Earlier today, our very own Barry Kessler led two dozen local alumni around historic Annapolis, helping us all to understand the important role this city has played in shaping the history of Maryland and the United States. It’s not every day that you stand in a former United States capital, or in the same room where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander in Chief of the army. Under a perfectly blue sky, our group wandered the city, learning about the history beneath our feet. On the steps of a centuries-old church, we learned how Annapolis was one of the first planned cities in the United States. As we meandered down alleyways, we heard about the beautiful architecture of the city and how the lines of the buildings and stories of their occupants reflect the history of the entire city. On the beautiful St. John’s campus, we learned about an alternate educational model known as the Great Books Program, where science and math are learned by reading the texts of Archimedes and Galileo, and homework includes the translation of Ancient Greek and French texts. A huge thank you to Barry for teaching us about the history and importance of this beautiful city.