Gentleman

In the twenty-first century the idea that MBA students are expected to be first and foremost gentlemen may seem out of date. At a time when instant messaging has replaced the telephone, when public debate is often contentious, and when newspapers report endless examples of bad behavior, our articulating an expectation that boys behave asgentlemen may seem utterly out of place. When one considers what we mean by being a gentleman, however, the concept is as timely today as it has ever been.

Our concept of gentlemanliness looks at the character of the individual boy and his personal values. At MBA, we expect to grow boys into young men who will have the strength of character to be leaders in whatever field of endeavor they may pursue. We expect our boys to be honest and demand that they act in accord with a school honor code. We expect them to be kind and to treat one another with understanding and respect. We expect them to be considerate, to understand one another, and to empathize with each other. Every boy has strengths and opportunities for improvement, and no boy is so perfect as to justify a sense of arrogance or self-importance. We cultivate humility. We encourage our boys to understand the true meaning of friendship and to build a group of lifelong friends among their classmates, as well as healthy and appropriate relationships with girls at the schools with whom we collaborate. We expect our boys to have a sense of self-discipline and an understanding that living responsibly requires an acceptance of limits in one’s daily conduct.

MBA values the make-up of a boy's character more than the content of his coursework.

Part of being a gentleman in today’s world is appreciating when one has special opportunities and accepting the obligations associated with such opportunities. We believe that it is a privilege to attend MBA. We instill in our boys the recognition that in all likelihood they will be equipped to render service to their community and their country and will be expected to do so. We have long had a community service ethic at MBA that ensures our boys are not sheltered nor exposed only to an insulated, privileged environment. When we think of a gentleman, we think of someone who is engaged with his community and with society, and who instinctively wishes to help those with fewer opportunities. While our boys are known for many things, their inherent sense of generosity is always recognized.

Finally, we have created a community that is characterized by civility and courtesy. We expect boys to listen to one another and to treat one another with respect. We expect them to show appreciation for the MBA faculty and staff, who work for a single purpose – the improvement and well-being of each boy who joins us.

Scholar

The term “scholar” at MBA refers to the development of each boy’s mind and takes three basic forms. The first is the creation of a set of skills that will equip each boy to attend and succeed at the college of his choice, in graduate or professional school, and his career. The second is accumulating a basic knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences so that the student will have the foundation of a classical education and of cultural literacy. The third is instilling in each boy a thirst for knowledge and an ability to conduct meaningful self-education as his life progresses.

On the first level, each boy is expected to develop a critical intelligence. It is assumed he will know how to reason and analyze. He should, for example, be able to read fiction and nonfiction critically and responsibly, and by graduation have a clear understanding of what points the authors are making. An essential skill developed at MBA is that of effective communication, both in writing and in oral expression. Students write extensively and every MBA graduate should be able to express himself exceptionally well in writing. Similarly, classes at MBA emphasize discussion. Boys should graduate with an ability to discuss a complex matter intelligently around a conference table or to present an analysis of such a matter in a speech or other presentation. MBA graduates are expected to be comfortable with quantitative reasoning as well.

The practical steps in learning - study skills, critical thinking
problem solveing - are seamlessly integrated into the curriculum.

On the second level, MBA students will graduate with an exposure to the range of information that constitutes a classical education. Every boy will study literature, mathematics, science, history, foreign language, and art. Boys should leave MBA with an appreciation of the scope of Western literature; those mathematics subjects preparatory to college, including calculus; the basic life and physical sciences; United States and European history; Latin and a modern language; and either a visual or a performing art.

On the third level, boys are introduced to the reality that early in their lives structured learning falls away. Each adult must continue his own learning through reading and other educational opportunities. MBA tries to instill a thirst for self-education as well as an appreciation for how an adult can enjoy a lifetime of learning long after his formal education has ended.

Athlete

An athlete is a person who is strong or fit by physical training and exercise. There are a number of ways in which the Athlete part of the MBA credo can be achieved. It is assumed that all boys will participate in a regimen of physical fitness, and satisfactory completion of this requirement constitutes the minimum expectation for being an athlete. There are other ways in which students may enhance their athletic achievement. First, all students are encouraged to become physically fit at an advanced, not a minimal, level. By practicing

"In Classical Greek, an athlete is a contender. Every boy at MBA learns to be a contender - in the classroom, on the field, in life." - Dr. Ed Gaffney, Foreign Languages

exercises at MBA, many students will develop advanced strength, agility, and endurance. This regimen will set good habits for all of one’s adult life. Second, some students may be particularly interested in individual sports and may devote their energies to developing a high degree of competence in such a sport. Third, some students who enjoy team sports will find that they can participate in the extensive MBA intramural program. Fourth, some students will have the ability and desire to participate in a variety of interscholastic sports.

Team play teaches many critical lessons of life, and students are encouraged to participate in team sports at whatever level of ability they are comfortable. While MBA takes pride in a tradition of excellence in sports competition, the talents of many boys lie primarily in areas other than competitive team sports. This is a place that is just as comfortable for these boys as it is for outstanding varsity athletes. MBA enjoys, nevertheless, a terrific heritage of athletic competition, enthusiastic fans and alumni, and a tradition of athletic involvement from individuals who strive for success on every field of competition – within the classroom, on the stage, and on the athletic field.