John O. Waller Lectureship on the Arts

The first annual lecture of the series.

The first annual John O. Waller Lectureship on the Arts is slated for Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Seminary Chapel at the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary on Seminary Drive in Berrien Springs, Mich. William Peterson, professor emeritus at University of Maryland, will present, “William Morris’ Pocket Cathedral: The Kelmscott Press Chaucer.” The lecture promises to be both orally and visually satisfying, complete with examples from a facsimile of the Kelmscott Press Chaucer. The lecture is free and open to the public.

William Morris was a leading advocate of the nineteenth-century Arts and Crafts Movement, a school of thought encouraging artistic expression in reaction to industrialization. Chaucer, published in 1896 at Morris’ Kelmscott Press, was immediately hailed as a masterpiece of book production and the zenith of private press publishing.

John O. Waller, a Victorian scholar, taught in the Andrews University Department of English for 28 years; 16 of those years he was chair of the department. Waller passed away in 2000. His widow, Elaine Waller, established this lectureship in his honor. This, the first lecture in the series, falls on the eve of the anniversary of Waller’s birthday.

Peterson was a student of John O. Waller at Walla Walla College in Washington. Peterson later taught in the Andrews University Department of English from 1962–1971, during the time Waller served as chair of the department. He is returning to Andrews University in honor of his long-time friendship with the late John O. Waller.

For more information on the first annual John O. Waller Lectureship, contact the Andrews University Department of English at (269) 471-3298.