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History of Boarding Schools In considering a boarding school for your son or daughter, know that you enter into an educational realm that had its genesis well before the Revolutionary War. Though it is not within the scope or purpose of this writing to develop a lengthy history, a brief overview of the evolution of such schools might well provide basic information which will be useful as you conduct a school search. The Colonial Era
With the continued growth of the colonies and the increased influence of European nations, small, one-teacher schools emerged, offering a broader curriculum and subjects which included: mathematics, modern languages, geography, rhetoric, accounting, logic, and English grammar. Private by nature and by operation, these “English Grammar Schools” could be supported only in areas where there was an adequate populace. Further, they were usually the enterprise of a single individual who alone served as headmaster, faculty, and trustee. Their permanence was ephemeral and rested solely upon the ability of the school to remain solvent. For all practical purposes, the scattered English Grammar Schools were continually clouded by financial instability. Therefore, they gradually gave way to the more successful “Academy movement,” which represented a compromise between the more practical education of the English Grammar School and the more traditional and classical education of the Latin Grammar School. Academies “In a way, the early academy form encapsulated three influences which educators today argue are critical ingredients of a successful education – a source of formal knowledge (the academy proper), the family tradition (parental values), and society at large (the community and local family). Certainly, within the society at that time, the academy education represented a remarkable degree of exposure and potential for learning.” Over time, these schools became well established on the American educational scene and succeeded for myriad reasons. In some cases, they were the product, not of academic zeal but rather, of religious furtherance with puritanical leanings. Essentially, it was hoped by those such as Samuel Phillips, Jr., that the academies might well provide an educational solution to many of the social ills that he, and others, felt present. As America’s cities grew and urban centers became more complex, internally corrupt, and dangerous, many urban dwellers sought a means for their children to escape the city, reside in a healthy (if not somewhat isolated) atmosphere, and be influenced by strong educational figures who would mold their moral, intellectual and physical characters. Modern Boarding Schools It goes without saying that your child’s education is central to your search for the school which will best serve his or her needs. I ask you to always keep before you the fact that education should be one in the broadest sense. The mission of a boarding school emanates outward from the classroom. Challenging course work, intellectual rigor, critical thinking, and clarity in both the spoken and written word are all critical elements. Central to these objectives are dedicated teachers; teachers who know their students and know them well; teachers who are excited by and masters of their academic subject! You will find that these schools will have superb facilities, small class sizes, advanced levels of study and opportunities for individualized instruction. You should expect thorough preparation scholastically for your child … but you should expect much more.
Though students enter boarding schools to focus upon academic development, they quickly learn that the quality of life at their school is impacted by the residential experience equally, if not far more graphically. The enterprise of living together brings to the fore personal preferences, varied habits, cultural differences and frankly, one’s ability to work toward agreement on conflicts that, at first, seem unsolvable. In a fascinating way, one discovers that the twin virtues of compassion and a developing sense of justice evolve from the residential experience, as they never could in another setting. The emphasis on the development of the personal qualities of each student is at a premium. Integrity, self discipline, generosity, patience, and perseverance are qualities that surface and remain with many students in boarding schools. The atmosphere on campus directly reflects the responsibility given to the young men and women who make up the citizenry of these scholarly communities. Respect for others and respect for themselves is generated by overcoming the challenges faced; and doing so as a result of determination, continued effort, and group cooperation. You will find great differences in America’s boarding schools. Some might best be described as “traditional” with such trappings as dress codes, formal dinners, Saturday morning classes, mandatory athletics, structured study hours, etc. Others will be of a different ilk entirely and will have clear strengths echoed in their mission and their program of study. One needs only to consider those schools in this very publication to understand the variety of possibilities. A common thread, however, seen in the descriptions offered by these various institutions centers upon the development of both intellect and character. I would be so bold as to say that if these young people are to eventually make their mark on this world that intellect must be guided inextricably by character. Further, leadership, in all forms of human enterprise, stands upon those dual foundations of quality of mind and character. In the mind of this writer, it is “character” and character building that has been so much a part of boarding schools…lessons of character that augment the intellectual development, more singularly pursued. Our forebears understood, full well, that the demands imposed upon those in positions of leadership are made not so much upon the intellect as they are challenges to character. Decades ago, an Oxford philosopher spoke of character thusly: "Character is in essence, resolution, determination, a matter of pursuing purposes without being distracted by passing impulses. It is something that is measured in terms of strength. Its strength, indeed, is its existence, for the weaker it is, the closer it comes to non-existence……… its qualities (prudence, justice, courage, and moderation) are all dispositions to resist the immediate solicitations of impulse." Understand that I am not placing before you the notion that those who study at American boarding institutions are “schooled” in character, or, for that matter, leadership, in ways which can be measured. What I am clearly stating is that the atmosphere at these schools provides for opportunities in which character and leadership may develop through the examples set by faculty masters and the challenges experienced in an intimate and purposeful residential setting. It can be clearly stated that meaning is given to many of the young lives of burgeoning students by way of a formal curriculum. Here certain values are introduced by way of history’s events and figures, literature’s exposure to the human dilemma, the many levels of science, and the integration of linguistic and cultural concerns in foreign languages. But, more importantly, it is the actions of the adults in the community that express life’s values --- how do they respond to good or bad conduct? What is expected of both faculty and students? How do school rules and regulations reflect the sense of community? How are compassion and caring incorporated in the rules? What are the moral parameters under which the community lives each day? What is the ethical climate in which learning and growing takes place? Therefore, I urge you to consider the history, the formal curriculum, and the less visible, but equally important, “second curriculum” when you consider schools for your son or daughter. Henry E. Flanagan, Jr.
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Latin Grammar Schools
Because of their very composition and purpose, boarding
schools are places where the world comes to learn. Within
the roughly 300 members of The Association
of Boarding Schools (TABS) one will find student bodies of a truly
global composition. Education
in America, it seems, is one of our
most sought after commodities, at least in the private preparatory,
college/university and graduate school levels. In a world becoming
more interdependent, the advantage of building friendship, trust
and respect for others, seems more important than ever. There
can be no doubt as to the increasing need for respect and understanding
among the peoples and the nations of the world. By learning,
living and striving together during years of vast importance developmentally,
young people establish bonds that remain with them for a lifetime.
