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SCHOOL TIES BY SETH PUTNAM neighborhoods and the wider world. Established around the turn of the last century, they were founded on Progressive Era precepts of how to create solid citizens grounded in critical thinking. W hen considering city schools, the news is often grim. But amid the turbulence, two top-rated independent insti- tutions—The Latin School of Chicago and Francis W. Parker—continue to thrive, turning out a diverse, well- But in spite of their shared principles, both schools gradually earned very different reputations: Parker was for Arties. Latin was for Smarties. Parker students have gone on to become acclaimed performers in right- brain fields: actors, musicians, publishers, and comedians. Latin, on the other hand, has produced a high-powered lineup of left-brainiacs: politi- cians, judges, attorneys, and entrepreneurs. These days, however, the administrators at both schools are quick to deny that students get anything but a well-rounded classical education. So, which is it? As the decades come and go, and as rapidly changing technology blows open the academic playing field, is the Arty-Smarty stereotype still true? LATIN SCHOOL A t the end of the 19th century, a group of concerned Chicago parents, dis- satisfied with their children's educational prospects, took matters into their own hands by forming a private school for their children. That school was Latin. Under the tutelage of Mabel Slade Vickery, a group of ten 10-year-old boys entered a new era of learning in our city. One hundred twenty-four years later, the school has become a vibrant, hands-on instructor for our city's students. "People send their kids here because we have the opportunity to introduce them to the world," says Randall Dunn, Latin's head of school, who just completed his first year at the helm. "I want our school to open that 110 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM Though known for having very different philosophies, the esteemed Parker and Latin Schools share a commitment to bringing Chicago good news in the stormy seas of urban education. world to kids, especially those who don't have the opportunity on their own." In 1979, history teacher Ingrid Dorer Fitzpatrick started a class called The Nazi Mind, which continues to be a life changer for Latin students. This course sends them on a hunt for primary-source documents from World educated student body while working to improve their War II and ends with a mock simulation of the Nuremberg Trials. Students act as justices of the tribunal, prosecutors, or defense attorneys. At the end, they're encouraged to make connections to current war crimes and human rights violations. The first year, the trial was scheduled for a two-hour slot. Instead, it lasted seven and a half hours—students refused to leave until they had explored all the avenues. The pièce de résistance now takes place in a courtroom in the Daley Center. "The idea wasn't to take up students' time," Dorer Fitzpatrick remembers. "It was because they wanted to dig, and they asked questions that led to other things. They said, 'No, we're not done here.' The great thing about Latin is that no one said, 'You can't experiment with this in an actual courtroom.'" This year they began a similar course addressing the fall of Communism in the 1990s. Latin also has a program called Project Week, which encour- ages students to pursue an area of interest outside the classroom. Students will do service projects in India, volunteer at HIV camps in Rwanda, prac- tice theater in New York, and intern in Chicago law offices. "The idea is to prepare students to be aware of the world and actively engage with issues," Dorer Fitzpatrick says. "We need to give students a way to see not only where we've come but where we're going." This approach is at the root of left-brain education. "Teaching isn't all about the content anymore, it's about building skills," says Dunn, explaining that critical thinking is the key to making sense of a rapidly changing society. "When you walk into the world, there's so much you have to judge. You can't go with what everyone tells you. You must have a stance, a passion, a way to analyze based on your foundation."