It’s sometimes difficult to describe my former high school to people I meet now, because when I mention the fact that its population reaches roughly 50 students, this tends to become their focal point of interest. And yet they’re right to be intrigued, since it is precisely Abelard’s small student population and class sizes that gave me the unique and enriched learning experience I’m fortunate to have received.
It was at Abelard that I developed an interest in modern languages, and because my French and Italian classes were both small, we could constantly practice conversation and receive individual feedback and instruction. When asked a question, it was no longer possible to mumble something incomprehensible and hope the teacher moved on to someone else. One discovered, with a little patience, that the answer could always be found somewhere.
The social atmosphere of Abelard was very friendly, almost familial—odd as that may seem. In some ways it felt like we had bypassed a lot of the stereotypical high school social pressures and elitism because we were such a small group; we couldn’t afford to be choosy amongst one another, and surprisingly enough, we found we rather liked each other’s eccentricities. In the way that a good play contains a cast of strong and diverse characters, every individual at Abelard had something important to contribute to the school environment.
When I graduated from Abelard, I went to the U of T on scholarship. I graduated from university a year ago, with a major in French literature and minors in English and Italian. All three of these were subjects I had taken and enjoyed at Abelard, and I felt well prepared for my university courses after my high school experience. This coming fall I am heading off to the University of Edinburgh, where I’ll undertake my Master’s degree in Comparative Literature. At this point, I believe I would like to continue to further my studies beyond an M.A., because, among the many things I learned at Abelard, is the realization that it is always a pleasure to keep learning.
