Humanities

The History and Culture of Tea class organized a delicous tea party, featuring Darjeeling Tea, complete with milk and sugar cubes. Their culinary creations included classic scones, both with and without raisins, paired with rich clotted cream, tangy lemon curd, and assorted jellies. They also enjoyed savory curried egg sandwiches and refreshing cucumber sandwiches, creating quite the spread!

In keeping with the spirit of a traditional tea party, the students engaged in charming discussions about hats and tailors and the lovely rainy weather they had been experiencing. The treats they prepared received the high praise of being “acceptable,” a testament to their adherence to the understated elegance and modesty often associated with such gatherings. The tea party was not only a culinary success but also a delightful celebration of the rich history and culture surrounding the beloved tradition of tea.

The Arab American Literature students learned about Arab culture through cooking, tasting, and sharing culinary delights from the Arab world: warak enab (grape leaves), tzatziki salad, and karkade (hibiscus tea). These recipes were shared by former CHS parent and Hollins University professor, Pauline Kaldas. The class also complimented the meal with a spread of assorted fillo baklawa purchased from the legendary, Arab woman owned Shatila’s bakery in Dearborn, Michigan. Who knew the humanities could taste so good?

After attending two balls in their reading of Pride and Prejudice, students in the Jane Austen class were tasked with choosing the wardrobe for two of the characters. They found the origins and names of various parts of the clothing they chose, and noted any significance in coloring. Next, they selected the music to be played for three dances at one of the balls. For each piece they named their composers and described the choreography.

Students in the Weimar Culture class considered the intellectual legacy of the Weimar period through philosophers of the time. Students read “On the Concept of History” by Walter Benjamin and excerpts from Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno. The class explored questions about historicism, technological development, and the position of the modern subject in light of WWII and the atrocities of the Nazi regime.

The Norse Mythology class shared their end of the semester creative projects with us. Their talents shined through with public speaking, various types of artwork, writing, baking, acting, and film production. It was a well attended event.