Experiences with Transition of Headmasters

This discussion was created from comments split from: FYI: Exeter Principal to Leave.

I’m curious as to people’s experiences with schools in transition: with old heads about to leave or brand new heads. THis is Emma Willard’s first year with a new head, right? (Hmmm… Is this worth a new thread?)

St. Paul’s used to have multiple Vice Rectors that would have made any transition seamless. Because the Board of Trustees instructed Bishop Anderson to reduce the number of Vice Rectors (Headmasters in training with their own domains) to one, the displaced folks used connections at Vanity Fair to take down the beloved Rector & his Vice-Rector.

He wasn’t too beloved by many. Removing Bishop Anderson was very much the correct thing to do for a host of reasons. His replacement, Bill Matthews, was stellar.

SPS still has people being groomed and overseeing parts of the school. Look at this contact list. You’ll see both Vice Rectors and Deans listed.

https://sps.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/36/download/download_1142087.pdf

Still, my post is correct. The students & the Board of Directors loved the Bish. And the Board instructed him to get Vice Rectors down to one.

Bill Matthews was the favorite of those whom wanted a return to the old system.

Also, the typically mentioned host of reasons (excessive spending on perks, too much personal grooming & not remembering names of all faculty members) was garbage.

When I spoke with Board members, including the deceased former Chairman of the Board, their biggest concern was how to keep Bishop Anderson.

Are you yourself an alum? Your version of things is very, very different from what I know and what has been shared with me from many alums over the years.

As far as garbage, the excessive spending was subject to an IRS investigation for starters. Not garbage. Truly excessive.

Matthews was definitely not old system at least in the changes he made to the school. In fact, some of his changes were disliked by the “old guard” who preferred Anderson and his pomp and boy’s club approach. It’s likely that those you were talking to were part of that club and, therefore, had their biases.

First person info. with the Board members. Know all the players. Knew several dozen students who were there at the time.

IRS can be brought into most companies by anyone with a grudge.

bill Matthews doesn’t & didn’t live in a closet. But, he was the old system & the primary fundraiser with the big money folks.

Vanity Fair’s sources had an agenda, that’s why & how the garbage got spread around.

The Board wasn’t going to fight the IRS & the Bishop’s daughter had already moved on to her university. Things were settled & Bishop Anderson was the scapegoat and agreed to the inevitable.

St. Paul’s has a bit of a history of destroying their best Rectors.

No one claimed any closet. Not sure what that is supposed to mean.

“the primary fundraiser with the big money folks.”

That’s what rectors/headmasters do. Comes with the job description and is a very important part of the job. In contrast, during Anderson’s tenure, they were having issues meeting fundraising goals because folks weren’t happy. Happy folks = more money. Pretty simple stuff really. The board members you might have been talking to obviously did not represent the scope of opinions on Anderson as a leader at the school.

If you didn’t go there or had your children there, it surprises me that you think you have a full knowledge of things based on talking to several folks who probably are very much alike in terms of the circles they travel in and therefore share the same view rather than representing a range of views.

I do have very substantial knowledge of the matter.

The closet comment means that people learn, adjust & change.

I think that you are taking my comments personally when they are not directed at you.

How do you know about this Matter ?

I’m not taking them personally. I just find your twisting of history and the adamant expression of your take on things as historical fact (which it is not) in need of a counter and am expressing that in my posts.

My opinions are based on personally knowing board members, past and present, many alums, and having had my own children attend the school. I know people who were on Team Anderson and people who were not. Most were not. Most were very happy with the change and it was reflected in increased fundraising and important and measurable improvements at the school.

It is only a “twisting” because the Board chose not to fight it. My info. is first-hand. I know all the players.

I suspect that your info. is not first-hand.

Did you miss this part? “personally knowing board members, past and present”

Your initial post on this subject seems kind of odd to begin with. Commenting on something that happened over a decade ago on a thread discussing current head of school openings.

I’m not going to continue to debate this with you. My point in posting is to to let any other readers know that there is another side to the “story” you put forth - someone with no connections to the school and based on second hand hearsay. If anyone cares about what happened more than 10 years ago, they can do their due diligence and arrive at their own conclusions.

Part of this thread is about St. Paul’s upcoming / current search for a new Rector. The current Rector, Mike Hirschfeld was Director of Admissions & Bill Matthews was Director of development during the Anderson years. The current Rector is leaving at the end of his term/contract. Both of his kids have finished SPS and are now in college or graduated.

It is fascinating to have first-hand knowledge & to have watched the circus that ensued.

Do you really think that the Bishop was removed for “excessive grooming” or that the Board didn’t approve of & know of the country club expenditures by the Bishop & Vice Rector ?

If you know Board members & were somehow involved with SPS during this time, then you certainly should be aware of the student outcry in support of Bishop Anderson.

Regardless, if you want to check historical fact, then just look at the number of “Vice-Rectors” during the beginning & end of the Bishop’s tenure.

Hint: At the end of Bishop Anderson’s tenure there was just one Vice-Rector Dr. Sharon Hennessy.

At the beginning, I believe that there were four.

If you know Board members then check with them as they should have very long-standing relationships with SPS.

What does “excessive grooming” mean? Too many haircuts and manicures, or grooming of minors (students), or teachers, or what?

@sunnyschool I used the word “groomed” to reflect that people under the head of the school are in positions where they are getting the experience to be potential replacements in running the school. I’m not sure what the other poster had in mind exactly with repeated use of the phrase “excessive grooming”.