Harwood’s ultra-dedicated polyglot in cowboy boots, Tami Munford, has been our Latin Teacher Extraordinaire for 21 years, and has inspired an impressive number of alumni to go on in the Classics and in the study of others languages.

Mrs. Munford attended Middlebury College as an undergraduate, where she studied Ancient Hebrew and majored in Ancient Greek, German and Latin. If you ask her nicely, she may even sing the opening lines of Homer’s Iliad – in the original. Subsequently, she lived in Caracas, Venezuela, for five years and became fluent in Spanish. On her return to Vermont, she earned two Master’s Degrees from the Middlebury Language Schools – one in German and the other in Spanish. She has also attended summer programs there in Italian and Chinese.

Magistra Munford has led Harwood students to glory at UVM’s Latin Day for two decades. In the last ten years, Harwood has returned home seven times in triumph bearing the coveted Silver Bowl. Our accumulation of Blue Ribbons for student projects and Best in Show trophies is of epic proportions.

Magistra lives with her husband, David, at their museum / library / armory Bed and Breakfast home in Middlebury. She is a notable cook whose fish tempura is legendary. She is also a fine watercolor painter, who has written and illustrated two yet unpublished children’s books.

Tami will be retiring at the end of the school year; however, her exemplary Latin program and the love of learning the Classics she has instilled in her students will continue to be legendary.