Authors Reception at HC

HC’s Liberian organized a short forum for faculty members to discuss with students and teachers their most recent publications and academic work; I thought this was a great way to exhibit a culture of ideas and scholarship on campus; I was pretty excited to discuss a paper of mine entitled The Resurrection, which looks at how hip-hop lyrical culture is synonymous with the teachings of Jesus Christ. And, how the two are drawn together through a “sense” of spiritual reconciliation.  Christians contend that the Bible offers hope and understanding to those who are lost. The hip-hop artist contends that his lyrics offer a “sense” of hope and salvation, much like that of Jesus Christ.

This event reminds me of a recent email I received from a former colleague, who asked me how does one go about engaging in such work? I told her that I think it is a matter of what you are most interested in. I have written on a variety of topics related to the teaching of history. I am a teacher; it is what I love. What I write about usually reflects what I am teaching in my classroom. That is my passion. That said, I also have a passion and understanding for black intellectual history. Thus, I have sought to be a part of a greater community of people like me — but smarter. Just ask Phillip Sinitiere who is co-authoring a book with me; he will deny it but it is true.

I am a member of various history related organizations. I read the journals which often stimulates my thinking and thus drives me to want to contribute to ongoing discussion. I have found that sharing my work at conferences allows me a venue to grow in my content while enhancing my skills. Some find such academic work to be silly and nothing more than self promotion. Those folks find themselves isolated from a field of brilliant people. I learn so much from them. And, I hope I add to their knowledge too. In the end, our students are the winners.

Above are a few of my colleagues who are doing some interesting stuff. I believe four of them are in the process or have already published a book. That is pretty impressive seeing their busy lives and heavy teaching load.

One of my great students decided to chat with me during the event. I am having too much fun.

On Campus thinking About Du Bois

Getting that conference paper done. As you can tell, this section clearly deals with the writings of W.E.B. Du Bois. I can honestly say that I have read just about everything written by him and about him.

Conference Paper (Revisting the Problem of the Twentieth Century)

Below is a copy of the conference press release. I am working hard to get this paper as well as another one completed for journal submission.

— FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —

The Saint James Conference 2013

Friday 14 June through Sunday 16 June

Saint James School, St. James, Maryland

Papers

“Revisiting the Problem of the Twentieth Century: Will Evangelical and

Faith-Based Schools Mend the Color Line in the Twenty-First Century?”

Mr. Edward Carson

Instructor, Department of History & Social Science

Houston Christian High School, Texas

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“How We Make Christ Present in School Ministry”

The Rev. D. Stuart Dunnan, D.Phil (Oxon)

Rector & Headmaster

Saint James School, Maryland

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“Tom Brown’s School Days, Thomas Arnold, and Classical Christian Education Today”

James Freeman, Ph.D

Headmaster, Alpine Classical School

Alpine, West Texas

“Christianity and Honor:  A Traditional Concern in 21st-Century Schools”

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

David Hein, Ph.D, FRHistS

Professor of Religion & Philosophy

Hood College, Maryland

——————————————————————————————————————————————————–

“The Demise of Compulsory Chapel in New England Boarding Schools”

Frederick Jordan, Ph.D

History Department Chair

Woodberry Forest School, Virginia

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“Apostles of Education: The Role of the Bishops in Promoting Episcopal Schools, 1783 to 1873”

The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Henery

Formerly Helmuth Professor of Ecclesiastical History and the John Maury Allin Distinguished Professor of Homiletics, Nashotah House Theological Seminary, Wisconsin

Director of Spiritual Life, St.John’s-Northwestern Military Academy

Delafield, Wisconsin

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

A scholarly response and open Q & A will follow each paper presentation.

Conference Moderator

The Reverend W. L. “Chip” Prehn, Ph.D (Charlottesville)

Headmaster, Trinity School

Midland, West Texas

Saturday Afternoon Panelists

Father Dunnan, Father Henery, Dr. Freeman, Father F. Washington Jarvis, Dr. Jordan

Conference Chaplain

The Reverend Dr. O. William Daniel, Jr.

Chaplain, Saint James School, Maryland

The Conference will begin with Evensong at 5:30 P.M. on Friday, June 14^th.

Lodging and all meals will be provided on the Saint James campus.

The Conference will close on Sunday following Holy Eucharist and Brunch.

Saint James School is situated in the Great Valley of America, sixty-five miles northwest of Washington, D.C.  Dulles is the nearest airport.  The school is only six miles from the Sharpsburg/Antietam National Battlefield and quite close to the intersection of Interstate Highways 70 and 81.  Historic Harper’s Ferry WV is also near.

The Purpose of the Saint James Conference

Founded in A.D. 2012 as part of the celebration of Father Stuart Dunnan’s twentieth anniversary as Headmaster of historic Saint James School, Maryland, the Saint James Conference is a gathering of friends, educators, and scholars from all over North America and abroad.  Convening as Christians dedicated at once to the premier education of the whole person and to the historic Faith of the Church, conference participants will engage with scholars, worship and pray together, and enjoy the hospitality of Saint James School in beautiful Western Maryland.  The campus is one of the most beautiful in America.

Most independent school educators attend conferences and workshops designed to give them state-of-the-art practical knowledge in one kind or another; for example, of educational psychology, of statistical studies, of educational anthropology, of curriculum development, of educational technology, of brain research, or of the latest tips on pedagogy.  The Saint James Conference complements other kinds of professional development by affording educators the opportunity to gain insights and inspiration from the latest scholarship in the humanities, history, literature, classics, theology, philosophy, economics, biblical studies, and other disciplines considered under the aspect of liberal education and the liberal arts.  New knowledge and interpretations in these fields can lead directly to conceptual changes in the world, and these conceptual changes do alter how we teach, how we learn, and how we relate to one another in and out of school.  Thus it is crucial that we school folk consider these other disciplines in our continuing education.

The inaugural Conference in June 2012 was a most enjoyable fellowship of Christian focus, hearty conversation, solid learning, debate, and worthy inspiration.  (The meals were delicious!)  Said one Conference participant, “This was truly one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had in terms of professional development.  It was not only high-toned and the papers were very stimulating, but the genuine camaraderie we enjoyed in just a few days was very useful to me as an independent school educator.  This was a very special gathering.”

The Conference begins with Evensong at 5:30 P.M. on June 14^th.

All participants and guests will find lodging and meals at Saint James School

and/or at the nearby Hagerstown Sleep Inn.  The Conference is a great bargain!

  For cost info, more details, and to register:

www.stjames.edu/SJSConf2013

Saint James and the Church School Movement

Saint James School (1842) is the oldest Episcopal college preparatory school in the United States built on the unique and eminently successful “Church school” model established by William Augustus Muhlenberg (1796-1877) and his immediate protégés, John Barrett Kerfoot (1816-1883), Henry Augustus Coit (1830-1895), and J. Lloyd Breck (1818-1876).  The movement began in 1828 on Long Island.  The disciples founded Saint James, St. Paul’s in New Hampshire (1856), and the Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Minnesota (1858).  Faculty from Saint James School founded not only St. Paul’s, Concord, but Saint Mark’s, Southborough MA (1865), Racine College in Wisconsin (1852), and other schools.  The founders of Groton School in Massachusetts (1884), TMI-Episcopal in Texas (1893), the Pomfret School in Connecticut (1894), St. George’s School in Rhode Island (1896), St. Andrew’s School in Sewanee TN (1904), and the Kent School in Connecticut (1906) named Muhlenberg and his disciples the pioneers of their own philosophy and practice.

Race, Ideology, and Independent Schools

I am sharing a two-part piece from a paper I wrote entitled Getting Real About Whiteness in Independent Schools. I broke away from script just a bit in the reading of this primarily due to length. The goal of course is to show a historical relationship dating back to the 1960s about why many African-American teachers are pronounced liberal in their construct. In this segment, I start in a more philosophical fashion denoting a mere semblance of black identity. In the second segment, I will delve into the more recent elements of the shaping of the black faculty member.

What did the Professor do Over Spring Break?

I did not party. Too old for that now.  I got in a great deal of sleep. I really needed it. Better yet, I am convinced that with the miles I have logged, I was operating at a deficit. But for the most part, my week was pretty standard. It started off with the RRCA Classic 10k championship. Now for me, a 6.2 mile run is nothing. However, I could not get in rhythm for this race as it set the tone for the week. I think I placed 38th out of 1700 runners — but 8th in my division. It was designed to be a faster than tempo pace workout. My time sucked. I was slow. I will be sure to note my “slowness” under race report at my other blog.

The rest of the week was a combination of research and writing, as well as a great deal of sleep. I can honestly say that I felt rested last week. I am truly going to miss spring break. I will not see that kind of sleep for a while. Not even during the summer months. I can relate in many ways to Homer Simpson’s sleeping experience; I am sure I looked like him while crashed-out on the couch. OK. I did not have a beer to help me relax and sleep. I did not need it. Plus, I am a wine-o… though the end of the week pic will contradict this point.

I did get some research and writing done. Well, more reading than writing. As noted on an earlier post, I am drafting a paper for a June conference in Maryland entitled: Revisiting the Problem of the Twentieth Century: Will Evangelical and Faith-Based Schools Mend the Color Line in the Twenty-First Century? I used this week to do a great deal of reading and study on a topic I have worked on for a bit of time. I am pretty excited about its progress and do believe it will receive warm reviews.

I was able to wrap the week up with a pretty good race. The Seabrook Half-Marathon took place Sunday the day before my campus return. It was a bit warm and humid, but I was not too upset about that seeing that the race served as a training run for next month’s April 15th Boston Marathon. I placed 3rd overall — which is my second best finish. I ran this race in 2011 and took 4th. I ran a comfortable training run pace — nothing faster than a 6:35 pace. My fastest mile was only 6:28. I started off well behind others. I assured myself that I would not turn this into anything more than a training run. And that is exactly what I did. I actually stuck to the game plan.

My 3rd place trophy was a cool beer mug (or glass as seen above). After they awarded me my trophy, I quickly had green beer poured into the glass. You better believe me when I say I finished every lick of it. Besides chocolate milk, a cold beer is the next best post-race beverage. Cheers!

What Are You Working On?

Working Title and Paper: Revisiting the Problem of the Twentieth Century: Will Evangelical and Faith-Based Schools Mend the Color Line in the Twenty-First Century?

Currently, my most recent research and writing project explores WEB Du Bois’s notion of the color line; he noted that the problem of the 20^th century was that of the color line. I have spent the past two years doing archival work on Du Bois in an effort to construct a document reader, one that I am co-authoring. Drawing from my archival work, the basic premise of my current paper explores the letters, writings, and publications via The Crisis in which Du Bois addressed the academic and religious divide among blacks and whites in society, as well as in education. Du Bois continued to add tension to the conversation by putting into question his sense of religiosity. His sense of faith brings in various debates regarding his belief in God…and not just among whites – but blacks, too. His faith mixed in with his Marxist leanings creates an interesting topic regarding the color line, education, and the Negro plight.

The initial point of my work explores Du Bois and his construction as it relates to race, faith, and education. It transitions into the late 20^th and early 21^st century as I attempt to analyze the question of the color line. My paper will be of most interest to many in that it attempts to highlight the concept of racial identity; it will address matters of multi-ethnicity as more than a modern phenomenon and a novel condition. Drawing from the age of Du Bois to the 1960’s origin that defined black as beautiful, black Americans sought a sense of pride and unity in their hair and cultural make-up. Thus, with a rising number of blacks attending college, a bourgeois attitude towards race, faith, and culture became cemented. However, the following 40 years witnessed a shift in which black American’s “sense” of self declined due to the values assigned by various member in society. Much like in the age of Du Bois, black thinkers and members of the black community have witnessed a shift in religious beliefs, class expectations, and behavioral norms.

The question of community and self brings back to light the notion of the color line in the 21^st century. Students and faculty members of color have often been predicated on the notion of self-worth. This is noted in popular culture and is systematic in independent schools in which mainstream values are defined for them: language, dress, faith, and ideology. These latter components create newly minted historical questions of historical phenomena that should be debated among scholars and within the environment of independent schools. Hence, the challenges faced by Du Bois are still present. The question of evangelical and faith-based schools mending those challenges is explored in this work.

Faculty Travel

Here at Houston Christian, once faculty members have been on campus for a number of years, they can participate in a faculty enrichment program that permits travel and research during the summer; I am really looking forward to this. I am contemplating an opportunity to travel to Germany this summer or to visit the archives of some of the most elite private schools in the nation. Both will make for a great research and writing project.  My application is due by January 6th. Here are the two proposals I am looking at drafting.

• Retrace W.E.B. DuBois travels throughout Germany in an attempt to write about his interracial experiences with the German people at a time in American history when visits such as this were difficult.
• Write about the historical experiences of minorities at elite and non elite independent schools. Further, I would like to compare the rise of more established elite private schools to those that emerged in the South after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case in which the South saw a number of non sectarian schools emerge such as the St. Johns School of Houston. The same is true of Montgomery Academy in Alabama. A number of Christian schools also emerged at this time as a result of the integration of public schools. While writing a paper a few years ago on the experiences of teachers of color at independent schools. I formulated a relationship with an African-American educational leader at a local independent school here in Houston. He shared some information with me regarding his school’s early history, which allowed us to formulate a relationship. It was our discussion and an earlier paper I presented on teachers of color at independent schools that got me thinking about doing more historical research and writing on the history of independent schools from the point of view of minorities. In my earlier research, I discovered that many top minority faculty members believe they added a different and unique intellectual experience to their communities. However, they also shared with me the many challenges, too.

Working on That Paper

Besides playing on my blog, I am sitting here on campus editing and reworking my paper for Professor Hunter at Seattle Pacific University entitled,  The  Impact of Religion, Class, and Ideology on the Vanguard of Black Academics from 1930 to 1970. The Perkins Perspective will be publishing this piece. Though I was warned that there is a word limit, I assured them that I would do my best. I sent SPU a brief bio and picture to be published alongside my paper. After wards, brother Hunter informed me that I look like Professor Allen Callahan. I will let you be the judge.

Above: Professor Callahan

Carson

Rap and Popular Culture

If you follow this blog or if you are one of my students, you have a pretty good idea about my interest in exploring the relationship between rap music and contemporary history. A few years ago when looking to design a lesson on the 1980s, I thought why not center much of the period around popular culture. Besides heavy rock and T.V., I thought rap was a particular genre that encapsulates the heightened unrest of the period. That lesson has since evolved into a new course that I will teach come the fall, and a conference paper I am seeking to get published. Moreover, I have taken parts of the concept of gangster rap and linked it to American religious constructs as I noted here. Interestingly, I cannot help but be excited about Ice Cube’s ESPN 30 for 30 documentary entitled, Straight out of L.A., which airs tonight. This former gangster rapper turned actor will explore the relationship between rap, politics, race, and sports via the Los Angeles Raiders football team. You can bet I will be in front of the tube with pen and paper. My high school football coach was a big Raider fan…. I never was. I recall Tim Perry always talking about the great Raider nation and stating “I am a bad man.” For me, kids my age liked the Raiders because it represented gangster. Before I attended ACA (Montgomery private school), brothers at my previous schools used to arrive on campus sporting a black and silver Raider jacket. Well, this is before the Montgomery Public School system outlawed them, seeing that they promoted gang activity.

In his introduction to this documentary, Ice Cube states:

Ice Cube

In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president, few white kids were listening to Rap and I was an 11-year-old kid in South Central Los Angeles. I was into sports and watched as many games as I could on TV—the Lakers, USC Football, UCLA, but I hadn’t developed a connection to any particular football team. But that fall, something clicked as I watched the Oakland Raiders….wanted to make this film for two simple reasons: 1) I’ve been a Raiders fan for most of my life and 2) My music career will probably always be linked, in one way or another, with the Raiders’ era in Los Angeles. The Raiders played in L.A. from 1982 to 1994—just 13 seasons—but during that time, the team’s colors, aura and superstar players became a phenomenon. And to put it bluntly, I had a lot to do with that.

The music, lyrics and images that I created with N.W.A as a solo artist and as an actor helped turn the Raiders into something more than a football team. It’s been 21 years since we released “Straight Outta Compton,” but to this day, kids all over the world buy Raiders gear, imitate the “Gangster Rap” style and try to connect with the South Central L.A. vibe that we brought to the masses. Over the years a lot of people have written books about the history of hip-hop, the cross-marketing of sports and entertainment, and the influence of Rap music on youth culture. Now it’s time for me to tell the story of how it really went down.

And it starts with the Silver and Black.

The Religion of Hip-Hop and the Music of Jesus Christ

Hip-hop and Jesus Christ are not synonymous; however, the two are drawn together through a “sense” of spiritual reconciliation.  Christians contend that the Bible offers hope and understanding to those that are lost. The hip-hop artist also contends that his lyrics offer a “sense” of hope and salvation, much like that of Jesus Christ. Religious historians have given very little attention to the impact religion has had on hip-hop and rap culture. Though, there is a natural juxtaposition here.

Edward Blum’s W.E. B. Du Bois presents Jesus Christ as a savior: a God who walked with communist, sinners, blacks, and others. The great debate, or post-modern questions is this: Who is Jesus Christ? Believers will tell you that He is the Son of God. He is a part of a complex matrix called the Trinity. Others will tell you that He is a great prophet who told moral tales in times of strife and chaos. Then there are those that find him to be too mythical to have ever existed in the current form that society knows him as.  Historians look at Christ through multiple frames. Scholars of American Religion, such as Blum and Phillip Sinitiere, take a dynamic approach by juxtaposing Him as a savior of a race. But note, not that of the Jews – but of black folks.

This spiritual and racial personification can be seen through the lens of historical actors like Harriet Tubman, also known as black Moses, due to her efforts in rescuing enslaved blacks from the depths of the plantation system. Nat Turner, the enslaved leader of the 1831 slave rebellion, stated that God told him in a dream to free the colored people from their bondage, as well as killing their masters. Thus, his historical attack was the worse ever. After such a rebellion, many slaveholders forbade Negro worship in isolation.  Hence, allowing for integrated worship with whites.[1]Slaves heard the Old Testament tales of oppression by the unrighteous.  Due to such oral examples, many looked to a hero – that being Jesus Christ.

 

The historiography of slavery is one that continues to be redefined. Though the topic of Negro religion has long been one of interest by historians, the mere impact of slave religion on modern culture is new.  I hope to finish drafting a paper for UrbanFaith which examines the anthropological and historical impact Jesus Christ has had on both hip-hop and rap music; if one were to look at many artist and listen to their lyrics, there is often a sense of racial oppression due to modern-day conditions that date back to the historical roots of Nat Turner and Harriet Tubman.

Above: The late controversial rapper, Tupac Shakur, was a devote Christian. He addressed his pains and life as a gangster in his music. Thus, the rapper sought faith through his lyrics as a form of prayer. Note the lines from his rap song, God:

When I was alone, and had nothing
I asked for a friend to help me bear the pain
No one came, except God
When I needed a breath to rise, from my sleep
No one could help me.. except God
When all I saw was sadness, and I needed answers
No one heard me, except God
So when I’m asked.. who I give my
unconditional love to?
I look for no other name, except God

In a draft of my paper analyzing the significance of teaching the 1980s in United States history survey courses, I noted that urban blacks felt oppressed by a conservative government looking to enrich the wealthy, while impoverishing the poor at an alarming rate; I do not agree with this; however, my opinion is not relevant to a generation of hip-hop artist and rappers singing about the racial brutality imposed by the police. Rap music quickly conflated the role of gangs and religion; Jesus Christ was found as the head of the gang known as the Bloods; h[H]e would rescue the youth from their enslavement of American racism.

Above: Peter Gomes

Peter Gomes, a man I deeply admire for his scholarship, faith, and willingness to address his personal life[2], noted in his work, The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart, stated that American society all but looked to our great leaders and their devotion to Christ. He mentioned the born-again Christian in Jimmy Carter who took time to teach Sunday school classes while being the leader of the free world. Ronald Reagan, a man who sought to build the strength of America off of the values of Christianity.[3] Gomes praised George W. Bush for his professed faith in Christ, as well as his fervor for showcasing it, too. But, there is a disconnect when it comes to the faith of public official and that of black music artist. In the mind of the young black teen, public officials represent a societal paradox. Sure, they are great men, but often time they represent the constructs and authority in which urban youths are looking to teardown. This creates a vacuum. Young black Christians find their identity not in a government, but in the hip-hop/rap artist. The artist has taken on the role of apostle Paul, who made a number of missionary journeys in hopes of bringing the gospel of Christ to those that do not know him.

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[1] Jason Young’s book, Ritual of Resistance, also discusses the first use of balcony gatherings during worship. Since whites felt a sense of obligation to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people, keeping Negros from worshiping was thought to be sinful.

 

[2] Gomes is the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and chaplain at Harvard University; he received a great deal of attention when he public announced that he was a homosexual in the mid 1990s. He contends to be a devote conservative Republican.

[3] Gomes did note that Reagan was part of the late 1970s cultural wars that witnessed the rise of the religious right. Moreover, this population played a major part in his election.

The Agenda

The Agenda:

I. Running

I have 12 days before my next marathon; last week was not the most inspiring week of training due to an academic trip to Boston. I hope to get in 70 miles of running this week. And, an odd pull of the “under the weather bug” after my Boston trip did not help much. Upon my arrival to Boston, I got to meet Mrs. Chili and her family. We took time to get an early dinner and chat about life, the future, my work, their work, and politics. I must say, I like both Mr. and Mrs. Chili because they share my academic interest as well as my politics. They have the best looking girls on the planet.  Both spoke to me not as a distant stranger, but as a friend they have known their entire lives; I even got a great hug from the two of them. I also got a great picture with the three Chili ladies. If you follow this blog much, you know all about Mrs. Chili. Oh, Mr. Chili gets upset at Fox News as frequently as I do.

Agenda II: Courses

I must get through my syllabus; we are okay — for the most part; however, I would love to finish both of my AP courses without a need to rush. This will actually be easier in my European history course than in my United States history course — which is a first.

Agenda III: Writing

I was asked to draft a paper to be published by UrbanFaith on David Remnick’s new biography of Obama. I am wanting to get this done by early next week; I have also asked the editor if he might be interested in another article I am working on entitled, Being a Jesus Freak: How Christ Inspired Hip-Hop and Rap Music. Both papers will be historical and anthropological; I hope to say more about the latter here on this blog.

And then there is the book; it is currently the elephant in the room. I still need to draft more pages from various primary sources. It was OUR goal to have it done by March, but that is not going to happen with my teaching schedule. I have decided to set aside two hours per day to devote to writing. You may recall that I once stated Phil and I would get rich off of this, I doubt it. But, it will contribute to the greater knowledge of young people. The work:

W.E.B. Du Bois and Religion: A Brief History with Documents (Forward Edward Blum, professor of History at San Diego State University) and co-edited with Phillip Luke Sinitiere, professor of History at Sam Houston State University, is a collection of primary sources that reflect Du Bois’s thoughts on faith, spirituality, and the political implications of religion.  Documents include those that address religion from a sociological perspective, religious artwork, and spiritual fiction, among others.  This collection also includes a timeline of Du Bois’s life, bibliography, and study questions.

Agenda IV: CV/Resume

I am applying for a couple of grants and awards; in order to be considered, I must submit a copy of my curriculum vitae — an academic related resume. This should not be too much of a problem seeing that I do an okay job maintaining it.

Race, Politics, and History

I have found it highly important to stress the importance of historical markers vis-à-vis racial constructs and voting in  my United States History courses. Often time, people are perplexed by the significance of Obama being elected. And, folks are even more perplexed over the matter of race. The latter point greatly confuses me. As noted in the post-circa American Civil War picture above, president Grant led Congress to debate the issue of black suffrage, raising the question of the vote for women. The controversy over the Fifteenth Amendment split the women’s movement; it passed, but did not assure black suffrage and left the issue of suffrage in the hands of the states.

Paradoxically speaking, the Fourteenth Amendment should have secured the black vote; however, due to the use of black codes, Congress quickly moved to adding the 15th. Southern states from 1868 to 1964 used various tactics to keep blacks from having any political power; it is here that shaped the constitutional liberal notion against states’ rights; blacks looked to a strong central government to protect their plight. Interestingly enough, this attitude has changed little. Blacks continue to eye states with a great deal of suspicion. As a collective group, they shifted their political loyalty by the 1960s; it was at this point that blacks supported Democrats over Republicans, though an embryonic move was in place during the New Deal. However, there is a caveat to this: many Southerners favored Democrats, too. In an ideological way, Republicans were still viewed as the party of Lincoln; it was the party that emancipated the negro and interrupted a way of life. Southerners would not shift to the Republican party until the election of Ronald Reagan during the 1980 election. Funny, but the two parties had already shifted. The Republicans of Lincoln were really the Dems of the Civil Rights movement. This part here is another post. But, I do want to note that it was a southern Democrat (LBJ) who was most instrumental in helping blacks gain greater rights.

Thus, black folks did not embrace Reagan. Better yet, he was seen as a racist — one who catered to racists looking to recapture the traditional elements before the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The traumas of the 1960s and 1970s created a loss of confidence among Americans; he capitalized on this feeling to easily win the 1980 verdict. Reagan promised to rebuild the nation’s defenses, cut inflation, restore economic growth, and reduce the size of the federal government; in reality, he did much of the opposite. Sure, he made cuts in a number of programs. Many of them aimed at helping lower-income Americans; he also cut taxes, but primarily for wealthier Americans. While reviewing a number of textbooks for my paper on Teaching the 1980s, I noted that:

Reaganomics and its assault on welfare are linked to racial issues of the 1980s. According to one text: Reagan portrayed those on welfare to being those of African-American descent. The text did shape a correct image in noting that whites living in rural areas were the primary beneficiaries of welfare, not a black mother of two living in an urban area — as noted in one of his speeches. He spoke to states rights. He spoke against affirmative action. On one hand he addressed his support for Bob Jones University, but then went on to discuss how race is not an issue. Keep in mind, Bob Jones University openly discriminated. The rational: It is not the job of the federal government to intervene in matters of the state. What?

The poorest Americans fared poorly. The bottom tenth saw their low incomes decline by 10 %. 1986, a full-time minimum wage worker earned $6,700 per year – almost $4,000 short of the poverty level for a family of four. One out of eight children went hungry and 20 percent lived in poverty, including 50 percent of black children.

While many Americans place blame on George W. Bush and Barrack Obama for the current debt crisis, all they have to do is read a history book to find that our current debt is not from New Deal programs, but from an expanding Cold War economy dating back to the 1980s.  I say let us give president Obama a chance; Americans have used both race and ideology to work against a much-needed effort at American reform. Hence, blacks will continue to vote in an ideological box; it is not because Obama is bi-racial; it is because many either read their history book, lived in an age that impacted them due to their race, or have experienced the plight of being black in the 20th and 21st century.

Disclaimer

I did not footnote any of this information; it does have a particular lean to it; however, I suspect that if you read this blog you already know this. Thus, the greatness of America is that of voice; being permitted to share and engage in a discussion that is constructive. If you would like a works cited page, feel free to email me.

WHA Conference Paper

World History Association of Texas

Divergence & Convergence:  People, Events, & Ideas that Have Shaped the World
World History Association of Texas 2010 Conference
Co-Sponsored by St. Edward’s University
Austin, Texas
February 27-28, 2010

I just learned that my paper was accepted by the World History Association of Texas. I am looking forward to presenting my work and gaining feedback on my course. I have linked both European and World history concepts into this 20 page piece.

The 2010 Conference of the World History Association of Texas will focus on historical and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the people, events and ideas influential in globalization.  Conference organizers welcome proposals that connect world history teaching and research.  Possible topics could include, but are not limited to:

• The digital age, social networking sites, and the use of information and communication technologies in furthering or resisting political and economic structures
• Shifts in modes of production, consumption, and entertainment
• Prince Shotoku, B.R. Ambedkar, Hồ Chí Minh, Nelson Mandela, Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini, and Margaret Thatcher
• The global impact of religions, ideologies, ethical constructs, trade, commerce and economic theory and practice
• Global themes in the humanities and social sciences

Here is the abstract for my paper:

Title: Exploring the Concept and Impact of Oceans in Teaching World History and European History

The term ocean does not carry much extensive meaning for students taking the World History or European history survey course; better yet, if anything, the term has no political, social or economic value unless it is used in reference to mark political warfare or basic geography. However, one might contend that oceans, specifically the Atlantic, had a significant impact on the rise of the modern European state, and thus contributed to Atlantic revolutions. Because oceans have shaped the development of the World History course, I will explore the impact of waters such as the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic. My focus will address that of oceans on the early colonial stages of geo politics, and how formative states such as France, England, Spain, and the Low Countries struggled to maintain stability amidst colonial expansion and state building. Moreover, it is important that students understand the impact of the Atlantic as a shaper of modernity in both the North American colonies and European states. In order to do this, my paper explores the origins of World History by examining the periodization of 600 C.E. to 1750 C.E. The purpose is to illustrate the processes and global connections starting in the “core zone” of the Indian Ocean network and shifting throughout the period to the Atlantic world. Furthermore, the dichotomy of the Atlantic world via economic expansion and Enlightenment concepts have less value to the teaching of both world and European history without discussing the global relationship shared between the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean. Thus, the Atlantic world saw the use of religious constructs as a form and method in justifying Atlantic slavery, racial categorization, and the subjugation of women due to its injection of economic processes linked to the Indian Ocean.

Teaching World History and the modern European history course presents  several challenges as it relates to linking political and economic history to that of social history. Often times teachers separate them as though they are monolithic themes with very little relationship to the other; students are left to make connections for themselves, which works against them in understanding global history. I make a number of attempts at building conceptual bridges that explain the relationship of one theme to the next. To no surprise, it is easy to focus on the political development of states as a reference to other unfolding topics.

The process in my course starts not so much in the Atlantic world, but in the Indian Ocean. Juxtaposing the role of oceans to a time frame is key and fundamental in the development of power politics and economic systems. For example, I like to start with Lynda Schaffer’s Southernization. The basic premise in her work is that the embryonic step of European modernity got its birth in the Indian Ocean world – often noted as the International Zone and center for global trade. She contends in her work that:

The term southernization is meant to be analogous to westernization.  Westernization refers to certain developments that first occurred in Western Europe.  Those developments changed Europe and eventually spread to other places and changed them as well.  In the same way, southernization changed Southern Asia and later spread to other areas, which then underwent a process of change.[1]

The process of southernization had its greatest impact first in the Mediterranean world circa 1450, then in the Atlantic world circa 1650. Showcasing the transition from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean then to the Atlantic illustrates change in focus but not in political authority. By mid-eighteenth century, the British interest in India increased as the Moguls slowly declined as a power actor in the subcontinent. Still, the birth of a Eurocentric concept of modernity would start with the five leading Atlantic states that expanded across the Atlantic market. The true development of a western culture starts with this sense of political and economic exploration. It was the expansion of European society, which consisted of a number of parallel and competitive enterprises by European states and trading companies in which the main enemy was not an overseas power but a European rival – hence the term geo politics.[2] The economic development of European colonies and trading points were designed to cater to the needs of the imperial power; yet while this economic process was under way via settlement by Spain, England, France, Dutch, and the Portuguese, a process of social and intellectual transformation was taking place vis-à-vis economic labor systems.

By the mid-eighteenth century, western European states were undergoing an intellectual transformation that would define its role as a leader in shaping the Atlantic as well as the world. Moreover, the dawning of the Enlightenment has traditionally been depicted as a benign period of rationalism that saw the triumph of tolerance over barbaric prejudices and superstitions.[3] Recent scholarship has depicted the Enlightenment as a period of economic progress, but at the expense of racial injustice. According to Colin Kidd’s The Forging of Races, the study of the Enlightenment has is a central topic amidst those from the left and right of the cultural wars. Moreover, this central theme often used by teachers to establish what Eric Hobsbawm called the Dual Revolution (political and economic) established the rise in a new form of racism – neo racism, which was linked to the Atlantic. Emmanuel Eze claims that:

The Enlightenment’s declaration of itself as the ‘Age of Reason’ was predicated upon precisely the assumption that reason could historically could only come to maturity in modern Europe, while the inhabitants of areas outside Europe, who were considered to be of non-European racial and cultural origins, were consistently described and theorized as rationally inferior savage.[4]

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[1] Lynda Schaffer, “Southernization” Journal of World History 5, spring 1994, pp. 1-21.

[2] Hedley Bull & Adam Watson The Expansion of International Society 1988, Clarendon Press, pages 26 – 27.

[3] Colin Kidd, The Forging of Races, 2006, Cambridge Press, page 79.

[4] ibid, 80.

The Cosby Show: A Nonreflective Reality of (Black) Life

Television’s portrayal of blacks has had its ups and downs, from stereotype-laden comedies like ”Amos ‘n’ Andy” to advances like the late-60′s series ”Julia,” starring Diahann Carroll. It seemed to have reached a new stage in 1984 with the premiere of ”The Cosby Show,” on NBC. The show, about a family of black professionals, the Huxtables, ran successfully for eight years, attracting a multiracial audience, often topping the ratings and spawning another successful show, ”A Different World,” about the Huxtables’ daughter, going to college and rooming with a white woman at a historically black college. The great thing about this show, of course, was that it “A Different World” painted a positive image of black colleges, one that brought about white curiosity towards schools like Hampton or Howard University.

”The Cosby Show” was criticized in some quarters for depicting a nonrepresentative upper-middle-class family, but others argued that it exhibited positive values widely held in the black community that were too often overlooked on television. It seems that the Cosby Show feared complex topics that denote a sense of realism, especially about matters important to the black community. This might have more to do with its high ratings and general popularity across both white and black audiences. Recent shows that touch on  issues reflective of black communities have not done as well. For the most part, just turn to the WB or CW, stations that portray black shows. I do recall making it a point to watch the Cosby Show every Thursday night as a young grade school student. At that time the element and complexities of race were absent from my understanding. The show seem perfectly normal to me in that it portrayed what I deemed comedy at the time; however, with age and education, one cannot help but reflect on the show, hence noting not so much of what they were doing, but rather the absence of topics that pin point the complexities of the 1980s. My most recent paper showcases an avenue of darkness that plagued black life in the 1980s as seen in the gangster lyrics of NWA and other rappers.

I started renting and borrowing old episodes of the show to see what topics were addressed and what topics were omitted. Thus far, here are a few general things noticed:

1. There was a heightened sense of racial division during the 80s, however, that division did not seem to impact the black middle class.
2. No conversations about the issue of sexuality and sexual identity with the rise of AIDS.
3. The economic downturn that hurt many Americans, especially black Americans thus far did not exist.
4. Though break dancing was a part of Theo’s culture, the complexity of artist that marked the period in a more realist genre was absent. There was talk of Michael Jackson, though.
5. The show did define the significance of religion on a few episodes, but avoided its relevance in the black community altogether.
6. Drugs thus far has not been an issue.
7. Black on black crime was a non topic.
8. Interracial dating was addressed in a positive fashion, though done so indirectly
9. There was no Cold War. Also, the general topic of politics and civil rights so far has not been seen.
10. There was no evidence of popular culture.

New Urban Hip-Hop Academic Journal

My friend Phil, who is the former chair at the Second Baptist School and who is currently a visiting professor at Sam Houston State University, sent me information on a new and different type of peer-reviewed academic journal that is looking for scholarly works for publication. I am interested in the academic audience this journal is looking to capture; I suspect those who read it and look to publish in it come from a number of disciplines outside of just history. I can see those in the area of Black Studies, Gender Studies, Sociology, etc contributing to the success of this journal. Phil thought this would be a great place to submit my work on the 1980s. Because I address the origins of hip-hop culture a great deal, maybe my paper’s anthropological perspective on race and culture might be of interest to them.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The editorial staff of Words. Beats. Life: The Global Journal of Hip-Hop
Culture seeks high quality manuscripts, literature, poetry, book reviews and artwork for a general topic issue to be published in July 2010. We invite innovative submissions that consider hip-hop music and culture from a wide range of critical perspectives. In-depth studies of individual artists and texts are welcome. In particular, works from the fields of ethnomusicology, gender studies, interdisciplinary studies, cultural studies, technology and sociology are encouraged. We also accept research on areas that influence our work as academics, including hip-hop pedagogy and curriculum, as well as the place of hip-hop studies in the university. Additionally, Words. Beats.  Life welcomes provocative essays that will stimulate thought on the current and future role of hip-hop culture and music in the 21st century.

Words. Beats. Life: The Global Journal of Hip-Hop Culture is a
peer-reviewed, hybrid periodical of art and hip-hop studies published by the 501(c)(3) non-profit, Words Beats & Life, Inc. The Journal is committed to nurturing and showcasing the creative talents and expertise of the field in a layout that is uniquely hip-hop inspired. We publish issues twice a year with the intention of serving as a platform where the work of scholars and artists can appear in dialogue with one another. Since 2002, Words. Beats. Life has devoted its pages to both emerging and established intellectuals and artists. As the premier resource for hip-hop theory and practice, we hope that the scholarship we publish will serve as a resource for the field of hip-hop studies and the work of hip-hop non-profits, helping each to elevate to the next phase of their respective growth in America and around the globe.

After reading what this publication is looking for, I suspect much of what I teach and discuss might be of use. As my paper mentions,  it was during the eighties and early nineties that  America was in a struggle to define its intellectual and spiritual identity. The nation had clearly moved in a more conservative direction during the Reagan-Bush years. I recall the eighties being a period of heightened racial tension, as neighborhoods continued to become even more segregated due to the lack of economic opportunities for both poor whites and ethnic/ racial minorities. This was very clear to me at a young age when my family moved from Limestone, Maine to Montgomery, Alabama – one of the more segregated cities in the country. However, race was not the only “cultural force” at work. Americans still did not understand the origins of AIDS, as many ignorant of this terrible disease prejudiced by the realities of modern day relationships assumed it was a gay only disease. Moreover, the eighties was the decade that first introduced gangster rap, a form of realist genre that illustrated the harsh realities of black and Latino urban life, which was amply portrayed in the movie Colors, staring Sean Penn and musically produced by Ice-T.

Furthermore, urban life was not the only thing impacted by Americans’ heightened anxiety over the Cold War. Although teenage sex and pregnancy were nothing new, the eighties witnessed the advertised manifestation of suburban teen pregnancy and underage drinking. Those events led some to fix the blame of poor parenting on the educational curriculum found in both pre-collegiate and collegiate institutions. The stage was set for some “actors” to usher their concerns by trying to regulate what was being taught in schools. Fortunately for colleges and universities, they were somewhat removed from government micromanagement of their research and teaching; unfortunately, secondary schools were not so fortunate. While many public schools were offering courses such as sex education and parenting, others were debating the merit of what “content” should be taught and which books should be read. I am always amazed when people ask me if I teach the “right” kind of history. Here is my answer: I teach it the way it should be taught — the truthful way.

Going back to the quasi-radical shift of the sixties, many universities started offering courses that addressed many social issues. The academy saw the emergence of Gay, Lesbian, and Queer theory transform scholarship as it worked its way into the curriculum. Gender Studies as well as the emergence of Black Studies departments emerged. With the advent of school desegregation, the growth of co-educational institutions, and Affirmative Action, America’s traditional school curriculum was being transformed by voices that were once silent. To combat this transition, a number of sectarian and nonsectarian schools emerged to educate students on topics that did not address societal contradictions.

Christian Schools

I am spending my day (literally) editing a survey form that I will email to a number of independent schools across the country. This will be the second such survey I will send. I am targeting protestant Christian schools with this one, including upper-tier Christian schools. The perception that many in the general public have of Christian schools is this:

Most Christian schools are driven too much by those with a very narrow view of academics and what should be learned. They are usually housed in the basement of a Church, and have very poor finances. They do not conduct at large candidate searches for the top rated faculty members in the nation because such faculty members are usually too progressive. Christian schools cannot recruit top minority teachers because such people hold different views than that of Christian schools (see my post on faculty diversity).

I found this comment to be very interesting; however, it is not “wholly” inaccurate when one looks at a number of Christian schools across the nation, but particularly in the Northwest and deep South. But there are upper-tier Christian schools like Houston Christian I plan to visit, such as: Woodberry Forest, the Wesleyan School, and Greater Atlanta Christian. In my circle, many think the Wesleyan School is the one that all Christian Schools should emulate; I do have close relationships with people on each of the aforementioned campuses. Thus, looking at their archives might not be too difficult.

Still, these schools are far more national in scope. Thus what I ascertain from them might not be as valuable as “in the basement of a building Christian school” in Jackson, Mississippi. This means that  I am still working on my list of Christian schools to solicit my survey on race and independent schools to. Of course I have all but decided there needs to be a few more hours in the day and a few more days in the week. Now that my other paper is close to being done (not yet), I am thinking down the road to other projects, including the co-authoring of a book with Phil that addresses Du Bois, co-authoring a paper on point of view with Mrs. Cowart, and drafting a vertical team curriculum guide for my department. Because I am so organized (really!) right now, I feel that I can conquer this and continue to have some of the best courses on campus. Yes, I am on a rush. Oh, did I mention the four marathons this season I will run in hopes of a Boston Q time? For those of you who follow my blog, here is what I have noted about this project:

The United States witnessed one of its greatest historical increases in private day schools between 1950 and 1980. Much of this increase is credited to the rise of Supreme Court rulings on matters such as religion, de jure segregation, and abortion. Unlike other historians who look at political policy and de facto segregation in explaining the rise of religious Christian schools and nonsectarian independent schools, I am working to borrow their work to explain demographic developments of schools and communities while my work concentrates more on the historical experience of black students in private schools.  This, of course, presents my greatest challenge. There is the cost of doing historical research as an independent scholar with little to no financial support. My previous travels did not take as much of a financial toll as the trips I need to make. To help with this part, I must address the other complicated question all researchers face: How do I narrow the scope and focus of a goal that is not too broad…but one that can be geographically extensive? I will continue to look at three categories of schools: 1.) Christian schools that emerged after 1954(?). 2.) Nonsectarian independent schools. 3.) Boarding Schools. I am still working on the time line, but that appears to be coming together well.

The Professional Meeting

I am excited about finishing my paper on the 1980s as a significant historical period in the United States History survey course. I usually teach this decade with great passion and interest seeing that I still listen to much of the music, and can recall every member of the Brat Pack that shaped teen pop culture.. I have been doing some work towards completing a journal article this summer on the historical impact of rap music and the socioeconomic conditions that shaped race relations during the 1980s; much of this piece looks at the pedagogical significance of teaching the 80s via music and popular culture. I will make a greater attempt to spend more time teaching this decade this year. Plus, it best reflects the community and neighborhood I grew up in at this time.

I have my eyes set on a few meetings to share my work; I love getting feedback from colleagues at professional meetings before I submit a work. One such meeting on the ole radar is the 2010 OAH conference. Two of my papers were accepted at professional meetings last year. This is one I am most hopeful of too; I suspect I am because this paper truly reflects my teaching of this period for the past five years. Students will tell you that the teaching of the 1980 allows me to show my true colors: Introducing my favorite hard core rappers of the 80s such as NWA, Public Enemy, and Eric B & Rakim. I also worked Michael Jackson into this piece long before he became a posthumous sensation.

A number of professional historical and educational associations have shifted their philosophy and expectation on how one presents his or her work; in the past, the typical model was a quick 20 – 25 minute read of the paper, followed by a question and answer session… usually directed by a session chair. I try to get my final draft to the session chair weeks in advance so that he or she can read the work carefully, thus allowing time to reflect on the work in order to promote some type of discussion once each presenter has read his/her work. To keep some semblance of life present during a reading, I show slides to enhance my reading and drive home my premise. The paradoxical part about attending a conference full of teachers and independent scholars is that we have been known to model the worst pedagogical methods. I have watched presenters disseminate content to peers in ways that would not be acceptable in the classroom. However, I have seen teachers present papers in ways that made me say wow!

In the picture above, I am presenting a paper addressing the concept of trans-racial identity and feminist equality in the Atlantic world. My paper went on to address the international organization of women and their rights in the era of sexual emancipation and the rise of anti-slave societies. After reading portions of my paper that addressed this basic premise, I went on to show a brief series of slides showcasing the significance of political borders… by land and sea, as well as the role of slavery, religion, and gender as constructs of the Atlantic world.

Because the delivery of content is so important at professional meetings, organizations such as the AHA and OAH have adopted new standards such as interactive sessions and poster sessions — though the reading of a paper is still customary. The OAH noted:

…invites the submission of panels and presentations that deal with these and other issues and themes in American history. We welcome teaching sessions, particularly those involving the audience as active participants or those that reflect collaborative partnerships among teachers, historians, and history educators at all levels. We urge presenters to continue the ongoing transition from simply reading papers to more actively “teaching” the topic of their sessions. Roundtables and workshops offer an excellent format for this. We prefer to receive proposals for complete sessions, but will consider individual paper proposals as well.

Good Luck Phil Sinitiere

Today is a big day for my friend and colleague Phil Sinitiere; he will be defending his doctoral dissertation at the University of Houston; Phil’s research interest centers around race and religion. Phil and I are working on a book that looks at WEB Du Bois’s writings and artistic depictions and placing them in a reader. We are opening the reader with an essay on Du Bois’s political and religious constructs; I am writing the political piece while Phil drafts the religious essay. I will say more about this project the closer we are to getting it published; we will spend sometime at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s archives this summer finishing the research. Until we can celebrate the completion of this book, let us wish Phil the best today as he presents his research so that he can collect the PhD. Also, congrats to Phil on the publication of his most recent book: Holy Mavericks. See the book cover below.

Publish or Pay: It Has a Price

Have you been to a book store of late? Man there is a lot of junk being written by academics and journalists. In higher education, faculty member are asked to publish a great deal for tenure and promotion; however, what about the junk that is being written for the sake of publishing? According to the article below, faculty members are pushing too much bad literature that does not correlate well with the interest of students. Again, as one of my former professors recently stated to me about a book I used to have on my required reading list: “I hear students complain about having to read ______ while in high school; it is not that they hated the book; the book had too many pages.” All papers and books published go through the process of peer review;  if it is deemed of value, it will be published. The questions is: Who outside of a bunch of stiff experts believe it is of value? Honestly, most literature in a particular field is written for students and other experts in that field of interest. Works deemed as “generalist” receive far less attention and respect. So the problem of course is this: According to the article below, students do not want to read a lot of the stuff being published.

I must admit, I belong to roughly three different historical organizations. Each society has its own journal. I do my best to read as many books as I can. But as we all know, there are only so many hours in a day. Students ask me how I know so much about so many books in my field. My response: When a new journal arrives on my desk, I turn to the section titled review of books. This is the best way to keep up with recent conversations and scholarship, as well as knowing what to add to your library.

Scholarly output rises; undergraduates are disengaged. “This is the real calamity of the research mandate — 10,000 harried professors forced to labor on disregarded print, and 100,000 unwitting students missing out on rigorous face-to-face learning,” Mark Bauerlein, a professor of English at Emory University, writes in a new paper on relieving research expectations in the humanities. Read the rest here…

Department Travels, Independent Schools, and My Work

Above: HCHS History Department

Houston Christian’s head of school and the board have approved departmental travels for each department to visit other independent schools throughout the country. Purpose: To learn what they do well and what makes them elite at what they do. It is exciting to see that we are continuing to move in an academic direction of distinction. I honestly believe we are on the brink of being one of the more notable schools. Although I am clearly biased here, I do believe the most important quality of academic greatness is having a dynamic faculty. Elite faculty members make a school better. And yes I do consider myself to be in an elite category. My students deserve that.

Here is what I had to say in the past about my own research and travels to other independent schools:

I have traveled to visit a number of independent (private) day and boarding schools in the New England states as part of a research and writing project (read more about my research here). I like the social and intellectual freedom given to both students and faculty at the most elite schools. Moreover, the focus of my visit was to gain an understanding of elite academic culture, the development of diversity over time, and their purpose toward educating elite students. Of course, those factors are only secondary. My writing will focus on the day to day impact elite schools have on African American students and how it compares to lower tier independent schools. There is a bigger goal for this work that I am not at liberty to address now; it is too early. Three years ago I wrote a paper entitled Teachers of Color and Independent Schools. Although I wanted to present this at the National Association of Independent School’s People of Color Conference, my abstract was accepted at a College Board regional forum. This project is a very distant continuation of that….A far more complex task as I look at race, independent schools, and elite and mass culture in America.

I asked a few leaders of elite schools what makes their institution different from that of others, here are a few sample responses:

* Unlike many private schools in America, we do not try to be like every other public and private school. Too many private schools are not really independent schools because they work too hard to attract students from public schools. Now, according to this response, when independent schools work to attract public school students, they usually try to conform with many state mandated legislation. Thus, in doing so, students are able to transfer or matriculate to a private school easier without credit issues. This is not the job of an independent school. Independent schools should focus on an elite education with a unique academic goal. I like the idea that many NAIS schools do not require teacher certification. Although I have one, I think they are silly. Elite schools are interested in content knowledge and the ability to communicate that knowledge to bright students. So, if you majored in history and did not certify to teach, there are a number of really good jobs out there.

*Diversity: Intellectual, religious, racial, and economic diversity of faculty and students make a school elite. Allowing ideas to flow in exchange without fear of suppression is crucial to the advancement of an academic community.

* Resources: I got a ton of information here. I am not going to address the endowment issue, but institutional wealth is clearly important.

* Tradition: Faculty and students must believe in the school and its purpose. If the faculty does not see the purpose and goals of a school, tradition will never be established nor will it last. Examples: Having an academic and social honor code should be the core of any school, but this is always the case at many elite schools.

* Empowering the Faculty: Elite schools should empower its faculty. One administrator told me that the key to school leadership is providing its faculty with a voice. I am amazed at the number of schools that have a faculty senate in place. This allows the faculty to have a stronger voice on matters such as program direction, facility issues, directional planning, earnings, etc. I suspect that many private schools operate under the superintendent mentality. The board tells the headmaster who tells the dean of faculty who then tells the faculty. This is the classic model of Taylorism: Chain of command hierarchy – not the democratic model found with a faculty senate.

* Students: The assistant headmaster at Houston’s St. John’s School is a friend and a person I respect greatly. He is thought to be one of the best leaders amongst independent schools. As an African American, Mark Reed and others told me that the key to being an elite school is found within the student population. I call it the 1200 mark. All elite schools have an SAT average of at least 1200, many such as St. John’s are over 1400.

Here are the schools we are hoping to visit:

Brooklyn Friends-NY

Est: 1867

Grades:PreK – 12

Student/Faculty Ratio: 7:1

Size: 640

Tuition: $28,000

Programs:IB,

SAT/ACT:

AP:

Accreditations: NAIS,NY Assoc of Independent Schools,

Misc: 1/3 on tuition assistance grants, similar core values, Leadership, Oversees Travel

History Specific: 9^th World, 10^th US, 11^th/12^th electives including Psychology, Art, Euro, China, Rome, Global, Equal Rights, Holocaust

Kingswood Oxford- Conn

Est: 1909

Grades: 6-12

Student/Faculty Ratio: 7:1

Size: 595 / 401 Upper

Tuition: $29,750 includes lunch

Programs:

SAT/ACT:

AP: 21 courses, Top 5 schools for AP scores in Conn, 55% Seniors named AP scholars

Accreditations:

Misc:29% Financial Assistance, 15% Diversity, Senior Thesis, Community Service req, Fine Arts program, communicate value of being at school, parents choose for global awareness

History Specific: 3 History credits,

Philips Andover-Conn

Est: 231 years been around

Grades: 9-12

Student/Faculty Ratio: 5:1, avg class 13

Size: 300 for day, 800 boarding

Tuition: $30,500

Programs:

SAT/ACT: 684 reading, 700 math, 692 writing, 1384

AP: 30 AP classes

Accreditations:

Misc: 37% students of color, Trimesters, 42% financial assistance, study abroad

History Specific: 4 History credits, qualification for certain courses

Calhoun School-NY

Est: 1986

Grades:PreK-12

Student/Faculty Ratio: 10-15 in class

Size: 740

Tuition: $33,000

Programs:

SAT/ACT:

AP:

Accreditations: NYSAIS

Misc: Oversees Travel, Community Service

History Specific: 9^th/10^th World, 11^th US, 12^th electives including psychology, constitutional law, Atlantic history, globalization, US foreign policy from 1799, Modern middle east, Latin America,

Stoneybrook- Spring Break during proposed travel dates

Est: 1922

Grades: 7-12

Student/Faculty Ratio: 8:1

Size: 337

Tuition: $21,000 (Day student)

Programs: AP

SAT/ACT:

AP: 30-40% AP Scholars (3 AP courses with 3 or better)

Accreditations:NAIS, NY Assoc of Independent Schools, NACAC, NASSP, TABS

Misc: Similar Christian leadership, Fine Arts Program

History Specific: 4 credits in History