Chronicle (Christmas, 1989)

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CARDIGAN CHRONICLE The Newsletter of Cardigan Mountain School

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Ji\ Christmas 1989

8th grade parents discuss new Parents Association

Parents Association Inaugurated Parents' Week end this October was truly memorable.

The fall foliage was at its absolute peak of color and the display this year-was -magnificent.

Chip and Janet Dewar had been here for other Parents' Weekends, but this was their first as Headmaster and First Lady.

Format for the weekend was changed in one important respect - boys were allowed to leave campus with their parents after their last obligation on Saturday afternoon so long as they were back in time for lights out.

Of more significance to parents, however, was the beginning of Cardigan's first Parents Assocation. Under the guidance of chairmen for each grade, organizational meetings were held on Saturday morning to discuss purposes and projects for the association. What a lot of enthusiasm there was·, and what great ideas came out of these meetings!

All was not idle chatter,

however. Parents had ideas and they wanted to get started right away. At press time for this issue, this is what's happening. Four 6th grade parents volunteered to help at the Boston phonathon.

They also helped organize a special Halloween party for 6th grade students on campus. 7th grade parents asked for a roster of parents and students, arranged by grade, with home phone numbers and mother's names.

The Admissions Office had this information in their computer and produced the lists; these were mailed with mid-term grades and comments. A 7th grade parent worked two nights at the phonathon. 8th grade parents are organizing a social evening on Friday before the February Parents' Weekend - probably at the - Sheraton in West Lebanon.

Three 8th grade parents worked at the phonathon. Spearheaded by 9th grade parents, Cardigan's first auction is being organized for the Saturday night of Parents'

Weekend. And three 9th grade parents were at the phonathon.

There wa~ general sentiment in favor of greater communication among parents and a hope that the new association would provide a means for this to happen. There was general interest in an idea to offer hospitality to students who would otherwise have to remain on campus during long weekends.

This would be wonderful not only' for the boys, but would provide a real break so that no faculty would have to be on duty.

Parents who have volunteered to serve as grade representatives for this first year are: Grade 6 Kurt A. Knowles; Grade 7 - Priscilla and Tom Geoghegan; Grade 8 - Linda & Woody Haskins; Grade 9 Cynthia & Ken Alves.

Parents will be hearing from their grade representatives and from the auction committee soon.

The Association promises to off.er constructive ways for organizing the interest and enthusiasm Cardigan parents have so often expressed for the School.

Pedro ]aramzilo enjoys lun~h during Parents' Weekenq

Headmaster's Speech on Parents' Weekend As a parent of a 9th grade girl who is at a boarding school for the first time and a parent of a 6th grader here at Cardigan, I can empathize about what this day can mean for all of us parent, child, s·chool. As parents we realize things cannot be perfect all the time. Child rearing has never been easy. It has sorrows and heartaches but it has countless rewards and unprecedented joys.

Some have labeled the 1980 1s as the II cynical decade 11 , where lowered expectations have been permitted, self-interest heightened, and where greed has triumphed over ideals. If one agrees, we can take solace that there are only three months left before 1 990.

William Shannon wrote in a recent editorial, and I quote: "The United States today has a popular culture that · is at war against the nation's children and youth. Movies, video cassettes, television programs and rock music have produced what a prominent Harvard sociologist called a 'sensate culture.' The message of this popular culture is 'Feel good.' What one thinks hardly matters.

"The effect of this nonstop sensual · assault is antiintellectual and anti-academic.

It is difficult for any classroom teacher to compete with the exciting images projected by television and films. Serious use of the mind requires patience, self-discipline and the ability to defer present gratification in favor of future achievement." (end of quote) So, you may be asking yourself - Where is the good news? David Hornbec k, chairman of the recently completed Carnegie Task Force on Education of Young· Adolescents calls the middle school "the last best chance to reach kids and set them on a successful path to

adulthood." It is in this age group where children form concepts of self-worth, the worth of others, and the value of education.

I am delighted you have chosen Cardigan. Here we value the individual. We require wholesome physical activity. We limit television and video games.

We offer a variety of free choice activities and are investigating ways to do more. We provide food for ·s ustenance and for intellectual growth. We hold students to high expectations.

We think positively about young people. We recognize we are not alone in this pro'cess, but in partnership with parents. Here we stress the importance of community. Your support of your son, his teachers and this fine school is deeply appreciated.

I urge you to make friends with you son's friends and their families. I urge you to understand the school's policies and cheerfully support them, and I urge you to spread the news beyond our stone walls of the good work Cardigan does.

Senior Class Gift to The United Way Last year's Senior class in a move towards greater community service, voted to give $600 to the United Way. The following acknowledgement came from Herbert G. McKinney, Executive Director of United Way of the Upper Valley: "Our sincere thanks to the senior class of 1 98 9 for their thoughtful and most welcome gift of $600.

So far as I know, there are very few colleges and no presecondary schools where students have made such a commitment to United Way. Cardigan Mountain School students are clearly an outstanding group."

2

JV FootballA Learning Season The junior varsity football team had a difficult year due to a lack of experience, but the players learned the value of teamwork and managed to give arch-rival Eaglebrook a run for its money. Most of the players had never played football before, according to head coach Tom Schenck, and yet by the end of the season they really began to look like a team.

"The offense was fueled by the strong arm of quarterback Ryan Townsend," said Coach Schenck. Key receivers were Tate _!iaire, Matt Feinstein and ~ Scoggins.

The squad was divided into a first and second team, and all players were given a chance to play. The second team often played the fourth quarter against the other team's reserves.

The team lost a heartbreaker to Eaglebrook by only six points.

Had a 65-yard run by Gray Thouron not been called back, the outcome might have been different. The defense was notable for its physical style of play and hard tackling, according to Coach Schenck. The second team actually won its game against Eaglebrook by a score of 6-0, thanks to a 35-yard touchdown run by Bo Gercke.

CARDIGAN CHRONICLE The Newsletter of Cardigan Mouota.ia School .

·CARDIGAN CHRONIQ.E is published five

times yearly and' sent to alumni, present and past parents, -grandparents and friends of the School who wish to receive it. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS, please notify the Development Office, Cardigan · Mountain School, RR2, Box 58, Canaan, NH 03741.

Cameron K. Dewar, Headmaster James S. Burnett, Dean of Students Jeffrey D. Hicks, Director of Admissions James N. Marrion, Director of Athletics Robert D. Small, Director of Studies Richard R. Rearick, Director ofDevelopment and Editor, CAllplGAN CHRONiqE

Volunteer callers at Boston phonathon From left: (front row) Mac Loyd '68, Bruce Marshard '64 (back row) Kim Kenly '68, Tim Smith '77, Woody Haskins, Tim O'Brien '72, Johann Cazanas, Tom Casey, Diane Casey, Arolyn Fisher

Phonathon Tops $50,000

by Richard R. Rearick Director of Development

During three evenings in October groups of parents and alumni met in the offices of The Boston Company and telephoned other Cardigan parents and alumni to solicit support for the Annual Fund. Over $50 ,000 in pledges were recorded as a result of these calls as well as numerous pledges of unspecified amounts.

Trustee and alumnus Kim Kenly 1 68 arranged with The Boston Company for the use of one of their offices for these three evenings, and the facilities were id eally suited for a phonathon.

Earlier this year the School contracted with Ketchum, Inc. a nationwide consulting firm - to teach us how to organize, plan and run a successful phonathon.

The Executive Director of their Boston office, Lynne Roche, met several times with the Development Office staff at the School and was also present all three nights of the phonathon to instruct the callers and tally results. Thanks to her guidance, we were well prepared and organized, and the whole operation ran very smoothly.

The volunteers were very busy on the phones for two hours each evening and actually reached over 500 members of the

Cardigan Family to talk about the Annual Fund. If you were sitting home expecting a call and we didn't ring your phone, our apologies. You will still have an opportunity to support the School; a brochure about the Annual Fund along with a return envelope is in the mail.

Sincerest thanks to the volunteers who joined us on one or more of these three dark, rainy evenings to make the phone calls.

You all did a great job!

Parent callers: Frank Calore Tom and Diane Casey Johann Cazanas Donna Daly Chip and Janet Dewar Aroyln Fisher Savage Frieze Ruth Greenwood Woody Haskins Alumni callers: Peter Albee '58 Joe Dodi 1 81 Kim Kenly 1 68 Mac Lloyd 1 68 Mike McLean '77 Bruce Marshard 1 64 Tim O'Brien '72 Tim Smith '7 7

Headmaster Dewar at phonathon

Janet Dewar was calling, too

Parents and alumni at phonathon From left: Donna Daly, Frank Ca/ore, Joe Dodi '81, Savage Fn·eze, Clark Taylor, Pete Simons, Ken Alves; (front row) Tim Smith '77

3

Chris Simons controls the ball for JV Soccer

JV Soccer Players Perfect Their Game The junior varsity soccer team developed excellent skills this year, despite a tough schedule of opponents. Coach Bill Barron attributed his players' improvement to "a lot of team spirit and hustle."

Unfortunately, the team's overall record was not helped by the fact that they had to play against three undefeated teams.

The squad evened the scale against one team that beat them, however. The Cougars lost ?-1 to Kearsarge, only to bounce back later in the season and win the second contest by the same score.

Captains were John Tarpy, Chris Simons, and Jack Diemar.

Tarpy proved to be a talented goalkeeper who "made up for his small size with aggressiveness and diving saves," said Coach Barron.

At press time, Chris was the leading scorer for the team, and he was also a skilled playmaker.

"He's an unselfish team player," said Barron of his dependable halfback/center forward.

Staving off the enemy attack was Eric Nickulas at fullback.

11 He has basically been the glue that has held our defense together," said Barron. The team's most improv(;)d players were Ladi Oguntoyinbo, Sean Nelson, and Regis de Ramel, all three of whom excelled at a variety of positions.

60 Percent of Faculty Hold Advanced Degrees

Varsity Soccer Dominates Opponents

Faculty members at Cardigan wear many hats, including coaching sports, supervising dorms, and organizing extracurricular activities. Busy as their schedules may be, however, many find time for further academic study. Over sixty percent of the faculty hold advanced degrees, either in education cir in an area related to the subject they teach.

Cardigan provides financial assistance to those faculty members who wish to further their education, according to Headmaster Cameron K. Dewar.

"With the world changing so fast and with so much information available, it's pleasing to have so many of our staff pursue enrichment opportunities," he adds.

Teachers are eligible to receive this aid after working full time for one year. Support for the program comes directly from the annual fund.

Faculty members reap tremendous benefits from such advanced study. The results show up in the classroom, Mr. Dewar noted. "It shows a commitment to the profession, and it shows a love of learning."

The most recent degree recipient is Thomas Schenck, who doubles as Director of Placement and English teacher. Like several other faculty members, Schenck obtained· his masters of arts in liberal studies (M.A.L.S.) from nearby Dartmouth College.

Teachers find time for their studies during the summer or evenings during the regular school year. Those currently working on masters' degrees are English teacher Robert Low and science department head Stephen Heath.

Low is currently studying at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College. He reports that ninety percent of his fellow students are teachers.

Under the direction of coaches Neil Brier and Robert Low, the varsity soccer team functioned like a well-oiled machine. At press time, the Cougars had an impressive 11-4-1 record, including a second place finish in the Cushing Tournament.

Captain George Lewis provided steady leadership as well as offensive power. By October 30 he had racked up 7 goals and 8 assists, and his trademark somersault throw-in was a . real crowd-pleaser. Other key scorers included Marc Alexander, Greg Dumont, Mikko Sa tam a and Nicolas Zapata.

Anchoring the team at goal was the dynamic duo of Matt Daly and Hans Lorentzen. The two talented keepers took turns at the position and managed together to hold the opposition to only one goal per game.

4

Ken Johnson after the ball for Reserve Soccer

As a result, he has the opportunity to compare notes on teaching techniques in addition to studying English itself.

"We talk about · how we implement the material in the classroom," Low said. He has just spent the first of five summers taking courses and plans to have his masters' degree by 1993. .

Students' Top-Notch Summer Projects As the leaves turn color and the mercury dips lower, everyone has at least a few fond memories of summer. Many Cardigan students have an active imagination, and those who completed summer projects certainly fall into that category.

As in previou$ years, students were required to submit ideas for summer projects to a faculty member in May for approval. During the summer, these students were required to spend at l east 40 hours on the project in addition to completing a written report. If they did not wish to do a project, students also had the option of reading two books in addition to the one book required of all students.

This year's creations ranged from the artistic to the mechanical. Top honors went to six students who will be rewarded with a juicy steak dinner.

Although fewer students than usual opted to do a project instead of reading three books, it was a banner year for project quality.

Errol Laumann put together what was easily the largest project: a full-size lake-tested wooden sailboat. Librarian Carol Shelton gave the snappylooking white and royal blue craft a prime display spot in the "Library Marina."

Bryson Bell, on the other hand, combined literary and outdoor pursuits in his summer project. In addition to helping family members build a lo g cabin, he wrote. nine short stories on subjects ranging from sports to mystery.

Andrew Kelley showed skill with his hands by constructing a bicycle from spare parts. After assembling his collection of odds and ends into a high-performance ten-speed bicycle, he set to work with his brush and some vibrant colors of paint and produced a real work of art.

Another student created his own brand of art, but without the help of a paintbrush. Karl Hutter produced a multimedia extravaganza on the subject of his model rocket engines. The project included samples of his work, a report complete with color graphics; and a video documenting his efforts.

Other grand-prize winners included Ben Geoghegan and Matt Galore. The. former built two handsome high-fidelity stereo speakers, and the latter showed signs of being a true outdoorsman with his handmade surf rod.

Unfortunately, he did not reel in any big ones on the first day out.

Cross Country Runs Well Against High Schools Cardigan's cross country runners had a rewarding season marked by outstanding individual performances, despite the fact that they competed exclusively against high school teams. fvlost team members were running for the first time, yet Coaches Steve Heath and Andrew Mars discovered a wealth of potential.

Andy Kelley regularly outran competitors who were three years his senior, thanks to his swift six-minutes-per-mile pac€.

Though his true love is cycling, cross country came naturally to him the first time he tried it.

Derek White, Matt Snyder, and Chris VanderPoel were also vital factors in the team's success. Chris often left run- . ners in the dust who were more than a foot taller than he is.

At press time, the runners were in an impressive 8th place in their 1 0-team high school league.

Mr. Mars noted that the runners found rewards not only in the team's success as a whole.

"That's the beauty of cross country," he said. "Each person does his own individual best."

One Teacher's Leisurely Summer

Errol Laumann's boat on display in the "Library Marina"

Honorable mention was given to five other students: Erin Blair for his first-class vegetable garden, Brian Bogosian for a handmade finger ring, Michael Holden for building a replica of an 1 866 Springfield rifle, Phil Markert for stunning black-andwhite photographs of scenes in London, and Erik Oberg for building loon nests.

5

A casual inquiry of Bill Barron when he returned to campus this September, "What did you do this summer, Bill?" produced the following: "I completed my third summer of full-time studies at Plymouth State College and finished my Masters in Education program in counseling and guidance."

Bill also worked during June at the Top of the Nation Wrestling Camp in Estes Park, Colorado, helped coach soccer at Cardigan's Summer Session in July, and completed the program for re-certification as a Water Safety Instructor during August. ·He might almost have been relieved to' have school start in September.

Trustees Approve Forest Management

Varsity Football Misses Undefeated Season

Clubs Stimulate Student Imagination

At the October meeting of Trustees and Corpora tors, professional forester David Scanlan delivered a master plan for management of the School's . forest land. He identified boundary lines and inspected and measured harvestable timber in four parcels of land owned by Cardigan.

Contiguous to the main campus lie 100 acres of woodland on the north side of Back Bay Road - behind the Headmaster's House. "This is the best stocked forest," he said, "of all the School's land." He recommended a plan of annual harvesting and thinning which will maintain the forest and produce steady, annual income.

The Pinnacle lot, location of the T-bar ski lift which was used for ski instruction until three years ago, contains a good stand of red oak which should be thinned over the next five to ten years.

The Morse lot, 1 05 acres located at the top of Prospect Hill across from the skeet range, needs several years of good management before harvesting can begin. By instituting proper forest practices, timber harvesting on this parcel can be assured for the future.

The School also owns 70 acres on Tug Mountain straddling the Canaan and Orange town lines. Unfortunately almost 75 % of this area suffered severe insect damage and at the moment there is a negligable amount of harvestable timber there.

The Trustees voted to have David Scanlan supervise the harvesting and management of Cardigan's timberland on a continuing basis. With planned forest management, the School can preserve and increase this valuable resource.

The varsity gridiron squad struck fear into the he arts of their opponents this year and had compiled a near-perfect record of 7-1 by press time. They managed to defeat a powerful Plymouth team twice and archrival Eaglebrook once.

The only s our note was the loss to Hartford, which might have gone the other way except that the referee was far from impartial. This unfortunate state of affairs prompted several players to say their -record was "seven and ref."

Coach Jim Marrion had a powerful lineup under his command. The offense was powered by quarterback Erik 0 berg and star running backs Greg Alves and Chapman Dundas.

Defensive stalwarts were outside linebacker Brett Kurtz and inside linebacker Lucas Hubbard.

Oberg said he was pl eased with the players' efforts not only because of their won-lost record, but also because of their team work. "We play as a team.

It's not just individuals, 11 he said.

Ever hear of the Dead Philosophers' Soci ety? How about a group called Black & Blues? Then there's a musical group whose best number is entitled "Brain Sprain." ·T hese are just a few of the more unusual student clubs at Cardigan.

Every Thursday afternoon, students know it's time for something different. Whether they spend their time windsurfing, playing an instrument in the brass band, or acting in the drama club, the boys · get a chance to try their hand at an activity that may be completely new to them.

The Dead Philosophers' Society, led by Life Skills teacher Mr. Mars, is a small but devoted group that gets together each week to mull over weighty issues. Loosely patterned after the Dead Poets' Society from the hit movie, the club has lately been tackling topics such as the meaning of life and the existence of God. The club got toge ther one week to watch the movie, and found that their version has some significant differences. "we don't have a cave," says Mr. Mars. " We just meet in my apartment."

Several students who are good with their hands ha'ie opted to join a basket weaving club '.led by math teacher Mrs. Ris. They have produced several miniature vases now on display in the library. Their next step will be more complex basket designs, such as hexa go nal Shaker patterns.

One student is so interested in his club that he has taken up a musical instrument. George Lewis has started to master the harmonica after becoming a member of Mr. Brier's group "BlacK and Blues." The club studies the different themes in Chi cago urban blues and its Mississippi Delta counterpart through the use of books, records and movies.

Drew Gutstein and his mother enjoy Parents' Weekend

6

ALUMNI NEWS

11 1958

Jack Woods reports that he will be retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps next July and then will join h:is wife in the reaJ, estate business in Carlsbad, California.

ss '60

1973

John Okie and his wife, Karen, are owners of Sheepscot River Pottery in Edgecomb, Maine. A recent article in the Lincoln County News (Damariscotta, ME) notes that they have recently built a two-story addition to their business. John first began work as a potter in 1972, opened his own shop in 1974 and a second shop in 1 984. In order to offer other household items to complement their original pottery designs, they now carry furniture, baskets as well as woven and stained glass items in the shop which is open f or business from 9 am to 8 pm every day e xcept major holidays.

If you're vacationing in Maine and want to see some fine pottery and talk about the old days at Cardigan, stop in. John says they had a fine summer and the new mail order business is beginning to develop nicely. For a catalogue, write Sheepscot River Pottery, Route 1, Edgecomb, ME 04516.

Hugh Auchincloss owns and operates the De vils Thumb Ranch in Winter Park, Colorado, which he describes as the largest crosscountry ski resort in that part of the country.

Peter Kane reports the good news that he is newly married and just bought a house.

1970

Carper Dulmage and his wife are proud parents of a son, Tyler, born in August. Carper says the new addition to the family keeps him very busy.

Mark Guarino also has a new son, Mark Phillip, born in August. Both of these boys should be ready to enter Cardigan in 2001 or 2002.

William Stetson is a Senior Software Engineer for Digital Equipment Corp. in Littleton, Mass. and was married on October 14th to Karen Sue Reuter.

ss '86

1971

David Timlin reports the birth of his first son, Spencer, in July. He expressed hope of coming back to School for the Winter Week end in February.

11

Charles Salloum writes that he won the doubles championship Spring tournament at the New York Croquet Club. Winning is not new to Charles as he has been the champion at the Victorian Society annual Croquet Tournament for the last four years.

Charles will graduate next June from the Packer Institute in Brooklyn.

1987

John Hogan is a Senior at South Kent and busy playing Varsity Soccer and looking at colleges.

1980

David Mccusker was married this summer to Stephanie Gail Solms thus joining two Cardigan families. Stephanie's brother, Dana, taught at Cardigan in 1985-86 and David taught at Cardigan in 198 8-89 after his graduation from Dartmouth College.

1982

From his father we learned that Chris Fletcher is President of his class and also of his fraternity at New England College.

In another conversation with a parent, Ian George, says his father, is now selling advertising for WSSH in Pittsburgh. Ian graduated this year from Trinity University in Texas .where he was Captain of the Varsity Soccer team.

1985

Doug Beeman had an unexpected Cardigan reunion the middle of October. During a break from his studies at Villanova, Doug took time for a day of climbing and encountered Cardigan's ninth grade enjoying Mountain Day. 1986

From the phonathon we learned that Jim Terkelsen graduated in June from Vermont Academy and is now at Springfield . College.

7

1w1,

Search for Director of;;Alull\ni Affairs ,s

Re co gnizing the importance of alumni to the future of Cardigan, the Trustee~ at their 0 ctober meeting authorized a new position - Director of Alumni Affairs. The director will 2te the' chief liason between the School and its alumni, will organize special functions like the Alumni w inteti week end and reunion1? and will work closely witp Class Agents/, on the Annuct1; 5 Fund, phonatlfons and alumnr· news. An early project will be to produce a current alumni directory.

Qualifications for the job include a college degree, strong interpersonal skills, good :f!acility ""with the English' language, ·imagination and creativity.

An attractive compensation package will include housing and · other ' benefits. For further information write: Hea d master, Cardigan Mountain School, R R2, Box 58~ · Canaan, NH 03741.

Additions to Cardigan's Governing Boards

Samuel Williams, Jr. of Short Hills, NJ is a summer neighbor of Cardigan with a home on Canaan Street. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Dartm outh Colle ge where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and received an MBA from the Tuck School before entering the US Navy during WW II. Until his recent retirement, he was a managing partner in the investment firm of Brundrid ge, Story, Rose. He and his wife, Lorraine, now enjoy t e nnis, readin g, travel and visiting their seven grandchildren.

Three new members were added to the Corporation of Cardigan Mountain School at their May me eting. . Thomas W. Heenan of Chicago, Illinois, is a graduate of Yale and the Harvard Law School and a partner of the law firm Chapman and cutler. He is also a Director of th e Woodward Gov ernor Company of Rockford, IlJinois.

Tom and his wife, Jane, are thorou ghly familiar with Cardigan through their son, Charles, a graduate of the Class of 1989 and their daughter, Lydia, who attended the Summer Session in 19 89.

At their October meeting, the members of the Corporation elected Thomas Heenan and Samuel Williams to the Board of Trustees and also welcomed two new members to th e Corporation.

Edward B. Righter knows cardigan from the inside as an alumnus - Class of 1 62. He and his wife, Pamela, live in Buffalo, New York. He serves Cardigan as Vice Chairman of the Development Committee.

Paul Gard ent is a Cardigan alumnus, Class of 1 62, and claims the distinction of being the first student a dmitted by Norman Wakely who had just been appointe d Assistant Headmaster.

After Cardigan, Paul graduated

CARDIGAN

Cardigan Mountain School Canaan, New Hampshire 03741 (603) 523-4321

Palmer Sessel is also a Cardigan alumnus, Class of · 1 58. After graduating from Cardig~n, he continued his education at Choate and Stamford Univ.e rsity.

His career in the investment business included employment with K_idder Peabody, Dean Whitter and Bear, Stearns from which firm he recently retire d.

Palmer lives in San Francisco and works at his hobbies of restorin g antique automobiles and bre edin g English bulldogs.

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CHRONICLE The Newsletter of Cardigan Mountain School

from Kimball Union Academy, the University of New Hampshire and then earned his MB A from the Tuck School of · Business Administration. Currently he is Senior Vice President and Chief Opera ting Officer of the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover.

Christmas 1989

fil4ristmas Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 1 Canaan, NH