Lunch with Sigi

The second workshop for the Art of Science Learning was held at Clark University in the heart of Worcester. Our afternoon assignment was to consider problems and opportunities about urban nutrition. We were to roam the neighborhood and observe assigned grocery stores and restaurants.

Before leaving for my destination, I decided to take my bagged lunch outside and enjoy the sunshine. I had driven by the university a million times, but had never visited the campus. I made my way across the quad to a group of stone benches facing a statue. Seemed like a nice place to have lunch. The students were on Spring Break so there wasn't a lot of activity. The temperature was in the high 30s to low 40s combined with the sunshine and a light breeze, the weather was quite balmy for New England.

As I read the plaque on the statue, my lunch companion turned out to be none other than Sigmund Freud. Who knew such an august visitor came to Worcester? Certainly not this Boston snob.

In 1909, Freud was invited to lecture at Clark University to help celebrate the anniversary of the university's graduate school, only the second graduate school in the country at the time. The statue was installed for the centennial celebration of the event.

Sigi and I sat in companionable silence. He was interested in the book he was reading, and I was basking in the glow of Spring fever.