Keeping the classics alive

Legacy lives in Ewald, says SPU

By ANDY SCOTT, News Writer

Published: March 9, 2005

Doctor Owen Ewald reads Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, German, Italian, French and English. He can speak Latin, Greek and English fluently. And now he is filling the shoes of the late SPU Professor C. May Marston and SPU Emerita Professor Winifred Weter, carrying on the tradition of teaching the classics at SPU.

Recently named SPU's second C. May Marston Professor, Ewald says he is honored to carry on the tradition.

Ewald says that his position, which includes an annual lecture, is designed "to make sure that the study of classics doesn't die out."

And Ewald says he tries to bring his enthusiasm to the classroom to ensure that the ancient languages remain lively.

"I began Latin at age 12, and Greek at 16," he said. "I was a Latin tutor in college, reading Caesar, and I enjoyed tutoring as much as my classes."

Ewald was accepted into graduate school and paid his way through by teaching. Ewald says that this is still where his passions lie.

"I think it's important to stay connected and to stay aware of our cultural heritage," he said. "As speakers of English on one hand, and members of the cultural west on the other, it applies not only to a more specific scale of language but a more general scale of history and culture."

This is Ewald's 13th year teaching, and his fourth at SPU. Educated with a classics degree at Yale, he tutored and completed Graduate work at the University of Washington, earning his doctorate in 1999.

As Marston Professor, Ewald will be responsible for bringing the classics to SPU, and he could not be more excited.

"I just can't help myself," he said. "I'm very passionate."

Ewald is known for his animation in teaching, whether it be illustrating the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius or talking about Latin poetry.

"The way to get people enthusiastic about a subject is to be enthusiastic yourself," he said. If the professor is not excited, he says, "Why would anyone else care?"

Sophomore Pierce Wade says that he likes Ewald because he is always engaging.

"He is naturally an active guy, and he is energetic no matter what he's talking about," he said. "He's always excited about what he's presenting."

Wade, who is in Ewald's Elementary Latin as well as his Classical Civilization class, says that a number of students utilize Ewald's office hours just to hang out with him.

"He has an incredible breadth of knowledge, and makes relevant connections to current events," he said.

Wade cited instances when Ewald connected a Latin word from Shakespeare's "The Tempest" to the new album from Beck and pointed out a classical allusion from Greek literature in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

"He's very well informed, and you wouldn't think that of a professor of classics would be that connected to current events," Wade said.

Ewald says he loves SPU because he can connect with the students and get them involved and interested.

"I'm a huge fan of (C.S. Lewis') Narnia books, and I can make references and people will know what I'm talking about," he said. "Other places I've taught before, I'd have to explain who Moses was."

As Marston Professor, Ewald will hold the title until his tenure at SPU is up.

"I love my job, and I love teaching here," he said. "I can be most fully myself."

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