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At the end of Thursday’s classes, students filled the campus coffee shop to capacity for a lecture by College tutor Dr. John Nieto, “On Art and Beauty.” Dr. Nieto supplemented his remarks with a PowerPoint slideshow depicting many famous sculptures and paintings, several of which are at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which the group will visit on Sunday

In his lecture, Dr. Nieto explained St. Thomas Aquinas’s definition of beauty, advising students that, when they tour the Getty’s exhibits, they should examine every work for beauty’s three characteristics — integrity or unity, proportionality, and clarity. The talk was well received, giving the students a better understanding of how to approach various kinds of art.

Discussion of Dr. Nieto’s talk continued through the dinner hour, during which prefects announced the cast of Friday night’s dramatic reading of The Importance of Being Earnest. Among the show’s performers will be the Summer Program’s director, Dr. Christopher Decaen, who will play the part of Algernon Moncrieff. Prefects also announced auditions for Saturday’s Open Mic night, which promises to include music, comedy, and possibly even some juggling from this year’s talented students.

After dinner was study hall, and students read passages from Pascal, Fabre, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Some even got a head start on next week’s lessons by beginning Tolstoy’s Death of Ivan Ilyich. Then came the nightly Rosary which, for the first time, was led by the students themselves, and not the prefects.

During the evening recreation time there were was another dance class — swing and rhumba — in St. Joseph Commons. “The girls are eager to dance,” says prefect Patrick Cross (’14). “And the boys, well, they’re getting much better!” The class was only half an hour long but, once again, most of the participants continued practicing until curfew. When they arrived back in their respective residence halls, the men and women enjoyed cheese and crackers, recapping the day’s lessons and experiences before tucking in for the night.

 

HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk
  • HSSP14 -- Nieto Talk