Bolchazy-Carducci: A Year in Review

Tempus fugit! Looking back, 2016 was quite an eventful year full of conferences, contests, and new books for the classroom. Before 2017 sneaks up on us, we thought we would take a second to recap everything that's happened in the last twelve months.

The Bolchazy-Carducci booth at Kalamazoo, MI. 

Conferences. Bolchazy-Carducci has been all over the continental United States this past year. Assistant editor Laurel Draper went over to Monmouth, IL, for the Illinois Classical Conference in October. Shortly afterward editor Don Sprague found himself in Wilmington, DE, at the Classical Association of the Atlantic States, returning for a moment before heading back east, to Syracuse, NY, for the Classical Association of the Empire State. These few weeks set the pace, for in the subsequent months, B-C staff traveled to San Diego, CA (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) and San Francisco, CA (Archaeological Institute of America/Society for Classical Studies and American Classical League); Austin, TX (Modern Language Association and American Classical League); Williamsburg, VA (Classical Association of the Middle West and South); Northampton, MA (Classical Association of New England); Kalamazoo, MI (International Congress on Medieval Studies); and Bloomington, IN (National Junior Classical League). Did you miss us on our national tour? Don't worry, you can follow this link to find out which conferences we will be going to next.

Mont Allen, right, and partner
Stephanie Pearson dress as a
blue-skinned Charun and
an Etruscan noblewoman.

Contests. With the above conferences came almost as many fishbowl drawings. Some people went home with a medieval Latin book bundle, others with an annotated Latin textbook collection, and some with brand new titles from the past year. Regardless of the bundle, the winners, teachers, and students alike went home happy. This past year marked the first time Bolchazy-Carducci conducted a classics-themed Halloween costume contest, Dolus aut Dulce? We saw some beautiful costumes from students, teachers, and entire classrooms. Mont Allen, Assistant Professor of Classics & Art History at Southern Illinois University, and partner Stephanie Pearson, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology at the Humboldt University-Berlin, dressed together as a blue-skinned, hook-nosed Charun, one of the psychopompoi of Etruscan mythology, "claiming" an Etruscan noblewoman clutching her mirror and claiming the prize to this year's contest. The second annual Martia Dementia contest was even more successful than last year's, with more participation from students and teachers. Homer claimed the throne previously held by Lucan, and the Brookfield Academy Upper School, sponsored by their teacher Ruth Osier, took home the glory and the spoils. Make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook so that you never miss out on a chance to win B-C prizes. What will you win next year?

Richard LaFleur's translation
of Maurice Sendak's classic,
Where the Wild Things Are.

New Books. We had a lot of exciting new releases this past year. Bonnie Catto released Latin Mythica II: Troia Capta, a follow-up to her Latina Mythica,. Rose Williams's Latin of New Spain, a set of representative selections from Neo-Latin works, hit the shelves as well. Dale Grote's The Vulgate of Mark with the Synoptic Parallels brought engaging narratives of the Vulgate to the Latin classroom. Jo-Ann Shelton provided students with insight into political and social life of ancient Rome with Pliny the Younger: Selected Letters. G. B. Cobbold gave a lively prose rendition of all six books of the De Rerum Natura with his Lucretius: The Nature of the Universe. Kenneth Kitchell gave selections covering all aspects of medieval life with The Other Middle Ages: A Medieval Latin Reader. Lastly, Richard LaFleur provided a lively translation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book with Ubi Fera Sunt: Where the Wild Things Are in Latin.

Founder Ladislaus "Lou" Bolchazy sporting a toga.

Founder's Day. Lastly, this year marked the 4-year anniversary of the passing of Bolchazy-Carducci founder Ladislaus "Lou" Bolchazy. Good food and good company filled the office as old friends and colleagues joined us in Mundelein for an annual luncheon as we celebrated Founder's Day. Everyone looked back fondly on the founder and the legacy he left behind.

Looking Ahead. That about wraps up the 2015–2016 year. We anticipate just as much excitement in the upcoming year. Students and teachers can look forward to more contests, such as Dolus aut Dulce? and Martia Dementia. Look forward to seeing us at a conference near you too, so be sure to enter a fishbowl drawing to win a book bundle. Here's to the 2016–2017 year!