Notes from Cardigan (Fall, 1981)

Non-Profit

Orpni,.ation U.S. POSTAGE PAID PermitNo.1 Caoun, N.H.

Notes From Cardigan Cardigan Mountain School Canaan, New Hampshire 03741 Volume 1

Fall 1981

Issue No. 1

With this first issue of the Newsletter in a long time, we revive an old Cardigan custom; to keep you informed on a monthly basis on what is going on here almost as soon as it happens.

Cardigan Today/Tomorrow, successor to Cardigan Commentary will go to you as usual on its quarterly appearance with longer views and deeper coverage, as compared with this News letter, a once-over lightly survey of happenings. Your son, meanwhile, we hope, ' with his mandatory letter each week, fills you in on his share of these events.

This year began as it so wonderfully does each year here on the plateau, with the arrival of the students, full enrollment of 178 boys. They quickly settled into their dormitories, then next day hustled to class, picked up their new texts, plan books, assignments and were off to the possibilities of fine accomplishment.

Meanwhile the green, green grass of summer, not yet gone, but framed all around in the rich warm colors of the incomparable New Hampshire autumn, awaited their frenzied energy for games. Highlight of this beginning athletic program was victory over arch rival, Eaglebrook, in football while 122 families of Parents• Weekend watched. Soccer, too, made winning starts in this increasingly popular sport. A bonfire that had set off the festive Weekend, was duly honored as the fires of energy won such early gains. Energy abounds on the CMS campus th~se crisp fall days and memories of summer fade among the boys from 25 states and 9 out-of-country places which include Thailand, Japan, Finland, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Bermuda, Venezuela and Quebec.

Mountain Day cancelled all classes to let the boys apply top energies to hard and easy climbs in two groups in the ascent of Mt. Asceola with its most scenic lakes of all New Hampshire 1s many. Weekly clubs are already off to fill in the many interests from angling to drama to public speaking, model building and many others. A trip to Shelburne Museum has already made its annual pilgrimage of 8th Graders a thrilling discovery of Americana. The Humanities Program is shaping up for an exciting series of campus visits by artists, musicians, men of science and travel. A mandatory program for fire prevention prepared dormitory residents for critical emergencies, but especially how to avoid causing the conditions which lead to them.

Academic energy took a priority rating in this beginning period. SCAT and STEP testing set down certain criteria needed for proper in-class constituencies as well as future placement. Students who could especially benefit from early guidance were directed into a two-week session each evening for guidance and training in skills of study and orientation steps. New faculty, too, were introduced.

Group sing ing was organized with 47 enthusiastic singers Joining the Glee Club, a highlight of the year coming early when they were invited to sing before the CMS Trustees while they were here in session during Parents' Weekend, early October.

Three new members were named to the CMS Board of Trustees: Richard H. Hinman, brother of present Trustee, Dr. Crawford Hinman. A graduate of Kimball Union Academy, Mr. Hinman is a Dartmouth Class of 1945 graduate.

He is in charge of white, (high grade) paper sales east of the Mississippi and in Texas for the Boise Cascade Company, with offices in Amherst, Massachusetts. There are five children, 2 daughters, 3 sons.

Finn M. W. Caspersen, one of whose four sons, is now a student at CMS, has extensive land holdings in Canaan, and is Chairman of the Board of Beneficial Finance in Wilmington, Delaware, and a lawyer serving as associate counsel of the Beneficial Management Corporation besides holding directorships in many insurance and financial institutions.

Donald J . Ross, is Management Consultant for new business organizations, controls for fast growing companies and evaluation of older operations. A Vice President of Rock of Ages, Barre, Vermont, he is also number two executive officer there. Following his interest in education, he has been an instructor in "Management Innovation" and "Managerial Accounting . 11 He has two college age sons .

As the school year opened, a new era in Cardigan history was be ing introduced on the eastern slope of the campus. There, as sticks and stones and holes appeared suddenly in the grass, workmen bustled around to begin the new Learning Center. With half of the total money in hand, progress has been enthusiastic and as those not yet contributing do so, will continue.

Further details and more news as it happens will be reported in a forthcoming issue of Cardigan Today /Tomorrow and in your next newsletter. By the time you get this, fall leaf colors will be gone, but soon the snows of winter will drape the hills in pure white and frosty but sunny winter weather will lead you to our ski slopes and to a visit here, we hope.