The Promise of a New Academic Year
September brings the promise of a new academic year. Everyone has sharp pencils, new books, and starts out with an “A.”
As we engage with what Principia founder Mary Kimball Morgan terms “the consumingly interesting business of running a school,” we are determined to stay focused on the two great commandments outlined in the New Testament. First, to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. And, as stated in this year’s Principia-wide metaphysical theme, to “. . . love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39).
Students, faculty, and staff are off to a great start putting these two commandments into practice. The College is welcoming 500 students representing 37 states, five continents, and 33 countries. We are excited to have our first student from China this year. At the School, we have 100 new students with a total population of more than 420 on the St. Louis campus. Upper School boarding students come from 29 U.S. states and 14 different countries. It’s a diverse mix of terrific thinkers, all building on the common goal of practicing Christian Science within an educational environment emphasizing excellence.
The College is continuing some fall traditions this week. I’m looking forward to delivering the fall convocation on Friday, September 5. If you can’t join us in Cox Auditorium to see the faculty on stage in full academic regalia, you are invited to listen on Principia Internet Radio at 1 p.m. (CST). Following the address, I will keep the incoming class in the auditorium to share a few words reserved just for them. Then the rest of the community will “clap in” the new students as they parade through the Colonnade. Each spring I realize how quickly four years go by as the graduating class passes through the Colonnade to the commencement ceremony, mirroring their initial walk from this first convocation.
School Principal Travis Brantingham is introducing several new ideas at the School. For example, all Lower, Middle, and Upper School students are gathering for community lunch every Wednesday. The students mix together, sharing tables hosted by faculty, staff, and administrators. These lunchtime gatherings are designed as an opportunity for the students and adult community members to get to know one another better and share ideas freely.
The Upper School also has introduced a 10-minute morning meeting every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. In addition to the longstanding tradition of Upper School chapel talks to start the week on Monday mornings, these brief gatherings provide the entire student body with the chance to talk about issues of the day, share gratitude, and discuss metaphysical ideas together.
We are always grateful for outside recognition of the abundance of good going on at Principia. Here are two recent examples:
- At the Middle School: Our Exploratory Program was recently highlighted by the National Association of Independent Schools. Middle schoolers here at Principia are hard at work expanding their educational horizons and engaging fully with their subjects.
- At the College: Our Dining Services team has just been recognized by the Illinois Food Scrap Coalition as a “Gold” partner. The College composts 100 percent of pre-consumer and post-consumer food scraps. That means all kitchen trimmings during food preparation and all leftover plate scraps are being composted. Go, team!
Fall is one of my favorite times in the academic cycle. Everyone’s enthusiasm for a new year is palpable, and it’s terrific having the students back on campus.
Here at Principia, we have strong, broad historical shoulders to stand on. We are always working to live up to the high ideal Mrs. Morgan envisioned for her school. She told a gathering of parents and faculty one fall many years ago, “I feel that when we came together in September this year, we were better prepared to feed the young thought than at any time before in the history of our school. This should be true of each year” (Education at The Principia, pp. 12–13).
I am confident that the educational leaders in Principia’s classrooms today are well prepared to nurture and support our students’ next steps of educational progress. It’s an exciting time of expectation and progress for all!