The
CARDIGAN CHRONICLE Summer 1992
Commencement 1992: Samuel F. Pickering Advises 1992 Cardigan graduates to appreciate the ordinary as well as the extraordinary things in life His rich Tennesean drawl echoed throughout the chapel as he addressed the Cardigan Mountain School graduating class _of 1992 . Sam Pickering, once a secondary school teacher at Montgomery Bel/Academy in Nashville, later assistant professor at Dartmouth College , and now a prominent English professor at the University of Connecticut, made the keynote speech at this year's commencement; his advice captivated the full attention ofgraduates ,faculty, staff, andfamilies alike, and his anecdotes kept the entire audience chuckling. Although Pickering describes himself as "a guy with a nice wife, three small children, and a six-year-old Plymouth," he is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the film DeadPoetsSociety. He is the real life counterpartofthe movie's leading character John Keating, a vivacious, inspirational teacher, who encourages his students to question, to think, and to believe in themselves. Tom Schulman, a former English student of Pickering' s at Montgomery Bell Academy, wrote the "film's sqeenplay and based the John Keating character upon his fond memories of Pickering's persona. In interviews he's given and articles he's penned, Pickering admits to having seen some of himself in the char-
acter of Keating, but reminds us that the major difference between the character Keating and himself is that, although he did leave the Academy after one year, he left on very good terms. He was by no means a rebel, and the fact that there was no conflict between himself and the school's administrators has been confirmed. Nonetheless, friends who know Pickering well and University of Connecticut students who currently have him as their professor say his teaching style, love of poetry, sense of humor, and eccentricities match those of Robin Williams who starred in the role of Keating. As in the film , there has been many a University class during which Picker-
ing has stood atop his desk or outside the classroom window to teach from a different perspective and to emphasize the importance of different perspectives. Pickering believes that if one views the very ordinary from an unusual position or perspective, the ordinary things in life become quite interesting, and we can appreciate them that much more. During his summer vacations in Nova Scotia, Pickering sometimes fo~ds himself crawling along the ground trying to see the world as an insect might see it. He urges students to similarly explore their worlds-both intellectually and physically. "From school I hope you will learn to shift your perspective and question; if you do, you will always see things afresh." Pickering advised that the graduates learn to listen and observe as he does; it is this process that allows one to "rejoice in the ordinary." He followed this advice with anl':!cdotes and humorous observations about his own children to illustrate how one can appreciate and learn from the actions and mannerisms of the other "every day" people-family, friends, colleagues, students-who surround us. Pickering, who has written numer- · ous magazine articles and several volumes of personal essays, explained: "When I write, I look close to home and to family-that ordinary world wherein lies great meaning, and if not meaning, joy." . Pickering believes that, as we "stumble through this life," humor makes us feel good. "I've laughed a lot--often
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'92-'93 Student Leadership Positions School Leader: Cam Matheson Job Foreman/Assistant School Leader: Colin Robinson Chaplain's Assistant: Zach Turner Chaplain's Assistant: Mike McAteer Clark-Morgan II: John Cesere Clark-Morgan III: Mason Roulston Hayward Hall: Tony Hutchins French Hall I: Joey Rivera French Hall II: MikeTondel Banks House: Cory McCarty Greenwood House: Bryan Cockrell Franklin House: Griff Mayer Stowell House: Elliot Rooks Brewster Hall I: Randolph Turnbull Brewster Hall II: Fran Hargarten Hinman Hall I: Jason Dewar Hinman Hall II: Greg Spencer Proctor House: Phil McNeill
Dates to Remember Fall Registration: Winter School Students Sept. 16 Alumni Reunion Sept. 25-27 Parents' Weekend Oct.10-11
INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS: Sun1n1er Session 1992 What makes the Cardigan Summer Session so successful? The truth is that the essential ingredients of the Summer Session have not changed a great deal since the program was founded in 1951. Alumni and alumnae of the Summer Session, now returning to enroll their sons and daughters here, still recognize the basic ingredients of the School's success: a spectacular New Hampshire setting on pristine Canaan Street Lake, outstanding facilities, and an energetic and dedicated faculty. English, Math, and much much more! Although a "steady regimen of English and math remains at the core of the curriculum for most students," according to Director of Studies, Procter Smith, notable variations in the elective curriculum have developed in the past four years, the tenure of current Summer Session Director Jim Burnett. This summer, two-thirds of the total 180 students opted to enroll in the Reading and Study Skills course. Kate Foster, chair of that department, developed a highly organized program with classes (ofno more than seven students) in which students improved their oral and silent reading skills, as well as their notetaking skills. Students taking RSS also became involved in the reading process while exploring novels as varied and thought-provoking as last year's Newbery Award winner Maniac Magee (Spinelli) and Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men. Extended activities included research on Steinbeck's life, map-making, creating original murals, and attendance at the Canaan Street Readings where local authors share their works with the community. For the second summer, under the guidance of Brian Jurek this year, the elective Environmental Science course also drew a sizable following . In this hands-on course, students explored and studied the local environment, particularly the lake and surrounding wetland areas. Students maped the lake and campus using scale drawings, took depth soundings from The Ark, examined the pH balance of the water, and found out exactly what living things inhabit the lake. Weekly field trips to Ruggles Mine, CRREL (Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratories), Squam Lake Science Center, and the Montshire Museum rounded out the program. Expanding, too, were the combined ESL (English as a Second Language) and
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Henry Baker '92 receives his Cardig~n diploma.
Educational Series on Middle East Debuts at Cardigan This summer, Samir Hamdan, a member of the CMS Science Department for the past two years, headed to California with some very special goals. Hamdan, who grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, knows first hand about the various cultures in the Middle East, and he plans to sharpen the awareness of American students and communities alike by sharing his wealth of knowledge about the Middle East. Hamdan created a special lecture/ slide show series on Middle Eastern cultures. The presentations are geared for various age levels and groups ranging from schools and colleges to community organizations. Hamdan's objective is to present cultural information about the region using his slides and other materials, and to conduct follow-up discussions. Presentation Debuts at CMS A varied form of the series made its debut in a Cardigan history course this spring. The sincere interest and thoughtful discussion prompted by the presentation here convinced Hamdan to take his show on the road. Responsibility: Present Facts! Initially, Hamdan was inspired to develop the series for several reasons. First, he believes that educational institutions have a responsibility to objectively present/acts to all students, particularly younger students, who are more easily influenced by news accounts of events which are often distorted. Secondly, because there is a growing interest in the Middle East countries since the Gulf War, those involved in American education, says Hamdan, need to focus more on the region than has been the case
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INSIDE:
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Spring Sports Report 3 Profile: CMS' new 2 Director of Admissions Annual Report
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Alumni Spotlight: 8 Mr. Ted Goddard '51