Do the right thing: Bath school develops ‘portable conscience’ app

The private Bath-based Hyde School announced this week its students, alumni, faculty and staff have created what they’re calling a “portable conscience” app for your mobile device.

It’s like a 21st century version of the proverbial angel on your shoulder.

Hyde-To-Go-Splash-PageThe nearly 50-year-old boarding school focuses on leadership and character-building, and since its 1966 founding in Maine, has expanded to a second campus in Connecticut, as well as public school initiatives in New York City, among other places.

With the app, users can pick from one of six topic areas to get a thematic, motivational story aimed at nudging user’s moral compass in the right direction.

According to a Hyde School news release, the project “gathers and distills a half century of experience teaching character and leadership skills and places it all in this compact app.”

“Imagine, for example, someone was prepping for an important meeting,” reads the announcement, distributed Monday by Hyde Communications Director Jenny Collinson. “He or she might want to browse through the ‘Inner Leadership’ category and read the ‘Not What, But How You Say It’ story. A parent struggling with a child might want to delve into ‘The Biggest Job’ category and read ‘The Perils of Parenting as a Friend’ story. An athlete upset over a recent loss might read ‘The Effort Savings Bank’ story in the ‘Persist’ category. There are pieces of wisdom contained within the app for everyone.”

The app can be found on iTunes or Google Play by searching for “Hyde To Go” — the actual name of the app — and downloaded for free.