Back to the Classroom

After an excitement-filled weekend — including Saturday’s hike, volleyball tournament, and open-mic night, plus Sunday’s trip to Santa Barbara and the beach — the Summer Program students returned to the classroom this morning. There they worked out Euclid’s definitions, common notions, and postulates in lively discussions. Having discussed the meaning of such terms as “line” and “point,” they are now ready to take on Euclidean propositions throughout the rest of the week’s morning sessions.

At the afternoon class, after Mass and lunch, students discussed the first two books of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy. Written in 524 A.D., while Boethius awaited his martyrdom in prison, this work is presented in the form of a dialogue between Boethius and Lady Philosophy, in which they discuss evil, happiness, suffering, fate, God, and free will. In short, it’s the perfect work to consider the big questions that the students have been pondering for the last week.

At tonight’s study hall, students will get their first chance to try out their new knowledge of geometry when they practice demonstrating Euclidean propositions on classroom chalkboards …