HAMILTON HIGH (PENNSYLVANIA).   Term Paper ID:20672 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Analyzes school since 1953 founding, focusing on Gerald Grant's 1988 book [The World We Created at Hamilton High]. Impact of societal changes, racism, changing roles & attitudes of students & teachers, socioeconomics.... More...

10 Pages / 2250 Words 11 sources, 22 Citations, APA Format $40.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Analyzes school since 1953 founding, focusing on Gerald Grant's 1988 book [The World We Created at Hamilton High]. Impact of societal changes, racism, changing roles & attitudes of students & teachers, socioeconomics. Paper Introduction: Hamilton High: An Analysis Gerald Grant's book, The World We Created at Hamilton High, clearly shows the dilemmas of public schools today. His description of what happened to an American high school during several decades of optimism, integration, and rebellion serves as a microcosm of education in the larger society. Grant squarely places the issues of the last thirty-five years before the reader and presents a case history of a school that attempted the American dream--a fair education for everyone. It is the purpose of this paper to analyze the book, covering the major historical, political, legal, and social influences on Hamilton High and the general influences on education in the United States over the past thirty or forty years. The book was a result of Grant's interest in what makes a Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Multiculturalism: Myths andrealities. The softer principal, Cunneen, was fired, and atougher administrator, Kielecki, was hired to restore order. 156165. One 1971 study showed thatparental unemployment caused a shift toward apathy, lower expectation, andloss of temporal structure in daily life. One member of theschool board found that his daughter had cut 85 classes during one term atHamilton, and he had not been notified (Grant, 1988, p. The good old days are no longer with us, andthe adjustments required in schools and school personnel are deep andprofound. Hechose Hamilton high, not because it is a typical school, but because it iscloser to an ideal school. 18). Public schools in the United States simply no longer compare to thosethirty or forty years ago. The school earned a strong academicreputation because it attracted motivated, college-bound students whom themore qualified teachers wanted to teach. The nuclear family norm with clear-cut sexually stereotyped division of labor and responsibility has given wayto dual-career families and households made up of various combinations ofpeople. As an outgrowth of several small studies in thirty-five schools hefocused on writing a sociologically informed history of Hamilton High. Vietnam war protests and studentdemands for a voice in educational decisions trickled down from collegecampuses, affecting the climate of high schools in the 197 's, especiallyschools like Hamilton High that were geographically situated near auniversity (Grant, 1988, p. 47). Price, H. 61). Hamilton High has done remarkably well in its resilience andadaptation, and Gerald Grant poignantly captures the essence of itsexperience. Adult authority was widely questioned, and there were severallawsuits against teachers during this time period. Rutter, M. The school was quite stable during its early, post-war time period.There was consensus among the community, principal, and faculty regardingthe purposes of the school--to get the children into good colleges andmaintain competitive athletic teams. Cities,especially inner cities, harbor greater crime, mental disorder, educationalfailure, and family breakdowns. 2 5). These dramatic socialforces caused a decline in student achievement during the 196 's and 197 'swith signs of some improvement in the early 198 's. It isnot surprising that the shift in demographics of Hamilton High studentsfrom predominantly middle class white to racially mixed caused substantialchange in every facet of the school. (1981, Winter). America as a democratic society has gradually, though painfully,expanded the education system to serve various groups which were ignored inthe past. In his words, at the turn of the century, the Americanhigh school was like an avocado. It pounded most insistentlyon school doors because the school as an institution is supposed to serveall sectors of society. This type ofindividual or family contrasts greatly from the initial community ofHamilton High in the 195 s. The Asian students had quite different behavior standardsand were confused by American informality. (1993).Exceptional children, Seventh Edition. 2-9. By the early 197 's the Hamilton High teachers had splitinto three groups--the old-guard males, conservative female teachers, andyounger liberal faculty of both sexes. Hamilton High was established in the beautiful hills of the newlydeveloped upper middle class east side of the city of Median, a smallerPittsburgh with a population of about 22 , . Department heads had reducedteaching assignments, private offices, and phones from which to phoneparents. J. Alienation and the four worldsof childhood. Adolescents from families whichsuffer economic deprivation tend to develop an aimless life style, a stylelacking plans and purposeful behavior (Elder, 1981, p. Theteachers were forced to reduce academic demands as students negotiatedtheir own curriculum. A., Gallagher, J. Grant, G. Laughter returned. Although the teachers, parents, and students ofHamilton High during the 196 's and 197 's could not have recognized itduring the bewildering events of that time, their experiences were actuallytypical, perhaps a few years ahead of much of the nation. Anidealistic view of a melting pot proved to be unworkable, and America hadto revamp the way it developed talent from all sectors (Price, 1992, p.212). Grant terms the years between 1966 and 1971 the "Deconstruction ofthe Old World" (Grant, 1988, p. Curriculum changes were chaotic. A few teachers stayed strictly tothemselves, even eating lunches in their rooms alone (Grant, 1988, p. Elder, G. Classroom seating arrangements were moremixed, and persons of all races formed friendships with others of all races(Grant, 1988, p. What is most pronounced in Grant's study of Hamilton High is theeruption of the racial issue. In a complex, multi-faceted, technological society, it isdifficult for any group of school administrators and educators to agree onthe best aims for students of the present and future. 95). 77). Under the stresses of jobs and technological living, mealpreparation, child care, shopping and cleaning, become major challenges forfamilies (Bronfenbrenner, 1986, p. 416). 41 -431. By1971, 72 percent of the 1966 Hamilton High teachers had resigned, retired,or transferred (Grant, 1988, p. The whole field of special education made brand new demands onthe public schools with new federal and state laws which expected thatdisabled and handicapped students receive their rightful education.Mainstreaming and public laws change how various groups view each other andtry to get along within a social system that was not designed with theneeds of special students in mind (Kirk, 1993, P. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. The years between 1971 and 1979 brought a true social revolution.Student power became more important than teacher power. Morgan, W. Delta Kappan, 74, pp. Must we disown our past to becomea multicultural society? 66). The urge to die: Why young people commitsuicide. 611-625.----------------------- 1 Not only had racial desegregation anddeconstruction of the traditional authority radically changed the school,but now the composition of the student body was further changed by theenrollment of two new groups--Asian students and disabled students (Grant,1988, p. McKenna, G., & Feingold, S. (1979). F., & Griffin, L. More attention was given to children of other cultures, especiallyblack children, and issues of class and power came to the forefront.Instead of offhandedly expecting non-white children to achieve less,experts and educators stopped blaming the victims, the students themselves,for the problems brought about by inequities in social class and economics(McKenna & Feingold, 1981, p. High school students at this timewere referred to as "boys" and "girls." Their teen years were a moratoriumbetween childhood and adulthood. Research has shown that familybackground, especially parental socioeconomic status, greatly affects thelevel of school performance. 24). McCleskey, C. The concept ofauthority was greatly questioned and re-examined during the decades coveredby Grant's work. Kirk, S. As various racial and ethnic groups attempted to mingle andcooperate, the schools felt the need for important accommodations. Cambridge:Harvard University Press. Guilford, Connecticut: TheDushkin Publishing Group, Inc. 2 8-213. Prejudice existed among the faculty as well as the students. Thehistory is not long, as the school was established in 1953, but long enoughto provide a critical perspective of the changing forces within and withoutthe field of education as shown in one school (Grant, 1988, p. The book was a result of Grant's interest in what makes a goodschool. Taking sides: Clashing views oncontroversial political issues, Second Edition. It is a racially, ethnically, and economicallyintegrated public school that serves a number of disabled students in theregular classroom. (1992, March/April). Journal ofFamily History, 5, pp. The racial brawls ground down the teachers. Some of the younger teachers encouraged thestudents to call them by their first names, and drug use mounted, amongstudents and the younger faculty. Education struggled to accommodate thedemands of desegregation, integration, and multicultural education. The principal ran a tight ship, and his decisions regardingrules, hiring, and expelling were seldom questioned.By 196 there were only two black students among the 35 students whograduated that year. The black students increased in number, and tensions mounted.The white students did not know how to socialize with the blacks, and theteachers did not know how to deal with impudent lack of respect forauthority. (1981). Sociologically, offspring of lower income, particularly unemployedparents tend to behave rather differently. (1992, November). 432). It represents America in a microcosm. Faculty authority was questioned and then restored. 157). The disabled students wereoften taunted and imitated by the other students. Facultydivisions arose. Schools as social bureaucracies constantly struggle with theirnebulous aim of educating youth in order that they might function insociety. The stresses that cause this development everywherealso impacted Hamilton High (Giovacchini, 1981, p. Hamilton student activists started anunderground newspaper that promoted student rights and resistance to themilitary draft. 432-436. In the second half of the book, Grant discusses the forces at largewhich impacted the school and education across America. The schoolhad, more or less, become a social service center in which a variety ofspecialists served the students. Early 195 s photographs of the students show the carefullycoiffed girls in sweaters, skirts, and pearls smiling at boys in crew cutsand baggy khakis (Grant, 1988, p. The winds of the sexual revolution stirred Hamilton High. A strict dress code distinguished students from teachers, andsocial distance was maintained (Grant, 1988, p. The school day was short, only 9: a.m. J., & Anastasiow, N. The economic development of an urban society greatly changed thenature of life in general. The world we created at Hamilton High. References Bronfenbrenner, U. Atcommencement, some students rolled across the stage on skateboards toreceive their diplomas. 124). Lovin, R. to2:3 p.m., but students were expected to complete about two hours ofhomework each evening. Racial tensions mounted, rioting eventually erupted, and theadministration spent roughly 9 percent of their time absorbed indisciplinary measures. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. The American political journal.Homewood, Illinois: The Dorsey Press. Unfortunately, the teachers atHamilton High had to pay a price for generations of societal racism. Grant squarely places the issues of the last thirty-five yearsbefore the reader and presents a case history of a school that attemptedthe American dream--a fair education for everyone. 3 ). 44). Life in cities is more alienating foreveryone, and children and youth may suffer trickle-down stresses fromtheir parents, especially single parents, who have their own challenges(Rutter, 1981, p. A researcher who spent time in theschool noted that a business math class was predominantly black. His description of whathappened to an American high school during several decades of optimism,integration, and rebellion serves as a microcosm of education in the largersociety. (1981). Thehallways glistened, and students were rarely late to class. 5). 242). During the past few decades, the rate of teenagesuicide has increased. The city and the child. Onlyprison guards were more preoccupied with keeping order, and teachers hadthe dual responsibility of trying to educate at the same time. Severalwhite teachers used the word "nigger" in the faculty lounge, and thelibrarian would let a black student have a book only if a white student didnot want it (Grant, 1988, p. 48). Student tardiness, absenteeism, employment anddropout rates increased (Grant, 1988, p. 2). AmericanJournal of Orthopsychiatry, 51 (4), pp. 95). 26). The social system of the school had been transformed.Fraternities and sororities were officially abolished, and the old trackingsystem did not exist. Family pressures are different presently than they were in the yearsof the establishment of Hamilton High. 1). There were free breakfast programs, sexeducation, drug counseling, suicide prevention, medical advice, counselingfor pregnant teenagers, and child care for children of the students (Grant,1988, p. The interestingresult was a near-duplication of the old tracking system because the betterstudents rushed to register for classes with the best, more traditionalteachers. (1988). Grant andhis researchers found in a sample of blacks and whites with constant IQ'sthe blacks were given significantly lower grades. W. Education in a multicultural society is doubly taxed, becauseeducation has a culture of its own which often goes back several centuries,more than mere decades (Lovin, 1992, p. The center of adult power was virtuallyimpregnable (Grant, 1988, p. 13). Students showed deference to the teachers, and theyounger staff respected the senior staff. Hamilton High: An Analysis Gerald Grant's book, The World We Created at Hamilton High, clearlyshows the dilemmas of public schools today. (1981, October). Disorder,misbehavior, and drug use rose, and subsequently declined (Grant, 1988, p.2 3). The attractive campus appealed toboth groups. H. Liberal Education, 78 (2), pp. The administrationwas weak. One black student complained that in a social studies class ifthe word "Negro" was mentioned, everyone would turn around and stare at him(Grant, 1988, p. There was a collapse ofadult authority as a standard for children, and adults seemed to fall backon a strictly legal, technical view of the responsibilities. 6). It is said that when two dogs got loose in the school, afaculty member quipped, "Don't let in any more or we will have to start aprogram for them." Loitering students and litter filled the halls. Grant describes a second transformation which occurred during theyears of 198 to 1985. (Ed.) (1982). Great societal forces were pushingfor desegregation, and few teachers or schools were prepared for suchchanges. There weresexual affairs among the faculty, and an occasional liaison between facultyand student was overlooked. This time period saw a remarkable settling down at Hamilton High.Order was restored, a new order reflecting respect for every type ofperson. Giovacchini, P. The civil rights movement cut all acrossAmerica and still is not completely resolved. However, the social forces of the 196 sand the 197 s greatly shifted power bases in every area of society. B. New,softer courses replaced the former college preparatory classes, andstudents signed up for whatever they wished to study. Goodnatured joking replaced racial tensions, as awhite student called to a black friend in a dimly lighted locker room,"Smile, Jesse, so I can see you" (Grant, 1988, p. No such focus centered on the white students. The social revolutions that swept through Hamilton High mirroredthose in the larger society. Schools nationwide went through great changes in the 197 's and198 's. Like it or not, the value systems of thedifferent classes greatly clash at times, especially when coming togetherwithin a social institution such as a school (Morgan, 1979, p. (1986, February). In198 , the September 1 edition of The Wall Street Journal noted thecrumbling of teacher authority in schools nationwide, along with erosion ofauthority of state and federal officials (McCleskey, 1982, p. Most people in America now live in cities asopposed to rural or suburban environments, and this shift has dramaticallychanged the nature and quality of life for families and students. 219). In the city ofMedian, real estate prices had stabilized, and white families no longerexodused the city. Scarcity and prosperity in postwarchildbearing: Explorations from a life course perspective. 74). The old, understood world had been swept away, and a new world was inthe process of creation. J. It is not surprisingthat the community, principals, and teachers of Hamilton High struggledgreatly in trying to adjust to powerful societal forces influencing peopleeverywhere in the country. Socialorigins, parental values, and the transmission of inequality. The public schools bore the brunt of black anger(Grant, 1988, p. Phi Delta Kappan, 67, pp. R., Alwin, D. It is the purpose ofthis paper to analyze the book, covering the major historical, political,legal, and social influences on Hamilton High and the general influences oneducation in the United States over the past thirty or forty years. The civil rights movement was one of several forces that effectedHamilton High during this time period. The level ofachievement was high, and teaching positions at Hamilton High wereconsidered quite desirable. During these pre-Sputnik years, the school was very orderly. A radical change had occurred in the rulesdefining interactions between adults and students, and these changesaffected every aspect of school life. 5). AmericanJournal of Sociology, 85, (1), pp. Hamilton's students wereprimarily the children of professionals, managers, and faculty of the localuniversity. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.