On Prophecies and Piety

As the sun rose over the New England hills, students on the High School Summer Program awoke Monday from their first night at TAC, ready to dive into their first class. They began the day with Mass in Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel, followed by breakfast in Gould Hall, and were  by then itching to commence their discussions!

Before they began, though, they had one last orientation to attend, given by the director of the New England High School Summer Program, Dr. Josef Froula. Along with practical tips, Dr. Froula exhorted the programmers to embrace the Discussion Method and not to be shy in class. “Sometimes the best questions are the simplest ones,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to ask them.”

The programmers then headed up to St. Gianna Molla Hall, where they found their section assignments and classrooms. A “section” at Thomas Aquinas College is a group of about 17 students who, for the duration of the academic year, take all their daytime classes together. The idea behind organizing classes this way stems from the College’s use of the Discussion Method. Because the method depends on open discourse — which, in turn, relies on trust — it is important for students to come to know each other well. By taking nearly all of their classes together, the members of each section achieve a sense of intimacy and come to rely on one another in their shared pursuit of the truth.

Taking Dr. Froula’s advice to heart, the students quickly warmed up to the Discussion Method as they jumped into a discussion on Oedipus Rex, a Greek tragedy about a man who is given a terrible prophecy about his future. Destined to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus comes to the tragic realization that he has not escaped his fate. “First, my section was asked whether we should pity Oedipus,” said Mary C. “Then we started to wonder whether we should pity his mother, too. The prophecy affected her as well.”

After class ended, the hungry students dug into Cuban grilled chicken, rice, and beans in the dining hall as they continued to discuss their classes. “I was a little unsure at first, but once I started talking, it was such a cool experience!’’ said Charity S.

Upon finishing lunch, the students returned to the classrooms for a discussion of Plato’s Euthyphro. Assisted by their tutors, attendees grappled with this Socratic dialogue about piety. They pondered what piety is as they discussed the text. “I still don’t know what piety is,” Maewyn G. admitted. “But I definitely have lots to think about!”

Having exercised their minds all morning, the students headed out of their classes ready to exercise their bodies during recreation time. All sorts of fun surprises are in store, so be sure to check the Summer Program Blog tomorrow for updates and photos!