Matter moves to HHS, finds news ideology

You likely know everyone you’ve gone to school with for the past 10 years. You also probably haven’t changed school systems at all since you started. Freshman Henry Matter, however, has transferred from Redeemer Classical School to the Harrisonburg Public School System this year.

“We don’t have a high school [at Redeemer]. There is Blue Ridge Christian school, but my parents figured that I, with a Christian upbringing, am probably not going to become Atheist at this point. I’ve already been brought up as a Christian, so sending me into high school they figured at this point it was fine.”

Redeemer is a Christian school, but, according to Matter, it’s not that different from the public school education he’s received at HHS so far.

“[We’re taught] pretty much the same thing that you would learn in other schools but from a more Christian perspective. So, for instance, in public schools, you’re often taught the more atheist view of science from an evolutionist point of view where everything evolved from [a few] little organisms and the big bang [created the universe], but we address science from a typically [Christian point of view.]”

While the curriculum was similar to the HHS courses, Matter did, however, experience a few different ideas.

“We also do more in depth classes, so our math was typically harder courses, but it was technically still the same classes. I took Algebra 1 last year, but it was a harder Algebra 1 class. I’ve taken several sciences [and] Latin, and the whole approach to the school is that it’s not just a Christian school, it’s a classical education, there are different subjects,” Matter said. “We have science and math that are both different, and there are not as many classes like typing or test taking or leadership classes. [All students] take the same classes, same schedule, not as much hands on and there’s more philosophical education [with classes] like ‘How to Think’. We [also] had logic classes through sixth, seventh and eighth grade.”

Due to the differences in classes, Matter has found Harrisonburg’s courses to be much easier than those at Redeemer.

“All through middle school, I would be doing homework until eight or nine o’clock at night, sometimes even later. This year, it hasn’t been nearly as much or as bad. The other thing is [that] tests were a lot harder. We had exams that were like short answer, multiple choice, everything. We didn’t so SOL’s, we did exams, which were far harder,” Matter said.

One of the biggest differences Matter has noticed is in the number of people that come to HHS.

“It’s a lot more people. It’s not like I don’t notice the other people, but it isn’t like, ‘Oh my gosh there’s people here and they swear.’ It’s been like, ‘Oh yeah, this is what public school is like and this is what I expected.’ My brother, [Forrest Matter], kind of exaggerated a lot. Coming in he was like ‘Oh Henry, it’s so awful, you’re going to be surprised. It’s so overcrowded you can’t walk in the hallways.’ It hasn’t been that bad,” Matter said.

Throughout the year, Matter has found that while HHS is different, it isn’t as difficult a transition as he thought it’d be.

“I thought it would be pretty hard, but it’s actually been pretty [manageable],” Matter said. “[My family lives] really close to downtown so I’ve got several neighbors who have exposed me to the cultured environment [that HHS offers].”