But these are nontraditional students plus . Some are single mothers, some are grandmothers. All are from urban neighborhoods and have incomes that are low, sometimes at or below poverty level. None would have dreamed of spending an evening discussing Euripides - were it not for a remarkable program. Its official name is the Bard College Clemente Course in the Humanities.
Classes meet two evenings a week for eight months.
Students receive 110 hours of instruction in literature, poetry, art history, moral philosophy and American history. They learn to write and think critically, to express themselves better in speech and on paper. Those who attend the course receive a certificate of achievement from Bard College. Those who do all the required work get six college credits. They really try to open up the doors for people who are willing to walk through them.