A chalk-throwing professor

Arvi Lind remembers a strict and somewhat comical professor, Päivö Oksala, particularly well.

Oksala, who was Professor of Roman Literature at the time, gave lectures in Latin syntax.

– He paid particular attention to filling the Porthania I lecture hall in the right way. Oksala would throw chalk at students who left an empty seat between themselves and the next student.

Friendly Latin lecturer Eino Mikkola was very popular among the students, and many tried to get on his introductory course.

– Päivö Oksala didn’t like the fact that Mikkola was more popular than the other lecturers. Oksala thought that Mikkola’s courses had become overpopulated, so once he bombastically yelled that they would be blown up.

By Written by Heta Muurinen, translated by, revised by Matthew Billington.

Arvi Lind

Arvi Kullervo Lind
Born December 21, 1940, Lauritsala

Arts student, Finnish Literature and Finnish Language studies 1962–1965, University of Helsinki

Journalism and mass communication studies 1979–1980, University of Tampere’s Further Education Centre
News translator and subtitler, reporter, anchor 1965–2004, Finnish Broadcasting Company
Member of the Finnish language committee 1991–2003, Institute for the Languages of Finland
Honorary member of the Vyborg Student Association 2013

Photo: Arvi Lind
Written by Heta Muurinen
Translated by Joe McVeigh