ITALY
AROUND CAMPUS
The Eighth Grade ’ s annual Italian Study Tour — 10 days exploring sites in Assisi , Florence , and Rome — is a longstanding capstone experience in humanities for our graduating class and their teachers , alike . After a two-year , pandemic-imposed hiatus , we were able to resume this signature experience this March , making the 2022 tour particularly meaningful .
The trip provides the opportunity for our boys to visit in-situ the actual paintings , sculpture , and architecture they have studied in their art history class . As such , it melds the scholarly and creative in an organic way . It is common for a boy to comment on Medici family history when presenting on Brunelleschi ’ s Dome , for instance , and then , in the next moment , to analyze the dome ’ s structure and design .
Day One was followed by four days each in Florence and Rome . The boys and their teachers covered mile upon mile of artistic , architectural , and natural territory each day , from Renaissance-rich sites such as the Accademia , Uffizi Gallery , and Santa Croce ( and the ever-popular excursion to the San Lorenzo leather market ) in Florence – to the Colosseum , Roman Forum , Circus Maximus , and The Vatican in Rome . At each spot , the boys absorbed , observed , and questioned . Their reflections and sketches , recorded daily in their Italian Study Tour Travel Journals , represented both academic and artistic expressions of understanding , and also served as keepsakes of their journey . Throughout the trip , the boys made connections between details they observed in the various works viewed and broader inferences about meaning .
“ We entered this school year not knowing whether we would be able to safely conduct an international trip ,” said Dr . O ’ Halloran . “ It required an immense amount of planning , analysis , and consultation . In the end , fortunately , we could and we did . The resilience of our boys and faculty shone through each day in every place we visited . The boys are remarkable young men and their teachers , exceptional , caring professionals .”
46 • Saint David ’ s Magazine