91����

When Wednesday morning’s class came to an end, students on the New England High School Summer Program boarded their bus with a boxed lunch for the hourlong, scenic trip to . Someone brought a speaker and played music, and others turned in their seats to laugh and crack jokes, having a competition to see who could come up with the funniest or most ridiculous pick-up lines — why not?

Upon arrival, the group disembarked, received their day passes, and headed in to explore. Though seemingly small on the outside, the Clark is astonishingly spacious and sprawling on the interior, and every room holds new and different priceless and timeless works of art. Students wandered from room to room, admiring Degas, Monet, Cassatt, and countless others. There were pottery and silverware displays, antique furniture, a breathtaking piano, and a variety of beautiful statues and busts. Students took their time in each room, spending hours taking in as much as possible.

Different people naturally have different ways of appreciating art, and while some walked slowly down each aisle, others preferred to sit before a painting and immerse themselves in its color and story. Others found it most agreeable to talk about the art with friends or prefects, while some — per Summer Program tradition — couldn’t help but enter into the art in the most concrete way they could, recreating the paintings in their own postures. 

Upon their return to campus, students hurried off with their books to study hall and their study groups, eager to learn the next round of Euclidean propositions. The study period flew by quicker than expected, and soon programmers found themselves down in St. Frassati Student Center, dancing, talking, and playing games while prefects whipped up root-beer floats. 

Once everyone was assembled and in possession of a float, the party headed to Dolben Auditorium for “Chaplains on Tap” with Fr. Markey and Fr. Moses. Students earlier had the opportunity to write down their theological questions, then anonymously deposit them into a box for the two chaplains to answer. Topics varied from vocation to Marian devotions, from the morality of tattoos and piercings, to how to tell a girl that you like her. The event was a huge success, and the chaplains received a resounding round of applause at its conclusion.

Back in the women’s residence hall after curfew, the ladies had another opportunity to ask Fr. Moses questions. Sitting in a circle around him in the commons and listening to his musings on our Blessed Mother, they were quite surprised to be interrupted by the sound of singing from outside the building. On exiting, they were met by the men, dressed in suitcoats and carrying flowers, singing “Red is the Rose.”

The gentlemen delighted the ladies with several more songs before distributing chocolate and flowers. Girls and guys then mingled together for a half hour or so, talking and dancing on the wet grass under the stars, until curfew was reestablished for the sake of the next day’s classes, and everyone went very happily to bed. 

Check the Summer Blog this afternoon to read about the students’ penultimate day of classes!

More photos from the High School Summer Program

Tap on the right center edge of the image to scroll through the album.