Dear  John,

The chances of a freshman entering college this semester and encountering a genuine conservative scholar in the classroom are, as we all know, not high. One group of students—Harvard University’s John Adams Society—recently did something remarkable about that situation.

For generations, Harvard’s conservatives were guided by the towering intellectual presence of Harvey C. Mansfield. Professor Mansfield taught the full range of political theory, from Plato and Aristotle to Burke, the Federalists, and Tocqueville. Sadly, Mansfield recently retired and Harvard did not fill behind with another conservatively-inclined thinker. The enterprising members of the John Adams Society did not accept that condition as final and decided to take it upon themselves to propose holding an intellectual retreat at the Kirk Center to teach the introductory classical political philosophy syllabus that they would have had with Professor Mansfield this year. 

As one participant and a John Adams Society alumnus explained, “Since Professor Mansfield’s introductory political philosophy classes have played so vital a role in the intellectual formation of John Adams Society members over the past ten years, there is a need to pass on some of this formation to younger members who will no longer be able to get it from the source.” Recent Harvard alumni guided the younger members of the JAS for almost a week while residing at the Russell Kirk Center.

Harvard graduates Liam Warner and Benjamin Paris introduced current students to classical political thought, the question of the best regime, the relationship between philosophy and politics, and the impact of Christianity on the classical system. Readings ranged from Plato and Aristotle to St. Augustine’s The City of God. As they put it, “Roughly four hours of class time a day along with two hours of private study, concentrating on the key works of Gov 1060, while no substitute for a semester-long course, should at least suffice for a rigorous introduction to these ideas.” The retreat was held at the Kirk Center for ten students on August 19-23.

This is the second time the John Adams Society (recently featured in the Harvard Magazine here) has partnered with the Kirk Center for an intellectual retreat. Due to the success of the program, tentative plans are in place to visit every other year, and alternate content between Professor Mansfield’s introductory classical and modern political philosophy courses. They told us that the experience met their expectations of being a true intellectual retreat:

“I would absolutely recommend the Kirk Center to anyone who is serious about political philosophy and conservatism. My time at the Kirk Center was sublime in the pursuits of fraternity, learning, and escape from the general vicissitudes of college life.”

“Thank you to everyone at the Kirk Center for making the retreat one of the most beautiful weeks I have ever experienced. Beyond mere educational value, I firmly believe that Piety Hill is a place for the conservative to build his character, providing him with what he needs to defend the permanent things.”

“The Kirk Center offers an unparalleled opportunity to forward your understanding and appreciation of the Western and conservative traditions. Its ambience will draw you into a reflective state of mind, just as it has for conservatives for many decades, going back to Kirk himself. I highly recommend you spend some time here to rejuvenate your mind, soul, and intellect.”

This month’s featured Classic Kirk essay is “What Did Americans Inherit from the Ancients?” I hope you find it a helpful primer for the upcoming Book Gallery webinar discussing The Classical and Christian Origins of American Politics on September 19.

With every good wish,

P.S. If you don’t currently receive the Kirk Center’s complimentary print newsletter, Permanent Things, please sign up today.