Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2012 | Page 2

In the World that Awaits Them

“Arts foster the very attributes
our youth need in the world
that awaits them.”
Thornton Academy Players’ next production,

range of creative skills and abilities that complement

Arthur Miller’s classic play The Crucible, opens soon

their academic proficiencies. Researchers Brian

in our Garland Auditorium. This play joins regular art

Coppola and Yong Zhao comment, “What seems to be

exhibits sponsored by the Visual Arts department in

underappreciated in this country is how actively [other

our beautiful O’Neill Gallery, student-created TA-TV

countries’ education systems] are trying to embrace the

studio broadcasts on the station’s YouTube channel,

values and outcomes that we appear to be so willing

performances by the Thornton Academy Dance

to abandon: specifically, the American penchant for

Company, and many musical performances shared

promoting creativity, individualism, innovation, and

with standing-room-only crowds. The goals and

nonconformity.” Art, music, drama and dance are critical

accomplishments of Thornton Academy’s Arts Program

for all students to participate fully in a future economy that

are synonymous with creativity at Thornton Academy and

depends on the ability to devise innovative solutions to

are an important element of how we “prepare students for

meet tough challenges, some that we can’t yet imagine.

a changing world.”

The arts foster the very attributes our youth need in the

Studying arts in the Maine economy, the
University of Southern Maine’s Center for Business and

world that awaits them.
Thornton Academy welcomes you to enjoy the

Economic Research found that the role of arts and culture

creativity of our students. Whether you’re viewing gallery

industries is substantial in our state’s economy. I was

artwork, hearing a guest lecture in the library, or attending

surprised to learn from this study that arts occupations

any of our wonderful plays, musicals, or concerts, I hope

employ as many Maine workers as do our wood products

you consider Thornton Academy as a cultural center that is

companies. That suggests a bright future right here in

right in your neighborhood.

Maine for our developing artists, but it’s not the sole

Sincerely,

reason Thornton Academy advocates for the arts.
This fast-paced, dynamic, technologicallyadvanced world requires all students to develop a

Rene M. Menard ‘88
Headmaster