High Schoolers Visit New England for Spring Open House

High school students from across the Northeast descended upon Thomas Aquinas College, New England, this past weekend for its Spring Open House, experiencing a taste of the rich spiritual, intellectual, and community life of the College.

The visitors arrived on Thursday afternoon and swiftly settled into the rhythms of the campus. They attended Mass and dinner before reconvening in Bl. Frassati Student Center for an evening social, getting to know each other and their hosts. Some attendees were alumni of the 2023 High School Summer Program, eager to meet up with old friends.

After the social, the high schoolers visited upperclassman seminars, where they watched the seniors pry into the themes of T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland, while the juniors discussed the dense philosophy of Immanuel Kant. Meanwhile, their parents enjoyed a dinner and talk with College President Paul J. O’Reilly:

When the high schoolers returned to the residence halls, the underclassmen feted them with snacks before bed. The next day, they were split into small groups after breakfast to visit classes. Observing the Discussion Method in action, they watched students present Euclidean propositions, analyze hymns, and grapple with Aristotle’s De Anima. When classes were finished, the group then spent the afternoon exploring campus and catching up before dinner in Gould Commons.

That evening, current and prospective students attended a lecture by Dr. John Boyle of the University of St. Thomas, titled St. Thomas on Scripture. Dr. Boyle captivated the audience with his endearing personality and poignant examples, explaining how Aquinas teaches us how to interpret Scripture. He received a resounding standing ovation upon completion, and the following Q&A period proved enlightening and informative.

Saturday brought plenty of exciting new activities for Open House attendees. Starting off the day, visitors gathered in Billings Hall for coffee, doughnuts, and conversation before their first seminar of the day — on Flannery O’Connor’s Parker’s Back. They discussed the characters O’Connor presents in her story, considering the protagonist’s role as a Christ figure and his rejection by his carping wife. Both sections had energetic and fruitful conversations, with some continuing after the sessions concluded. “I really enjoyed pulling out the redemptive themes in the story,” one visitor said. “I was introduced to Flannery O’Connor’s works at the Summer Program, so returning to her writing was very fulfilling.”