Derryfield Today, Winter 2004 by The Derryfield School

today

Derryfield

NEWS FROM THE DERRYFIELD SCHOOL

WINTER 2004

Finding A Voice An Excerpt from Excerpt The Road to Hollywood

winter concert see details on page 7

contents Table of

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Tricia Lucas Chair Manchester, NH Arthur Coviello Vice Chair Hollis, NH

DERRYFIELD TODAY

John Allard ’83 Manchester, NH Bradley Benson ’78 Derry, NH James Cahill Concord, NH

Steven Burke Treasurer Bedford, NH

Jim Davis New Boston, NH

Pamela VanArsdale Secretary Bedford, NH

William Davis II Hopkinton, NH

Dianne Connolly Corporate Secretary Windham, NH Randy Richardson Head of School Concord, NH

Dr. Louis Fink Bedford, NH Terry Flahive Bedford, NH

Annie Briggs Director of Communications Editor O’Neil Griffin Bodi, Inc. Design Puritan Press Printing

Donna K. Lencki Candia, NH David Lockwood Manchester, NH

FEATURES

An Excerpt from Excerpt by Bob Cole

Richard Anthony English Department

Finding A Voice

Bob Cole Excerpt Faculty Advisor

by Annie Briggs

Dianne Connolly Board of Trustees

The Road to Hollywood

10 16 22

Sarah Silverman ’89 INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Maria Holland Law ’75 Bedford, NH

features

CONTRIBUTORS

Patrick Griffin Bedford, NH Joseph Horton Manchester, NH

WINTER 2004

Alice Handwerk Director Ellie Cochran ’69 Associate Director Gail Gordon Assistant Jen Pierce Director of Alumni Relations

At the Top of His Game

by Richard Anthony

departments DEPARTMENTS

Message from the Head

Lourdes Maldonado Manchester, NH

Around Campus

Eric Nickerson Windham, NH

Cougar Athletics

Jeffrey Pollock Bedford, NH

Summerbridge Spotlight

Gay Shanahan ’76 Duxbury, MA

Update on Alumni Life After Derryfield Faculty Profile

2 4 12 14 18 22 29

FRONT COVER: Members of the cast of Les Misérables during a group number. INSIDE FRONT COVER: Jackie Leeds ’06 accompanies Concert Choir during the Winter Concert. Derryfield Today is published by the Institutional Advancement Office at The Derryfield School. If you note errors, please notify us at 603.669.4524 ext. 123 or send an email to abriggs@derryfield.org. Correspondence may be addressed to: Director of Communications, The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, NH 03104-1396. The Derryfield School welcomes students of any race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin. The School does not discriminate in its hiring, admission policies, or programs on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual preference, or disabilities.

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BACKGROUND: Students make their way to All School Assembly on a cold winter morning. TOP: Music teacher Laurel Devino directs the Middle School Chorus during the Winter Concert.

head

Message from the RANDY RICHARDSON HEAD OF SCHOOL

Voicing an Identity s I see our students on stage, on the field, in class, and even in the hallway, I often consider what it is about Derryfield that fosters creativity and risk‑tak‑ ing. How did these young people create such a professional dramatic and musical performance of Les Misérables? What inspires a girl who rarely played sports to become a gifted Division I field hockey player after only four years at Derryfield? What made a quiet, subdued young man sud‑ denly decide to sing, joke, and teach on stage throughout his senior year? How do our students, from one of the smallest

“...we strive to remember that our program is designed to best serve both the individual and the group needs of the entire community of learners.”

schools in the state, regularly get recognized among the best writers and mathematicians? What is the force that drives some of our students to create beautiful and even award‑ winning sculptures, drawings and paintings? I do not have one simple answer to these questions, but I do believe that we have created something special at Derryfield. We have a philosophy, program, and culture that promote intellectual and creative risk‑taking. Our small classes and advisor groups make it possible for us to both support and challenge every student. We have fantastic teachers who are both passionate about what they teach and completely com‑ mitted to their students. We provide a demanding, diverse liberal arts curriculum which includes a range of visual and performing arts offerings and is complemented by a varied

athletic program. Perhaps most importantly, we are blessed by wonderful and motivated students who consistently and impressively rise to the challenge. As expressed in the Statement of Philosophy, one of our most important goals as a school is to empower students to “develop their unique qualities of mind, body, and spirit.” While it is possible to broadly interpret the meaning of this excerpt, the ultimate purpose is clear. We want to help our students find, develop, and embrace their individuality and creative voice across the spectrum of their educational expe‑ rience. This goal from our Statement of Philosophy offers a num‑ ber of challenges to Derryfield as an intellectual community. Perhaps the greatest of these is to create an effective balance between two potentially competing objectives: on the one hand, a desire to embrace diversity, individuality, and cre‑ ativity; on the other, a commitment to community and an understanding of the need to encourage order and compro‑ mise. With this in mind, we constantly remind ourselves and adjust our program to best serve both the individual and the collective needs of the entire community of learners. It is our unrelenting and dedicated effort to create this balance that makes Derryfield a safe, dynamic, exciting, and outstanding school.

Randy Richardson Head of School

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

APRIL – JUNE

events LETTER TO THE COMMUNIT Y

calendar

from Dianne Connolly, Board of Trustees APRIL

he approach of spring is always a time of year that reminds me how easily we can be surprised by reality. The richness of a world that we so often take for granted is immediately reflected in those first blades of vivid green! Our community has, for so long, benefited from the presence of our Founders. The loss of two significant members of that fine group has saddened us all. Yet I find myself reflecting on the richness of the community they helped to start, and the amazing leadership they have offered over all these years. Many of you knew Dr. Barbara Stahl. As a new member to the Board of Trustees at The Derryfield School, I was both delighted, and in no small measure intimidated, that she brought her 40 years of service on the Board to the Education Committee I chaired. Her ability to listen was intense, her insight into policy and practice was scalpel sharp, and her commitment to share her vision was legendary. That vision was of an educational institution constantly working to be the very best that it could be. Excellence in education, reflected in her con‑ tinual service to the Board and in her 50 years as a professor at St. Anselm College, was Barbara’s hallmark. She extended herself to greet members new to the Derryfield community, and tirelessly reminded us all of the importance of the vision created when the Founders crafted the Statement of Philosophy. Her vision of the future for The Derryfield School will inform our work for years to come. A number of us were present last year when Pastoral Counseling Services hon‑ ored both Barbara Stahl and Dr. Selma Deitch Sigel with their prestigious Good Samaritan Award. What an occasion, to see two Founders so deservedly honored by the larger community. Dr. Sigel spoke with clear passion about the responsi‑ bilities we all share to reach out and support those members of our world who are in need. Her commitment to children through the establishment of Child Health Services has enriched our wider community immeasurably. Her support of the Summerbridge Program at Derryfield was also sustaining and continuous. It was impossible during that award ceremony, as it was during the splendid cel‑ ebration of Dr. Sigel’s life held at Derryfield, not to hear our own Statement of Phil‑ osophy echoed: “Recognizing that academic achievement without compassion and concern for others is meaningless, we are committed to purposeful involve‑ ment in the world outside our school in both the local and the global community.” In all aspects, we continue to be enriched and guided by our Founders. This year’s Founders’ Day celebration will be especially meaningful, as we approach the 40th Anniversary of The Derryfield School, and honor both present and remembered Founders. We are committed to sustaining their vision. It is with great pride that we move into the future. Sincerely, Dianne Connolly

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Classical All-State Music Festival

1-3

Admission US Ice Cream Social

Senior Dinner

Admission MS Ice Cream Social

Founders’ Day

Summerbridge Saturday

Middle School Dance

MAY Parents’ Association Auction

Prom

Middle School Musical

7-8

Spring Concert

Summerbridge Saturday

Tennis Classic

Awards Day Assembly

JUNE All School Assembly and Picnic

Middle School Send-off

Commencement

David Haight’s Retirement Party

Summerbridge Faculty Training Begins

COME HONOR

davidhaight’s retirement The evening of Graduation, on June 12th, the Derryfield community will honor a man who has dedicated 32 years of his life to the School. Please RSVP to Ellie Cochran ’69 at ecochran@derryfield.org or at 603.669.4524 ext. 122. 3

campus

Around

STORIES

Winter Carnival

The February doldrums were gladly inter‑ rupted for one week by this year’s Winter Carnival festivities, organized by members of the School Council. Winter Carnival began with a school rally at Monday’s All School Assembly and culminated in the entertaining Moose Review on Friday the 13th. The highlight of the week was a sur‑ prise Head’s Holiday on Wednesday that featured a trip to see Miracle, a pizza party and ice cream sundae bar. With a costume theme for each day of the week, Maroon and White teams competed valiantly throughout the week at contests that included a food drive, capture the flag, political trivia, and pie eating. At the end of the week, the White Team emerged vic‑ torious, winning the honor of sharing their team colors with the Carnival Moose mas‑ cot for the next year.

Model UN Conference

Les Misérables Young Entrepreneur Holiday Cheer Math Counts Winter Concert An Active Youth Vote Welcoming New Trustees In Memoriam An Excerpt from Excerpt FIGURE THIS... n Now in its 13 th year, Summerbridge Manchester has challenged over 450 students and 750 young teachers. n The Girls’ Soccer Team has won 9 State Championships in the past 18 years. n The Derryfield Library contains 16,326 items. Although only 19.9% are fiction, they account for 29.4% of the books 34 teams in 23 sports

in the Upper School.

1 st, Dennis Holland had gone on a run for the past 9,740 days in a row. n There are 24 married Derryfield alumni n As of March

couples.

Model UN A contingency of nine Derryfield students participated in the Harvard Model United Nations Conference in Cambridge, MA, on December 11‑12, 2003. They represented the country of Burundi. Chris Pellegrini ’05 served as the Secretary General for Bur‑ undi in the General Assembly, while Chris Kiley ’05 took on the role of the Under‑ secretary in the General Assembly. Other Burundi committee members included Jake Keefe ’06, Taylor Scott ’06, Tim Allen ’05, Vicky Benech ’06, Ryan Audley ’05, Ethan Schwelling ’04, and Kayla Sirkin ’06.

Les Misérables

checked out last year. n Derryfield fields

Members of the Derryfield team gather before the Model United Nations Conference at Harvard.

A member of the Maroon Team sports his Winter Carnival t-shirt during a performance by David Moore ’04, Mike Moran ’04 and David Pham ’04.

This January, The Derryfield Players assumed the challenge of producing Les Misérables as this year’s musical. Faced with a complex storyline; challenging music; a large, last‑minute orchestra; and a massive moveable set, the students rose far beyond the challenge and generated an

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

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astounding performance. Every word of the musical was sung, anchored by the strong voices of several lead char‑ acters and a large chorus. According to Musical Director Laurel Devino, “Les Misérables has some of the most beauti‑ ful, yet vocally challenging music ever written for the musical stage. We were always confident our students would rise to the challenge, although some people thought we were crazy to attempt this show with high school performers. I think, in the end, no one had a doubt about the capability and dedication of our students.” The multifaceted plot of Les Misér‑ ables follows a story of love and loyalty through a time of social unrest, with humorous scenes thrown in for good measure. In one such scene, Chris Con‑ nors ’04 and Shaylen Roberts ’04,

Young Entrepreneur

Marius (Alex Rolecek ’06) holds Eponine (Abby Feinberg ’04) in his arms after she is mortally wounded in a scene from Les Misérables.

as Thenardier and his wife, provided an over‑the‑top performance of “Master of the House” which had peo‑ ple humming the song for days. The powerful vocals of Drew Moerlein ’04 (Jean Valjean), Jenna Bee ’05 (Fantine), Tyree Robinson ’06 (Javert), Abby Feinberg ’04 (Eponine), Steph Kruskol ’05 (Cosette) and Alex Rolecek ’06 (Marius) carried the show in places where the story was complicated. Their energy made a great impression not only on the audience, but also on Director James Speigel: “The spirit and passion demonstrated by everyone involved in Les Misérables went far beyond my wildest expecta‑ tions. I couldn’t have been more proud of what they accomplished and the story they told.” The young age of these actors and the quality of the Middle School cameos bodes well for the future of The Players.

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There’s an entrepreneur in the eighth grade at Derryfield. In addition to his academic and athletic responsibilities, Doug Stern ‘08 has been selling cards that feature his artwork in local spe‑ cialty shops and hospital gift shops for the past year. Profiled in the February issue of New Hampshire Magazine, Stern has been creating a prolific amount of artwork since the age of four. His pen drawings feature cross‑hatched shad‑ ing and intricate designs of flowers, hearts, snowflakes, and even Shaker furniture. While the majority of Stern’s sales are cards, he also sells magnets, gift tags and placecards. He con‑ tributes 5% of the proceeds from the sale of his cards to the American Cancer Society. Keep an eye out for a Doug Stern design in your local shops. For more information on these original cards, visit www.doug‑stern‑cards.com.

A page from the February issue of New Hampshire Magazine which features Doug Stern’s original greeting cards.

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Members of the kitchen crew pose with frypans in hand after completing a delicious breakfast for the Holiday Party guests.

Holiday Cheer On December 13th, 50 children and their families from Health Services vis‑ ited the Derryfield campus for the School’s annual Community Service Holiday Party. Key Club members and various advisee groups donated their time and money to shop for the gifts during a busy winter season, and then organized activities and wrapped pre‑ sents in the weeks leading up to the party. The children and adults enjoyed a hearty breakfast prepared by a group of enthusiastic and competent gentle‑

men cooks from the junior class. Math teacher Michelle Coombs lent her vocal talent to the caroling, while several stu‑ dents led crafts tables for the children. The highlight of the day was Santa’s visit. Each child visited with Santa and received a special present from his elf. Key Club advisor Kathy Hill was thrilled with the effort of every Derryfield student who spent time playing and singing with each of the guests, and everyone enjoyed the holi‑ day cheer.

Two new friends show Corey Davison ’05 the early Christmas presents they received from Santa.

Math Counts For the third year in a row, Derryfield placed first not only in the small‑school division, but also overall, in the 2003‑ 04 season of the New Hampshire Southern Mathematics Association of Senior Highs (NH‑SMASH). Individual honors went to Sean Kehoe, who placed first in the sophomore division, and to Brett McLarnon and David Batchelder, who placed first and third in the junior division. Junior Linda Paiste came extremely close to placing. Coach Duff and the team went on to the Harvard‑MIT Mathematics Tourn‑ ament on February 28th. Competing against 400 students from across the country, David Batchelder placed fifth in the lower level of the individual competition. The team will finish off its season at the New Hampshire State Tournament on March 26th. The eighth grade members of the Derryfield Mathcounts Team placed second in the regional competition held at NHTI in Nashua on Saturday, February 14, 2004. The Derryfield team had three members place in the top ten. Team member Allison Fink placed first in the Countdown Round, an oral competition with multiple elimination rounds. Kelly Schwartz placed fourth in the written competition. Coached by Derryfield parent Heather Evans, team members include Allison Fink, Than Moore, Charlotte Evans, Kelly Schwartz, Akash Vadalia, and Jesse Grodman. The team advances to State Level competition held at Plymouth State University on March 6th.

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

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Winter Concert

Campaign Reform

Over 140 Derryfield students per‑ formed for a full house at the Winter Concert on December 12th. Large choral pieces by the Middle School Chorus and Concert Choir were inter‑ spersed with an instrumental solo and a performance by Encore in the first half of the concert. The second half was a showcase of the talented jazz and

Maura Spiegelman turned 18 on the last day to register to vote in the New Hampshire primary. Not only did she register to vote, she also registered to run to be a delegate for Howard Dean at the 2004 Democratic National Con‑ vention. Speigelman, a Derryfield senior with high honors, also spent an average of twelve hours per week vol‑ unteering at Americans for Campaign Reform (www.justsixdollars.com) last fall. As the student coordinator for that non‑profit organization, Spiegelman champions the message that if each cit‑ izen were to pay just six dollars per year, the government would be able to finance all U.S. elections and diminish the corruption currently present in the election process. On Saturday, January 10th, over 475 New Hampshire Dean supporters met in Portsmouth to elect seven of the 14 possible delegates who would repre‑ sent Governor Dean at the National Convention in Boston. Of the 60 candi‑ dates who ran in the Portsmouth elec‑ tion, Spiegelman received the highest number of votes and was the only high school student elected to be a delegate. Her 30‑second speech discussed the importance of campaign reform and the youth vote. Although Dean did not win New Hampshire, Spiegelman and eight others will still represent him at the convention in August. “I’m very excited to be representing the often overlooked younger voters at the Democratic convention,” she says. While she does not see herself running for office in the future,

David Pham ’04, faculty member Rob Fogg, and Shenley Searing ’06 provide a beat for a performance by the Concert Choir.

band musicians, the highlight of which was a trumpet duel between Tyree Robinson ’06 and music teacher Rob Fogg. Department Chair Laurel Devino was especially excited about the talent in the younger classes, saying, “It is a great opportunity that we, as faculty, have to nurture a commitment to the arts throughout their academic careers.”

Anthony Bernatas accompanies Neil Donnelly, Akash Vadalia and Than Moore (all ’08) during the Winter Concert.

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Volunteer Maura Spiegelman ’04 with 2004 Democratic Presidential Candidate Howard Dean during a rally.

Spiegelman intends to stay involved in politics, either behind the scenes or working for another public policy group. For the immediate future, she will continue working with ACR until she begins her Independent Senior Project with Planned Parenthood in the last six weeks before graduation.

KICK-OFF CLASSIC

golf tournament Save the date for the Alumni Association’s 10th Annual Kick‑off Classic Golf Tourn‑ ament, held this year on August 27th at Candia Woods Golf Links. The proceeds from this fundraiser go directly toward student financial aid. Last year, the tour‑ nament raised $17,627, more than one full tuition. For more information on attending the tournament, please contact Alumni Director, Jen Pierce at 603.669.4524 ext. 136 or at jpierce@derryfield.org.

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Welcoming New Trustees

Donna K. Lencki

The Board of Trustees welcomes its newest members, and the School thanks these generous volunteers for their contributions of time and energy.

Current Parent Donna K. Lencki (Cam‑ eron ’10) is co‑founder of Choicelinx Corporation and has served as Chair‑ man of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since the Company’s founding in March 2000. From January 1994, Ms. Lencki served as Chief Executive Officer of Healthsource New Hampshire and Senior Vice President/General Manager for the New England Region of CIGNA HealthCare. Under her leadership, Healthsource was chosen as one of the “Best Companies to Work For” by Business New Hampshire Magazine, was the first HMO in New Hampshire to receive full, three‑year accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), and was chosen one of the top 20 Health Plans in the Country by US News and World Report. Ms. Lencki lives in Candia with her children.

Joseph Horton Past Parent Joseph Horton (Brian ’01) has been Vice President and Dean of Students at Saint Anselm College since 1990, functioning as the chief student affairs officer. He has also served as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Physical Plant during his 25‑year tenure at the College. A 1995 Fulbright Scholar and prolific writer, Mr. Horton lectured in the Criminal Justice Department until 1998. He serves on the Boards of Saint Catherine School, the Diocese of Manchester, and the Greater Manchester Chapter of the American Red Cross, among others. He has lent his talent to several suc‑ cessful fundraising campaigns for these organizations, and is the name‑ sake of the Joseph M. Horton Student Leadership Award at Saint Anselm College. Mr. Horton lives in Manchester with his wife, Susan.

Eric Nickerson Current and Past Parent Eric Nickerson (Christopher ’01, Katherine ’03, Eric ’08) owns E. Nickerson Associates, LLC, a company that builds custom

Members of the Board of Trustees gather with their newest members during their February meeting.

homes and develops land into residen‑ tial subdivisions. He has been in busi‑ ness for 20 years, previously working in engineering with several Boston‑ area high tech companies. In the last several years, he completed a major condominium project in Windham tar‑ geting the “over 55” population. The next two phases of that project are cur‑ rently underway. Eric has also served on several volunteer committees in town. He was a member of the Griffin Park committee responsible for devel‑ oping a town park for field sports, in‑line skating, and walking. He lives in Windham with his wife, Ellen, and their children.

Jeffrey Pollock Current Parent Jeff Pollock (Stephanie ’07) has served as MerchantBanc’s President and Chief Executive Officer since its founding in 1992. He is also a Managing Director of MerchantBanc Venture Partners, LP, a limited partner‑ ship. MerchantBanc generates private capital investment in the form of loans and private equity investments in over 100 companies. Mr. Pollock has served on several boards, including the New Hampshire State Board of Education, the New Hampshire High Technology Council, the Fleet In‑City Advisory Board, and the Steering Committee of e‑Cares. He also serves on the boards of three portfolio companies. The U.S. Small Business Administration named him National Financial Services Advocate of the Year for 1999. He lives in Bedford with his wife, Mary, and their children.

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

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In Memoriam Selma Deitch Sigel Derryfield Founder and child health advocate Dr. Selma Deitch Sigel passed away on February 7th at the age of 79. Dr. Sigel began her medical career at the Boston Floating Hospital, where she was the director of its pediatric outpatient clinic. She returned to Manchester in 1960 and eventually became director of the state’s Division of Maternal and Child Health. Dr. Sigel was involved in the founding of The Derryfield School in 1964, and later applied her passion for children’s health to convince Catholic Medical Center, Elliot Hospital, and the United Way of the need to fund and launch Child Health Services in 1979. She started out as the only pediatrician, in charge of everything from medical care to the organization of volunteers. The organization she created now serves

Barbara Stahl responds with shock to being honored by the Board of Trustees last fall for her 40 years of service to Derryfield.

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about 2,000 patients from the Manchester area and has an annual budget of about $2.5 million. Dr. Sigel retired as Chief Executive Officer in 2000 and was awarded the Good Samaritan Award by Pastoral Counsel‑ ing Services in 2003. She has also been an active supporter of the Summer‑ bridge program. She is survived by her two sisters, Esther Fishman and Naida Weisberg; three sons, Richard Sigel ’81, John Sigel, and George Sigel; and two daughters, Marjorie Sigel and Roberta Sigel. –Excerpted from The Union Leader.

Barbara Stahl Derryfield Trustee and Founder Dr. Barbara Stahl passed away on January 16th after a two‑year battle with bone cancer. The senior faculty member at Saint Anselm College, Dr. Stahl cele‑ brated 50 years of teaching at St. Anselm’s and 40 years of service to Derryfield last fall. A graduate of Wellesley College, Dr. Stahl earned her master’s in biology from Radcliffe College and her Ph.D. from Harvard University, and was an internationally renowned researcher and author in the field of holocephalian fish systematics. Last fall, a species of extinct chi‑ maeroid fish was named Callorhinchus stahli to mark her contributions to research. Although she was weakened by her illness, she continued to teach classes and attended Trustee meetings through the end of 2003. Dr. Stahl was one of the core group of Founders who helped recruit the financial and volunteer support to start

The Derryfield School. Not only had she continuously served on the Board of Trustees since the founding of Derry‑ field, she also played a major role in encouraging every period of growth by combining her vision and understand‑ ing of the Derryfield mission with her willingness to sacrifice time and resources for the good of the School. At Dr. Stahl’s memorial service, Head of School Randy Richardson remembered the contributions of this driven woman: “Like the great teacher she was, Barbara encouraged all of us to do our reading, to consider all possi‑ bilities, and to think critically. She wanted The Derryfield School and all its teachers, students, and graduates to be leader, not follower. Even as we all saw and understood the threat of her cancer, she simply refused to quit, or to even slow down. It is with this vision of Barbara that I am having trouble grasping the fact that she will not be attending our next Board Meeting. However, I do not believe that Barbara could have given more to help us learn and prepare for the time that she would no longer be here to keep us on the right track. In fact, Barbara will certain‑ ly be attending that meeting in spirit.“ Dr. Stahl is survived by her hus‑ band, David; three daughters, Susan Stahl Hardy ’70, Nancy Stahl Wilsker ’73 and Sarah Stahl ’76; a son, John Stahl ’79; and ten grandchildren. –Derryfield has dedicated The Barbara J. Stahl Life Science Award in honor of Dr. Stahl’s tireless commitment to the pursuit of scientific academic excellence at The Derryfield School.

USING YOUR WORDS

an excerpt from

Excerpt

“to be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its

A Poisonous Potency

best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means

by Beth Freiden ’04

to fight the hardest battle which any human being can

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty; that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know” – John Keats I very nearly went into shock the first time I caught a glimpse of the other world. Liza was telling me, on the ride home from a week of basketball camp, about the advanced math courses she had taken earlier that summer, and she said, “Everything in the world is based on numbers.” There was no reason to fight with her about this. We had stayed in the same house for a week, eaten all our meals together, and not quarrelled once about anything of real consequence. But rather than respond‑ ing proportionately to her words, I reacted viscerally and violently to the idea behind them. I saw myself sud‑ denly transported into a monsterous courtroom, where I took the stand and entered into a desperate defense of my life. I tried frantically to refute Liza’s statement, but all I could choke out in my shock was: “That’s not true; that can’t be true.” Of course I couldn’t accept a world built on numbers. How can I explain the hours of torments I have suffered at the hands of algebra and graphing calculators? Math class has always been a sprint up McKinley. Sometimes I have hated numbers; at the best times I still cross the street when I see them approaching. It is no secret that of the hemispheres of my brain, the left has always been my favorite. I read word problems in order to savor the names

fight....”

– e.e. cummings

Excerpt celebrates art – the magic and mystery we most desire. In many ways, life at Derryfield is all about young people’s search for themselves and for their art. We all need some outlet for our individual spirit, some vehicle for our best energy to be made physical and permanent, defying the old inevitable end. The search doesn’t end at Derryfield, certainly, but it begins – defining a process that will fill students’ lives with imagination and surprise. Writers – like painters, sculptors or thespians – pursue inspiration with daily words, with the hard work of writing rituals, readying their minds and hearts for the flood that will fill their pages, that will tell their stories, that will define their voices.

Excerpt encourages this creative flood, the self-discovery that can shape a student’s life. Twice a year this publication, designed and published by students, recognizes the voices that fill our community with color, shape, and words. We hope each edition will inspire new artists to fight the good fight, finding themselves in art.

Bob Cole Faculty Advisor to Excerpt

EXCERPT SUBSCRIPTIONS: Want a subscription to Excerpt – or to give one as a gift? Send a donation of $20 or more, and the Excerpt Staff will send you the next two editions. NAME OF RECIPIENT: __________________________ WHERE TO SEND EXCERPT: _______________________ ___________________________________________ DONOR: ____________________________________ DONATION: __________ Mail to Excerpt , c/o The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, NH 03104. Make checks payable to The Derryfield School.

of people trading apples or driving cars to Denver. After Algebra I in eighth grade, it seemed to me the next modern wonder of the world that Liza could actually enjoy math. The fleeting triumph of solving a proof can never equal the profound peace I feel when I complete a poem. Not so for Liza. We both do well in school, but our souls are cut from different cloth. Hers is knit of numbers; mine is woven of words. I had not forgotten that first unsettling glance at a hostile world, but it had simmered quietly in the recesses of my brain until last Thursday. My math teacher handed the class a packet filled with quotes of famous mathematicians. Looking it over that night, my gaze settled on an observation of Lord Kelvin’s: “A single curve, drawn in the manner of the curve of prices of cotton, describes all that the ear can possibly hear as the

Cover art by Shalini Patel ’02 for the Winter 2003 issue of Excerpt.

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

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Cover art by Cindy Meadow ’03 for the Spring 2002 issue of Excerpt.

result of the most complicated musical performance... That to my mind is a wonderful proof of the potency of mathematics.” The potency of mathe‑ matics? It is a poisonous potency that exults in its ability to reduce music to a quantity like cotton. How could any‑ one be impressed by such a nefarious use of intellect? I almost shook my fist. Let those mathematicians delude them‑ selves into thinking they can rule my music; they can graph the tones of the cello’s scale or count the measure of a song, but they cannot explain why the music makes me cry. I would have discarded the toxic quotes in another second if something familiar hadn’t caught my eye... voiced this time not by Liza but by Pythagoreans: “Number rules the universe.” The world split in two before my eyes. “Number rules the universe,” they said, and I plunged into a full

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vision of this universe without chaos, without art or emotion or fiction, a world where all the institutions of my existence are suppressed in favor of order, symmetry, and logic. There would be no uncertainty; every possi‑ bility, every outcome would be calcula‑ ble. All creativity or subjectivity would be precluded by perfection. And what place would be mine in a world of math? I would be an outcast, the vil‑ liage idiot, like the last Jew, the last unbeliever in a Christian world, wait‑ ing alone on the dock for a truth that had already arrived. Disoriented, I cried out against such injustice; it was not just my beloved poetry that this future threatened – it was my entire being – it was my soul. “That’s not true!” I insisted, “That can’t be true!” In self‑defense, I constructed the paral‑ lel universe: a world ruled by words. This world preserves the wonder and mystery of humanity; emotion is not deadened by cold scientific evalua‑ tion. Words are respected, not twisted and abused for dishonest ends. The beauty of life is praised and mirrored in art and music and literature. But it is also a world in which bitter mathe‑ maticians rant from soapboxes to uni‑ versal derision and preach to uncaring crowds in subways. In this universe, it is the mathematicians who are second‑ class; institutionalized as obsessive‑ compulsive lunatics, they are outcast as uncultured heathens, oblivious to the gospel truth: “In the beginning was the Word... and the Word was G‑d.” And this is the world in which I would have drowned my friend...

It was I who did Liza an injustice. My imagination betrayed her. She was not calling me to witness; she was telling me something she thought was beautiful and true. And I made the same mistake that Jews and Christians have been making for centuries when they cast each other out as unbelievers or idolaters. They still forget, in the shadow of their differences, that they worship the same G‑d. What I did not realize when I lashed out against Liza in the car, and fumed in math class over Lord Kelvin, is that mathemati‑ cians still believe in beauty. They just find it in different places. When Keats writes, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” Liza thinks of Pascal’s triangle, and I remember reading Dickens for the first time. I find my truth in the mystery of words. Liza finds hers in the order of mathematics. And it is still possible for us to live in one house for a week, and eat all our meals together, as long as we can see each other not as unbeliev‑ ers, but as the wonders of each other’s worlds.

Artwork by Ben Bradley ’03 for the Spring 2003 issue of Excerpt.

athletics

Cougar

A BUSY SEMESTER...

ATHLETIC STANDOUTS

lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer ALPINE SKIING adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh Emily Fritch ’05 and Kayla Delahanty ’07 euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna represented Derryfield well against the skialiquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad ing powerhouses of the ‘north’ at the New minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation Hampshire Qualifier for the Eastern High ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut School Ski Championships. They both skied aliConsequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure well against the best high school racers in dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse the state, and as a result of the races, Kayla molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu qualified for a spot on the New Hampshire feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et Team to compete in the Finals, and Emily accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blanended up as an alternate. Kayla is the only dit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue freshman and the only girl from the ‘south’ duis dolore te feugait nulla to make the team. The Eastern High School Ski Championships will be held March A BUSY SEMESTER... 19th-21st at Okemo Mountain in Vermont. lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut

world class COMPETITION

In February, varsity rower Thad Duprey ’04 placed 8th in the junior men’s division at the CRASH‑B Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships, behind only two other Americans. 12

Winter wrap-up Boys’ Varsity Basketball Season Record: 8-10 Christian LaCroix ’05, All-Conference (Honorable Mention), All-State (Honorable Mention) Jeff Lyford ’04, Co-Captain, Class of 1970 Award Ethan Schwelling ’04, Co-Captain, Class of 1970 Award Andrew Warren ’05, All-State (Honorable Mention)

Girls’ Varsity Basketball Season Record: 16-4 NH Championship Quarter Finalists (Class S) Kendra Decelle ’05, All-Conference, All-State (1st team), All-Scholastic Joelle Emery ’04, All-State (Honorable Mention), Senior All-Star (GS & Class S), All-Scholastic Stacie Foote ’06, All-State (Honorable Mention) Katy Reno ’04, Co-Captain, Senior All-Star (GS), All-Scholastic Tory Starr ’05, All-Scholastic Kate Weber ’04, Co-Captain, All-State (2nd team), All-Conference, Senior All-Star (GS), All-Scholastic, Class of 1970 Award

Varsity Hockey Season Record: 0-3 Ashley Westbrook ’04, Co-Captain, Class of 1970 Award

Girls’ Varsity Alpine Skiing 3rd at NH State Championships Emily Fritch ’05, Captain, All-Conference, 13th at NH Championships Kayla Delahanty ’07, 8th at NH Championships, Competed at Eastern Junior Olympics Alpine Qualifier Julia Voorhees ’04, Class of 1970 Award

Boys’ Varsity Alpine Skiing 7th at NH State Championships Joe Cahill ’04, Captain, Class of 1970 Award

Varsity Nordic Skiing Noah Benton ’05, 5th in freestyle at NH State Championships Geoffrey Blanding ’04, Class of 1970 Award Katherine Myers ’06, 7th in classic and 8th in skate at NH State Championships, 1st at Manchester Invitational Katherine Richey ’06, 2nd at Manchester Invitational

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

C O U G A R AT H L E T I C S

Clockwise from below: Kendra Decelle ’05 takes flight to score a basket in a win against Lin-Wood. n Noah Harwood ’06 digs in during the starting stretch of a nordic meet in Hopkinton. n Andy Warren ’05 and Cooper Cunliffe ’05 get strong on defense. n Kurt Schuler ’06 tucks in for a sprint across the finish line. n Members of the hockey team take each other on during a Maroon/White game. n Kat Myers ’06 holds off a Hopkinton rival

speed

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as she rounds a corner in her final lap of a race in Hopkinton. n Emily Fritch ’05 takes a tight turn to win a race at Pat’s Peak.

spotlight Summerbridge

A BREAKTHROUGH

Here are some of the ways that you can support the program: CORPORATIONS n Provide in-kind services or supplies to the

program n Be a corporate sponsor for student involve-

ment in the program n Offer job shadowing or invite the program

in for an educational workshop FAMILIES n Be a homestay during the summer session

for an out-of-town teacher, assuring that they will have a positive and safe experience away from home n Volunteer for special events such as

Olympics, Workathon, or Celebration FOUNDATIONS n Sponsor student and teacher involvement n Invest in the future of the program by

endowing key elements of our students teaching students model: after-school programming, alumni services, student sponsorship, or teacher stipends SERVICE CLUBS n Partner with the program in community

service events n Sponsor student or teacher participation

If you have questions or would like to support the program in any way, please contact the Summerbridge Office. Be a part of this unique and inspiring model of students teaching students.

The following testimonial was delivered by Kevin Finefrock at our Celebration Evening in 2003. Kevin is a Summerbridge Graduate 1997, Derryfield Graduate 2003, and Summerbridge teacher for the past four years. y first memory of Summerbridge is the day when the Director arrived at Mrs. Archer’s fifth grade classroom, my classroom, at Highland‑Goffe’s Falls Elementary School, and talked about the program. Prior to fifth grade, I stayed home with my family dur‑ ing the summer or we went to the beach with my cousins, but I had never experi‑ enced anything like Summerbridge. I was excited when I was accepted to Summerbridge. Actually, I was a little wor‑ ried because I would not be able to read as much as I had hoped during the summer. I’m glad that I decided to attend, because it has been the most extraordinary experience of my life. Yes, I remember taking the Placement tests at the start of the year where I met some great friends and yes, I remember arriving on the first day and meeting the other student who arrived early: Steve Flagg. I clearly remember my two advisors, Alyssa Brown and Nate Swift, and all of the time that they spent with me trying to organize my binder and help me manage my time. I remember bits and pieces of my classes: creating a fake alien in astronomy, learning the French

PROGRAM

alphabet, shopping in catalogues to prac‑ tice math skills, examining The Outsiders in Ben Russell’s English class, learning how to interview in genealogy, building my own city (it was called Monadnock), and racing around during a festival called “Spy Games,” attempting to catch a mole within the program. I remember being excited about field trips and riding the T for the first time. And yes, I remember how sad I felt on the ride home from Celebration when I dreaded having nothing to do for the next few weeks before school started. Obviously, all of that sadness was unfounded because I am still standing here in front of you, a part of Summerbridge. There are many Summerbridge graduates here today either as teachers or coming back to see how the program has evolved, and to see what cheers have been added, or if anything really has changed.

Kat Myers and Hana Cha match grins as they compose a set of rules for a personalized Pirate Code during a history-themed Summerbridge Saturday.

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

SUMMERBRIDGE

Jeff Lyford assists Nate MacDonald with the calculations necessary to move to the next step in a board game based on the mathematics of campaign finance and fundraising.

After ninth grade, I decided to come back and teach; it was tough at first because everything felt so different. There was a lot of responsibility and many expectations that I did not feel ready for, but living the experience made me a much stronger person. I cannot imagine what my life would be like now if I had not come back to teach. After four years, I feel like I have learned more than I ever could have in any professional atmosphere. I have been able to teach my genealogy class‑ es interviewing skills on a telephone, my astronomy classes about the won‑ ders of outer space, my Royal Families class about famous people, my English class about famous authors, and my math classes about decimals and per‑ cents by going shopping in a magazine. I have taught tennis even though I had no idea how to play before the start of the summer, and art even though I haven’t taken an art class since sixth grade. I have had ten advisees, all of them very different and remarkable people in their own ways. I hope that I have been able to touch their lives a fraction of the amount that Alyssa and

summerbridge.derryfield.org

Nate were able to touch mine. I cannot wait to see the unique, successful, silly, fun, energetic people that they will grow up to become. I feel especially good because one of my first students has decided to teach this summer. Summerbridge is such an amazing program because it touches the lives of not only those who participate in it, but also anyone who comes to visit and sees the spirit and passion for learning that happens here. The pro‑ gram has given so much back to Manchester in return for its original

“The supportive environment gives kids the opportunity to express themselves and take positive risks.” investment and support. Most impor‑ tantly, Summerbridge has helped an energized and excited student body to understand and appreciate the impor‑ tance of diversity, spirit, and high expectations in education, and to bring that awareness into their schools and the larger community. It encourages students who know that it is okay to be smart, take risks, and to be different – students who decide that it is impor‑ tant to choose their own educational paths and set their goals high. A passage from a book that I am reading called The Traveler’s Gift, by Andy Andrews, reminded me of Summerbridge students. It goes as fol‑ lows: “I am who my friends are. I speak their language, and I wear their clothes. I share their opinions and their

habits. From this moment forward, I will choose to associate with people whose lives and lifestyles I admire. If I associate with chickens, I will learn to scratch at the ground and squabble over crumbs. If I associate with eagles, I will learn to soar to great heights. I am an eagle. It is my destiny to fly.” All Summerbridge students deserve to fly and reach their goals, and Summerbridge has helped you build the tools to succeed. Use these tools well and you can achieve any goal that you set your mind to. If we all carry the Summerbridge spirit and commit‑ ment to excellence, diversity, and acceptance wherever we go, this world will most definitely be a better place because of it. We, as students of the city of Manchester, have benefited greatly from the opportunities that Summerbridge has been able to give us, and I know that we will all bring the passion for knowledge that we have fostered here back into our own communities as we leave tonight.

Carlos Monzon and Melanie Laberge experience the peculiar sensation of moving one’s hands from ice-cold to boiling water in order to write a lab report on the sense of touch.

voice

Finding a

A BUSY SEMESTER... lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliConsequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla

A BUSY SEMESTER...

Developing Talent Outside the Comfort Zone

lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh

euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna

by Annie Briggs

he Holiday Assembly in Decem‑ ber featured the usual array of comic, vocal, and instrumental talent from members of all classes. Midway through the assembly, sixth grader Alexandra Donovan came on stage and, in a strong, clear voice, began to sing Love Can Keep Us Together. After the first two lines, she faltered. The music re‑started, and she tried again. Once again, she faltered after the first two lines. She ran off stage, obviously upset. Several sixth graders in the audience went backstage to com‑ fort their friend. The assembly went on, and more talented students came on stage to perform. Two acts later, Alexandra stepped back on stage, accompanied by five of her classmates. With her friends there to back her up, she completed a perfect solo and received a standing ovation. This kind of risk‑taking, and the environment that supports it, is not unusual on the stage at Derryfield – or in the classroom. Jennifer Melkonian, Head of Upper School, emphasizes, “Expression and confidence are key components to Derryfield’s identity as a school, and there are seemingly unlimited opportunities for students at Derryfield to discover ways to express themselves and find confidence in a public arena.” For example, three Middle School students joined an

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impressive Upper School cast in Les Misérables; many seniors elect to make a ‘senior speech’ at an Assembly before they graduate; Lamplighter and Excerpt are providing options for expressing oneself with the written word, even inspiring the creation of several unoffi‑ cial publications; and courses such as Composition and Public Speaking aim to improve each student’s ability to think, write, and speak independently and with confidence. While students learn how to express themselves in the classroom, it is the supportive nature of the community that gives them the confidence to follow through. Head of Middle School Mark Blais‑ dell explains the need to create a sup‑ portive environment in the Middle School: “We embrace the philosophy that students need to take risks beyond their comfort levels in order to grow, not only because it makes intellectual sense, but because we witness the ben‑ efits of calculated risk on a daily basis. Risk may well be especially important at the middle school level, when stu‑ dents tend to feel they are ‘on stage’ even in the simplest of social interac‑ tions.” The large and enthusiastic Middle School cheering section at the Winter Concert that lent support to any peers who took the stage is a prime example of the supportive envi‑ ronment that encourages risk‑taking.

The public voice that students strive to develop is not only spoken – this is a particularly active time in writing at Derryfield. Lamplighter advisor John Bouton celebrates the diversity of voic‑ es heard at the School: “In the wake of a renovated Excerpt and a more frequent Lamplighter, a number of unofficial student publications are expressing creative dissent, moving beyond the boundaries of school‑sanctioned for‑ mats and genres. I appreciate the ener‑ gy in all of these publications, even as I affirm Lamplighter’s mission.” This small school offers diverse op‑ portunities for students to develop their talent, whatever it may be, and to apply that talent to the greater commu‑ nity. The voices of those emerging from Derryfield are strong ones.

ABOVE: Matt Jacoby ’05 and Andrew Kosiarski ’05 entertain the audience during an All School Assembly. OPPOSITE: Tyree Robinson ’06 as Javert belts out a solo in Les Misérables. TOP: Alexandra Donovan ’10 performing at the Holiday Assembly with backup from friends. 17

alumni

Update on

MARRIAGES Reilly McCue ’91 to Krista Troisi in November 2003. Lisa D’Ambruso ’96 to Joe Demers in October 2003, at The Mount Washington

The news contained in this section covers the period of October 1, 2003 – March 5, 2004. For more recent news, or to post a note, please visit the alumni community at www.derryfield.org.

Hotel.

BIRTHS To Susan Rand King ’81 and her husband, William, a son, Nathaniel Rand, on September 30, 2003. To James McLean ’82 and his wife, Sarah, a son, Alexander Henry, in June 2003. To Matthew Galvin ’85 and his wife, Kathy, a daughter, Anna. To Debra Dupont Tremblay ’87 and her husband, Craig, a daughter, Piper Grace, on January 25, 2004. To Jim Kennedy ’88 and his wife, Kristen, a daughter, Katherine Elizabeth, on February 13, 2004. To Heather Lofgren LeRoux ’91 and her

1969 Judith Nelson Minzel writes, “In addition to our private practice and clinical research in Functional Nutrition, my husband David and I volunteer as back country rangers at Mt. Rainier National Park. Our job is to patrol trails and cross‑country, educating bikers how to care for and respect plant and wildlife as well as enforce rules and do search and rescue. I often think of Peter Ordway, math teacher and head of the Outing Club at Derryfield. He was a great inspiration in my life. Peter passed away in November last year.”

husband, Kevin, a daughter, Elise Isabelle, on February 16, 2004. To Ryan McCue ’93 and his wife, Loren Lesko, a daughter, Ruby, on October 3, 2003. To Administrative Assistant to the Head of School, Aimee Campbell, and her husband, Matt, a daughter, Molly Elizabeth, on December 10, 2003. To former Summerbridge Director, Natalie Gray, and her husband, James, a daughter, Alice Antha, on December 20, 2003.

1970 Bennett Freeman writes, “Hi – I have been calling some of you in my capacity as Class Agent. I’ve heard some interesting and exciting news. Martha VanderWolk is building a new solar home in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Dee Gikas Doulias splits her time between the US and Greece, and will likely be there for the upcoming

Olympics. I look forward to speaking to more of you soon. I went to Reunion/Country Fair a few weeks ago. It was a gorgeous autumn day, and while it was not a big reunion for our class, I got to see quite a few ’68s who came for their 35th. Bob Mandel ’68 (Alan’s brother) flew in from California for the event. He was suitably impressed with the changes Derryfield has made (as I think anyone would be who hasn’t been here for 5 or more years). I recently finished reading Neil Young’s biography Shakey, which was interesting on two fronts: first, he recently played in Manchester’s Verizon Center (another impressive change in our neigh‑ borhood), and second, John Hanlon is mentioned prominently a number of times, and quoted as well. Springsteen did not play in Manchester, but I was lucky enough to see him play Fenway Park. Sadly, his Rock n’ Roll exorcism seems to have failed to eliminate the curse. I hope to hear from you soon. n Andy Moerlein received an email from Nancy Lord: “My new book, Beluga Days: Tracking a White Whale’s Truths (Counterpoint Press), has just been released. You can see the cover and read more at www.amazon.com and other online bookstores, although I encour‑ age you to shop at your independent neighborhood bookstore. Book Sense, the organization of independent bookstores, has chosen Beluga Days as one of its

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

February “picks,” so it should be gen‑ erally available very soon if not today, perhaps even with its cover facing out! Publishers Weekly this week had this to say, ‘With skillful writing and respect for all her subjects, Lord presents some of the agonizing scientific and cultural dilemmas of saving these animals.’”

1971 Ken Eluto has finished editing the TNT movie titled Bad Apple, starring Chris Noth, Elliot Gould, Colin Meaney, and Mercedes Ruehl. It is scheduled to air in early 2004.

1973 Robert Sherman writes, “I have start‑ ed a new business venture called The Golf Connection, a DVD golf maga‑ zine. I graduated with a degree in interactive media from The Inter‑ national Academy of Design and Technology. I just got married to Nadia on February 14, 2004.” n Tom Sadler has been selected to be the new Conservation Director for the Izaak Walton League of America. Tom will be principally responsible for planning, oversight, and implementation of the League’s conservation education and outreach programs, policy advocacy activities, and development of the League’s legislative agenda and strate‑ gies. Recognized as a leader in the pol‑ itics of conservation and wildlife man‑ agement issues, he has a successful

www.derryfield.org

track record of working with Congress, business, and conservation groups to find solutions for ongoing public poli‑ cy issues. Tom is an avid fly fisherman and an instructor for L.L. Bean. He lives with his Labrador retrievers, Berkeley and Ashby, in The Plains, VA.

1981 Susan Rand King has been promoted to President of Granite State Telephone. She and her husband are the proud parents of Nathaniel Rand, born September 30, 2003, and Samantha (2).

1982 James McLean and his wife, Sarah, had their second child, Alexander Henry, this past June. All are doing well, including big sister Charlotte, who loves her new brother. n M.J. Blanchette was part of an art show at NAHCOTTA in Portsmouth last fall.

1984 Nathalie Halle Mason writes, “Just wanted to add a note to say hi to all of you. Remember hanging out in the senior hallway and dancing to Celebrate Good Times at Club 121212? Life cer‑ tainly has changed since then. I’m at home with my two kids living in Sudbury, MA. I frequently see Allison Reilly and Kimberly Kamborian. It’s fun to reminisce about our Derryfield days. Anyway, I wish you all the best and hope to see you at the next reunion.” n Patrick Rutty writes, “Four lost classmates – that’s almost 10% of us. Andy Carle, Annika, Yanks and Pumpkin Man. Maybe they formed a band (Chris on drums, Andy on bass, Jeff playing an unintelligible guitar and Annika singing) and have been touring Norway... or they’ve joined forces to run some sort of illicit organ donation ring, or... but enough about me.”

ALUMNI AUTHOR

BelugaNancy Days Lord ’70 Nancy Lord ’70’s most recent book, Beluga Days: Tracking a White Whale’s Truths, explores the uncertain future that the Beluga Whales of Cook Inlet face. Taking into account the per‑ spectives of Native subsistence hunters, environmentalists, politicians and scientists, Lord delves into the challenges of protecting the species and why it is so important that we save it from extinction. 19

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

It was a full Derryfield house at Tom Morgan ’88’s wedding to Heidi Book last summer. From left to right: Brent Englund, Stephen Boni ’87, Shelley Stout, Scott Clow, Rick Searle ’87, Bruce Berk, Heidi and Tom, Paul Kfoury, Andy Mulligan, Luca Evans ’90, Bonnie Evans, Dudley Cotton, and Jim Kennedy.

1985

1989

Matthew Galvin writes, “My wife, Kathy, and I recently had our fourth child, Anna. She joins Tommy (6), Emily (4), and Andrew (20 months). We still reside in Flanders, NJ.” n John Van Hooser writes, “Tracey and our son, Jack, were featured on the cover of the New York Times Magazine on October 26th. Tracey was also inter‑ viewed for the lead article on the trend of career women leaving the workforce to be full‑time moms.”

Philip Ryan writes, “Declan Williams Ryan was born on September 23rd. Everyone is doing well, although our house is pretty crazy with two kids under 17 months.” n Sarah Silverman’s faculty fan club keeps passing along the various shows they see Sarah featured in. The latest came from Ed Lemire, who noticed she was guest starring in the show, Monk. n Alex Sturke has changed jobs and is now working in the innovation and creativity consulting field for Creative Realities in Boston.

1988 Andrew Bickford is teaching at The Abington Friends School in Jenkin‑ town, PA. n Jim Kennedy and his wife, Kristen, welcomed their first child, Katherine Elizabeth Kennedy, on February 13, 2004.

1990 John Allan writes, “I got married on August 2, 2003, to Mary Kathryn Reusch at St. Elizabeth Church in Seabrook, NH. It rained most of the morning, but as soon as we walked out of the church, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. The only Derryfield alumnus who was at our

wedding was Adam Osburn and his wife, Becky. We honeymooned at a Sandals resort in St. Lucia. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it. We are currently living in Hampton, NH (right on the beach), and looking forward to having some children and growing old together. I currently work at two country clubs – Portsmouth Country Club and Wentworth By The Sea. In my spare time I get to play a ton of golf at two of the nicest courses in the state.” n James Richardson recently moved to Seattle to join the Hartman Group, a small consumer insight research firm specializing in the health and wellness arena. He’s enjoy‑ ing the innumerable opportunities for outdoor alpine recreation available in the Pacific Northwest.

HELP

chuck remember

40 years

Chuck Sanborn wants his book on the 40‑ year history of The Derryfield School to reflect the experiences and voices of those who made the School what it is. He would appreciate hearing about your memorable experiences, what made Derryfield special for you, and the influence of the School on your unfolding life. At Reunion on Friday, October 1st, 2004, we will set up several tables of archive photographs. Please join us for a ‘round robin’ of memories and sto‑ rytelling. Please contact Chuck at esanborn@ derryfield.org if you have any stories or photographs you would like to share. Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

1991

Winter Athletic Reunions

Robin Metcalf Hoyt writes, “Hi all; lots of activity! I work for a high school reunion planning company. Planning other people’s reunions makes you think about your own time in high school a lot! It would be nice to get back to New Hampshire for the reunion whenever that may be three years from now. I would love to see everyone. I haven’t seen Karin Harvey‑ Olsen or Stephen Bridgewater since my wedding seven years ago! Other than that Randy Krantz, my husband and I had dinner in Greenville, SC, about six years ago. It’s been a long time. I am in New Jersey, about 40 minutes from Manhattan. If anyone is in the area, let me know. I would love to see you!” n Reilly McCue spends his time doing what he loves: hunting, fishing, and guiding for his company, Spikehorn Ridge, in Vermont. Check out the website at www.spikehorn‑ ridge.com. Reilly was married to Krista Troisi in November 2003. Krista also attended Derryfield in the ninth grade. n Christopher Perry writes, “Hello! Well, I have finally made it back to New Hampshire! After almost four years in New York and five years in Colorado, my next move is to Mason, NH. My wife, Kirsten, and I will be closing on a house in Mason at the end of October. I have decided to give up the glamour of Colorado life and politics to come back and join my father’s business, Plastic Brokerage. In

Derryfield alumni and students gathered at Tri-Town Arena last November to play a Maroon/White game with coach Dudley Cotton.

Former Derryfield varsity girls’ basketball players gathered for a practice with the current varsity team and to honor the 20 years that Ed Lemire and David Haight have coached together.

Derryfield alumni took on the current varsity basketball team in a game last fall. continued on page 24...

www.derryfield.org

LIFE AFTER DERRYFIELD

The Road to Hollywood Sarah Silverman ’89 When did you decide that acting was a passion?

Members of Sarah Silverman’s faculty fan club have been very busy lately keeping up with their favorite actress and comedian. Silverman progressed from open mic nights to appearances on The Late Show With David Letterman and Late Night With Conan O’Brien. She was a writer and featured player for Saturday Night Live in 1993 and recent‑ ly appeared in the movie School of Rock. She has guest starred on a growing list of popular television shows, including The Larry Sanders Show, Seinfeld, Jag, and Monk, and co‑starred on Greg The Bunny opposite Eugene Levy. In addi‑ tion to her acting, Silverman has been keeping her comedic talent honed by selling out crowds in both New York and Los Angeles for her one‑woman show, Jesus is Magic. Silverman now has a development deal with HBO to write, star in, and executive produce her own series. Although she has spent the majority of her career in New York, she now lives in Los Angeles. She took the time to answer some questions about her time at Derryfield and what she has been doing since then.

When I was in third grade, we got a questionnaire where we had to fill in the blanks. It said, “when I grow up I want to be...” and I wrote “an actress, a comedian, or a masseuse.” My mom brought us to plays as children and I really loved it. I loved making people laugh at a very young age – it was a survival skill in my family.

How would you describe your experiences on the Derryfield stage? Theater at Derryfield was a lot of fun. It was a very positive experience. I loved being in the musicals. The spring play I always opted to do lights for some reason, and I loved that, too. I felt like I got to perform all the time at Derryfield, whether it was in the plays, chorus, sports, the van ride on the way to away games, in class, in the forum, or in the library. I really was able to blossom at Derryfield, where they seemed to embrace the unorthodox.

and sitting in his chair one day. When he came in, instead of kicking me out of his chair, he sat in mine. He looked at me as if to say, “okay, wiseguy, start!” and so I did, and I taught the class that day. Looking back, that was so smart of him. He took a wiseguy (me) and gave her this responsibility. And it was fun and awesome. Derryfield was more than learning individual subjects. Everything flowed into everything, and as an adult I can see how that was helpful. It’s not nec‑ essarily important in life to know what “A” equals, but as an analogy, we try to figure out the variables of life (what “A” equals) in one way or another every day.

Was there anyone at Derryfield who inspired your comic talent? Screwing around and learning some‑ how fused together. Mr. Mathes would let me tell jokes in class, as long as the material was covered and we were caught up to where we were supposed to be. He was so encouraging, and I loved to make him laugh. I remember coming into Mr. Cole’s English class

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

What made you leave NYU to pursue a professional career?

Who are your heroes in the acting world?

That was actually a deal my father offered me. I finished my first year at the theater school at NYU, and was doing stand up at night and working passing out flyers for a comedy club until 2:00 a.m. each night. About three weeks before returning for my sopho‑ more year, my dad called and said that if I dropped out, he would pay my rent for the next three years, as if I was at school, and I could continue to do stand up. I loved it. That way he saved tens of thousands on tuition, and I got to pursue my dream. By the way, I audited many classes – actually stole some big lecture classes where the teacher wouldn’t notice I wasn’t offi‑ cially a student. Some philosophy classes and stuff I was interested in. I wanted to learn, but didn’t care about having any kind of degree. It worked out. By the time I would have graduat‑ ed, I was writing for Saturday Night Live.

Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray.

Do you have any mentors? What did you learn from them? Garry Shandling taught me so much about acting and comedy. Working on Larry Sanders was an amazing experi‑ ence. Garry taught me a lot about act‑ ing, and in stand up, he was very influ‑ ential. I learned a lot about taking my time, and not being afraid of the quiet moments.

What projects are you working on now?

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring Derryfield studentactors?

Right now I’m writing a pilot with Larry Charles for an HBO comedy series about the life of a woman comic. I also am making a movie version of my comedy show, Jesus is Magic, with Interscope.

Just that there is no one way to do this. Everyone makes their own path. But no one will come to you. You have to go and do it to make your own life happen. If you want something, make a plan and do it. You don’t have to do

“I wanted to learn, but didn’t care about having any kind of degree. It worked out. By the time I would have graduated, I was

Have you had any bizarre non-acting jobs along the way? I was a waitress for a scumbag owner who later was arrested for dealing cocaine. I had NO idea. I worked in a kitchen at an NYU cafeteria, I passed out flyers for two years for a comedy club in the Village, where I was choked by a crazy homeless man until passers by grabbed him off of me. I was also knocked unconscious while trying to break up a fight on the corner where I worked.

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writing for Saturday Night Live.” Where do you want to go next? I’d like to do more in movies than play the bratty girlfriend or the friend of the main girl who is there to be the exposi‑ tion for that main girl. “But you’re a lawyer, Susie! And you love him!” I appreciate the gigs, but would love to do more than what they usually offer the funny Jewesses.

it my way, or anyone else’s, but you do have to do something. Also, enjoy the journey, because that’s all it is. (“It” being life, or your career, or whatever that variable is today.)

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...continued from page 21

my spare time I will continue to be a volunteer firefighter/EMT and partici‑ pate in outdoor activities.” n Rebecca Decoster Perry writes, “Wow! What a sudden flurry of notes! It’s cool to hear what others are up to. Chris, I can’t believe you lived here in Colorado and I didn’t even know it. My husband, William, and I have been married for five years and have two children – Ben (3 1/2) and Rachel (1). I am staying at home with them full‑time and am seri‑ ously considering home schooling, at least to start with. I am also active in my local SCA group, and am having lots of fun with research and costum‑ ing. It’s great to hear from you all – if there’s anyone else out there, speak up!” n Kevin and Heather Lofgren LeRoux had their first child, Elise Isabelle, on February 16, 2004. n Randall Krantz writes, “I am leading nine friends into the unknown regions of Northwest China to climb several unnamed, unclimbed peaks, all over

21,000 feet! The trip will be six weeks long, starting at the end of July, and we will have some pretty complex logistics to sort out before then: the mountains are 600 miles from the nearest airport, and nearly 100 miles from the nearest dirt track. Check out the website at www.unnamed‑unclimbed.com. We are at the point of working out spon‑ sorship. We have backpacks, boots, and long johns sorted; tents and jackets next!”

1992 Andy Sklarin moved to Hilton Head Island in April 2003 and is currently working in the sales office for Van der Meer Tennis. When not in the office he is out on‑court teaching clinics and pri‑ vate lessons. In the coming months he will officially become a southern resi‑ dent. n Scott Morgan, Jeremy Crane, Jeff Reed, Geoff Fiedler, Jason Donnelly, Jim Rich, Rick Morgan, Sr., and Bruce Berk gathered in Boston in

late August to watch the Red Sox hero‑ ically lose another game to Oakland. Mr. Berk reports the graduates are all looking a bit more mature and a bit more handsome. Conversations ranged from the curse of the Red Sox to life and relationships to Iraq. Jeremy is in Boston, having recently completed his MBA, and is looking for employment. Jason is embarking on a Ph.D. program in Theology. Scott is still out West, and is in the midst of medical school appli‑ cations. Geoff is very busy traveling through the Northeast promoting healthcare software, Jim is involved with venture capital projects, while Jeff Reed is Mr. Berk’s newest hero because he has season tickets to the Red Sox. Rick Morgan, Sr. reports Rick Morgan, Jr. is in New York City and loving his profession on Wall Street. n Page Fairman Rich writes, “I continue to teach music at Notre Dame Academy in Tyngsboro, MA, and I am also the interim organist and director of the bellringers at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Nashua, NH. My hus‑ band, David, will be graduating from Boston University School of Medicine in May.”

1993 Ellie Cochran ’69 (center) and her daughter, Sarah (left), visit Hillary Horner and her new triplets, (from left to right) Dossie, Campbell, and Cooper, who were born in November.

Stacy Denham started the year as a new student at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She is in the RN program. n Ryan McCue and wife, Loren Lesko, are the proud par‑ ents of Ruby, born October 3, 2003. They were all in Manchester over the

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

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Eliza Woodbury ’93 and her new husband, Matthew LaPenta, after their wedding at her parents’ home in New Boston.

holidays. Ryan is a pilot and guide in Alaska. n Ryan Tuttle writes, “I grad‑ uated with my MBA from Cornell back in May 2002. I returned to Johnson & Johnson to work in marketing on wound care products. I got engaged last March to Leslie Helmstaedter. We are planning an October 2004 wedding in Princeton, NJ. Brant Hughes, Jim Rich, Mike Spector and my sister, Lisa, are all in the wedding party. Lisa is excited to finally have the sister she always wanted.” n Eliza Woodbury married Matthew LaPenta on August 9, 2003, at her family home in New Boston, NH.

1994 Mark D’Ambruoso is still working as a mechanical Engineer with GE in Schenectady, NY, in the power systems

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division. He bought a home in Clifton Park and is engaged to marry Akiyo Marukawa, an aeronautical engineer. n Christopher Swift writes, “My wife, Sarah Greer, finished Dartmouth Medical School in June and matched in general surgery at Dartmouth Medical Center. We bought our first house in Grantham this spring. It’s quite a love‑ ly little place. I’m in England at Cambridge studying reading for my master’s in international relations. It’s not quite international law, per se, though law is one of the core elements of my coursework. There’s also a strong component of political science, diplomatic history, and international economics. The British put a great premium on being well rounded. Cambridge is a very special place. It’s smaller than Oxford and ranks higher in teaching quality assessments. The city is much prettier as well – a proper English country town. n Douglas Tepe writes, “Hey everyone! On November 3rd, I received notice that I have passed the Massachusetts Bar exam. I will be sworn in and admitted to practice law next month.”

1995 Maria Carantit writes, “I’ve been in Seattle for the past three years working in publishing. Currently, I work in marketing and publicity at The Mount‑ aineers Books, a non‑profit publisher of outdoor‑related titles. It’s really wonderful out here because I’ve been able to pursue my love of the outdoors

– climbing, hiking, snowshoeing, etc. I was just in Switzerland and spent some time with Vanessa Gorczyca, and will be heading home in May because Lesley Woods is getting married (I’m a bridesmaid). If anyone is ever in Seattle, drop me a line!” n Nell Dodge writes, “I am currently living in New York City doing production for a mod‑ ern design home furnishings company called Chilewich. I love the job, and New York City is as entertaining as always.” n Vanessa Gorczyca writes, “Hello from Switzerland! I am still liv‑ ing in Geneva and working for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Maria Carantit recently stopped by for a visit, which was good fun. I am look‑ ing forward to stopping by Derryfield in November to see its new layout. If anyone is passing through Geneva, drop me a line.”

JOIN US FOR

alumni night at Fenway May 7th Come join classmates at Fenway Park on Friday, May 7, 2004, to cheer on the Red Sox as they take on the Kansas City Royals. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. Ticket price is $20 per person. For more information, please contact Jen Pierce at 603.669.4524 ext. 136 or jpierce@derryfield.org. 25

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to marry Matt Josef. An August 8, 2004 wedding is planned. n Anna Purtell is working in Boston for State Street Bank on a mutual fund management team. She traveled to China in February for fun. n Andrew Hickok has moved to Somerville, MA, and is working in Boston for Industrial Economics.

Nicole Bryant, Andy Cochran, and Becca Connolly (all ’01), gather for a mini-reunion in England, where Andy and Becca are studying for the spring semester.

1996

1997

Lisa D’Ambruoso was married to Joe Demers this October at The Mount Washington Hotel. They are living in Nashua and Lisa is working as a genet‑ ics counselor at Boston University Medical Center. n Jennifer Goodrich writes, “I just wanted to let everyone know that I got engaged over the sum‑ mer to Tyson Heilhecker, a former stu‑ dent of Derryfield. We are planning the wedding for June 2005. We are both living in Boston. I am currently work‑ ing at GLS Consulting, Inc. on Beacon Street in Brookline, a management and organizational effectiveness consulting firm.” n Thomas Wilder writes, “After a year of living in Albany, NY, I can say that I am very happy here and plan on staying in the area for a while. I’m working for a software company that produces CD‑ROM versions of phone directories for several of the nation’s leading telecom providers. Those of you in the Manchester area should look for it this spring!”

After two years of teaching, Matt Bagley returned to Manchester, where he temporarily worked at Gold’s Gym as a personal trainer. In January, he and Dylan Cruess left for Australia, where they will play semi‑pro lacrosse. n Erica McIninch is in an MFA pro‑ gram at Syracuse University, where she is also teaching college freshmen. n Matt Purtell is now working in opera‑ tions for Brace Bridge, a money man‑ agement firm.

1998 Amelie Baudot writes, “I better be starting a trend here of class note writ‑ ing. I am currently living in rainy Geneva, Switzerland. I am doing a master’s in international relations and counting the days until I get back to New York. But all is well, I hope that everyone is happy, and will write some notes!” n Kate Lombardi is engaged

1999 Lauren Abrahimzadeh writes, “Hi everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. I graduated from Bucknell in May after an incredible four years and am now living in New York City and working at Citigroup on the convert‑ ibles desk, doing a little sales and trad‑ ing. I recently passed all four of my Series tests so I’m fully registered with the SEC and can trade anything from straight equity and bonds to wheat and hogs! New York City is tons of fun and quite different from New Hampshire (which I do miss at times) and Lewisburg, PA. There’s so much to do and there’s always something going on. If you’re ever in the city feel free to call!” n Adam Bock writes, “I joined the Army Reserve in 1999, working in intelligence analysis. I have been called up twice now for the past two desert scuffles. I am just now (on the 15th of December) coming home to relax a lit‑ tle and finish off my last two years of college. As for college, I still attend Skidmore, majoring in economics, minoring in German, and loving both.” n Kathleen Flahive writes, “One of my best Derryfield friends just got

Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

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married – Sharon Pozner – and the wedding was a great reunion. What a bride! I am graduating from Tufts University in the spring and will be working in Boston, combining my interests in corporate social responsi‑ bility and public relations. Thanks Derryfield!” n Elizabeth Jorgensen writes, “Hey everyone. So in the four or five years since graduation I have really come up in the world. Actually, that’s pretty funny. I still live at home, and work at the college where I got my BA. I graduated from Saint Anselm College last year, with an honors BA in natural sciences and am working at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm. It has been quite an experience during the primary season, since every candidate has been here at least once, and every week we have politicians, authors, and experts speak‑ ing. I am going on to law school at Franklin Pierce in Concord next year, which should also be exciting, and I’m not leaving good old Bedford, NH either. I am still going out with Chris Nickerson ‘01, not that any of you probably remember him, but he was really tall, handsome and friendly. And still is! I miss Derryfield at times, I must admit – nostalgia for the way things used to be. Feel free to drop me a line.” n Peter Keeler graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He is continuing his graduate work at Johns Hopkins. n Natalie Lebel writes, “Hey everyone! I am just writing to let you all know what I have been up to. I am now living in San

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Diego, which at the moment is on fire. Not so good! Other than the fire, things are great here. I plan on finish‑ ing up my teaching degree here, so that I can teach first grade. If anyone wants to get out of the snow and come and visit, I will be in sunny San Diego for a while. I would gladly show you around!” n Christopher Roberts writes, “I’m at New York University right now, going for an MFA in writing poetry – clearly the most practical career path. Still, it’s an unbelievable experience. It’s a small and intimate program, and I’m working with poets I idolize. Also, I’m living in Manhattan, right by Washington Square. I’m not married, but I’m still with Lindsey, the same girl I was with at the end of high school. And I think that’s all there is to say.” n Ana Roy is working in a national park in Utah, making good use of her background in geology/ biology and theater. She makes presen‑ tations to park visitors. n Porter Weeks writes, “Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I am attending UMass Amherst and am pursuing a career as a landscape architect. The school is enormous, and it has been quite an adjustment from good old Dunbarton, and Derryfield as well. I have been playing sports throughout my college career and hope you all have too. Big shout out to Nicole and Vladamir, props on the wedding. I hope this message finds you all well, and I hope to hear from you.”

2000 Justin Shaka was recently awarded the C. Donald McKelvie Scholarship for the 2003‑04 academic year at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. n Kate Newick is playing a vital role in the Middlebury College ski team’s unprecedented early season success. The Panthers have won carni‑ vals at Colby, St. Lawrence, and UVM. At Colby, Kate finished fifth in the 10K

ALUMNI PROFILED

an JennaEPIIC Sirkin ’00 Jenna Sirkin ’00 was recently profiled in Tufts Magazine for a research project she did in Mexico and Cuba through the Education for Public Inquiry and Inter‑ national Citizenship (EPIIC) program at Tufts University, where she is majoring in International Relations and Spanish. EPIIC was created as a program of the Institute of Global Learning with the mission to “explore how higher education can pro‑ duce ethical, creative thinkers who under‑ stand the intricacies of world affairs and are prepared for active participation.” As part of her participation in this yearlong, for‑credit program, Sirkin traveled to Mexico in January 2003, and continued her research during the summer in Cuba. She studied women’s health issues and visited a school, developing friendships with the people working to make improvements in their communities. 27

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Chuck Sanborn visits Nate Lavey ’03 during his first week of classes at Reed College.

cross‑country race and she was one of the three members of the winning 3x5K relay team. She came right back to win the 15K race at St. Lawrence and UVM, then placed second in the 5K race and again was one of the three members of the winning 3x5K relay race.

2001 Andy Cochran was named senior cap‑ tain of the Lake Forest College soccer team. Andy will be spending his spring semester in London, working in an internship through the University of Richmond. Becca Connolly will also be in London during the spring term. n Ben Kaplan is enjoying life at UPenn and is part of a 5‑piece band named “the classifieds” and you can check them out on their website, www.top secretmusic.com. n Krista Keeler was inducted into the Periclean Honor Society at Skidmore College, where she is a junior and active in the residential life program. n Gregory Morin writes, “I am a political science and public

policy and law double major, and a legal studies minor. I am the Connecticut State Coordinator for Dean, the youth outreach arm of the Dean for America campaign, and President of the Trinity College Democrats.” n Seth Pitman spent his fall semester in England and had the chance to travel Europe, where he ran into several Derryfield alums. Within days of his arrival he met up with classmate Holly Katz and Sara Dewey ‘02. n Andrew Weisberg is a junior at Syracuse University. He is a resident advisor this year. He is rowing varsity crew and was inducted into the National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars. He did his full sophomore semester abroad in Australia at the University of New South Wales and worked this past summer at the Attorney General’s Office in Concord, NH.

2002 Dan Chen emailed Ellie Cochran to say he had noticed the Derryfield cam‑ pus in a Dean story.

2003 Steven Flagg writes, “My mother keeps me up to date on the school – glad to hear all is going well. My first year at Syracuse is going quite well thanks to all Derryfield has done for me. I definitely plan on stopping by and saying hello. Thanks for all you

do!” n Over the holiday Mike Lavery went skiing to Big Sky, MT, with Drew Samuels and David Gelinas. Unfor‑ tunately, he had a midair collision with a tree on the first day and ended up with a bad break of his arm that required two rods, 13 screws and 90 stitches. Lucky it was his arm and not his head! Good luck to Mike for a speedy recovery! Drew and David managed to have a great week.

SUPPORTING

Derryfield

faculty n

Bailey Milne Fund

The Bailey Milne Endowment Fund was established by former Headmaster Bill Pfeifer as a way to honor the faculty and staff and the memories of Ed Bailey, Derryfield’s first faculty member, and Norm Milne, a past Trustee and long time supporter of the School. The Fund supports the tuition of faculty and staff children who attend The Derryfield School, based on financial need. Support of this fund is a great way to say thank you to the faculty for their efforts on behalf of their students. Derryfield Today – Winter 2004

T H E D E R R Y F I E L D S C H O O L B I D S FA R E W E L L

profile

Faculty

David Haight: At the Top of His Game here is a sad day coming up for me and for the School. I could say a lot in this one sentence: David Haight is a Yankee fan and we still love him. That his departure will leave a large hole in our community is obvious. I’d like to hit some of the highlights of what he has meant to me and to Derryfield. When I arrived here in 1976, David was starting his fifth year and was the Dean; later he would be History Department Head. In our twenty‑eight years here we taught a course together five times, took students to England four times, coached JV Soccer and Varsity Baseball, and advised the same class many times (including the days when there were only two teachers assigned as advisors for each class). Our classrooms are next to each other. When only a few teachers were asked to do lunch duty, he and I spent many a day in the cafeteria, mooching food from students. (He had no method; all he had to do was be himself. About my methods, I’ll say nothing except men‑ tion staring and making a fist.) As a soccer coach, David inspired athletes and non‑athletes to improve and to enjoy soccer. In those days we often had twenty‑some players, so our

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biggest problems were providing play‑ ing time (and he was always generous) and holding down the score. David was wonderful at winning 5‑1 when we jumped out ahead 3‑0 in the first ten minutes. For most of his time here, he coached during all three seasons. David has been in a variety of plays here, wrote one play that the faculty put on, and wrote another to help an England class raise money. Typical of him, he said that he and I wrote it, and that’s true if his doing 95% of it and my doing 5% makes it co‑writing. He has taught a myriad of history classes, from World Civ I and II (he is so old that they were “Western Civs” when he first taught them) to electives where he got students to see what it was like to be Victorian Women. Al‑ ways expanding his range, he added South Africa late in his time here. In his courses, he has led countless students through the intricacies of The Great Train Robbery and the agonies of Oedipus. A lot of students want him for their advisor. I have watched his concern for them and recognized another area where most of the rest of us fall short. I don’t know how many ex‑students’ weddings he has attended. I don’t

David Haight discusses The Great Train Robbery during his World Civilization II class.

know how many students keep in touch with him. I don’t know how often a former student takes him out to lunch. But I know the numbers are high plurals. Sometimes people retire at a natural end of their careers, when they are winding down. Since David leaves his door open when he teaches, I know that the worst thing about his depar‑ ture, the saddest and most selfish thing for all of us, is that he is leaving, to borrow a sports metaphor, at the top of his game. So I thank him for giving us his teaching career, I thank him for sending Alex and Becky here, and I thank Barbara for all the time and energy David gave to us. – Richard Anthony Gifts in honor of David Haight’s retirement can be made to the Bailey Milne Fund.

Goodbye! A bulldozer takes down the old maintenance building to make way for a new facility to be completed this spring.

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