NMH Magazine : Winter 2004

All in the Family

One family, three generations, and an enduring connection to NMH—that’s what Bill Shores ’46, his daughter, Carolyn Shores Ness ’75, and her son, Andrew Ness ’04, represent. In the following discussion, they provide a cross-generational perspective on the school and its evolution over the decades.

Bill is a retired farmer and heavy equipment operator who served more than two decades as selectman for Bernardston, Massachusetts. Carolyn works as an organic herb farmer and is active in Deerfield politics and land conservation. Andrew, a four-year senior, is a student leader and captain of the wrestling and football teams. Five other members of the extended family—Richard Shores ’50, Sarah Jane Shores ’79, William Ness ’02, Daniel Reid ’04, and Chris Reid ’07—are NMH graduates or current students.

Are there too few regulations at NMH now?

	Andrew Ness ’04, Bill Shores ’46, and  Carolyn Shores Ness ’75

Bill: In some cases the strictness back in my day was better. For example, we had assigned seating at meals, which meant we couldn’t sit with our friends—that was good because it kept us from staying in cliques. Student waiters served and collected the dishes. You learned a lot about manners because the meals were more formal and teachers were assigned to your tables. The teachers rotated tables every six weeks.

We had to wear ties at daily chapel service and at lunch. The rest of the time we carried our ties on our belts so we could put them on at a moment’s notice. I think wearing a tie was a good thing, partly because it made you appear smarter than you were!

Carolyn: I don’t remember a lot of restrictions when I was here. You had to take required religious courses, which was irritating. Yet they turned out to be one of the most valuable parts of my NMH education. So much of the world’s politics today are related to religion; you need to be informed. Students are still required to take religious studies courses, which is good. If anything, I think they should be required to take more.

Andrew: In terms of religious worship, students certainly have less requirements now. The school is so much more diverse—you can’t require a single religious service because not everyone follows the same faith. As for social life, the school has changed with the times. People don’t have as much control over teenagers’ lives now, and we don’t blindly follow the administration just because it’s what our parents think.

Is NMH as academically rigorous as it used to be?

Andrew: My grandfather and I were talking about this recently, and he said, “They always pushed you to the limit.” It’s just that the limit has changed with time. Now, with computers, you can conceivably write a ten-page paper in one night. The limit has changed, but it’s always been rigorous.

Carolyn: What Andrew says is true: with each generation, you were pushed to do as much as you could. One thing that’s changed from my day is the minor courses, which give kids the chance to explore all kinds of interests without penalty to their grades or the presence of a lot of homework. That’s a wonderful improvement.

Andrew: We even have student-taught minor courses. If students have an interest or passion that’s not being offered, they can teach it to other kids.

Carolyn: There’s a huge shift in emphasis from memorizing stuff, since computers can provide facts so easily. Technology has really been integrated into the classroom; the kids use the Internet as a reference source and give PowerPoint presentations. With less memorizing, there’s more emphasis on the process of learning—on manipulating, analyzing, and using the facts.

What about homework—has the load changed?

Bill: I had all I could do.

Carolyn: And I had all I could do.

Andrew: I have more than I can do. While I won’t openly admit I pull all-nighters because it goes against the lights-out policy, I know it happens. 

Carolyn: I think the block system is more productive than the old 45-minute-period system. Instead of spreading their studies across five subjects each term, students can concentrate intensely on two courses. It’s much harder to hide in an hour-and-a-half class. You really have to prepare better. And with the lights-out policy, the school is trying to keep students more balanced in their work habits.

How well does NMH prepare students for college?

Carolyn: In my senior year, I applied early decision to Williams, which had just gone coed. I didn’t get in, so I applied regular decision—and I still didn’t get in. I hadn’t looked at any other colleges. I hadn’t even thought about other colleges! I was completely panicked. If it wasn’t for my economics teacher, Carol Gilmore, I don’t know what would have happened to me. She called up someone she knew at Connecticut College, and they accepted me. I’d never even heard of the place, but fortunately I loved it. Nowadays students meet with their counselor and discuss their personality and ideal college match—I’m amazed at how well organized the college counseling office is. Andrew’s counselor has been guiding and supporting us through the whole process. In my day, the school helped you pick colleges if you asked, but it wasn’t a mandatory process and nobody really checked on you, including my parents. That really has changed. Parents have to be involved now, and NMH sees that they stay informed. 

Andrew: These days, to get into a school you have to show demonstrated interest: you visit the college, get an interview, talk with coaches, and so on. There are so many more applicants now—schools have thousand of applications. It’s a huge process, and I’ve gotten a lot of help from NMH.

Carolyn: Everyone I’ve ever talked to—current kids as well as my 
generation—says that when you go to college, it’s generally less work than NMH. This school prepares you, and if you’ve done well, you have good time-management skills.

Andrew: One of my friends is at Columbia, and he says it’s only slightly harder than NMH.

Are work jobs a good thing?

Andrew: It’s extra work, so I don’t think anyone will openly come out and say they enjoy work job—especially not when it means waking up at 7:20 to go clean a classroom—but I think in the long run it’s beneficial. There are kids here who’ve been privileged all their lives and never held a job before. While it’s not the most enjoyable thing, it’s a good experience for them. Work jobs help the school a lot too, so that’s a big factor.

Carolyn: It’s not a conscious thing, but work jobs do make you part 
of the community. It’s like being a contributing member of a family.

Bill: When I go back to reunions, everybody talks about the work job they had. They may not have liked it at the time, but it’s something they never forget.

Is the school a tolerant place—and has it been in the past?

Bill: I didn’t see any discrimination at Mount Hermon while I was there, although there was plenty of it outside the school.

Carolyn: The school is very diverse, which allows for interchanges you might never have had otherwise. I never had a negative interaction with anybody. In general, the school is wonderful that way. You see people for who they are, not based on their physical features.

Andrew: On the whole, I think this school has been pretty tolerant and open all through its history. There are always people who are racist, but they’re the exception here. I know there was a time at the school when black students were paired as roommates with other students of color. Now when you pick a roommate, you fill out a sheet that describes who you are, what you like, and so on. Pairings are based on personality, not body features or skin coloring.

Carolyn: What’s so great about NMH is that it has many different types of people. As a result you have more synergy; kids have a chance to intermix and feel comfortable outside their group. There’s none of that cookie-cutter atmosphere—you’re allowed to be whoever you want to be. 

How well did—or does—NMH prepare you for the real world?

Bill: During World War II, Hermon offered an auto mechanics course 
to help us train for mechanical work if we went in the service. I took the course—there were probably 15 or 20 of us—and it was very helpful. After I graduated I went into the Navy and ended up in Japan in the transportation corps. We had the best record in the harbor for keeping our boat running; we copped parts off of old boats so we didn’t even have to go to the boatyard. The course I took at Hermon was a big help in all that. I still use that basic knowledge today. Education-wise, once I started going to community college at night, why that was easy after Mount Hermon.

Carolyn: It had a huge influence on me. It sounds corny to talk about educating the head, the hand, and the heart, but NMH really did that for me. That’s why I’m so committed to my community. The school also taught me that if you don’t like something, fix it. It encourages the activism in you.

Freshman year, Andrew questioned the judiciary committee’s decision to suspend a couple of students from school. I said, “If you don’t like it, get on the committee and have input.” And he did. Now he feels that decision was justified, and he’s actively involved in the judiciary process. Instead of just complaining, he took positive action. The school promotes that.

Andrew: I have some friends who are recent alums. They’re successful and have good things to say about the school in terms of preparation for college and life beyond it. A lot of times they’ve gotten connections through the school. The best thing NMH has taught me is independence. I’ve learned to work on my own and take responsibility for everything I do. While there are always people I can go to if I need help, I’ve learned to take the lead.