A Case Study of Phillips Academy
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Access Through the Ages at an Elite Boarding School: A Case Study of Phillips Academy Author: Samantha Jo Carney Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/2768 This work is posted on eScholarship@BC, Boston College University Libraries. Boston College Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, 2012 Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. BOSTON COLLEGE Lynch School of Education Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education Program in Higher Education ACCESS THROUGH THE AGES AT AN ELITE BOARDING SCHOOL: A CASE STUDY OF PHILLIPS ACADEMY Dissertation by SAMANTHA CARNEY Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2012 © Copyright by Samantha Carney 2012 Access Through the Ages at an Elite Boarding School: A Case Study of Phillips Academy by Samantha Carney Dr. Ted I. K. Youn, Dissertation Chair ABSTRACT This study is about access for low-income students at an elite boarding school. As “feeder schools” to elite colleges and universities, elite boarding schools play a significant role in determining which students will be in the upper class in America; however, little is known about the history of low-income students at these schools. The purpose of this study is to examine the history of access at one elite boarding school through the frameworks of organizational saga and institutional theory to enhance understanding of how the concepts of access and opportunity at elite institutions have developed over time. Employing a historical, organizational case study approach, this study uses archival research, document review, and interviews with school leaders to construct a developmental history of Phillips Academy, in Andover, Massachusetts. Findings from data collection and analysis revealed a profound organizational saga oriented towards access that has guided Phillips Academy through its development. Phillips Academy’s powerful organizational saga of access is embraced by senior leaders, faculty, and alumni, and has deepened their commitment to the historical traditions of the institution. This organizational saga allowed the school to survive and thrive, despite major changes in its organizational field over the last century. By fostering deep commitment among multiple actors throughout the institution’s history, Phillips Academy’s organizational saga has become a dominant influence in its organizational decision-making. This research extends Burton Clark’s (1970) concept of organizational saga to the concept of organizational fields, and explores the interaction of a strong organizational saga with an institution’s organizational field. It contributes to the literature on elite boarding schools, and enriches that of elite colleges and universities by better understanding their historic “feeder schools.” It also contributes to our understanding of social production, reproduction, and mobility in the United States. Implications for theory and elite boarding schools, colleges, and universities are discussed, along with calls for further research. Acknowledgements This dissertation has truly been a labor of love. Years ago I myself was a scholarship student at a boarding school, navigating what then seemed like uncharted territory. The experience was a transformational one, and it allowed me to see firsthand the potential of elite education to change lives. The story of scholarship students at boarding schools is not one often told, and I feel fortunate to have a part in sharing the story, for both the students and the institutions that serve them. In a way, this study is my small way of paying it forward. I owe endless thanks to all of the Phillips Academy administrators, staff, and faculty that welcomed me onto campus and into the community. In particular, the camaraderie and support of Nancy Jeton, Belinda Traub, and Melissa Dolan in the Head of School’s Office made my day, each day. I owe enormous thanks to the entire senior administrative team for allowing me to pursue this study—it was an incredible honor to be allowed into the inner workings of a school that I have the utmost respect for. I’d also like to thank Timothy Sprattler and Paige Roberts, the former and current Archivist and Head of Special Collections at Phillips Academy, respectively, for allowing me to wander through the school’s history. Conducting research in the Phillips Academy Archives was truly a magical experience for me. This research was supported by the Boston College Lynch School Summer Research Fellowship, which allowed me to squirrel myself away in the furthest reaches of the (unairconditioned) Phillips Academy Archives for uninterrupted weeks on end. I am grateful to have had the financial support, and the completion of this dissertation would surely have been prolonged without it. Thank you to Dr. I.K. Youn for his patience and careful direction throughout this process, particularly during the times when I couldn’t see the forest through the trees. He always pushed my ideas further than I was able to on my own, and I was also aided by his generosity in lending from his extensive library. The ideas in this dissertation were also fostered and nurtured in classes, discussions, and debates with Dr. Karen Arnold and Dr. Patrick McQuillan, and I feel lucky to have such a wonderful committee to advise me on this journey. I’ve also enjoyed the support of a wonderful cohort that, happily, seems to expand each year. Katie O’Dair and Kara Godwin in particular have been there to talk me off the proverbial ledge more times than I can count, and I only hope I can repay them in the months and years to come. i This work is dedicated to my family: To my nephew Jackson Clyde, who was born on the first day of graduate school, and has served as a constant physical reminder of just how long I’ve been at this! To my mother, whom I owe everything for having the courage to allow me to leave home for boarding school at the age of 14. As she knows, it has made all the difference in the world. And to my husband, who has been an unwavering source of support in everything I do. There just aren’t words to express my gratitude to him for walking alongside me on this journey. ii “The grass withers. The tree falls. It is the word that remains. Learning will treasure and employ the trust we commit to her. The great forces whose seat is here, whose sphere is in the hearts and lives of men, will never lose their might or lack their opportunity. Men go. Institutions remain." - Reverend Alexander McKenzie, speaking at Phillips Academy, 1878 “…If you say that you are trying to correct a wrong, external factors should not make you change.” – Dean of Faculty, Phillips Academy, 2011 iii Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 Focus of the Study ............................................................................................................. 4 Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 5 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 15 Significance ..................................................................................................................... 15 Research Design .............................................................................................................. 16 Definition of Relevant Terms .......................................................................................... 18 Overview of the Study ..................................................................................................... 21 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature .............................................................................. 23 The Organizational Form of Boarding Schools .............................................................. 24 The Organizational Functions of Boarding Schools ....................................................... 28 A Brief History of Elite Boarding Schools ..................................................................... 36 The Relationship between Elite Boarding Schools and Elite Colleges and Universities 43 Students at Elite Boarding Schools ................................................................................. 52 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 62 Chapter Three: Methodology .............................................................................................. 64 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 65 Research Design and Methodology ................................................................................. 65 Selection of Unit of Analysis .......................................................................................... 69 Description of Unit of Analysis ...................................................................................... 71 Subunits of Analysis ....................................................................................................... 73 Data Collection ................................................................................................................ 74 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................. 80