THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE and THE ANGELICUM ACADEMY:
The Differences and Similarities

Norris Harrington

The answer may be discerned from the fact that both the TA and TAC programs do have many commonalities, as well as a number of differences. For example: both programs include many identical readings from the great classics of Western civilization, the great majority of which are also included in Britannica's Great Books set; both programs discuss these works in a Socratic discussion format; both utilize moderators to facilitate the discussions; both are four-year programs; both use a chronologically ordered approach to the readings; both programs require new students to begin at the beginning - with the first readings - neither allows students to transfer into the program once it is underway; both programs are faithful to the Magisterium of the Church; graduates from both programs are eligible for B.A. degrees (this requires additional, post-graduation tests at TA).

However, there are important differences:  the TA readings are selected to give a greater emphasis to literary and poetic works, whereas the TAC readings place a greater emphasis on theology and philosophy; the average TA student is 13-17 years of age, whereas the average TAC student is probably 18-22; the TA readings are therefore often shorter and have a different age-appropriateness; TA is designed for homeschoolers, whereas TAC is a residence, brick-and-mortar college; TA's Socratic seminars are conducted on the internet, with worldwide access, whereas TAC's are conducted in person at the campus in California; TA costs about 1/40th per year what TAC costs (however, TAC includes room and  board, and offers many scholarships).

The answer to the opening questions is therefore:  while TA seeks to prepare students for a B.A. degree by the age of 16-18, so that they may then proceed with their vocational or professional studies at about the same time their counterparts did in the late Middle Ages, there is nothing at all to prevent their attendance at TAC upon graduation from TA, nor is there any contradiction or loss in doing so. To the contrary, we believe that completing the TA Great Books program is a superb preparation for TAC. Further, besides the differences noted above, TA graduates going on to TAC would also experience first-hand the dictum of the founder of the Great Books movement, Prof. John Erskine, that the great books should "be read over and over" because the reader will find he gains fresh insights with each reading and

Steve Bertucci, Norris Harrington and Pat Carmack at Thomas Aquinas College, CA.

discussion of the classics - that is what makes them great.  Relatively few students may have the luxury of an eight-year period in which to expand and perfect their liberal education, but for those who do, we certainly encourage them to do so, and thereby gain and participate in the added benefits of living in a community of scholars sharing a mutual love of the truth, where personal contact helps forge lifelong friendships.  The same could be said of the proposed College of St. Justin Martyr, recently initiated by the Society of St. John in Shohola, Pennsylvania, and of the Great Books program at Magdalen College.

Apart from fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church mentioned above, all of the above would also apply to the relationship between the great books programs of the Great Books Academy homeschool program and the brick-and-mortar College of St. John, in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico. 
[text date 12/22/00]

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