One virtue of classical education is that the lecture, the performance of the sage on the stage, is replaced with discussion as the primary means of teaching. Lectures happen, but only when needed, and so the pressure of finding the “opening joke” (told at every version of the lecture) or the humorous hit to hold the audience is removed.  Funny things happen in a discussion, don’t ask how many ways I have heard Thucydides pronounced, but the teacher does not... Read more

The Business Man looks at the young Lad (a Euclid School Graduate!) and despite his daring sports coat says: “He’s good enough for me.” * And so he was despite the fact that he had eschewed the frock coat to show his manly, atheletic frame. Where could one buy such a suit? In November 1910, the place to go was Frederick Loeser and Co. in Brooklyn. “Brooklyn,” you sniff, “shouldn’t the well polished young man go to Manhattan for his suit?”... Read more

Ignatius H. Lanzarone, or someone who uses that name, is the cartoonist for The Daisy, one of America’s best high school journals. That Mr. Lanzarone was cartooning in 1910 should not distract you from his point: some kids in music class were up to hi-jinks, misdeeds that technology has only made worse. Study his cartoon. Note that “some” were acting up, I assume not Mr. Lanzarone. When they should have been studying the composition or the history of music, these... Read more

Most Americans do not care if the Houston Astros are World Series champions and I get that. Six years ago I would not have cared, but then I met our Deacon who faithfully went to games when the Astros were sad sacks. The Provost at our neighbor, the illuminating College of Biblical Studies, has rooted for the Astros all his life without the big win. He has it now and it makes him happy. Why wouldn’t it? Sports are a... Read more

The young people of the 1907 The Daisy are all gone now, but once they were the future and they could not wait to create the new world. But be warned innovators and revolutionaries, these young women and men wanted to make sure the old ways were preserved too. They knew change was coming, embraced it, and then looked to see what they could save from the lives of beloved teachers and parents. This literary monthly of a fine high school in... Read more

There was a time when I stayed with Christianity, but I was not happy to do so. Best reason and experience told me to stay, but desire pushed me toward the door. I stayed. Thank God. Good teachers (some not Christian) demanded I keep thinking, putting ideas to the test, and growing up. Life is not one jolly holiday with Jesus, but life has been deeply good, true, and beautiful. Maybe I could have gained these things without being a Christian,... Read more

The English court could hand out cushy jobs if you were cozy with the political leaders. As a result, too many pastors (vicars) were toadies for the powerful. When England was (God help us!) a commonwealth run by regicides who hated Christmas, these men went along with it. When the nation had a good ruler, say Charles, king and martyr, the same men would preach that one must obey God’s anointed. The only common principle? You must keep your job... Read more

Americans: we have many good traits, but like any nation some odd ones. We made The Greatest Show on Earth the best picture over Singin’ In the Rain. American Christians gained the odd notion that they needed to spend time discerning God’s will for every particular decision from whether to floss our teeth (generally “yes”) to whether to answer an email about the Irish letter (“no”). Imagine working hard to construct a school room for your kids full of wonderful... Read more

My table manners were wrong for a French resteraunt and wrong in different ways in Mongolia. Still no place wanted me to put me bare feet on the dining room table: mostly I was ok. People are more the same than different, though the differences, if ignored, can cause problem. When Americans do not understand Arab rhetorical style, they fail to take people seriously. Cross cultural mistakes can be deadly and the problem is made worse when time is added:... Read more