Dean’s Weekly
Department of English and Philosophy
7 May 2014
Past Events
1. EN102 cadets perform in Academy Idol contest on Projects Day
On Projects Day, the Department of English and Philosophy held its annual Academy Idol
competition in which plebes currently enrolled in EN102, Literature, perform monologues from
Shakespeare’s plays. Featuring the top nine performers from the Class of 2017, this year’s
competition included monologues from such diverse plays as 1 Henry IV, A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, The Winter’s Tale, and Richard III. A panel of distinguished judges, including Mr. Dwight
Garner of the New York Times, Professor Peter Platt of Barnard College, and Cadet Alexandra Efaw
(Co I-3, ’14), awarded prizes for first, second, and third place to Class of ’17 Cadets Micah Petersen
(I-1), Danielle DiUlus (G-4), and James Grays (B-1), respectively.
Cadet Micah Petersen (’17, I-1) as Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Cadet Danielle DiUlus (’17, G-4) as Margaret from Richard III
Cadet James Grays (’17, B-1) as the king from Henry V.
2. COL Nelson publishes a chapter in the book Nobel Laureates as Playwrights
COL John Nelson has written a chapter in the collection Nobel Laureates as Playwrights: an
Anthology of Critical Essays, recently published by Avenel Press. COL Nelson’s essay on Caribbean
author Derek Walcott discusses how the Antillean environs of the author’s native St. Lucia have
inspired the Nobel prize-winning poet and playwright in creating his artistic vision, one that is global
in scope and noteworthy for its masterful use of language in capturing the complexities of human
consciousness in an ever-changing world.
3. LTC Molin moderates a reading and panel discussion in New York City
On 29 April, LTC Peter Molin moderated a contemporary war literature reading and panel
discussion at The Strand Bookstore in New York City. The event, titled “Writers on War,” featured
war veteran Adrian Bonenberger reading from his new memoir Afghan Post: One Soldier’s
Correspondence from America’s Forgotten War. Also on the panel and offering comments on the
reading were David Abrams, who wrote the satirical war novel Fobbit; Roxana Robinson, author of
Sparta, about a Marine’s redeployment difficulties; and Matt Gallagher, whose memoir of service in
Iraq is called Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War. Abrams and Gallagher have
previously read their works or participated in class discussions at West Point as part of DEP’s effort
to incorporate in its curriculum the best literature of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A write-up by
David Abrams about The Strand event can be found at
http://davidabramsbooks.blogspot.com/2014/05/re-writing-war-at-strand.html.
4. Special Forces Soldiers speak to PY201 cadets about morality and irregular warfare in
Afghanistan
On 1 May, three Soldiers from the 5th Special Forces Group spoke about morality and their
recent experiences in Afghanistan with about three hundred cadets enrolled in PY201, Philosophy.
Titled “Maintaining the Moral High Ground,” the panel of speakers included LTC John Dyke
(USMA ’95), CSM John Campbell, and CPT Kyle Greenheck (USMA ’05). The speakers discussed
the importance of staying true to moral principles despite the intense challenges of irregular warfare,
and examined a number of anecdotal examples in illustrating their overarching message: that doing
the harder right, in the long run, is always best.
LTC Dyke, CSM Campbell and CPT Greenheck speaking with PY201 cadets in Arnold Auditorium
5. Jefferson Library exhibits rare books for cadets in EN102, Literature
On 28 and 30 April, Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives staff of the Jefferson Library
offered a course-wide exhibition to EN102 cadets. Titled “The Literary Officer,” the exhibit
displayed treasures from West Point's rare literary and military holdings. Highlights included
Patton's annotated textbook, a circulation register listing books borrowed by Robert E. Lee, and a
1486 edition of Augustine's City of God.
Rare Book Curator Elaine McConnell (left) explains book bindings, paper, and printing techniques to cadets.
Librarians Ed Dacey (left) and Susan Lintelman (center) explain early Academy manuscripts and
circulation registers from the Class of 1829. Majors Ward and Hadlock (right) peruse Robert E. Lee's
record of borrowed library books.
6. Cadet Fine Arts Film Forum visits the TriBeCa Film Festival
On 26 April, The Cadet Fine Arts Film Forum visited the TriBeCa Film Festival in New
York City. Cadets explored the TriBeCa Film Street Festival, interacting with New Yorkers, and
telling the West Point story. The highlight of the day’s events was a film talk with Academy-Award
winner Ron Howard and NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. Mr. Williams acknowledged the
cadets and offered up a rousing “Beat Navy!” that was applauded by the audience. Cadets ended the
day with an exclusive screening of the Swedish independent film Broken Hill Blues.
Majors Rik Miller and Barrett Ward (left) and COL John Nelson (right) pose
with the Film Forum in front of the TriBeCa Film Festival Red Carpet.
Cadets Oliver Matheson (’14, F-3) and Kailee
Kunst (’14, I-3) eagerly await the arrival of Ron
Howard and Brian Williams.
7. Cadet Fine Arts Jazz Forum jams with Jazz Knights at Grant Hall
On April 24, cadets of the Cadet Fine Arts Jazz Forum joined with the Soldiers of the USMA
Jazz Knights for their first joint jam session in Grant Hall, which provided the perfect atmosphere
for an evening of jazz. Special thanks go out to Grant Hall manager Maria Hoagland for
coordinating the performance space and for providing complimentary pizza and drinks. Also, very
special thanks go out to the following Jazz Knights for their support: SSG Vito Speranza (trumpet),
SSG Geoff Vidal (saxophone), SFC Mark Tonelli (guitar), MSG Scott Drewes (drums), and SFC
Dan Pierce (bass).
Left to right: SSG Vidal, CDT Huhn (’17, B-1), CDT
McLeod (’15, G-1), SSG Speranza
CDT Jon Kelly (’15, F-3) performs on the drums.
8. LTC Dave Harper Awarded 2014-16 Rare Book School Mellon Fellowship in Critical
Bibliography
LTC Dave Harper was named to the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in Critical
Bibliography at the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia. Twenty RBS Fellows were
chosen from a highly competitive field of applicants representing a broad spectrum of disciplines,
including archaeology, art history, classics, comparative literature, English, Germanic studies,
history, Italian studies, Latin American and Iberian cultures, linguistics, medieval studies, and
philosophy. In addition to funded attendance at RBS summer courses over the next three years,
fellows receive stipends for research-related travel to special collections, as well as additional funds
for hosting academic symposia at their home institutions. The official press release is here:
http://rarebookschool.org/fellowships/mellon/2014-16_rbs-mellon_fellows_pr.pdf