California
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July 23, 2024
Prepared by yesterday’s talk on Art and Beauty, students on the California High School Summer Program started the day looking forward to their planned museum trip and concert. First, though, they had some work to do!
The morning began with early Mass and breakfast. In the ensuing downtime before the start of class, students reviewed their propositions, making sure that they were prepared should they be called on to demonstrate one of the three theorems.
Once in class, three students in each section were asked up to the chalkboard by their tutor to present a proposition to their classmates. The students demonstrated that it was possible to construct an equilateral triangle, to make a line equal to another given line, and to cut a line equal to a shorter line. Using the definitions, common notions, and postulates that they discussed in yesterday’s Euclid class, the students walked through each proof, step by step, drawing a diagram on the board and explaining how Euclid reaches his conclusions.
“You have to really know what you’re talking about, not just memorize things,” observed student Tommy T. Now that the students have proved that Euclid’s first three constructions are possible, they will be able to use them as tools to prove more complicated propositions.
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After the demonstrations, the students talked over the propositions as a class, challenging each other’s understanding. They then attended midday Mass and had lunch in St. Joseph Commons, fueling up on teriyaki chicken and rice before a busy afternoon.
Satisfied by the accomplishments of the morning, they boarded buses and are now on their way to L.A. to experience the Getty Center and a Mozart concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Come back to the Summer Program Blogv tomorrow for details about the trip!
Prayer Request
Summer Program student Francesca B. requests prayers for her longtime parish priest, Rev. Boleslaw Zadora of Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in St. Hedwig, Texas. Fr. Zadora has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Please keep him and his congregation in your prayers!
