I don't know where to begin? I'm still learning to articulate what exactly it is ETS and Mr. H did for me, and as I get older the extent to which I realize its/his impact simply continues to expand. It would not be an understatement to say that ETS was the most formative influence in my growth as a young person apart from my own family.
Something I have always appreciated and admired about Mr. H is that he embodies, to the best of his ability, what he believes to be good and true, and his belief and life reflects a careful synthesis of all the most beautiful and meaningful parts of the Great Books tradition, so that the community he has formed at ETS is nothing short of inspiring. I couldn’t help but love to learn! I was breathing the air of that place, and paired with the timeless lecturers that are the Great Books authors and the engaging method with which Mr. H drew us into the implications of the texts we read, I was caught up into an irresistible love of the good, the beautiful, and the true. Once I read Plato—and Mr. H asked us to consider, “What if Beauty isn’t in the eye of the beholder? What if all beautiful things in our world are beautiful because they partake in Beauty itself?”—there was no going back. I was sold: hook, line, and sinker.
I think this is why he can’t keep his alumni from showing up years later to breathe in the air of the Hall, the learning and discussion, the music, the dancing, and the powerful, rich, heartfelt prayers which close out every event.
I continue to find inspiration from Mr. H and this program as I now make my own halting, stumbling efforts at teaching. I am beginning to understand the extent to which Mr. H has honed his craft and thought deeply about these texts, as I make attempts to do the same. As a fourteen year old, I had no idea what I was being given, but now I realize that what I was given in ETS was a priceless gift, and I am so very grateful for it. | City: Escondido, CA |
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