This year, the History Department welcomes new faculty member Mitchell ‘Mitch’ Morris to Concord Academy. Before CA, Morris pursued his Master's Degree in History at the University of Montana while helping teach undergraduate courses, including American History I and II. Before that, he taught history for four years at Woodberry Forest School and Salisbury School. Having grown up in Maine and attended Williams College in Massachusetts, Morris says coming to CA has a New England homecoming feeling.
From an early age, Morris developed an interest in history because it helped him understand the world. “There are different people and different cultures and different things that have happened, and they have shaped society as it is. Those were questions I had [about why the world is the way it is], and history provided the answer”, Morris explained.
He was especially curious about U.S. history. “It really feels like I am unlocking a way of understanding the country that I lived in and not taking for granted why things are the way they are”, said Morris.
Morris will be teaching new electives on Native American history and environmental history. The elective system was, in fact, one of the things that drew him to CA, as it allows for more specific fields of study and diving deeper into more interesting and complicated questions. “I get to be a lifelong student,” Morris said.
Apart from being attracted to the electives, Morris’s path to CA was also a twist of fate. One of his college friends is a CA alumna, and Morris remembers learning about CA through her. “One of the first independent schools I ever learned about is CA,” Morris said. “I remember her telling us about CA and how good and unique it is, and I didn’t believe then that a school like this existed.”
Outside of teaching, Morris enjoys spending time outside. He looks forward to coaching the Cross Country team in the fall and to sharing his passion and perspective with the team. “I think it's important to have a life in balance,” he says. Running every day in the mountain trails makes it easier for him to focus on work and writing afterwards.
“One thing I think [is special] about running in particular, especially long-distance running, is delayed gratification. It's about working for something today so that way down the line, you’ll be better positioned. A long, long paper is like running, where you’re just chipping away at it gradually. The mindsets are complementary,” he shared.
Morris is excited to start his journey at CA and meet the community, especially in his new home in Haines, where he plans to settle in as a house parent — and maybe even get a dog. Let’s extend Mitch Morris a warm welcome to CA!