What is at the core of a Brookfield Academy education?

by Dr. Robert Solsrud, Head of Brookfield Academy

During a Memorial Day Celebration, I heard the words, “We should honor those who honor us.” This statement brought to light how BA, through its understanding of a Liberal Arts Education in a Free Society, so meaningfully “honors those who honor us.”

Georgetown University Professor James V. Schall explained that “The terms of liberal education and free society arise out of the same source, out of the classic notion that we can and should first rule ourselves and that such rule is in our personal power.”


BA School Goal #1 - Character: Learn to act responsibly in a free society realizing the moral consequences of our actions.
To learn to act responsibly in a free society requires us to understand the need to rule ourselves for some purpose. We must teach our students the difference between an evil purpose and a noble purpose.


BA School Goal #2 - Individuality: Learn to appreciate their unique talents and to exercise these gifts responsibly.
To learn to act responsibility in a free society requires us to seek the truth because that is the highest power we have – to know the truth of things.


BA School Goal #3 - Truth: Recognize and pursue transcendent, objective truth.
To learn to act responsibly in a free society requires us to be a learning community that nourishes wonder, provides curiosity, stimulates creativity, and inclines the minds.


BA School Goal #4 - Intellect: Understand that learning is a goal in itself, and perfection of the intellect is the purpose of a liberal education.
To learn to act responsibly in a free society requires us to bring our students to an understanding that self-rule is at the heart of civil order.


BA School Goal #5 - Heritage: Understand the traditions of western civilization and particularly the United State of America.
At Brookfield Academy, we do “honor those who honor us” by graduating responsible, constructive, free people.”