50p
Welcome to the Library
There is one place at Brentwood that is always serene. It is not the calm of the waterfront, which is often interrupted by the shouts of rowers. It is not the gym, which constantly produces the sounds of weights and music. It is most definitely not house common rooms, where movies, pool, ping-pong and video games prevent them from ever experiencing anything close to peace. It is not Crooks Hall, which rings with the clatter of cutlery and friendly chatter. The fields are filled with the shouts of rugby teams and the cheering of supporters. Not even the Bunch Theater, in the midst of a performance, is truly quiet. Student actors and musicians electrify the silence.
No, the true place of absolute calm is the library. The library is a sanctuary of hard work, research, and relaxation. For those that want to relax, it is a collection of books and articles that could take a student or teacher years, if not decades, to read. For most it is the perfect study environment. It is a place of no interruptions, except the occasional rustle of paper or tapping of keyboards.
Time spent in the library is the ultimate tool. Many Brentwood students take the opportunity offered to them, that for two hours each night during prep, they are invited to come down to the library to complete their homework, or do research, or simply escape the familiarity of their own dorm room desk. For those who have not experienced the serenity of library prep, most do not understand what makes it any better than prep in the house, but a session of library prep is the steroid of homework. And the best part of that metaphor is that no teacher is going to disqualify a student for using library prep.
In fact, library prep is a chance for students who have missed classes due to illness or sport to catch up on tests or quizzes. As it is supervised and silent, it is a proper testing setting. Those who take the opportunity to come down for reasons other than tests, are offered boundless books, use of the school’s computers, and the incredible aid of the faculty members who supervise the library in prep time. Mr. MacLean, for one, uses his Friday duty as a perfect opportunity to establish a learning relationship between teacher and pupil. Each Friday night, his excited whispers carry gently from where he is avidly chatting about a student’s progress, or helping them with their studies.
Other teachers like Mrs. Widenmaier for example, tend to use the opportunity to practice a bit of whimsy, and often when the clock strikes 9:30 and students must return to their houses, she will delightfully inform students that it is time for them to turn into pumpkins. With a gentle laugh, students pack up their backs and make the short walk to the houses with a feeling of accomplishment, because, it is nearly impossible to not feel accomplished after spending time in the library. There is something inherently rewarding about silence, especially productive silence. Not only do students feel like they got work done, as they did, but their stress leaks away into the peacefulness. With each pen stroke, or flip of the page, a little bit of tension dissipates into the air.
The library is regularly open for student use: Grade 12s with a study period are encouraged to take advantage of it for work, classes often reserve it for research, and it is open during fine arts as well as sports. Visiting the library is a gentle experience, easily likened to the meditation of monks in a monastery. Indeed, Jorge Luis Borges said it best when he opined, “I have always imagined Paradise will be a kind of library.”
We’ll see YOU at the library!
No, the true place of absolute calm is the library. The library is a sanctuary of hard work, research, and relaxation. For those that want to relax, it is a collection of books and articles that could take a student or teacher years, if not decades, to read. For most it is the perfect study environment. It is a place of no interruptions, except the occasional rustle of paper or tapping of keyboards.
Time spent in the library is the ultimate tool. Many Brentwood students take the opportunity offered to them, that for two hours each night during prep, they are invited to come down to the library to complete their homework, or do research, or simply escape the familiarity of their own dorm room desk. For those who have not experienced the serenity of library prep, most do not understand what makes it any better than prep in the house, but a session of library prep is the steroid of homework. And the best part of that metaphor is that no teacher is going to disqualify a student for using library prep.
In fact, library prep is a chance for students who have missed classes due to illness or sport to catch up on tests or quizzes. As it is supervised and silent, it is a proper testing setting. Those who take the opportunity to come down for reasons other than tests, are offered boundless books, use of the school’s computers, and the incredible aid of the faculty members who supervise the library in prep time. Mr. MacLean, for one, uses his Friday duty as a perfect opportunity to establish a learning relationship between teacher and pupil. Each Friday night, his excited whispers carry gently from where he is avidly chatting about a student’s progress, or helping them with their studies.
Other teachers like Mrs. Widenmaier for example, tend to use the opportunity to practice a bit of whimsy, and often when the clock strikes 9:30 and students must return to their houses, she will delightfully inform students that it is time for them to turn into pumpkins. With a gentle laugh, students pack up their backs and make the short walk to the houses with a feeling of accomplishment, because, it is nearly impossible to not feel accomplished after spending time in the library. There is something inherently rewarding about silence, especially productive silence. Not only do students feel like they got work done, as they did, but their stress leaks away into the peacefulness. With each pen stroke, or flip of the page, a little bit of tension dissipates into the air.
The library is regularly open for student use: Grade 12s with a study period are encouraged to take advantage of it for work, classes often reserve it for research, and it is open during fine arts as well as sports. Visiting the library is a gentle experience, easily likened to the meditation of monks in a monastery. Indeed, Jorge Luis Borges said it best when he opined, “I have always imagined Paradise will be a kind of library.”
We’ll see YOU at the library!
100p
