Pharr's "Homeric Greek" copyright 1920?? (public d

[JuliaP]

I just ordered a worn old copy of Pharr's "Homeric Greek - A Book For Beginners," after which I noticed the copyright date is 1920, according to the seller's description. If the description is correct, wouldn't that mean this edition is now in the public domain?

Sadly, some of the pages have become discolored over time.
(But the price was unbeatable!)

[Kerastes]

I just ordered a worn old copy of Pharr's "Homeric Greek - A Book For Beginners," after which I noticed the copyright date is 1920, according to the seller's description. If the description is correct, wouldn't that mean this edition is now in the public domain?

Yes, if that's the case, you have succeeded in finding something I've been lusting after. I don't even know who the publisher is, though I know it's not the University of Oklahoma Press. It would be interesting to see the differences between the two editions, and if the old edition is as usable, I'd love to see it freely available.

Kerastes

[JuliaP]

I probably won't receive the book for at least a week, but this is the seller's description:

HOMERIC GREEK
A BOOK FOR BEGINNERS BY CLYDE PHARR, PH.D. Yale University, Professor of Greek in Southwestern Presbyterian Univ. D.C. HEATH & CO. PUBLISHERS, BOSTON, NEW YORK, CHICAGO - COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY CLYDE PHARR From the Preface: "This book, now offered to the public, is the fruit of seven years of experimentation and of much counsel with those interested in the plan which it embodies. It has already gone through four mimeographed editions, and has been used for several years: in Ohio Wesleyan University, in Oberlin College, and in Southwestern Presbyterian University. In all these cases it has had marked success in creating and sustaining interest in beginning Greek, where the crux of the whole problem of the future of Hellenic studies lies." The cloth cover is tattered and there is a pencil signature of a student on the first page: "Lucian Craig, Faculty House 25, Olivet Mich". There are writings in the margins of many pages. The book is Illustrated with a map and art statues and buildings of Greek origin...391 pages...some with stains...it measures just under 8" x 5 1/2" and is 1 1/8" thick.

I would like to see this freely available, too. How would I go about this? Could I scan the pages and send them to Textkit?

[Jeff Tirey]

Hi JuliaP,

That's very interesting! I wasn't even aware that Pharr went back that far.

Yes, if the copyright is 1920 then it's public domain and we would love to have it. All we need is a photocopy of the book. Just photocopy the book with one photocopy holding two pages - we'll break it apart into separate pages with some 'digital razzle-dazzle'.

Very cool - you'll really help make an impact on learning Homeric Greek if we can get this copy online.

When you have made the copy, PM me and I'll send you my mailing address.

thanks again,
jeff

[mingshey]

I'd be looking forward to it as well.

[annis]

My original copy has a 1923 copyright, so I wonder if the seller didn't fudge it a bit.

Kerastes, the older edition is quite usable. The Wright edition has notes at the beginning of some chapters for people who haven't had Latin and might find the terminology confusing. Wright also trimmed Pharr's original commentary on the Iliad, which sometimes went off on curious tangents unrelated to the Greek of the text.

[JuliaP]

Aha! I looked it up in the Library of Congress's online catalog, and among their several listings of Pharr's "Homeric Greek" is one with a copyright of 1920.

Homeric Greek; a book for beginners, by Clyde Pharr.

LC Control Number: 20022252
Type of Material: Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
Brief Description: Pharr, Clyde, 1883-
Homeric Greek; a book for beginners, by Clyde Pharr.
Boston, New York [etc.] D. C. Heath & co. [c1920]
xiii, 391 p. front., illus., plates, maps (1 double) 20 cm.


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CALL NUMBER: PA4179 .P5
Copy 1
-- Request in: Jefferson or Adams Bldg General or Area Studies Reading Rms

-- Status: Not Charged

[annis]

Aha! I looked it up in the Library of Congress's online catalog, and among their several listings of Pharr's "Homeric Greek" is one with a copyright of 1920.

Oh, oh, oh! This is so cool! I had no idea an earlier edition was available.

[JuliaP]

It will be on its way to Jeff as soon as humanly possible. He knows what to do with it!