Freshman Courses (All are mandatory):

 

Language – The Freshman Language course instructs students in a mixture of English grammar and composition and the art of Canticle. In order to learn the original language, the vocabulary of which is made up of cantrips, students are instructed in the underlying concepts of language: vocabulary, grammar and communication. Course texts include: Aristotle’s On Magic; Plato’s Arcanium; Pliny the Elder’s Natural History

 

Art – The visualization skills necessary to conjuring are refined through the practice of visual arts. Drawing and sculpting train the imagination to form the desired objects that will be pulled across from the dream realm. While all the senses are addressed in the course of Freshman Art, most of the year is focused upon developing within the students a proper sense of line, shape, balance, and proportion. Students practice extensively with the conjuration of simple objects throughout the year. Course texts include:

 

Lab – Freshman Lab provides the students’ initial introduction to alchemy, the manufacture of magical items and elixirs. Like music and art, this is one of the more hands-on courses in which students experience the practical application of the art from the very beginning of instruction. Students will construct the following items during the freshman year: athame; chameleon elixir; clinging elixir; charm of protection; shadowcloak; waterbaby elixir; floating elixir; quicksilver boots; cure-all elixir; Course texts include:

 

Music – No previous musical experience is necessary. Students are introduced to the rudiments of musical instruments, music theory, and enchantment. As all magical enchantments are cast by means of a musical instrument, freshmen are required to select at least one musical instrument that they will learn to play. Independent practice with chosen instruments is expected of all students while studying Music and Enchantment. In addition to applied practice, the Freshman Music course also includes instruction in music theory to include modern music notation and modes of music. Simple enchantments are taught to reinforce the concepts underlying the relationship between the different modes of music and the corresponding type of enchantment. Course texts include: Pythagoras’ The Ratio of Tones; Boethius’  De Musica.

 

Math – The Freshman Math Course is a foundational course for further mathematics, logic, thaumaturgy, and warding. Students work through the thirteen books of Euclid’s Elements, demonstrating the logical proof of theorems based upon previously established knowledge and constructing perfect geometric figures with confidence. Additionally students encounter the concepts and methods underlying basic wards to include: running water; bells; salt; bread; pentacles; red thread; flax and peony; stone shapes; horse shoes; and cold iron.

 

True History – The Freshman True History course lays out the history of the World of the Wise to include the early history of the development of magic and the information obscured from the Unwary historical record. This course is taught by the scholars of the Gnosis department. Course texts include:

 

Partial Book List

Title                                                        Author                           Class                   Year studied

The Ratio of Tones                              Pythagoras                    Music                  freshman: lower school & college

De Musica                                             Boethius                       Music                  lower school/college

Harmonices Mundi                              Johannes Kepler          Music                  lower school/college

Mysteries of the Great Operas          Max Heindel                 Music                  lower school/college

On Magic                                               Aristotle                        Language              freshman

Arcanium                                              Plato                              Language              freshman

Natural History                                   Pliny the Elder              Language              freshman