The Classical Education House
Our themed living-learning community located in House 84 on Sayre Drive, where students engage in intellectual discourse and exploration beyond the classroom.
House 084
84 Sayre Drive, Bethlehem, PA
About Our Themed House
The Classical Education House is a community of students who are interested in literature, debate, open dialogue, the liberal arts, and classical education. We have created a true living-learning environment where students freely discuss their thoughts on books (both personal and group readings), philosophy, politics, history, and current events.
Our residents spend most of their time in the house lounges, enjoying quality time with other residents. Ideally, bedrooms are only used for sleeping. Many of the students in the community have brought their own to books to contribute to the house library, including collections like The Harvard Classics, The Great Books Series, and The History of England.
The Classical Education House contributes to Lehigh's residential community by offering a theme community for those Lehigh students who seek to learn both in and outside the classroom. Our community intellectually engages and stimulates its members.
Our Programs
Book Readings & Discussions
The club's book discussions are held at the house. These discussions explore intellectually valuable books chosen by the club leadership, such as The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, Plutarch's Lives, and more. Living in the house provides a unique opportunity for deeper engagement with the material through informal conversations outside of official meetings.
Classic Movie Screenings
At least once a month, we screen classic movies in the TV lounge. These movies are chosen with the goal of making our residents more cultured. Sources of movies deemed "classics" include IMDb's Top 250, the BFI's Greatest Movies of All Time, and the Academy Awards.
Dinner and Discussion
We have dinner as a house at least once a week. The act of cooking and sharing a meal together creates strong social bonds among our residents. These dinners serve as an excellent open forum for residents to discuss what they've been reading and thinking about with the rest of the community. Additionally, we invite professors to dine with us about once a month.
Time Travel Debate Dinners
For some of our weekly dinners, we pick a place and time period to focus on. We debate things that were important issues in the chosen era. For example, we may have an Enlightenment themed dinner where we discuss the merits of religious tolerance, John Locke's social contract theory, and Descartes's work. The food at these dinners is also on theme for the era.
House Features
Communal Library
We have a dedicated library space where residents share their book collections, including classics, philosophy texts, and more.
Communal Spaces
Our house features multiple lounges and study areas designed to foster intellectual engagement and community building.
Living-Learning Culture
Our residents are true intellectuals who enjoy impromptu discussions and friendly discourse. Thanks to this culture, we're all able to learn from each other.
Upcoming House Events
Weekly Book Discussion
Join us as we discuss Plato's Republic, focusing on Books I-III.
Classic Movie Night
Screening of Citizen Kane (1941), followed by discussion.
Enlightenment Dinner
Time travel dinner with Professor Smith discussing Enlightenment philosophy.
Interested in Living in the Classical Education House?
Applications are open! Join Ars Sapientiae to learn more about the community and get involved.
Join Ars Sapientiae