Lise's Lens: March 7, 2024
This week I am thinking about amazing student performances, the value of the humanities, and the history of Jewish female stand up comedians.
WHAT I’M READING
- As a humanist myself, I was totally pulled in by this grabby headline from the opinion pages of The New York Times: “I Teach the Humanities and I Still Don’t Know What Their Value Is.” In it, University of Chicago Professor Agnes Callard explains how she doesn’t see teaching the humanities as a means to a specific end. Rather, she sees teaching and learning as a way of searching for value. “The humanistic spirit is, fundamentally, an inquisitive one,” she says, cautioning other humanists against defending the value of humanities study, because “a defensive spirit is inimical to an inquisitive one.” Our culture has, in many ways, become so obsessed with assigning value to pursuits. But I think we can also pursue certain subjects simply because we enjoy them, assuming we are afforded the privilege to do so.
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- The end of each mod always brings with it incredible performances and showcases of talent, and this mod was no exception. From Still Human (this year’s annual Dance Concert) to Einstein’s Dreams (the Theatre Department’s submission to the MA High School Drama Festival) to the music of Modest Mussorgsky (performed by our instrumental ensemble), I have been so impressed and moved by the work and care our students have put into their studies. I think one of my favorite things is seeing students in these new and different contexts, expressing themselves so openly, but also professionally, at the same time. I am still glowing from it all.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- I enjoyed this conversation with scholar Grace Overbeke, who recently gave a lecture at UW-Milwaukee on the history of Jewish female standup comedians. In this recording, she focuses specifically on Jean Carroll, the first Jewish woman to do standup as we understand standup today. She was really a pioneer in making standup more personalized, rather than a series of more generalized punchlines and jokes. In fact, for Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fans, it is believed that the character was in many ways inspired by Carroll. I also thought it was interesting to hear how women doing standup were received in the 50s and 60s. People were baffled and confused to see women doing comedy without also integrating singing or music.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Check out this photo of the robot our Competitive Robotics D Block students have been working on. I love the branded gryphon!
Campus News
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Photography Teacher Anne Rearick Releases New Book
Photography Teacher Anne Rearick has release a new book of photograpy, Gure Bazterrrak (Our Land). Published by the Deadbeat Club Press, the book will begin shipping this winter and will be available during Paris Photo at Polycopies, Porte de Solférino.Read More -
Anny '28 Wins International Film Awards
Read MoreThis past summer, Anny ’28, worked as executive director and cinematographer for two documentary films titled Shaolin Youth and Confined, earning multiple international awards for her efforts.Anny, a boarding student from China, spent her summer filming Shaolin Youth in the Shaolin Temple, a thousand-year-old temple, where she focused on different groups of Chinese teenagers, showcasing China's special martial arts program and the impact it can have on the growth of teenagers from low-income families. The film focuses on the stories of underserved families and troubled teenagers in rural China who are hoping to change their fate by learning martial arts, showing the dedication and love these teenagers have toward martial arts, and the influence martial arts can have on a person's growth. -
CSW Welcomes Students from Panama
Read MoreLast week CSW welcomed 12 students from C.A.D.I. Bilingual Academy in Panama, where our students spent some time during the mod abroad trip to Panama in mod 5 last school year! They were joined by C.A.D.I.'s Director and administrators. During their visit from October 17-21, 2024, they stayed with CSW host families and attended classes with student ambassadors. -
Mod Break Wilderness Trips are Back!
Read MoreMod break Wilderness Trips are back in action with the first one taking students to the White Mountains! During the 3-day trip, students were split up into two groups based on student preference. The introductory group made its foray into the Kinsman Mountains with History and English teacher/Wilderness Trip Guide Aidan Wang, while the advanced group tackled Mt. Garfield with Science teacher and longtime Wilderness Trip Guide Kevin Smith.
Meet CSW Students
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.