The Pleasures of Teaching Design History

© Roy R. Behrens

Above Few things are more enjoyable than to teach the history of design. But more satisfying than the actual teaching is the process of building the lectures, as in this slide from a recent lecture about the Gothic Revival, John Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites.

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Stephen Leacock, quoted in David M. Legate, Stephen Leacock: A Biography. Garden City NY: Doubleday, 1970, p. 94—

It appears that the right time to begin gardening is last year. For many things it is well to begin the year before last. For good results one must begin even sooner. Here, for example, are the directions, as I interpret them, for growing asparagus. Having secured a suitable piece of ground, preferably a deep friable loam rich in nitrogen, go out three years ago and plow or dig deeply. Remain a year inactive, thinking. Two years ago pulverize the soil thoroughly. Wait a year. As soon as last year comes set out the young shoots. Then spend a quiet winter doing nothing. The asparagus will then be ready to work at this year.