Godbey Lecture Series an intellectual treasure in University Park
The Godbey Lecture Series, founded in 1977, engages the Dallas community in the intellectual life of SMU.
By KIRK DOOLEY
Although many people don't think about this aspect, University Park has always been a college town.
It was incorporated in 1924 to offer city services for the teachers, administrators and students of Southern Methodist University. Since the beginning, SMU and the city of University Park have been mutually beneficial. Recently, I have come to discover one of the school's best-kept secrets, the Godbey Lecture Series.
Created in 1977 by Jo Fay Godbey, it is an outreach program of SMU's Dedman College to engage the Dallas community in the intellectual life of the university, and by doing so, introducing them to the SMU faculty. Talk about mutually beneficial.
People who live in the Park Cities don't have far to go for this intellectual stimulation. But folks from across North Texas have already discovered this hidden gem, and support its mission with their annual memberships.
The 2010 lecture series begins Jan. 25 with Serge Frolov's "Religion and the Holocaust," which will run for four consecutive Monday luncheons at Maggiano's at NorthPark.
Karl Kilinski's "Art and Attitudes of the Ancients" begins Jan. 27 and runs for three Wednesdays. The next three lectures include "Debating Immigration Issues" with Caroline Brettell, "Utopian Perspectives on the American Southwest" with Jim Hopkins and "Creativity in the Human Experience" with John Mears.
A new evening lecture series will begin this spring. Jasper Neel kicks it off with "Who Art Thou, Shakespeare?" on March 1, followed by Cal Jillson's "Politics in Texas and Beyond" on April 1 and Melissa Dowling's "The Many Religions of Ancient Rome" on April 22.
People can pick and choose which lectures to attend. They are open to the public. GLS members enjoy a discounted fee for each lecture. For specifics on membership fees and lecture prices, go to gls@smu.edu.
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