PEA Welcomes Exonians at First Assembly
In the Academy Hall last Friday, instructor after instructor walked amidst the applause of four classes of Exonians. Students cheered for their teachers as a token of appreciation to start off the school year. More than any other time of the year, on this day, the excitement in the hall “lifts us all,” Principal William Rawson said.
The assembly began with a brief introduction by Rawson, followed by Dean of Faculty Ellen Wolff’s introduction of new, long-serving and emeriti faculty seated on the Assembly Hall stage. Twenty-three new faculty, hailing from a range of locations, beamed as their names were called and formally began a new chapter in their careers. Celebrating with them were faculty hired as early as the sixties and notable emeriti such as Principal Emeritus Kendra Stearns O’Donnell.
Following these introductions, Rawson took the stage again and began his speech with a message for the anxious new students. “To those new students who today might have some of the same feelings I had fifty years ago—you can do the work, you will make lifelong friends, absolutely you belong here,” he said.
Then, Rawson reiterated the priorities of the administration through the Deed of Gift. “Though goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous, and that both united form the noblest character and lay the surest foundation of usefulness to humankind,’” he quoted, and added, “The mission of Phillips Exeter Academy is to imbue you with goodness and knowledge, not for selfish ends, but to lay the surest foundation of usefulness to humankind.”
He continued by reflecting on the Academy’s ever-changing history. “It is both an understatement and oversimplification to say that our understanding of ‘youth from every quarter’ evolved over time, but it did, and we became more inclusive in terms of ethnicity, national and geographic origin, socioeconomic background, race and religion,” he said. He noted that the inauguration of co-education, 49 years ago, was seminal to the continued development of the Academy.
However, Rawson implored students to always remember that “no accomplishment will be more important than how we function as a community.” “We will learn together, we will support each other, we will celebrate our diversity in all its dimensions, we will seek to grow in our awareness and understanding of others, and seek to become a stronger and more inclusive community,” he continued. “Our pursuit of knowledge and goodness, and our commitment to excellence in all we do, require nothing less.”
Rawson’s goal for his opening remarks was to create a welcoming environment that would “speak to each student individually.” “I wanted to speak to the values of our school and the qualities we seek to instill in every student – qualities that are important to our Harkness pedagogy and how we function as a community, and that will be important to all students in their future endeavors,” Rawson said. “Though I did not use these words, I want students to appreciate the privilege we all enjoy simply by being part of this community.”
Rawson also reaffirmed the kind of community Exeter should be by “encourag[ing] every student to act with gratitude, respect and a sense of purpose, consistent with the mission of our school.” He continued, “I wanted to speak to how our commitment to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive community is inseparable from our pursuit of knowledge and goodness and our commitment to excellence in all we do.”
O’Donnell felt that Rawson’s remarks served as a “real tribute to the importance of the occasion.” “In my opinion, his message was an important one and should stay with us, informing teaching and learning in the year ahead,” she said. “The speech, like the person, was thoughtful, understanding and courageous.”
English Instructor and Chair of the Assembly Committee Alex Myers appreciated Rawson’s message of respect for other backgrounds and opinions, which he trusts will resonate for future assemblies. “Everybody should have the experience in the course of a year to walk out of assembly and say, ‘No.’ But then, as Exonians, to say, ‘And here’s what’s made me think about… And to have the difference of opinion and be productive about it.”
New Music Intern Jerome Walker was equally moved by Rawson’s message. “I think that his remarks are at the center of what we do in education, what we do all the time. We are constantly bridging the past to the future,” he said. “In a space like this, diversity is an important part of the conversation. This is a space people had to be granted access to…We have to help more people feel this space is something that is accessible to them.”
New Mathematics Instructor Julie Van Wright admired the “rousing applause from students when returning faculty processed through the aisles.” “It was such a great affirmation of how important and meaningful the student-faculty relationship can be,” she said.
Students also enjoyed the opportunity to welcome teachers, new and returning. “It’s really cool to see your favorite teachers and be able to cheer them on. I think that the opening ceremony of the teacher promenade really brings a grand start to the school year,” upper CarlyMae Buckner said. “I also appreciate the introduction of the new faculty because now I have a better understanding of who they are.”
While this year marked many new appointments, it will also mark Biology Instructor Richard Aaronian’s last year as a faculty member. As Exeter’s longest serving instructor, he has influenced many fellow faculty members in his decades at the Academy, according to Biology Instructor Christopher Matlack. “Sitting up on that stage with him for the last time as senior faculty was a very special moment for me,” Matlack said.
Another aspect of the assembly that was widely appreciated, Aaronian described, was the commemoration of spouses and partners’ service to the Academy. “Personally, I would not have been able to be nearly as effective as a teacher without [my wife] Peg,” he said. “I don’t think John Phillips could have done what he did either without the support of Elizabeth.”
The Opening Assembly also marked the first time the Sched attendance system was used. After the assembly students were asked to find faculty members, who recorded their attendance into the Sched application. While this method took less time than the one piloted in the spring term of last year, there were some delays in exiting the Assembly Hall.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, students and faculty who did not check in to assembly received an email from Myers informing them that they would receive no unexcused absence, but this would be their last warning.
Reflecting upon the assembly, Aaronian explained how Principal Rawson’s remarks touched on his own roots. “Principal Rawson’s appeal for empathy, especially for those different from us individually, resonated with me,” he said. “My parents both emigrated from Armenia as did others in my family, and I can only hope they received support and empathy from others in America.”
At times when Aaronian feels that certain groups outside of the Exeter community are not given empathy, he turns to the microcosm that is Exeter. “I hope that we, at Exeter, can be different and respect one another fully,” he said. “I hope that is what our students took away from the Assembly.”