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HomeNew Exhibit Highlights the History of Rhetoric at the UO
May 21, 2008
If you are familiar with the term rhetoric and the important role it plays in our communications with one another, then chances are you have had at least one college course on the subject. If this is the case, you will be delighted by the new exhibit on display in Knight Library entitled "Rhetoric at the University of Oregon: A Legacy of Teaching Writing and Speaking." The exhibit tracks the history of the rhetorical studies at the University of Oregon from the 1880s to the present.
Arranged in chronological order, the exhibit begins with a description of English Professor Luella Clay Carson's focus on rhetoric in her lesson plans at the University of Oregon in 1889. A photograph of Carson is on display, as are several textbooks from the time period.
Viewers familiar with Oregon's political history will recognize the name of another noted English professor whose work is on display, Albert Kitzhaber. Kitzhaber taught at the UO from 1964 to 1980, and he was the father of former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber. Undoubtedly, the emphasis Kitzhaber placed on rhetoric in his teaching helped his son with his political campaigns!
Another highlight from the exhibit is a letter written in 1982 by noted rhetorical scholar Kenneth Burke, who spoke at the University of Oregon in 1982. Students of rhetoric will be especially pleased to see a first edition copy of Burke's influential book A Grammar of Motives, inscribed with a note by the author. There is also a photograph of Burke with John Gage, a professor of English at the UO.
The display concludes with materials that represent the future of rhetorical studies at the UO, including a trophy won by the UO Debate Team, and information about rhetoric and online communications. Viewers of the exhibit will learn that the University of Oregon has been a pioneer in the study of rhetoric since the 19th century, and proudly continues to be so.
"Rhetoric at the University of Oregon" is on display outside Knight Library's Browsing Room near the checkout desk. This exhibit was compiled using materials and images from the UO Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives, with help from Cristian Boboia and Elizabeth Peterson of the UO Libraries; John Gage, from the Department of English, and David Frank, from the Robert D. Clark Honors College.