By Caitlyn Gerrish – Arts & Culture Editor

Two weeks ago on Wednesday, Feb. 28, around 50 Jane Austen enthusiasts filled Cleghorn hall, gathering for a themed tea party organized by Prof. Shoshannah Bryn Jones Square for her Jane Austen and film course in the English department. The event included all the strappings essential for an Austen-inspired party: tea, pastries, music, poetry readings and parlor inspired games, just to name a few. Certain students enrolled in the course even arrived in costume, making for an immersive event. The 200-level class offers a survey of Jane Austen literature alongside a film component to accompany the works explored in the course.  

Perhaps the most popular attraction of the event was the card table. Students gathered around to play Vingt-et-un (twenty-one), an early version of Blackjack popular during the Regency era. They also played Old Maid during the event, a game popularized in the mid 1800s. Throughout the tea party, certain guests also took the opportunity to stand up and recite poetry. Some were self-written; others were readings from some of Austen’s personal favourite poets. Students shared favourite moments or quotes from Austen novels, notable mentions coming from perhaps her most popular work, Pride and Prejudice. 

Students were thrilled with the opportunity to bring learning outside of the classroom for a change, enjoying the chance to learn and grow in a social, stress-free environment.

Third-year student Colin Ahern echoed the sentiments of those present: “The tea party was a hit! From card games to poetry, Cleghorn was alive with the buzz of students. Dr. Jones Square did a great job of fostering an environment for students to engage meaningfully with course material outside of the classroom.” 

Party organizer and English department professor Jones Square reflected on the importance of including events like these in her pedagogy. “Events like the Austen Tea Party are wonderful opportunities for students to collaborate and make meaningful connections with one another and to actively engage with what they are learning in the classroom. Because more than one sense is involved during experiential learning activities such as these, the information becomes easier to process, understand, integrate and retain”, she noted. An Austen inspired tea party is only one example of the ways in which experiential learning can be used to enhance a classroom experience. Prof. Jones Square took the opportunity to thank Bassam Chiblak, the experiential learning coordinator in arts at Bishop’s, for his help and guidance. 

The tea party, which ran over the usual allotted time of a typical class, filled the room with laughter and warmth. Prof. Jones Square noted that fun must occupy a place in all classrooms. “Happiness is associated with increased attention and motivation, so simply having fun makes learning easier!” 

Caitlyn Gerrish is an English literature honours student enrolled in ENG295-Jane Austen and Film