The Maroon & Grey The Official CFS Community Connection
Winter/Spring 2012
Year of the Griffin Bronze Griffin, Gift of Trustee and Long-Time Board Chairman, Sam Ballam, Dedicated in September; Mr. Sherrill declares 2011-2012 The “Year of the Griffin”
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Samuel H. Ballam III, a Board Member and past Chairman of the Board of Directors, stands with the CFS Griffin during the dedication ceremony in September. The sculpture, a gift of Mr. Ballam, is located prominently on the south side of Route 30 to welcome visitors to campus.
n a sparkling September day, the entire CFS community gathered to dedicate and celebrate the installation of a giant replica of the School mascot, a six feet tall bronze griffin. The Rt. Rev. Charles Bennison, Jr., Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania and a CFS Trustee, presided over the historic ceremony and The Rev. Edmund K. Sherrill, Head of School, declared the 2011-2012 school year, “The Year of the Griffin.”
Ethical Leadership Program Strong At CFS Institute for Global Ethics team praises CFS Ethical Leadership Program as “One of the strongest programs nationwide.” This fall, in the second year of the CFS Ethical Leadership Program, the student body, which prides itself on diversity and excellence, chose to embrace three common values: Integrity, Responsibility and Respect. Many add a fourth—Brotherhood. A blue ribbon team from the Institute of Global Ethics, based in Camden, Maine and New York City, visited CFS on December 12 to appraise its Ethical Leadership Team and its programs. Paula Mirk, Director of Education for the Institute, reported that of the 25 schools nationwide that have such programs, “CFS’s Ethical Leadership Program is one of the strongest.” Former CFS Trustee Peter Hamilton brought the Institute for Global Ethics’ three-year Ethical Leadership Program to CFS in 2010. History teacher Doug Magee oversees the program and chairs the CFS Ethical Leadership Team. The team is composed of staff and students and charged with identifying and articulating values common to CFS’s very diverse community. Since September 2010, the Ethical Leadership Team has met weekly to define values and create a body of morality common to the entire community regardless of differing backgrounds and experiences. The Team focuses on building school culture, crafting new traditions and creating a generally accepted framework for tackling ethical problems. Currently, Ethical Leadership activities focus on Ethics in the Arts and the process of defining the values of a CFS student. Senior Marco Lorenz, who has been involved in the program for two years, sums up the affect of the Program: “Ethical Leadership has encouraged me to put the good of the community in front of my own individual needs.”
The Rev. Edmund K. Sherrill II, Head of School (far right), welcomes representatives of the Institute of Global Ethics to CFS. They are (from left) Don Profitt, Institute for Global Ethics Ethical Literacy Coach; Paula Mirk, Institute for Global Ethics Director of Education; Peter Hamilton, former CFS Trustee; and Susan Johnson, Institute for Global Ethics Development Director.
According to Mr. Magee, “Students must not only grasp the concepts and values of ethics but also be able to make the heart connection.” He adds that, “Ethics is not simply about following rules or enforcing morality. It is more about being… Our aim is to be a community that raises boys to embody the values of Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, and Brotherhood for the sake of this community, their lives, and the world we live in.”
The sculpture is a gift of longtime Trustee and former Board Chairman, Sam Ballam. Created by Virginia based artist David Turner, whose sculptures grace universities, the White House, the Philadelphia Zoo and other public spaces across the country, the griffin stands prominently in front of the campus on the south side of Route 30, welcoming students and visitors to the school. A mythical creature with the face, beak, talons and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion, the griffin is endowed with the qualities of each: the eagle’s speed, wisdom and penetrating vision, and the lion’s strength, courage, and majesty. Each year, a CFS student in an oversized costume portrays the griffin during sporting and other events. For many years known at the “Aggies,” the student body became the “CFS Griffins,” after the School’s focus moved away from agriculture. Mr. Sherrill explains that, “The qualities of the griffin have appealed to the imagination of our CFS Community, and we have embraced ‘Griffey’ as our mascot for more than a generation. It is fitting that we declare 20112012 The Year of the Griffin.” Much like the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s beloved Rocky statue, “Griffey” is already a favorite backdrop for family pictures and those that mark important occasions.
Prominent artist David Turner installed his spectacular creation on campus a few days before the dedication. Mr. Turner has created public art in venues throughout the United States.
On September 9, 2011 the entire CFS Community, including Directors, students, faculty and staff gathered for the dedication of the Griffin, which was followed by a Chapel service welcoming the School’s new Chaplain, The Rev. John Daniels.
The plaque on the CFS Griffin tells the story of the School mascot that embodies the eagle’s speed, wisdom and penetrating vision, and the lion’s strength, courage and majesty.
Micheal Eric ’07 Speaks at Chapel
Temple University basketball center, Micheal Eric ’07 spoke to the student body with (from left) The Rev. John Daniels, Coach Marc Turner, and Rich Lunardi looking on. See the full story on page 11.