Melissa Dow ن

Politics Instructor at University of West Florida. PhD @UofDallas. BA @newsaintandrews. Homeschooled debater. Catholic convert. Huge fan of Dorothy Sayers.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

LATINISTS! I just discovered that I have the old desktop version of Whitaker's Words still in a folder on my computer. (The online version got nerfed a while back when they tried to upgrade it for a new version of the web.)
I'm pretty sure I could just share it. LMK if interested

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

It was such a delight to be part of this summer institute!

[Jack Miller Center @JackMillerCtr]

Last month, 24 young talented scholars from across the country gathered in Charlottesville, VA for the Jack Miller Center's 2025 Summer Institute. This new cohort of Jack Miller Fellows studied and discussed the theme "Republicanism and Civic Education." Aside from learning with preeminent scholars in their fields, the fellows attended workshops on academic publishing and syllabus design and made lasting professional and personal connections with like-minded academics.

Check out the rest of the photo album from the institute on Facebook!: https://t.co/5uR9I5GRaJ

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@RedemTheTimes @thejohnpeterson I'd be willing to make a case (as a former national-level debater) that mock trial might be a better way to develop the skills that most people seek from debate.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@RedemTheTimes @thejohnpeterson That's Mock Trial, right? Different beast.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@jojo90817789726 @patriarchysons I don't know the exact timing. I live in the southeast and heard about it from friends. They didn't mention that.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@patriarchysons *firing
Autocorrect fail

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@patriarchysons When I found out about the hiring, I was in the middle of finishing my dissertation. Then I moved to a new state and started a 4/4 teaching load. A couple times in there I floated the idea of an open thank-you to some other alumni, but we all agreed to sit with it for a bit.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@patriarchysons In mid November, I was reminded that we hadn't done anything yet and at the start of Thanksgiving week I suggested that we take the occasion of the season to finally make it happen.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@patriarchysons Oh. Do you mean you're curious about why the timing of letter? As one of the authors I could shed some light on that if you like.

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@patriarchysons What's the significance about "two weeks before Christmas break" then?

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@ExaminingMoscow @patriarchysons "Abrupt" might not be accurate. His firing was over the summer (I learned of it in June).

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@DavidHenry2 Thanks! I'm deleting the broken link to avoid any confusion

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

With the election tomorrow, I would like to re-share this piece I wrote.

https://t.co/qusSMT9grO

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@philmcraig ::bows:: happy to be of service!

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

Since the embedded ABC tweet has been removed, let us note that one of the major news networks was asserting that London's Bonfire Night fireworks were in celebration of Biden's victory.

[Phil Craig @philmcraig]

That’s nothing, just look at how New York celebrated Ben Stokes’ innings at the cricket World Cup last July.

[Thoughts on Tolkien @tolkienthoughts]

In 1936, Tolkien published a Christmas poem called "Noel" in the annual journal of a Catholic school near Oxford. For about 80 years the text of the poem was lost to history until Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull visited the school and found it in the archives. Here is the poem:

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

It was a pleasure to be able to contribute to this! My story is the first one in the feed ... A selection from Andrew Lang's "Grey Fairy Book" called "The Unlooked-for Prince."

[The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod]

Stories from the Hearth, our brand new podcast is now live.

A book at bedtime style podcast unearthing old and obscure folk tales and stories - read for you by our own listeners.

Available now wherever good podcasts are dropped, and on our website soon.

Please share, sub etc!

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

@sometimesalight Phil Christman

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

It's happening!

[Melissa Dow ن @M_Dow]

I have started one of those "letters" full of "news" that come in a pile--one might even say a "stack". melissaedow dot [redacted] dot com

Fans of Dorothy Sayers will want to subscribe before Friday's installment comes out [just trust me].