Humanities is known throughout Tenafly students as one of the most challenging courses offered at THS. But one of the perks that comes along with such a rigorous class is the long-awaited field trip to New York City. Students had spent a long first marking period full of unexpected pop quizzes and handwritten essays waiting for the renowned event. On November 21 and 24, the wait was over — two groups each consisting of 33 sophomores visited the MET Cloisters and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
After stepping off the school bus into the frigid temperatures of Washington Heights, the students started their trip with a professionally-led tour of the Cloisters, a smaller-sect of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum, located in Upper Manhattan, is known for its focus on “art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe” according to the official MET website.
Seconds after entering the museum, students were immediately drawn to medieval European architecture that they had been learning about in Humanities. After seeing dozens of photographs representing Romanesque and Gothic architecture, it was captivating to see their studies come alive. From the pointed arches to the high reaching columns, students were fully immersed in what was once the life of medieval Europe.
One of the most intriguing parts of the tour was the opportunity to view real, opulent tapestry from the Middle Ages. With notebooks in hand, students studied the intricate processes involved in fabricating these pieces. In addition, students saw a preserved chess piece, the knight, that the medieval Europeans used en route to fight in the Crusades, and learned that the game was a common form of entertainment. The object seen, dating back to 1250’s England, consists of walrus ivory and looks significantly different from the modern chess piece used today.
After having lunch on the steps of the largest cathedral in North America (and taking a side-trip for a slice of classic city pizza and Insomnia Cookies), students visited their second stop: the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
The breathtaking cathedral is remarkable for its iconic stained glass windows, each dedicated to one of the fourteen forms of human aspiration. The cathedral is a perfect example of Gothic architecture, with sunlight pouring into its interior and tall roofs meant to represent the Heavens. Seeing these qualities in person rather than on the pages of a textbook made the experience all the more rewarding for the hard-working Humanities students.
Deeper within the main part of the cathedral, there were also several smaller chambers. These rooms displayed artifacts such as statues of important figures in history like Martin Luther King Jr. and George Washington. Another area displayed a piano that was played by Elton John. Collectively, these artifacts showcase how the cathedral remains unfinished and connects new developments with the old history of the building.
The tour ended with a lighthearted activity involving sketching over an imprint on the floors of the cathedral. Doing such was once a common way for visitors to preserve memories from their time at the cathedral. Rather than using technology, they did so through messy yet meaningful artwork.
Although the textbook readings assigned to students prior to the visit may have seemed bothersome at first, they proved useful. Much of what was seen in NYC was reminiscent of what they had learned in class. Seeing the structures that had been built so long ago challenged students to put themselves into the perspective of being part of a different community from the past. They were able to “travel back in time” through the preservation of spaces like the Cloisters and the cathedral. And—arguably the most important of these outcomes— students were finally given the break that they were in need of before Thanksgiving, and their high hopes for the Humanities field trip were fulfilled.
