Not yet open
The C. N. James Institute is a guild of the liberal arts: seven arts, three ranks of standing, and one masterpiece judged in the open by other members. It is not open yet. Membership is closed, we are taking no payments, and there is nothing to sign up for on this page.
What we are, and are not. The Institute is a guild: a private association that confers standing on its members. We are not accredited, we award no degrees, no academic credit, no certificates, and no diplomas, and we are not pursuing any of that. It is a deliberate choice, not a stage we are passing through.
What we do instead is teach the seven liberal arts and prepare members for examinations that other people administer and other institutions honour. When a member wants portable proof, it comes from an outside examining body. Never from us.
© 2026 C. N. James Institute, Augusta, Kansas. We are not the C. N. James trading post and make no claim on it; the building is owned and maintained by the Augusta Historical Society. Written enquiries to hello@cnjames.org.