Alliance high school was like a dream state. I say that because Ngugi as well as other students, as best I can relate, felt better inside the walls of the school than they did when they stepped outside the gates. Inside the school, European's and African's were basically melted together in my opinion. Elements from both cultures were taken and explained so that the other could understand. For example, ways of speaking, languages, etc. were broken down and explained in a way that both European's and African's could grasp without picking at one another.
I'm back and forth on this question because I could see how using one another's differences to bring them together could work, but I could also see that as showing the students exactly how they are different, and creating inequality. In my opinion, the principal, Mr. Francis is a lot of the reason the students mixed so well. It was his influence and his way of teaching that the students shared more of a respect for him which bonded the students. He made them forget about the brutal issues at home even if for a small amount of time.
The African American students seen staff members from their heritage, so I assume this would help ease their minds. This meant that they were seen as equal students to the Europeans. Also, the students stayed at the boarding school, so in a sense this is a protection to them. All the students together meant they were all equal. After living in their homelands, seeing the issues at first hand, this was a sense of peace and comfort.
Each student, regardless of their background, is expected to learn the same work. All students will eat the same food, and by learning about one another's heritage, a better understanding can be made. This leaves no information unknown, which leaves no fear of one another.