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For those who want something different to engage their minds as the Steelers and Seahawks clash in Super Bowl XL this Sunday, the McKelvy House Scholars will hold a dinner discussion of reading as a virtue.
The meal will begin 6 p.m. at McKelvy House, 200 High Street. Marquis Scholar Katie Thompson ’09 (Glenside, Pa.) will lead the discussion at 6:30 p.m.
“Reading, education, and intelligence are values in our society,” says Thompson. “Books are seen as great ways to expand our knowledge base, much like the ‘self-educated’ men of the 18th and 19th centuries. We believe that if we apply ourselves to the ‘classics’ we will become intellectual and well-read citizens.”
The discussion will start with questions: Why is reading seen in such a positive light? Is it really as laudable as we make it? Does the value of reading change with what you read and why?
To answer these questions Thompson will refer to T.S. Elliot, Oprah Winfrey’s book club, the Harry Potter phenomenon, and In the Shadow of No Towers.
Links to related articles, as well as further information about the McKelvy House Scholars program, are available on the group’s blog web site.
“McKelvy helps everyone at Lafayette get closer to the ideal of what a college can be and what a liberal arts education should give you,” says Thompson. “Everyone who lives in the house is deeply involved with numerous projects on campus, making Lafayette and Easton better places through their initiatives with all kinds of different clubs and interests.”
Since 1962, the McKelvy House Scholars program has brought together Lafayette students with a wide range of majors and interests to reside in a historic off-campus house and share in intellectual and social activities. Weekly Sunday and occasional Wednesday dinner discussions that engage the students in debate and exchange of ideas are the hallmark of the program. Most members also contribute to the annual McKelvy Papers, written on a topic of each person’s choice. McKelvy Scholars participate in activities together such as field trips to plays, concerts, and exhibits, and sponsor events for the campus as well.
Previous discussions:
Jan. 29 — Sexuality
Nov. 20 — Value of Performing Arts
Nov. 13 – Blogging
Nov. 9 – Neoconservatism
Oct. 30 – Christian Right
Oct. 26 – Social Groups
Oct. 23 – The Shape of Things
Oct. 19 – Women in Creating and Sustaining Peace
Oct. 16 – “Slow Food” Movement
Oct. 12 – Hugo Chavez
Oct. 9 – Molecular Nanotechnology
Oct. 5 – Folk Music as Vehicle for Social Change
Sept. 25 – Freedom and Other Remembrance Issues
Sept. 20 – The Powerful Thrust of Language on Civic Arousal
Sept. 14 – Apathy
Sept. 11 – Why Do We Care about One Another?