While the preceding mission statement is relatively new, community service has long been an active part of The Dalton School.  From its inception, Dalton hoped to be a school that promoted involved citizenship.  At first, the school worked to build a climate within its walls which allowed student choices and responsibility for themselves, their community and their education.

Even with this goal in mind, it took an especially dedicated person to make service to others an active part of the life of the school and its students.  Nora Hodges was this person.  From her arrival at the school (sometime prior to 1936) through the end of her tenure here in the early 1960’s, she directed the then voluntary program with gusto.  Approximately one-third of the students served within the school while another third worked primarily outside of Dalton.  Ms. Hodges would personally visit the site at which each student worked approximately once every two weeks!

During World War II, students reached out even more extensively to help.  The school lacked staffing in the kitchen and maintenance areas.  Employees had either joined the service or moved into other jobs.  Students asked for and received a chance to replace the missing staff in a volunteer capacity.  Soon thereafter, the faculty (under Ms. Hodges’ leadership) arranged for students to spend their summers as farm laborers in New York State, replacing laborers who had gone to war or different positions.  The popularity of the summer volunteer farm program inspired Dalton to continue building an extensive Community Service Program for its students both outside and inside the school.  The Program was very successful, bringing the school acclaim, but more importantly, providing students with a chance to help provide needed services.

With Nora Hodges’ departure, unfortunately, the program began to lapse.  In the mid 1970’s, the school renewed its strong commitment to community service.  At that time, a group of students and parents worked at and publicized an organization named The Storefront School; this group was instrumental in rekindling Dalton’s interest in promoting service work.  They were responding to a crisis in public education, a national emergency less dramatic perhaps than World War II, but one that was surely important and necessary.  In the 1980’s, community service at Dalton became a requirement for graduation.  However, as the high school population involved with service grew (not to mention the expanding extracurricular program), students received less personalized attention in regards to their service experiences.

The latest renaissance of the Community Service Program began a few years ago.  These efforts culminated two years ago in the creation of the Community Service Task Force, a group of concerned students, faculty and parents who examined the existing program carefully.  In an effort to strengthen and deepen the value of each student’s service experience, they developed the new program which is in effect for the Class of 2001 and beyond.  With the assistance of over fifty faculty volunteers who act as Service Supervisors, the Dalton community has once again widely embraced the value of learning through service.

 

HS Community Service

The Dalton School