Organizational Flow Chart: Agathos 8.15.23

Headmaster Tutorial on School Organization

Agathos Commencement Address 2023

First United Methodist Church, Columbia, TN. May 12, 2023

What mixed feelings we have tonight, Class of 2023. We do have a keen sense of loss at your graduating from here. You’ve been a servant hearted and joyful senior class; your talents and spirit will be sorely missed. At the same time, we are very excited at the opportunities that the Lord is preparing for you in the days ahead! Please know you’ll always have our support, don’t be a stranger; you will be in our prayers.

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My first teaching job started a little over a month after I was graduated from college. I was 22 and one of my 12^th grade students, a recovering alcoholic, was 20. There were many other rough stories represented among the student body at that school and many students acted out inappropriately. Specifically, the 21 young men and 2 young ladies in the 8^th grade class which I taught three times a day made my first several months… memorable, to say the least. Nightmares are often memorable, aren’t they? I seriously pursued quitting the teaching profession. God, on the other hand, had other plans.

Thankfully, God planted three teacher mentors in my life that first semester who each had well over 20 years of experience teaching 8^th graders. One was a keen strategist. Another a benevolent drill sergeant. The other was a joyful and loving, always-thinking-the-best, grandmother. By the end of the third quarter, thanks to this trinity of advisers schooled in wisdom, orderliness, and love, I made a pilgrimage from a hostile prison guard to a loving mentor of the misfit, unloved, creative, and bright students God gave me. And, I carried those influences of these mentors with me into my other teaching positions from private to public to Christian classical schools with professional success and ongoing student rapport.

One expression we often use to describe the impact of such mentoring is the expression, “Standing on [someone’s] shoulders.” You and I both stand on the shoulders of others. Our parents are our first set of shoulders. Our teachers. Coaches. Some bosses. Grandparents. In choosing your educational shoulders, your parents not only chose these living mentors sitting behind me, but also chose some living voices from the past: Homer, Moses, Joshua, Abraham, Herodotus, Aristotle, Solomon, Plato, Milton, Dante, the apostle John, Chesterton, Lewis, Aquinas, St. Peter. Tonight, to commemorate this evening’s transition from Agathos seniors to Agathos alumni, I would like to focus on another mentor’s words to another student whose calling was forever influenced by the wisdom passed on from his mentor. Hear the apostle Paul, on who’s mighty shoulders on which we all stand, who summarizes all of his experience and wisdom in the faith to his student at the end of his first letter to Timothy: “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.”  

Being that this letter is addressed to Timothy at the beginning of his letter; it’s endearing to hear Paul’s personal call to him in these last lines, “O, Timothy.” You can hear the fullness in his heart, I think, in that final personal appeal. Seniors, all of your teachers, your parents, and I feel a deep fullness in our hearts right now as we share this moment with you. And I know you do as well. Maybe that personal sense is more deeply felt when you consider how intentional each of your parents and teachers have been in walking with you these many years up to this point with you on their shoulders.

Paul continues, “guard the deposit entrusted to you.” In a broad sense, Paul is speaking of two things here: 1.) The essence of our faith: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15b) and 2.) “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” as he says in his second letter to Timothy chapter 3:16-17.  The deposit of this faith, Paul says, was also guarded by Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, so Timothy already had personal examples of this as you also do – many of you in your own grandparents and parents. But, remember, Paul calls Timothy to guard THE faith – not Lois’s truth or Eunice’s truth or Timothy’s truth, but The Faith that all three held. 20^th century philosopher and theologian Francis Schaeffer called The Faith, “the True truth” that’s found in scripture and revealed in the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Let’s spend a minute on the word, “Guard.” Guard is in the present active imperative here. This imperative is the command to guard at all times. Have you guarded something before? Really guarded? No, I’m not talking about guarding the flag in the Capture the flag contest in the Warrior Games. I played sports all my life and learned to guard some of the best soccer strikers in my region, but getting beaten by a skilled athlete doesn’t bear the same weight or threat as the guard that Paul is referring to. There are men and women military veterans among us who know. Guarding is active studying. A guard assumes there is an enemy attacker. Guarding is calculating the strategies of the attack. A guard knows his own weaknesses, and trains to minimize them. And a guard knows what’s at stake -something of value; he senses keenly the consequences of NOT guarding well. Paul illustrates many of these points in his epistles; specifically, here he emphasizes to be on guard of a world around Timothy that embraces a false “knowledge” filled with contradictions. Irreverently, those wielding this knowledge, call evil what God has called good; they call foolish what God has called wise. We too live in such an age. God made man and he made woman. Meanwhile, our culture today is consumed by ideological war over those terms. God adopts us as his children; our core identity is that of being his sons and daughters. Meanwhile, today, our culture wages a psychological war over self-proclaimed, self-centered identities. God made the law as a schoolmaster to lead mankind to His grace; meanwhile, today, our culture hangs on the push for subjective, contemporary definitions of law to lead us to self-actualization, self-preservation, and power.  Contradictions and irreverent babble abound.

One of the most important things to notice in Paul’s words to Timothy are found in his second letter. He gives the same admonition “to guard the good deposit entrusted to you”, but he prefaces it in chapter one of the 2^nd letter with, “by the Holy Spirit who dwells within in us” (2 Tim. 1:14).  Class of 2023, we all have help in guarding the Faith by the 3^rd member of the trinity who dwells within the believer. God does not leave us alone in our guarding. We stand on the shoulders of the Holy Spirit as we guard.  

Let me close with a final illustration. Many of know my children – one daughter a graduate of another classical Christian school and three sons who are Agathos alumni. When Maddie was in 1^st, Jake in Kindergarten, and Ben in preK, we attended a school sponsored father children campout at the Winshape center in Rome GA. After finishing one activity, I placed little Ben on my shoulders since my older two were walking much quicker to the next activity. Once Ben got settled on my shoulders, in typical Ben fashion, he verbally assessed the situation very clearly, “Daddy, Daddy, I am Bigger than Jake!”

When we stand on the shoulders of our parents, teachers, mentors, and with the Holy Spirit, we gain a particular view of things. Sometimes, we delight in having that view. At times we are convicted by the view. Sometimes, we worship when we see the view, and at other times, we take for granted that view.  That view is a deposit entrusted to you. It was given to you in love. Those of us, your mentors, teachers, parents, and friends now to say you in the Spirit, “O, Cameron, O Grace, O Story, O Levi, O Carter, O Ethan, O Olivia, O Jaden, O Noah, O Liam, O Lia, O Birdie, O J.J., O Grace, O Riley, O Bella, O Eden…. Guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith…. Grace be with you.”

Grieving with our Children

For many years, I prayed with my children every night before bed. Then they started going to bed a little later and I started to go to bed before they did! During those years before they turned into night owls, I remember a time when our family was going through an ongoing grieving due to the medical challenges that cancer brought into our family. Every night seemed similar and routine until it wasn’t. That was the new normal during those years. Thus, we (Kathryn or I) were present predictably for every bedtime prayer possible. We prayed for many things and always for the cancer treatment protocol and the health of one of our family members. Life and death prayers. Every night for years.

Every now and then, my children would ask questions. Out of the blue, the routine prayer life became medical or theological or practical questions about cancer, life, death, salvation, transitions, changes, discomfort, suffering, love, service, sacrifice, gratitude. We, as a family, were in need financially, physically, mentally, spiritually, and practically; we parents had to guide our children through all of these challenges and through the eventual questions of “Why?” the best way we knew how.

But, before we ever got to the questions, I hope you noticed the key to getting the questions: predictable time with our children. I know we amped up our time during those years, but the patterns were already in place. We also began a “check-in” process for a while. The check in process aimed at helping our children discern their feelings. A counselor friend recommended our using a visual Feelings Chart that simply illustrated what all the feelings were. On this chart, one had the following feelings illustrated: Exhausted, Confused, Frustrated, Sad, Confident, Cautious, Depressed, Lonely, Jealous, Shocked, Shy, Surprised, Hopeful, Overwhelmed and more. These visuals put helpful pictures to what seemed to them hard to identify and helped us talk through those difficult days. We also had books. Whether the book was the Bible or something else (and I picked one that everyone begged me to stop reading at that time, ha.), we read. Books opened the doors for more conversations; our children could identify with the characters and then share how they felt similar to them.

Prayer, reading, conversation, routine, even singing – what all of these things have in common as means of helping our children grieve is TIME. We did not prod every night for a feelings check-in, but when something was fresh we did. We kept our hand on the pulse of our children’s grief. Mrs. Ledbetter described this to me in an email last night as helping our children by “making a space to grieve”. You see, grieving is as ordinary a concept as a bedtime routine, but it’s a bedtime routine with more space for the day’s anxieties and griefs.

Today, as I was contemplating grief and my own experience with it, I found my experience very much akin to that expressed by the hymn writer of “It is Well with My Soul”: “When peace like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll…” Sometimes the sea billows are close together, inescapable, and inundating. I weep and am overcome at these times. Then, the billows spread out and even though they are smaller, they seem to flood me. These are times when I wear the emotions on my face and wipe away tears I did not know were forthcoming. Other times, there are no billowy waves of grief on the horizon, but I know the grief is below the surface. Most of the time though, in between the waves and flooding, I think the peace of Lord which surpasses my human understanding during these times “attendeth my way”. Even when I know the truth of my own sadness, I do not think the Lord has ever tarried in His provision of peace.

Happily Headed over the Waterfall

5am. The cell phone buzzed. My eyes opened. I was no longer in the Williamson County Courthouse listening to a passionate attorney chastise someone in his courtroom, “If you want to be in MY courtroom, you better be prepared!” Truth be told, this dream was likely not a parody of our tough, wise, and ever prepared Mock Trial coach, Mr. Jason Whatley, Esq., but more about my mind’s eye being focused on the recent events in our family’s life particularly the college visits we made over Fall Break with my 12^th grader.

WHAT I SAW:

I know most or all of us have likely considered various reports from college campuses this year revolving around “Safe Spaces” (Yale University comes to mind.), “Trigger warnings” (University of Chicago shot these down this year.), or Social Justice protests (University of Missouri’s student body pressured the President into resigning over insensitive remarks regarding African-American student concerns.). Thus, my Spidey senses were heightened on every tour I took.  At one college, a college started by my old denomination (Presbyterian Church-USA), I took home a college newspaper displaying a front page article from a student who was beginning a series of columns on Sexuality and Religion. This student identified as Bi-sexual (attracted to specific personalities of either sex; forgive me for oversimplifying here), and her struggle to be understood sexually was closely paralleled with her identifying religiously as Wiccan. At another college, a college begun and held accountable by the Roman Catholic Church, I beheld large pink signs posted by the student body LGBT group which said, “B.U.KNIGHTED”. This clever slogan emphasized the school’s mascot (Knight) with an honorable message encouraging the importance of all students – no matter their sexual or gender preference – to be united as a community. I imagine this group met often in the Office of Identity and Inclusion which I noticed later on the tour. Finally, on public college campus tour, the tour guides pointed out the dorm that was the “non-alcoholic….er, I mean, Substance-Free Wellness Community dorm”. I didn’t ask if that dorm had only people who were shallow conversationalists (lacking substance –ha) or was this perhaps a dorm administrators created as they reasonably concluded that the broader culture would likely see to the legalization of marijuana on campus one day soon.

WHAT I LEARNED

First, I take all the things I learned above seriously, even if I colored a little out of the lines on the dorm comment above.

• Students on college campuses today generally care a lot about equality; they are greatly concerned about the comfort of those who are different and whom they discern are marginalized somehow (e.g. “black only” student dorms at California State-Los Angeles). We ought to applaud heartily this sensibility and work alongside constructive efforts to embody this sensibility.
• College students today generally appear to have a heightened sensitivity regarding what they perceive to be inflammatory vocabulary. We ought to work constructively to carefully, patiently, and lovingly define our terms, find and suggest terms that will help build constructive dialogue. Often, those who control the evolution of word usage will often find they have greater influence in the field of debate and thereby in the culture at large.
• From the Gluten Free section, to the Vegan area, to the Trattorian foods to the International offerings, their cafeteria options are as diverse as their identities. Yes, applaud the food options! However, we ought to teach our children to suspend judgment with regard to the “fad” of identity deconstruction (e.g. Being male sexually, but identifying with the female gender, i.e. being “Trans”, etc.). Suspending judgment does not mean agreement or capitulation. Suspending judgment means allowing time to investigate and understand where a person is coming from, reading and questioning their sources, hearing their story, and inviting them to explore and examine the opposing views and consequences of their assertions.

WHY IT MATTERS

Students who commence from our homes and Agathos Classical School’s classrooms need to know several things as a consequence of these qualities of the college scene:

• The overwhelming number of colleges and universities, including those begun and governed by Christians, have a campus culture that is generally Non-Christian; this is generally unsurprising in an age when 85% of the nation’s student body are publicly educated in an environment where there is a false notion perpetuated regarding the separation of Church and State. While the Roman Catholic college I observed stated that “60% of the student body is Protestant and 40% is Roman Catholic,” the daily life of the student body was not oriented around Christian Faith; in fact, the two Doctrine courses required of all students could involve one’s learning simply the doctrine of whatever faith was offered: Hinduism, Islam, etc. One would think that a Roman Catholic college’s doctrine class would be a substantive and persuasive offering of the history and development of the Christian faith from its origin unto its present form as represented by the current Papal administration of Pope Francis. Instead, this college and most colleges offer a naïve pluralism where all religions are equally authoritative; therefore, all religious positions are valid.
• It’s easier than ever and peculiarly harder than ever to be a real, born again by the Holy Spirit, orthodox Christian at college. Again, since all religious systems are portrayed as equal (however diverse they may be), there is an implicit atmosphere of “permission” granted to be and believe whatever one wants to be or believe as long as one doesn’t interfere with someone else’s beliefs. At the same time, what makes it harder than ever on the campus quad to be a true Christian believer in the Triune God, is that true Christianity represents various absolutes that violate in some way the permissive surface of collegiate pluralism. The absolutes of an orthodox Christian characterize certain activities, beliefs, and personal values as sin against the Creator of the universe. It’s really a downer – and now completely intolerable – when your roommate’s religion condemns drunkenness, fornication, homosexuality, murder, and unjust weights and measurements (thinking of modern systems of progressive taxation). Thus, students are often confronted with profound anger when they bring up notions of moral absolutes in class or exclusive claims to truth (namely the Judeo-Christian or biblical understanding of a subject).
• The prevailing ideological momentum among college student bodies is innately emotionally driven rather than principle or reason driven. An Agathos student learns the law of non-contradiction and or the principle of the excluded middle. Thus, when two religions profess exclusive and different views on a subject (e.g. Christ is the only way to heaven), only one can be true; both cannot be true at the same time. So, to be an orthodox or historic Christian on campus today is to declare innately that all other religions – though some maintain admirable qualities and notions – are false. Additionally, historic Islam often permitted Christians and Jews to exist in their societies because of the mutual respect among the three faiths for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus of Nazareth; however, historic Islam would consider those religious systems flawed (to put it nicely) and other non-Judeo Christian systems as utterly offensive to their monotheistic god. This truth claim by these three religions sets them apart on college campuses. Remember, Nashville’s Vanderbilt University de-recognized the Inter-Varsity Christian ministry, and then nearly a dozen other Christian ministries, because Inter-Varsity insisted on discriminating in its choice of its own student leaders (Student leaders must embody the qualities mentioned in the Bible.). In essence, religious groups are not allowed to discriminate religiously. In hiding behind its “all comers policy”, Vanderbilt seeks to protect all students from having their feelings hurt. It’s like the athletic association administration that promotes a no-score-keeping environment; the players all know who the winners and losers are, but they show up each week knowing and accepting that these realities exist. Names/Categories/Opinions are hurtful now when 30 years ago only Sticks and Stones did damage. Thus, college campuses are just vines bearing out the fruit of communities sowing Egalitarianism rather than Individual Liberty. An Agathos student will be wise to know that he is one of the few keeping the score.

Starting School Well

Every time I walked through the foyer of the chapel seminary at Covenant Theological Seminary, I walked by the picture of the renowned professor of Preaching, Dr. Robert Rayburn. Famously, Dr. Rayburn was heard to say more than once after a student preached a message, “So what?” Simply, Dr. Rayburn wanted his preachers-in-training to study their congregation as diligently and thoroughly as they studied the Bible so that their sermons would be truthful interpretations of the Bible AND powerfully engaging so as to move the congregation to action. And so, the message was passed on to my generation of fellow seminary students as we studied preaching. And, honestly, this two-pronged approach forms the framework of most of my articles: “What is true? & What to do?”

What is True about starting school?

When I think about this question, I am trying to think, “What does God say is true about schooling?” Many books have been written on this question, but I simply focus on TWO TRUTHS: 1) Schooling is part of every child’s vocation (“Calling”) no matter what era in which he or she lives. God calls them to honor and obey parents and parents know they must “train up their child”. As each fulfills his and her calling, the child is essentially called by God to learn from his or her parents (or those to whom the parents delegate this job: teachers). Schoolwork/Learning is a child’s calling from God. 2) Learning is essentially GROWING IN WISDOM. Wisdom comes from God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:11). In order to attain wisdom, we must strive to know God. As I tell my students often, “While, you will find that there are a lot of smart people in the world; there are not many wise people.”

What are we then required To Do?

1. We Confess, Repent, and Pray. A lot. We absolutely stink at following God. We confess that we do not pursue nor apply God’s wisdom as we ought. We repent and start afresh each day. We ask God to provide, protect, and prepare us in and through this work at Agathos – this work which is part of our and our children’s calling and which is, as we know, a path of pursuing God’s wisdom.
2. We work hard at what God calls us to do. We get up earlier than we want to get up. We parents get our children to their calling on time. We students attend to our lessons. We ask for help when we need it. We get the work done on time, complete, and to the best of our ability. If we fail at these steps – and we will – we return promptly to #1.
3. We REST. God commands us to work six days and to rest on the 7^th. We take our work and our rest seriously. Our calling is worth our getting rest. We succeed more at our calling succeeds when we rest well. Yes, even when a child goes to bed and the sun is still out (7:30 or 8pm), we value and serve God by resting well. Children MUST rest a lot. They are growing. Children who do not rest well often develop attentional problems. Rest is, as God has modeled, part of our calling.
4. We extend kindness constantly. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3). Even when we don’t feel like it. Even when we didn’t eat a good breakfast. Even when someone accidentally steps on our foot when they have been excused to sharpen their pencil. Even when they chew loudly or talk with their mouth full at the lunch table. Even when their Greek yogurt REALLY stinks (preaching to myself here – ha-ha). The commandment to embody an others orientation is second only to our embodying the Great Commandment (Love God).
5. We ask questions even when we feel the answer might be obvious to others. Parents must ask questions to make sure they know all that they need to know to perform their calling. Parents are welcome to text an administrator a
   

   Limos, trucks, S.U.V.s, rush past me in a breeze. Passing by… without a nod, while here I stand playing God…’

   

   photo of a brown shoe that you are hoping to buy to see if they are really brown. Email the office; email a teacher. We will try to get back with you as soon as possible. In addition, students must be encouraged to ask questions and that there is much wisdom in asking the right way (ha). In my home, I have heard my children ask me many a time, “Dad, I forgot what pages I was supposed to read in my book; will you call my teacher and ask?” My children always here the same refrain, “Ask/call/text one of your classmates – preferably one whom you respect and is a good responsible student and see if they have the assignment.”

6. There’s basically a few rules to follow in car-line!  1) Pull up as far as possible, only PreK drop-offs are allowed to stop at the PreK door. Everyone else should pull up as far as possible and drop off along the sidewalk. DO NOT GO DOOR TO DOOR DROPPING OFF EVEN IF YOU CAN.  2) Empty all children onto the sidewalk side of the vehicle. Even if a baby car-seat is in the way, you should have your child climb up front and then exit on the passenger side. If you cannot have your child exit on the sidewalk side, it would be far safer to park and let them walk up on the sidewalks from the parking lot. 3) Proceed with caution – sometimes you will be directed to pass other cars. Proceed with caution.

Jesus Shall Reign

Many adults my age were dragged to the movie theater by their parents in 1981 to see the much acclaimed film “Chariots of Fire”. Like many who saw this on the big screen, I took away many impressions. From the beautiful landscapes of Scotland to the halls of Cambridge to the pastures of English manors and society functions of the English aristocracy, I was overwhelmed with one powerful scene after another. But, hiding amid all the cultural events, races, memorable dialogue, and moving drama was a little scene in a Scottish church where the congregation sings the same hymn we are singing here at Agathos this month, “Jesus Shall Reign”, a hymn written by poet, scientist, logician, and mathematician, Isaac Watts.

And the entire film, as I look back, seems to set the core drama revolving around two runners against the theme of this hymn, essentially begging the question, “Shall Jesus reign?” Ironically, the first verse establishes the truth around which the whole movie plot revolves (note the running theme):

“Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.”

If you haven’t seen the movie, you should (and use subtitles since the dialogue can be tough to follow at times); you should even watch it more than once since there are so many unique moments to ponder and scenes to connect (like the beginning and the end). But, essentially, you’ll see this hymn frame the plot: Jesus reigns whether you recognize him as king and submit to his kingdom ethics (Eric Liddell) or not (Harold Abrams). Whether you win or lose, whether an authority sees an injustice or not, whether you get recognized for your contributions at work or not, Jesus reigns.

Now, as you meditate today on these lines above, I challenge you to reflect, “Does Jesus peculiarly, specifically, and intentionally reign in your life and the life of your family?” Can you substantiate this? Consider these questions: Even though all created things have their function – the moon waxes and wanes, shores are lapped by ocean currents, families go about their weekly rhythms – does Jesus reign over each of these things?  Do you and your children advance this kingdom reign and the understanding of this kingdom in your respective spheres: home, church, soccer team, school, neighborhood, work place?

I earnestly pray and hope that Agathos Classical School will contribute mightily to extending His reign in Columbia and beyond.

“Great God, whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Now give the kingdom to Thy Son,
Extend His power, exalt His throne.”

 

If You Give Columbia Cocoa…

Spring Pics, Cocoa Bella, Grandparents, and Report Cards, Oh my! This week is a big week at our school; adjust your phone’s calendar App as I did today! In addition, do not forget to let your teacher know ASAP if you desire a conference on March 18 regarding your child’s experience (academics, behavior, etc.) at Agathos. From the staff’s point of view, we will only contact you this time if we feel it necessary to address something specific; however, we are always at the ready to visit with parents most days, let alone these designated “conference” days which we set aside on the School Calendar.

Remember: all monies raised via Cocoa Bella will be going toward the Cornerstone Capital Campaign! Now, I am super excited about new classrooms for students to move into; however, so many other reasons exist to get excited. Let me put it this way: building more classrooms will have the same domino effect as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. For instance, more classroom space means that we can:

In the near future (next year!):
• Add a Media lab with a dedicated library space and many research tools (computers, etc.). For example, a family shared with me many months ago that they would like to assist in providing more technology tools for our students, but we’ve had no space to place them!
• Move Music to a classroom (adjacent to the Media Lab/Library) so that we may begin offering Music twice a week.
• Moving Music to its own classroom opens the Studio hours so that we can expand Art to two times a week.
• Adding a dedicated space for tutoring students with specific learning weaknesses.
• Construct a nicer PK & K playground.

In the short term (2-3 years):
• Adding additional sections of Kindergarten and First Grade becomes a possibility with more classroom space! This would fulfill a long range goal of having a school with two classes per grade. Having two classes per grade makes it much more likely to field sports teams!

In the not so distant future (3-5 years):
• Having two classes per grade will bring in more revenue which will allow us to grow teacher salaries, add a gym, build a drama program, open a nature center, bring on more administrative staff, etc.

Now & Ongoing for Generations (Present-100 years+):
• Develop more mature, wise, and virtuous students;
• Extend God’s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven;
• Construct a culture more filled with Truth, Goodness & Beauty;
• Be a blessing to greater Columbia’s Christian parents.

Underdog Warriors Win

For those of you old enough to witness the seemingly miraculous victory of the USA over the USSR in the 1980 Olympic Men’s Hockey semi-final game or if you have seen the wonderful movie to commemorate that improbable victory (Miracle, 2004), you can relate to the experience of those in attendance last Saturday who watched the Agathos Mock Trial Team represent our high school student body which totals 15 students, compete and win against teams from Independence H.S., Franklin H.S., Ravenwood H.S., and Brentwood High School. As in 1980 when sportscaster Al Michaels announced the win on ABC (“Do you believe in miracles?”), I cried when the contest officials announced that we had won first place. And, I wasn’t the only one in the room who was overcome with emotion.

This was Agathos’ first foray into such a premiere competition. This year’s contest, once again sponsored by the TN State Bar Association, featured student teams of attorneys and witnesses re-trying and interpreting a based-on-real-circumstances civil case. To compete, the student lawyers must know the mechanics of entering documents into evidence, courtroom protocol, preparing witnesses, examining and cross examining witnesses, and how to think on their feet arguing points of law in front of a jury of practicing attorneys and professional, circuit court judges. This last point, in many ways, particularly sets apart the winners and losers. And, honestly, the records (affidavits, statements, phone records, expert testimony, evidence etc.) utilized for this case decidedly favor an outcome for the defendant. Remarkably, the Agathos lawyers (Luke Worsham-10th, Ethan Seago-10th, Josiah Burns-9th), attained favorable judgments in their two rounds representing the Defendant AND in the two rounds (including the Finals) representing the Plaintiff. And, if winning first place wasn’t enough to make Saturday surreal, two of the sixth Top Individual Awards in our region went to Agathos students: Luke Worsham for Top Attorney and Luke Epley for Top Witness. No other school attained TWO individual awards!

Thus, join me in congratulating the entire team: Lawyers (above) & Witnesses (Adrianna Baena-9th, Samuel Whatley-9th, Luke Epley-9th, Micah Willoughby-9th, Carter Powers-10th, and Jake Trainor-10th). We especially thank team co-coaches Mr. Jason Whatley and Mr. Cory Ricci and their team of advisers (Mrs. Sharon Babcock-Speech Coach, Mr. Grant Kelley-Rhetoric Coach, Grace Masters-10th, and Matthew Whatley-7th, our secret weapon) for their investment over these last several weeks. The team now prepares for the next step, heading to the State Finals in mid-March to compete against representative high schools from 14 other regions in Tennessee. Pray for these Agathos students as they seek to continue to honor the Lord in all that they do and to extend His goodness from classroom to courtroom.

Go Warriors!

More Than a School

All schools are more than a school (Cue mystical music of the Orient). When I was attending educator graduate school at the Citadel, I read a textbook in which the author referred to this mysterious concept as The Hidden Curriculum. Here’s the skinny on this thought: Every place shapes us. The people in that place have priorities, philosophies, religious dogma, tastes, language/terms, and preferences which shape us. Some of these influences we reject to contrast ourselves against them (and accordingly of that place) and some influences we heartily embrace (and thus, we reflect said place). Some of the influences are intentional and many (maybe as many) are unintentional!

But, I am more interested in this angle as it relates to the current topic: Every place I go, God has shaped me through that place (and its people). In my case, I’ve lived in Texas twice (6-7 years), New Jersey (15+/-), South Carolina (6 yrs), Missouri (1), Georgia twice (6), Alabama (2), and Tennessee thrice (8). Therefore, as a Christian, I must consider, “What has and what will God impart to me through a place?” Now, as I said above, the people and the place have intentional goals to cultivate certain skills and attributes in you. For instance, I was sent to three leadership/management training workshops in my first 10 months of work in Atlanta. The school and the people demanded that I learn, practice, and see the value of the skills of a Fortune 500 executive. And, the school took on those characteristics and even vocabulary. Meanwhile, in my first month on the job in Memphis, I was sent to the Mother Ship of classical Christian education (CCE) to be reprogrammed and readied for service as a CCE school administrator. Indeed, a classical Christian school wants an administrator with classical Christian sensibilities.

In other places, the culture and people were less intentional. The St. Louis natives told me, “You are going to love the Cardinals.” I emphatically, but politely said, “While I appreciate the legendary history of the Cardinal franchise, I will never like the Cardinals. I hate them. When I close my eyes and think of the Cardinals all I can see is Joaquin Andujar. I am and ever will be a Mets fan.” Cardinal fans would reply, “Ah, I see. I think you’ll come to love them.” This person above knew she  wouldn’t intentionally make me a fan; she was betting on the culture of St. Louis to make it happen. When Opening Day arrived for the 2004 Major League Baseball season, all throughout St. Louis, schools let out early – for baseball!  My son’s Pre-K celebrated the Opening Day with an early dismissal parade march (yes, I let Jake wear a Cards batting helmet) to a make-shift baseball diamond to play Wiffle ball, eat hot dogs, and enjoy a frozen treat. And, I started to not-hate the Cardinals. Instead of Andujar, I now see Albert Pujols when I think of the Cards.

 

 

 

Thus, I arrive at the crux of the matter; the question is begged, is it not? What do we hope to impart to those who journey to and through our school – or home (e.g. Agathos Classical School)? In short, a classical Christian school wants to see students intentionally and unintentionally become deeply acquainted with Wisdom and Virtue. While both State and Market demand a pragmatic product – a student who can DO certain things and score a certain way on specific mandated assessments on the school-to-work conveyor belt, the classical Christian school spends not a little time on morals, manners, maturity, thinking, discussion, and developing inquisitiveness, concentration, discernment, discretion, and logical processes. Honesty, humility, respect, reverence of God, and integrity are the idyllic mill we construct, the subjects (Humanities, Sciences, Mathematics, Art, Music, etc.) are the grist. As educator David Hicks once wrote, “True learning is revealed in character; it is not a matter of courses or degrees or preparation for a job.”

Small Pond School Reflections

I know small ponds. I like small ponds. My school is a small pond.

Here is what I know about the small pond in which I work and in which my children swim daily:

All fish are considered equals. Interior and exterior differences are minimized since we are so close on a daily basis that we cannot escape our differences so we accept them and move on.
All fish must get along. Sometimes the composition of their school of fish doesn’t change for years.
To get along the fish must be kind 99% of the time.

We are not a perfect pond; 1% of the life of each fish is comprised of bad days; however, it is rare that my bad day corresponds with anyone else’s. But, we know, everyone has bad days.
Swimming in a new direction is very noticeable.
Scars, stress, trauma stick out. And, they should. The rest adapt and remember the first two points.
There’s a life cycle and trademark stages of the life in the pond and of the pond.
There are dry spells. And rainy seasons stir us up. We always think fog is cool.
The older members have influence over all the members of the pond. Age conveys wisdom rather than rank.
There is more order than disorder.
There is no escaping consequences; truth can be known, understood, felt, and shared.
The concept of a bigger pond is enticing, but only as far as it can be a bigger small pond.

There are limits to being in a small pond:
The current never changes. We really do not know what strong swimmers we are.
We are all vegetarians; there are no sharks. Big fish only eat small fish in Math metaphors.
The economies of scale (he he) are not in our favor.
When one gets sick, we all get sick.
We only play flag football.