On Friday March 1st, students in the Honors English Class taught by Dr. Fred Sugarman, associate dean of Yeshiva College, enjoyed a unique experience outside of the classroom.
Having recently read and discussed Walt Whitman鈥檚 monumental poem, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, the students visited the very same East River views that inspired the famous poet. As Dr. Eliezer Schnall, director of the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program at Yeshiva College explained, 鈥淚n a class centered on American individualism, the waters served as no mere pedagogical realia for the students. Rather, their reenactment of Whitman鈥檚 assumption of the universe into his person played a vital role in their understanding of the radical individualism that he embodies.鈥
For Abe Schoen 鈥25YC, the trip 鈥渨as a unique opportunity to both appreciate the beauty of the city and of Whitman鈥檚 poetry, bringing the words we read to life.鈥 Beyond the direct experience of the encounter with the waters of the East River, the class also appreciated the monumental architectural aspects of the Brooklyn Bridge. 鈥淭he students enjoyed the trip immensely, which gave them a further appreciation for the content of their Honors course,鈥 added Dr. Schnall. 鈥淲e are fortunate to have so many cultural and historical venues near our campus for the students to visit, learn from and experience up close.鈥
