Head's Blog: Some Assembly Required

The spring has brought a good deal of travel—Florida, Washington D.C., China, Korea, New York, roughly in that order. Along the way, I’ve noticed a certain alignment in the way LA embraces such distances and a certain appreciation for the meaning of it all. Let’s start with the meaning. As I traveled, I remembered a passage from the book Bread and Wine, by Ignazio Silone:

“When one embraces the religious life and abandons the world one should go far away from one’s…

Well, we’re about halfway between Martin Luther King Day and Presidents’ Day—and about halfway through the school year.  In the cultural and teenage consciousness, these days can be reduced to their potential to deliver days off.  In the particular climate of a residential high school (with its vectors of bacteria and routine), it’s maybe even more tempting to contemplate simple relief as well.  But what about the vision and legacy such days (not to mention……

(Here is the content of an email, subject: "If we had assembled...," that went out to the community after the attacks in Paris.  It is worth sharing in this space.)

To the Lawrence Academy Community:

If we had gathered for assembly this morning, we certainly would have recognized the tragic events in Paris Friday with a moment of silence and words of reflection. Surely we would also have made mention of our arts events, the closing of the regular season in athletics, the post-……