Honors students in Dr. Samuel Payne's Spring 2003 Honors seminar on Freedom studied the Declaration of Independence during the course. It made a natural outing, therefore, for Dr. Payne, Dr. Howell, and a group of students in the seminar to travel to Charlottesville to visit Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson and one of the authors of the Declaration. Monticello, a fine example of Roman neoclassicism, is the autobiographical masterpiece of the third President of the United States. Jefferson himself designed and redesigned, built and rebuilt, the house for more than forty years. After visiting the house and grounds, students left with a renewed appreciation for the breadth of Jefferson's interests and accomplishments.

The group ate lunch at nearby Michie Tavern before visiting Monticello. This Virginia Historic Landmark has welcomed travelers for more than 200 years. Established in 1784 by Scotsman William Michie, the Tavern served as the social center of its community and provided travelers with food, drink and lodging, before being moved to its present location in 1927.

"Looking over the President's Shoulder" - Staff Contributor

No, Boone Honors students didn't leave Ferrum for a visit to the White House. They did, however, travel to Roanoke to see the critically acclaimed play "Looking over the President's Shoulder" at the Mill Mountain Theatre. Based on the life of Alonzo Fields, Chief Butler at the White House during four presidents’ terms, this one-man show revealed an intimate view of history-in-the-making. Through masterful storytelling, musical interludes and uncanny impressions, John Henry Redwood, who plays presidential butler Fields, introduced a cavalcade of characters: presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and movie stars, in an enormously entertaining way. Fields joined the White House in the latter part of the Herbert Hoover administration. He served 12 years under FDR and six years under Harry Truman, with whom he maintained a cordial relationship after Truman's presidency. He retired in 1953, early in Dwight Eisenhower's administration. History literally came alive during the performance. Students had no problem staying awake during the performance even though every one was satiated after a delicious Italian meal at Ragazzi's before the play.

Art, Literature, and Film of the Expressionist Period Seminar Returns in Fall 2003 - Staff contributor

Dr. John Kitterman, Associate Professor of English, and Prof. Rachel Denham, Associate Professor of Art, reprise their popular seminar on the Expressionist period for the fall semester. Students who took the seminar in Spring 2002 enjoyed the way the course looked at different media from the period. Students not only hone their interpretive skills as they discuss and alnalyze creative works from the period, they also had a chance to create their own works of art.

Spring Honors Banquet - Staff contributor

On Monday, April 28, the Boone Honors Program concluded the year with a banquet in the Franklin Hall Magnolia Room. After dinner, students, faculty, and administrators from the program were treated to a thought-provoking lecture by guest speaker Dr. Samuel E. Balentine, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Old Testament at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Using art, poetry, and excerpts from plays, movies, and literature, Balentine looked at the book of Job from the perspective of friendship and loss. The talk, titled "East of Eden: Let Love Grasp Grief Lest Be Drowned" compared the type of friendship offered by Job's three friends when they tried to comfort him with a theology of friendship found in the interaction between God and Job. Balenetine argued that a friendship needs to be able to withstand the crucible of suffering and loss.

Newsletter Home and Archives