HeronRoom at Quiet Waters Park.From 7 to 10 p.m. Reservationsrequired. Tickets: $100
June 18 Great Frogs WineryExcursion. Spend an afternoonof wine tasting and picnickingwith friends at Great Frogs
Winery onHarnessCreek inAnnapolis.Food will beavailable forpurchase orbring yourown basket.From 5 to 8 p.m.Reservationsrequired.Tickets: $25
ST. JOHN’S COLLEGEANNAPOLIS
Caring for Studentsand Community
CaritasSociety
A Wicket Comeback
The St. John’s croquet team,led by senior and ImperialWicket Sam Collins (A15),prepares for a rousingcomeback at the 33rd annualSt. John’s-U.S. Naval Academycroquet match. Collins andteammate Jennifer Shumpert(A15), also a senior, talk with St.John’s junior Cem Turkoz (A16)about their strategy to end thestreak and reclaim theAnnapolis Cup.
Last year, the Midshipmen won theirfirst-ever consecutive victories.What is the Johnnies’ strategy thisyear?
J: We went to Pinehurst inNorth Carolina to play withtheir croquet team, which isranked national champions. Thetop thing that came out of that[visit] is that [we understood]the amount of strategy thatprofessional players develop.Our team now feels
comfortable withmore complexstrategies.
S: Since September,we’ve been talkingabout how the NavalAcademy plays andtrying to see howwe can combat that.We’ve been gettingout earlier [topractice] and reallyfocusing on thestrategies. It’s aboutbecoming the bestagain.
How does the teamprepare during thewinter months?
J: In January, weplayed outside in 27-degree weather. Wecall it “snowquet”when it’s that cold
out. I spend a lot of timehanging out with myteammates, and we talk aboutwhat to do to become betterplayers. Maybe we’re notalways physically practicing,but we’re always mentallypracticing.
How does the team recruit newplayers?
S: At the beginning of theschool year, we talk withstudents, especially freshmenand sophomores, who arealready involved inextracurricular sports and offerto teach them the basics ofcroquet. We let themexperience how much fun it isto play croquet and see if theylearn to love the game.
J: The majority of the croquetteam members are eitherintramural captains orupperclassmen who have beeninvolved in intramurals, so we
have a lot of contact with thelower classes. That makes iteasy for us to spot someonewho is really enjoying croquetand encourage him or her tocome out and play with theteam.
Why is croquet an ideal sport tobring together two schools that havesuch different cultures?
S: Backyard croquet, which iswhat we play, is a really socialgame. It’s the perfect sport tofor us to learn to find commonground. The two colleges seemdifferent, but we’re very similar.We know how rigorous oureducations are.
J: I wouldn’t want to go againstmost of the Midshipmen in anycontest of physical strength.But they are very good atcroquet.
How will this year’s team uniformscontribute to a St. John’s victory?
S: I can’t disclose what they are,mostly because I don’t knowwhat they are. But I do expectthey will bring a lot of swaggerto the St. John’s Collegecroquet team—people will be inawe of how awesome theylook.
J: When you look good, youplay good. I’m assuming welook good.
The 33rd annual St. John’s-U.S.Naval Academy croquet matchwill be held at 1 p.m. onSaturday, April 18. Rain date:Sunday, April 19. For moreinformation: www.sjc.edu
10 THINGS TO DO AT ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE
Concerts: Attend a performance in the St. John’s College Concert Series.
Theater: Attend a play performed by St. John’s student thespians, TheKing William Players.
Executive Seminars: Busy professionals meet once a month in tutor-ledseminars to explore timeless readings and questions.
Walking Tour: Relive history by taking a self-guided tour of the campusgrounds, buildings, and monuments.
Fine Arts Workshops: Paint, sculpt, and write by enrolling in ContinuingEducation and Fine Arts (CEFA) classes.
Saturday Seminars: Read and discuss great works with friends andcolleagues during this annual event.
Graduate Institute: Earn a masters of liberal arts through part-time or full-time graduate study based on the principles of the St. John’sundergraduate program.
Mitchell Gallery: Explore world-class traveling museum exhibitions,curator talks, receptions, and hands-on activities.
Caritas Society: Join community members who host special events eachyear to raise funds for students in need.
Formal Lectures: Join the college community for Friday night lectures ontopics that relate to the program of study.
60 College AvenueAnnapolis, Maryland 21401
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CONTINUING EDUCATION & FINE ARTS PROGRAM (CEFA)
St. John’s Continuing Education & Fine Arts program offers weekly andsingle weekend seminars and fine arts workshops. Seminar offeringsexplore classic works by Plato, Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf, and others.Fine arts workshops will explore the craft of fiction and memoir writing,landscape painting in watercolor, clay sculpture, pottery, and more.Registration is still open for the following seminars:
Shakespeare: Henry IV, Part IIThe Separation of Powers in Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the LawsVirginia Woolf: To the Lighthouse and A Room of One’s OwnPlato: Apology, Crito, and PhaedoShakespeare: Henry V
For more information, including online registration, summer schedule,class descriptions, and instructor bios, visit www.sjc.edu/cefa or contactChristine Tolson at 410-626-2881 or [email protected].
