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ART IS HIS MIDDLE NAME
In Celebration of Jim A. Newton's
37 years of teaching at L-S
Like the breaker boys he
taught about, smudged
faces still staring out
at us,
he labored for 37 years
in darkness to
to bring others light,
projecting on his screen,
the imaginings
of a whole civilization,
most memorable
representations
of its visions, whether
carved from stone,
or painted on canvas,
or formed block
upon block
with great domes spanning
centuries, and arches leading
us back to who we are,
finding in this shadow play,
this simple play of light upon
a screen,
a way to teach students
to see
their world anew, to see
its mind, and find
within it
answers to questions
that must be
asked.
And along the way, squinting
past the last rays
of daylight,
when the work day was done,
there
was also
a community waiting,
a few committees
to be sure,
and much good sense, and
the kindness
on which great civilizations
rest.
June 23, 2002