Trendwatch for Teachers’ Rooms
Alex Lim / The Exonian
By MARVIN SHIM ‘27
Tucked away in a quiet hallway just past the grandeur of the Assembly Hall lies a small, unassuming room that often goes unnoticed by the bustling crowds of students. It’s easy to pass by, hidden behind two heavy wooden doors. But once you stumble upon the rabbit hole, the room reveals its elegant charm, a space that feels almost like a secret kept within the larger building. Enter the Latin Study. The first thing that will greet you is the warm glow of the chandelier, welcoming you into Wonderland.
Like any other room at Exeter, the focal point is a massive wooden table, its surface worn smooth by years of use, each scratch and mark telling a story of discussions, decisions, and quiet moments of reflection. Indeed, there’s a certain stillness to this pocket dimension, the only sound is the faint pat-pats of students climbing the marble stairs, or the faint creak of the wooden chairs as they shift. But the hum of the campus is distant; time slows down within these walls.
Take your eyes from the table, and you’ll find the walls that capture the imagination. The right side of the room is lined with towering shelves filled with well-worn books, their spines bearing the marks of time. The titles are mostly classics, the ancient texts of Greece and Rome, works that have echoed through the centuries and into the present. The brilliant and ingenious minds of Homer, Virgil, Plato, and Cicero are all within arm’s reach. The room offers a sanctuary for the mind, a place where one can seek solace and understanding by delving into these timeless texts, allowing the ancient wisdom to permeate the quiet air. Perhaps it is due to this that anyone who enters the room seems compelled to converse in the ancient languages; it only seems right under the watchful eye of philosophers past.
Atop the bookshelves lie several more pairs of eyes, watching from ancient times. A row of marble busts of deities and emperors, the very inspiration of Roman civilization, holds court in their quiet observation. As we study the history of the past, the Latin Study is a place to seek refuge and guidance from the same gods Romans sought thousands of years ago.
In the midst of all this grandeur, however, there’s a surprising addition: a small, detailed LEGO version of the Colosseum. Perhaps it’s there as a quiet invitation to pause and reflect in a way not possible with the gravitas of ancient philosophy. It adds a touch of warmth to the otherwise intellectual space. Beauty can be found in the unexpected.
While the towering bookshelves, the ancient busts, and the elegant wooden table all lend the space an air of serenity, this room serves a greater purpose. It is the gathering place of Kirtland Society, the forum where Exonian scholars of the classical languages come together to share ideas, laugh, and engage with one another. At its heart, the room is a sanctuary for those who revel in the beauty of the Latin language and culture. In every Kirtland meeting, ancient Rome comes to life in a modern context, blending the weight of history with the spontaneity of our curiosity. Latin feels less like a formal exercise and more a shared passion.
The peacefulness of the Latin Study isn’t just about quiet solitude, it’s about the comfort of being surrounded by like-minded individuals. There’s an unspoken understanding that this is a place of learning and camaraderie. The Latin Study is sacred. It’s the oracle of this corner of campus, a place where thoughts and words are shared and honored. In this room, time slows, the world outside fades, and the soul of knowledge — ancient and ever-living — reveals itself anew.
