Life in these independent schools

Waiting in waiting rooms or hanging out at my toyless grandmother’s house when I was growing up, I used to read a few columns in the old Reader’s Digest magazines. Life in These United States was a favorite, and if my memory is not too foggy, I am pretty certain there was one about life in the military.

Having lived at boarding schools, I am convinced that there are legions of anecdotes for a hilarious collection of Life in These Boarding Schools. I recognize that there would need to be chapters entitled “These happened prior to our society becoming litigious” or “WARNING:  Don’t read if you are planning on sending your child to boarding school,” but those of who have lived or live the life deserve the collection uncensored.

What A Great Job

On a recent school visit to Newark Academy , I was lucky enough to go to morning meeting. It began with the usual—adult announcements, kid announcements, and reminders about deadlines, games, club meetings, etc. Certainly information that might have been managed through email or news events postings—even scrolling on one of those cool electronic boards some schools have hanging in their foyers or dining halls. But the rituals were comfortable—even for me, a stranger to this community but not to similar communities. How great it is for adolescents to have the opportunity to stand up in front of a crowd and speak, even if to just announce the basketball score or the chess club meeting: never easy to do, but easier when it is your community.