Joyful Balance - The Four Pillars
Saint David ’ s School focuses education within a classical ideal of balance among the four pillars of academics , arts , athletics , and spirituality . It is in exploring and growing in each of these areas , and discovering where their passions lie , that our boys find a joyful balance . Below , faculty members consider ways in which balance manifests across and among the pillars .
By Bradford Hardie
Beyond Natural Law
Science , as it relates to academics , might be described simply as the study of the natural world . However , at Saint David ’ s , it is so much more . Scientific study at Saint David ’ s is the vehicle through which our boys discover not only the natural laws that govern the world around them , but also the laws that govern discovery itself . By revealing the hidden wonders behind their most mundane , everyday surroundings , the boys are inspired to joyfully uncover more of the unknowns in which they are immersed .
Science should not be reduced simply to a collection of facts about nature , or even the academic pursuit of answers to questions pondered . It is the pursuit of the questions themselves that can best characterize the goal of scientific inquiry at Saint David ’ s . It is a way of thinking about the world that contributes to our boys ’ balanced relationships with the other three pillars : athletics , arts , and spirituality .
The athletic experience at Saint David ’ s is full of its own life lessons , and the study of science contributes to a holistic education
because it supports the idea of trial and error . Good science is repeated over and over , just as good practice in any sport is repetitive . Building a strong discipline in a manner with which ‘ the field ’ can be explored efficiently , accurately , and effectively is similar to the benefit of disciplines that sharpen an athlete ’ s tools on the field against an opposing team . It is with that discipline that our boys can learn a great deal about themselves whether it is ‘ in ’ the field or ‘ on ’ it .
Science has a close relationship to the arts ; therefore , the academic pursuit of answers to questions about the natural world can be applied to the pursuit of beauty and aesthetics in the arts as well . Close observation is the hallmark of both scientific exploration and appreciation of beauty . Countless artists rely on their observation of nature to inspire their creativity . Artists also rely heavily on the process of trial and error to sharpen their techniques in pursuit of the truth they wish to convey . The skills our boys learn in their artistic exploration complement the skills learned in their scientific studies and vice versa .
12 • Saint David ’ s Magazine