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On Robert
Wilhelm’s tours for the visually impaired, blind
visitors to Florence get to touch Michelangelo’s David. |
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If James Conley and Ron Begley were not
such bibliophiles, they might never have met Robert Wilhelm. But
neither could resist Professor Wilhelm’s exhibit of used books at
the Classical Association of New England (CANE) conventions, and
that led to casual conversation at a coffee hour and that led to an
offer of some books, and by Summer 2008, Robert Wilhelm, his wife
Michelle, and his daughter Celeste were generously offering the
Classics Department a library of 4,000 books and journals, and over
10,000 slides. The library includes rare and valuable books such as
an 18th century edition of Cicero.
Who are these generous benefactors? Robert and Michelle Wilhelm met
in graduate school at Ohio State University while working on degrees
in Classics. After 30-year teaching careers at the Miami
University of Ohio, both retired to Michelle’s home state of New
York. Daughter Celeste carries on the family’s teaching tradition as
a middle school teacher in Hanover, NH.
Teaching for the Wilhelms extended well beyond Miami classrooms.
With Virgilian scholar Alexander McKay they formed the Campanian
Society and led tours to Classical sites in Italy, specializing in
tours for the visually impaired. The Campanian Society has made it
possible for blind travelers to touch even Michelangelo’s David, and
to feel the walls of restored houses in Pompeii
In retirement, Robert and Michelle continue the work of the
Campanian Society with a website which makes available Classical
texts and teaching material as well as the Classical tours. By their
gift to Saint Michael’s College, the Wilhelms have given their library
to a new generation of classics students. Not only will the Durick
Library collection benefit, but any duplicates will go directly to
the Classics Department, and form a core collection of reference
works which the department hopes one day to house in a
reading room open to all students of the humanities. |
