Norma P. Miller

Norma P. Miller was a very dear friend and always welcome visitor to Trent University.  She was a Reader in Classics at the University of London, at Royal Holloway College, but formed through her pupil, J.P. Bews (a faculty member of Classics for many years who passed away in August 2000), a fond connection with Trent which she often referred to as her "other university".  She visited Trent on several occasions, the last as Ashley Fellow in 1985/86, and became an honorary member of the department and of Traill College where the department was formally located for many years.  After Norma's far too early passing in 1988, the department and Traill College established jointly a fund that would honour her memory.  The three essays prizes, as outlined on the Norma Miller Essay prize web page, were established as follows:  The first, for Classical Literature 100 (former course code) students ("Greek Drama in Translation") recognizes Norma's large role in the establishment of this course in its present form in 1975/76, and was first awarded in 1992.  The second, for students in courses in Roman History and Civilization, reflects her lifelong interest in that field, particularly the historian Tacitus; it was first awarded in 1995.  The final prize, established in 1996/97, is open to students enrolled in 400-level courses within the department for longer essays that amount, in fact, to mini-theses.  A criterion that is always kept in mind by the Committee is whether Norma would have liked this paper, we hope that we have succeeded.