What is the Trivium?

When we speak of “classical education”, we speak of a system of learning which provided students with a knowledge of seven liberal arts. These seven arts were divided into two groups. The first three made up the Trivium, and the latter four made up the Quadrivium. Let us consider the ancient Trivium. What is the Trivium? The Trivium consists of three subjects: Grammar, Reasoning, and Rhetoric. These subjects were designed to teach students how to think and communicate effectively. I. Grammar Grammar is the first part of the Trivium, and is “the art of writing and speaking rightly” (Lily). The … Continue

Good Things Coming in the Catholic Church

Today is July 4 2024. And this is William Michael, of the classical liberal arts academy. You might have heard a week or so ago, my wife and I spent a few days at Catholic University of America, in Washington DC. We had a great time there, we were there because my wife is enrolled in a master of catechesis program that’s, that’s offered at the university. And she’s got a week of residency activity that needs to be fulfilled each summer. So with her, having that scheduled, they invited me to join her. So I spent a few days … Continue

Schools Aren’t Responsible for Social Activity

One of the biggest problems parents have today is that they desire to provide their children’s social activity through schooling rather than appropriate social activities. Education is about forming the intellect of individuals. The best education is that which leads a student from ignorance to wisdom. When we evaluate educational opportunities, this is all we should be thinking of: “Which option will give my children the best intellectual formation?” Yes, parents see school tuition as a means of buying friends and social activities for their children, and they’re willing to sacrifice intellectual quality for social activity. There may be no … Continue

Greek Reading I, Lesson 11. John 2:1-5

The lesson below belongs to the Classical Liberal Arts Academy’s Greek Reading I course. In this course, we study the Gospel of St. John in the New Testament. Students wishing to master the lesson below are to complete translation exercises daily from Greek into English and English into Greek, until every Greek word and its English meaning are memorized. Text 1 Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ: 2 ἐκλήθη δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν γάμον. 3 καὶ ὑστερήσαντος οἴνου λέγει ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ … Continue

Why Beauty Matters

This video presents some interesting questions and arguments for beauty, but I think it also makes some points that are questionable and worthy of discussion. Note: This video is not recommended for children as some parts require some maturity.

Modern Catholic Schools Are Not Reasonable

In Union County, North Carolina (where I live), there are ZERO Catholic schools. There are thousands of Catholic families, and ZERO Catholic schools. To find a Catholic high school, one would need to drive 50 minutes to Charlotte Catholic High School. There, we find that tuition is nearly $22,000, while Catholics are offered a discounted rate of almost $17,000. That’s $17,000 for a grade-level, day school education for one child. Moreover, the school only serves 300 students at each grade level. This is not a reasonable situation. The Problem First, we have to ask whether Catholic education is necessary, even … Continue