Campus Life

There is a wide variety of activities during the week, from an opening night orientation to a talent show (strictly voluntary), a lobster bake, and a movie. A social gathering takes place each night at the “Wachs Works”, our version of a friendly pub named after our founder Isidore Wachs. People gather there to socialize, play cards, and just relax.

On campus participants reside in the Colby dormitories, eat together in the dining room, and participate in formal discussions each morning after breakfast for two hours, Monday through Saturday. These discussions follow the rules of the Great Books Foundation’s Shared Inquiry Method.

Most discussion groups have assigned leaders who move from group to group during the week. A few experienced participants opt for a “leaderless” group.

People attending vary in age, background, and interests, but all share a love of reading. Many have attended Colby for decades, but there are many newcomers each year. Everyone is welcome.

The goal is shared inquiry, shared laughter, and shared experience. The results are often friendship, fun and sometimes even glimpses of the truth.

Food at Colby is good and plentiful - salad bars, buffet style serve-yourself, dining hall, multiple food statiions with variety.

Living arrangements are plain but comfortable. We have private bedrooms with shared bath facilities. Dorm rooms are accessible by stairs or elevator. All buildings are smoke-free. The school provides towels and bed linen.

The college has expansive facilities for mental and bodily health: a great library, a well stocked bookstore which as you would expect contains all the College's annual textbooks, tennis courts and other first-class athletic facilities. There is a classically Maine waterfront property at a nearby lake. For those without cars, rides with other participants may be arranged.

Food and Accomodations

Food at Colby is good and plentiful. Living arrangements are plain but comfortable. Fans, phones, reading lights and bed boards are available. It is dormitory living, however, with no frills and no air conditioning. (Our Maine location means this usually is not a problem.) We have private bedrooms with shared bath facilities. All buildings are smoke-free. The school provides towels and bed linen. Arrangements can usually be made for people with special needs. If you have special medical or other needs, please include that on your application. That information goes to Our Resident Room Assigner who assigns rooms and oversees such accommodations.
And did we mention Ice Cream? Even for breakfast!

Spread the Word

We would also love it if you would spread the word about what happens at Colby. Ours is not a simple story to tell. One factor from that is most of our newcomers come based on the recommendations of friends or family who have attended Colby.

So if you enjoyed your week, won't you please be one of our best sales people and spread the word.

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Activities

Optional Events

Annual Wednesday Bus Trip

11:45 a.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Frequently, we have sponsored bus trips on Wednesday afternoon of the week at Colby.
Participants visit Maine sights, have an opportunity for shopping, and have dinner out at their own expense.
Participants leave after the morning discussion with a box lunch. The trip usually costs about $35.
Based on interest, information about a trip open to other groups at Colby will be available at a later date.

Here is a sample itinerary.

Wachs Works

The “Wachs Works”, named after our founder Is Wachs, is our version of a friendly pub. It is held locally, a short walk from the dorms and dining room, where participants gather to socialize, play cards, and just relax. It's a great way to get to know new friends and to reconnect with old friends.

Beer and wine and soft drinks are served at a nominal fee. Prices are modest because the men and women who serve as bartenders are participants who have volunteered to serve you.

Time to Socialize

Great Books participants love to talk, socialize, find out about everything. There are breakfast and lunch times to talk with others, even about the readings. These are the best of the week. Freely shared, with amiable people, in a relaxing environment. Colby provides many venues for talk, reading, and just hanging out.

Want clean air and spacious campus to roam? Want to visit an au courant bookstore with books by local authors who are well known and intelligent? Want to see something else beside your daily routine?

Walk with me ...

Talk with me ...

Share with me your mind ...

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Newcomers

This is your first visit to Colby and, of course, you're going to have lots of questions. A suggestion - pretend you're a journalist with a journalist's five basic questions - Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Expect to hear questions similar to yours - and different. These will likely help you for the coming week.

There is an orientation session for newcomers on Sunday evening where the events of the week will be described; and where you will meet the person from Colby who is our contact for any problem relating to your needs on campus.

Also on Sunday night, you will meet members of the Council for Colby Great Books as well as key Colby College staff. You will also meet your discussion group members. These men and women will be both veterans and newcomers and your partners for the week. Hopefully, you will have fun learning and laughing with them all.

When you return to your home, saturated with your Colby Great Book experience, share that with with your friends. Perhaps, they too will become part of our expanding Colby Family.

You will meet seasoned participants who will be available throughout the week to deal with any need you have relative to the program. Be sure to get to know them. These are volunteers who have been to Colby for some time. They understand how one's first time on campus can be confusing. Use your volunteer for any issue large and small. And be sure to ask them about their experiences in past years.

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Talent Show

There is a talent show on Thursday night that is long on laughter and maybe not so much on talent. Having said that, we have had participants perform who are professional singers, pianists, stand up comics and dancers.

This event is strictly optional for all would-be-performers with stage fright. In recent years we have had the joy to watch our kids, our boys and girls at the Colby Kids Camp, perform skits they have written. Watching that energy and burgeoning talent is alone worth attending.

The event takes place in the Wachs Works. All the amenities of that environment are available.

Our Facebook Page

Our Facebook page needs you to log on to leave us your thoughts, suggestions, and photographs. Your stories of great and not-so-great experiences are invaluable. Please give us important information that helps us get better.

Special Needs

The college has a great library, a bookstore, tennis courts and first-class athletic facilities, as well as waterfront property at a nearby lake. For those without cars, rides with other participants can sometimes be arranged. For those in need of help getting around campus, there's even our cart - propelled regularly by helpful, caring campus staff who will pick you up and deliver you safely t o your on-campus destination and then return to bring you back - all with just a phone call reservation.

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Great Books Summer
Institute at Colby
P.O. Box 424
Newtown Square, PA 19073
Send Email: agreatbook@aol.com