Tuesday, February 08, 2011

The Idler Academy


The Idler Academy is the latest in a long line of marvellous ideas from author and editor of The Idler magazine Tom Hodgkinson. Due to open next month at 81 Westbourne Park Road, London, The Idler Academy of Philosophy, Husbandry and Merriment (to give it its full name) is a bookshop, cafĂ© and centre of learning founded by Tom and Victoria Hull who say "the intention is to bring back old school teaching subjects and styles. We want to combine the atmosphere of cultivated leisure that distinguished Plato’s Academy with the lively conviviality of the 18th century coffeehouse, and add a good dose of the 1950s grammar school." The goal is to provide education and entertainment on a range of practical and academic issues such as English grammar, Latin, calligraphy, gardening and embroidery. Or as they put it:
"We want to rediscover the pleasures both of creativity and the intellect, and help people to become self-reliant, capable and competent. That way lies liberty. Hence our motto, libertas per cultum, meaning “freedom through education”. And that word cultum means “education” not in the sense of instilling propaganda, but in the sense of “cultivation” or “culture”."
Tom has been a good friend to Shedworking from our inception and we will be helping him all we can with this marvellous new venture. Please do have a look around their site and sign up for their wide range of excellent talks, lectures and musical evenings.
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