Meeting High Expectations
Noble character and knowledge combine in an important core value
Nearly 228 years ago, on May 17, 1781, John and Elizabeth Phillips signed the Deed of Gifts establishing Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, memorializing their aspirations by writing: “Goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous. Both united form the noblest character and lay the surest foundation for usefulness to mankind.” I have been aware of these distinctions throughout my career, and with these thoughts in mind we have established “high expectations” as one of St. Margaret’s core values. Rather than measuring excellence only by grades and quantifiable performance, we have chosen to focus on “challenging each individual to achieve his or her full potential.”
Our commitment to high expectations reveals itself in a variety of ways, not the least of which is in close association with character. In a spirit consistent with that of Phillips of Exeter, we prefer not to celebrate academic achievement alone but rather as part of character development, in which goodness is as valued as knowledge. We realize that in many ways we are going against the powerful influence of popular culture, which generally measures success in assets and dollar signs and not by goodness or “usefulness to mankind.”
We are moving into the season of awards ceremonies, when students are honored for their accomplishments in and out of the classroom. While opinions vary on the value of these ceremonies and the extent to which they single out only a small percentage of students, I am mindful that few awards are given on the basis of achievement alone. Nearly all include implicit or explicit references to character (or goodness). Of course, there are still many students omitted who hold themselves to high expectations and achieve their full potential through how they approach life and treat others. These students are at the very bedrock of our school community and bring quality and value to all our lives.
It would be interesting to conduct an awards ceremony for students who don’t necessarily qualify for traditional awards but who are very worthy of recognition for what they bring to our community. Awards might run the spectrum from acknowledging those who are always dependable to those who make us laugh and see the bright side of things. We could celebrate those who faithfully lend a hand in difficult times and those who keep confidences. We could present an award for noblest failure to the student who missed the winning shot, did not get the lead role in the play or who tried unsuccessfully to break into a new group. These courageous ones go out on a limb, try their best, break a bit during their efforts but mend a little stronger than anyone else. They may be the ones who truly grow.
We have high expectations for our students and ourselves, and we take seriously our responsibility to prepare those in our care for the world beyond. Soon we will award diplomas to the Class of 2009. This is a wonderful class with many high achievers and an even greater number of good people. They are neither weak nor feeble, and they are ready (or will be in a few short weeks) to move ahead and take their places in service to humankind.