Spring 2022
bulletin JOHN TYE ’93 Blowing the Whistle for
Justice
Inside this issue:
20
World Music Vocalist Spreads Hope: Miriam Tamar ’05
24
BB&N’s Own Venerable Bede, Bob Ganz ’43
28
Former Faculty Profile: Nia (Hays) Jacobs
bulletin Spring 2022
Members of BB&N’s undefeated Varsity Volleyball team at Homecoming before a match
Parents of former BB&N students: Please help us stay in touch with your child! Update contact information online at bbns.org/updateinfo, email changes to alumni_programs@bbns.org, or send a note to Alumni/ae Programs, BB&N, 80 Gerry’s Landing Road, Cambridge, MA 02138
Letter From the Head
2
Director of Communications Joe Clifford, Editor
Dr. Price provides an update on implementation work around the Strategic Plan, detailing the progress made across all five of the school’s objectives.
Community News
4
New Additions to Upper School Leadership Team, Afternoon of Service, Sports Wrap Up, Bivouac Returns, Middle School Play, and more
Features Tye ’93: Blowing the 14 John Whistle for Justice
Class of ’93 alumnus fights the good fight for underdogs attempting to right big wrongs
Tamar ’05: Finding her 20 Miriam Voice Through Music
Class of ’05 alumna builds love and international fame through music in Africa
The Prolific Bob Ganz ’43 24 BB&N’ s unofficial chronicler and historian keeps history alive through epic class notes
Faculty Profile: 28 Former Nia (Hays) Jacobs
Advancing Our Mission Association’s holiday faculty gift 30 Parents’ effort, Class of 2022 Senior Parents set ambitious goal, and Upper School Library Renovation Project
Alumni/ae News & Notes
34 60 Milestones
Alumni/ae News and Notes
Associate Director of Communications Andrew Fletcher, Senior Editor Contributing Writers Whitney Dayton Brunet Joe Clifford Isabel Dau Peter DeMarco Andrew Fletcher Roger Fussa Sharon Krauss Rebecca Lombardo Marvin Pave Dr. Jennifer Price Esme Rabin Janet Rosen Kim Ablon Whitney ’91 Contributing Editors Janet Rosen Brianna Smith ’10 Sufia Jamal Alumni/ae News & Notes Sufia Jamal Brianna Smith ’10 Design & Production Nanci Booth www.nancibooth.com 781-301-1733 Photography/Artwork/Design Joe Clifford Andrew Fletcher Sharon Krauss Evy Mages Amie Margolis Eric Nordberg Adam Richins Joshua Touster Correction: The last issue of the Bulletin mistakenly omitted the departure of two members of the Upper School Math Department, Janna Kerpelman (19 years) and Kevin Bau (4 years).
Board of Trustees, 2021-2022 Officers Chuck Brizius III, Chair Jason Hafler ’00, Vice Chair Jimmy Berylson ’00, Vice Chair/Treasurer Pam Baker, Vice Chair/Secretary Members Jake Anderson-Bialis ’98 Eliza Appleton ’09 Carmen Arce-Bowen Jennifer Winn Aronson ’92 Tamara Ashford ’86 Margaret Boasberg Tim Cohen Alexi Conine Alexis Boyle Egan ’93 Alexandra Epee-Bounya Leslie Ahlstrand Fitzgerald ’08 Christine Gross-Loh Rachel Kroner Hanselman ’89 Lionel Harris Jeff Hawkins Freddie Jacobs Joelinda Coichy Johnson ’07 Marjorie Lichtenberger Bridget Long Tristin Mannion JK Nicholas ’85 Shep Perkins Leslie Riedel Jesse Sarzana ’93 Ila Shah Towne Williams Fan Wu ’98 Adam Zalisk ’03 Head of School Dr. Jennifer Price Front cover: John Tye ’93, founder of Whistlebower Aid, outside of his office in Washington, D.C. (Photography by Evy Mages evymages@gmail.com) Correspondence may be sent to: Office of Alumni/ae Programs (alumni_programs@bbns.org or 617-800-2721) or the Office of Communications (communications@bbns.org or 617-800-2403), 80 Gerry’s Landing Road Cambridge, MA 02138-5512
: FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT : www.bbns.org
Head of School Dr. Jennifer Price
As I write this, we are on the cusp of the two-year milestone of a global pandemic that has fundamentally reshaped the way we move through the world. However, I am proud of how our faculty and staff have navigated the pandemic in a way that consistently centers students. As you know, the heart of a BB&N education boils down the deep connections forged between our faculty and students, and masks and PCR tests have been powerless to diminish that. I’m confident that brighter days are ahead, as we anticipate being able to discontinue mandated indoor mask wearing when we return from spring break in late March. Great things also await BB&N as a whole, as we refused to let the pandemic pause our implementation work around the Strategic Plan that we created with community input in 2019. I am pleased to report that we’ve made significant progress over the past year across all five of our objectives: 1. Elevating the Student Experience Two transformative facility projects are in the works that will make a huge impact on our students and families for generations to come. The first is the construction of a stateof-the-art playing field complex on BB&N’s lot on Grove Street in Watertown. On track for a Fall 2022 unveiling, these new playing fields will combine with Watertown’s adjacent Filippello Fields to create a 20-acre complex that will accommodate multiple BB&N athletic programs, provide more equitable opportunities to build community, and help offer more manageable daily schedules for our students and families. Not only that, our facility will feature 80 parking spaces, a much-needed boost for our landlocked campuses. (See facing page for a photo of the construction.) The second project—a substantial renovation of the Lower School campus—is currently in the schematic design phase. The project scope will include a new meeting house for gym, lunch, and performing arts; a refurbishment of the Brick Building to create flexible gathering spaces through classroom pods with collaboration areas; and the current gymnasium will be transformed into two floors of interdisciplinary STEM and arts classrooms. At this point, we’re estimating a timeline in which some components will be completed by Fall 2024, and the entire project completed by Fall 2025. We’re so excited about how this reimagined Lower School will advance bold and innovative curricula while creating an environment for our students
2
to collaborate and build community with each other. (See facing page for a rendering of the proposed meeting house.) 2. Empowering Our Educators “Never stop learning” is a mantra common to all BB&N educators. In our ongoing commitment to robustly support professional development, the Teaching & Learning Office is presenting a wide range of opportunities for teachers seeking to adapt to new ideas and practices. Those opportunities will include curriculum development grants, travel grants, and global education workshops. This year we’ll also start BB&N Summer Institutes, which will leverage our in-house expertise by inviting BB&N teachers to conduct in-depth seminars for their colleagues on a teaching and learning topic they feel passionate about. 3. Broadening Our Academic Experience Launched last year, our BB&Novation Hub has picked up speed this year in its goal to empower our faculty and staff to take thoughtful risks in the design of interdisciplinary, project-based curricula. In November, the Innovation Team held three incubator sessions with faculty to brainstorm ideas that have the potential to disrupt, evolve, transform and/or expand teaching and learning practices at BB&N. Following these sessions, faculty submitted grant proposals to explore their suggested topic in more depth: some of the early proposals include Bivouac & Beyond, a Student-Led Ethics Conference, and a Pollinator Garden. This is precisely the sort of work that keeps the BB&N program fresh, relevant, and inspiring—for students and teachers alike. 4. Promoting a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Community An important step forward this year has been to amplify students’ voices in decision making at the school. Student DEIG Steering Committees have been convening since last spring and it’s been really affirming to see how their perspectives are improving the way we approach issues such as celebrating winter holidays inclusively, intersectionality, and affinity spaces. Another area of focus has been to center DEIG commitments in our hiring process. All faculty and staff who are involved in a search as part of a hiring committee engage in anti-bias training. In addition, a DEIG team
member is a core member of the review team during all stages of our hiring searches. 5. Leveraging the Power of Our Community Alumni/ae are a crucial part of the BB&N story—their history at our school informs the present and future experiences we create for the students. We have been working hard to improve the ways in which the school can sustain meaningful relationships with alumni/ae. These include: Finding ways for BB&N graduates to connect directly to students’ work in classrooms and to serve as mentors during Senior Spring Project, Engaging in an ongoing reconciliation project with alumni/ae who underwent traumatic experiences during their BB&N journey, and The BB&N Alumni/ae Council participated in antiracism professional development training as a first step toward building a stronger framework of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the alumni/ae community. In addition to alumni/ae and parents, our neighbors are another resource whose engagement we can mobilize to serve our mission. The Grove Street project that I referenced earlier is an excellent example of that: by engineering a partnership with our neighbors in Watertown to share use of our new fields and their fields right beside at Filippello Park, we emerge with a scenario that benefits not only our students, but also youth athletes in Watertown. That’s what “principled engagement” is all about. Exciting weeks await us, with the spring semester always being defined by terrific energy and anticipation. Seniors will dive into their Spring Project independent studies, sixth graders will devise how to beat the faculty in their annual kickball game, and in early April we’ll learn who the new, incoming members of our uKnighted community are. And through all of this, it will be amazing to once again be able to see students smile and laugh!
Dr. Jennifer Price Head of School
3
Two Exciting Additions Announced to Upper School Leadership Team for 2022-23 BB&N’s Upper School will welcome two additions to its leadership team next fall, one new and one familiar. At the start of February, Head of School Dr. Jennifer Price announced that Jessica Keimowitz has agreed to serve as the next Upper School Director, and Michael Chapman will join the Upper School leadership team in the newly created role of Upper School Dean of Teaching and Learning. They will begin these roles on July 1st. “At the conclusion of our robust search process, Jessica emerged as the leader best poised to guide our Upper School into its next chapter,” says Price. “In Jessica, BB&N has found a proven independent school leader—in her 15 years guiding the Upper School division at Dana Hall School, she has built a stellar reputation for her ability to innovate, inspire, and empathize.” Chapman, currently a science teacher at the Upper School, was a finalist in the search process and will assume his new duties over the summer. “As the search proceeded…it became clear that an additional opportunity was materializing to help us deliver on the ambitious, multilayered goals for the campus that are outlined in our strategic plan,” Price noted. “To our great fortune, it became equally clear that a solution was close at hand with the appointment of Michael as the newly-created Dean of Teaching and Learning.”
Michael Chapman and Jessica Keimowitz Keimowitz, who brings with her an impressive track record in independent schools, expressed excitement at beginning her next chapter at the school and looks forward to familiarizing herself with BB&N. “My first priority is to get to know the community—the students, faculty, staff, and parents,” she says. “I’m energized by the strategic plan and am eager to dive into the work of educating the whole child, helping to implement pedagogical innovation across departments, prioritizing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and supporting the extraordinary faculty and staff that work so hard every day to educate young people.” Keimowitz will succeed Geoff Theobald, who announced earlier this fall that he would depart in June after 12 accomplished years at the helm of BB&N’s Upper School.
Vanguard Awarded Gold Medal Honors The Vanguard, BB&N’s student newspaper, was awarded the highest honor of Gold Medalist by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for 2020-2021. The paper was evaluated in three categories: Essential, Verbal, and Visual. Essential evaluates whether the format of the paper is correct and the information presented factual. Comments on this category included, “professionalism is evident throughout” and “the paper is easy to read and well organized.” In Verbal, the articles were evaluated for their variety in format and style of writing. The judges scored the paper “excellent” in 23 out of 25 elements. In the Visual category, which includes photography, typography, and design,
The Vanguard achieved a perfect score of 300 points out of 300. The overall score for the paper was an impressive 983 out of 1000 points. “The previous students on the Vanguard and the Faculty Advisor, Allison Kornet, did an amazing job with the paper last year, especially given all the limitations COVID had on what kinds of events took place on campus to cover, as well as limitations to how the Vanguard team was able to work together,” Kim Whitney ’91, the 2021-2022 Faculty Advisor said. The Vanguard did much of its work over Zoom. In the fall, the student board was finally able to meet in person and resume normal production routines. “This year’s editorial board dove right in where the last board left off and has continued to produce an impressive publication. The hard work, talent, and dedication shows in the scores the paper received,” Whitney added. BB&N’s Vanguard Board look to continue the high standards of their award-winning paper.
4
Community News Afternoon of Service Links Students with Larger Communities On a crisp, late-November afternoon, twenty Upper School students and three faculty/staff chaperones, accompanied by six roving, friendly goats, pruned their way across a meadow overgrown with buckthorn and other invasive species. Having hauled away the clippings, the group admired the swath they’d cleared at the Habitat site in Belmont.
1
“It gave me such a positive feeling because we could really see our work, and we had accomplished something that was going to have a long-lasting effect,” says Ford Legg ’23. Ford and his fellow Habitat volunteers were among 150 students who engaged with the greater community, either on or off campus, during the Afternoon of Service, a key element of the Upper School curriculum. The Afternoon of Service offered seven options: meadow conservation with Mass Audubon, Charles River-bank clean up, educational enrichment with Lower School students at the Banneker Charter Public School in North Cambridge, assembling care packages for the nonprofit Housing Families, creating fleece blankets for the nonprofit Seams of Hope, volunteering for Boston COVID-Tutoring (founded by David Min ’22 in April 2020), and writing letters to seniors isolated due to COVID through Letters Against Isolation (founded by Saffy Patel ’22 and her sister.) Service Learning Coordinator Michael Chapman notes, “Part of ‘principled engagement’ is for BB&N, as a privileged nonprofit institution, to reach out and make connections and partner with other organizations to work together toward common good. That’s how we make bigger systemic changes.”
PICTURED
2
x 1 x Victoria Nassikas ’25 prunes a Mass Audubon property with a little help from some friendly goats. x 2 x Anika Desai ’22 sews a blanket for Seams of Hope.
Varsity Volleyball Runs the Slate BB&N’s Varsity Volleyball team ran a masterclass all year en route to an 18-0 record and an ISL championship. Falling just short in the finals at the New England tournament couldn’t dampen the accolades for a squad that conceded only one set to an opponent all regular season. Bravo to this championship group!
Girls Varsity Soccer Completes Incredible Season In a feat unlikely to be seen again at BB&N, the 2021 Girls Varsity Soccer team overpowered their league in an unprecedented manner. It wasn’t just the 21-0 record, or the ISL and New England championships that testified to their dominance; rather it was the manner in which they won their games, showing complete control in every contest and only allowing 1 goal over the entire course of the season. Congratulations on a truly remarkable season. 5
1
2
3
4
5
7
6 6
Community News 2
Fall Sports Wrap Up Girls Varsity Soccer • Completed a perfect season by remaining undefeated all year • Won both the ISL and New Englands ISL MVP: Molly Martin ’22 All ISL: Caitlin Mara ’24, Molly Martin ’22, Meredith McDermott ’22, Sarah Sullivan ’22, Sam Suplee ’22 Honorable Mention: Katie Lynch ’22, Frankie Valverde ’23
Volleyball • This squad was dominant all year, dropping only one set en route to an undefeated 18-0 season. • Won the ISL championship and made the New England Finals. ISL MVP: Kate Jiang ’23 All ISL: Kate Jiang ’23, Madera Longstreet-Lipson ’23, Sherry Ren ’24
COACHES CUP WINNERS: Football: Tyler Martin ’22 Field Hockey: Ashley Hallice ’22 Girls Soccer: Molly Martin ’22 Boys Soccer: Andrei Buchatskiy ’22 Boys XC: Samvidh Modur ’23
Honorable Mention: Sofia Khoury ’23
Football • An impressive 7-1 record resulted in a 16th straight winning season. • This team’s strong post season run resulted in being New England Finalists. All ISL: Nick Ciaffoni ’22, Ronan Hanafin ’23, Ty Harding ’22, Bo Maccormack ’25, Tyler Martin ’22, Tom Porell ’22 Honorable Mention: Thaddeus Foote ’22, Isaiah Kacyvenski ’23, Declan Pflaumer ’22
Girls XC: Gabrielle Martin ’23
Boys Varsity Soccer
Volleyball: Gemma Gifford ’22
• Posting a 12-2-5 record, this team made a terrific post-season run to the New England quarterfinals. All ISL: Dylan Henao ’22, Mario Pinto ’22, Lucian Wood ’22 Honorable Mention: Thomas Angelone ’24, Jack Pappendick ’22
PICTURED x 1 x Molly Martin ’22 capped off her high school soccer career as the ISL MVP and earned All American and Boston All Scholastic honors. x 2 x Sherry Ren ’24 splits two defenders with a spike. x 3 x Ty Harding ’22 follows a block by Thaddeus Foote ’22. x 4 x Christian Pineda ’23 lines up a pass down field. x 5 x Clara Noyes ’23 works the ball through a defender. x 6 x Ford Legg ’23 legs it out during a meet. x 7 x Danielle Brennan ’23 crests a hill on the course.
Varsity Field Hockey • Featuring only one senior, this squad made strides every day, pushing some of the strongest teams in the league. All ISL: Clara Noyes ’23 Honorable Mention: Hannah Weyerhaeuser ’25
Boys Cross Country • This squad competed hard all year, pushing their opponents in every meet. Honorable Mention: Ford Legg ’23
Girls Cross Country • This strong group of runners finished 5th in ISL tournament and 6th in the New England tournament. All ISL: Hannah Bernstein ’24 Honorable Mention: Naomi Hammerschlag ’25, Sylvia Brennan ’24
7
Winter Sports Snapshots
1 2
3 4
5 6 PICTURED
7
x 1 x Girls Basketball: Madeline Egan ’25 threads a pass. x 2 x Boys Basketball: Fabrice Salvant ’23 drives by a defender. x 3 x Girls Squash: Elle Rosier ’24 readies a forehand. x 4 x Boys Squash: Fotis Zafiriou ’23 digs out a shot in the back corner. x 5 x Boys Hockey: Jack Rorick ’22 fights for the puck. x 6 x Girls Hockey: Meghan Britt ’24 unleashes a shot. x 7 x Wrestling: Angus Crafter ’22 finishes a double-leg takedown against an opponent.
8
Community News Lower School Launches Newspaper: The Buckingham Times In a move that has The Boston Globe quaking in its boots, BB&N’s Lower School has jumped into the newspaper business. The Buckingham Times launched this year to much acclaim on the 12 Buckingham campus. “The newspaper originated when the current sixth graders were in fourth grade,” notes faculty adviser Christina Dello Russo. “Christian Chow ’28 started writing a weekly newsletter and other children joined in. The group continued on their own in 5th grade, and then Anna Gross-Loh ’28 wrote a proposal to the Lower School director proposing the launch of an official newspaper for this year.”
The staff of The Buckingham Times proudly display their newspaper.
Run completely by sixth grade students, the paper tackles topics of interest to the campus, including interviews with students in other classes, fun puzzles, news items, and editorials. (An early favorite feature has been the lunch reviews in which no punches are being pulled!) “The students’ main goal is to have the paper be ‘owned’ by the Lower School, and they are hoping to take on interested 5th graders in the spring so they can pass it on to them,” Dello Russo says. “It’s been impressive watching them work collaboratively— they wanted to make sure to include any sixth graders who wanted to be part of it.” The students’ hope is to publish an issue roughly every six weeks.
Middle School Artists Create Mexican Inspired Tiles
1
As a celebration of Spanish heritage month this year, BB&N eighth graders examined contemporary expressions of Hispanic culture in Mexican street art. Studying four principal artists, students in Jennifer Ridge’s Middle School Spanish class were inspired to create their own wall tiles in the style of a chosen artist. Utilizing design software to create a digital prototype, the eighth graders then brought their artwork to life in the Middle School maker space, etching into wood and acrylic with a laser cutter, and building their final creations. “The students have been looking at what these artists represent through their work,” says Ridge, “and studying any symbols, glyphs, and cultural references from preHispanic or indigenous folklore that appear in the art.” The marriage of using contemporary technology to reimagine ancient art motifs was a fun and interesting way to study history while creating some “modern” art. The final pieces include QR codes taking viewers to a statement by the student artist about their work in both English and Spanish.
2 PICTURED x 1 x A completed tile by Gabe Cooper ’26 x 2 x Austin Fuchs ’26 displays his “in-progress” tile. 9
2
Bivouac Returns for 68th Year Despite a hiatus from Bivouac last year due to COVID-19, the BB&N community welcomed back one of its favorite traditions this fall. The annual rite of passage sends freshmen into a 12-day wilderness immersion where they form bonds and glean lifelong lessons from “nature’s classroom” in the New Hampshire woods. Tackling team-building exercises, building their own A-frames to live in, and braving a lack of smartphones and computers, BB&N ninth graders left their comfort zones and emerged a closer, happier class.
PICTURED
3
1
x 1 x Students tackle a
4
climbing wall as part of a team building exercise. x 2 x Ekram Shemsu ’25 and Luciana Castano ’25. x 3 x Teagan Kilpatrick ’25, Naomi Hammerschlag ’25, and Nina Ciri ’25 x 4 x Shai Saarony ’25, Nikhil Babbar ’25, and Mason Sullivan ’25
BB&N sophomores also engaged in a three-day Bivouac experience of their own this fall to make up for last year. Even if only for a few days, getting a taste of Bivouac seemed essential to their experience at the school. Pictured here, a group shot of the Class of 2024 atop Mount Monadnock.
10
Community News BB&N Spirit on Full Display at Fall Homecoming BB&N’s Upper School campus came to life this fall as the school hosted its annual Homecoming on a warm, sunny Saturday. The grounds were littered with alums and families all enjoying refreshments (the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream truck was a fan favorite), giant bouncy-house slides, spirit wear sales, and myriad fall sports. Much to the delight of a raucous cheering section, BB&N’s teams provided much to celebrate. See below for a smattering of the fun!
11
A Murderously Fun Middle School Play Tackling the classic “who dunnit?” theme, this fall’s Middle School play featured humor, plot twists, and audience participation. The play, Exit Stage Death, tells the story of a night at the theater gone dramatically wrong. When a murder occurs, the mystery of who did it takes center stage, with the culprit being determined by the audience itself. Before the show, student actors mingled (in costume and character) with the audience, allowing viewers to question each student and get to know their stage persona. At the close of the play, the audience was invited to interrogate the suspects and determine the culprit via a vote. Written and directed by Middle School theater teacher Christa Crewdson, Exit Stage Dead was a delightful exploration of acting and intrigue, one which broke the fourth wall to make the experience truly interactive.
1
PICTURED
2
x 1 x Denali Weaver ’26 reacts to unpleasant news on stage. x 2 x The cast of Exit Stage Death
Cabaret Night Hits All the Right Notes After a pandemic-imposed hiatus last year, a jubilant Singers’ Cabaret returned to the Chorale Room for an evening of performances by nine Upper School students. They treated an enthusiastic live audience, as well as those tuning in on Zoom, to musical selections ranging from Broadway show tunes and contemporary pop to an original composition and a modern Chinese song about lost childhood. The popular showcase for students taking voice lessons, as well as other singing enthusiasts, also featured the first-ever motherdaughter duet. Chorale director Joel Sindelar, who organized and hosted the spirited community event, appreciates that Cabaret “gives students a chance to shine and be recognized for practice outside of the traditional school milieu.” Four-year participant CC Chung ’22 notes, “It’s an opportunity for people who are passionate about singing and music to show off their personal skills for a really supportive community.” As she has for several years, Valerie Becker P ’15 provided piano accompaniment.
1 PICTURED x 1 x Rose Fahy ’24 performs with her guitar.
x 2 x Accompanied on piano, Alex Zhang ’22 belts out a tune.
12
2
Community News Upper School Delights with Winter Concerts Upper School musicians celebrated the winter season in style with a series of concerts which showcased the melodic talent ringing from every BB&N classroom. The Orchestra opened the evening in the theater performing three pieces: Gymnopédie No. 3 by Erik Satie, the Allegro Vivace symphony by Georges Bizet, and selections from Carmen Suite No. 1 and Carmen by Georges Bizet. The impressive show included several students filling featured roles; just a few of the many wonderful performances included Daniel Kyte-Zable ’23 arranging and conducting the first piece, and Amphitrite Ma ’23 as lead vocalist and harpist in the closing pieces. The evening then moved to the Chorale room, where four different jazz ensembles took the night in a groovier direction. Student interpretations of Duke Ellington, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, and many more left the audience tapping their feet and swaying to the music long after departing the show.
1
2
PICTURED x 1 x The BB&N Upper School Orchestra conducted by Upper School Orchestra and Chamber music teacher Eliot Cless ’02
x 2 x Jazz Concert: A BB&N Jazz Ensemble livens up the mood in Renaissance x 3 x Amphitrite Ma ’23 performs as vocal soloist.
3 13
JOHN TYE ’93 Blowing the Whistle for
Justice
by Peter DeMarco
It was the type of bombshell interview that CBS’s “60 Minutes” is famous for. A former Facebook employee—“The Facebook Whistleblower”— was making public thousands of startling documents showing how the social media giant was allegedly harming children, and fueling political divisiveness, by boosting certain content in the name of larger profits. Frances Haugen, the employee, stepped from anonymity into the world spotlight when the news program aired that Sunday night last October. But she did not present her allegations alone: alongside Haugen on the broadcast was John Tye ’93, her biggest ally. Tye, one of Haugen’s attorneys, is co-founder of a Washington D.C. nonprofit called Whistleblower Aid, which for the past five years has helped dozens of average citizens such as Haugen take the brave step of coming forward against corporate and public wrongdoing even if that means risking their careers, personal privacy, or safety by doing so. Their list of clients is virtually a who’s who of recently publicized whistleblowers. Whistleblower Aid helped former M.I.T. staffer Signe Swenson disclose that the university’s Media Lab had quietly accepted millions in donations by way of convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. It came to the defense of Simon Edelman, a Department of Energy photographer who was allegedly fired for publishing a photo of his boss,
14
former DOE Secretary Rick Perry, hugging a coal company executive at a private meeting. Perhaps most significantly, Tye’s nonprofit represented the anonymous person who reported the details of President Donald Trump’s July 2019 phone call to the leader of the Ukraine, and helped keep that person’s name a secret despite incredible pressure from the president himself to reveal it. The whistleblower’s pivotal information was the basis of Trump’s impeachment last year by the U.S. House of Representatives for high crimes and misdemeanors. No matter who their client is, Whistleblower Aid offers its assistance for free—even if, as in Haugen’s case, that amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and public relations consultants and other protections. (For some cases Whistleblower Aid has employed untraceable communications technologies and round-the-clock security guards, too.) Their work is funded entirely by donations through their website, whistlebloweraid.org, and a small percentage of cases where a monetary reward is recovered.
Tye being interviewed on CNN about the Facebook whistleblower. 15
The organization’s noble mission all goes back to Tye, who eight years ago paid a lawyer out of his own pocket to lawfully report a State Department practice he believed to be illegal. The challenges he faced as an inexperienced whistleblower now drive him to go to all ends for his clients, from shepherding them through the tricky legalities of disclosing information to reassuring them in moments of panic or doubt; from getting their stories covered by prominent media outlets to protecting their public image and future careers. “John’s one of these guys who just has this really strong sense of what’s right and wrong, and he’s going to battle to the end to ensure that justice is served,” said Simone Grimes, a former client who came forward with sexual harassment and pay discrimination complaints against her employer. “He’s like a dog with a bone, and he won’t let go.”
this really need to be known?” Grimes said. “Then you have someone like John saying, ‘How does that help other people?’ He’s one of those big-picture idealists. He’s passionate, generous, and brave. He will stand up to any institution no matter how large and powerful that he believes needs to be held accountable.” But speaking out is rare—and can be dangerous if you don’t have professional help from the very start, Tye said. “People very often get sued and or prosecuted when they don’t know what they’re doing,” he said. “A government whistleblower, a privatesector whistleblower, even if they’re trying to do the right thing and acting in good faith, they make mistakes because they don’t know how to follow the rules and therefore get themselves in trouble.”
“WE CREATED THIS CHARITY PRECISELY TO HELP PEOPLE WHERE THERE’S NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR NORMAL LAW FIRMS TO TAKE THEIR CASE...”
In Grimes’ case the employer was Mel Watt, a former Congressman who headed the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and a powerful figure. She was scared about putting herself in the public eye, and unsure she’d be able to endure a long legal battle. That changed once Tye “swooped in,” she recalled, and took on her case.
Tye eased her fears by connecting her with other whistleblowers who’d walked in her shoes. He stood by her as she testified on television before the House Financial Services Committee. He even concocted a billboard on wheels that camped outside Watt’s office for months with the words “Fire Mel Watt” alongside his image. Eventually, through a settlement agreement, Grimes was paid her fair due. “It’s scary to be a whistleblower. You end up with a lot of self-doubt—am I doing the right thing? Does
“We created this charity precisely to help people where there’s no financial incentive for normal law firms to take their case,” Tye said. “We ensure that our clients have made lawful disclosures that trigger legal protections against retaliation. We want to make sure that our clients are not going to prison.” It is a risk that can’t be understated: one of the most famous whistleblowers of the past decade, Edward Snowden, who brazenly made public a trove of classified documents revealing how the U.S. Government collects individuals’ internet and phone records under laws like the Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, is wanted for espionage and continues to live in asylum in Russia. Snowden was the example Tye did not want to follow when, in 2014, he faced what became a life-changing decision. Tye was privy to top secret information in his role as head of the State Department’s Global Internet Freedom section within the Bureau of Democracy,
Tye on the street in Washington D.C. raising awareness for the launch of Whistleblower Aid. 17
Human Rights and Labor, so he was not surprised at what Snowden had revealed. But Snowden’s leaks were only half the story. During a classified briefing, Tye learned that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) collects, stores and searches the emails, phone calls, and online communications of potentially hundreds of millions of Americans, even if they are not suspected of any wrongdoing, under a little-known legal authority called Executive Order 12333. The order allows the government to tap into any computer server physically located outside the United States—and most major internet companies have such overseas servers, primarily serving as backups to their stateside servers. The government is supposed to use Executive Order 12333 only for foreign intelligence investigations. But because it’s so broadly worded, Tye said, the government treats the order as sort of a legal loophole to bypass the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Later, as a journalist, he took on the challenge of exposing the practices of notorious hate groups. For one story he spent a week trailing Westboro Baptist Church leader Fred Phelps, who among other things led an anti-gay protest at the funeral of hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard. In another Tye story, he outed the illegal fundraising practices of a white nationalist party from the United Kingdom, which stopped its efforts to grow in the United States.
“OUR LONGER-TERM GOAL IS TO MAKE WHISTLEBLOWING SAFER FOR EVERYONE,” TYE SAID. “THERE’S A VIRTUAL CYCLE WHERE WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT THIS CAN BE DONE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY, MORE PEOPLE DECIDE TO COME FORWARD.”
“They could have just a single, legitimate foreign target: one person overseas, who is using all these services—Gmail, Hotmail, Twitter, OK Cupid, whatever it is. And they don’t just go and take that one person’s data. They take all of the data from all of those services for all of the users,” Tye explained during a Ted Talk he filmed. “So, you could in theory, and it’s not that far from it, have just a single, foreign target and collect three or four billion people’s data.” As Tye watched Snowden’s revelations come to light he assumed reporters would soon delve into how the government was employing Executive Order 12333. Except, no one ever did. Months went by, and it became clear to him that maybe only those who shared his top-secret clearance understood the extent of what the government could do.
18
Speaking out would have been a harrowing decision for many, but not for someone like Tye. As an Oxford Rhodes Scholar he gravitated to justice and politics, taking his first job after school with the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, AL, legendary for its fight against racism and inequality.
After Yale Law School he returned to the South in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to represent low-income clients in housing disputes. As a board member of the Louisiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union he assisted with a nationally-known prejudice case, The Jena Six.
“Whistleblower Aid is his most publicly recognized work, but he’s had this career of principled engagement. I believe he really embodies this BB&N mission we are taught,” said longtime friend and former classmate Amy Rofman, BB&N ’93. Eventually Tye joined the State Department’s Human Rights Bureau, where he learned of Executive Order 12333. He’d sworn an oath to defend the Constitution, so to him his choice was clear: hire an attorney and report the alleged rights violation to the proper authorities, including the NSA’s inspector general and the House and Senate intelligence committees. Tye’s disclosure didn’t change the loophole, over which neither Congress nor courts have oversight. But a column Tye wrote for the Washington Post describing the executive order put many journalists, watchdog groups, and elected officials across the
Tye ’93 being interviewed by CNN’s John Berman about the Facebook whistleblower case.
country on alert for the first time about how far intelligence gathering can go. If you search on Google for “Executive Order 12333” leading up to the day Tye’s Washington Post article was published in 2014, you get about 2,300 references. Today, there are 57,000 references. “I sort of did what I could, knowing that it would take years if there was ever change,” Tye said. “We’ll see.” Tye left the State Department and three years later founded Whistleblower Aid with the attorney who’d helped him become a whistleblower, Mark Zaid. “Some doors close but other doors open. That’s what I tell my clients today,” Tye said. The organization has grown ever since, helping 30 people last year alone legally and ethically whistleblow on discriminatory practices, government malfeasance, regulatory violations, and beyond. All while protecting the lives and livelihood of their clients, fending off everything from smear campaigns to death threats.
The Ukraine phone-call whistleblower remains anonymous, lives a normal life and is even still at their job, Tye said. Haugen is still standing after taking on a trillion-dollar company, having now testified before a subcommittee of the U.S Senate and the British Parliament. “I’m not aware that anyone at Facebook has [even] said her name out loud,” Tye said. “They determined that it wouldn’t be in their interest to try to attack her, and that’s because of the groundwork that we laid before her disclosure, making sure it was reported on, making sure it was lawful and ensuring that her story was told effectively.” High-profile cases or not, raising enough donations to support Whistleblower Aid’s clients is arguably Tye’s biggest challenge. But it’s what it takes to make the world a more just place, he said. One whistle at a time. “Our longer-term goal is to make whistleblowing safer for everyone,” Tye said. “There’s a virtual cycle where when people see that this can be done safely and effectively, more people decide to come forward.”
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: WWW.WHISTLEBLOWERAID.ORG
19
20
MIRIAM TAMAR ’05
Finding Her
Voice Music T hrough
BY ANDREW FLETCHER
As far as music studios go, the tiny hut in Gulu, Uganda wasn’t much to look at. Bordering a dusty, dirt road with old tires buried along its edges, the small structure boasted hastily painted cement walls, a dilapidated metal roof, and not much else. But it was available and had electricity, which was all Miriam Tamar ’05 really needed at the time. Little did she know that humble structure would mark the watershed of her journey to becoming a world fusion vocalist as part of the award-winning duo Nsimbi, a group she co-founded with her husband, Ugandan hip-hop artist GNL Zamba. Having moved to Uganda in 2008 to pursue a social activism project through the nonprofit Facing History & Ourselves, Tamar (formerly Wertlieb) was in the midst of several stints working with teachers and education professionals to develop an improved curriculum for M O RE > Mariam Tamar ’05 and GNL Zamba at a photo shoot for their latest release, Infinity 21
Voice
Northern Ugandan students aged eight to fourteen. But the work was difficult. “Northern Uganda was a post-conflict zone…they’d had a war for decades, so it was very emotionally draining,” says Tamar. “Unfortunately, there’s a lot of corruption in the government, and the challenges were immense…I was working with teachers who hadn’t been paid their government salary in five or six months, and I could tell what we were doing wasn’t sustainable.” Looking for an outlet to relieve some pressure, Tamar turned to her passion: music. “That was the first time in my life that music wasn’t built in. At BB&N I had a cappella and jazz. When I went to Tufts, I also did a cappella and jazz,” she recalls. “As a newly-found adult, I had to figure out my own way to be creative, which is how I got into songwriting.” The tiny, run-down hut was the perfect space to foster her nascent interest…well, maybe not perfect. “It ran on a generator, and the power would periodically shut off,” Tamar recalls. “So it was, refill the generator and get back at it. But it was really fun!” Tamar is the first to admit that her early efforts didn’t spawn gems, but in refining her craft and sound, she came to a realization—Africa was calling her. Even as a 9-yearold when she had traveled to South Africa to visit her aunt, Tamar was smitten. “It just burned into my memory, I remember thinking ‘I have to get back to this place,’…I could just feel the energy.” In 2011, Tamar made the hard decision to leave the nonprofit world and move permanently to Kampala, Uganda to pursue music full time. She found a job at a record label, Fenon Entertainment, with the arrangement that when their studio wasn’t in use, she was allowed to use it for free. Looking to create some sort of fusion music, Tamar found herself stereotyped as an American. “The producers in Uganda were excited: ‘wow, we have this White girl from the States!’…and they wanted to bring that pop sound because that’s what was different for them.” But Tamar held fast to her vision, instead partnering with a band called Sabar Percussion. Featuring a guitar, a bass, seven different types of drums, and some indigenous instruments, she re-worked covers of American pop songs using traditional Ugandan instrumentation. It was during that time that moving in artist circles in Uganda, Tamar met GNL Zamba, a well-known Ugandan hip hop artist with a big regional following. The two began dating, and she quit her job to begin unofficially working for his record label, Baboon Forest Entertainment. “I did some collaborations with artists on his label, and began looking for my path.”
22
Eager to find her own voice, Tamar traveled to Los Angeles to look for opportunities in the industry and to record her first solo album, Firedance. “That was when I really became happy with my songwriting and sonic identity,” she notes. “I purposely needed to do that by myself before Zamba and I became a duo…I needed to feel secure in my own abilities.” Zamba soon joined her in LA, where they officially formed Nsimbi and then traveled to Washington D.C. to record their eponymous debut. Drawing off of the large African diaspora in the area, they found some talented multiinstrumentalists to round out their sound, and began booking shows and touring in the States; a slot in the South by Southwest Music Festival was a highlight. That year Nsimbi was nominated for three Independent Music Awards, winning one for “best world beats song.” But always, Africa was calling. “We realized we missed Uganda. We wanted to live in the place that was the main inspiration for our art.” Right before COVID-19 gripped the world, Tamar and Zamba returned to Kampala to record their next album, Infinity. The pandemic fueled the message for their art, and as a result Infinity soars with a hopefulness that belies the overriding angst of the time. “It felt like everyone in the world was having an emotional breakdown,” Tamar recalls. “Artistically, there are usually two directions with that: go with the pain and stress, or go in the opposite direction. We looked for the positives and steered toward hope instead of despair. I think people realized they missed that human connection, which is what Nsimbi was all about from the beginning.” With song titles like “Mbaga” (meaning celebration in Luganda) and “Essuubi” (hope), the songs resonate with optimism. Tamar’s vocals meld beautifully with Zamab’s “Lugaflow” rap, a mixture of Luganda and English. And the pandemic forced Tamar to evolve in new ways as an artist. With COVID taking touring and concerts off the table, she and Zamba learned to produce, act, and direct, creating a visual album counterpart to Infinity. In some ways Tamar’s musical journey is miles away from her jazz stylings at BB&N, but in others, it’s a natural progression. “My favorite part of doing jazz was always hearing the instruments go back and forth with solos,” Tamar says. “Being able to do that vocally and have a conversation with melody and timing is so gratifying.” Tamar’s jazz teacher at BB&N, Pandelis Karayorgis (a renowned jazz musician in his own right), isn’t surprised at her career. He recalls Tamar’s time at BB&N well.
“We normally don’t have singers in our ensembles, but we made an exception for Miriam because she was so talented and into jazz, and we didn’t have to do anything differently to accommodate the vocalist, as might often be the case. “She successfully took on some very challenging repertoire for the voice…tricky compositions by Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, Charles Mingus, and Wardell Grey, among others. That was very hard stuff to sing, and she did a fantastic job.” BB&N’s influence on Tamar isn’t unique to music, either. It was during an Upper School history class that she first heard of Facing History & Ourselves, the nonprofit which later connected her to her work in Uganda. Tamar still vividly recalls when her teacher Courtney Stokes Willett ’95 tied the course’s curriculum into Facing History’s mission; “helping students connect choices made in the past to those they will confront in their own lives…addressing racism, antisemitism, and prejudice at pivotal moments in history.” “Growing up Jewish, our history of the Holocaust was something we regularly learned about and discussed within our Jewish bubble outside of school. Facing History was the first time it felt like my history was explored and understood by my peers at school. It meant a lot to share the experience with my classmates—I felt more seen,” Tamar notes. So, what does the future hold for Tamar and Nsimbi? Currently they are working on a docu-series about traditional music, incorporating into it the making of an album. And, of course, there will be more music. But she is well aware that you’ve never really “made it” in the music industry. “This isn’t mainstream music—even in Uganda we aren’t mainstream—but our fan base is growing and the right people are appreciating the art,” she muses. “We make music for ourselves as a sort of mantra for how we want to think and how we want to be in the world. They say in music, ‘You always find your tribe.’”
Music Clearly, Tamar has found hers.
(To learn more about Nsimbi, visit www.nsimbimusic.com)
Pictured: | 1 | Tamar performing at the South by Southwest Music Festival with her husband GNL Zamba. | 2 | Tamar outside of Blaze Studio in Gulu, Uganda in 2010 where she began her songwriting journey 23
After reading Robert Norton Ganz, Jr.’s class report in
the Bulletin that alluded to her hometown of Belmont, Massachusetts, Sara Simmons ’90 sent an email to a man she had never met. It read, in part: ``Hi Mr. Ganz, I am BB&N Class of ’90 and just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your class notes. ``I now live in Sarasota, Florida and am an orthopedic surgeon down here but my heart is in New England so pieces like the one you wrote help bring me back! ``Stay safe and keep writing.’’ That sentiment is shared by many whose lives have been touched by Ganz, uKnighter for the Browne & Nichols School Class of 1943. Now 96, and a resident of Chilmark on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, Ganz was energized by the 2020 letter.
“There were no stands at the football field, and we ran on a wooden track that could be converted into a hockey rink at the Lower School,’’ recalled Ganz. ``Our football coach, Gibby Graves, had a camp in Farmington, Maine, where we trained. ‘’ Ganz’ extracurricular activities included student council, yearbook staff, literary editor for the Spectator, and dramatic club. Dances with the Buckingham School girls were held four times a year.
THE
Prolific Bob Ganz BB&N’S DE FACTO CHRONICLER AND “VENERABLE BEDE”
``There was a brass band, we wore tuxes, and we knew many of the girls because we had gone to Polly Jones’ dancing school with them,’’ he said. ``I can still recall some of their names.’’ He also recalled that students from England, who had escaped the Nazi bombing of their country, were among his classmates.
BB&N
His instructors are fondly remembered.
CLASS OF
’43
``After five years I thought of them as people, not just By Marvin Pave as teachers. My ``The class reports are my way of favorite may have giving back’’ he said, ``and over the years, been Ted Day,’’ Ganz said. ``He taught the as my contemporaries have passed, instead of upper-level courses in French. I never had to reporting on class members, I became innovative.’’ take another course in French to pass my Ph.D. language requirements.’’ More than 15 years ago he embellished his report with a memoir of his former neighbors on Brown St. in Cambridge Jim Reeves, who taught literature, was another favorite. connected with the school. His subsequent reports have been similarly rich in detail about events and times gone by, updates on BB&N alumni/ae from many classes, their family histories, and stories of his own time as a student. Letters from other alumni/ae have also been included. Because he is blind, Ganz has been assisted the past seven years by his daughter, Claire, an author and photographer. She maintains a filing system and writes his reports and other correspondence. ``It’s been a remarkable journey to come home and be with him,’’ she said, ``and to see how he has moved on from reporting events to telling stories about the human experience in his class reports. We both feel a great sense of accomplishment.’’ As a senior at Browne & Nichols, when the Upper School was located on Garden St. a block away from his home, Ganz was a halfback and lineman on the football team, a co-captain and school record setter in the 1,000-yard run with the track team, and occupied the bow seat on the crew team. He was described in his yearbook as ``one of the truly great tacklers’’ on the football squad, and his second-place finish in the 1,000 at the state Track & Field Championships was reported in the Boston Globe.
24
``It became clear to me,’’ Ganz said, ``that I was much more interested in literature, and a few of us who went on to Harvard earned Ph.D.’s in literature.’’ Years after he graduated B&N, Ganz invited Reeves to a Harvard-Yale football game in New Haven. They sat on the Yale side because Ganz was teaching there at the time. Harvard was losing, and near the end of the game, Yale fans began waving their handkerchiefs. ``Jimmy, a 1904 Harvard grad, asked what they were doing,’’ Ganz recalled. ``They said they felt sorry for Harvard, to which he replied, `that is a very insincere gesture.’ ‘’ Bob Whitman of Concord, Massachusetts is the other surviving member of the B&N Class of 1943 and Ganz’ closest friend. ``We first met in nursery school and have always enjoyed each other’s company,’’ said Whitman, a former professor of English Literature at the University of Pittsburgh. ``We used to walk together from the Upper to the Lower School to the athletic field. ``Bob is a very warm person. He quickly and easily forms relationships and has been well-liked by a lot of people.’’
25
He has also contributed a short essay on Henry David Thoreau’s Walden that will appear in a forthcoming book to be published by the Thoreau Farm Trust. Janet Rosen, Director of Stewardship and Advancement Communications, said Ganz is a historian at heart, and ``cares deeply and passionately about all aspects of our school. He is a true treasure.’’ Brianna Smith ’10, Associate Director of Alumni/ae Engagement and Giving, first met Ganz in 2018 at the Golden Alumni/ae Luncheon. ``He takes notes on just about every person at the school events he goes to,’’ Smith said. ``And he builds on those connections. Everyone looks forward to his articles.’’ As a Browne & Nichols student, Ganz was already a curious fellow. ``Bob has a wonderful retention for information, just fabulous,’’ said Ganz’ friend, Kirk Bryan ’47, a retired meteorologist who resides in Whitefish, Montana. ``He’s always been deeply interested in people and that’s a trait I admire.’’ Bryan calls Ganz ``The Venerable Bede,’’ a scholar considered the first historian of England. An only child, Ganz was the son of Dr. Robert Ganz, a pediatrician affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital, and his wife, Claire. A memorial lecture was established in Dr. Ganz’ name at Mass. General. Father and son both served their country during World War II. Dr. Ganz joined the Navy Medical Corps. Ganz, Jr. entered the Army through Harvard University’s reserve program and was a rifleman with the 10th Mountain Division’s 87th Infantry. He
26
was wounded fighting in the mountains of Italy just two weeks before the German Army’s surrender in that country. A recipient of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and two battle stars, Ganz returned to his studies at Harvard where he wrote about jazz and rowing for the Harvard Crimson. In the early 1950s he wrote editorials at the Boston Globe before embarking on his teaching career. A Professor Emeritus of English at George Washington University, he retired in 2011 after teaching there for 47 years. One of Ganz’ former students remarked in a critique that ``he is to education what Beethoven's Opus 111 is to music. Brilliant.’’ Ganz and his wife, Anne, a talented cartoonist, met on the Vineyard. On their first date, she accompanied him to a memorial service for Robert Frost. They attend reunions and other special events at BB&N when possible. In 1957, Ganz bought a 1926 Lincoln touring car—which stills runs and is stored in his barn—that was manufactured in 1925, the year he was born. Ganz enjoys Sunday morning news programs, listening to Hot Jazz Saturday Night on radio station WAMU, and gardening on his property, which was purchased by his family in 1938. This past holiday season, he sent out 300 copies of a report that featured his family’s latest accomplishments. On that, and other correspondence, Ganz adds a humorous note that reads ``Bob can no longer see and dictated this email to his daughter, Claire. Any enormously deplorable grammar mistakes or typos are Claire’s fault.’’ Generous and gracious, Ganz, is ``a wonderful resource to our school,’’ according to Leadership and Planned Giving Officer
“One of Ganz’ former students remarked in a critique that “he is to education what Beethoven’s Opus 111 is to music. Brilliant.” Roger Fussa. ``He’s always interested in you as a person.’’ His hard work, Fussa added, sets an example for others. ``I love the reports because it’s like having a fishnet, a network which has a bearing on four or five other subjects,’’ Ganz noted. ``So I am getting a perspective about what became meaningful to others and I’m always learning something new. I hope the readers do, too.’’ In addition to his diploma, Ganz didn’t leave Browne & Nichols empty handed. ``Just after graduation, I went into the kitchen and asked our cook, George Busias, for the recipe to his wonderful meat sauce,’’ Ganz said. ``About two weeks later, I invited a number of my classmates over to sup upon my version of it, but it was not a worthy continuation. It took me about twenty years to achieve a ragout that tasted right.’’ That recipe, like Ganz’s love for BB&N, has stood the test of time.
Over the years Bob Ganz’ prolific class notes have attracted a wide following. His unique style, eloquent prose, and incisive wit and attention to detail are evident from the drop. What could begin as a geographical exploration of a street in Cambridge may meld into a letter from a longforgotten classmates’ uncle, and then, perhaps, into a compelling comparison of “what was” and “what is.” Ever kept afloat with a steady ballast of BB&N and Cambridge history, please enjoy a taste of Ganz’ notes below. SPRING 2009: “During the past month, I had a nice long phone chat with Jim Powers ’42. In the old days we called him Hugh to distinguish from his father Jim, Sr. who was the foreign editor of the Boston Globe. Young Jim’s brother, Peter Powers, was my best friend in school. Our senior year, Pete scored the winning touchdown on a reverse play against Rivers…Sgt. Peter Powers died heroically in the Battle of the Bulge a very few days after his division went on the line in late December of 1944 and a bit more than two years after the Rivers’ game…Young Jim has been serving the government of the Town of Needham for even longer than I have been teaching.’’ SUMMER 2013: “In the last issue of the Bulletin, I wrote at some length about Dan Fenn ’40 and Ben Wright ’40 with both of whom I talked at the Oct. 2012 Golden Oldies Luncheon. Here are the graduation dates of Dan’s parents: Anna Yens Fenn, Buckingham ’14, and Dan Huntington Fenn, B&N ’15. Dan, the younger, is the secretary of the Harvard Class of 1944 and is now the oldest class secretary at Harvard…His great-great grandfather, Benjamin Tappan, was born in Northampton, MA, two years before the Battles of Lexington and Concord began the Revolution. He studied under Gilbert Stuart—THE Gilbert Stuart!—became a lawyer, settled in Ohio…then had as a student Edwin M. Stranton, who would become Lincoln’s Secretary of War.’’ FALL 2014: “On Monday, Dec. 8, 1941, we students assembled on the top floor of the upper school building to hear (Franklin D.) Roosevelt say on the radio that the day just passed would ``live in infamy.’’…While sitting on the slope of an Italian Hill (In April 1945) I read of the death of the man who had been my commanderin-chief. In the many lonely emergencies of those times, I had appreciated his readily and frequently given articulate words of encouragement.’’ SUMMER 2021: “Norman Hanson ’47 replied to me in a very welcoming way, and we exchanged a few more emails. Here is a reworking by me of what Norman has written…‘It was always important to me that I remembered BB&N as a community, not a set of faculty, staff, and students. I was surprised and pleased when I arrived on Garden St. for my class 8 year…that there was no effort by the staff to keep classes separate. The assigned seating in the study hall reminded us always of that mix and it resulted in interaction of boys between classes (grades)…Like many others who have written to you over the years, the importance of faculty was paramount always—to try to name any in any kind of order would be pointless because to me they all offered their own unique gifts to us. We even liked that they seemed to always get along well with each other…They had such an enormous impact on our lives.’”
27
F O R M E R FAC U LT Y P R O F I L E b y S h a ro n K ra u s s , U p p e r S c h o o l E n g l i s h Te a c h e r
It was a typical day in Nia (formerly Hays) Jacobs’ US History class, back in 2010, as she recalls: “We’re reading primary source documents, we’re prepping for the AP Exam, we’re digging in—and then all of a sudden, we’re talking about current events and needs, as you do in a US History class, and the AIDS Walk comes up. I said, ‘Wouldn’t this be great for us to do? Raise money for a good cause and have fun and walk together?’”
Students from Jacobs’ three US History classes banded together to raise $10,000, securing them gold-star status and a spot among the top-five highest-earning teams registered in Boston’s 25thanniversary AIDS Walk in 2010.
building. Your classroom doesn’t need to be a constant pressure cooker in order to be that intellectually engaging place. I think the relationships I built with students at BB&N are still some of the most powerful to me of my career.”
The next year, many of those same students walked again with some of Jacobs’ then-current juniors, making her proud of both their camaraderie and the almost $20,000 they raised over those two years for AIDS research.
In addition to US History, Jacobs taught ninth-grade World History and senior-level AP Government between 2007 and 2011, guided “nine fabulous advisees,” won the Teacher Excellence Award in 2011, and was the school’s self-study coordinator for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation review. That behemoth job, spanning two-plus years, served as a springboard into
“That’s a great example of what I loved about BB&N,” Jacobs says. “There’s room for academic excellence as well as relationship28
her future career roles, as it afforded her insight into her leadership and managerial skills, into her interest in policy and procedures. Skilled, too, in conducting her own personal self studies, Jacobs realized that she wanted to do more administrative work. Quick to explain that she didn’t choose to leave BB&N, she chose, rather, to go to a new opportunity as assistant director of the Upper School at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, MA. After five years in that position— in which she “kept all the trains running on time,” she says, built the weekly and yearly schedule, and still taught a history class—she became the academic dean, turning her
Ni a (Hay s ) J a co b s : A Mea n in g f u l Jou r ney T h ro u g h Ed u ca tion
focus to Dana’s academic program, working with teachers to implement it, and figuring out how it could support the school’s mission. Jacobs continued in that role another five years, until last spring when, she says, “I think the pandemic prompted many of us to ask ourselves, ‘what do I really want and need to be doing? Where are the places that I find joy?’” That personal stock-taking highlighted for her the equity and inclusion work that had been part of her academic dean job. “I had started leading a lot of internal professional development about designing courses and instructional strategies with an equity focus, and I’d helped to rework the hiring process with an anti-bias lens,” Jacobs says. “I realized that I wanted that to be my job.” And so, last fall, Jacobs became the director of equity, belonging, and community life at Charles River School in Dover, MA. “It’s exactly what I wanted and hoped it would be,” she says. “It’s really nice to be in a place that recognizes how difficult equity and inclusion work is—and that is ready to get their hands dirty and do it. It’s been an exciting six months.” Happy to be in a pre-K–8th-grade school, Jacobs appreciates the
increased opportunity to be in classrooms and interact with students. Looking back to BB&N, she says, “I’m sure my students would say that I made them do some very serious work but that I was also really very silly. Now, if you ask the kindergarteners, I’m always willing to literally and figuratively look around the corner for the fun or silliness that’s there.” Jacobs credits the organic progression of her professional trajectory to figuring out, with each challenge, what she finds most rewarding. “I’ve really tried to do things in my career that are meaningful and valuable to me,” she says. “And I’ve tried to think really critically about how—within the umbrella of education or even independent schools, more specifically—there are so many ways in which you can tap into your passions, your talents, your interests.” She also considers her mentors— “thought partners and critical friends,” as she calls them—to be crucial for living an engaged, self-aware, motivated life. “Have a good network of well-rounded people around you,” she advises. She notes that her office mates and other colleagues at BB&N were a microcosm, she says, “of those I try to surround myself with generally in
my life: people who have my back but who will also tell me when they think there’s something I should consider or reconsider.” A full decade away from BB&N, she still connects with these “amazing folks,” her former colleagues. “It was such a collegial, friendly place that I felt I could bring my whole self to work and thus do my best work.”
“I think the pandemic prompted many of us to ask ourselves, ‘what do I really want and need to be doing? Where are the places that I find joy?’”
Down the road, Jacobs can envision the possibility of applying her best work to a school headship, but with a young son and a wife who is at an exciting point in her teaching career, this is not the right time for such a consideration. Besides, there are challenges to tackle, skills to hone in her current role at Charles River School. For now, she says, “This is the exact seat on the bus that I’m supposed to be in. I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. That’s been really rewarding.” 29
Advancing Our Mission
Parents’ Association Holiday Gift Effort Surpasses Inaugural Year’s Participation Numbers Although finding silver linings in the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic can seem bleak, one bright spot that exemplifies the warmth, generosity, and engagement of BB&N’s parent community is the Parents’ Association (PA) Holiday Faculty and Staff Appreciation Effort. Originated in 2020 as a response to the circumstances of the pandemic, the effort has strengthened the partnership between the school and PA, transformed the PA’s annual approach to holiday gifting, and ensured an equitable way for parents to share their appreciation with every member of BB&N’s faculty and staff.
SELECTION OF TESTIMONIALS FROM PARENTS AND APPRECIATION NOTES FROM FACULTY AND STAFF:
Following the outpouring of generosity from the parent community in the effort’s initial year, the PA’s decision to continue running a campaign to benefit employees was a no-brainer. In close consultation with both the Advancement and Business Offices, the PA was able to facilitate an online giving campaign again from mid-November to mid-December. In an email sent to faculty and staff during Thanksgiving break, the PA shared that they would once again be providing a year-end gift to all employees, and expressed their thanks for the “hard work, dedication, and efforts to create a caring and vibrant environment for our children to thrive.” They also coupled the
this ful again te ra g o s chers “ We are azing tea ly m a e th year to Not on at BB&N. s with and staff e our kid id v ro p u n but, do yo educatio g in d n ta , you an outs portantly ss, im re o m dne even ssion, kin a p m o c l . We feel mode every day e c n ie il s e part of and re nate to b hardu rt fo ly incredib creative, pportive, Thank you!” such a su ity. commun Y working N FAMIL EI /FARBST
RNWALL
- THE CO
“We are deeply grateful to the BB&N faculty and staff; you have enabled this community to consistently thrive despite the myriad profound challenges that beset our world. Your students’ lives will be forever transformed by the example of your wisdom, grace, generosity, good humor, patience, kindness, intellectual excitement, commitment, and love.” - THE LAIBSON-ZIPSER FAMILY
“In the community of BB &N—from the Head, Dr. Price, to every class teacher, advisor, coach, band teacher, college co unselor, DEIG and other department employees, as well as the staff in the cafeteria—all the fac ulty and staff are so dedicated, professional, caring, patient, full of kindness, and willing to help. Here, people can often feel the warmth like a big family. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!” - LINDA LIN
“Best parenting decision we ever made was sending our kids to BB&N!!! Thank you for making this place the special gem it is. So beyond grateful for everything we learn everyday from the amazing faculty, staff, and families. Looking forward to many more years together! THANK YOU!!” - THE SULTAN FAMILY
30
announcement with a Kudoboard, an online platform where BB&N families left heartfelt notes of gratitude, praise, and pictures.
“Merci beaucoup! Your generous gift and ongoing support, especially during this challenging time, are very meaningful.”
The effort also continues to be recognized as another step forward in the school’s commitment to equity. While the PA’s traditional appreciation efforts include catered meals that typically benefit faculty and staff members on campus, the Holiday Effort ensures that all BB&N employees are recognized for the roles they play in the vitality of the school. As Middle School Science Faculty member Michael Ewins wrote to the parent community: “I especially appreciate that this method shows appreciation for the entire BB&N team—from the bus drivers and the grounds crew, to the kitchen and business teams.” Over the course of four weeks, the PA’s Holiday Faculty and Staff Appreciation Effort raised $135,500 from 384 families, surpassing last year’s participation of 362 families. With the support of the Business Office, the PA was able to provide each full-time BB&N faculty and staff member with a gift of $400 in their final paycheck of 2021. This was shared with an e-card at the start of winter break, wishing faculty and staff a holiday season full of joy and a little extra jingle in their pocket.
- HENRI ANDRE, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND FITNESS
us and enero ost two g r u o y ast alm ch for so mu out these p ore grateful u o y k h “ Than ift! Throug I’ve been m nary place g l ic, u f t m aordi he h e thoug f the pand such an extr , including t o y t t s i a r n k ues.” yea to wor rtive commu and colleag r e v e , than suppo ration ORY uch a minist d L HIST a , s H t with s C OO n S e R r E a P UP ts, p S UALE, studen IENCE IPASQ IAL SC RAH D - FA
“We are very grateful for your support of all the BB&N families this past year! It has been challenging on every dimension, and we know that all of the ‘pivoting’ wasn't easy! We appreciate how you reconsidered some fundamentals about your own practice while balancing all that you had on your own plates. Thank you for showing up and then some for our kiddos and hope you have a wonderful break! You deserve it!” - MONICA & MICHAEL HIGGINS
OC
AND S
“ We are in c have such redibly fortunate to d e dicated a faculty an nd talente d staff wh d o make e meaning very day ful and e xciting at In additio BB& n to the b est home N. teachers room grateful fo on the planet, we a r Bivouac re adventure trips, Spa s, tree nish skits , and rehearsals ( just to n orchestra ame a few Thank yo ). u our heart from the bottom of s for all y ou do an standard d the of excelle nce you s et!” - THE WIL LIAM S FAMILY
and upport s r u o Y eading s! , parent d, especially h our u o y k n e t t to “ Tha apprecia dds some ligh mile o s is e s gratitud ark winter. It a ht a welcome d g u e into th definitely bro ask .” d h my m days an GLISH beneat OOL EN , ACONIS
AL - ZOE B
UPPER
SCH
ll of in the fa t y it n u N comm e commitmen the BB& g in in ay by th g their kids “Since jo een blown aw helpin ve b in the rents to a p ’ 2020, I' s t ir time n e e h d t u f t o s y ciation out of all m r appre ey can u h t o t y s r o our m l fo ore of y get the gratefu m m a h I it l. w o cho rking Upper S forward to wo come.” ears to k y o y lo RY n I a d m an L HISTO for SCHOO children UPPER BERG,
E STERN
- STEEL
31
Advancing Our Mission
Thank you to our volunteers: The 2021-2022 BB&N Fund Parent Volunteer Committee A strong BB&N Fund supports everything that defines the BB&N experience—our diverse, compassionate, and engaged community, the academic excellence of our programs, and our truly exceptional faculty who are at the core of what takes place on each campus every day. Every year, we rely on the generosity of parents, alumni/ae, past parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends to help bridge the gap between the revenue from tuition and the actual cost of educating a student. Parents play an essential role in The BB&N Fund. Each year, parents of current students contribute to the Fund with meaningful gifts—both large and small—that affirm the extraordinary impact of a BB&N education. Last year, 65% of current parents participated in the Fund, raising nearly $2.5 million or more than 70% of the Fund total!
2021-2022 BB&N FUND PARENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS Pratima Abichandani P’21, ‘23 Kate Coyne P’23 Dan Hart P’31 Christa Hawkins P’24, ‘27
The Parent Volunteer Committee, in collaboration with The BB&N Fund Team, helps the school to educate, inspire, and support other parents in making their participation in The BB&N Fund a part of their BB&N experience. We are so grateful to this year’s parent volunteers for their tireless efforts to educate the community about the value of philanthropy at BB&N, to raise awareness of the critical role of The BB&N Fund, and to assist the school in reaching financial and participation goals in parent support. Acting as a Parent Volunteer for The BB&N Fund is an amazing opportunity for those who want to have a huge amount of IMPACT on the school. It also allows flexibility to work the volunteer role into your schedule instead of the other way around. It’s never too late to join!
Darla Jelley P’25 Christine Kahvejian P’23, ’24,’ 26
For more information or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Rebecca Lombardo, Director of The BB&N Fund, at rlombardo@bbns.org.
Domenica Karavitaki P’23 Charles Kekeh P’34 Melody Mak-Jurkauskas P’30, ’33 Faiza Riaz P’25 Angela Zhu P’23
LAST YEAR,
65%
OF CURRENT PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE BB&N FUND, RAISING NEARLY
$2.5M
32
Class of 2022 Senior Parents’ Gift There are many traditions that make the milestone senior year special. One such tradition at BB&N is the Senior Parents’ Gift. Every year, senior parents come together in their support to leave a gift to the school. It is a way to celebrate their children’s BB&N experience and to say thank you to the faculty and staff. This year’s Senior Parents’ Gift has a record-setting goal to raise a total of $3 million—$2.5 million in support of the school’s current capital priorities, and $500,000 for The BB&N Fund. If this year’s senior parents reach this goal, one of the new athletic fields at the Grove Street Athletic Campus will be named for The Class of 2022!
CLASS OF 2022 SENIOR PARENTS’ GIFT COMMITTEE Gina Foote, co-chair Charlie Gifford, co-chair Irina Barrocas Margaret Boasberg Eveline Buchatskiy Alexi Conine Amit and Gitika Desai Kristi Eckerty
The Upper School Library Renovation Project The parents of the Class of 2020 directed a significant portion of their Senior Parents’ Gift to the renovation of the Almy Library. The Library hosts more than 500 student visits per day and is a hub of the BB&N community. This exciting renovation, completed during the summer of 2021, created more places for students to learn and work collaboratively. These spaces were transformed into brighter, more engaging environments that reflect the dynamic, inspired nature of the BB&N community. The renovation was designed by ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge, with input from BB&N’s administrative team, as well as from BB&N students who made recommendations on layout, furniture, and paint.
Scott and Amy Goebel Linda Lin Felix Osagie and Uwa Ogbebor Frank and Kelly Panayotou Ted Pappendick and Erica Gervais Pappendick Mike Rorick Kim Druker Stockwell ’86 Meg Sullivan Christine Hogan Ward ’86 Ogden and Elizabeth White
33
If you would like to request a BB&N banner for a wedding photo, please email alumni_programs@bbns.org and provide the wedding date and best mailing address.
Weddings & Commitments
1988
Liz Brown & David Elliot September 17, 2021
2008
Nick Taylor & Alix Wozniak ’10 September 18, 2021
2010
1
2
PICTURED
Joe Bradlee & Emily Crandall Bradlee August 14, 2021 - Vow Renewal
x 1 x Ariana Martino Tomlinson ‘11 walking down the aisle with husband John Tomlinson. x 2 x Zach McLeod ‘10 dancing with Ali Gallagher at Paul and Ali’s wedding. x 3 x Rusty Mawn, Andrea Bresnahan ‘10, Emily Bliss ‘10, Brianna Smith
Paul Gallagher & Ali Gallagher September 18, 2021
‘10, Kathleen Oshima ‘10, Michelle Davidson ‘10, bride, Evan Orenstein, groom, Alix Wozniak ‘10 and Nick Taylor `08 celebrating Michelle and Evan’s Wedding. x 4 x Joe Bradlee ‘10 celebrates his vow renewal to wife Emily Bradlee with alumni/ae from 1966-2011. x 5 x A group photo from Alix Wozniak ‘10 & Nick Taylor ‘08 Wedding Festival. Front L to R: Brianna Smith ‘10, Andrea Bresnahan ‘10, Kathleen Oshima ‘10, Michelle Davidson ‘10, Laura Hodges Taylor ‘74, Former Trustee, Leslie Fitzgerald ‘08, Trustee, Dorothy Thurston ‘08, Nick Taylor ‘08, Alix Wozniak ‘10, Michaela Wozniak ‘13, Cole Cable ‘13, Reid Covington ‘05, Nick Mikita ‘08, Liz Leinbach, Ellie Brelis. Back Row: Kaeghan Kelly ‘10, Dan Fleisher ‘08, Graeme Blackman ‘10, Gerrit Thurston ‘08, Chase Woodsum ‘08, Zach Taylor ‘04, Matt Cable ‘07, and Zack Cable ‘04. x 6 x Wedding of Liz Brown ‘88 to David Elliott; September 17, 2021 in Lincoln, Massachusetts, L to R: Matt Brown ‘88, Tierney Brown, Anderson Brown, Ashlyn Brown, The Bride, Liz Brown ‘88, Sara Rose Page ‘88, Layla Page, Arya Page, Jessie Scanlon ‘88, Chris Scanlon Shelby, Ella Scanlon Shelby, Susie Margolin ‘89 (Matron of Honor), Lolo Margolin (Ring Bearer).
Michelle Davidson & Evan Orenstein October 16, 2021
2011
Ariana Martino Tomlinson & John Tomlinson June 12, 2021
3 60
Milestones
4
5
6 61
In Memoriam John S. Wallour ’43 February 2, 2020 John S. Wallour passed away at the age of 95. He was born in Springfield, MA on September 30, 1924, the son of Charles and Frances (Chapin) Wallour. John served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. He earned his Master’s Degree in architecture from Harvard University and worked as an architect at Faragher & Macomber in Rochester, NY. John loved solving complex math problems and had a keen interest in astronomy. He also enjoyed listening to classical music. John and his wife, Jeanette lived for many years in suburban Denver, CO, before moving to Westchester County in 2003, settling in Croton-on-Hudson for a year before moving to Mohegan Lake. For the past 6 years, John resided at the NY State Veterans Home at Montrose. Jeanette passed away on August 14, 2013. He is survived by his daughters, Janine (David) Thwaite, Catherine Wallour, and Mary Frances Wallour, his son, John ( Jana) Wallour, 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. ................................................... Ann Taylor Roosevelt ’44 July 6, 2021 Ann Taylor Roosevelt died in July 2021 in Arlington, MA, after a brief illness. Born June 2, 1927, in Waterbury, CT, Ann was the daughter of the Reverend Charles Lincoln Taylor, Jr., and Hannah Chamberlin Taylor. She attended the Buckingham School and earned a degree in physics from Radcliffe College in Cambridge, MA. In 1948 she married Oliver Wolcott Roosevelt, Jr. They moved to Birmingham, AL in 1950, residing in Bluff Park for more than 50 years. Ann was active in the Episcopal Church at St. Mary’s and St. Luke’s, and was a founding member of St. Alban’s, Bluff 62
Park. She was active with the Bluff Park School Library, Shades Cliff Pool, and the Bluff Park Art Show. She later became a bookkeeper for American Pet Food; Go, Inc.; and Operation New Birmingham. She volunteered at the Crisis Center and for WBHM Radio Reading Service. She will be remembered for her joy in her family and her loving, positive spirit.
They were members of Sharon Heights Country Club.
Ann is survived by four sisters and two brothers; her son Oliver W. III (Carol) of Clinton, SC; daughters, Verdery of New York, NY; Laura Patterson ( Jim) of Calera, AL; Nicky ( Judy Jackson) of Berkeley, CA; and Carolyn (Bill Gramby) of Cambridge, MA; grandsons Nicholas W. and Oliver W. IV; and one great-granddaughter. ...................................................
On March 31, 2021, Robert Jones Davison, 93 of Ossipee, NH passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side.
Lawrence Miller ’45 November 3, 2021 Lawrence Norman Miller, age 94, passed away on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at his residence in Sun City West, AZ. He was born on September 27, 1927 to the late Edward James and Ruth (Banash) Miller in Boston, MA. He attended Browne & Nichols School and then graduated with a BA from Harvard, Class of 1949. He served two tours in the Army. Larry married the love of his life, Nancy Grahm on March 14, 1955. He is survived by his loving spouse of 66 years, his children Billy ( Julie), Kathy (Scott) Strull, and Peter (Patti), as well as four grandchildren, Marissa and Andy Strull, and Tim and Jay Miller. He was preceded in death by his sister Doris Raphael. Larry was an insurance broker and life member of the Million Dollar Roundtable. He was chairman of his Harvard Class Committee, member of three Harvard Visiting Committees, and Chairman of the Elections Committee of the Harvard Club of Boston. In 1974 they moved to Atherton, CA, where Larry continued his life insurance business and became a Mergers and Acquisitions Intermediary. He was a Director of the Harvard Club of San Francisco, Chairman of the Harvard King Tut Exhibit in San Francisco, Co-Founder of the Ivy Club of San Francisco, and a member of the Commonwealth Club of California.
In 1992 they moved to Sun City West, AZ. ................................................... Robert Davison ’48 March 31, 2021
He was born in Boston, MA, on May 20, 1927 to John R Davison and Mildred Jones (Davison) Hofbauer. At the age of 17 he joined the U.S. Navy (Seabee’s) where he served in the Pacific during World War II. After receiving an honorable discharge in 1946 he entered the Reserves until 1954 and finished high school at Browne & Nichols in Cambridge, MA., then on to Bryant & Stratton Business in Boston, MA. With his business degree in hand, he went on to be a salesman for WilleyBiggin Wool Service from 1949-1953. From 1953-1958 he was salesman for Felt & Tarrant (manufacturer of business machines in Boston). He became a top salesman in 1958 and was promoted to District Sales Manager. In 1967 he became vice president and part owner of New England Calculating and Clerical Services Inc. In 1980 he became vice president and part owner of Salter Secretarial School, New England School of Accounting, Worcester, MA, Kinyon Campbell Business School of New Bedford, MA. In 1983 he became president and treasurer of Plus New England Services and President and Owner of New England Calculating and Clerical Services. In 1987 after 38 successful years in sales and executive management he retired. He and his wife Evelyn moved to Tangerine Woods in Englewood, FL, spending their summers at their home in Ossipee, NH. Robert is predeceased by his father John R Davison, mother Mildred Jones (Davison) Hofbauer, stepfather Victor Hofbauer, brother John Davison, and his sister Diane (Davison) Montgomery.
Milestones Robert is survived by his wife of 66 years, Evelyn, sons Robert J. Davison, and wife Linjong of Bradenton FL, Barry Davison and Ruthann Nelson of Ossipee, grandsons Steven and Christopher Davison of Florida, and great grandson Neckodemos Davison of Florida, three extended granddaughters, fourteen extended great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. ................................................... Wayland Blood ’49 August 29, 2020 Wayland F. Blood of Naples, FL, and formerly of the Lake Geneva area, passed away on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at his home. Graveside service was privately held for family at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Lake Geneva, WI where he was laid next to his wife. ................................................... Bob Pearce ’50 September 20, 2021 Robert Henry Pearce, age 89 of Juno Beach, FL, formerly of Lincroft, NJ, entered eternal life on Monday, September 20, 2021. Bob was predeceased by his beloved wife of 34 years, Dolores Mullin Pearce. He is survived by his four children, Bill and his wife Suzie (Goodman) of Dickson, TN, Mike and his wife Wendy (Hohmeier) of Manasquan, NJ, Maureen Somers and her husband Tim of Monmouth Beach, NJ, and John of Carey, NC. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Kaitlin, Megan, Chandler, Dean and Amelia Pearce, Mollie, Trevor and Madilyn Somers. In addition to wonderful nieces and nephews, Bob also leaves behind his cherished fiancee, Charlotte Scholter of West Allenhurst, NJ and their shared dog, Alfie. Bob was born in Boston and raised in Belmont, MA. He studied engineering and graduated with distinction from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, class of 1955. For many years, he was dedicated to his career with the United States Army Signal Corps Laboratories in Ft. Monmouth, NJ. He traveled extensively through Europe on behalf of the Department of Defense, and spoke highly of his achievements in Brussels and his work with NATO.
Bob continued to travel the world in his retirement, but returned every year to walk in the sun on his beloved Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, ME, where he spent the summers of his boyhood. He was a kind, loving, and energetic man. He lived a long life and lived it well. He will be greatly missed. ................................................... Sally Wulff ’55 November 3, 2021 Sarah “Sally” B. Wulff, 84, of Boston, MA, died Wednesday, November 3, 2021. Sally was born in Boston, MA, the daughter of the late Wilbur J. and Laura B. (Fay) Bender and grew up in Cambridge, MA. She attended Shady Hill School and Buckingham School and graduated from Radcliffe College, subsequently receiving her Master’s Degree from Simmons School of Library Sciences. Sally worked at the John Hancock Corporate Library in Boston, and later was an active volunteer teaching reading skills in her community. Sally is survived by her second husband Robert K. Wulff; her two sons Theo J. B. Wulff and Pablo E. Yglesias; daughter-in-law Margot E. Glass; her two grandchildren Isaac and Nona Yglesias; her brother David B. Bender, and numerous cousins. Sally was predeceased by her stepmother Eloise Bergland Bender, her first husband Luis E. Yglesias, and her sister Barbara F. Bender. Sally was a kind and gentle person, with a beautiful smile and a wonderful laugh, who cared about others. She loved singing hymns, cooking, walking in the park, and spending summers at the family cottage in North Hatley, Quebec. An enthusiastic traveler who spoke several languages, Sally was also passionate about art, literature, and music, and held a special place in her heart for Siamese cats. ................................................... James Duncan ’56 July 21, 2021 James Duncan passed on July 21, 2021, at the age 83. Beloved husband of Brenda A. (McCabe) Duncan. Father of Jeanne Teehan and Mary Penta, both of Billerica. Brother of Brenda Duncan of Salem, NH. Grandfather of Marc Penta, Meaghan, Courtney and Matthew Teehan.
................................................... Margaret Davisson Medeiros ’57 September 7, 2021 ................................................... Mike Dowd ’59 July 21, 2021 Michael J. Dowd passed on July 21, 2021, just nine days short of his 80th birthday, after a short illness. Michael graduated from Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, and then from Columbia University and Harvard Business School, after which he worked in Europe and New York City, first in the advertising business and then as a vice president of American Express. He returned to Boston, first as President of Dowd Advertising and then to found Investment Services, Inc, an investment banking firm specializing in syndication for historic rehabilitation projects, including the Lord Baltimore Hotel, the Mount Washington Hotel, the Old City Hall in Knoxville, TN, and many other projects across the country. He was an early contributor to the Motley Fool investment newsletter and was a managing director of the Sextant Group. ................................................... Chris Bursk ’61 June 21, 2021 Christopher Irwin Bursk died on June 21, 2021. Born in Cambridge, MMA on April 23, 1943, son of Edward and Catherine Bursk, he lived for the past 50 years in Langhorne, PA. In addition to his wife, Mary Ann, he leaves three children, Christian Bursk (Christine Mydlo), Norabeth Wiley (Ron Cosenza) and Justin Bursk (Danielle). One of his greatest joys was being Opa to his grandchildren: Jake, Zack, Josie and Tyler Bursk and Maggie and Sadie Wiley. He is also survived by his brothers, Ed Bursk ’50 and John Bursk ’57. Chris received a BA from Tufts University, an MA and Ph.D. from Boston University, and an MFA from Warren Wilson University. In 2021 he was especially proud to receive an AA from Bucks County Community College. He taught at Bucks since 1971 and organized numerous events to raise money for local Bucks County agencies such as A Woman’s Place, The Peace Center, Bucks 63
County Homeless Shelter and NOVA. He was also very proud of the work he did at the Bucks County Prison sharing poetry’s ability to heal, survive, and grow. A recipient of NEA, Guggenheim and Pew Fellowships, Chris was the author of 16 books of poetry. His last book, With Aeneas in a Time of Plague, will be published in July from Ragged Sky Press. ................................................... Richard Wengren ’63 November 4, 2021 Richard E. “Ted” Wengren Jr. died unexpectedly on the night of Nov. 4, 2021, at home in South Freeport, ME. Ted grew up in Wellesley, MA, son of Richard Edward Wengren and Jane Hartzog Wengren, and attended Phillips Academy Andover and the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated with a master’s degree in architecture in 1970. He will be remembered as a loving and warm-hearted husband, father, and uncle, and a good friend to many he crossed paths with while living in Southern Maine for more than 50 years. Ted was a well-known architect in the Greater Portland area from the early 1970s until he retired in 2010, operating an independent firm, R.E. Wengren Associates, Architects. His work focused mostly on residential properties in Freeport, Yarmouth, Brunswick, and Falmouth, although he designed some public buildings, most notably renovating the former Grove Street School into the current Freeport Town Hall. In retirement, Ted took up painting, mostly of landscapes of the Maine coast and surroundings. Ted was inspired by the work of Neil Welliver, with whom he studied drawing as a student. Ted’s paintings have been featured in solo and group shows in galleries throughout Southern Maine, and have been featured in Maine Magazine. He produced more than 50 paintings in 20-plus years as an accomplished amateur painter. Ted is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary Eliza; son, Micah, and daughter-inlaw, Bethany Huber, all of South Freeport. ................................................... Stephen Taylor ’63 August 9, 2021 Stephen graduated from Browne & Nichols in 1963, where he was the manager of the 64
crew team. He then came to Montreal and earned several degrees from McGill and Concordia Universities. A major aspect of Steve’s career focused on faculty development. He held a leadership position in research teams at Champlain Saint-Lambert College and joined the faculty of the Master Teachers’ Program in 2006, which is a graduate program for anglophone Cegep teachers accredited by the University of Sherbrooke. He taught courses in technology, served as a technical assistant and in 2018, assumed responsibility for the Research Component, the final stage of the program, which leads to a Master of Education. He shepherded numerous candidates to their successful completion right up until days before his death. His commitment to higher education and to the success of every Cegep student and faculty member who crossed his path will be felt for generations to come. He was in every sense, A Master Teacher. ................................................... Andrew L. Stern ’68 November 10, 2021 (See tribute in Class Notes section) Andrew (Andy) L. Stern passed away unexpectedly at home in Mashpee, MA on November 10, 2021. Andy was born on March 27, 1950, in Boston, to Barbara Feldberg Stern and the late Burton Sidney Stern. He was the oldest of four boys, each of whom remembers him as the consummate big brother: protective, gentle, and kind. He was a loving and caring husband, father, son, and uncle. Andy graduated from Bowdoin College in 1972 and launched a successful telecommunications business, which led to a passion for angel investing. He was extraordinarily bright, always witty, and deeply curious. Whether history, science, or current events, Andy enjoyed sharing his knowledge, as well as learning from others. He loved being with people and cherished his family and friends. He spent memorable childhood summers on Cape Cod with his grandparents and chose to raise his family there. Andy appreciated the simple pleasures including family gatherings and a fresh, hot cup of black coffee. He instilled in his children his various passions: his talent for creative writing with his daughter, Melissa, and his love and extensive knowledge of boating with his son, Tony. From sailing, grilling, and lobster dinners, he truly embraced life on the
Cape and enjoyed sharing it with others. Andy is survived by his beloved wife, Jennifer Ellis Stern; his children, Melissa Stern, (Anthony Jardim) and Tony Stern (Meredith Stern); his stepsons, Shane McEneaney, and Cian McEneaney; his brothers, Matthew Stern, Jonathan Stern, and Thomas Stern; his mother, Barbara Stern; his seven nieces and nephews; and his beloved Doberman pinschers, Kaiser and Ziva. ................................................... Gary Bono ’68 February 16, 2021 A resident of Deering, NH, Gary died at his home on February 16, 2021 after a period of declining health. He was born on November 25, 1950 in Winchester, MA, a son of the late Leonard and Pauline (Currier) Bono. Gary was raised and educated in Woburn and Cambridge, MA, and earned a B.A. from Columbia University. Gary worked for 30 years as a carpenter. He married Barbara Power in 1986 and they resided in Deering, NH for 43 years. They have two sons, Richard Bono, and David Bono, and one granddaughter, Lily. He is the brother of Peter Bono ’63, Bruce Bono ’64, and David Bono ’70. ................................................... Willard Cole (Bill) Rappleye ’72 January 2021 (See tribute in class notes) Bill Rappleye passed away peacefully on January 7, 2021 after a brief battle with brain cancer. He spent 25 years working as a television news reporter in Rhode Island and was known best for his quick wit, love of nature, unpretentiousness, and empathy for the less fortunate. His life’s work was to be the champion of the “little guy,” to tell their stories, and to hold politicians accountable for their actions. We know him as our sweet, beloved father, who taught us to be kind and courageous. Bill was born in Houston, TX and raised in New Haven, CT, South Africa, and Cambridge, MA, but loved the biggest little state in the union where he called home. He leaves behind his parents, Ann and Fuzz Crompton, brother, Tim Rappleye, five daughters, Georgia, Anika, Chesley, Karma and Layla Rappleye, and his beloved dog, Olivia.
Peter Varkonyi September 20, 2021 Peter Varkonyi passed away in Lexington, MA. Peter taught French and coached Boys Varsity Soccer at BB&N from 1979 until he retired in 1998. For those of us who knew Peter, his influence enriches our community even today. Born in Hungary, Peter lived four years in France before moving to Berkeley, CA. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara, taught at the University of Illinois and then Brandeis University. In 1979, he was convinced to join BB&N to teach French and coach soccer. To remember Peter is to honor a deeply complex thinker and authentic person. Peter understood the price of authoritarianism, exclusion, and exile. He lost his father in a WWII concentration camp. During the revolution of 1956, he escaped Hungary and made his way to Paris. There he obtained a scholarship to the Sorbonne to study psychology. While Peter rarely spoke about these life-defining experiences, they left him with a profound empathy for victims of oppression. They also left him with an unshakeable appreciation for freedom and little patience for those who took it for granted. Peter held himself, his students, and his players to the highest standards. As a dedicated teacher, coach, scholar, and writer, he modeled the hard work, rigor, and engagement that he expected from those around him. He did not tolerate laziness, authority without true leadership, or shoddy work. Before accepting someone else’s opinion or reaching any conclusion, he insisted that everyone “Vait…Vait,” and then proceeded to probe every possible dimension of the subject at hand. Powered by genuine curiosity, the discussions–long, late, and loud–continued. While his exacting expectations, his singular vision of how things should be, his commitment to the truth, and his mischievous humor kept students, players, colleagues, and administrators on their toes, Peter also had a keen ability to spot and nurture potential. He believed in his students, and he cheered them on to their best. His loyalty to the BB&N community went beyond wearing the logo to truly upholding the principles of scholarship, integrity, and kindness. Peter’s personal interests were far reaching. He loved dark coffee, high stakes poker, international cuisine, animals, and newspapers. He loved movies, jazz, art, and travel. But his greatest loves, besides, of course, his remarkable wife Jane, were literature and soccer (the Golden Team of Hungary, PSG, BB&N Varsity Boys, MA State Team, Lexington Youth, and pick-up games). As a teacher, he challenged students to go beyond mastery of the language and cultivate an appreciation for the influences and nuances of culture. As an expert in soccer, he propelled the serious development of the Boys Varsity Soccer program, winning the New England Prep School Championship in 1992. Respected and admired as a teacher, coach, colleague, mentor and friend, Peter Varkonyi leaves a legacy of uncompromising commitment to excellence and profound appreciation for life. -TRIBUTE BY HENRI ANDRE, BB&N DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH (SEE BBNS.ORG/VARKONYI FOR PETER’S FAMED THANKSGIVING ASSEMBLY SPEECH.)
Friends of BB&N Joanna “Jo” Carlson December 20, 2021 Lower School Afterschool teacher, daughter of Henry Carlson, Faculty Emeritus Catherine M. Coyne December 29, 2020 Grandmother of Flynn Coyne ’23 Ariadne Forbes August 22, 2021 Mother of Anne Forbes ’76 John (Jock) Malcom Forbes July 19, 2021 Father of Anne Forbes ’76 Marion Fremont-Smith December 30, 2021 Mother of the late Christopher FremontSmith ‘64, Beth Miller Johnsey ‘69, the late Keith Miller ‘71 and Eric Brad Miller ‘77 Grandmother of Evan Miller ‘02, Samantha Miller ‘04 Marilyn Harrison March 7, 2021 Mother of Brett Harrison ’75 and Todd Harrison ’77 Grandmother of Miles Harrison ’13 and Ross Harrison ’17 Susan Hellerman April, 2021 Wife of the late Don Hellerman ’50 Mameve Medwed December 26, 2021 Mother of Daniel Medwed ’87 and Jonathan Medwed ’90 Grandmother of Clementine Medwed ’31 and Mili Medwed ’25 Clay V. Stites Former Trustee August 27, 2021 Eileen B. Stokes April 18, 2021 Mother of Erin Stokes Majernik ’89 and Courtney Stokes Willett ’95 Grandmother of Parker Willett ’25 James C. Stokes Jr. December 21, 2021 Father of Erin Stokes Majernik ’89 and Courtney Stokes Willett ’95 Grandfather of Parker Willett ’25 Derek Till April 21, 2020 Husband of the late Patricia Blevins Till ’44 Bernice “Bunny” Wallace April 22, 2020 Grandmother of Benjamin Grossman ’98 and Joshua Grossman ’07 Daniel T. Weller December 5, 2021 Father of Tracy ’93 and Atticus Weller ’89
From the Archives
GEORGE H. BROWNE AND THE “NEW” SK ATING By Esme Rabin, BB&N Archivist George Henry Browne (1857-1931) is familiar to BB&N as one of the founders and namesakes of the school, but he is perhaps best known in the wider world as one of the key proponents of modern figure skating in the United States. Browne began ice skating at the young age of four, and his involvement in the sport was to last his whole life. While bedridden in the winter of 1930-31, he asked his wife to put his skates on; once she had, he said, “I have worn skates every year for seventy years!” Over the course of his life, Browne wrote and published several instructional skating books, patented a new type of blade, helped to found the Cambridge Skating Club on the corner of Willard and Mount Auburn Streets, and served as a judge, referee, and amateur coach. This last role as a mentor brought a number of B&N students into the sport, including Sherwin C. Badger ’18 (notably 1918 National Junior Champion, 1920-24 National Champion, and 1932 Olympic Silver Medalist in Pairs Skating with Beatrix Loughran) and Frederick Goodridge ’23 (notably 1927 National Junior Champion and twice runner-up for the 1928 & 1929 National Championships). Browne’s most lasting and far-reaching contribution came after a sabbatical trip to Davos, Switzerland in the winter of 1902-03. While there with his family, he joined the International Skating Club and studied the “European” or International style of skating with various skaters, including ten-time World Champion Ulrich Salchow of Sweden. This new style had been heavily influenced by young American skater Jackson Haines, who had exhibited across Europe in 1864-65, and then added onto by European skaters. In his 1910 book The “New” Skating, Browne describes
G E T IN VO LV E D! We love to hear from you! You might reach out to ask us questions about school history, request digitized copies of photos, donate school-related materials you have lying around, tell your stories, or help us out with identifying mystery photos—we welcome it all! You can use the contact button on our website at bbns.org/archives or email us at archives@bbns.org.
the style as “...modified by Austrian, German, Russian, and Swedish schools in the direction of still larger curves and a uniform and systematic use of the free leg.” The American style Browne was familiar with did not emphasize the form of the skater at all, and only counted the resulting print on the ice for the purposes of competition. On his return to Cambridge, Browne sought to introduce the International style. Upon facing resistance, he organized the first exhibition of the new style at the Cambridge Skating Club in 1908. The International style was demonstrated by Carl Zenger of the Munich Skating Club in Germany and Irving Brokaw of the St. Nicholas Skating Club in New York (notably the 1906 National Champion); for comparison, J. Frank Bacon of Cambridge then gave an exhibition of the American style with which he had won the championship in 1893. The event had the intended effect: the new style quickly spread across the United States and became the preeminent style of skating. In one sentence from his 1892 book Figure-Skating, Browne aptly expressed the joy of skating that all who love the sport feel: “I shall mark as the one sure sign of the approach of old age the time when my blood ceases to tingle at the sight of new black ice, and when I let some other ‘young fellow’ try it before me.”
JOHN TOUPIN ’81: REFLECTIONS ON HOME, FRIENDS, AND A MANY-SIDED EDUCATION
In 1969, bullies at a Somerville public school had a ready target: six-year-old John Toupin. He was mixed raced and ethnically out of place. John’s mother, a Tufts University dean and the Hawaiian-born daughter of Korean immigrants, ended the bullying by swiftly enrolling him at Buckingham. After graduating from BB&N, John assumed his educational experience was typical of all high school graduates. Eventually, John, who has given to BB&N for 18 consecutive years, came to appreciate that his experience had not been typical. That understanding led him to ask his estate lawyer to include BB&N in his will. John lists Mrs. Herbst as a favorite teacher and an example of excellent academics at BB&N. In her math class, she “would really push you to your limits,” John remembers. “She’d start every day with a little ‘mental math;’ e.g., ‘Take 3, square it, square it again, subtract 1, divide by 8, add 7, double it, subtract 4, and divide by 3. What do you have?’ It’s a game I played with my own daughter on the drive to school 30 years later.” John, who earned a B.A. in computer science from Brown University, also notes how BB&N integrated the arts and athletics. For art, John proudly ticks off what he learned to varying degrees: tie-dye, mosaic, pottery, painting, sculpting, and woodworking. In 2000, an item he made in Paul Ruhlmann’s woodworking class appeared in Fine Woodworking Magazine, and he still enjoys woodworking. He reflects, “I don’t think I realized [until years after graduation] that not everyone had the opportunity” of having art twice a week. At BB&N, John played soccer, tennis, hockey, and baseball, and he assumed all high school graduates had comparable experiences. Team sports, John says, helped prepare him for four decades of playing competitive ultimate Frisbee and working for Silicon Valley startups. “Managing a bunch of engineers…is not unlike being the captain of an ultimate team,” John jokes. “You learn to manage the needs of very competitive people and to get everyone to sacrifice and to pull in the same direction.” To this day, John’s Lower School friends remain among his best friends, and he vacations with them. Once he thought, “Isn’t that true of everyone?” Now, John expects people to express surprise when he says he is skiing with a friend from when he was six.
“Managing a bunch of engineers…is not unlike being the captain of an ultimate team...” While BB&N was not a perfect place, it was his “shelter from the storm.” The school remained as such for twelve years by always providing his mother, a single parent of three, the financial aid she needed. Now John and his wife, a neurologist and medical educator with DEI experience, welcome BB&N’s progress in becoming a home for everyone. Recognizing how much BB&N has meant to him, John found adding BB&N to his estate plans was “an easy decision…and very straightforward.” One day, hopefully far away, John’s bequest will go to BB&N’s endowment. John explains his support of BB&N’s future with something succinct and heartfelt: “it has always been home for me.”
For further information about BB&N’s gift planning program, visit www.bbns.org/giftplanning or contact Roger Fussa at rfussa@bbns.org or 617-800-2722.
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School 80 Gerry’s Landing Road Cambridge, MA 02138-5512 www.bbns.org
Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Worcester, MA Permit No. 2