Phillips Exeter Academy (home, dorms, top schools)

[yinduffy]

Just spent two days at Phillips Exeter Academy watching my daughter compete in state swim championships. Talk about an old new England town! The academy dates from the 1700's and there were sports trophies from the 1890's on display. As a high school college prep school a lot of kids have gone on to Harvard and other top schools.
I was wondering if anyone out there has any stories to tell about the school or the students?

[maestramommy]

One of my former coworkers went there a few years ago for a teachers workshop in some of the teaching styles there. It's called Round Table learning. Each student is responsible for a ton of reading each night, and the next morning there is a discussion on the reading. Your level of participation determines your grade for the day. I'm putting it simplistically I'm sure, but it did sound interesting, esp. for that grade level.

[NH2008]

We have a friend (good friend's relative) who just started teaching there. He moved across country with his fiancee but they can't live in the dorms as resident heads until they are married.

John Irving writes about it a lot because he is a grad.

[Annabelle]

I was employed at PEA for several years. The school uses the Harkness method of teaching and the oval tables are called Harkness Tables. Here's a link from their website about the Harkness method. Phillips Exeter Academy | The Amazing Harkness Philosophy. I've heard students who excelled in discussions around the tables referred to as as "Harkness Warriors". If you are a shy wallflower, PEA is not for you!

John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" (my favorite book of all time) is set in Exeter (although he calls the town "Gravesend" in the book). The academy and many locations in Exeter are prominently featured in the book.

[buck naked]

Phillip Exeter's list of alumni is quite a who's who list, but the classes are very small, no more than 12 students each.

The World According to Garp was about PEA, with substituted names. My favorite was A Separate Peace.

[GregW]

Too bad the country cannot afford to spend as much on all our students as the elite spends at Phillip Exeter. The Harkness method sounds wonderful and much superior to 35 kids bored to distraction in a conventional classroon. This is not a political comment but a just a regret.

[lisa g]

Greg, check this out: Phillips Exeter Academy | Can I Get Financial Aid?

[dognh]

The Government can spend 100K per student, but if your momma is a crack ***** and you daddy is in the can, it's not going to do squat. A good education starts with a good home, two parents, and an emphasis on learning -- school just focuses that natural learning desire into learning different subjects.

[deerstar]

A hard truth, but accurate.

[GregW]

I disagree. My dad was a drunk and my mother co-dependant. Nothing at home made sense. I preferred school where smarts and hard work were appreciated and rewarded. My short fused temper was not so welcome. I think I would have thrived in the Phillips Academy atmosphere. If nothing else it would have removed me from my dysfunctional family. I might even have become civilized.