Literary Arts kicked off its new “Students to the Schnitz” program by welcoming 65 students from Bianca Espinosa and Stephen Lambert’s Great Books class at Metropolitan Learning Center in Northwest Portland. Funded by the generosity of Literary Arts’ patrons, “Students to the Schnitz” provides complimentary books, transportation and tickets for Portland Public High School students to attend each of our Portland Arts & Lectures events this year.
The MLC students read Accordion Crimes, Annie Proulx’s novel which follows a single green accordion as it is handed down through generations of immigrants to the United States. It sounds like a perfect fit for the Great Books class, as teacher Stephen Lambert described it. They’re studying power, race and culture, as they’re reflected in books from around the world. The topic of their last paper was to select a cultural artifact from one book (such as an accordion, perhaps?), and write about how it affects, and is affected by, those forces.
When you come to see Stacy Schiff next month, keep an eye peeled for MLC students. They’ll be back again, and their peers from Wilson, Franklin, Lincoln and Madison will be joining us throughout the year.
