First Contact
Meeting with Prometheus Project Program Director, Dr. John D. Scolaro: 31 Jan 05 ~12:00.
Dr. Scolaro is a Humanities professor at Valencia Community College; he greeted me with the correct pronunciation of my first and last name, which was flattering and implied that the man was cognizant and personable. I glimpsed in his office very briefly and noticed that it seemed like a cauldron of books, with the good doctor as the bearded-ladle.
After brief introductions, Dr. Scolaro presented me with a book by Earl Shorris, Riches for the Poor: The Clemente Course in the Humanities. He stated that there were a limited number of copies that the program had, but he figured that it would serve me well to have a copy. After displaying my gratitude, I started in with the interview.
I asked Dr. Scolaro why they had chosen to name the project after Prometheus, and he replied, “Why did we change it from Clemente would be a better question. It [Clemente] was under Bard College’s umbrella, we are not under Bard, nor did we wish to replicate their program exactly. David Sutton, one of the professors on the project said, ‘let’s call it the Prometheus Project,’ while we were in Chicago visiting the Clemente project in centers were the course was being taught—more specifically—Deborah’s Place, which is a meeting place for women who were, or are, victims of domestic violence.
I was beginning to understand what this project was really about; Prometheus was modeled after the Clemente Project out of Bard College, New York.
Next I asked Dr. Scolaro who was eligible to teach the Humanities in this program. He told me that faculty at the college or university level were eligible to teach the course, but in addition to the academic qualifications, “We would also like faculty that are knowledgeable with the demographic we serve, and who can demonstrate a passion for what they’re doing.”
Explain a day in the life of a Prometheus Project Volunteer. “I work with the Ripple Effect, who I’ve had connections with for a number of years. It’s just something I do; I cannot speak for my other colleagues. The Ripple Effect has been a sponsor and contributor since the inception of the Prometheus Project.”
When is the next volunteer opportunity? “Ann Puyana, VP of Curriculum Development, will be the mediator for a Prometheus Project meeting on Wednesday. This will be the third institutionalization meeting; we are working to institutionalize the Prometheus Project.”
I thought to myself that I might be able to be a part of something big; the Fates might have smiled on me for a change. I was in the right place at the right time, and I would serve the project and myself best to just observe and ask questions when need be.
I saved the question I had on my blog for last because I knew that Dr. Scolaro would have a riveting reply; I was not disappointed. Why are we teaching Humanities to the underserved when Zeus himself said that knowledge would bring nothing but misery to man? “Earl Shorris’ view is that the poor are dangerous; dangerous in the sense that knowledge is power! Why? Because when the ideas related to philosophy, which is part of the course, are conveyed, it helps individuals see the unlimited power that they did not think that they had. For individuals to realize this newfound power they give it form; they become masters of their own fate. Philosophy, as an aspect of the humanities, teaches people to rediscover the unlimited power that resides within. As trite as it sounds, the epithet is true, ‘knowledge is power.’ They understand philosophy because they have experienced life in its rawest form. We are teaching them the importance of reflection, NOT reaction, which Westerners are so prone to.”
After giving me the dates of the first classes being taught this semester, we concluded our meeting. I am optimistic after hearing Dr. Scolaro’s explanation of the project and I am anxious to see how many people attend the classes and what exactly is on the syllabi. I’m still struggling with the fact that we are teaching Western philosophy, which is highly focused on the individual, competitiveness, selfishness. The discussion over how the Western world was almost entirely shaped by Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey must be saved for a later date.
Dr. Scolaro is a Humanities professor at Valencia Community College; he greeted me with the correct pronunciation of my first and last name, which was flattering and implied that the man was cognizant and personable. I glimpsed in his office very briefly and noticed that it seemed like a cauldron of books, with the good doctor as the bearded-ladle.
After brief introductions, Dr. Scolaro presented me with a book by Earl Shorris, Riches for the Poor: The Clemente Course in the Humanities. He stated that there were a limited number of copies that the program had, but he figured that it would serve me well to have a copy. After displaying my gratitude, I started in with the interview.
I asked Dr. Scolaro why they had chosen to name the project after Prometheus, and he replied, “Why did we change it from Clemente would be a better question. It [Clemente] was under Bard College’s umbrella, we are not under Bard, nor did we wish to replicate their program exactly. David Sutton, one of the professors on the project said, ‘let’s call it the Prometheus Project,’ while we were in Chicago visiting the Clemente project in centers were the course was being taught—more specifically—Deborah’s Place, which is a meeting place for women who were, or are, victims of domestic violence.
I was beginning to understand what this project was really about; Prometheus was modeled after the Clemente Project out of Bard College, New York.
Next I asked Dr. Scolaro who was eligible to teach the Humanities in this program. He told me that faculty at the college or university level were eligible to teach the course, but in addition to the academic qualifications, “We would also like faculty that are knowledgeable with the demographic we serve, and who can demonstrate a passion for what they’re doing.”
Explain a day in the life of a Prometheus Project Volunteer. “I work with the Ripple Effect, who I’ve had connections with for a number of years. It’s just something I do; I cannot speak for my other colleagues. The Ripple Effect has been a sponsor and contributor since the inception of the Prometheus Project.”
When is the next volunteer opportunity? “Ann Puyana, VP of Curriculum Development, will be the mediator for a Prometheus Project meeting on Wednesday. This will be the third institutionalization meeting; we are working to institutionalize the Prometheus Project.”
I thought to myself that I might be able to be a part of something big; the Fates might have smiled on me for a change. I was in the right place at the right time, and I would serve the project and myself best to just observe and ask questions when need be.
I saved the question I had on my blog for last because I knew that Dr. Scolaro would have a riveting reply; I was not disappointed. Why are we teaching Humanities to the underserved when Zeus himself said that knowledge would bring nothing but misery to man? “Earl Shorris’ view is that the poor are dangerous; dangerous in the sense that knowledge is power! Why? Because when the ideas related to philosophy, which is part of the course, are conveyed, it helps individuals see the unlimited power that they did not think that they had. For individuals to realize this newfound power they give it form; they become masters of their own fate. Philosophy, as an aspect of the humanities, teaches people to rediscover the unlimited power that resides within. As trite as it sounds, the epithet is true, ‘knowledge is power.’ They understand philosophy because they have experienced life in its rawest form. We are teaching them the importance of reflection, NOT reaction, which Westerners are so prone to.”
After giving me the dates of the first classes being taught this semester, we concluded our meeting. I am optimistic after hearing Dr. Scolaro’s explanation of the project and I am anxious to see how many people attend the classes and what exactly is on the syllabi. I’m still struggling with the fact that we are teaching Western philosophy, which is highly focused on the individual, competitiveness, selfishness. The discussion over how the Western world was almost entirely shaped by Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey must be saved for a later date.
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