Mr. albrittain

Salvete parentes discipulique (Greetings, parents and students!)

Mr. Albrittain

Latin, Senior Thesis | Ascent Classical Academy Douglas County

ABOUT ME

I was introduced to Latin as a high school student and captivated by its poetry, literature, and their massive historical and generic ranges. As an undergraduate at Williams College, I majored in both classics and modern European history, and took up Ancient Greek as well. This year, I received my MA in classics from UCLA, having completed a thesis on the history of color terms in fragmentary archaic Greek poetry.

EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

The work of education is also the work of cultural transmission. In addition to aiding in Ascent's mission to create citizens of a flourishing republic, I also aim to participate in the creation of historically conscious, intellectually minded people who do not live in an eternal present. Because of the long shadow it casts over subsequent humanities traditions, Latin is especially suited to this task.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO

I am looking forward to exposing students to the different and often counterintuitive ways in which Latin expresses ideas relative to English. Learning how language shapes our ideas will give students a wider perspective on their own language and worldview.

GET TO KNOW ME

what is your favorite book?

My favorite novel is To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I first read it during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, and have been re-reading it annually ever since. In addition to its colorful and frank prose, To the Lighthouse elegantly frames the difficult compromises and trade-offs we have to face throughout life.

What is your favorite subject?

Besides Latin of course, my favorite subject is poetry, because of its ability to transport us out of daily life. Indeed, one Latin term for poetry is carmen, which can also mean "charm" or "spell," and the best poets never lose touch with this incantatory quality of their art.

What do you Appreciate about ascent?

I appreciate Ascent's strong value system, and its constant attention to the bigger picture of why we go to school in the first place. The educative process should directly ask us to try to make sense of our own lives, and Ascent's faculty bring this attitude to work every day.

What is your favorite Game?

In high school and college, I ran cross country--often more of a trial than a game--but I also enjoy ping-pong and billiards when I get the chance.

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