From Logic to Aristotle

At a spelling bee last week, Hunter Kuusela of Springfield, Vt., says a prayer as he waits for his turn, and Emily Benson, also of Springfield, spells her word correctly. The bee was for third- and fourth-graders at the New England Classical Academy.
http://www.vnews.com/04102012/9277518.htm

Published 4/10/2012
At a spelling bee last week, Hunter Kuusela of Springfield, Vt., says a prayer as he waits for his turn, and Emily Benson, also of Springfield, spells her word correctly. The bee was for third- and fourth-graders in the class of Ida Williams. (Valley News — James M. Patterson)

From Logic
To Aristotle
By Dan Mackie
Valley News Staff Writer

In a humble neighborhood in Claremont, the search for truth, beauty and goodness goes on.

It continues in an old Catholic school building, where third-graders begin the study of Latin, and high schoolers puzzle through logic.

Aristotle is spoken here, and Dickens and Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More. Penmanship is taught, sentences are diagrammed, and students are expected to memorize texts and recite them, not just Google them.

Three years ago, the New England Classical Academy moved to Claremont from the Keene area with just a handful of students. Enrollment now is 110, said Headmaster Mario Enzler, whose accent is colored by his Italian origins.

“Classical education is becoming very popular,'' he said last week, on a day when the school was buzzing with activity as students prepared for an open house, which would include presentations of scenes from Shakespearean plays.

The reason for that popularity: “The curricula draws the families,'' said Enzler, who said his own education in Italy was in the classical tradition. The school is both demanding and relaxed, he said -- “The kids feel safe. They feel happy.'’

“Happiness comes from challenge,'' insists Enzler, “when they work hard.'’

New England Classical Academy set up in the former St. Mary's School, a building with more than a century of history inside its brick facade.

“We are not a Catholic school,'' Enzler explained about the academy, although it operates according to Catholic scholarly tradition. Enzler said only about one-fifth of the students are Catholic. Almost all of the teachers are graduates of Catholic colleges and universities.

The school has kept the religious fixtures of St. Mary's. Crucifixes and statues of Mary are prominent in the building, and classes and lunch begin with prayer. Enzler said students aren't required to join in prayer, but they are expected to stand out of respect and to show good manners.

Students wear traditional Catholic school uniforms. “I love the uniforms,'' said art and drama teacher Heidi Fagan of Charlestown. “Instead of being distracted by clothes, I see the kids.'’

“I'm used to it now,'’ said 16-year-old Andre Kepler of Croydon, who said wearing a uniform simplifies one daily chore: “You don't have to pick out your clothes every day.”

Teachers spoke of advantages of a classical education, and the small size of the academy. Fagan said the curriculum is more integrated than in many schools, so that when she teaches about Renaissance art, her students are also reading literature from the period and studying its history.

Mitchell Kalpakgian, a part-time teacher of literature and composition, drives from Warner, N.H., to teach here. At 71, he is semi-retired, and has taught at the high school and college level.

He sees classical education as teaching “the best of Western civilization.'' He said public education, on the other hand, has been affected by “sociological things,'’ such as gender and minority issues, and multiculturalism.

“I really make a concerted effort to introduce students to the best,'' he said. “It’s not elitist … you can be just an average student and be given something of quality.'’

To that end, he teaches the works of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Shakespeare and Jonathan Swift. “We live in what I call a video culture,'' Kalpakgian said. “They need to be taught there’s more to life,’’ or what he called “the true and the good and the beautiful.'’

He also tries to teach them dedication to work. Many young people don't have a good work ethic today, he said. “That has to be combated; excellence demands a price.'’

Among the subjects Dan Regan, 33, of Newbury, N.H., teaches at the upper levels is logic. His humanities classes will delve into Dante, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Chaucer and St. Augustine. Is Dante a tough sell for teenagers today? “It's a lot easier than I thought it'd be,’’ said Regan.

Latin teacher Joe Rudolph said Latin, which requires a great deal of memorization and difficult concepts such as learning nominative cases, is doable “if you can make them forget that it's work.'’

He said he “really likes the atmosphere'' of the school. “In some ways it’s more laid-back, in some ways it's more rigorous.’’

Ida Williams is a young graduate of the College of St. Mary Magdalen in Warner, N.H., who is in her first teaching job. She teaches third and fourth grade in a combined classroom.

“I've loved being here,'’ she said. “I feel like I have a lot more ability to guide students.'’ With clear expectations and standards, she said, the school has a “free atmosphere'’ -- in her experience there have been few behavior problems.

Several teachers and administrators said one key fact is that parents are committed to the school and their children's education. Because the school can't afford a janitor, parents volunteer to come in weekends and clean. They also donate Kleenex and toilet paper, Williams said.

Kathleen Willis of Chester, Vt., has three children in the school and volunteers to run the office several days a week.

She said she was drawn by the curriculum and the teaching of essentials such as spelling and the encouragement of “writing, writing, writing. … It felt like the right way to educate children,'' she said.

At the open house, Veronique Husser of Springfield, Vt., said her fourth-grader Chloe has “blossomed'' since enrolling in the school. Husser said she likes the emphasis on skills such as penmanship, and events such as spelling bees. Children even take to the study of Latin, she said. “They don't mind, which is wonderful.’’

Chloe Husser said the challenging work “is like a game, a fun game.''

Sophomore Andre Kepler said he enjoys the study of philosophy, and Aristotle and logic. “It's confusing, but it makes you think hard,'’ he said.

Junior Rebecca Lawrence of Springfield, Vt., said she loves the school's atmosphere. “It's like a family. It’s like going to school with your best friends and no one else,'’ she said.

The school has only a dozen high school students now, but Lawrence said she appreciates seeing the younger children. “You walk down the hall and you know everyone.”

Tuition ranges from $4,600 for preschool to grade nine, to $5,900 for grades 10 through 12.

Enzler said the faculty members, who number 14, could perhaps double their salaries by teaching in public schools, but he said they are committed to the school and the curriculum. He said he was surprised by the availability of such teachers -- “You can't imagine how many classical professors are in New Hampshire hiding in the woods.'’