California
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July 27, 2026
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Students on the One-Week California Great Books Program arose on Monday morning ready to plunge headlong into their first full day! The morning’s lineup included an orientation meeting and opening Mass before students headed to their first class on Sophocles’ Antigone. 

Many students began their day with a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cereal before heading off to St. Cecelia Auditorium. Jon Daly, executive director of admissions, began the proceedings by taking roll call and wishing everyone a good morning before handing the mic off to the program’s director, Dr. John Finley. 

Dr. Finley welcomed the students warmly and advised them on how to make the most of their time in the classroom during the next week. “This program will give you a small glimpse of what wisdom will look like,” he said. “Even if you never come back to 51, this week in the classroom will be time well spent.” Dr. Finley then introduced his fellow tutors, who will be teaching sections alongside him during the program.

մ’s Discussion Method during the school year, as well as during the program, works through groups of approximately 17 students called “sections.” These sections take almost all their classes together throughout the year, which fosters a shared sense of camaraderie. Students build trust in each other as they discuss difficult questions and share in the pursuit of wisdom. The tutor serves as a guide to his or her students, mentoring them as they delve into the Great Books. Below are the photos of the four sections of this program:

Section Photos
  • Section 1
  • Section 2
  • Section 3
  • Section 4

Following orientation, students attended Mass in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel before receiving their section assignments and heading off to their first class of the program! This morning’s class tackled one of Sophocles’ famous Greek tragedies, Antigone. The play follows the sorrowful events that unfold after Antigone’s uncle, King Creon, forbids burial rites for her brother, whom he condemns as a traitor to the kingdom. Forced to choose between loyalty to her brother and loyalty to her king, Antigone defiantly sets into motion a chain of heartbreaking events, compelling all involved to wrestle with their own loyalties and convictions.  

Under the guidance of their tutors and in collaboration with their sectionmates, students delved deeply into discussions of the conflict between duty to country and duty to family. Some defended or condemned the divisive characters of Antigone and Creon, while grappling with the notions of obedience, pride, and fate. 

“I loved it!” Lucy M. shared after class. “It was awesome to see how everyone was respectful and listening, even though not everyone agreed, and I wished we had even longer to discuss Antigone’s story.”

 

Mass

 

With many questions still remaining, the students rushed off to lunch to enjoy a meal of pesto chicken, rice, steamed veggies, and warm bread. The Commons was full of the hubbub of chatter and feasting, as all continued to make new friends and share their thoughts on the morning’s class. 

After lunch, it was time for the last class of the day: Euclid’s Elements, one of the central works in the TAC curriculum. Freshmen here spend an entire year pondering Euclid’s geometric proofs and propositions, learning how to craft ordered, syllogistic arguments. Today, programmers began to tackle the bedrock of the Elements — Book I’s definitions, postulates, and common notions. They contemplated questions many may have never considered before, such as what it means to be a “breathless length,” as Euclid defines a line, or what constitutes a right angle. Tomorrow, students will use the principles learned today to demonstrate mathematical truths on the chalkboard.

Once 2:30 p.m. hit, the doors to St. Gladys Hall swung open as students rushed to change for the events on this afternoon’s packed schedule. First on the agenda: section games! Come back to the Summer Program Blog Tuesday morning to hear all about how the students fare in the fun they have today!

 

More photos from the High School Summer Program

Tap on the right center edge of the image to scroll through the album.