BULLETIN Taft Portrait of a Graduate

Transcription

B
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Northern Exposure
to Native Arts
Taft Portrait
of a Graduate
COMMENCEMENT
REFLECTIONS
ALUMNI
WEEKEND ALBUM
S U M M E R
•
2 0 0 3
B U L L E T I N
Summer 2003
Volume 73 Number 4
Bulletin Staff
Director of Development
John E. Ormiston
Editor
Julie Reiff
Acting Editor
Linda Beyus
Alumni Notes
Anne Gahl
Jackie Maloney
Design
Good Design
www.goodgraphics.com
Proofreader
Nina Maynard
Bulletin Advisory Board
Todd Gipstein ’70
Peter Kilborn ’57
Nancy Novogrod P’98, ’01
Bonnie Blackburn Penhollow ’84
Josh Quittner ’75
Peter Frew ’75, ex officio
Julie Reiff, ex officio
Bonnie Welch, ex officio
Mail letters to:
Julie Reiff, Editor
Taft Bulletin
The Taft School
Watertown, CT 06795-2100 U.S.A.
ReiffJ@TaftSchool.org
Send alumni news to:
Anne Gahl
Alumni Office
The Taft School
TaftBulletin@TaftSchool.org
Deadlines for Alumni Notes:
Fall–August 30
Winter–November 15
Spring–February 15
Summer–May 30
Send address corrections to:
Sally Membrino
Alumni Records
The Taft School
TaftRhino@TaftSchool.org
1-860-945-7777
www.TaftAlumni.com
This magazine is printed on
recycled paper.
Page 22
Page 35
FEATURES
Annual Fund News
17
Sport
19
Satisfaction in
the Journey—113th
Commencement
22
Spring season scoreboard and photo essay
By Steve Palmer & Peter Frew ’75
Remarks by Rear Admiral Richard T. Ginman
’66, P’03, Willy MacMullen ’78, Anton
Yupangco ’03, Taylor Walle ’03, and James
Blanchard ’03
On the Cover
Ted Squires ’28 is greeted by Headmaster
Willy MacMullen ’78 on Ted’s 75th Reunion.
PETER FINGER
The Taft Portrait
of a Graduate
30
Defining the characteristics of a successful
education and personal excellence
By Debora Phipps
Northern Exposure
to Native Arts
35
Susan Heard ’77 and her quest to find and
share the work of Alaskan Native artists with
the lower 48 states.
By Linda Beyus
Alumni
Weekend Album
39
Photography by Peter Finger
The Taft Bulletin is published quarterly, in February,
May, August, and November, by The Taft School,
110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, CT 06795-2100,
and is distributed free of charge to alumni, parents,
grandparents, and friends of the school.
E-Mail Us!
Send your latest news, address change, birth announcement, or letter to the editor via e-mail. Our address is
TaftBulletin@TaftSchool.org. We continue to accept
your communiqués by fax machine (860-945-7756), telephone (860-945-7777), or U.S. Mail (110 Woodbury Road,
Watertown, CT 06795-2100). So let’s hear from you!
Taft on the Web:
News? Stocks? Entertainment? Weather? Catch up
with old friends or make new ones, get a job and
more!—all at the Taft Alumni Community online. Visit
us at www.TaftAlumni.com.
What happened at this afternoon's game?—Visit us at
www.TaftSports.com for the latest Big Red coverage.
For other campus news and events, including
admissions information, visit our main site at
www.TaftSchool.org, with improved calendar
features and Around the Pond stories.
DEPARTMENTS
From the Editor
4
Letters
4
Alumni Spotlight
5
Don’t forget you can
shop online at
www.TaftStore.com
Four new members of the Board of
Trustees, Citation of Merit awarded to
Nobel Prize winner, farmer exchange with
Kazakhstan, beekeeping around the world,
award to Romano
Around the Pond
10
Potter Gallery, the Taft rhino, historic Torah
dedication, DuBois speaker, Habitat for
Humanity, Missa Gaia performed, faculty
news, engineering contest, alumni offspring
Page 39
䉳 Bagpipers lead the parade on Alumni Weekend. Photo by Peter Finger
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From the Editor
The past year has flown by while I’ve sat
in the editor’s seat. The themes I see
having emerged from Alumni Weekend
and Commencement particularly are celebration and affirmation.
Alumni gathered together to affirm each
other as with the Citation of Merit award,
or, as with the Class of 1953, for the largest
contribution and most participation to the
Annual Fund campaign. Yet there were
other forms of affirmation—learning that
a fellow alum now has grandchildren in
their life, or that a classmate’s children
have gone on to schools of their choice, or
that a classmate one hasn’t seen in years has
had a completely different career than might
have been imagined. Maybe they sailed
their boat to the Caribbean and happily
made a new life there. Others are artists,
lawyers, parents, fundraisers, doctors, writers, publishers, or as in the case of John
Rodgers ’55, farmers. Women and men
who have gone on to fully live their lives
and Taft has often provided them with the
springboard to soar.
Celebration filled the air on Commencement Day with graduates surrounded by
family, friends, and faculty. One parent
said it was a mixture of joy and wistfulness
as their child moved on to the next stages
of young adult life. On this day too,
affirmations were part of every class
speaker’s words at the podium, echoed by
Headmaster Willy MacMullen naming the
achievements and uniqueness of the Class
of 2003.
Finally, I want to welcome Editor Julie
Reiff back from her sabbatical. Her ongoing dedication to sharing all of your stories
in the Bulletin is something to affirm and
celebrate as well.
Thank you all for staying in touch this
past year. It’s been an honor and a pleasure.
I read with great interest the article on Jonathan
Selkowitz ’84 in the Spring Bulletin. The origins of the Ski Club [mentioned in the Selkowitz
article] are a little imprecise. In 1978, I was sick
of all the boring intramural activities for the
winter and wanted to ski so I went to Coach
Stone and inquired about skiing as an intramural sport. Not being a lover of non-“American”
sports, he told me I’d need at least 30 names.
The other individual involved in this legwork
was Tim Post ’79. We came back a few days
later with at least 60 names, a bus contract for
travel to Mt. Southington a few days a week
and a package deal for passes from Mt.
Southington. As a result, he couldn’t say no.
Tim Post and John Gagne did all of the legwork getting skiing recognized as a winter
intramural sport in 1978 or 1979. I was so
involved in skiing that I began to teach at
Okemo Mountain in Vermont in 1979, and
was excused from Saturday classes because the
learning experience of teaching was considered
so valuable. As one can see in the Class of 1980
Annual (p. 184), it was already a very large
group in its second year of existence! So when
Taft starts winning state championships, I’ll be
very proud to have given it its beginnings.
—Linda Beyus, Acting Editor
—John R. Gagne ’80
We welcome Letters to the Editor relating to
the content of the magazine. Letters may be
edited for length, clarity, and content, and
are published at the editor’s discretion. Send
correspondence to:
Julie Reiff • Taft Bulletin
110 Woodbury Road
or to ReiffJ@TaftSchool.org
Taft’s ski club in 1980
Ski Club
Super Bowl and Sermon
In reading of the dedication of Walker Hall, I
was reminded of having been placed on a student-faculty committee in the fall of 1968,
under the direction of then Chaplain Phil
Zaeder, where our findings resulted in the abolition of the school’s long-standing compulsory
church attendance requirement. How happy we
were! Abolition would also sound the death
knell for the dreaded Sunday suit requirement.
At one of the final required services, the
sermon coincided with the broadcast of the third
Super Bowl, prompting a few boys to secrete
transistor radios into the church, so as to follow
the game surreptitiously on earphones. “The
Strazette Gazzee,” a short-lived underground
student newspaper, recounted this event as follows, which I have abridged to protect the guilty.
Super Sandman’s
Sermon Awakens Tafties
Today the Taft School was liberally put to
sleep by a certain Reverend “Sandman.”
This was the only required church gathering to hear the Super Bowl this term. The
service started out with the Jets in field goal
range, leading 10–0. As the prelude ended,
the Jets had scored against the Colts, putting them ahead 13–0. After the
“convocation” sang a hymn, Reverend
“Sandman” talked for an hour and a half on
‘up-tightness.’ Many Tafties guarded their
radios, while others tried in vain to tackle
the point of the sermon. As the game ended,
“Sandman’”conveniently finished his sermon, with the score 16–7 Jets, quite an
upset to go along with an upsetting service.
The author of that piece, incidentally, was
labeled by the school as having an “N.A.”
(negative attitude), a prevalent student syndrome in those turbulent years. He was soon
thereafter tried and convicted for the crime of
smoking a Camel Filter in his dorm room (as
witnessed by a Master through his window
from across the CPT courtyard) and was sentenced to a year of hard labor at Loomis. He is
now a schoolteacher.
—Bob Foreman ’70
ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT
Alumni
S P OT L I G H T
New Members Elected to Board of Trustees
Roger H. Lee ’90
Outside of work, Roger is a coTaft, Roger has served as head Class Agent
At the annual Alumni Day luncheon at for the Annual Fund and started the John founder and board member of the
Schools Mentoring and Resource Team
Taft on May 24, Headmaster Willy Alexander ’90 Memorial Scholarship.
Roger earned a B.A. from Yale Uni- (SMART), a 5-year-old nonprofit orgaMacMullen ’78 announced that Roger
H. Lee ’90 has been elected by the versity and graduated with distinction in nization that provides a wide range of
school’s graduates as the new Alumni political science. He was a member of the educational and social services to povertyTrustee. Roger will serve a four-year term soccer team, worked at the Investments stricken children in San Francisco.
Roger lives in San Francisco with
on the Board of Trustees, ending in 2007. Office at Yale, and also studied abroad at
Roger is employed with Battery the London School of Economics. Roger his wife Clarissa where they spend free
Ventures, where he is actively investing also serves as a member of Yale’s Univer- time with friends, skiing, and exploring
northern California.
in and advising entrepreneurs. His own sity Committee on Distance Learning.
entrepreneurial career
began during his junior
year at Yale. His first
company, NetMarket,
developed security software and conducted
some of the first secure
commerce over the
Internet. In 1997, Roger
cofounded Corio, a
provider of outsourced
information technology services.
During his four
years at Taft, Roger
played varsity soccer,
varsity tennis, and junior varsity hockey. He
also served as both a
school monitor and
dormitory monitor his
senior year, graduating
cum laude. Following
his graduation from Headmaster Willy MacMullen ’78 welcomes Alumni Trustee Roger Lee ’90 to the Board. PETER FINGER
Taft Bulletin Summer 2003
5
ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT
Dyllan McGee ’89
William O. DeWitt III ’86
Irene C. Chu P’99
At the April Board of Trustees meeting,
Dyllan McGee ’89 was appointed to serve
a four-year term as a Corporate Trustee.
She has been an ex-officio member of the
Board for the past four years during her
term as chair of the Annual Fund.
Currently, Dyllan is the senior
producer for Kunhardt Productions, a
company specializing in historical documentaries, which she joined in 1993.
Recent documentaries include HBO’s
Emmy-award winning In Memoriam:
New York City 9/11/01 and the 8-hour
PBS series, Freedom: A History of US.
While at Taft, Dyllan served as a
school monitor her senior year. She was
the director of Hydrox both her uppermid and senior years and a member of
the Taft Repertory Theater, playing
various leads.
Dyllan received a B.A. with honors
from Trinity College in Hartford in
1993, majoring in theater arts. She was
the director of the Trinitones, an allfemale a cappella singing group, and
continued acting and directing throughout her college career.
She is a member of the Blue Hill
Troupe, an amateur acting group in New
York City that raises money for local
charities. Dyllan lives in Katonah, N.Y.
with her husband Mark and son Max.
William O. DeWitt III ’86 was appointed a Corporate Trustee by the
Board of Trustees in April. Bill is the vice
president of business development for
the St. Louis Cardinals. In this capacity
he helps manage the financial planning
and design process for the proposed $350
million new ballpark and Ballpark
Village in downtown St. Louis. He also
oversees concessions and merchandising
projects and is team liaison for the
Cardinals/Marlins spring training joint
venture in Jupiter, Fla.
At Taft, Bill played varsity ice hockey
for three years, and varsity golf for four,
co-captaining the golf team both as an
upper mid and as a senior. He greatly enjoyed studying art with Mark Potter and
excelled in AP art his senior year, winning the Art award at graduation.
After graduating from Taft, Bill went
on to major in art history and graduated
cum laude from Yale University. While
at Yale, Bill played on the varsity golf
team and captained his intramural
hockey team. Upon his graduation, he
served as staff assistant for the head of
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency for three years.
Bill is president of the board of Emergency Children’s Home in St. Louis, and
director of Cardinals Care, the charitable
arm of the St. Louis Cardinals. He and his
wife, Ira Aldanmaz DeWitt, live in St. Louis
with their children Natalie, 4, and Will, 1.
Irene C. Chu has been appointed to the
Board of Trustees as a Corporate Trustee.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Irene attended NYU receiving both her B.S. in
accounting and management and her
M.B.A. in finance. Upon her graduation,
she worked for public accounting firms
in Hong Kong and New York, specializing in taxation and finance.
In 1984, Irene cofounded Eastbank,
a commercial bank based in New York
City, where she is on the board of
directors and serves as executive vice
president and chief financial officer.
Active in civic endeavors, she is
particularly interested in the areas of
health care and education. For the last
20 years, Irene has been a member of
the board of directors of Charles B.
Wang Community Health Center, and
is currently the board’s vice chairperson. She also chairs the Center’s finance
committee, and until recently, served
on the board of overseers of NYU’s
Stern School of Business.
Irene is married to Alexander F.
Chu ’66, a former trustee (1987–91), and
they have two children, Lauren ’99 and
Jonathan. The Chus reside in New York
City and enjoy traveling, golfing, and
ballroom dancing.
6
ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT
Alumni Citation of Merit Awarded to Dr. Alfred G. Gilman ’58
tion, Gilman stated of the Alliance and its research, “Our goal
is to generate data—to identify
pieces of the signaling ‘puzzle,’
and then see how the pieces fit
together…What we will primarily offer to the community is free
access to our data and insights
into how signaling systems are
built and organized.” Their findings will be put in the public
domain through the Internet.
In a 1995 Bulletin interview
Gilman said, “Taft taught me
how to study, but more importantly, Taft taught me how to
think, [and] how to go on learning for the rest of my life. The
foundation I got there has carried me through until now.”
Gilman has received numerous professional awards
including the Albert Lasker
Award for Basic Medical Research in 1989, the Richard Lounsbery
Award in 1989, and the John J. Abel
Award in Pharmacology in 1975. In addition, he has authored over 100
scientific papers for professional journals.
PETER FINGER
This year’s esteemed Alumni
Citation of Merit was awarded
to Nobel Laureate Dr. Alfred
G. Gilman ’58 who serves as
professor and chairman of pharmacology at the University of
Texas Southwestern Medical
Center at Dallas. Dr. Gilman is
their Regental Professor and
holds the Raymond and Ellen
Willie Distinguished Chair in
Molecular Neuropharmacology.
In 1994 he was awarded the
Nobel Prize in medicine, along
with co-winner of the $930,000
prize Martin Rodbell, for the
discovery of G proteins and
their role in signal transduction in cells. Understanding the
“wiring diagram” of a molecule’s
“switchboard” is key in enabling
drugs to work most effectively.
G proteins were discovered in
1980 by Gilman and other
colleagues who have continued to pursue research on the critical role these
play within cells. Since that time, they
have worked to form an alliance that
will foster sharing of research on cell
signaling, creating a database by which
a “virtual cell” might be constructed.
Gilman now serves as director of the
Alliance for Cellular Signaling.
In a 2001 issue of Molecular Interven-
The 2003 Alumni Citation of Merit States:
Alfred Gilman, humanitarian and renowned leader in the scientific
community, your life’s singular quest
to understand and unravel the secrets
of nature for the benefit of mankind
was forged at Taft where, as a cum
laude society inductee and recipient
of the Rensselaer Alumni Medal for
excellence in mathematics and science, you “learned how to learn.”
Earning your bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Yale University and
doctorates of Medicine and Pharmacology from Case Western Reserve
University, you applied your knowledge in pursuit of unlocking the
mysteries of genetics and biochemistry
as Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
at the University of Virginia. But it was
during your tenure as Chair of the
Department of Pharmacology at the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that the culmination of your
prodigious contribution to science was
noted. Hailed for your landmark discovery of the G-Protein component of basic
cellular function and communication,
you were recognized as a 1994 Nobel
Laureate in Physiology or Medicine.
Uncompromising and impassioned in
your commitment to excellence, innovative and principled in your research,
humble and unselfish in your eagerness to share your success, your
seminal work has been transformational, engendering hope, inspiration,
and enrichment across the globe.
Alfred Gilman, you have lived a life
of purpose and achievement always
dedicated to upholding and preserving your Alma Mater’s most cherished
ideal: non ut sibi ministretur sed ut
ministret. You have gracefully held
aloft the torch lighted by our Founder,
and it is with the greatest pride, respect, and admiration that we bestow
upon you Taft’s highest honor, the
Alumni Citation of Merit.
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ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT
Dairy Farming from Pennsylvania to Kazakhstan
John Rodgers ’55 (fourth from right) in Kazakh barn with dairy farm director and employees
John Reed Rodgers ’55 is a seasoned and
dedicated dairy farmer, owner of Plum
Bottom Farm in Pennsylvania. Although
John barely knew where Kazakhstan was,
he says, let alone its spelling, he is now
committed to an ongoing farmer to farmer
exchange with Kazakh and U.S. farmers.
Rodgers’ involvement with the
American Forage and Grassland Council,
as a board member and president, allowed
him to serve beyond his own farm’s boundaries. Through this group and Rotary
International, he met a number of interesting people—word soon got out about
John’s farming expertise. In 1993, a representative of Winrock International, an
organization that administers the Farmer
to Farmer Exchange program, invited
John to go to Kazakhstan on one of its
trips to share his farming knowledge.
John initially said no to the invitation—he felt he had already traveled
enough, having visited many countries for
pleasure and having served in the military
in Europe including Scotland. Winrock
didn’t give up. The turning point, John
䉴 Supper in a ute in Kazakhstan
(John in center)
8
says, was when they told him he’d be the
first American farmer the Kazakh farmers
had ever seen. Because his family was always doing things for others, he also knew
his parents would be thrilled he was doing the Kazakhstan exchange program.
Since his first trip to Kazakhstan,
John has been back seven times. He has
facilitated trips in which 34 Kazakh farmers came to learn U.S. farming techniques
and also saw scenic sights. Ten more will
come in summer of 2003. Hosting the
visitors at his Plum Bottom Farm, John
says they branch out to visit Cornell, Univ.
of Maryland, Wisconsin’s U.S. Dairy and
4-H Research Center, and take trips to
California and Idaho. Like Rodgers, many
Kazakhs are dairy farmers.
One of his Kazakh farming friends
came to the U.S. upon John’s invitation
and worked for five months on John’s
farm. This farmer-friend couldn’t speak
a word of English but now John says they
can communicate very well—“Our natures are the same.” John truly enjoys the
farmers he’s met in Kazakhstan and those
who have come here. John’s next trip is
scheduled for this fall when they will
hopefully implant U.S. embryos in
Kazakh native cows, with the objective
of strengthening their herds’ genetic base.
After studying at Taft, John went on
to study dairy science at Penn State. He
always knew he wanted to continue the
family tradition of dairy farming. “My
uncle and parents said the first thing I
wanted as a child was a pair of boots so I
could wade in the manure,” he laughs.
He has a dedication to both farming and to the farm that has been in his
family since 1754. He feels a deep sense
of stewardship to the 375 acres (of an
original 1,000) that have been given to
him. “As a young man I slowly became
aware that the land I was farming had
been in our family a long time,” John
states. “This burden of stewardship became an integral part of my thinking.
Being the eighth generation, I felt and
still feel a drive to pass the property along
through the family that has been here
since the 18th century.”
“Over the 45 years of actively managing the land my thoughts have been
stewardship, conservation, preservation and
perpetuation. Our goal is to leave the land
better than when we started,” he affirms.
“Both what is best for the land and the economics of operating a profitable dairy farm
have been foremost in my planning.”
John was honored this year for his
skills and accomplishments as a farmer
when he was inducted into the Master
Farmers Association, an esteemed association of approximately 450 farmers
(developed over 70 years) that inducts only
four to six farmers annually from the
Middle Atlantic states. It is apparent that
John has both the willingness and sense
of duty to serve far beyond his own farm
in this country and others, exemplifying
Taft’s motto. To learn more about John
Rodgers’ Plum Bottom Farm, see its Web
site at www.plumbottomfarm.com.
Award to Romano
The Council for Advancement
and Support of Education (CASE)
presented former Director of Development Jerry Romano with the
prestigious Eleanor Collier Award
this spring. The 2003 Achievement
and Awards Ceremony was held in
New York City at Tavern on the
Green before 500 education professionals from CASE Districts I and II.
Jerry was recognized for his extraordinary 17 years of service to and
performance at Taft. Under his leadership, Annual Fund giving doubled
and the Parents’ Fund, the most successful in the country, boasted a
participation rate of 95 percent. He
directed the Campaign for Taft from
1994–99, raising $133 million, far
exceeding the original goal of $75
million. He was honored for his devotion to the school, his leadership
of staff and volunteers, and his tireless efforts to make Taft one of the
finest secondary schools in the nation.
Emily McNair ’99 (far right) at a Kathmandu Tibetan refugee center, visited by her
sister Annie ’02 (hidden from view at left) and brother Roody ’04 who took this photo.
Studying Beekeeping
Emily McNair ’99 will soon be studying beekeeping around the world. As
one of 60 U.S. college graduates who
have been awarded a Thomas J.
Watson Fellowship, she will study the
ecological, historical, economic, and
social aspects of beekeeping, visiting
Malta, Slovakia, Tunisia, Argentina,
New Zealand, and Vietnam. Emily
graduated from Bard College this year
majoring in anthropology, with a concentration in environmental studies.
The idea for this project came
about when Emily was living in Nepal
(her third trip there), doing research
on development issues. Emily has a
long-standing interest in environmental justice, land reform, and land rights
and as a result, she met with squatter
camps of Kamaiya, emancipated
bonded workers living in the Bardiya
district, who are struggling for land
reform. Much of this region is now a
national park where locals have been
excluded from land ownership and use
of the land and its resources. And because Maoist rebel fighting has been
going on in that area, all international
NGOs have left leaving locals who
have been dependent on them for employment desperate for work. Emily
says that the Kamaiya are now inter-
ested in sustainable agriculture ideas,
more in line with their agrarian roots.
Her interest in Nepal began while she
was a student at Taft, participating in
a program of ecological work there.
A friend invited Emily to visit a
Nepali friend who is director of the
Lalitpur Beekeeping Concern in the
Kathmandu Valley. “It hit me,” Emily
says, “Beekeeping—the perfect project
for the Kamaiya community.” At the
Lalitpur beekeeping project, she
learned what was needed to make a
collective work and have high yield
honey production. In Bardiya, the
clearing of jungle land for rice paddies has significantly reduced the bee
population so apiaries will need to
be constructed, ideally, out of local
materials and using local bees for honey
production.
Because the Watson fellowship
requires that a recipient visit countries where one has not already spent
significant time, Emily will not be
spending her project time in Nepal.
She’ll learn how beekeeping is done in
a number of countries, and how it can
be applied with simple technology elsewhere as a viable project for fostering
sustainable agriculture for agrarian
communities such as those in Nepal.
9
AROUND THE POND
pond
䉴 Ralph Lee ’53 with students Colin Fenn ’05 (left)
and Renier Van Breen
’05 (right), surrounded
by Lee’s puppets
SAM DANGREMOND ’05
Potter Gallery Hosts Ralph Lee’s Puppets and Creatures
The whimsical and exceptional work of
Ralph Lee ’53 was shown in the Mark
W. Potter ’48 Gallery in May. Ralph is a
freelance creator of masks, fantastical
props, puppets and giant figures for a wide
spectrum of dance and theater companies ranging from the Living Theatre to
the Metropolitan Opera to Saturday
Night Live. A recipient of a Fulbright
10
Scholarship, Ralph has studied acting
and mime and has performed for many
years in the theater. Ralph and his wife,
Casey Crompton, are co-directors of the
Mettawee River Company of upstate
New York, formed to bring theater to
rural communities. “We choose material
that excites us and speaks to us no matter
how ancient or remote the original may
be,” Ralph says, “Trickster tales, Sufi
stories, folk tales, and superstitions.
These stories often contain events of epic
proportion, which can be made manifest
through the use of masks and strong
visual elements.” He has taught at a
number of colleges including Amherst,
Bennington, Hampshire, and has been on
NYU’s faculty since 1988.
AROUND THE POND
Why a Rhino?
How the rhino became Taft’s mascot is
a story of a popular movement, and it
never would have happened were it not
for two unusual circumstances. In the
late 1980s, there was a Taft student who
ended up with the nickname “Rhino”
because of the way he ran while playing soccer. Headmaster Willy
MacMullen ’78 coached the soccer
team then, and recalls that this student
was funny, spirited, and well loved.
Around the same time, student
monitors did a poll to come up with a
school mascot, which Taft didn’t have
at the time. Other private schools were
choosing mascots then and Tafties
wanted one of their own. They were,
as Willy says, “looking for the Big Red
what?” And though no one saw the
poll as particularly serious, students
took interest.
The big beast welcomes all inside the Donald F. McCullough Athletic Center. “The Taft
Rhino” is a gift of the Classes of 1999 and 2000. SAM DANGREMOND ’05
PETER FINGER
One of the many
ideas, some almost too
gruesome to name (the
Big Red Bloodworms,
for instance), was the
Big Red Rhino. After
the student poll, the results were announced
in an assembly and the
winning mascot name
would be chosen by
applause. When the
“Big Red Rhinos” was
named the audience
went wild with cheering, chanting, and
clapping. In fact, the
students came up with
the mascot name as
somewhat of a joke.
Nothing was ever official about the choice of
the rhino, nor was it
formally announced.
“It wasn’t an instant
hit,” Assistant Head-
master Rusty Davis pointed out. “It took
a few years to take off—it died and then
came back as an idea.” Some time after
the student poll, rhinos began appearing
all over campus—on T-shirts and posters. “Part of the reason it caught on,” said
Davis, “was that no team is known as the
Rhinos. They might be the Tigers, the
Bulldogs, but not the Rhinos.”
“The fact that it began as a joke and
became ingrained spoke to how perfect
it was,” Willy notes. “It became the Taft
rhino not by some conscious design,”
Willy added, “but by stories and rituals
passed down. It became part of the cultural fabric of the school and took on a
life of its own.” The rhino choice actually spoke of strength, power, and humor,
although it’s likely none of that was factored in when the students adopted it.
By 1990, at the Centennial celebration, the rhino suit made its appearance.
Soon after the rhino was everywhere—
on hats, T-shirts, books, stationery,
yearbooks, and suited up at sports events.
Looks like it’s here to stay.
11
AROUND THE POND
The Dedication of Taft’s Torah and Ark
The calligraphy of the historic Taft Torah
and yad (pointer). PETER FREW ’75
On May 21, a ceremony to dedicate a
historic Torah scroll was held at Walker
Hall. The gift of the Torah was made
possible through the generosity of Edgar
Bronfman. Mr. Bronfman is the parent
of alumnus, Adam Bronfman ’81, who
donated the ark to the School. Headmaster Willy MacMullen ’78 observed,
“At Taft, and in a world in which it is
increasingly vital to understand and
celebrate diverse beliefs, the Torah offers
something powerfully educational.
Once a school of one faith, we are now
one of many. Once a school without a
Torah, we now house one. I am inspired
by the Bronfmans’ commitment to Taft
and the way they have made ours an
even better school.”
Front row, left to right, Sylvia Albert P’77, ’79, ’82, Eric Polokoff, Andrea Britell P’03,
Willy MacMullen ’78, Adam Bronfman ’81, Philip Hiat, Eric Albert ’77, P’06, Jan Albert
P’06, and Rachel Albert. Back row, Burton Albert P’77, ’79, ’82, Jonathan Albert ’79,
Paul Ehrlich ’62, P’06, Peter Britell ’59, P’03, and Michael Spencer. BOB FALCETTI
Rabbi Philip Hiat, an expert in
Torah scrolls and a well-known specialist for the Reform Movement and who
helped orchestrate this fine acquisition,
estimates that this particular Torah is between 150 and 200 years’ old and can be
traced back to Tashkent (now Uzbekistan).
Rabbi Philip Hiat reading the Torah attended by, left to right, Adam Bronfman ’81, Assistant Chaplain Rabbi Eric Polokoff, and Chaplain Michael Spencer. BOB FALCETTI
12
Formerly part of the Soviet Union,
Tashkent was an active Sephardic Jewish
community in the early twentieth century and a major area of refuge for
European Jews fleeing the Holocaust.
The scroll is written in Ashkenazic
calligraphy on vellum, signifying a
European origin, and is a valuable piece
of Judaica that survived the Holocaust—
in all probability shepherded to
Tashkent by Eastern European Jews
during World War II. Containing the
first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures
(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy), the quality of its artistic detail suggests the authorship of
an accomplished scribe.
Chaplain Michael Spencer commented that the Torah is “a valuable
archival acquisition for our school that
carries an intriguing history and has symbolic value beyond any monetary sum.”
Spencer noted, “This is an unprecedented gift in the boarding school world
that is treasured by the Taft community
and underscores our commitment to diversity and multifaith dialogue.”
AROUND THE POND
DuBois Medal Recipient
Adam Bronfman ’81 with the Taft Torah
BOB FALCETTI
The Torah is housed in a special ark
built by a Woodbury, Conn., craftsman.
The ark is a movable storage unit that
supports the Torah and is constructed to
complement the architectural design of
the altar and podium in Walker Hall,
Taft’s sacred communal space for spiritual, musical, and intellectual reflection.
Accompanying the Torah and ark are
a mantle, crown and pointer, and an eternal light. The mantle is a cloth inscribed
with Hebrew text that adorns the top of
the Torah during storage and is visible
during worship. The crown and breastplate adorn the Torah during storage and
are visible during worship, while the
pointer is used during the reading of the
sacred text. An eternal light given by Paul
Ehrlich ’62, P’06, hangs near the ark signifying its uniqueness. The adornment
of the Torah was made possible by the
generosity of Andrea and Peter Britell ’59,
P’03, Sylvia and Burton Albert P’77, ’79,
’82, Jan and Eric Albert ’77, P’06, and
Rachel and Jonathan Albert ’79.
Headmaster Willy MacMullen,
Chaplain Michael Spencer, Associate
Chaplain Rabbi Eric Polokoff, Rabbi
Philip Hiat, and Taft’s Jewish Student
Organization led the dedication at
Walker Hall. A reception followed the
moving ceremony that was well-attended by alumni and their families,
students, faculty, and members of the
extended Jewish community.
Judge James E. Baker, appointed to the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed
Forces by President Clinton, spoke at
Morning Meeting in April on the subject of honor. Judge Baker’s visit was
funded by the Rear Admiral Raymond
F. DuBois Fellowship in International
Affairs from which he received the
DuBois Medal. Willy MacMullen ’78,
who attended Yale with Judge Baker,
gave a warm welcome, remembering
that he and Judge Baker had enjoyed
canoeing in the Everglades and
whitewater rapids trips in Canada. Willy
noted that Judge Baker’s capabilities are
made even more impressive by the fact
that he is the youngest appellate judge
in the nation.
Having served as special assistant
to the president and legal adviser to
the National Security Council (NSC)
(1997–2000), Judge Baker advised
both on U.S. and international law.
In 1999, the NSC awarded Judge
Baker its highest honor, the Colonel
Nelson Drew Memorial Award. He
also served as deputy legal adviser to
the NSC (1994–97) and as counsel
to the President’s Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board and Intelligence
Oversight Board. In the late 1980s,
Judge Baker served as legislative aide
and acting chief of staff to Senator
Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
The topic of Judge Baker’s speech
was honor as a moral compass for high
school and beyond. “Honor is a sense
of responsibility of how we conduct
ourselves in our public and private lives
and not just about the choices we
make,” he stated. “We may not always
know what is right, but honor is a compass that helps us find true north and
then helps us to find the courage to
follow its course…[It is] putting the
common good before oneself.”
As to where students might find
their own moral compass, he suggested some sources for guiding one’s
conduct—law, literature, religion, and
everyday heroes (such as teachers and
parents). Pointing out that honor is
not blind to context, he recounted a
childhood incident. “A gang of boys
who followed me home one day in
New York were not impressed when I
turned on them and offered my sixth
grade insights on Gandhi and nonviolence before surrendering my body
to their fists. My track coach would
have been a better model at that
time,” he admitted.
Headmaster Willy MacMullen ’78 greets Judge James E. Baker.
PETER FREW ’75
13
AROUND THE POND
PETER FREW ’75
Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) Performed
14
Thirty-two Taft students participated
in the TEAMS competition held in
March at the Univ. of New Haven.
TEAMS, or Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science, is
sponsored by the Junior Engineering
Technical Society (JETS), a national
nonprofit organization that works
with high-school students interested
in engineering, technology, mathematics, and science. Students met once a
week for the month preceding the
competition to prepare for it, under
the guidance of physics teacher Jim
Mooney, who has been entering Taft
students in the competition for more
than 10 years. Three of the four teams
of eight students each, advanced to the
national level this year, with the Varsity teams placing second and third in
their division, and one Junior Varsity
team placing third.
PETER FREW ’75
On May 9 Taft hosted the Missa Gaia,
a spring concert celebrating creation, in
the First Congregational Church in
Watertown. The Missa Gaia, or Earth
Mass, has been performed for over 20
years as part of the St. Francis Day Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the
Divine in New York City. Collegium
Musicum, led by Arts Department
chair Bruce Fifer, performed the
monumental work based on the songs
of whales, seals, and wolves and included performances by acclaimed
gospel singer, Theresa Thomason,
award-winning composer, Paul Halley,
and the New York African dance company, Forces of Nature. Missa Gaia
was the culminating event to the
school’s yearlong discussion of environmental ethics and awareness which
began with the school’s reading of
Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael.
Taft Competes in
JETS Engineering
Contest
Faculty News
Jonathan Bernon, school counselor, recently became a Licensed
Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in
Connecticut. Among other things,
the criteria for licensure included
3,000 hours of post-master’s degree
clinical practice that he accumulated at Taft over the past two years.
Departing Faculty
Habitat for Humanity in Mexico
Twelve members of the Taft Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, led by Baba
Frew (front center), Director of Community Service, traveled to Mexico in June
to work on a week-long build in the state of Morelos. Taft’s active chapter of
Habitat also works on local builds in New Milford and Washington, Conn.
Erik Berg, Science
Jim Binkoski, Mathematics
Alison Binkowski, Mathematics
Constantine Demetracopoulos, Science
Aissatou Diop, French
Athena Fliakos, English
Laura Harrington, Photography
Stephen Jackson, English,
College Counseling
Jonas Jeswald, Spanish
Jennifer Bogue Kenerson, Mathematics
David Kim, Science
Lauren Lambert, English
Camilla Moore, Mathematics
William G. Morris ’69,
Dean of Academic Affairs
Julie Palombo, French
Gina Sauceda, History
Lynette Sumpter ’90, Admissions,
Director of Multicultural Affairs
Leonard Tucker ’92, History
Faculty Awards
The Shoup Award to
William G. Morris ’69
The Abramowitz Award for Excellence in
Teaching to Michael Spencer
Davis Fellowship Award to
Steve Schieffelin
Grandparents’ Day
Harrison Fraker enjoys Grandparents’ Day with grandchildren Jillian ’05, Antonia
’04, and Keegan ’06, all cousins. Harrison’s son, Ford (left), is the father of Antonia.
Bill Morris ’69 accepts the Shoup
Award upon his departure with his wife
Sue and children Cassidy ’02 and
David ’99. PETER FINGER
AROUND THE POND
Alumni and Their Offspring 2003–04
Great-Grandfathers
Elias C. Atkins* ’15 ......................................................... Spencer T. Clark ’05
Thomas W. Chrystie* ’21 ....... Peter H. Wyman, Jr. ’05, Henry T. Wyman ’07
Eugene W. Potter* ’17 ....................................................... Steven B. Potter ’07
Samuel F. Pryor, Jr.* ’17 .................................................. Antonia R. Pryor ’07
Henry C. Robinson* ’20 ................................................... Reed E. Coston ’06
Grandfathers
Russell E. Aldrich* ’38 ................................................ Andrew P. Garrison ’04
Bernhard M. Auer ’35 .......................................................... Cody E. Auer ’05
Thayer Baldwin* ’31 ................................................... Jacob B. L. Baldwin ’07
Edward Madden Bigler ’40 ........... Paul G. Bigler III ’04, Marika K. Bigler ’06
G. Renfrew Brighton, Jr. ’43 .............................. Renfrew M. Brighton, Jr. ’05,
Whitney Z. Brighton ’06
John B. S. Campbell* ’34 ......................................... Susannah M. Walden ’06
Robert A. Campbell* ’34 .. Randolph H. Lamere ’04, Robert A. Campbell ’07
Page Chapman* ’29 ....................................................... James H. Wheeler ’05
Ronald H. Chase ’54 .................................................. Hillary N. Simpson ’06
Thomas L. Chrystie ’51 .......... Peter H. Wyman, Jr. ’05, Henry T. Wyman ’07
Marshall Clark ’40 ........................................................... Mary F. Graham ’04
Charles A. Coit* ’35 ..................... Charles M. Coit ’04, Caroline M. Coit ’05
David W. Fenton ’48 ............................................. Elizabeth W. Shepherd ’05
Edward F. Herrlinger II ’46 ......................................... Daniel M. Hillman ’06
Herbert S. Ide, Jr.* ’21 ........................................................ Thomas S. Ide ’05
Robert G. Lee* ’41 ...................................................... Emily C. Monahan ’04
William M. Miller ’42 .................................................. Malcolm B. Miller ’06
Condict Moore ’34 ........................................................... Emily L. Moore ’07
James I. Moore ’41 ............................................................ Emily L. Moore ’07
Thomas F. Moore, Jr. ’43 ............................................. Samuel M. Smythe ’05
Scott Pierce ’49 ................................................................... Pierce M. Brix ’04
William A. Pistell ’44 .................................................... Johanna M. Pistell ’04
John S. Potter, Jr. ’49 ................................................ Michael S. Bruno III ’06
Mark W. Potter, Sr.* ’48 .................................................... Steven B. Potter ’07
Samuel F. Pryor III ’46 .................................................... Antonia R. Pryor ’07
Thomas E. Rossin ’52 ................................................... Jonathan Bouchlas ’04
Edward Van V. Sands, Sr.* ’14 ............................................ Diana P. Sands ’06
William Shields, Jr.* ’29 ............................................. Katherine M. Squire ’04
Spyros S. Skouras ’41 ................................................ Spyros S. Skouras III ’05
Cheves McC. Smythe ’42 ............................................ Samuel M. Smythe ’05
J. Chester Stothart* ’37 .................................................... Peter T. Stothart ’06
Gordon B. Tweedy* ’24 ... Gordon B. McMorris ’04, Elisabeth T. McMorris ’05
Harry W. Walker II ’40 ........... Webster C. Walker ’05, Holland E. Walker ’07
John S. Wold ’34 ...................... Claire W. Longfield ’06, Allison M. Wold ’06
Parents
George B. Adams, Jr. ’74 .......................................... George B. Adams III ’06
Eric D. Albert ’77 .......................................................... Lindsay C. Albert ’06
Thayer Baldwin, Jr. ’58 ............................................... Jacob B. L. Baldwin ’07
Paul G. Bigler II ’74 ...................... Paul G. Bigler III ’04, Marika K. Bigler ’06
Renfrew M. Brighton ’74 ................................... Renfrew M. Brighton, Jr. ’05,
Whitney Z. Brighton ’06
John S. Brittain, Jr. ’77 .................................................. John S. Brittain V ’06
Fred X. Brownstein, Jr. ’64 ...................................... Vanessa R. Brownstein ’06
Robert C. Campbell ’76 ............................................. Robert A. Campbell ’07
June Pratt Clark ’72 ......................................................... Spencer T. Clark ’05
Robert T. Clark ’72 .......................................................... Spencer T. Clark ’05
16
David M. Coit ’65 ........................................................... Charles M. Coit ’04
Carlotta Shields Dandridge ’74 .................................. Katherine M. Squire ’04
Hugh W. Downe ’73 .................................................... Edward R. Downe ’07
Paul M. Ehrlich ’62 ................................................... Benjamin A. Ehrlich ’06
Jeffrey Foote ’73 ............................................................... Andrew J. Foote ’05
Peter A. Frew ’75 ............................................................. Amanda L. Frew ’05
Alexis D. Gahagan ’74 .............................................. William D. Gahagan ’06
Michael D. Gambone* ’78 ........ Ashley I. Gambone ’05, Kyle S. Gambone ’06
Gordon P. Guthrie, Jr. ’62 .... Gordon P. Guthrie III ’04, Joseph S. Guthrie ’07
Laura Weyher Hall ’78 ..................................................... Caroline C. Hall ’06
Elizabeth Christie Hibbs ’78 ............................................. Carter E. Hibbs ’05
Katharine Herrlinger Hillman ’76 ............................... Daniel M. Hillman ’06
Douglas G. Johnson ’66 ........................................ Douglas G. Johnson, Jr. ’04
H. Craig Kinney ’68 ....................................................... Jane I. E. Kinney ’06
Andrew J. Klemmer ’75 ............. Arden Klemmer ’05, Austin G. Klemmer ’07
Daniel K. F. Lam ’75 ................................................... Adrienne P. Y. Lam ’07
Brian C. Lincoln ’74 ................. Gray B. Lincoln ’05, Lysandra D. Lincoln ’07
Sharon Gogan McLaughlin ’73 ................................ Laura R. McLaughlin ’06
Peter H. Miller ’72 ........................................................ Malcolm B. Miller ’06
Laird A. Mooney ’73 ....................................................... Clare E. Mooney ’05
James I. Moore, Jr. ’74 ...................................................... Emily L. Moore ’07
Frederick F. Nagle ’62 ..................................................... Kierstin A. Nagle ’04
Cassandra Chia-Wei Pan ’77 ................................................ Nicholas Chu ’05
Kenneth A. Pettis ’74 ....................................................... Kendra B. Pettis ’06
Jean Strumolo Piacenza ’75 ..... Lucia M. Piacenza ’04, Thomas F. Piacenza ’06
Steven B. Potter ’73 .......................................................... Steven B. Potter ’07
Samuel F. Pryor IV ’73 .................................................... Antonia R. Pryor ’07
Langdon C. Quin III ’66 .......................................... Langdon C. Quin IV ’05
Peggy D. Rambach ’76 ......................................... Madeleine E. R. Dubus ’05
Peter B. Rose ’74 ................................................................... Amy B. Rose ’04
Edward Van V. Sands ’65 .................................................... Diana P. Sands ’06
Kenneth A. Saverin ’72 ................................................... Hilary C. Saverin ’06
Roy A. Schonbrun ’68 ............................................ Zachary S. Schonbrun ’05
Lynn Creviston Shiverick ’76 ..................................... William L. Shiverick ’04
Spyros S. Skouras, Jr. ’72 .......................................... Spyros S. Skouras III ’05
John L. Smith* ’66 ............................................................. Emily T. Smith ’06
James L. Smythe ’70 .................................................... Samuel M. Smythe ’05
John P. Snyder III ’65 ............... Torie T. Snyder ’04, Mackenzie M. Snyder ’05
Peter B. Stothart ’76 ........................................................ Peter T. Stothart ’06
Taylor J. Strubell ’63 ...................................................... Emma T. Strubell ’07
Tom R. Strumolo ’70 ......... Andrew C. Strumolo ’06, Harriet E. Strumolo ’07
Bridget Taylor ’77 ............................................................. Reed E. Coston ’06
Samuel W. M. Thayer ’72 ........................................... Katharine T. Thayer ’07
C. Dean Tseretopoulos ’72 .................................. Denisia K. Tseretopoulos ’07
Karen Kolpa Tyson ’76 ........................................................ Julia B. Tyson ’04
George D. Utley III ’74 ................................................. Hannah D. Utley ’07
Elizabeth Brown Van Sant ’75 ................................... William R. Van Sant ’04,
Elinore F. Van Sant ’07
John B. Wallace ’72 .................................................... Nicholas T. Wallace ’07
Sally Childs Walsh ’75 ....................................................... Mary C. Walsh ’06
Christopher C. Wardell ’69 .................................... Clayton C. H. Wardell ’06
John P. Wold ’71 .............................................................. Allison M. Wold ’06
Michael S. C. Wu ’73 .......................................................... Mercer T. Wu ’05
W. Dewees Yeager III ’75 ............................................ Benjamin B. Yeager ’07
* deceased
ANNUAL FUND REPORT
Volunteers Raise $2.6 Million
2003 Class Agent Awards*
Snyder Award
Largest amount contributed
by a reunion class
Class of 1953: $307,217
Class Agents: Geo Stephenson & John Watling
Chairman of the Board Award
Highest percent participation
from a class 50 years out or less
Class of 1953: 86%
Class Agents: Geo Stephenson & John Watling
McCabe Award
by a non-reunion class
Class of 1974: $65,660
Class Agent: Brian Lincoln
Class of 1920 Award
Greatest increase in dollars
from a non-reunion class
Class of 1975: $12,496
Class Agent: Rob Barber
The Romano Award
Greatest increase in percentage support
from a non-reunion class less than 50 years out
Class of 1975: 40%
Class Agents: Rob Barber
Young Alumni Dollars Award
from a class less than 10 years out
Class of 1995: $9,826
Class Agents: Dan Oneglia & Tony Pasquariello
Young Alumni Participation Award
Highest participation
from a class 10 years out or less
Class of 1998: 33%
Class Agent: Devin Weisleder
*Awards determined by funds raised
as of June 30, 2003
John Watling and Geo Stephenson, Class of ’53 Agents, accept fundraising
awards. PETER FINGER
Annual Fund
This has been a great year for the Annual Fund. In total the Taft family
has collectively raised $2.6 million for the School, only $40,000 less
than last year. I am deeply grateful to all the alumni/ae, current parents, former parents, grandparents and friends for their generosity and
loyalty to Taft.
Of this total, 38 percent of alumni raised $1.35 million. Thank
you so much to all the Class Agents who worked so hard this year to
raise these funds. I know this has been a difficult year for fundraising,
and your efforts are truly appreciated.
Special kudos goes to Class Agents Geo Stephenson and John Watling
and the 50th Reunion Class of ’53 for winning both the Snyder Award
and the Chairman of the Board Award by raising $307,217 with 86
percent participation. I would also like to recognize Class Agents Woolly
Bermingham and Ross Legler for leading the Class of ’43 to 100 percent
participation for the fifth year in a row! Well done!
It has been my privilege to chair the Annual Fund for the last four
years. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know so many dedicated
and loyal alumni and parents. It is my pleasure to announce my fellow
alumnus and classmate Dave Kirkpatrick
’89 as the new Annual Fund chair. I hope
you all welcome him as he leads the Annual Fund to new heights!
Sincerely,
Dyllan McGee ’89
David Kirkpatrick ’89
17
ANNUAL FUND REPORT
Parents’ Fund Raises $1.03 Million
93% Participation
We are delighted to announce that the 2002–03
Parents’ Fund, led by Leslie and Angus Littlejohn,
closed with extraordinary success, having raised
$1,032,726 from 93 percent of the current parent
body. “This achievement,” according to Headmaster
Willy MacMullen ’78, “could not have happened
Parents’ Fund Chairs Leslie and Angus Littlejohn P’03, ’05
without the untiring efforts of not only the Littlejohns
and a dedicated Parents’ Committee, but also the
hundreds of parents who have given so much to
this great school.”
For the fourth time in the past five years, over
one million dollars has been raised for the Parents’
Fund. Just as notable is the 90 plus percent parent
participation for the eleventh consecutive year. A
parent body that supports a school so unanimously
speaks to the strong belief that academics must remain
strong, athletics competitive, and the arts flourishing.
We look forward to another year with Leslie
and Angus once again serving as Chairs of the upcoming 2003–04 Fund.
18
2002–03 Parents’ Committee
Leslie & Angus Littlejohn, Chairs
Leslie & Samuel Acquaviva
Dale & Dick Ahearn
Rosanne & Steve Anderson
Sallie & Scott Barnes
Sandra Bisset
Ann & Alan Blanchard
Cindy & Larry Bloch
Sandi & Glenn Bromagen
Howard & Barbara Cherry
Gail & Daniel Ciaburri
Peg & John Claghorn
Donna & Chris Cleary
Kate & Dan Coit
Susan & Bill Coogan
Mary & David Dangremond
John Deardourff
Marguerite & Tom Detmer
Emily & Steven Eisen
Julie & Michael Freeman
Louise & Dan Gallagher
Pippa & Bob Gerard
Katy & Tiger Graham
Susan & Chuck Harris
Lisa Ireland
Linda & Bill Jacobs
Sally & Michael Karnasiewicz
Kathryn Kehoe
Kim & Dave Kennedy
Anne & Reid Leggett
Janet & Paul Lewis
Robin & James Little
Bridget & John Macaskill
Mary & Joe Mastrocola
Dale McDonald
Jane Perry & Barclay McFadden
K.T. & Alan McFarland
Clare & Howard McMorris
Anne & John McNulty
Pat & Patrick McVeigh
Virginia Mortara
Hattie & Bill Mulligan
Lois & Larry Nipon
Ann & William Nitze
Wendy & Fred Parkin
Rosemarie & Scott Reardon
Sera & Tom Reycraft
Ann & James Rickards
Lindsay & Edgar Scott
Jean & Stuart Serenbetz
Margi & Michael Sermer
Debbie & Michael Shepherd
Charlotte & Richard Smith
Jane & Tom Steele
Maria & Glenn Taylor
Margaret & Joseph Toce
Jane & Bill Waters
Sandra & Rick Webel
B.J. & Ed Whiting
Patty & Bill Wilson
Alice & Peter Wyman
S
P
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sport
Spring 2003 Highlights
PETER FREW ’75
PETER FREW ’75
䉱 Teammates Adam Kowalsky (pitching)
and Nick Kehoe (scoring) in action
during a key win at home against
Salisbury. These seniors led the Varsity
Baseball Team to a 12–6 record. Kehoe
compiled a 5–1 record, with a 2.33
ERA, and 42 strikeouts in 36 innings.
Kowalsky earned a 3–1 record with a
䉴 The Girls’ Crew Team enjoyed its most successful
season yet, with all four boats scoring at the Founders’
League race to earn 2nd place. The first boat of Zita
Vimi ’03, Jenn Sifers ’03, Katy Wilks ’03, Shannon
Sylvester ’03, and cox Nancy Townsend ’05 placed second at the Founders’ League race, while the third boat
(Meg Gallagher ’03, Meaghan Martin ’05, Lucy Piacenza
’04, Alexandra Lauren ’06, and cox Catherine Bourque
’05) medalled by placing third in the Grand Finals at
the New England Regatta.
2.45 ERA. Four-year starter Steve
Richard led the team in batting average
(.442), home runs (4) and RBIs (24).
PHOTO BY SPORTGRAPHICS, INC. SEE MORE RACING PHOTOS AT WWW.SPORTGRAPHICS.COM.
S
P
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER FREW ’75
䉱 The Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Team
ended the season on top again with a
13–1 record thanks to a stunning 11–7
victory over previously undefeated and
䉱 Senior co-captains
Kirsten Pfeiffer (hurdling) and Marisa
Ryan set new school
records at the New
England
Track
Championships this
year. Pfeiffer broke
her own record in
placing second in
the 300 meter
hurdles (46.38), and
Ryan set records in
winning both the
3,000 meter and
1,500 meter runs.
20
nationally ranked Hotchkiss at the end
of the season. Senior George McFadden
(making save) made the transition into
the goal and helped set a new school
record of 3.43 goals allowed per game.
All-League players Robbie Madden and
Tanner Fogarty (with ball) were central
to the team’s league-leading defense.
䉱 Senior Kofi Ofori-Ansah holds the school record in the
triple jump (46´4˝) and helped the Boys’ Track Team to a
6–2 record this year.
S
䉱 Coming off their New England
championship last year, the Girls’
Varsity Tennis Team finished 10–0–1
this year. Co-captain Katherine
O’Herron (left) has been the number one player for this incredible run,
P
O
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and Katie Franklin (right) made it to the
finals of the New England Tournament
in the number two flight this year.
Scoreboard
Varsity Baseball
Girls’ Varsity Crew
Captains: ........................... Nicholas J. Kehoe ’03, Steven G. Richard ’03
Captains Elect: ............ Brian C. Baudinet ’04, Henry W. Coogan III ’04,
Keith S. Shattenkirk ’04
Record: ........................................................................................... 12–6
Stone Baseball Award Winners: ............................ Nicholas J. Kehoe ’03,
Steven G. Richard ’03
Captain: .................................................................. Jennifer E. Sifers ’03
Captain Elect: ..................................................... Fiona F. McFarland ’04
Record: ............................................................................................. 4–4
Crew Award Winner: .............................................. Jennifer E. Sifers ’03
Varsity Softball
Captains: ............................ Samantha K. Hyner ’03, Randi J. Lawlor ’04
Captain Elect: ........................................................... Randi J. Lawlor ’04
Record: ............................................................................................. 0–9
Softball Award Winner: .................................. Abagail E. Cecchinato ’05
Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse
Captains: ..................... Nicole Mandras ’03, Alexandra T. Woodworth’03
Captains Elect: .......... S. Tucker Marrison ’04, Katherine U. Simmons ’04
Record: ............................................................................................. 7–8
Wandelt Lacrosse Award Winner: .............. Alexandra T. Woodworth ’03
Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse
Captains: .................... Robert W. Madden ’03, George S. McFadden ’03,
Todd R. Ogiba ’03
Captains Elect: ........................... Todd Johnson ’04, Rory T. Shepard ’04,
Nicholas J. Smith ’04
Record: ........................................................................................... 13–1
Odden Lacrosse Award Winner: ....................... George S. McFadden ’03
Boys’ Varsity Crew
Captain: .............................................................. Alexander W. Bisset ’04
Captain Elect: ..................................................... Alexander W. Bisset ’04
Record: ............................................................................................. 5–6
Crew Award Winner: ....................................... Anton P. L. Yupangco ’03
Girls’ Varsity Tennis
Captains: ................ Victoria B. Ilyinsky ’03, Katherine M. O’Herron ’03
Captain Elect: ........................................................... Bettina L. Scott ’04
Record: ....................................................................................... 10–0–1
Alrick H. Man, Jr. ’09 Award Winner: ........... Katherine M. O’Herron ’03
Boys’ Varsity Tennis
Captain: ........................................................... Alexander T. Ginman ’03
Captain Elect: ................................................ Christopher L. Carlson ’04
Record: ............................................................................................ 7–8
George D. Gould Tennis Award Winner: ........... Alexander T. Ginman ’03
Boys’ Varsity Track
Captains: .......................... Matt W. McIver ’03, Kofi O. Ofori-Ansah ’03
Captains Elect: .................... Francois Berube ’04, Camden J. Bucsko ’04,
Anthony J. Rodriguez ’04, Tyler J. Whitley ’04
Record: ............................................................................................. 6–2
Seymour Willis Beardsley Track Award Winners: ....................................
Matt W. McIver ’03, Kofi O. Ofori-Ansah ’03
Girls’ Varsity Track
Captains: ..................... Katherine S. McCabe ’04, Kirsten E. Pfeiffer ’03,
Marisa A. Ryan ’03
Captains Elect: ....... Sha-kayla M. Crockett ’05, Lauren C. Malaspina ’04,
Katherine S. McCabe ’04
Record: ............................................................................................. 4–2
Seymour Willis Beardsley Track Award Winners: ....................................
Kirsten E. Pfeiffer ’03, Marisa A. Ryan ’03
21
Five speakers
share their
thoughts about
the journey of
an education
and growth
within a gifted
and dedicated
community.
Satisfaction
22
Rear Admiral
Richard T. Ginman ’66 P’03
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BOB FALCETTI
Commencement Speaker
There are three groups of people represented here today—parents, faculty, and
graduating seniors. I plan to address
each in turn.
To the Parents: We all took a risk
and entrusted our children to the Taft
School. Some of us knew Taft because
we had been here ourselves, some had
entrusted other children to Taft, and for
some this was a first introduction to the
school. For each of us, it was a big step.
I hope each of you feels it was a decision well made.
I’ve seen the unbelievable endeavors
of your children displayed in the halls and
art studios, in the concerts given on parents’ weekends, in the athletic contests,
in the plays, and in the student’s thoughts
expressed in the Papyrus. With each visit
to Taft, I’ve seen a vibrant community; a
community that your children make possible. I only wish that all children had
the opportunity that ours have had here.
To the Faculty and Staff: I’ll come
back to the school’s motto, “To serve, not
to be served” later, but it seems so appropriate to mention it now. Taft is the
faculty and the staff. Each of you, individually and as a group, serves our
children. You make a difference in their
lives each and every day. You push them
to excel, you praise their successes, and
you’re there to support them in their failures. You have done this as a team,
working together to make the educational and personal development of each
student the best it could be.
The tangible part of your performance is obvious. The facilities of Taft
are impressive. They are a testament to
you and all those who have gone before
you. Because of your collective desire to
excel as teachers, the school has been able
to raise the funds from alumni, parents,
and friends that enable this school to
continue to thrive and be the excellent
institution it is. The intangible part is less
obvious, but even more important. It is
the vibrant, young students with a desire
to excel and to serve others that you have
developed. You need only look at the seniors assembled in front of you to know
you have excelled in your work.
For the Students: Thirty-six years ago I
sat in Graduation Court—I bet most of
you don’t even know where it is—and listened to a number of speeches. I’d like to
say I remember every word, but I don’t.
I’ve even given a few and I don’t remember
those either. I do, though, remember Taft
well and I’d like to share with you why.
The faculty of Taft made me work
harder than I had ever worked before.
They challenged me to go beyond what
I thought my limits were. They caused
me to look into academic areas I’d never
considered. They made me question my
Rear Admiral Richard T. Ginman ’66, Commencement speaker with son Alex ’03
beliefs. They made me express my opinions and then defend why I thought the
way I did. They took an interest in me
and worked hard at finding ways to make
me excited about the work.
“To serve, not to be served.” I suspect few of you graduating seniors know
what you’d like to do in life, and I can’t
help with you with that decision (unless
you’d like to consider military service after college, an option I’d encourage you
to consider). I can tell you that you won’t
find long-term satisfaction in your own
achievements; you will find satisfaction
in the journey that brings you to those
achievements. I’m also certain your
achievements will be made possible because of the efforts of others. Focusing
on their needs and helping them achieve
their goals will not only allow you to
achieve your objectives, but will bring
you great pleasure in seeing them achieve
their goals and the organizations that you
are a part of achieve theirs. Seniors, in a
long Navy tradition, I wish you Fair
Winds and Following Seas.
Journey
Remarks from the 113th Commencement, 2003
in the
23
Willy MacMullen ’78
Headmaster
Class of 2003, do you recall your first
day, perhaps just nine months ago,
perhaps nearly four years? You were
sitting in a folding seat in Centennial
Quad, nervous.
In those opening weeks, you may
have felt what my favorite poet, William Wordsworth, felt when he came to
Cambridge as a young man at the turn
of the 18th century. The similarities are
many—like him, you came brimming
with promise, and you entered a school
of thrilling energy. Wordsworth wrote:
I was the Dreamer; they the Dream; I roam’d
Delighted through the motley spectacle….
For hither I had come with holy powers
And faculties….
I was a Freeman; in the purest sense
Was free, and to majestic ends was strong.
There he is, a 17-year old from a small
town in the Lake District, and he is crackling with excitement at this “motley
spectacle,” as you no doubt were when
you walked down the Main Hall bustling
with students or sought to find your seat
in the din of your first School Meeting.
He feels a “holy power,” and who knows
the “majestic ends” of which he dreams.
You had such dreams. But above all, he
feels free, and there he and you were alike
on that unforgettable first day.
You were free that moment—to reinvent yourself, to start anew, to discover
new passions, and to face new challenges. Such a life-moment is thrilling,
and frightening; and you may never
again feel it as intensely as you did when
you came here. You parents know what
I mean by this; so many of you remarked
on it at dinner last night: the girl or boy
who walked into this Quad on that first
day is gone. Someone else will be accepting a diploma.
It would be a mistake to think that
what distinguishes this class was what they
did. What finally marked them singular
was who they were. With them, you think
less of talent and more of character.
I think finally it was their humanity
that marked them unique. One teacher
said, “I know it’s an old-fashioned word,
but they were just so darn nice.” We
peered out on the world and saw international relations among too many
nations too often marked by chilly
impatience or arrogant xenophobia,
relations among peoples marked by
apathetic inaction or fanatical violence.
We read of ethical violations at the
corporate level that dwarfed even the
stupendous wrongdoings in the late 19th
century. We had daily reminders that this
walled city on the hill, formed on timeless ideals of respect, service, and integrity,
could not isolate itself. We were inextricably interconnected to the world.
Here we were given hope for a better world, and it came from some 150
young men and women who treated each
other, and their faculty, and the traditions
of the school, with respect, humanity, and
Peter Granquist
Cathy Marigomen and cousins
Ryan Ahearn, center, winner of the Class of 1981 Award, with his family
Commencement 2003
24
understanding. They came from small
towns and large cities, from America and
a score of nations; they were black and
white, far right and radical left. They had
a mutual respect that led to robust, re-
spectful debates in coffeehouses, School
Meetings, electronic forums, classrooms
and dorms. They had strong opinions
and were anything but moral relativists—
they were principled and often staked out
Proud new graduate Henry Siemon
Alexandra Peterffy with her family
lonely positions. But they listened to each
other and treated each other as all the
world’s religions advise: as we wish to be
treated. There were many rooms in this
house. We adults should do as well.
25
Anton Yupangco ’03
Head Monitor
As I look back on my years here at Taft,
I can’t help but remember how it all
began. The first time I ever set foot on
the campus was in the winter of 1999. I
was a ninth grader at the Eaglebrook
School in Deerfield, Mass., and had
stopped by Taft in the middle of my
grand touring sweep of all of the New
England prep schools. I am sure that all
of the students and parents here remember doing something similar—driving
up and down Connecticut and Massachusetts, cramming in two school visits
in one day, grabbing lunch on the road.
Practicing what you were going to say
in the car, with your mom in the driver’s
seat pretending to be the admissions
officer. Personally, by day four it all became one large blur. I had already done
the Choate-Deerfield thing. Andover
and Exeter, Loomis, Lawrenceville,
Hotchkiss—Ugh.
And then I got to Taft. Let me just
say that the weather wasn’t spectacular,
to say the least. It was cold and rainy.
Snow and ice covered every inch of
ground—there was nothing green in
sight. We pulled in through the heavy
iron gates and around main circle. I
looked up at the towering red brick buildings with heavy wooden doors, thick dark
clouds looming overhead. Leafless trees
that looked like they were dead lined the
pathway and all in all the scene was—
well, for someone from southern
California—the scene was terrifying.
I stepped out of the car—hesitantly—and slowly proceeded to enter,
fully expecting to see Count Dracula
waiting inside to give me my tour. But
instead, I kept meeting friendly person
after friendly person. At first I didn’t
know why these people were so happy,
and I thought that maybe the faculty I
met were friendly because they had to
be. But then I went on my tour. Every
corner I turned, hallway I walked down,
and classroom I visited I saw people
smiling and laughing. In my mind it
came down to either one of two things.
One, there was something in the water.
Or two, the more likely one: that these
people were genuinely happy.
That’s when I knew I wanted to
be a part of this place. I don’t know
how best to describe it, but I got a vibe.
Here I was in a place where despite how
awful it looked outside, how terribly
cold and gloomy it was, people on the
inside were still full of energy, still full
of life, still smiling. On a nice day like
today it’s easy for someone to feel the
energy and life of this place, but it took
something special to shine through on
that day. Taft shone through for me on
that day.
I’d like to thank the people who make
learning at Taft happen. The amazing men
and women standing behind me: The faculty. For without them, none of this would
be possible. Thank you for your guidance,
and leadership not just during our final
year here, but from day one. You have always been, just as you are now, behind us
George McFadden with his parents
Isatta Jalloh (back center) with her family members
Commencement 2003
26
all the way. You have been incredible teachers, talented coaches, inspiring mentors,
and true friends. You have instilled and
nurtured a love for learning within us.
Thank you for bringing your passion
for teaching to every class, rehearsal,
and game. On behalf of every student
of the Taft School, I wish you a heartfelt thank you.
Secondly, I would like to thank the
other group of adults that has made this
experience possible: Our parents. From
the very beginning you have been with
us. Every moment, guiding us as we
took our first steps and urging us to
continue when we faltered. You have
continued to do the same even through
our years here at Taft. The care packages, cards, e-mails, phone calls are
appreciated more than you know. Today we stand in front of you, products
of your love and caring. We hope we
have made you proud.
To the senior class—to 153 of the
brightest, most incredible, most talented, most caring people I have ever
Head monitor Anton Yupangco displays the class stone.
known. You, my friends, are the unforgettable people we dreamed and planned
great futures with, who accepted us as
we were, and encouraged us to become
JONATHAN WILCOX
all that we wanted to be. When you leave
here, it is my hope that you bring with
you that energy, that life, and take it
with you wherever you go.
Chaplain Michael Spencer accepts the
Abramowitz Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Will Blanden (center) with his family
27
Taylor Walle ’03
Class Speaker
I came to Taft three years ago as a new
sophomore and have since considered
this to be one of the best decisions I ever
made. In so many ways, Taft has helped
me to become the person that I am today and, in turn, Taft has become an
integral part of who I am—for it is here
that I have both discovered and pursued
my passions, here that I have made
friends with whom I will never lose contact, here that I have grown up so much.
My teachers and friends have brought
out the best in me, and one of the things
I love most about our class is that we bring
out the best in each other. We’ve all grown
up a lot, but the point is that we’ve done
it together and that we couldn’t have done
it without each other. Consequently, our
friends, classmates, and teachers have all
become a part of who we are as much as
we have become a part of them. And so,
our experiences are no longer solely our
Class speaker Taylor Walle (second from right) and family
own, but rather part of the collective experience of those around us—and what
an incredible experience ours has been.
I firmly believe our class to be one of
the most talented and accomplished classes
Taft has seen in a long time, and I’m so
proud to have been a part of it. I have no
doubt that we will go on to do great things
with our lives, and I can’t wait to see how
all of our various talents will manifest
themselves in the world outside of Taft.
For the past three years I have defined myself largely by my role as a
student here and my place in our com-
munity and our class. Everyone and everything here has held an unprecedented
importance to me, and the prospect of
leaving all of this has been unthinkable…
I have realized that it is the very strength
of my attachment to this place and these
people that makes me so ready for the
next step. When all of us have gone our
separate ways, we will remember our experience here. We will remember our
teachers, our classmates, and of course
our friends—and in so doing will we be
better prepared to face all the challenges
that lie ahead.
Angus Littlejohn III with his parents Angus and Leslie and sister
Lindsay ’05
Glenton Davis (at right) with his family
Commencement 2003
28
James Blanchard ’03
Class Speaker
When I first came to Taft I was scared.
Everyone seemed so much more experienced and confident than I was. I’d never
lived away from home or gone to school
with girls. Everyone seemed to have their
group of friends already, whether from
being here freshman year or from coming early to preseason.
I wasn’t the best at making new
friends, and my initial plan of using my
incredible athletic ability to make me more
popular failed when I was cut from JV
soccer. Academically, I didn’t know what
to expect. Everyone I had met seemed so
smart that it made me doubt my own ability. I decided to take only regular level
classes because the idea of taking an honors level course at a school with so many
intelligent people just petrified me. After
losing academics and sports, my former
two sources of confidence, I didn’t know
what to think of myself.
However, despite
my lack of effort I was
still gradually making
new friends. I was being
accepted by people without even trying. Others
more confident than I
were making the effort to
help out someone who
was desperately looking
for their acceptance.
Looking back on it now,
I’ve realized this is what
has defined our class in
my mind. We are in- James Blanchard ’03, class speaker, and family members
nately good-hearted and
good-spirited. We are accepting in na- most insecure years of a person’s life.
It’s impossible for me to express
ture and nonjudgmental of our peers.
You could have taken that 130 how much you all have meant to me and
pound non athlete, nonscholar and even more impossible for me to imagimmediately labeled him as an outcast ine going to school without you. For all
but instead you made him appreciate of that there’s nothing I can say except
himself for what he was. You became thank you. We’ve made the best possible
my source of confidence—both the of this year and I have no doubt in the
reasons how and why I did the things future that we will all make the best of
I did. You gave me security during the wherever we go next.
The family of Meghan Gallagher (center) celebrates her graduation.
Ryan Ahearn and Veronica
Aguirrebeitia
The preceding excerpts are taken from actual speeches given in May.
29
The Taft
Portrait of a
Graduate
By Debora Phipps
Portrait of a Graduate
C
hildren often ask why they have to
do things—make their beds, eat their
broccoli, write thank-you notes—and
sometimes, depending on the frustration
level of the parent, they receive the quick
reply, “because I said so.” If this occurs, they
might eat the vegetable or pull up the sheets,
but they won’t understand the reasons for
doing so—making it less likely that they’ll
learn much from the exercise or perform
the action voluntarily in the future.
In the same way, students ask, “Why
do we have to do this?” Experienced teachers know the predictive signs: the escalating
grumbling as an assignment sheet or quiz
circulates the room, the shuffling of feet as
students reposition themselves, lingering
glances at the clock, and ultimately, the
heavy sigh which prompts a classmate to
ask the critical question. The query, though,
is a good one. Without a sense of its purpose, students may complete an assignment
without learning much from doing so. And
without a shared sense of what she will
learn, the design of the assignment, the student may find herself completing it only
to earn a grade. Just as importantly, she
might be unable to see how her learning is
connected to the learning she experiences
elsewhere on campus.
The following italicized examples—all
taken from students’ real experiences—
describe various instances in which students
exhibit behavior described by the “Taft Portrait of a Graduate,” a document the faculty
have created to identify the school’s educational aims. They illustrate the ways in
which our daily behavior and attitudes reveal what we really learn and act on, rather
than what we’re merely compelled to do.
Portrait of a Graduate:
A Taft education prepares its students in a community devoted to creating
lifelong learners, thoughtful citizens, and caring people. More particularly,
Taft graduates have exhibited that they
• act with honor and integrity, and value both the Taft Honor Code and the
School’s fundamental conviction that honesty and personal responsibility are
the cornerstones of character and of community.
• serve others unselfishly, reflecting and acting upon the School’s motto in both
formal and informal contexts: Non ut sibi ministretur sed ut ministret.
• have cultivated a moral thoughtfulness through exposure to various ethical perspectives and ways of thinking. They have shown that they make
informed choices after considering the possible consequences of their
actions and decisions.
• respect and appreciate diverse peoples and cultures, and they recognize the
opportunities inherent in a diverse community.
• make informed choices in living healthy and balanced lives.
• apply the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind of all disciplines to framing
questions and solving problems in the pursuit of understanding. Moreover,
they see even the most formidable challenges as opportunities for growth.
• possess intellectual curiosity and resourcefulness, and actively engage in the
process of learning.
• work cooperatively and collaboratively; they are willing to subdue their individual needs and desires in order to contribute to the collective efforts of
people united in a common purpose.
• work and think independently. They are self-reliant, disciplined, and courageous about taking risks in their thinking.
• express themselves clearly, purposefully, and creatively in their speaking and
writing, as well as other forms that they find effective and rewarding.
• appreciate the arts and have explored their own capacity for creation in
all of their endeavors. They apply imagination and inventiveness in the
creative process.
• apply appropriate technologies to the process of learning and understand the
possibilities and limitations of various technological innovations.
• reflect regularly upon their learning and themselves as learners, leading to
greater awareness of themselves as individuals and of their places in the world
in which they live.
䉳 Michael Karin ’81
31
䉳 Graduation 1988
An upper mid, packing up her books
after a class discussion on Emerson’s
“Self-Reliance,” asks her teacher
whether the essay seems to predict
America’s self-absorption today.
In the spring of 2001, new Headmaster
Willy MacMullen announced the formation of the Faculty Forum committee,
charged with considering the academic
life of the school. The purpose of this
committee, made up of ten faculty members totaling over a century of experience,
was to examine what and how we teach—
specifically, to explore what we wanted a
Taft graduate to know and be able to do.
Two years later, after countless meetings
whose records take up 4 1/2 inches worth
of paper in my file drawer, we now have
a “Taft Portrait of a Graduate,” a document that begins with this preamble: “A
Taft education prepares its students in a
community devoted to creating lifelong
learners, thoughtful citizens, and caring
people. More particularly, Taft graduates
have exhibited that they...” followed by
a list of those skills, attitudes, and habits
of mind that define Taft students.
A lower mid, struggling with a geometry
proof in the Learning Center, relaxes when
an upper-school student offers his help. On
the third problem, the younger student suggests, “Wait. Let me try it on my own.”
32
When Willy first alluded to this Portrait in
his Fathers’ Day talk last November, he expressed feeling both excited and daunted.
To promise parents that their children
would exhibit these characteristics requires
enormous faith in the faculty as well as
the students. That trust derives from the
process through which the School designed the Portrait. Initially, each academic
department met to identify those discipline-specific skills that each student should
demonstrate by his or her senior year. The
history department struggled to define the
role of research, a concern shared by the
Library staff. Foreign language teachers considered the importance of teaching an
appreciation for native cultures in the classroom—and so on.
Students enter the classroom with multiple
copies of their essays, ready for peer critique.
They understand that constructive criticism
is a form of respect, and settle down to work
collectively to improve each paper.
These departmental statements were then
shared with the Forum committee, which
sifted through the material, identifying
those skills and attitudes valued by more
than one department. From eight, to four,
to two, and finally, to one page, we honed
the Portrait to include those overlapping
and crucial descriptors that reflect what we
value and, ultimately, what we want to be
sure that all students learn. Though charged
with consideration of the academic program, many departments included qualities
more traditionally associated with character education—evidence of a quality of the
school often noted by alumni. At Taft, students learn as much about themselves as
they do about math or science, and much
of this character education occurs in the
classroom. Whether it be ethical analysis
of Hamlet’s decisions, consideration of the
ways in which intolerance leads to conflict
throughout history, or simply lower school
teachers’ reminding students of the importance of getting enough sleep before a test,
class discussion extends to issues much
larger than a particular text or academic
idea. Qualities such as honesty and integrity, an appreciation of community and
diversity, understanding of the importance
of healthy balance—these are as much a
part of the academic curriculum as of the
teaching that occurs in dorms, adviser meetings, athletics, arts, activities, and Morning
Meetings.
The teacher distributes a mixture of iron,
sand, and salt; lower-mid science students,
working in pairs, must find a way to determine the amount of each component in their
sample. An art teacher assigns students to
construct a clay structure: the only stipulation is that each piece must be 25 inches tall.
All faculty members then discussed the
Forum’s edited list, which went back to
academic departments as well as those
groups responsible for teaching students
in areas beyond the classroom: the admissions group, dormitory heads, the alumni
office, the school counselors, the athletic
directors. At each meeting, questions
arose, spirited discussion ensued, and the
Portrait evolved. The more we talked, the
more we discovered ways that the Portrait will help guide the design of athletic
practices, rehearsals, conversations in the
hallways, residential life, and discussions
at sit-down dinner. Dormitory heads spoke
of redesigning their student evaluation
forms to reflect the relevant qualities list in
the Portrait. A play director chooses to allow students to select—and then
swap—roles during initial rehearsals, including actors in the decisions guiding the
production. A soccer coach includes in his
“curriculum” a definition of sportsmanship
derived from statements in the Portrait,
those requiring respect for others, honesty
and integrity, and unselfishness.
Fifteen students gather in the seminar
room to discuss their progress in their research for senior seminar projects. One
offers guidance in narrowing an Internet
search. Another, researching forensic science, reports that she’s secured an interview
with Dr. Henry Lee. The class brainstorms
about questions she might ask.
䉴 Nancy Demmon ’81
“Have exhibited” is a strong phrase to use
in the preamble, one that prompted a
number of discussions, and some doubt,
among the faculty members who worked
with this document. Questions arose:
What if a student doesn’t demonstrate
these qualities? Why not suggest that these
qualities were ones we hoped to teach,
rather than insisting that all students provide evidence of their acting according to
this outline? Why was this important to
our school if we felt that most students
already, in fact, fulfilled this definition?
side theorem, or the importance of respecting classmates in discussion—only
to encounter evidence (a set of bad quizzes, students’ continual interrupting) that
demonstrates that they haven’t learned
what we think we’ve taught. In these
cases, the teacher must reconsider ways
to help students learn the skill and to
demonstrate their learning. The Portrait
employs the same logic on a larger scale
by asking students to provide evidence
of their acting upon those characteristics
listed in the Portrait.
A math teacher distributes a test and leaves
to refill her water bottle while students
complete the assignment.
A middler begins “That’s an interesting
comment” and offers a summary of the previous speaker’s idea before disagreeing with
a classmate’s comment about Gandhi’s
principles of nonviolence.
It’s this insistence on “exhibited,” the
necessity of students demonstrating their
learning, that gives the Portrait its power.
Many schools have a mission statement,
a description of those tenets that they
hope that teachers will instill in students.
Our current Portrait inverts this more
traditional statement: It instead defines
what students will learn, rather than what
we hope to teach. It requires that teachers provide opportunities for students to
learn and, most importantly, to demonstrate their learning. Every teacher knows
the feeling of believing that we’ve taught
a skill—applications of the side-angle-
It’s in the classroom that the Portrait may
exact the biggest change. Although the
process affirmed the value of what we do
and the way we currently teach, it also
points towards ways we might refine our
practices. The Portrait will guide teachers in creating more varied forms of
assessment designed to measure particular skills. Lab practicals in science classes,
foreign language oral exams, writing
portfolios, graded class debates—these all
reflect teachers’ designing alternative
projects with the clear purpose of assess-
ing skills that aren’t measured on traditional written tests or papers. As teachers
explain their designs to students, referring to those qualities of the Portrait that
an assignment might draw on, learning
becomes a responsibility shared between
the teacher and students.
A Jewish student invites a Roman Catholic
friend to Shabbat dinner in the Living
Room, a communal space outside the counseling and chaplain’s offices. Students at
Morning Meeting listen to an upper mid
explain his Independent Study Project on
the conflict in the Middle East.
None of the items in the Portrait are revolutionary. More, they refine and expand
on the same ideals that Horace Dutton
Taft first identified as goals for the school.
The difference lies in the necessity of students’ exhibiting their understanding of
these qualities—not through their work
on any single test, but through demonstration in their daily actions. If a mid,
noting a new student sitting alone in the
dining hall, goes to sit with that new
arrival and make him or her feel comfortable, that reveals an awareness of the
importance of community and the active role of the school’s motto. A senior
who independently researches the Biblical allusions in a James Joyce short story
and shares her findings in class demonstrates intellectual curiosity, respect for
her classmates, and her willingness to
work on her own to solve academic problems—even when those problems aren’t
assigned by her teacher. We, as faculty
members, will need to actively recognize
these moments, to teach students to be
aware of and reflect on the ways they exhibit these ideals every day. As they learn
to recognize the Portrait in their own actions, they will more often recognize
these behaviors in their peers, creating a
stronger community with clearly defined
and shared goals.
While checking in lower-school students at
night, a corridor monitor notes a tired mid
nodding over his list of irregular French
verbs. The monitor suggests that the student go to bed, and offers to wake him up
early so that he’ll have time to finish studying before breakfast.
As we continually remind ourselves,
the current Portrait is a living document, one which should change and
evolve in response to our experience
in using it. Designing it has been an
exciting process involving the entire
faculty and guiding our work going
forward. The task ahead—shaping
curriculum to provide more creative
opportunities for reflective learning—
already has faculty members thinking
independently, sharing ideas, designing courses, and reflecting—exactly
those behaviors that students will exhibit in defining our community.
At her last class meeting before graduation,
a senior writes a letter to herself—a required
English assignment, but also a chance to
reflect on her experience at Taft. She imagines walking across the stage at graduation,
and considers the complex, shifting world
she will enter. She’s ready, she knows, to meet
those challenges, to lead positively and
meaningfully. She knows this because she’s
done so; she’s already exhibited those qualities that will allow her to continue to do so.
She proudly seals the envelope, hands it to
her teacher for a later mailing, and smiles.
Debora Phipps is the new dean of academic
affairs and holds the Holcombe T. Green
Chair. She served as chair of the Faculty
Forum committee that worked on the
Portrait and will assume the position of
academic dean next year.
Faculty Forum committee members included Loueta Chickadaunce, Laura
Erickson, Baba Frew, Bill Morris, Debbie
Phipps, Linda Saarnijoki, Steve Schieffelin,
Mike Townsend, and Jon Willson.
Northern
Exposureto
Native
Arts
Susan Heard ’77 & the Alaska Native Arts Foundation
By Linda Beyus
GRETCHEN SAGAN
SUSAN HEARD ’77
A Native doll
Iditarod race dogs resting at a checkpoint
From Taft
to Teaching to
Native Arts
Susan Heard ’77 has a photo of herself taken
on the Arctic Ocean—“The next stop is
Santa Claus,” she laughs. How she ended
up marketing Alaskan Native arts and following the Iditarod race after having been
an East Coast kindergarten teacher is a story
of serendipity plus commitment.
As a Taft senior, Susan did volunteer work at the Watertown Montessori
School that met in the front hall of CPT
at the time. She fell in love with teaching, proven by the fact that she taught
kindergarten for 21 years and also
coached field hockey and lacrosse. Susan
summers on Nantucket (about as removed from Alaska as one can get in the
contiguous U.S.) where, for nine years,
䉳 previous page: Rainy Pass where the
Iditarod usually runs when snow is adequate.
PHOTO BY
SUSAN HEARD ’77
inset: Susan Heard ’77 on the Arctic Ocean
holding a precious piece of Native art
36
she ran a day camp for three- to six-yearolds. At her Taft 25th Reunion in 2002
Susan told fellow alumni she planned to
leave teaching. Susan now works with the
Alaska Native Arts Foundation where she
is its marketing director for “the lower
48 states,” she says—work that is both
gratifying and challenging.
The Alaska Native Arts Foundation, founded in 2002, is dedicated to
supporting Alaska’s Native artists. Works
of art marketed through the foundation,
one of Susan’s responsibilities, will
generate donations from retailers that
will subsequently fund grants for arts
education among Alaska’s Native population. She is excited about the progress
they’ve made so far.
Susan became involved with her new
work through a founder of the Alaska
Native Arts Foundation, Alice Rogoff
Rubenstein from Nantucket. Alice had
gone on a trip to Alaska, inspired by her
son’s school, the Potomac School in
Maryland, where third grade students
follow the Iditarod dogsled race each year.
Students track the progress of a musher
through a computer. As Alice planned a
2003 trip to Alaska, She persuasively told
Susan, “You have to do this with me.” So
off Susan went to follow the Iditarod in
person this past March.
In November 2002, Susan was invited by Alice to meet the 2002 winner
of the Iditarod, Martin Buser, who was
speaking at the National Geographic
Society and at the Potomac School.
“After meeting him and hearing about
the race,” Susan says, “I fell in love
with the dogs, the adventure, with the
whole thing.” At the same time, she
was invited to work for the foundation, not hesitating for one minute in
her decision. She had been looking for
something different to do, having
spent many years as a teacher and
wanting a change.
The Iditarod
Race
If Susan was smitten by the Alaska bug
when she first heard a lecture on the
Iditarod, she was over the top when she
witnessed her first race in person this
GRETCHEN SAGAN
Northern
Exposure
An exquisite basket made of baleen
March, visiting rural villages to purchase
Native art objects. The only way to
travel from checkpoint to checkpoint as
a race bystander is by plane, snowmobile, or dogsled. Susan and her traveling
companions opted for plane travel in a
ski plane flown by Alaskan pilots Terri
Smith, a foundation board member, and
her husband Terry. Susan traveled the
race route with founding board member Alice and her son, along with
another friend and his son.
The ceremonial start of the
Iditarod race was in Anchorage. “I left
32 inches of snow in Nantucket and
flew to Anchorage where there was
none!” she laughs. Since there was so little
snow in Alaska this year, they trucked
snow into the streets for the ceremonial
start. The actual start of race was held
later in Fairbanks. In fact, a whole new
section of the course had to be created to
provide a snow-covered route this year.
The Iditarod mushers travel 1,100
miles over mountain ranges, completing
the race in anywhere from 10 to 14 days.
Stopping points, mostly for the dogs to
rest and be fed, can be 60 to 90 miles
apart. Since mushers can’t carry all their
supplies on their sled, the checkpoints offer tents for sleeping, hay bedding
outdoors for the dogs, dog food, plus
many veterinarians who check every
single dog (as the mushers also do).
Entrants usually keep a schedule such
as six hours mushing and six hours resting. Interestingly, there is no doctor for
the mushers themselves who are lucky
if they can sleep for one or two hours at
each stop since dog care and dog rest
are the priorities.
herself, had listened to a radio scanner
so she quickly knew Susan’s group was
flying in. The names of the villages they
visited evoke a Native Alaskan culture
that the rest of the U.S. knows little
about: Kaltag, Unalakleet, Shaktoolik,
Koyuk, Grayling, Eagle Island, and
White Mountain.
Susan and Alice purchased objects
from the families of artisans they visited
who sold the foundation beadwork,
skinwork, and carved ivory. The foundation believes in paying fair and generous
prices for the beautifully made works,
knowing this is often the only source of
income for many rural Native people.
“They can’t go to K-Mart and buy a new
pair of mittens,” Susan emphasizes.
“They’ll make them out of skins—there
is no fabric store down the street.” Rural
Native houses might be built of plywood
and look as if they’re barely standing up,
but ironically, she says, they often have a
satellite dish outside.
“As you travel and meet the Natives
they have artwork in their pockets,” Susan
states. “They’ll pull a hand-carved object
out of their pockets and say, ‘Do you like
it?’” She equates the rural Alaskan stores
that sell everything from milk to snow
shovels to eyeglasses, with Vermont
country stores. “There might be a little
table with unbelievable artwork under
glass. Someone will have made a polar
bear carving from fossilized ivory and
traded it for diapers,” she says. It’s a practical way to buy what they need and can’t
make themselves.
Finding
Native Artisans Hunting
Flying to different checkpoints on the
Yukon River, Susan and her colleagues
met Native artists all along the race route and Gathering
in very rural villages where the population ranges from 100 to 650 people. She
says that when they arrived in each town,
the word quickly got out as to whom they
were—no trouble finding the local artists as a result. In one village, a woman
they nicknamed “the mayor,” an artisan
Alaskan Native people still hunt and gather
Susan points out. They hunt and subsist
on whale, walrus, moose, caribou, seal, and
fish. The whole animal is used where possible. The village of Shishmaref in the far
north is known for its fossilized ivory of
mastodon and wooly mammoth. Before
37
GRETCHEN SAGAN
Northern
Exposure
Bracelets made of fossilized ivory
the incredulity of this sinks in to an outsider, Susan affirms that the fossilized ivory
is millions of years old. “They find it while
digging in their gardens, or it washes up
on the beach,” she says. Bearing blue veins,
fossilized ivory (see photo above) gets darker
with age and makes exquisite carvings at
the hand of native residents.
They also carve the ivory of musk
ox, a descendant of the wooly mammoth. “Musk ox…are hunted for their
fur which is softer and warmer than
cashmere,” Susan states. “When we were
flying to Shishmaref, we were looking
for polar bears and saw a whole musk
ox herd. They were just wandering
around—about 15 to 20 of them. Our
pilot told us that they travel in groups
and if they feel threatened, they back
into a big circle with the young in the
middle and their big horns facing out.
That way, their predators think that they
are huge, scary beasts—that’s why they
have survived since prehistoric days. So,
as we flew over them, Terry took a turn
over the herd and they did exactly that.
They backed right into each other and
stared us down!”
38
Showing
the Artwork
A marketing coup for the foundation is
an offer from the Alaska State Council
on the Arts to exhibit their collection
of Eskimo dolls created by Native artists. “These beautiful dolls which depict
indigenous life will travel the New England Coast this summer,” Susan says,
and will be exhibited at nautical and
whaling museums such as Connecticut’s
Mystic Seaport, the Rotch-Jones-Duff
House and Garden Museum in New
Bedford, Mass., and Nantucket’s Whaling Museum. Historically, New
England, Hawaii, and Alaska have had
a connection due to the whaling industry. New England ships, for instance,
ended up in Alaska so this former linkage makes sense for future exhibits.
Susan is also happy to report that
Native art from the foundation will be
shown at the fall 2004 opening of the
new Washington, D.C., location of the
National Museum of the American Indian. Susan says the Alaska Native Arts
Foundation will soon have available for
sale through retailers a wide range of artwork such as jewelry, dolls, carvings (in
ivory, soapstone, alabaster, fossilized
whale bone), hairpieces, wearable art
such as gloves, mittens, hats, parkas, and
some prints and paintings. To see some
of the items, visit its website:
www.alaskanativearts.org.
Successful inroads to retailers include a showcase of Native art works at
Neiman Marcus in their Tyson’s Corner,
Va., location this September. The
Neiman Marcus exhibit, Susan notes,
“is serendipitous and it’s huge.” Also,
Gorsuch Ltd. will showcase Native arts
from the foundation in both their Vail,
Colo., store and 2003–04 catalog.
The Native artisans create very highquality carving and beadwork but have
very few places in which to sell it. As a
result, the foundation will help them sell
their works of art by finding new avenues
where it can be marketed. Some of the
younger Natives have not been interested
in continuing the tradition of artwork because they don’t feel that they can make a
living with it. “The cultural heritage up
there is spectacular,” Susan notes, highlighting the need for a Native arts
education program so that the skills of
elders can be transmitted to the next generation. An arts education program is in
the planning stages with the Univ. of
Alaska in Fairbanks—“spirit camps” for
Native boys and girls (similar to Girl and
Boy Scout camps) that will focus on doing hands-on Native arts, helping keep
the traditions alive.
“I’m an educator at heart,” Susan
notes. “It’s in my blood. It’s not just
about selling [Native works of art] but
about educating the lower 48 about the
people and culture of Alaska’s Native
population.” She is after all, still teaching, only now it is about the richness of
a Native people and their culture here
in the U.S. Susan Heard is helping prove
that there is so much more to Alaska
than a cruise along its waterways.
Alumni Weekend began with a well-attended memorial
service and an evening of class reunion dinners scattered
throughout the area. Saturday’s forum with Headmaster
䉱 Send in the clowns.
Don’t Rain
on Our Parade
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
PETER FINGER
䉲 The high-spirited Class of ’53 marches up the hill.
TAFT ALUMNI WEEKEND
Willy MacMullen ’78 and student representatives preceded an
enthusiastic, bagpiper-led parade of alumni (while all held their
breath that the rain would hold off for a while).
䉱 The Class of ’53 stands in front of their 50th reunion gift, a connector to the new John L. Vogelstein ’52 Dormitory and two terraces.
䉲 John Watling, Barclay Johnson and Geo Stephenson, all Class of ’53, share a moment
with Headmaster Willy MacMullen ’78 during their 50th reunion.
40
䉲 Despite foul weather, the parade goes on!
Alumni awards, such as the Citation of Merit for
Dr. Alfred G. Gilman ’58, were given and graciously accepted at the alumni luncheon, held in
䉱 Lance Odden greets alumni lacrosse
players before the game.
䉳 Tafties of the next generation enjoy
alumni weekend.
䉲 Pam and Willy MacMullen ’78 join
his class for the parade.
TAFT ALUMNI WEEKEND
the McCullough Athletic Center. The success of Taft’s Annual Fund
Campaign was also reported to supportive alumni donors. The weekend culminated with the Taft lacrosse team taking on the alumni and
䉲 Class of ’43 members Renny Brighton, Woolly
Bermingham, and Mike Tenney at their 60th reunion.
䉱 Clarissa Lee, wife of Alumni Trustee Roger Lee ’90,
Dyllan McGee ’89, and Jessica Oneglia Travelstead ’88
at the alumni luncheon PETER TAFT ’53
䉲 Henry Becton and John Morrissey celebrate their
70th reunion.
䉱 The Service of Remembrance at Christ Church on the Green
42
an evening dinner. The smiles on the faces of alumni and
their families said it all—it was a weekend to celebrate
friends and the school where these friendships began.
䉱 Paul Foster ’33
helps lead the
parade.
䉳 Faculty emeritus Jol Everett prepares the
alumni for battle.
䉲 Bagpipers lead alumni through Centennial Arch to the luncheon.
Taft Bulletin
The Taft School
Watertown, CT 06795-2100
860-945-7777
www.TaftAlumni.com
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 101
Burl., VT 05401
Change Service Requested
save the
date!
Alumni
Weekend
May 14–15, 2004
Notice: Postal regulations require the school to pay
50 cents for every copy not deliverable as addressed.
Please notify us of any change of address, giving
both the new and old addresses. You may e-mail
changes to TaftRhino@TaftSchool.org.

BULLETIN Taft Portrait of a Graduate

Transcription

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