An Invitation to Summer School 2008
On July 15, 1099, Godfrey de Bouillon led his warrior knights over the ramparts of Jerusalem and wrested control of the Holy City from the much larger force of Fatimid Muslims who were occupying it. On the 900th anniversary of this event that inspired Tasso’s magnificent epic, La Gerusalemme liberata, some 500 “physical and cultural descendants” of the Crusaders gathered in Jerusalem to apologize. Continue Reading »
Christopher Check :: Apr.11.2008 :: Announcements :: No Comments »
We’re pleased to announce the return of The Autodidact, which can now be found at the new site for The Rockford Institute Center for the Restoration of Humane Learning, 
On Friday, May 18, 
Welcome to the new virtual home of The Rockford Institute. Please bear with us as we clean up the construction mess and plan new additions.
Dr. Stanlis is Professor Emeritus of English at Rockford College and has for decades been a giant on the American right. His scholarly work on British political theorist Edmund Burke, which includes Edmund Burke and the Natural Law, has contributed mightily to an authentic and profound understanding of the conservative tradition in American political thought. He was appointed by President Reagan to the National Council for the Humanities where he served for six years. A lifelong friend of Robert Frost, Dr. Stanlis has recently completed a book on the poet, Robert Frost: The Poet as Philosopher. Dr. Stanlis is the winner of The Rockford Institute’s Good and Faithful Servant Award, a periodic prize given by the Institute to honor local heroes, who have devoted their lives to service in the Rockford community.
Mr. Welder, a practicing geologist, is president of Welder Exploration and Production Inc., a privately held oil and gas company based in San Antonio, Texas that operates chiefly in the Southern and Coastal Bend regions of Texas. Mr. Welder is a descendent of one of South Texas’s oldest families, which helps to explain his passion for and in-depth knowledge of the history of the region. He remembers fondly his parents throwing him birthday parties at the Presidio in Goliad when he was a boy. He has been a Chronicles reader since his undergraduate days at Washington and Lee. “I was struck,” he says, “by Chronicles’ strong writing and diligent reasoning. I have not missed an issue since.” On joining the Institute Board, Welder declared, “I am honored to join in the efforts of The Rockford Institute. I have admired its work for many years, and consider it a great privilege to help in any way I can.”
The Rockford Institute’s Second Annual Winter School sold out, drawing an equal number of new faces along with those who had attended at least one other Institute event, such as a Convivium, Summer School or Winter School.