Work of Literary Merit: Description and Timeline

Introduction

Since the early 1980s, instructors teaching freashman composition at SRJC have selected one work of literary merit (WOLM) to be read by all English 1A students, which is aabout 1600 students per semester. the number of students who study the book is actualy much higher because many instructors also assign the selected WOLM to other classes, especially 100 (our subject A) and 1B (Intro to Lit classes). In the early years, the program consisted of little more than theis agreement on a common literary text, with instructors benefitting by sharing ideas about teaching the particular work. As the years passed, however, the program developed into ans exciting and integral part of the 1A curriculum. A constellation of optional adjunct activities aslo began to revolve around the WOLM, such as the lecture program, library displays bookmarks, public readings, special classes for ESL students. In short the WOLM is now an event.

Timeline and Narrative for Planning WOLMs

The WOLM Coordinator is responsible for completing the following tasks, which begin two years before the WOLMS are used.

Three semesters prior to WOLMs:
Set dates for nominations and voting.

December (two semesters prior to Fall WOLM).
Final WOLM nominations for the next year should be made before fall finals so that the department can read the finalists between semester break.

Second week of February
Final selection of theWOLM choices is made for the following year. Immediately, the following should be addressed.
1. The Director of Community Education, who schedules Newman Auditorium, needs to be notified as soon as WOLMs are selected to reserve lecture dates for both semesters. The WOLM coordinator should meet with the director to go over the next year's calendar. Mid-semester dates correspond to most instructors' preference for WOLM on their syllabi. Intervals between lectures depend on several factors, such as availability of speakers, length of the Wolm selection, and other programs scheduled into the auditorium. For example, in the spring the WOLM competes with Women's History activities and the film festival. Classes too are often scheduled in Newman. WOLM lecture dates should not be extended beyond a three-week period.

2. If a library display is desired, reserve time with the library to coordinate with the lectures.

3.Notify AV and request videotapes of all the lectures.

4. Research film catalogs and order othe relevant films.

5. Notify ESL chair of the WOLM choices and importance of arranging for speakers and rooms in advance for lectures designed for the special needs of ESL students.

6. Notify the counseling department of the WOLM selections for the following year.

End of February and September (one semester prior to the WOLM).

Review budget to calculate money available for honorariums, T-Shirts, bookmarks, posters, adjunct help, and miscellaneous materials, such as items for display case.

Discuss likely in-house and other candidates for the Fall lectures. Send out letters announcing Fall WOLM choice suggesting a spectrum of topics to prospective speakers. Letters of inquiry should include discussion of work chosen and relevent topics which would help the students understand the work itself and its larger context. Ask if the speaker requires and honorarium. Request timely response (See Appendix A).

Mid-March and Mid-October (one semeter prior to WOLM).
Decide on lecturers and send confirmation letter (See Appendix B).

Early April and early November (one semester prior WOLM).
Notify AV as soon as the coordinator receives confirmation and AV equipment requests from the lecturer. Request videotapes of all the lectures.

Notify the Director of Community Services regarding lecture titles for public relations department.

Order and reserve research and materials relevant to work, author and period in which it was written. Notify library of a particular WOLM selection to allow time for inter-library loans ad search for articles, dissertations, etc., and to call in books out on-loan which should be placed on reserve.

If special films are desired, Rooms 1 and 2 of Plover Library need to be reserved.

January and August (WOLM semester).
Follow-up letter to lecturers with info packet - Including precise location, date and time of lecture. Parking Pass. Map of campus. Name, office & phone numbers of the contact person. And the English Department's phone number.

WOLM committee should review and approve artistic design of bookmarksand posters for the Bookmarks should arrive for distribution at least two weaks before the first scheduled lecture.
WOLM committee should review if T-shirts are desired. Vendores often rquire prepayment. Committee should review and approve design (See Appendix C ).

Review possibilities for other activities to promote the Spring WOLM (See Appendix D).

A resource three-ring binder for the Margaret Clark Room should be established now to provide ongoing instructional matirials. A note in the department newsletter encouraging contributions of ideas, assignments and handouts.
Coordinator should check periodically to update Table of Contents.

Post-WOLM
Acknowledge each of the speaker's efforts with a thank you note written of department letterhead.
Coordinator should call for evaluation of the semester's WOLM.

Appendix A

October 1, 1991

Dear
This coming spring our department has selected Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for its Work Of Literary Merit. We are presently considering speakers and topics for our faculty lecture series. If you would like to be considered as a lecturer, we would appreciate a short response suggesting a possible lecture focus. We are hoping for some response to the following suggestions for Frankenstein lectures:
-- Frankenstein and the Romantic tradition
-- a feminist approach to Frankenstein
-- The Frankenstein myth in American Film and folklore
--A structural examination of Frankenstein
-- Frankenstein as a modern cautionary tale (science, theology, biology, cybernetics, genetic engineering, cloning, organ transplants)
This list is by no means exhaustive, but will give you an idea of the range of topics we are interested in. If you have an alternative idea, please describe it in your note.

In order to schedule the lectures, we need you response by November 1st.
Please send your reply to the attention of Peg Ellingson or Shirley Kotite-Young.
We look forward to hearing from you.

Appendix B

I. Outside Confirmation, Sample

January 16, 1991

Dear

Thank you for agreeing to prepare and lecture entitled ******* for our Work of Literary Merit this coming spring. Your lecture has been scheduled for ***** at ******. Please confirm the lecture title, day and time. This information will appear in our WOLM publicity.

If you have any special audio-visual requests, please describe what you require. In addition, we need biographical information for the person who will introduce you at the lecture; also let us know who you would like to introduce you.

We should have this information by February 1st. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Shirley Kotite-Young Peg Ellingson

II Sample, In-House Confirmation

To: Dux
From: Peg

1. Please okay lecture date, time, and title:

Wed, April 8th, Noon, Romanticism: The History of a Bad Idea

2. Also, What do you want to go in front of Duxbury (Circle one)

Bob Mad Lord

Robert

3. Who do you want to introduce you?

4. Besides lectern and mike, what else do you need?

Appendix C

If tee-shirts are desired, the coordinator should be warned that the vendor often requires prepayment. For example, the cost of advance payment for the Frankenstein semester was $550, which meant 46 shirts needed to be sold to break even. For design ideas, students/ faculty could submit artwork, sketches, photographs as possibilities. Faculty must be willing to promote sales in their classrooms, or tee-shirts often don't sell. Coordinator might consider selling them at Day Under the Oaks during the Spring semester.

Appendix D

Past activities to promote interest in the WOLM:

1 Readathons. In the past, instructors and students have organized ongoing readings. For example, instructors and students read The Adventures of Huckberry Finn around the clock in front of Plover Library.

2. Special Department Activities. Some WOLMs suggest certain extracurricular events, such as a high teas organized at Petaluma center during the Pride and Prejudice semester. The same semester, an instructor organized a costume pageant in which Miss Manners interviewed Jane Austen. Panels other than those formally schedules as lectures are often arranges as desired.

3. Coordination with other Departments. Cross-disciplinary activities occur with certain WOLM selections, such as the coordination of The Tempest with he theater arts department, and Foley Benson's lecture at the Jesse Peters Museum for Ceremony.

4. Classroom Activities. In the past, students have been encouraged to create teaching aids that anticipate concerns classmates might have with the text. For example, a student created a graph showing the number of pages allotted to each of the narrators in As I Lay Dying. Another the student created a cardboard replica of the magic theater in Steppenwolf. Other art projects included the time spheres in Ceremony, a jungle collage for Heart of Darkness, and a blind student's recreation in Braille of Candide's journey on three continents.

Appendix E

The Director of Community Education, who schedules Newman Auditorium, needs to be notified as soon as WOLMs are selected to reserve lecture dates for both semesters. The WOLM coordinator should meet with the director to go over the next year's calendar. Mid-semester dates correspond to most instructors' preference for WOLM on their syllabi. Intervals between lectures depend on several factors, such as availability of speakers, length of the Wolm selection, and other programs scheduled into the auditorium. For example, in the spring the WOLM competes with Women's History activities and the film festival. Classes too are often scheduled in Newman.
WOLM lecture dates should not be extended beyond a three-week period. since most instructors allow no more than this amout of time for teaching the work.

Current WOLM
SRJC Library's WOLM page
Future WOLMs
About the WOLM
Past WOLMs