Author Archives: marklangley

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About marklangley

Most recently the founding Headmaster of Our Lady of Walsingham Academy in Colorado Springs (see www. OLWclassical.org), former headmaster and Academic Dean at The Lyceum (a school he founded in 2003, see theLyceum.org) Mark loves sacred music and Gregorian Chant and singing with his lovely wife, Stephanie, and their children.

Finisque ab Origine Pendet

Posted on March 12, 2013 by marklangley

Incidentally, I haven’t read much of the Roman poet Manlius who “flourished” in the first century AD. But his famous line “Finisque ab origine pendet” from the fourth book of his Astronomicon appears to have been adopted by Phillips Exeter Academy as … Continue reading →

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Anaxagoras on Liberal Education

Posted on March 10, 2013 by marklangley

“Other things have a part of everything, but mind is unlimited and self-ruling and is mixed with nothing, but is itself alone by itself….” Anaxagoras, the great pre-Socratic philosopher who, Aristotle says, was like a sober man among drunkards was the … Continue reading →

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“This Pertains Most Of All To Human Nature”

Posted on March 9, 2013 by marklangley

Speaking of the Third Commandment and the relevance that it has to liberal education, we can do no better than to hear the Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman defend the very notion of “knowledge for its own sake.” This is the … Continue reading →

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Third Commandment: Remember to Have Leisure!

Posted on March 4, 2013 by marklangley

I was noticing the emphasis on the word “leisure” in The Catechism of the Catholic Church in reference to the Third commandment: Remember To Keep Holy the Sabbath. 2184 Just as God “rested on the seventh day from all his work … Continue reading →

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Thou Shalt Pursue a Liberal Education

Posted on February 28, 2013 by marklangley

Where did the Lord command man to pursue a liberal education? Or maybe we might ask, what commandment do people break when they refuse to pursue a liberal education? “That’s ridiculous!” you say, “everyone is free to choose the kind of … Continue reading →

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Whoops Honey, I think I Wrecked the Kids.

Posted on February 24, 2013 by marklangley

There is an unwritten rule in parenting that prohibits a parent from ever admitting that he has done irreparable damage to the intellectual formation of his children. A parent might admit that he has spoiled his child, or perhaps has … Continue reading →

Posted in classical education | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Waking Up

Posted on February 23, 2013 by marklangley

As we were discussing the Decalogue in my Ethics class the other day, a question came up which struck me with new force. I say “struck me with new force” because I think the last time the question struck me … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare and Lying (A Useful Example)

Posted on February 22, 2013 by marklangley

I can’t remember which pope said something to the effect that a thorough reading of Shakespeare constituted a complete education in Ethics. I was struck by that today, reading Macbeth Act iv scene 3. Ross enters fresh from Scotland and … Continue reading →

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γνῶθι σαὐτόν Know thyself

Posted on February 16, 2013 by marklangley

I am reading Macbeth with my ninth grade English Literature class and was particularly delighted with this little nugget of wisdom in Act 4 scene 2. Lady MacDuff has just discovered that her husband has fled and Ross is attempting … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Shakespeare | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Textbooks

Posted on February 10, 2013 by marklangley

My daughter read the last post about textbooks and fastfood restaurants  and pointed out that the article did not really contain many substantive reasons for why text books are boring. She wondered even about the point of the post. I told … Continue reading →

Posted in Textbooks, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment