 Posted Monday, November 14, 2005 7:35 PM
|
|
|
|
I was on the Principia Website... very very nice and looks like a real high end prep school like the ones I grew up around in New England.
Please tell me about it? Is it well run? Do they teach Biology? Is it well endowed?
Are there kids from outside CS there?
Also, is enrollment in decline like the rest of CS is?
Thank you
SFJ
|
|
|
Posted Monday, November 14, 2005 9:10 PM
|
|
|
|
I am not a Prin grad and don't follow it much. The gist of remarks about the "Upper School" and the College is that they are in decline like the rest of CS, and that "spiritual standards" have slipped quite a bit the last several years. (Or decades.) It seems that CS is not necessarily for "Christian Science youth," but tends to "accept children of Christian Science families," if you catch the difference.
There was a school in Greenwich, Connecticut--Daycroft--that had both day and boarding students. That went defunct twenty years ago or so. Branch churches fold, nursing homes are reduced, not manhy Orgs left, there are fewer and fewer practioners each year....
If this was a business, would you invest in it?
(Unless you're after the capital assets!)
|
|
|
Posted Monday, November 14, 2005 10:00 PM
|
|
|
|
I graduated in 2002. I was involved with the CSO, academically challenged, and made some good solid friends. Principia in a word is like The Mother Church, insomuch that everyone you interact with is a practicing Christian Scientist. I tried not to focus so much on the fact that Principia was a special college for Christian Scientists so much as my goal of completing 4 years at a college. That in itself was an accomplishment for me because academically I was not the greatest student, even though I studied like crazy. So despite the fact that I was accepted to two art colleges, I chose Prin for the liberal arts - well rounded education aspect. I was sort of pushed toward that decision by certain parental figures as well.
The room mates I had during my time there ranged from the extreme CS devotee to those who slept in on Sunday, never went to hymn sing, and went to dinner too late on Tuesday night/have too much homework to go to testimony meeting. The room mates who were gung ho about every CS meeting would always encourage me to go, even if I knew the load of work I had to get done, and sure enough they would insist that going to a CS meeting would get me more inspired in order to get my work done quicker. Needless to say, they were wrong and I stayed up longer to get the work done. As for the few room mates I had that were on the other side of the coin, I knew there was something up with them, meaning doing something wrong against the "moral code of Principia ethics" Later to find out that this was usually true.
OK TIME TO GET SOME COFFEE....I WROTE A NOVEL...
They do teach Biology, Chemistry, Life and Earth Sciences. I don't know what the biology classes were like but I did take environmental, forestry and geology classes, and in each of those classes, Christian Science was addressed and discussed to aleviate what we learn in CS and how we can "incorporate" it into what we seem to be learning about the material earth. For instance, in Geology, we addressed that one line in S&H pg 510 The sun is a metaphorical representation of Soul outside the body, giving existence and intelligence to the universe. Love alone can impart the limitless idea of infinite Mind. Geology has never explained the earth's formations; it cannot explain them. There is no Scriptural allusion to solar light until time has been already divided into evening and morning; and the allusion to fluids (Genesis i. 2) indicates a supposed formation of matter by the resolving of fluids into solids, analogous to the suppositional resolving of thoughts into material things. After this line was read, the professor then tried to explain why we were physically in that class studying geology, which is the study of earth's formations, when in CS MBE writes that Geology has never explained the earth's formations; it cannot explain them. CONTRADICTION EH???!!!
I remember taking an extremely challenging history course, in which I worked so hard in understanding a Social Philosopher. I had met with him before I had to write this big paper to seek help. He couldn't help me other than stongly suggest that I call a CS Practioner for prayerful support. Needless to say, I did this, spent many many long nights stressing, crying and pushing myself to accept my self as perfect, that I was intelligent, etc and that this would aid me in writing this paper. Finished the paper, thought I did a good job, got the paper back with a D-, went to the teacher again for help knowing that in 3 days I had to give an oral report with class interaction, and once again he told me to contact a CS practioner for help. This teacher was really the only teacher I had trouble with where I questioned his credentials.
when I was there, I did not know of anyone there who attended there who was not CS, other than Cooks in the Kitchen and perhaps some janitors. They're pretty strict about that.
Enrollment in decline - I don't know since I graduated in 2002 and most of my friends were upperclassmen. I did have one friend who was under me by two years and she tried soooo hard to keep grades up, but they kicked her out because it was tooo challenging academically for her. Enrollment could be in decline if they have set such high academic standards, and have not alloted one on one help for those who aspire to really try to do well academically. Prin seems to like people who are naturally smart, and don't want to give attention to those who are struggling, like I was, cause of the whole CS demonstration/accepting ourselves as being God's perfect reflection, Hence studying and taking exams should be a snap you reflect God's intelligence.
Prin overall was a good experience for me, socially and academically, however I think it does seem rather prissy and elite. I'm proud of the fact that I made it through 4 years of College and got my degree, that is a huge accomplishment for me, but in a way, since I've drifted away from CS, I always wonder/wish I went to an art college instead. And of course, paying back student loans is never fun. but hay, I am beginning to live life now and that's all that matters.
Frogs25
Fully Relying On God for Salvation
|
|
|
Posted Tuesday, November 15, 2005 6:56 PM
|
|
|
|
SFJ,
There is another thread entitled "What about Principia?" that will give you more info about Prin and people's experiences there.
|
|
|
Posted Thursday, November 17, 2005 10:47 AM
|
|
|
|
Linda,
Have you ever considered making a "category" called Principia? I know as an alum that I would check the messages there often. As it is I search for Prin messages in the other categories. Just a thought.
Thanks for running a great forum.
|
|
|
Posted Thursday, November 17, 2005 11:12 AM
|
|
|
|
GreatScott,
Have you ever considered making a "category" called Principia?
What would you think of the category including College Orgs and other CS college activities such as Asher House?
Do Go Be Man
<><
|
|
|
Posted Thursday, November 17, 2005 11:49 AM
|
|
|
|
Done.
|
|
|
|