The
e-Newsletter of the Texas Medieval Association (TEMA) - Winter 2002-2003
Published by TEMA through the Department of Social Sciences at Northwestern
State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana 71497
Edited by Kent G. Hare khare@nsula.edu
In this Issue:
The Revival of Mirabilia - A Letter from the Editor
Report on TEMA 2002 Conference
From the President: A Preview of TEMA 2003
From the Archives: Founder Provides History of the Texas Medieval Association
The Revival of Mirabilia - A Letter from the Editor
For years, the
General Information section of the TEMA website has touted as one of the benefits
of membership the receipt of a periodic newsletter. Mirabilia did exist
at one time, but publication was suspended several years ago due to rising costs
of postage and other reasons. It is hoped that the present form, as an e-mail
distribution with a copy being posted on the TEMA website, will be a more practical
way to keep it in existence.
I envision at least two issues a year, with an extra issue or issues as needed.
The first of the planned issues will be built around reports on TEMA's own conference
and business meeting, which is usually held in September (with future issues
of Mirabilia to follow more closely on the heels of the conference than
this one has, I hope!). The second would be a report on TEMA's participation
in the Kalamazoo International Medieval Conference each May, and might include
a call for papers for the upcoming Texas conference as well as the next meeting
at Kalamazoo. The extra issues would be occasioned by other items of interest
to TEMA members that I might receive, which brings me to a plea for help in
assembling material for Mirabilia.
As editor, I envision my function as being to collect, edit, format, and distribute
Mirabilia to Texas medievalists of record. Based at a small university
outside Texas, however, and with virtually no travel support, I can undertake
only the direct responsibility of reporting on TEMA meetings in Texas (most
years). Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to attend, Kalamazoo is just beyond
my reach. So, I would like first to ask for a volunteer whom I will deputize
as a reporter for Mirabilia in our Kalamazoo virtual bureau. In fact,
I'm going to assume the power to deputize all members of TEMA as reporters at
large, to help fill out the planned issues and to make possible the extra issue(s).
Please send me any news articles, calls for papers, or whatever that you believe
your fellows would find helpful or interesting. A column that existed in at
least one past issue of Mirabilia was entitled "Texas Treasures,"
in which was described holdings of medieval artifacts, manuscripts, codices,
facsimiles, and so forth in Texas (and neighboring states') institutions. Such
write-ups drawing attention to resources close to home would be most appreciated.
I thank you all in advance for your help in creating future issues of Mirabilia.
I cannot do it without you!
Report on TEMA 2002 Conference
Despite the best
efforts of Hurricane Lili, the Twelfth Annual Conference of the Texas Medieval
Association met Thursday-Saturday, 3-5 October 2002. Our gracious host was the
University of St. Thomas in the historic Montrose neighborhood of downtown Houston.
The inclement weather in the days preceding the conference delayed or even prevented
a few scheduled attendees, but those who made it participated in a scheduled
twenty-three sessions on subjects ranging from women mystics, gender and authority,
ethics, morality, humor and irony in literature, to kingship, administration,
and the European tradition of martial arts across the broad range of medieval
and Renaissance history. The academic sessions on Friday and Saturday, presented
by scholars who mostly hailed from Texas but who also traveled from as far away
as Maryland and New Jersey, were supplemented by entertainment in the form of
medieval music and a play, the world premiere of "Hotel Faux Pas"
by Sam Havens.
James Muldoon of the John Carter Brown Library and Professor Emeritus at Rutgers
University presented the Plenary Session on Friday evening, entitled "'We're
Bound for the Rio Grande': The Closing of the Medieval Frontier" in the
European settlement of America.
The president of TEMA for 2001-2002, Irving Kelter of the host university, presented
"The Bible as a Source for the History of Science" as the Twelfth
Annual Presidential Address following the luncheon and business meeting on Saturday
afternoon. At the business meeting, the conference dates and location for 2003
were announced as Thursday-Saturday, 18-20 September 2003, at Baylor University
in Waco. [Note: This date has now been changed
to 25-27 September 2003 because of a change in the Baylor football schedule.]
The 2004 meeting is scheduled for the University of Dallas. The following officers
for 2002-2003 were elected (or appointed by acclamation? - It's hard to tell
with TEMA!):
Paul Larson, Baylor University, President
Philipp Rosemann, University of Dallas, Vice President
Sally Vaughan, University of Houston, Second Vice President
Donald J. Kagay, Albany State University in Georgia, Secretary-Treasurer
Edwin Duncan, Towson University (Maryland), Webmaster
Kent G. Hare, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, your humble editor
to revive Mirabilia.
From the President: A Preview of TEMA 2003
Some of the particulars that are planned for 2003: We will be staying in the Hilton in Waco. All sessions will be in the Bill Daniel Student Union on the Baylor Campus. We will kick off the festivities with a barbeque by the Suspension Bridge just outside of the Hilton on the evening of the 25th. Everyone is invited, hosted by the English department. The meal begins about 8:15 pm or so, just when the temperature drops below 100° F for the day. The first official session will be the next morning at 9:30 (some of this scheduling may have slight changes). A coffee and pastry service will be provided for breakfast. We will have a morning session and two afternoon sessions (I think). Transportation to and from campus will be provided by the city. Encourage grad student participation. All are welcome. The President of the United States is invited if he comes to Crawford that weekend; otherwise, there will be no tours to Crawford or the Davidian compound. Unauthorized visits to these places may occur, but the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your existence if the Secret Service has to bring you back. I'm not kidding--you don't know my secretary. More details to come as they develop. Send abstracts to Don Kagay dkagay@asurams.edu or me, Paul_Larson@baylor.edu.
From the Archives: Founder Provides History of the Texas Medieval Association
(Updated from the Summer 1998 issue of Mirabilia, originally edited by Tom Hanks, Baylor University)
Don Kagay, Spanish
medievalist at Albany State University in Georgia and founder of the Texas Medieval
Association (TEMA), reports that the Association arose after several years of
various Texas colleagues meeting at the Kalamazoo International Medieval Congress
and asking, "Why do we Texans never meet in Texas?"
Kagay first led the loosely organized group of Texans to sponsoring sessions
at the Kalamazoo Congress in 1988. Not long thereafter, the first TEMA Conference
took place from 27 Feb-1 March 1992, at the University of North Texas, Denton.
Derek Baker, first president of the new organization, presided; some eighty-six
papers were presented.
Conferences have since taken place at Southern Methodist University (Dallas),
Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio (twice), Trinity University in
San Antonio (three times), Baylor University (Waco, twice), University of Texas-Arlington,
and West Texas A & M University in Canyon. In accord with the wishes of
Kagay and other founding members, TEMA encourages graduate students and even
the occasional undergraduate to present papers at its annual conferences.
Membership in TEMA is open to anyone interested in medieval studies, widely
conceived in terms of subject matter, period, and geographic location. Members
come not only from the State of Texas, but also from throughout the U.S., Canada,
and Mexico as well as from as far afield as England, Ireland, Israel, and Germany.
Annual Dues are $10 for students, $15 for all others. Conference Registration
is $35.