REPO TER Volume 20, Issue 3 Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico March 1994
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ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE LIBRARY 1111111111111111wm1m~111~mll11~1m11111111 The st. J0 h n ,s 3 1696 01138 2023 REPO TER Volume 20, Issue 3 Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico March 1994 It's official! E stern classics M.A. gains final approval by Lesli Allison The Graduate Program in Eastern According to James Carey, founder Classics has received a unanimous vote of the Eastern classics program, St. of approval from the St. John's College John's is in a unique and advantageous Board of Visitors and Governors. The position to study non-Western works. program had earlier been approved by a "The faculty has spent a lot of time wide margin in a vote by the faculty of trying to understand the roots of our both campuses. own tradition, and as far as I can tell, Focusing on the major texts of most Western expositors of the Eastern China, India and Japan, along with traditions have not done that," he said. language study in classical Chinese and "I think that only if someone has really Sanskrit, the program will begin this fall come to terms with the Western tradition, At a ceremony in December at the Baltimore World Trade Center, Finn M W. on the Santa Fe campus. The three-term as we do at St. John's, can he or she be Caspersen, chief executive officer of the Beneficial Corporation and chairman course of study will be conducted under on guard against placing Western of The Hodson Trust, right, announced a $358, 124 grant to the Annapolis the auspices of The Graduate Institute constructs on Eastern thought. In fact, campus, part of a total of $2.91 million awarded to four Maryland insmutions. and lead to the Master of Arts in Eastern in general, I've thought the person On hand to accept the gift were President Christopher Nelson, left, and Vice Classics. Class size will be limited to 21 wanting to begin a study of the Eastern President for Advancement Jeffrey Bishop. Besides the Annapolis campus, students and applications currently are classics could hardly do better than to other grant recipients are Washington College, Hood College, and The Johns being accepted. start by spending four years at St. John's Hopkins University. This year's grants bring the amount of money awarded to "The Eastern classics program has College studying the Western tradition, the four institutions to nearly $52.3 million since the trust was established been well planned and is highly appro and then going to Eastern studies. Many more than 70 years ago by the family of Col. Clarence Hodson, founder of the priate to the mission of the college," said Westerners want to study Eastern Beneficial Corporation. Santa Fe Dean Stephen Van Luchene. traditions without the foggiest idea of "But even more, the fact that we can what their own tradition really is all mount such an effort shows the enduring about. As a consequence, they are vitality of the college and its ability not influenced by the Western tradition Project Kaleidoscope cites SJC to stay mired in its own past. With the without fully realizing it." Eastern classics program we have an Those interested in finding out exciting new opportunity to see how the more about the Graduate Program in progratn as uexetnplary" fundamental principles of the college Eastern Classics should contact The can work in an important domain of Graduate Institute, St. John's College, St. John's College has been selected Project Kaleidoscope publications and thought that until now was virtually Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501-4599; by Project Kaleidoscope as one of the on its Internet link. closed to us." (505) 984-6083. most exemplary programs in the nation The college academic program was for its undergraduate science and one of four selected in the General mathematics studies. Program category on the basis of its Dallas Morning News Features College Project Kaleidoscope, a national requirement for all liberal arts students alliance formed to strengthen under to take four years of substantive classes St. John's College continues to attract media attention nationwide. In December graduate science and mathematics in mathematics and three years of the college was featured in the Dallas Morning News under the headline, "At St. John's programs, is supported by the National laboratory science. College Classes are always Classic." Science Foundation, The Fund for the Critical to St. John's selection were The article states, "Students say they come not to seek careers or fortunes but to Improvement of Post-secondary the following criteria met by the college: ponder life's unanswerable questions .... If is all sounds a bit irrelevant, St. John's Education, the Research Corporation, demonstration of the effectiveness of administrators have some down-to-earth answers." the Camille and Henry Dreyfus teaching and learning that is hands-on, One of those answers came from Santa Fe Dean Stephen Van Luchene. "At times, Foundation and the W: W. Keck "lab-rich, and collaborative"; making the school does seem purposely to turn its back on the present. All students are Foundation. connections between classroom and lab, required to take ancient Greek so they can read some of the authors in their original Since 1992, Project Kaleidoscope different areas of study, the undergrad language. has been searching for successful educa uate and other sectors of the educational "You can't buy a ticket anyplace in ancient Greece. We're not trying to tool them tional models to serve as catalysts for community, and the professional world; up for something that's immediately marketable." reform of undergraduate programs bringing faculty and students together "Instead," the article continues, "the school teaches the discipline of thinking across the nation. A secondary goal is to as partners in learning, with faculty and reasoning." improve public awareness of the critical equally committed to undergraduate Two weeks later the Dallas Morning News also ran an interview with President role of the undergraduate community in research and their own projects; building John Agresto. (see page 7) the national effort to build a stronger a community of learners with students scientific and educational infrastructure. of all backgrounds and career aspirations Project Kaleidoscope Programs That finding success in mathematics and Santa Fe Edition Work, which will feature St. John's, will science; and possessing the potential to be highlighted in a nationwide series of be adapted to other institutional settings INSIDE colloquia, symposia, workshops, in for larger institutional reform. page News/ Announcements 2 Letters to the Editor 3 The Campaign For Our Fourth Century 4 Goings On-Annapolis 8 Santa Fe Goings On-Santa Fe 10 Alumni Notes 12 Homecoming 1994 Alumni Association 15 See page 3 Obituaries 18 Art Gallery 20 page2 The Reporter March 1994 SJCS Fe offers Jennifer classic vacation Chenoweth named Summer Classics 1994 St. John's College in Santa Fe Week I - July 17 - 23: announces Summer Classics 1994. Now Death of Socrates director of entering its fourth year, the program is Plato's Apology, Crito, Phaedo scheduled for July 17 - August 6. Summer Classics is a one to three week Founding Documents Placement residential program for adults of all Declaration of Independence, U.S. ages and educational backgrounds. Constitution, Federalist (selected), in Santa Fe Participants come from around the Gettysburg Address country and as far away as Japan, Panama and Alaska to study the classics Shakespeare of literature, philosophy and opera St. As You Like Tt; Much Ado About Graduate student Jennifer Chenoweth has been appointed to replace Don John's style. Last year 92 people, including Nothing; Twelfth Night Parker in the Placement Office. Don Parker left in October for a position in teachers, retirees, lawyers, psycholo New York City. gists, businessmen and friends of the Week II - July 24 • 30: Originally from Oklahoma, Ms. Chenoweth earned her undergraduate college, participated in the program. Opera degree from the Kansas City Art Institute. She initially discovered St. John's Seminar classes meet for two hours Marriage of Figaro and The Abduction during her undergraduate years when considering a transfer to a liberal arts each morning and are led by members from the Seraglio college. She made the decision at the time to finish her degree at the art institute of the St. John's faculty and occasional and to attend St. John's College in Santa Fe at the graduate level. guest tutors. Optional excursions to Edith Wharton Now in her final semester of The Graduate Institute, Ms. Chenoweth will local sights of interest are offered in the Age of Innocence and Ethan Frame remain with the college as Placement director. afternoons. In the evenings participants "I'd like to provide consistent resources and opportunities for students to take advantage of the world renowned Arthurian Legends explore areas in which they are interested," Ms. Chenoweth said. Santa Fe Opera, fine dining and Santa Tristan and Isolde As interim director, Chenoweth created a first for the Santa Fe campus Fe's active summer night life. G overnmen t Service Career Day. Among the 18 organizations sending The tuition from $900/week Week III- July 31-August 6: representatives to the event were New Mexico's U.S. senators, branches of the includes accommodations and meals for Opera U.S. military, the FBI, Forest Service, Park Service, Department of Health and six nights and seven days, six seminar Tosca and The Barber of Seville the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, among others. sessions, excursions, receptions and Ms. Chenoweth also plans to create an annual workshop for students on extras. For additional information The Evolution Debate graduate school research and grant writing, and to develop further opportunities please contact: Summer Classics, St.