All this was a very depressing realization, because as a teacher I had thought I could reach any kid. What I was painfully learning was that the school's best would seldom undo a parent's worst. I reluctantly accepted that if our school wanted to truly help students prepare for life, the best way would be helping their parents . So in 1974 Hyde started accepting families, not students. They also spend 12 days each year at the school, focusing on their personal growth and family issues, including such things as family wilderness trips, a high-ropes course, community service, and performing arts.
Character development is a fundamental force in why children turn out the way they do.
Parents matter more than peers because in character development, they are the primary teachers. Their own growth is critical because character is taught by example. It's no wonder parents have seized upon this new book. It seeks to relieve them of a responsibility that today seems like a huge burden. I have a dream that one day this nation will finally realize that its schools absolutely depend upon its families and that it must fully integrate the two.