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A Sense of Place A response to the September 2002 Story Challenge: describe one place in the Hercaverse from three points of view. A Brochure Cheiron's Academy- Educating Tomorrow's Leaders Today Located in the rolling hills outside Corinth, Cheiron's Academy has a well-deserved reputation for educating Greece's youth in mind, body, and spirit. Under the guidance of Academy founder and headmaster Cheiron, students learn the history and geography of the world, math and science, mythology, and what it means to be a hero. Cheiron is ably assisted by a staff of experienced teachers in all subjects. The Academy boasts a large gymnasium and the latest equipment for the physical training that is an integral part of the curriculum. Classrooms for academic study are well furnished and comfortable, and there is a low student-teacher ratio. The library holdings include not only the latest scrolls and scholarly journals, but also a collection of rare manuscripts that provide an unusual opportunity for Academy students. Students are housed in comfortable dormitories, and are served three nutritious meals every day in the spacious and airy dining hall. The menu is oat-based, but special menus are available for those who prefer other foods. Students perform public service by helping in the maintenance of the Academy, and work in the kitchen, the stables, the library, and the gymnasium. The Academy was founded to educate men, but recently has opened its doors to women students, and is currently the only co-educational institution of its kind in Greece. Academy alumni have become leaders in many fields, including government, education, medicine, and the military. The personal attention of faculty, the fine academic and training facilities, the comfortable living quarters, and the opportunity for service combine to provide at the Academy the finest educational experience. Students from all over Greece and many parts of the known world are admitted by merit. Scholarships are available from various sponsors. For more information or to obtain an application form, contact Cheiron, The Academy, Corinth. *** A Letter Dear Dad, I know you will never read this letter, or any of the others I've written, but I want to tell you about the Academy. Mom sent me here because she says I need to learn how to use the physical strength I got from you, and this place has a great phys. ed. department. There is this real neat work out station made of cut logs. You have to balance on them while you fight with a sword or a staff. I'm getting pretty good at it, even when we do it blindfolded. I live in the dorm with about twenty other guys. We each have a bunk and a chest for our stuff. The guys come from all over. And guess what? Jason the prince of Corinth is a student here! Even though we're right near Corinth, he stays in the dorm. He's a good guy, not snobby or anything. He's a little older than the rest of us, and sometimes helps out with the drills. I've been to the palace with him a few times. Iolaus is here too. He's the only other student from Thebes. He really doesn't like school, but he has to stay here to stay out of jail. I'm still not sure how he got in so much trouble, but we're still friends. I'm writing this on a bench in the big front courtyard. Some cadets are playing bagball over by the stable. Iolaus wants me to hurry up and get in the game before it's time for chores. Cheiron keeps a lot of animals here. It's like a little farm almost, with pigs and chickens besides the horses. We have to help out taking care of them sometimes. We go into Corinth sometimes to shop and hang out. There's a great fishing hole just over the hill, too. I've caught a couple of big ones, and Iolaus caught a boot the other day. There's a great place only about half a mile away called Kora's. They have great food there and sometimes live music. We go there a lot to get away from the Academy food. I know Cheiron is a centaur, but do we have to eat oats all the time? I'm taking Jason, Iolaus, and Lilith home with me for the Feast of Persephone in a few weeks. Lilith is a girl cadet! I think she really wants to be an Amazon. She can fight as well as a lot of the guys, and is an acrobat, too. Anyway, the second half of the game is about to start, so I've got to get going. I hope I can make Mom and you proud of me. I guess I'll know how I'm doing when the end of term grades come out after the holiday. Your son, Hercules *** A Court Document Transcript of probation hearing, Iolaus of Thebes, convicted of theft, serving probation at Cheiron's Academy. You have served six months of your probation. Cheiron reports you are meeting the requirements of attendance. How do you feel about your situation? I really like the phys. ed. program. The gym is huge and has all the latest stuff, and we work on all kinds of fighting, like on ropes and ladders, and wrestling, and staff fighting. And we do acrobatics too, tumbling and stuff. Cheiron says my martial arts techniques are really something. He called me "unique!" There's a big courtyard out front where we do drills sometimes, and where we play bagball. I'm the goalie for the intramural bagball team. I've been working on my special kick. And I'm learning how to fence. I love fencing! En garde! Thank you for the demonstration. Please be seated. It seems we may congratulate you on your physical education achievements. Your academics do not seem to be up to the same standard. You have even been given extra tutorial time. Is there a problem? No, sir. It's just that, well, you know I dropped out of school for a while, and it's a little tough to get back into the routine, you know? I'm working hard, though, and Hercules- you know, Alcmene's son- is trying to get me into a study group with some of the guys in the dorm. They get together to study in the dorm, or sometimes in the dining hall. I passed the midterm okay. I guess I could improve my study skills, though. That's what I'm working on with Feducious. He's the head teacher, you know. I spend some Saturdays working with him in his office or in the Library. There are so many scrolls there, you wouldn't believe it! I bet even Feducious hasn't read them all. As ordered by the court your father is paying your tuition, yet you have taken a part-time job. This won't interfere with your studies, will it? Oh, no, sir. I only work at Kora's once a week. I'd like to pay my fees myself, you know? My father, he ... well, he's busy, and I ... I want to be independent. I save some of the fees by getting meals at Kora's, too. It's a great place, and it's only a short walk from the Academy. Kora really liked my smile, er, style, that's why she gave me the job. I see. Meanwhile, you have been assigned kitchen duty at the Academy seventeen times. This looks like a discipline problem. No. Oh, no, sir. It was just that first time, after we went after Hera's chalice, that Cheiron assigned KP as punishment. We all do regular chores at the Academy, and, well, I'd rather work in the kitchen than in the stable. The cook sometimes needs someone to try out his recipes on, so I get to be the taster. You'd be amazed how many ways there are to cook oats! The new cook even makes these little round sweet cakes with oats and raisins and nuts! Oh! Would you like to try one? They're great! Thank you. Mmm, this is tasty. Ahem. Iolaus, you seem to be adjusting well to Academy life. You are meeting the academic and training requirements, and apparently you are not a discipline problem. It is the ruling of this committee that you continue you r probation at the Academy for a further six months, at which time you will be re-evaluated. Thank you, sir! I appreciate your confidence. Here, have another oat cake! *** |