A Way Out of No Way: Harlem Prep: Transforming Dropouts into Scholars, 1967-1977

by Hussein Ahdieh, Hillary Chapman

From its founding in 1967, the Harlem Preparatory School attracted the attention of educators in New York City and elsewhere for its innovative educational philosophy and process. Harlem Prep was guided by progressive education principles that promoted individual responsibility and dignity, and community engagement. A Way Out of No Way recounts the story of Harlem Prep as an independent charter school—as told by its former assistant headmaster, Huissein Ahdieh. The National Urban League planned the school as a part of its educational mission, and the Mosler Foundation and the Ford Foundation provided much of its initial funding. Ann Carpenter, Ed Carpenter, and Hussein Ahdieh, who knew each other through their shared Bahá'í Faith, administered the new school along with Sister Ruth Dowd, who was a Catholic nun. Amidst the idealism of the late 60s and early 70s, the free-school movement (now called the ‘alternative’ school movement’) fired the imagination of educators. Harlem Prep enrolled youths, from 17 to 21 years old and, even, some adults as old as 40, who had been failed by the public school system. With poor academic skills, a lack of direction as well as other social and personal problems, these youth had fallen outside the system with no clear future. Harlem Prep was allowed independence in its operation, curriculum, and hiring because it was a private, non-sectarian school. The curriculum was needs-based and multi-disciplinary. Classes met at flexible times. The former supermarket in Harlem in which the school was housed made an open classroom arrangement possible. The State of New York allowed cross observation. Study materials were supplemented by field trips. Tutors and mentors assisted the students with their academic needs. Personal expression was encouraged. An atmosphere of mutual respect characterized the interactions between teachers and students and allowed for them to reverse roles at times. An individual graduated only when he or she had a college acceptance in hand. Many corporations and foundations supported the school financially such as the Mosler Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Coca-Cola, Exxon (Esso) and others. With its motto "Moja Logo! Unity and Brotherhood," Harlem Prep blazed new trails in education with its unique process and structure which guided many students into 189 colleges in a time when there were no alternatives to a static, large, bureaucratic public system. Harlem Prep attracted many notable supporters in education, arts and entertainment, politics, and business, including Sammy Davis Jr., Pete Seeger, and Congressman Charles Rangel.

144 pages, Paperback

Published August 2, 2016

About the author

Dr. Hussein Ahdieh was born and raised in Nayriz, Iran, He is a sixth generation Bahá'í, his ancestors figuring among the first in Nayriz to accept the Bábi and later Bahá'í Faith. Hussein immigrated to the United States as a young man. Like many immigrants seeking a better life in America, he worked and attended college in the New York area. Hussein eventually completed a Masters Degree in European Intellectual History and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts.

Dr. Ahdieh has had a distinguished career in education in New York. His proudest achievement is to contribute to the establishment of Harlem Preparatory School -a world renowned charter high school for disadvantaged students as its Assistant Headmaster . The school is credited with helping numerous people to rise from poverty to a better life. Dr. Ahdieh also served as Director of Educational Programs at Fordham University.

Hussein has been a resident of New York City for all of his adult life. He served as Treasurer of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York for many years and several times has represented his area at the U.S. Bahá'í National Convention.

In addition to "Awakening", which have been published in five languages ,Dr. Ahdieh is the author of
1. 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York, a concise, informative history of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's activities during his visits to the area,
2." A Way Out of No Way,Harlem Prep: Transforming Dropouts into Scholars, 1967-1977" ," 3."The Calling ,Tahirih of Persia and her American contemporaries"
4. "Foreigner, From an Iranian Village to New York City"

for more information ,please visit:
www.Nayriz.org
http://www.awakeningnayriz.org
www.AbdulBahainNewYork.org
Centenary Celebration of the Day of the Covenant,NYC:
https://vimeo.com/55453913
TahirihThePureOne.com
HarlemPrepSchool.com
Reviews of authors books:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R39TVA2S...

Reviews

[Hussein Ahdieh · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW

Imagine you are 18 years old in 1968, about to embark on your life to make your mark. The pathway is not obvious at all because the world was crumbling beneath our feet. Nothing (and I mean nothing) seemed to work. Our political system was more or less a daily riot on the evening news, the Viet Nam war was raging, the draft was hanging over our heads, young soldiers were being buried every day, Gene McCarthy fizzled, first Martin was murdered in Memphis and then Bobby was killed in Los Angeles.

Devastated and hopeless, with no positive feeling left in me, I was fortunate to meet some people who were trying to put the ethics of the Baha’is into practice in our country. It was at that point that a magnificent force came into my life: Dr. Edward F. Carpenter. This powerful man stood out not only because of his obvious brilliance as an educator, as a motivator, as a dreamer and a builder, he stood out because he was making a positive difference in the lives of teenagers in 1968. What teenagers did he help? Kids from the mean streets and hidden alleys of Harlem! With a goal like that, Ed caught everyone’s attention.

In the most dismal time of my life, and in the midst of an excruciatingly painful chapter in the story of America, Ed Carpenter’s vision picked me up and put my mind and my focus on what we CAN do, rather than what we CAN’T do. His optimism was grounded in reality – I call Ed a practical dreamer, building a strong and solid bridge that gets you from here to there. Ed’s vision and Ed’s team at Harlem Prep allowed scores of wandering and lost teens to rise above the troubled streets of Manhattan to attend college. Newly minted Harlem Prep grads were almost always the first in their family to even set foot on a college campus – a victory in itself.

Husayn Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman have done our own future a great service by reminding us of that shining star in the heaven of education – Harlem Prep – where “no way” gave way to success for so many. This gem of a book is a collection of examples of what people can do when they are not limited by their family history of poverty or abuse or discrimination or injustice or prejudice. In this educational model each person brings the seeds of their own success with them, but they are nurtured and fed and watered by the philosophy that each soul has dignity, power and unlimited potential. Each person is rich inside, and they need to find the very best part of their character and bring it forth. The stories of lives changed are touching. Read this book and you will feel like it can happen again, and not only in Harlem, and not only in America.

We are fast approaching the 50th anniversary of the opening of Harlem Prep. Can we learn anything from an experiment from five decades ago? Modern politicians, policy wonks and educators would be wise to learn about Harlem Prep as they seek to incite a new renaissance in America’s most precious and valuable resource . . . our youth. Name the city that does not need to re-think their approach to launching youth into careers and professions rather than launch them into the walls of our justice system. Ed Carpenter felt that we could not afford to ”throw away” any young people. Ed would call me “little brother” (even though I was a full foot taller than him); he would say, “Little brother, every single person is precious, but they don’t always know they are precious. We must show them how precious they are.” The dozens of personal vignettes of success show the influence that the Board, the staff, the funders and the leaders of Harlem Prep had way back then; and these personal “life victories” now ripple through multiple generations.

To me, Ed’s work (and the work of the incredible team he assembled) was always about love. I think what Ahdieh and Chapman are trying to do in this wonderful book is to put love back into the “educator mindset” to benefit our current generation of youth. We are now losing more youth than ever before to drugs, violence, the criminal justice system, and the curse of low expectations. Where are today’s educators who can rescue the fallen from the brink of life failure? Serious and caring professionals would do well to investigate what elements of the Harlem Prep experience could help energize and animate the next big innovation in education. Here is a little clue:

Back in 1970 Ed Carpenter gave a talk about the BEST way to change things. He cited a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King:
A Way Out of No Way: Harlem Prep: Transforming Dropouts into Scholars, 1967-1977
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Please read this book and learn this lesson before we lose another entire generation of our “precious” youth.

Bob Harris
St. Petersburg, Florida