2025-2026
Volume 29, Issue 1
About U.S.
A Publishing Tradition of the Unquowa School
A Message From the Head of School
W
hen I was six years old, my family lived in a
my first grade version of an Einstein thought problem that
neighborhood with a corner grocery. One summer
infinity was very boring, my mother peeked into my room to
day my mother decided that I was responsible
make sure I was asleep. When she saw that I was not and
enough to walk from our house in the middle of the block to
heard that I was deep in a disturbing thought about infinity, her
Mr. Gordon’s corner store to buy penny candy. My grandparents
exasperated self simply declared that I was “much too young
lived next door to us and my father’s youngest brother, Morgan,
to be thinking about such things” and that I should go to sleep!
was a decade younger than my father and still living at home.
Door closed…
Consequently, when I arrived at the corner store that day, I was
How I wish that I could have walked into a classroom the
not surprised that he
next morning like those
happened to walk in
we have here at Unquowa
just after me. As I tell
to continue my thoughts
this story now, I realize
about infinity with my
that maybe my teenage
teacher. The asset of
uncle was actually sent
our Unquowa teachers
to follow me on my first
as “inspired experts” lies
foray to the corner alone.
beyond having a strong
On that day, as I was
grasp of the curriculum
deliberating over how
they teach and a deep
many mint juleps and red
love and appreciation
hot dollars my five cents
for the age range of
would buy, my Uncle
kids they guide. More
Morgan handed me a
importantly, it includes
dollar bill to pass over
their ability to understand
the counter to pay for his
that developing curiosity
own purchase. In passing
about big concepts,
the money to Mr. Gordon I noticed that someone had drawn
learning to question ethical decisions and building wisdom
an image in ink on the dollar bill and I was horrified. I knew -
doesn’t start when we are adults. As British children’s author
perhaps from my first grade teacher, Miss Troutman - that it was
Philip Pullman illustrates in his new book, The Rose Field, which
illegal to “deface U.S. tender.” But I soon became more focused
is the final volume in The Book of Dust series, “Infinity is not too
on what the image inked on the bill meant. My uncle explained
large a concept for children.” His understanding of childhood
that it was the symbol for infinity and that perhaps someone
development builds on the ancient advice of Epicurus: “Let no
drew it as a compliment to say that our government’s money
one be slow to seek wisdom, for no age is too early.”
would be reliable forever. “That’s what infinity means,” Uncle Morgan told me. I kept our conversation to myself as I returned home safely
We begin that process here at Unquowa when children walk through the door. No matter their age, we honor students’ questions and make it feel safe for them to ask them, learning
to the middle of the block with my precious penny candy, but
that questions will lead to conversations with both their teachers
that night I lay in bed trying to imagine the concept of forever.
and their classmates. Sometimes those questions will bring
I still remember picturing myself sitting on a cloud - I guess I’d
answers, and sometimes they will only bring more questions that
decided that I qualified for eternal life in heaven, not hell. I tried
they and their classmates will learn to sit with until the answers
to imagine sitting there forever, for “infinity.” As I was deciding in
reveal themselves.
- Sharon Lauer, Head of School