On the Occasion of the Feast of the Three Hierarchs and the Celebration of Greek Letters

T H E H E L L E N I C L I N K , I n c .                       M e m b e r U p d a t e - BULLETIN

Editorial Committee: Ahilleas Adamantiades, Evangelia Georgoulea, Maria-Eleftheria Giatrakou, Dean C. Lomis, Katherine Efthymiatou-Stabile Contributing Editor: Dimitrios Oreopoulos Acting Editor: Constantine Efthymiou

No. 64, January 2008

On the Occasion of the Feast of the Three Hierarchs and the Celebration of Greek Letters: Let us keep in mind the fundamental premise for success of the education of the young the required convergence of family and teaching professionals, as enunciated by the Hierarch Basil the Great: “Parents and educators must possess experience and magnanimity, so that with paternal compassion and scientific rationality, that is sound pedagogic methods, they may correct the faults of the young by providing suitable therapy for each error…” (Translated into English from Basil D. Charonis’, Pedagogic Anthropology of Basil the Great , Vol. III, Publ. “To Byzantion,” Athens 2004):

«Οι γονείς και οι εκπαιδευτικοί πρέπει να διαθέτουν πείρα και μεγαλοψυχία, ώστε με πατρική ευσπλαγχνία και επιστημονική λογική - με ορθές παιδαγωγικές μεθόδους – να διορθώνουν τα σφάλματα των νέων, παρέχοντες την κατάλληλη για κάθε παράπτωμα θεραπεία...» Μέγας Βασίλειος ( Απόδοση Βασιλείου Δ. Χαρώνη, Παιδαγωγική Ανθρωπολογία Μεγάλου Βασιλείου )

Greek Letters in a Global Perspective A pertinent core question for those concerned about the status of Greek Letters today and in the future comes from the students and teachers of a renowned Athenian school, “ The Hellenic Paideia.” Evidently, on the 50th anniversary of their school’s operation, the school community decided to celebrate the occasion with a Conference on the ambitious theme: “Renaissance of the Greek Letters in the World Today.” They communicated their decision to recipients within and outside Greece, among them the Hellenic Link, asking for an input on the following aspects: if there is a perceived need for Hellenic Education in our niche of the world, America, if we would make an assessment as to the present status of Greek Letters in America, and if we could give our perspective on how progress might be achieved in the future. Of course, these are burning questions for Hellenism, difficult and too complex for any person or organization (no matter how large and resourceful) to answer and materialize single-handedly. Really, these questions circumscribe a visionary objective that only an enlightened, mobilized and united Hellenism can convert to actuality. With this deep conviction, but also with inner satisfaction and hopeful anticipation that the wonderful “Hellenists” in Athens, who wrote to us, will be in the avant-garde of a ‘Greek Letters Renaissance in the World,’ we provided the requested response. For this purpose, three of our co-workers undertook to send a greeting with relevant comments to the “Hellenic Paideia” conference, set to take place at the “Parnassos” Philologic Society Center on January 19, 2008. Here is what they contributed:

Why Study Ancient Greece? By Fred Mench, Ph.D.*

Some people study ancient Greece because it is in their blood heritage, just as many Italians study Latin or ancient Rome. But there are many more people, like me, whose bloodline is non-Greek but also who nonetheless feel a Greek cultural or intellectual heritage. I am one quarter each English, French, Irish and German, and my field is Latin and ancient Rome, but Greece is important for practical and spiritual reasons.

On the practical side, no one can teach Latin well without having studied Greek also. This way, in explaining structures to students, the teacher can draw on comparisons with another closely related ancient language as well as English, a language whose grammar and learned vocabulary are based on the ancient languages. When I teach Wordpower, The Greek and Latin Roots of English, students are amazed at how many of the words they use every day or meet only a few times in textbooks come from Latin and Greek and how knowing the roots, prefixes and suffixes and something about word-change can help them figure our English words they have never seen before.

On the more aesthetic side, however modern we may be, we are delighted by mythology and intrigued by the stories and concepts we find in myth. For the western world, this means Greek myth, perhaps as transmitted through the Latin author Ovid, and a bit of Norse myth. We don’t look to myth for literal truth, but there are truths deeper than the literal, and myth is one of them, as a way of seeing how the world works and what man is capable of.

And no modern person can be considered educated without having read Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plato. These along with the Bible, are the basic texts for western literature. And the study of Greek history gives so many colorful characters from whom we can learn so much, whether it be the patriotic cunning of Themistocles, the destructive arrogance of the brilliant Alciviades, the stunning wisdom of Socrates or the biting humor of Aristophanes. My two favorite novels, both by Mary Renault, are The King Must Die, the richly mythical but rationalized account of Theseus, and The Last of the Wine, the portrait of a devoted couple in the Peloponnesian War.

Imagine the contemporary world if there had never been a Greece. Would there be democracy? Would there be an inquisitive spirit, always asking questions? Would there be the same degree of beautiful works of art and architecture? These are only part of the gifts ancient Greece gave to its children, whether Greek or barbarian.

ΧΑΙΡΕΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΥ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΥ ΑΜΕΡΙΚΗΣ Rev. Demetrios J. Constantelos, Ph.D., D.D.*and Const. J.Efthymiou, Ph.D.*

Η Αναγέννηση των Ελληνικών Γραμμάτων στον Κόσμο , που είναι ο στόχος της “Ελληνικής Παιδείας” στην έναρξη της δεύτερης πεντηκονταετίας της, μας συγκινεί ιδιαίτερα, καθώς στηρίζει και την δική μας προοπτική. Είναι το κυρίαρχο όραμα στο “Σχέδιο Ελληνικής Παιδείας για την Αμερική,” που προέκυψε απο τριετή συλλογική προσπάθεια μελών και συνεργατών μας. Είτε πρόκειται για την επιβίωση της Ελληνικής γλώσσας και πολιτισμικής συνείδησης σε Αμερικανούς και

Καναδούς Ελληνικής καταγωγής, είτε αν πρόκειται να αναβιώσουν και εφαρμοσθούν στην Αμερικανική κοινωνία οι θεμελιακές για τον Δυτικό Πολιτισμό Ελληνικες αρχές και αξίες, η προσέγγιση γι’ αυτά ημπορεί να είναι μόνο εκπαιδευτική με τους ακόλουθους τρόπους, που αναλυτικά προτείνονται στο ως άνω Σχέδιο:

 Την ποιοτική βελτίωση των Κοινοτικών Σχολείων της Εκκλησίας, σαν βασική προϋπόθεση για την διατήρηση της εθνικοθρησκευτικής ταυτότητος των Ομογενών μας στις γενιές που έρχονται.

 Την κατάλληλη ανανέωση διδακτικού προσωπικού και την διόρθωση του χρόνιου προβλήματος έλλειψης εκπαιδευτικών. Η αξιόπιστη προετοιμασία εμπνευσμένων εκπαιδευτικών εδώ στην Β. Αμερική και εις την Ελλάδα, εκτός από την άρτια μόρφωση στην Ελληνική γλώσσα, ιστορία και τον διαχρονικό πολιτισμόν της Ελλάδος, θα πρέπει να εγγυάται και τον παιδαγωγικά ευαίσθητο τρόπο διδασκαλίας Αμερικανοπαίδων, καθώς και την συγγραφήν με την ιδίαν επαγγελματικήν δεξιότητα σχολικών βιβλίων και βοηθημάτων δι’αυτά.

 Την εισαγωγή τεχνολογίας στην μαθησιακή διαδικασία, που συνεπάγεται ειδικήν εκπόνησιν προγράμματος σπουδών (curriculum), όσον και εφαρμογήν, κάτω από νεοφανείς όρους και συνθήκες, ενός συστήματος οικοδιδασκαλίας (tutorship).

 Την αξιοποίηση των σχολείων τύπου Charter με επίγνωση των πλεονεκτημάτων και περιορισμών που παρουσιάζουν. Είναι σχολεία που εφαρμόζουν καινοτομίες στις διδακτικές μεθόδους και μπορούν να συμβάλουν στη βελτίωση της μάθησης. Το πρόγραμμα σπουδών σ’αυτά τα σχολεία ενσωματώνει ιδιάζοντα στοιχεία πολιτισμικά και άλλα, όπως η διδασκαλία μιάς ξένης γλώσσας και συναφών μαθημάτων. Ομάδες Ελληνοαμερικανών έχουν ιδρύσει και εποπτεύουν ήδη την λειτουργία 10 περίπου σχολείων Charter στις ΗΠΑ, εις τα οποία διδασκαλία στην Ελληνική γλώσσα γίνεται καθημερινά μέσα στα πλαίσια του πολιτειακού προγράμματος. Τα σχολεία αυτά λειτουργούν βασικά με χρήματα του δημόσιου προϋπολογισμού, και δι’αυτόν τον λόγον υποχρεούνται να δέχονται μαθητές χωρις εθνικές ή θρησκευτικές διακρίσεις, αλλά και να αποκλείουν κάθε θρησκευτικήν ή αλλοδαπήν εθνικήν εξάρτησιν. Για τη διάδοση των Ελληνικών γραμμάτων στην Αμερική είναι πολύ σημαντικό το ότι η πλειοψηφία των μαθητών στα Ελληνικού πολιτισμικού προσανατολισμού σχολεία Charter δεν είναι Ελληνικής καταγωγής.

 Το ευνοϊκό δυναμικό που προσφέρει η δημόσια Αμερικανική εκπαίδευση για τη μάθηση της Ελληνικής γλώσσας αλλά και την εξοικείωση με την Ελληνική κληρονομιά, ημπορεί να αποβεί σημαντικός πυλώνας διάδοσης της γλώσσας μας και διατήρησης της εθνικής μας παράδοσης, με σχετική δραστηριοποίηση της Ελληνικής Ομογένειας σε κάθε περιοχή που υπάρχει και ανθεί.

 Την ευεργετική επίδραση προγραμμάτων Κλασσικών και Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών Αμερικανικών και Καναδικών Πανεπιστημίων και Κολεγίων για την Ελληνική παιδεία. Ορισμένα από τα ανώτερα εκπαιδευτικά ιδρύματα της Αμερικής έχουν ήδη συμπεριλάβει στις εκπαιδευτικές τους δραστηριότητες σεμινάρια επιμόρφωσης διδασκάλων και καθηγητών, όπως γίνεται στο Πολιτειακό Πανεπιστήμιο Stockton της Νέας Υερσέης. Στις περιπτώσεις αυτές, μεγάλη ειναι η καταλυτική επίδραση της Ομογένειας, η οποία με θαυμαστούς πολλές φορές τρόπους ενισχύει οικονομικά τα εκπαιδευτικά ιδρύματα να αναπτύξουν Ελληνικές σπουδές, πολύ πιο πέρα από τις δυνατότητες του προϋπολογισμού των.

 Την ανάπτυξη ειδικών προγραμμάτων Ελληνικών σπουδών κολεγιακού επιπέδου ειδικώς για ικανούς μαθητές λυκείου.

Η ανάπτυξη των Ελληνικών Γραμμάτων στον Νέο Κόσμο ημπορεί να προέλθει από τις ανωτέρω επιλογές και την ενοποιημένη προσπάθεια της Εκκλησίας, της επίσημης Ελλάδος και των οργανωμένων φορέων της Ομογένειας. Η εν «ενί στόματι και μιά καρδία» κοινή αυτή επιδίωξη δεν είναι βεβαίως απλή ούτε και ημπορεί να θεωρηθεί εκ των προτέρων δεδομένη. Ημπορεί όμως να έλθει σαν ώριμος καρπός μιάς συνεχούς και υπεύθυνης προσπάθειας όλων, υποτεταγμένης στην επίτευξη του επιθυμητού από όλους αντικειμενικού σκοπού.

Η κατεύθυνση που η «Ελληνική Παιδεία» παίρνει σήμερα με ευθυκρισία, τόλμη και παρρησία στο σημαντικό αυτό ορόσημο της λαμπράς εκπαιδευτικής της διαδρομής, δίνει μεγάλη ελπίδα για την επίτευξη Αναγέννησης των Ελληνικών Γραμμάτων στον Κόσμο μέσω συνεργασίας με τον έξω της Ελλάδος Ελληνισμό και Φιλελληνισμό. Είμαστε βέβαιοι ότι διδάσκοντες και απόφοιτοι των Σχολείων της “Ελληνικής Παιδείας” θα είναι σημαιοφόροι στην πρωτοπορεία της Αναγέννησης αυτής.

Ας προχωρήσετε με Πίστη στην εκπλήρωση του Οράματός σας, που είναι σωτήριο για τον Ελληνισμό και τον Κόσμο! Είμαστε μαζί σας!

*Fred C. Mench, Ph.D.(Yale U.) Professor of Classics, and the American Foundation of Greek Language and Culture Endowed Professor of Greek Culture, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey *Rev. Demetrios J. Constantelos, Ph.D. (Rutgers U.), D.D., Charles Cooper Townsend Sr. Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, Religion; Distinguished Research Scholar in Residence, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey *Constantine J. Efthymiou, Ph.D.(U. of Maryland), Professor of Microbiology (Ret.), St. John’s University, President, The Hellenic Link, Inc.; Coordinator, Advisory Council on Hellenic Education

A Major Celebration for Greek Letters in New York City A traditional annual Hellenic cultural event will be celebrated in NYC in an extraordinarily meaningful way this year. As this Bulletin is going to the press, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios is scheduled to preside over a festive observance of the Three Hierarchs and of Greek Letters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on January 28. The event will include a Lecture on the theme “Manuscripts from Byzantium as Links to the World of Classical Greek Literature” by Professor Gregory Nagy, Director of Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies, Washington, DC and Francis Jones Professor of Comparative Literature,

Harvard University. The lecture will be accompanied by a musical performance by “The Metropolitan Youth Choir of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.” This program will be held in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium (8:00-9:15 p.m.) and will be preceded by a viewing of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine Galleries (6:30-8:00 p.m.). This most auspicious cultural as well as educational manifestation is made possible by “Faith: An Endowment for Orthodoxy & Hellenism.”

News From and About the Hellenic Link  We are pleased to inform our members that Dr. John Anton ( Distinguished Professor of Greek Philosophy and Culture, University of South Florida) has accepted to serve in the Advisory Council on Hellenic Education of the Hellenic Link, Inc. In cordially welcoming him, we express our delight over the prospect that his significant intellectual contributions in humanistic studies soon will be extended to benefit the think-tank endeavors of the Council.  Members of our Advisory Council offered assistance to Cephalonian Societies of the USA in launching a fund drive to support public benefit programs of the Korgialeneion Foundation, i.e., the Historical-Folklore Museum and Library of Argostolion. In cooperation with the Curator of the Museum Nike Katsouni, Drs. K. Efthymiatou-Stabile and C. Efthymiou collaborated in order to present the history and a comprehensive analysis of the mission and significance of the two cultural institutions of Cephalonia. The event dedicated to this purpose was held at the Stathakeion Cultural Center in New York on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. The response of the audience to the presentation as well as to the subsequent initiation of collection of funds in support of Korgialeneion was quite positive.  The Hellenic Link is honored and pleased to co-sponsor a Seminar organized by the Center for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of Queens College at the Graduate Center of CUNY on February 20, 2008. Speaker will be Dr. Henry Wasser and his topic: “Public vs. Private Education in Greece and the EU.” Details will be forthcoming shortly in the HL Web Site.

A Reminder from the HL Treasurer January provides the opportunity to the Hellenic Link members to share the onus of sustaining our Association by paying the pre-determined annual dues. All members have received an individual reminder to this effect by the Board. Every one is kindly urged to attend to this obligation promptly.

Hellenic Book Club Selection of the Month

B 1M271 * “ The Xefoto – the clearing”

Tatiana Averoff “Kedros” Publications Historical, social novel – p. 455 – 14X21 - 17,00

The well-written historical novel “The Xefoto” – “The clearing” by Tatiana Averoff – “Kedros” Publications - transfers us to Metsovo, Epirus of 1875 when it was still under the Turkish domination. In spite of that, Metsovo had developed significant commercial business and its gentry had good relations with the Turks and were granted many privileges. The peak of Pindos, Zygos, one of the most inaccessible places of that mountain with its neck at 1800 m. of altitude, was a link between Epirus and Thessalia and one of the most important knots of transportation for the whole Greek peninsula. This was the reason why, during the Turkish occupation, the region had relative

freedom and privileges for a long period of time, which in turn led to a thriving trade, better education and the prosperity in the region.

In this environment, Iphigenia, a young lady of the best families – Kolaki – of Metsovo, niece of the national benefactor Georgios Averoff, an untamed and mysterious girl, clever and fair, was conscious more than any one else of the Turkish bondage. With Tego, who was of the same age with her, son of a cart- driver – though they belonged to different worlds – they meet as children in a “clearing” of their own and seek their “Clearing in life” which will comfort and lead them to freedom beyond the mountains of their country.

The events, the life of that period, the customs and the characters are described in a lyrical language that flows and which keeps the interest of the reader alert until the end.

Fotini Plevritou

A 2B055 "Agis" Lili Mavrokefalou Ed. "Kedros" Fictional biography, 268 pages, 14x21, €11.00

In the 3rd century B.C. avarice, injustice and debauchery of the few and powerful dominate in the formerly austere and glorious Sparta. They own the land and the people, miserable and deep in debt, do not have any land or civil rights. The former austerity, the equality of rights and lots are a thing of the past, along with glory. Twenty-year old king Agis IV is determined that his life's goal will be to raise his homeland and restore justice and harmony. He sacrifices everything for his vision: welfare, love, wealth. His mother and grandmother are at his side and young people follow him with enthusiasm "changing their life, as if it were a cloth, to fight for virtue". The corrupted unite and destroy him, but his seed has fallen on fertile soil. QUALITY BOOKS Recommended by the Hellenic Book Club A voluntary, non-profit organization 15, D. Solomou Str. 154 51 Athens, Greece Tel. 210 646-3888, 646-3263fax [email protected] wwww.elbi.gr

THE HELLENIC LINK, Inc. A NON PROFIT CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION OF HELLENES AND PHILHELLENES INCORPORATED IN DELAWARE Suite No. 278, 38-11 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, New York 11105 Web Site: http://www.helleniclink.org Email: [email protected] Contact Telephone : (718) 217- 4285

HELLENIC LINK BULLETIN #64 ADDENDUM Announcement-Invitation The Members and Friends of the Hellenic Link, Inc. are cordially invited to attend the following academic event of great interest and significance for Hellenic Higher Education, presented by the Center for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of Queens College: SEMINAR ON THE MODERN GREEK STATE AT THE CUNY GRADUATE CENTER FIFTH 365 AVENUE AT 34TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10016 (212) 817-7940

Thirty-Third Year 1975-2008

Guest Speaker Dr. Henry Wasser Professor Emeritus of Sociology and English CUNY Graduate Center & College of Staten Island Author of the book with Solidelle Fortier: Higher Education Policy in Europe and U.S.A On the Topic

“Public Vs Private University Education in Greece

And the European Union”

On: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 7:30-9:0 0pm, Room: C201 CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. & 34th Street

*The Seminar on the Modern Greek State is a Program of the Queens College Center for Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies and is co-sponsored by the CUNY Academy for the Humanities & Sciences. The Seminar is made possible in part by a grant from the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation. **This Seminar by is co-sponsored by the Hellenic Arts & Letters Institute and the Hellenic Link, Inc. For information please call the Center: 718-997.4520 or CUNY Academy: 212-817.7940