By Courtney Cooperman ’16, Feature Editor

With additional reporting by staff writer Elizabeth Merrigan ’16 

Earlier this fall, the IB/Advanced Acting Morning Meeting presentation parodied the homogeneity of Newark Academy before the mid-20^th century. Qualified applicants that were non-white, non-Christian, or non-male were turned away in the skit, while a white male was accepted simply for his physical characteristics and background. The skit reflected a basic truth: Newark Academy only included white students for a majority of its history. It is obvious that until a few decades ago, diversity did not exist to the extent that we have it today. Yet for much more of our history than we realize, Newark Academy has been relatively forward-thinking in terms of inclusivity, compared to the progress of society in general.

Since the United States and Newark Academy are nearly the same age, it is easy to place their developing attitudes towards minorities side-by-side. Protestants with British origins initially dominated the top ranks of American society, and people of other ethnicities were considered inferior, such as the Irish and Italians. Director of Admissions Mr. Taylor noted that while the nati

on in general was often hostile to people of different national backgrounds, Newark Academy “even back then was welcoming groups of people that weren’t always welcome in independent schools.” Although we generally consider 1971 to be the year that Newark Academy opened its doors to women, girls were partially included in the Academy’s early history. In the early 1800s, before girls were again excluded, Newark Academy included a separate curriculum for women that resembled a finishing school rather than a preparatory school. Even though Newark Academy’s attitude towards girls reflected gender norms, the notion of value in any education for girls was rare during that time.

Today, when we think of diversity in America, race comes to mind before most other factors. Newark Academy’s progress towards racial diversity paralleled that of the United States as a whole. As Mr. Taylor noted, Newark Academy’s embracing of minorities corresponded with the national “big swing towards equality.” Like many institutions, tolerance and acceptance accelerated with the civil rights movement and beyond, but not without obstacles. In the 1980s, when the first Indian-American students came to Newark Academy, a girl requested to perform an Indian dance. Mr. Parlin, assistant headmaster at the time, realized that a “nationality group that feels very close to its culture” was a “new issue” to consider. The students were concerned that their presentation would be unpopular, but besides a lone faculty member outraged at a form of polytheistic worship, the dance did not cause controversy. Today, the strong role of cultural clubs is at the core of Newark Academy’s identity.

It took a national turning point to end centuries of homogeneity, but Newark Academy has since embraced the ideals of diversity enthusiastically. Our present idea of diversity, which centers on race, has been a focus for two or three decades at this point. Although 43% students of color – a phrase that encompasses African-American, Latino/Hispanic, East Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and multiracial students – is an impressive statistic, black and Latino students are still underrepresented minorities in the school community. Making more minority students aware of the opportunities at Newark Academy is one of the motivations for the Newark Scholars program, which seeks out the best and brightest students in a city with a large minority population. Mr. Taylor emphasized that potential students of any race must feel that “they are welcome, they are valued, and they are supported.”

In spite of the thriving diversity we currently have, there is still progress to be made. Mr. Taylor stated that he “will be thrilled when we are 50% students of color and that’s broken up into different groups.” In some form, a focus on diversity has always existed at Newark Academy. Even though the extent of our current racial diversity is new, we have always had a “walks of life diversity,” as Mr. Taylor puts it. Our history, while not one of extraordinary inclusivity, shows an ongoing capacity to diversify. As we strive to boost our numbers of minority students and, more importantly, to wholeheartedly accept everyone regardless of their backgrounds, we will truly embody the progressiveness that has always been present in some small way.