First Annual Mark Twain Festival

at Providence Christian Academy

By Jean Bergeson

Providence Christian Academy (PCA) is a Christian school in South St. Louis County that utilizes the classical method of teaching. One aspect of classical education is the teaching of truth, goodness, and beauty – according to old and steadfast standards established by the ancient Greeks and Romans. So, why is PCA having a festival honoring someone who has two of the top five most-banned books in America?

Not all of the books PCA explores embrace truth, goodness, and beauty. Many of Twain’s books deal with issues that are false, racist, and ugly. However, as a Christian Classical school, PCA reads these books and critiques them from a biblical perspective. To be a Classical school means PCA does not censor politically incorrect books, but critiques them and profits from them.
PCA encourages students (and families) to be readers. Avid readers score well on standardized tests. But PCA also strives to expose its community to great works of literature so that they learn to love books and become life-long readers.

Since PCA is located in St. Louis, they chose to celebrate a local icon and learn from him. “The mighty Mississippi not only runs through many of Twain's great works, it also runs through our community. We see part of ourselves portrayed in Twain's books -- from the overly-stern but loving Aunt Polly, to the risk-taking swashbuckler Tom Sawyer, and the wise but suffering runaway slave Jim. When we read Twain, we read keen insights into the human experience. Although we are separated from Twain by many decades, we do share the same geographical home, and we can relate to his observations about life on our Mississippi,” says Todd Wagenmaker, PCA’s Headmaster (who is also an attorney.)

The festival is a three-day event sure to please any river rat:

Wednesday, October 1st

* Dress-up Day (Characters from Tom Sawyer)

* Judging Design Elements of the life size rafts built by upper school students

* 5th Grade Frog Jumping Contest - 12:15 p.m. (Based on The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain)

Thursday, October 2nd

* Dress-up Day (Characters from Huck Finn)

* Raft Race at Creve Coeur Lake - 12:30 p.m.

Friday, October 3rd

* Oratory Contest - 10:30 a.m. (Based on The Importance of Being a Good Liar by Mark Twain)

The St. Louis community is invited to join PCA for their 1st Annual Mark Twain Festival. For more information, visit their website at www.pcastl.org.