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Group photo in front of St. Thomas More Hall

 

This morning, many of the students on the New England High School Summer Program got up with the sun to attend the early Mass, joining the rest of the programmers and prefects for breakfast in the dining hall afterward. Every table was alive with conversation, chatting about the prior day鈥檚 events, and students lingered long after the meal until the gong sounded, calling them all to class.  

The first class of the day was on Sophocles鈥 play Antigone, an exciting story to discuss after reading both the Euthyphro and Oedipus Rex. The tragedy is a sequel to Oedipus Rex, concerned with Oedipus鈥檚 daughter and her life-changing choice between following divine or human law. It ties directly to the Euthyphro as the questions, concepts, and controversies of piety discussed in yesterday鈥檚 classes are now seen in concrete form within this play. Now more comfortable in their sections and more established in the Discussion Method, the students engaged excitedly in conversation, taking positions for or against Antigone and questioning which ought to come first: piety before god or man?

As soon as class was out for the morning, the students took their second round of organized photos, this time with their sections. These photos will be given to them later on as a keepsake to remember their time on the Summer Program for many years to come! 

Section Photos
  • Section 1 Photo
  • Section 2 Photo
  • Section 3 Photo
  • Section 4 Photo

Many groups of students, prefects, and tutors continued their class conversations over a lunch of chicken tikka masala. At some tables, the question of Antigone鈥檚 guilt or innocence was reopened with vigor, while others brainstormed and considered what acts they might perform for the upcoming Open Mic Night, as a sign-up sheet made the rounds of the tables in anticipation of upcoming auditions. 

 

Student looks up

 

After lunch, the students made their way back to the class building for their last class of the day, this time on the pre-Socratics. This is one of the Program鈥檚 most difficult readings, though short, and students spent a good amount of time on it the night before, excited to see where this class would take them. The pre-Socratics are some of the earliest recorded philosophers, showing glimpses of men trying to find the causes of things. The various philosophers consider change, motion, growth, generation, and corruption through different principles and approaches, making the reading an intriguing one to discuss in a group. The musings of these philosophers lay the foundation for so many of the works of natural science studied in the curriculum at the College. 

The students are off to recreation next, and it is sure to be a cooling one on such a hot day. Check the Summer Blog tomorrow morning for the rest of the day鈥檚 details!

 

More photos from the High School Summer Program

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