Academic Awards Opening Address

Perhaps because I am lucky enough to harvest fresh asparagus from the patch he planted in the field beyond the barn, Mr. Lehmann is much in my thoughts at this time of year. There is also his bed of daffodils, the lilac hedge in front of the house, and the ancient apple tree, well more than a century old, that blooms every spring: his gardens bring him alive as a nurturer and teacher, with eyes on the future. Mrs. Lehmann too is a living presence: The whole school used to walk down to Village House after lunch every year on May 21st, to sing Happy Birthday and share cake with Mrs. Lehmann. I see her clearly, sitting beside the peonies in full bloom, pleased and smiling at the opportunity to connect with students and be embraced by the community. Her legacy of connection and community building remains palpable. In so many ways, I am grateful to share the gardens and legacies of Paul and Nancy Lehmann, Dublin School, and think about the educational practices and philosophy they launched, which still inspire us, and which we celebrate in our awards today.

Paul and Nancy Lehmann understood a great deal of progressive educational theory that was developed in the first half of the 20th century, and put it into practice when they founded Dublin School, forming core values that still ring through our days. Here are a few lines Mr. Lehmann wrote in his history of the school:

“First there was to be independence - freedom, if you will - to work within the framework of our abilities and consciences. (We were not to be restrained; our efforts were not to be colored by outside influences contrary to our beliefs. This did not mean we did not listen, or observe or read, Indeed we did. But we adopted only what we believed to be sound in pursuing our goal)…. If I were to indicate a practice, a philosophy…in the conduct of the school, it would be this: It is the obligation of the school to provide, or help to provide, as many diverse experiences as possible for each (student) to encounter, either successfully, or in failure, to that end that (they will gain a better understanding of (themselves and their) potentials….A multitude of experiences were seized upon as they might occur-or were created-especially Dramatics-not the presentation of an author so much as the work of the (students) themselves. Their creation and execution.”

"No request (for a course) was denied if it could possibly be supplied. If one and only one (student) deserved an opportunity to extend( their) learning in an area for which there were no other candidates, the opportunity was provided.”

The Lehmanns understood that when students make things, build things, tend things themselves, this produces deep and lasting learning. They understood that different students learn in different ways and in different time frames. They knew that each student needs to explore many activities to become aware of and proud of their particular gifts. And they wanted students to create their own learning experiences. An off-shoot of these ideas is that student become more powerful and freer human beings as they learn, develop our array of skills, and live in community. Our minds broaden beyond our own experience, allowing us to see more ideas, make more choices and live richer lives. Empowering students as inquirers, explorers, creators, builders of the school and education makes leaders and thinkers. Freedom and independence in creating the school according to their beliefs was the core of their philosophy. I am sure you recognize the underlying tenets of  today’s school culture in these ideas. 

These ideas have fancy names as theories, like constructivism and progressivism, empiricism and the ethics of care, and famous thinkers like Piaget, Dewey, William James and Nel Noddings wrote about these approaches to education in the first half of the 20th century. It makes sense that after World War I and the Great Depression, educators would feel the need to create new models, aimed not at producing factory workers and industrialists, but at more self-sufficient and democratic human beings, who would be independent thinkers. Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann put many of these ideas into practice, emphasizing strong relationships with their students in classes, teaching skills and agency in workgang, strength and responsibility in outdoor activities of all kinds, initiative and joy in athletics and in the arts. Supporting each student in growing confidence, Mr. Lehmann’s letters show that he saw each student as individuals. He wrote a letter to each student when they graduated.

We too live at a time when dramatic paradigm shifts are occurring in our world: the environment, the economy and in government, in technology, and in education. We stand at the threshold of major disruptions. From enormous global challenges like climate change, to upheaval in our political systems, and even the emergence of AI.  Never in my career at Dublin has our mission mattered more. The inclination and skills to seek Truth and act with Courage will matter for each of us in new and powerful ways. And at a time when the majority of us get our news and information from social media and tiktok reels,  you are developing your reading skills at Dublin. You immerse yourselves in books and in writing.  You learn to do research and field work to gather information from different sources, compare and analyze them to build a hypothesis or support a thesis. You discuss with your classmates, sharpening your critical lenses. These are truth seeking skills, and they matter so much when most of the world is skating on the surface of a little information produced by an algorithm. 

Never have the inclinations and skills to seek truth and act with courage had a more immediate urgency. We are faced with the need to defend and extend academic learning and intellectual integrity, and to protect and rebuild the values of respect for individual rights and structures that uphold them. Will you care to understand climate change and have the courage to work for the changes we need to preserve our planet? Will you be ready to stand up for justice for people of different backgrounds? Will you build community and work to provide services and even education for those in need? Will you ask questions, speak up, listen, reflect and act?  
The  academic program at Dublin is designed to ensure you internalize the values of our mission and grow the skills you need to put them into action in your lives, in any field, and in a multitude of forms.  Yes: I must also reference our long term transfer goals - but I ask you to think of them in this context as leadership skills. You will become strong leaders if you lead with curiosity and passion, communicate creatively and effectively, appreciate different perspectives, respond to adversity with resilience, collaborate and contribute for the good of your communities, synthesize and apply your learning, reflect on your leadership and be open to growth. 
Your Dublin education is practice so you will be ready and able to seek truth and work for the good of your communities, that you will recognize the inherent value of all individuals, and that you will act with courage when you find a need. Remember Mr. Lehmann’s emphasis on  “independence - freedom, if you will - to work within the framework of our abilities and consciences.” Indeed Truth and Courage, taken together, create an ethical framework for navigating the world. Truth without the courage to speak up and act has little value; Courage which is not informed by truth is dangerous. But together they can lead you to important  and meaningful work, and this will be crucial in the times to come.

The awards which will be given today illuminate and emphasize our values and all the skills inherent in the mission and the transfer goals: inquiring, collaborating, discussing, problem solving, working in groups, reading and writing, making connections, seeking ways to apply learning in the world. We lift up those whose excellence provides examples for all of us to emulate. We celebrate our commitment to the power of a Dublin education and our students who embrace its challenges, inspire us with their curiosity, their resilience, their creativity and passion, seeking truth and acting with courage in their own unique ways.

Thank you for your attention to our awards and for helping us to celebrate the most beautiful and powerful work that has been done here this year. I know Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann would be proud of our school, proud of our award winners, and proud of each of you as you make progress in your education.