Popular Lit and Arts Classes Cancelled

Two popular Literature and Arts classes scheduled to be given this spring have been postponed until the next school year.

Both Literature and Arts A-66: "The Myth of America" and Literature and Arts C-37: "The Bible and Its Interpreters" were cancelled because of their professors' medical conditions, but will be offered in spring 2002.

The cancellations came on the heels of the abrupt postponement of Afro-American Studies 10: "Introduction to Afro-American Studies" on Monday.

Susan W. Lewis, the director of the Core program, said she learned of the cancellations "very recently" and contacted the appropriate administrators as soon as she learned of the changes.

"I got in touch with the [Allston Burr] senior tutors and the Freshman Dean's Office as soon as I had information about it," she said. "I wish I'd known earlier so I could have gotten something in the registration envelopes."

Lewis added that two additional Literature and Arts classes--one A, one C--may be offered this spring to make up for the loss of "Bible" and "Myth," although the specific courses have yet to be determined.

"Myth," taught by Carsell Professor of English and American Literature and Language Sacvan Bercovitch, was cancelled because of Bercovitch's throat problems.

"I've been having problems with my throat that will simply take time to go away," he said. "My doctor told me to save [my voice] for the future."

Bercovitch said he waited on canceling the class in the hopes that his throat condition would improve, and apologized for the delay. Instead of teaching "Myth," which had an enrollment of about 300 when it was last offered in 1995-96, Bercovitch will be teaching several smaller courses that will not strain his throat.

Lewis said that Starr Professor of Classical, Modern Jewish and Hebrew Literature James L. Kugel, who usually teaches "Bible," will also be teaching two small classes. "Bible" drew nearly 900 students when it was last offered in spring 1999, making it one of the largest Core classes.

Kugel could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Some students yesterday said they were unaware of the cancellations, while others said they learned of the changes through an e-mail message sent by John O'Keefe, Dunster House's senior tutor.

Several seniors who said they had planned to take one of the courses said they were disappointed.

Eugene T. Kim '01 said the cancellation of "Bible" was particularly disappointing because he had planned to take the course his senior year, after he had met his pre-med requirements.

"I'm a senior so it was my last chance to take it," Kim said. "I'm Catholic, and I wanted to take it because it's important for me to understand the different dimensions of the Bible."

Michael J. Giordano '02 said he was particularly disappointed. Giordano said he had planned on taking both "Bible" and "Myth," in addition to "Af-Am 10."

"It's a bad string of luck for me," Giordano said. "[The cancellations have] thrown my whole schedule out of whack, and that's kind of annoying."

The cancellation of the two Core classes leaves students with eight Literature and Arts A courses and 10 C courses to choose from, a selection Lewis said was slightly lower than in past years.

But Lewis said the possible addition of two additional Literature and Arts classes next semester will give students more of a selection.

"It's unusual for two courses in a particular term to be cancelled," Lewis said. "It hasn't happened in my 15 years at the Core, but people get illnesses."