The metaphor of the family is appropriate as teachers are both mentors and surrogate parents to the students. There is a great deal of responsibility, but also a great deal of joy in seeing the kids develop as students and individuals at a quick pace and right before your eyes. Some scholarships are offered and efforts are made to attract minority students. For the faculty, there are also the perks of free housing and meals. The money saved in this regard can really add up.
Most teachers have summer homes at the beach or in the mountains.
One faculty member is retiring with a million dollar nest egg he has accumulated from saving and investing. Most of the faculty at Thacher have their own separate houses on campus, although some of them live in apartments attached to the dorms. Three meals a day are provided, and the food is excellent with a great deal of choice. The only grumbling I heard about the food was over the lack of options for the sit-down formal dinners, which occur four times a week. The other perks include a beautiful campus overlooking the Ojai Valley and Lake Casitas and backed by the mountains of the Los Padres National Forest.