You may know Andre Stipanovic as an Upper School Latin teacher, but you probably don’t know about what he does when he’s not in school: writing about Roman historians, camping with Cub Scouts or reading Greek. Oh, and he is also planning his next wedding anniversary.
You’re writing a book. What’s its subject?
The book, titled “Imperial Tensions,” is about 170 pages with 5 chapters. My book is analyzing one of Tacitus’ books on his father-in-law, Agricola, called “The Agricola,” a biography about Agricola’s command as a Roman general and governor in Britain. It’s about one of my favorite writers and a Roman historian, Tacitus, who writes really concentrated and vivid Latin that it’s like reading a puzzle.
Where is your book in terms of publishing?
I finished the book and sent it into Cambridge University Press. They’ve sent it out for review, and now I’m waiting to hear back. I’m still working on the fringes of the book to sharpen it.
How did you become interested in writing this book?
The Latin textbook introduces Agricola, and I became interested in him. Around 2007, a student of mine gave me a gift card to Half Price Books, so I picked up a book about Agricola. Then, I applied for a summer study grant program that Hockaday offered. For about four or five years, I worked on writing the book, which was one of my goals on my bucket list.
When did you begin reading Greek?
It started with my professor in college, [Chair of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Seton Hall University] Frederick Booth. He invited me over to read Greek with him on Friday afternoons. For four years, I would have tea and coffee while reading Greek for an hour and reading Latin for an hour. Today, we still talk about film, music and all kind of things.
What’s your role in Cub Scouts?
I’ve been a part of Cub Scouts for 8 years where I went from den leader to cub master, which means I’m in charge of the entire troop of Cub Scouts. At pack meetings on Tuesdays, the kids are running wild, but it’s fun. A friend of mine and I like to play a couple sing-alongs. The whole troop likes to act crazy, but the [Hockaday] students don’t get to see that side of me at school. When we go on campouts, the scouts realize that they don’t need any guidance, and sticks become whatever they want them to be.
Where are you and your wife planning to travel to next?
My wife is a French teacher. We met already having a love of languages and travel in common. We’ve been to Europe and to Canada. We love to go to, walk and experience a city together. For our anniversary this year, we’re going to go to downtown Dallas for a couple of nights and explore the city because both of us rarely get to go there.
Maria Harrison – Asst. Features Editor
