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HistoryCommunity House was founded in 1969 by an interracial group of seven Princeton University undergraduates as a response to a cry for political and social reform by Professor Julian Jaynes, then Master of Wilson College. They set their sights on the neighborhoods Princeton upon learning that the median length of schooling for African Americans over 25 who lived there was 10.3 years, while that of white males was over 16 years. Additionally, African Americans comprised only about 10 percent of the population but resided in 40 percent of Princeton's 130 substandard dwelling units. Armed with an understanding that a large segment of the Princeton community was being actively neglected, the students submitted a proposal to the Urban Studies Social Action Committee to create a residential community action center at 164 Witherspoon St. (a vacant University property). Acting as a clearinghouse for the needs of citizens in the 12-block area, the center came to be affectionately known as Community House.
When residents recognized Community House's genuine concern for issues affecting their lives, they began to recommend services that would have a direct impact. Unfortunately, minority children were not being stimulated by the educational system in Princeton. One founder, echoing the sentiments of the rest, said, "I have a tendency to think that it has something to do with .... how they are taught to think about themselves within the school." Many children who were considered to be "at-risk" initially used the center as a social meeting place. After establishing a connection, these same children actively sought the assistance of House members. Based on the their initiative, Community House developed after-school programs to help provide tools for attaining academic success. This system of getting connected, listening to the needs of community members, and involving them in the design of programs has helped Community House to build lasting relationships with the people we serve. In the fall of 2010, Community House celebrated its 40th anniversary with a move into new quarters at 58 Prospect Ave., where for the first time it has space designed to meet the specific needs of the organization, including roomy quarters on the third floor for the new Community House After School Academy (CHASA) tutoring center. Among its current are programs those that bolster early childhood literacy, promote the mastery of fundamental academic skills, and create early awareness of post-secondary opportunities for underserved minority youth. |