New England
|
July 22, 2023
As soon as Friday’s last classes came to an end, the final festivities of the New England High School Summer Program began. The surprise ice-cream party was just the beginning!
Open recreation period started at the same time as an afternoon rainstorm, so many students took the opportunity to rest and begin packing. Some — mostly the ladies — chose to spend the afternoon preparing for the evening’s banquet and dance. The common rooms of Gould Hall were buzzing with girls taking turns curling each other’s hair, painting nails, and swapping dresses.
By the time five o’clock rolled around, the women were dolled up beautifully, and they headed down to the main commons. The gentlemen joined them there, dressed to the nines in suits and ties, and the banquet began! After Chaplain Fr. Miguel led the room in grace, everyone took their seats and dished out salad and poured glasses of sparkling cider. The kitchen then opened, and students filed in through the servery for their plates of smoked salmon, wild rice, and asparagus.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
As they ate, Associate Director of Admissions John Jost thanked the kitchen staff who had worked so hard throughout the past weeks to provide the programmers with their wonderful meals. Then he welcomed Program Director Dr. Josef Froula to the podium to say a few words. Dr. Froula spoke briefly on the connections between some of the readings that the students had studied, pointing out contrasts and similarities:
Pascal and Kierkegaard are juxtaposed with St. Thomas in the way they view the relationship between faith and reason. The pre-Socratics describe a purposeless world of atoms, where no atom was planned to be one shape rather than another; the Greek tragedies wrestle with fate and the gods’ designs for mankind; and Fabre illumines the intricacies of the Creator’s designs. Boethius also raises questions on predestination and free will, but in the context of a good and all-knowing God. Euclid, in offering an abstract study of pure mathematics, opens a world of objective truth and syllogistic reasoning that gives students amazing practice in giving sound arguments. Everything, from Oedipus Rex to Flannery O’Connor, had a real purpose in the two-week program, giving attendees a sneak peek at what an integrated liberal arts program looks like.
After a dessert of cheesecake, the group went to Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel for a final holy hour and Rosary. Fr. Miguel asked students to think about the ways they have grown spiritually over the course of the two weeks. Then, the prefects led the Rosary. After a time of prayer and music, Fr. Miguel led Benediction, and students bowed for the final blessing.
Once students finished singing “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name,” they went down to Olivia Music Hall for a short, pre-planned evening entertainment. The show opened with an encore of “Viva la Vida,” sung by Matthew M., who performed the song during last week’s open-mic night, and was now back by popular demand. Other acts included talented pianists Ingrid S. and Ethan C., as well as a return of the three juggling masters from last week.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Between the performances, the prefects put on a skit about a Summer Program student played by prefect Matthew Bohrer. On his plane ride home, Matthew has a chaotic dream, remembering everything that had happened during the program. The dream begins with an exaggerated representation of the friendliness of the prefects, then moves into a classroom scene starring the many personalities that a section can have. Socrates makes an appearance, asking the painters Monet and Manet for help with a Euclid prop! The dream ends in the chaos of a Revolutionary War soldier trying to convince Oedipus that the Redcoats were invading Boston. All the while, Blaise Pascal begs those around him to make a wager. Matthew finally wakes with a start on the plane, relieved it’s all a dream. But Pascal has not yet disappeared! The skit ends with one last request for a wager, drawing howls of laughter and thunderous applause!
At last, the long-awaited dance arrived! All rushed to the Bl. Frassati Student Center, finding it decorated with a theme befitting the last two soggy weeks: Umbrellas were suspended from the balcony, and blue streamers were strung alongside string lights, making for a perfect Rainy Day Dance Party!
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Before long, the floor was filled with partnered dancers eager to see their hard work at dance practices pay off! Students swung around the room, waltzed with grace, and bounced around with endless energy. Hours never went by so quickly! Near the end of the dance, prefect Stephen Brown explained the concept of a “snowball dance.” One couple is chosen to be on the dance floor alone for the beginning of a song. Then, when “snowball” is called, the two must split up and find new partners. This is repeated until practically everyone is out on the dance floor!
To everyone’s shock, the last dance was called. How did the time pass so quickly? The floor was filled with students, and the song ended in cheers and laughter.
Then, everyone filed into Dolben Auditorium for the last activity of the evening. The prefects had prepared a slideshow from the past two weeks. From Study Hall to Tanglewood, students looked fondly at the memories, and when curfew was called, they found it hard to say goodbye! Many were leaving on early flights, and so some hard goodbyes had already begun. It’s incredible how, in two short weeks, such community and friendship can be found! After planning ways to keep in touch, students finally headed back to their residence halls.
What a day! It’s hard to believe we have reached the end of the Summer Program. There will be one more post later today as students bid farewell to their friends, the prefects, and Thomas Aquinas College. Tune in later for the final post of the New England Summer Program Blog!
