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The Exeter Connection
The Diamonti/Hallowell study has been part of thinking and planning at the Academy since its completion in 1991. It seems to me common sense that those who feel connected to their families and friends, to studies, clubs, or causes, and to their surroundings will be happier and more productive. But in a community that is as intense and active as ours, I realize that we need to be vigilant in keeping avenues for "connectedness" open and available. Clearly, the power of connection is not lost on Academy teachers and students. We experience on a daily basis the intense intellectual excitement and collaboration sparked by connections formed around the Harkness table. That connection, which is the hallmark of an Exeter education, helps students find their voices, form opinions, and prepare for remarkable lives of accomplishment and service in the larger world. The Diamonti/Hallowell study reminds all of us, however, of the importance of creating those connections outside the classroom as well. As the faculty and the trustees move forward in our Academy Master Plan (AMP) process, the theme of connectedness emerges time and again. Fundamental to the AMP is the assumption that relationships between teachers and students, and among students themselves, are among our most important resources for teaching and learning at the Academy. By examining issues of faculty and student recruitment, residential life, curriculum and learning environment, the AMP seeks to extend the sense of connectedness from the Harkness classroom into all areas of Academy life. Even as the AMP task forces work to evaluate and prioritize various recommendations, other projects are already in the works that will encourage opportunities for more and deeper interactions within our Academy community. The renovation of Cilley Hall, set to take place this summer, represents the first step in an initiative to apply Harkness principles to residential life. Spearheaded by a group of seven experienced Harkness teachers, who are also either current or former dormitory faculty, the plan will establish in Cilley a faculty-student ratio that more closely approximates that of the Harkness classroom. By renovating and increasing common space for meetings, conversation, and dorm gatherings, the plan will also create a living environment that encourages the same level of connection, responsibility, accountability, and collaboration found in Exeter's classrooms. We are also looking at the upcoming renovation of Phillips Church with the same eye toward connectedness. Working with the architectural firm of Hoyle, Doran & Berry, the Phillips Church program committee has defined a renovation plan that will not only address serious structural problems and code requirements, but also help foster a more congenial climate of worship for students and faculty from diverse religious traditions. The results will also allow Phillips Church to serve the entire Academy community with greater flexibility and sensitivity as a house for spiritual and personal reflection, as site for community gatherings such as Meditation and Evening Prayer, and as the primary performance space for Exeter's music department. Through all these efforts, we seek to place students at the center of the religious life of the school and to support their desire for greater connection, whether through worship, spiritual growth, or social service. With construction of the Phelps Science Center proceeding rapidly, the Thompson Building now suggests myriad possibilities for promoting connection and advancing the goals of the AMP. As a central feature in our main academic quad, Thompson will make a strong statement about the integration of Harkness philosophy into all aspects of our lives here. I have asked a committee led by Dean Kathy Brownback to explore how that building can best serve our goals. Outdoor spaces are key as well. At the January trustee meeting, funds were allocated to begin a campus landscaping project. This will involve the complete replanting of the academic quad, the area between Jeremiah Smith Hall and the Academy Building. Following the design of our campus landscape architect, Michael Van Valkenberg, this area was selected for our first phase of landscaping since it is heavily used and will provide shaded, quiet spots for meetings on the paths. In his work, Dr. Hallowell calls us to value the "human moment" and the learning that occurs in those moments across campus, in dormitories or dining halls, on athletic fields, in student clubs, and through all the many relationships built within our campus community. I am confident that our current campus projects, along with future plans emerging from the AMP, will support Exeter teachers and students in this critical endeavor. Sparked by the spirit of connection at the Harkness table, they will enable all of us to grow intellectually, socially, and morally. Tyler C. Tingley '48, '64 (Hon.), P'99 |
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