Bulletin Winter 2014 by St. George's School

ST. GEOR GE’S 2014

winter/spring Bulletin

In the glow of the literary limelight: David Gilbert ’86, author of “& Sons”

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Upcoming Events at St. George’s Alumni/ae Board of Visitors Meeting

Fri., April 4 and Sat., April 5 St. George’s Day

Wed., April 23

Reunion Weekend

Fri., May 16-Sun., May 18 Prize Day

Mon., May 26

Annual Fund Volunteer Celebration

Sat., June 28

Convocation Chapel

Wed., Sept. 3

First Day of Classes

Thurs., Sept. 4

Regional Events

Parents Weekend

Tues., April 8

Fri., Oct. 17 and Sat., Oct. 18

Reception in New Canaan, Connecticut at the home of Stephanie Joyce P’17 and Jim Vos ’81, P’17 Young Alumni/ae Gathering in NYC at the Grey Lady

Wed., April 9

Reception in Washington, D.C. hosted by Susie ’87 and Tucker Carlson ’87, P’15 and Ann and Welles Orr ’78

Wed., April 30

For information on these and additional events, contact Events Coordinator Ann Weston at Ann_Weston@stgeorges.edu or 401.842.6731. Details are also available on our website at www.stgeorges.edu and the St. George’s School Facebook page, www.facebook.com/stgeorgesschool.

St. George’s Bulletin The Alumni/ae Magazine of St. George’s School Newport, R.I.

Right: A vapor trail marks the blue sky over the St. George’s Chapel. PHOTO BY S UZANNE M C G RADY

On the cover: Author David Gilbert ’86 on Fifth Avenue in New York, the setting for his recent novel, “& Sons.” PHOTO BY S UZANNE M C G RADY

Contents

Suzanne L. McGrady, editor Dianne Reed, communications associate Bill Douglas, class notes manager Jeremy Moreau, web manager Copy editors: Members of the Alumni/ae Office Contributing photographers: Tom Evans, Ray Gao ’15, Andrea Hansen, Kate Whitney Lucey, Jeremy Moreau, Mary O’Connor, Louis Walker III, Bruce Weller, Ray Woishek ’89 The St. George’s Bulletin is published bi-annually. Send correspondence to Bulletin_Editor@stgeorges.edu.

This magazine is printed on paper that is certified by SmartWood to meet the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way.

From the editor’s desk ........................................................................................................................................2 A note from the Head of School ......................................................................................................................4 In the glow of the literary limelight BY SUZANNE L. MCGRADY ........................................................................6 Today’s college essay BY KELLY RICHARDS ..........................................................................................................12 Success on my own terms BY TEDDY C ARTER ’14 ..............................................................................................13 The idea of audience BY COLIN MORT ................................................................................................................15 Q&A with author David Goodwillie ’90 ..........................................................................................................17 Chapel talks: Saying thanks to SG BY HANNAH TODD ’14 ............................................................................................18 All my versions of home BY CHRISTIAN ANDERSON ’14 ............................................................................20 Back for more...A little adversity just gets me going BY HANNAH MACAULAY ’14..........................23 In memoriam: Kendra L. Bowers ’12 BY SUZANNE MCGRADY ..........................................................................................26 John G. “Jack” Doll ’52 BY SUZANNE MCGRADY ......................................................................................27 John A. “Archie” van Beuren P’75 BY SUZANNE MCGRADY ..................................................................29 Michael F. Wynne-Willson ’37 BY BILL DOUGLAS ..................................................................................31 Post Hilltop: Remembering Mandela BY S YLVESTER MONROE ’69, P’95......................................................32 Alumni/ae in the news ............................................................................................................................33 Campus happenings ..........................................................................................................................................36 Parents Weekend ..............................................................................................................................................42 A letter from home BY ERIC PETERSON ......................................................................................................44 Hilltop archives ..................................................................................................................................................47 Global outreach ..................................................................................................................................................48 Geronimo ..............................................................................................................................................................50 Faculty/staff notes ..........................................................................................................................................54 Highlights: Student achievements ................................................................................................................58 Traditions ............................................................................................................................................................64 Ogden Nash Society Member Profile: DAVID A. MCELHINNY ’71, P’10 ......................................................71 Class Notes ..........................................................................................................................................................73 S T. G E O R G E ’ S 2 0 1 4 W I N T E R / S P R I N G B U L L E T I N

St. George’s From the editor’s desk I

My son Connor, 7, and I at the Ocean House in Watch Hill, R.I.

n this edition of the Bulletin, we celebrate writers and writing. It’s a subject that’s close to many of us on the editorial team, of course, but which also holds, I believe, a certain amount of intrigue. I mean, after reading “Harry Potter” with my son, I want to be J.K. Rowling. Students, of course, come to English class with a range of emotion about writing. Some, mostly those who’ve been complimented on their work, view writing assignments with a certain amount of excitement. For others, writing simply equals struggle. One student in my journalism class once proclaimed on the first day of the course that he was “allergic” to writing—a warning, I guess, that it would be rough going for the both of us. Soon, however, he grew out of his “allergy.” And that is the best outcome of all: seeing a student succeed where they never had before. We’re pretty blessed on the Hilltop to be what I would consider a good writers’ school. We have a head of school who loves to write—and it shows in the myriad creative and eloquent speeches he gives and the letters he writes. We have a superior Writing Lab, in which any student— from one in need of tutoring to the most skilled craftsman—can make an appointment with an English teacher for one-onone guidance and counsel. We have a fantastic literary magazine and a vibrant student newspaper. And students often show remarkable writing prowess in their chapel talks, which are prepared thoughtfully and delivered each Tuesday. In fact all of us, at one time or another, have walked from the chapel with the words of those talks, so captivating or heartrending, lingering in our minds for the whole day. Some of the most enjoyable experiences I had in the fall were in the Writing Lab meeting with sixth formers to discuss their college essays, many of which evolved into truly enthralling personal narratives. Some were unique—a treatise on the power of

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solitude; some were poignant—about the loss of a grandparent—but the old adage—write about what you know—seemed to hold. Even already-excellent writers reached new levels of thoughtfulness and artistry in that one part of the college application where revealing their experience and character in words was essential. Of course a lot of sweat and worry often goes into that essay—and so we asked Director of College Counseling Kelly Richards to offer some advice. Her tips are on p. 12. Sixth former Teddy Carter’s essay gets our vote for one of the best of the lot this year. It’s on p. 13. English teacher Colin Mort contributes an article on keeping the reader in mind in his piece, “The idea of audience” on p.15. And we catch up with writer David Goodwillie ’90 on p. 17. Certainly, we hope to continue to celebrate the literary accomplishments of our alumni/ae in future editions. The theme of writing developed, of course, around our cover story and my interview with David Gilbert ’86, whose novel, “& Sons” was published amid much fanfare last summer. Gilbert, who is a kindred spirit when it comes to writing, brought great candor and humor about the writing process to the exchange. Meeting him in New York on the day of the interview, I brought with me my copy of his book in which I had noted his many crafty turns of a phrase, striking metaphors and hilarious anecdotes. Knowing how writing and re-writing can be a grind, I asked, “So after you finish writing one of those, are you high-fiving yourself?” “Sometimes,” he said, “or sometimes I’m like, ‘I can take a nap! I have just earned a 20-minute nap!’ Or ‘I’ve earned a little Internet … maybe a YouTube video.’” A kindred spirit indeed. And so with that quote, I’m off to click on my bookmark for “24 Hours of Happy.”

Suzanne McGrady Bulletin Editor

Coming this fall: A new www.stgeorges.edu

Streamlined • Functional • Engaging

Stay tuned!

St. George’s From the Head of School

ne of the great joys of working and living in a boarding school is the degree to which teaching and learning are woven together across the fabric of the community. As a teacher, I find great delight in learning with, and sometimes from, our students, who in turn are learning from each other and the rest of the faculty. More specifically, as a teacher of literature and a lover of words, I look forward to those moments when that learning comes to life and emerges into the world, especially in the form of good writing. This love of literature and writing is nothing new for me. Some of my fondest and most enduring memories relate to books. I can recall the name of the first book I ever read myself (it was “Big Bed, Little Bed,” and I was in Miss Hunsicker’s kindergarten class). In grade school, I leapt at any chance to visit the library and check out a new book. By the time I was in high school, I had become a voracious reader of all sorts of books, a habit that has endured to this day. With that in mind, perhaps it was inevitable that I would find my way to schools and to English as an academic discipline. At some point along the way, I also became keenly aware of the power of words and language to shape our world. Though I cannot point to exactly when this recognition dawned, I do recall one memory with startling clarity. In my first week of class, during my first year at boarding school, I noticed a poster on the wall of my English classroom that featured the alphabet in fancy script, below which stood the phrase “The Most Powerful Tools in the History of the World.” I don’t know exactly why this

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caught hold of my imagination, but I think that until that instant, I had never thought of letters and words as tools, much less as powerful ones. Though I cannot say for certain what an epiphany looks like for everyone, that moment was mine. From that point forward, I understood more consciously the power of words to shape our world. I saw clearly their capacity to evoke beauty and sadness alike, to condemn and infuriate, to uplift and inspire. Words and the ideas they convey have toppled governments and created new and fantastic worlds. From our earliest history, words and eventually writing have been part of the core essence of what it means to be human, and this remains true today, even in a time of dramatic social and technological change. We hope you enjoy this edition of the Bulletin, which showcases both a wide array of writing and the scope of learning that is going on across the school. From alumni/ae authors to Chapel talks from the Sixth Form, St. George’s continues its distinguished tradition of intellectual inquiry and achievement along with its devotion to a dynamic and connected school community. With that, I urge you each to read on… Sincerely,

Eric F. Peterson Head of School

Board notes E W S

F R O M

T H E

O A R D

O F

R U S T E E S

PHOTO BY J EREMY

MOREAU

Members of the St. George’s Board of Trustees were on campus Oct. 4-5 for their annual fall meetings. Pictured here are: In the top row: Sisi Gallagher ’82, P’16; Betts Murray P’07, ’10; David McElhinny ’71, P’10; Christopher Sarofim ’82; Robin Grace Warren, P’15 and Clyde Dorsey ’70. In the middle row: Joe Hoopes ’62; Tad Van Norden ’84; Rudy Bethea ’87; Bill Dean ’73, P’06; Drayton Virkler ’92; Bambi Putnam P’05; and Anne McCormack P’09, ’11, ’13. In the front row: The Rt. Rev. Dr. Hays Rockwell P’79; Dana Schmaltz ’85, P’17; Head of School Eric Peterson; Board Chair Skip Branin ’65, P’06; Bill Prescott ’53; and Leslie Bathgate Heaney ’92.

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PHOTO BY

NATALIA DO COUTO

In Florida for the Palm Beach Alumni/ae Reception in January, Associate Head of School for External Affairs Bob Weston and Development Officer Natalia do Couto stopped by Vero Beach, Fla., to visit Honorary Trustee Charlie Watson ’50 and his wife, Nancy (right).

In the glow of the literary limelight With the publication of his latest novel, “& Sons,” author David Gilbert ’86 hit a career high point in the book world. For this issue of the Bulletin, he talks to us about the writing life, overcoming dyslexia, a special St. George’s teacher—and the ephemeral nature of literary success … BY SUZANNE M C GRADY

“& Sons” by David Gilbert ’86 (Random House, 2013).

here was a time last summer when David Gilbert ’86 was everywhere: There he was being mentioned in The New Yorker, the Washington Post, The Guardian, Esquire, Vanity Fair … and the list kept on going—a sort of high/low montage of literary notoriety. Reviewers were gushing over his latest novel “& Sons” in Elle magazine and BookPage one day; the famously acerbic New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani was calling the book “smart, funny, observant and occasionally moving” the next. The general buzz was that Gilbert had arrived in the world of letters. He was living the dream. He’d gotten to the place nascent writers only fantasize about: When’s the book tour?! Maybe Tom Wolfe will wear his white suit ... to MY party! All that and … Gilbert just doesn’t buy into the heady elixir of fame. “Yeah, for two weeks, I was everywhere,” he says, “and then I was gone.” He laughs. “Like … ‘Hello!’ and then … ‘Goodbye!’” The self-deprecating Gilbert, who since playing St. George in the 1985 Christmas Festival has evolved into a sort of Ethan Hawke/could’ve-had-the-lead-role-ina-GenX chick-flick type, is discussing his latest book—

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and his life as a writer—over lunch at J. G. Melon, the iconic burger place on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “& Sons” is his third major book publication after a collection of short stories, “Remote Feed” in 1998 and the novel, “The Normals” in 2004. In fact, Gilbert is coming off a truly banner year. Just as the buzz started to heighten over “& Sons,” Gilbert’s story “From a Farther Room,” appeared in the July 22 edition of The New Yorker magazine—a veritable, stars-aligned two-fer for his career highlight reel.

There was a time, however when few people who knew him would have ever imagined David Gilbert becoming a celebrated writer. Diagnosed in second grade with dyslexia, Gilbert struggled early on with reading, spelling and grammar. Throughout his school years, he says, teachers would suggest that maybe, to avoid frustration, he should think about doing something else for a career. By the time he arrived at St. George’s for his sophomore year in 1983, however, he says he knew it was what he wanted to do. “We discovered [the dyslexia] early enough so that it wasn’t a huge issue,” he says. “But I think it was

SUZANNE MCGRADY PHOTO BY

about me being stubborn as well. Like, you tell me what I shouldn’t do—and I’m going to do that.” Key to his experience on the Hilltop was working with then Head of Instructional Services Beth Horton, now retired and the namesake of St. George’s Merck-Horton Center for Teaching and Learning— a center for innovative instruction and individually tailored tutoring in the Hill Library. “I started to see Beth pretty early on in the process,” Gilbert says. “I can’t really remember St. George’s without Beth.” Gilbert, who was at the center of things on the Hilltop when he was here—living with Senior Prefect Ned Truslow ’86 in Sixth Form House and serving on the Disciplinary Committee and as the editor of the yearbook—saw that the the 1986 Lance was dedicated to Horton. And in 1998-99, Horton’s last year at SG, Gilbert —along with Lois Harrison ’82 and William N. Wood Prince ’60—led the effort to establish the Beth Horton Endowed Teaching Chair for Instructional Services. In a letter to classmates he called Mrs. Horton “his first adult friend.” When Gilbert married his wife, Susie, in 1999, he summoned Horton out to Long Island to attend—and the two continue to regularly correspond. “For me she was the only ‘teacher’ at SG who had a certain parental warmth and affection, who was 100 percent on my side,” he says. For Horton’s part, she says, “It’s the surprise of my life that David feels this way. … I liked him very much and I must’ve conveyed that.” She’s worked with many students who’ve had dyslexia. “It just means they’re very smart and have a cute quirk,” she says. “I never treated them any differently. With David, I just wanted him to rewrite all the time.” Gilbert remembers his instructional services sessions with Horton as something like therapy. “A normal session with Beth was much like a shrink session,” he says. “The only thing missing was a couch and a bad seascape painting. We would chat for 15 minutes about life at school, the hundred humiliations and slights, the occasional victories, and then we would get down to work.

“She had a wonderful way of guiding you—the gentlest of hands and the greatest of laughs. She also loved good gossip. Those 45 minutes together were like a taste of home.”

After St. George’s Gilbert went on to earn his bachelor’s degree at Middlebury College, then he interned for a while at the Morgan Library cataloguing manuscripts. Later, at the University of Montana, he earned his master’s degree in creative writing. When he got out of grad school, Gilbert says, he was living in a sort of writer euphoria. “I had all these short stories from my MFA program and within two months I had a story in Harper’s magazine and I had a story in The New Yorker and I was like, ‘This is great. I love this writing gig! I’ll write this novel and that will take me like a year and in the meantime I’ll have a bunch of stories published in The New Yorker. It’ll be super cool.’

David Gilbert ’86 stands next to the Mad Hatter, part of the famed bronze “Alice in Wonderland” sculpture at East 74th Street in New York’s Central Park.

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BETH HORTON PHOTO COURTESY OF

Above: David Gilbert ’86 (right) attends the retirement party at Whetstone for Beth Horton, head of Instructional Services emerita, in 1999. With them are Hal Studholme ’82 and Ned Truslow ’86.

“Well, six years later, I finally finished this novel and 15 years later, I finally get another story published in The New Yorker.” In fact, the “writing gig,” has been a longer, slower climb. There was a time, even, when Gilbert thought he might become a screenwriter, but the reality of the film industry, he says, made success in that field elusive. “I would still do it if I could do it and actually get movies made,” Gilbert says. After writing “The Normals,” which he says “was really a difficult process—like pulling out my hair and my ears and everything,” he had another frustrating experience when he first tried to break into screenwriting. He’d met a documentary filmmaker who had the rights to a Don DeLillo book called “End Zone” about football. “He asked me to help him write the screenplay and I did it—and I really loved it,” he says. In the end, however, the film—mostly because there’s no international market for a movie about American football and because crowd scenes are expensive to produce—never got made. Gilbert actually had more success with what he calls “a creepy kid horror movie” called “Joshua.” The 2007 film—about a boy living in a wealthy family in Manhattan who starts to exhibit sadistic tendencies—took just three months to write and almost immediately got financing. “Three months later we were shooting it in New York City and three months later we were at Sundance,” he says. “It was like one of those moments: I’m going to write movies because this is great!” Not so fast. The fact that Gilbert has returned to novel and short-story writing is no surprise to Rusty Rushton, Gilbert’s former English teacher at St. George’s. Rush-

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ton, now the associate director of the University Honors Program and an English professor at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, oversaw Gilbert’s senior-year independent study in creative writing. Along with remembering that Gilbert was “bonkers about Stephen King, especially where there was psychodrama,” he says Gilbert was adept at writing stories that “involved more or less normal humans, the likes of whom he knew from personal experience ... and whom he presented satirically and/or sympathetically depending. “The transcendent realities of King’s plots and characters held pie-in-the-sky allure for David,” he adds. “But his bread and butter was already then being served by fellow normals most of whom were nearby to boot—and who have continued to motivate and inspire their author ever since!” “& Sons” is the product of two of Gilbert’s ideas coming together. He’d written a short story about a writer who was rewriting his most famous novel, and then he had an idea about a son meeting his father when the dad was 17. “How would that change your impressions—if you could see him at his most vulnerable?” he says, explaining the idea. “So I kind of took those two ideas and I mashed them together.” The main character of “& Sons” is an aging writer in the model of J.D. Salinger, named A.N. Dyer, whose most famous novel, “Ampersand” (Get it? His initials are A.N.D.), is a coming-of-age bestseller that touched off his literary career. The writing life, however, also meant that he missed out on raising his sons, alienated his wife, and then sired another son late in life with a mistress. Woven into the patchwork tale are storylines about friendship, growing up and regret—plus a little science-fiction subplot about cloning. Best not to have too many distractions while you’re reading the book in order to keep track of things. Novelist Curtis Sittenfeld, writing in the Observer, called “& Sons” one of her favorite books of the year. It’s “fabulously clever” and “warm-hearted,” she wrote. Jeff Turrentine of the Washington Post was more effusive: “Six months ago, the name David Gilbert was probably known by relatively few outside the author’s

family, his circle of friends and the editors and close readers of those magazines where his short stories have appeared,” he wrote in his July 23 review. “But six months from now, Gilbert’s should be among the half-dozen or so names cited by critics and serious readers when they’re asked who produced 2013’s most dazzlingly smart, fully realized works of fiction.” That was a good one. There have, however, been both good times and bad times for Gilbert when it comes to reviews. Bad ones hurt at the time, of course, he says, but now he can laugh. His favorite bad review he says was the one for “The Normals” in the Washington Post. “The writer compared me to a Frenchman with gorgonzola in his mustache who thinks the world stinks,” he says.

PHOTO BY

SUZANNE MCGRADY

No doubt with “& Sons,” Gilbert set out to write a complex, thoughtfully crafted book. Some paragraphs, sentences even, he says he rewrote dozens of times. He’ll write a paragraph he likes and then realize every sentence has the same structure, so he goes back in and makes changes. “To break things up,” he says. “So it actually has some sort of musical movement to it. I like the potential energy that a paragraph can have. I like big, long, meaty paragraphs that look forwards and backwards, and screw in and screw out, that push the limits of what a paragraph should do.” Putting together the story, Gilbert says he kept thinking about what it would be like to have a man like Dyer as a father. “What if you were his son and you were dealing with a man who on a day-to-day gave you nothing, but with his books, gave you everything? Would you feel short-changed? Or would you feel that’s OK because I’ve got the books and that’s how I get to know my dad—and I understand that that’s his work and that’s the most important thing?” Also on center stage in “& Sons” is the city of New York—its cacophony of beauty and absurdity— and the city that defines Gilbert’s own experience. He grew up on the Upper East Side, the youngest of three children including his brother S. Parker Gilbert Jr. P’10, ’12, and now lives near Washington Square in Greenwich Village with his wife and three children— Max, 12; Eliza, 10; and Olivia, 5. He writes in a room

off the lobby of his apartment building. “I’m not terribly good at writing in other places,” he admits. “I’m not like… oh, I’m just going to write on the bus or at a café. I need my one little zone in which I write, which is kind of a shame because part of the fun of being a writer is being able to do it wherever you go—but I’m not that kind of writer.” Many of the places he uses as settings in the novel have a personal history with Gilbert too—like Melon’s. He went to the K-9 Buckley School down the street. “My mother and I would always have lunch here after school before driving out to Long Island for the weekend,” he says. Reading “& Sons,” you feel Gilbert’s tribute to his hometown. There are scenes at the Frick and the Met—and a laugh-out-loud scene with a pretzel vendor in Central Park. Sometimes the scenes required some outside research while many did not. “Like Melon’s,” Gilbert says. “I can do Melon’s.”

Central Park in New York is the setting for David Gilbert’s novel, “& Sons.”

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A number of handwritten letters are part of the narrative in Gilbert’s novel “& Sons.” A Random House book designer penned them for the final publication.

Setting his characters in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he says he visits about four times a year, was also a natural. “You get to know those paintings and galleries so well from going there all the time,” he says. “You do feel a certain weird ownership of them. It’s almost like an extension of your apartment in a weird way.” The Frick Museum was used in another pivotal scene. “I wanted to do a big ridiculous book party,” Gilbert says, “so I was going to do it at the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum, but I already had that big scene at the Met, so I couldn’t go back to the Met, so I was like, I need a different museum.” Gilbert said he also wanted to make sure the scenes worked together. “A lot of it was trying to make it all fit geographically,” he says. “So if [Dyer’s] apartment is on 70th and Fifth Ave., I want to have a book party that’s nearby, so our aging writer can just walk there.” Hence another scene at Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel off Central Park, which required a little extra research. He needed to look around. “So I went and had a drink at Bemelmans—I did that kind of research,” he says. Not all the research, however, meant leaving his office. “A lot of it was going online and doing a Flickr search of the Carlyle lobby,” he recalls. “so you get 15 pictures to work with. … And a lot of it is Google Maps too … what the path through Central Park is and when [one of the characters] is on the way to the Upper West Side and he’s walking through the park— that was basically using Google Maps. OK, he’s taking this path, what’s he going to run into? Those baseball fields, Cleopatra’s Needle. “A lot of it is the beauty of the Internet.”

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Now that he’s in his 40s, Gilbert says he’s come to terms with what being a full-time writer is really like—and how his own personality fits into the professional. An introvert at heart, he says, “My life is very insular, with family. I don’t get involved with a bunch of other writers. … I’m also a weird guy who likes to be at home. To leave the apartment is like … Well I’d love to go the theater and movies—but I’m not very good at being social.” When “& Sons” hit big last summer, a series of cross-country bookstore appearances last July and August had its ups and downs. At the Eliott Bay Bookstore in Seattle, he says, six people showed up. “It was one of those beautiful Seattle days that don’t happen very often,” he recalls, “so people tend to go crazy—and they don’t go crazy by attacking a bookstore and sitting inside for a reading.” Two days later, however, he was at the Book Passage in the Ferry Terminal building in San Francisco. “I had a great reading with Adam Johnson who had won a Pulitzer for his novel [“The Orphan Master’s Son”],” he says. “A lot of writers and friends showed up and we all had dinner afterwards. It was great.” One way he’s found to cope with the anxiety of reading his work to a crowd, he says, is to read from the galley rather than the final book, because a lot of changes were made in between the two. “When I’m reading the galley out loud, if I come across a part that I wish I changed, I will assume that I changed it in the final version,” he says. “[Whereas] if I’m reading the final version, and I come across that and I see that I hadn’t changed it, it would ruin my week,” he admits. “Like, uh, I kept that in there?! I should’ve cut t hat! It’s terrible! It’s embarrassing!”

I’ve come to the interview with Gilbert toting his book with about 50 slips of paper inserted

What’s next for Gilbert? “More short stories, I think,” he says. “And putting together an idea for a novel involving the asylum process in the United States.” Thinking back on the summer of 2013, Gilbert is appreciative of the attention garnered by “& Sons,” though he’s hesitant to call it his “breakout” book. “Certainly it’s done better than anything else I’ve ever written,” he says, “though I think you have

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where I’ve taken notes on the writing—places where he’s mentioned the red doors on a school building (Was he thinking of St. George’s? Yes.) or where I liked how he phrased something—or thought something was funny. In particular, I want to ask him about that hilarious pretzel-cart scene in Central Park—and his prolific use of similes. In the pretzel scene, Dyer’s youngest son and a friend go on a heroic search for the best pretzel in the city. It’s a twist on something that actually happened to Gilbert in New York when he was 18. He and his friend woke up on a Sunday around 9 o’clock in the morning after a hectic night. “So I said, ‘OK, let’s go get a hot dog.’ We knew where all the hot dog carts normally were, so we started to go to the corner … OK, no one there … this corner, that corner and suddenly it was if all the hot dog carts had disappeared. And so we started going on this grand quest to find a hot dog. “Then I remember in the distance we saw the sombrero, the umbrella, and it was like Ahab—‘There she blows!’ and we started running.” For “& Sons” he says he “wanted to take that kind of adolescent experience, where you take something very small, but you blow it up into an epic.” He turned the hot dog into a pretzel for the book, he says, because he liked the way a pretzel “kind of looks like an ampersand.” He’s that deliberate about his choices.

to follow up with something good for people to look back and say, ‘That was his breakout book,’—as opposed to a fluke.” Later, when we get to talking about all those similes, I choose one from page 191 in which Dyer’s sons are following him up the stairs. “Without further debate Andrew started to shuffle back toward his study, shh, shh, shh, his left hand balancing along the wall, while Richard and Jamie lowered their heads and followed along, like the plow behind the oxen churning up a stretch of long-neglected earth.” I read it above the din of clattering plates and other customers’ conversations in the busy lunch-hour Melon’s. Then, feeling awkward, I blurt out, “I hope you don’t mind me reading your words back to you.” “Sure,” Gilbert says, smiling. “If you could read them from the galley, though, that would be much better.”

This is the building at 70th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York where Gilbert imagines the main character of his novel, “& Sons,” A.N. Dyer, lives.

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GETTING PERSONAL:

Today’s College Essay Tips on crafting a compelling ‘personal statement’

Kelly Richards and Ito Orobator ’14

admission officer who reminded me that the term “college essay” is actually a misnomer. This portion of the college application is actually termed the “personal statement,” and so this form of writing should be exactly that: personal without being uncomfortably revealing, and professional in its presentation the way any published statement would be. The job of the personal statement is indeed twofold: it is an opportunity for students to share something about themselves that may not be readily evident in the rest of the application through the transcript, the scores or the recommendations; it should also demonstrate that the student can put his/her education to work—specifically that the applicant can write. With these two “jobs” in mind, here are some do’s and don’t’s for students to consider:

well can a student perform under the pressure of the clock? Certainly, extracurriculars are important too: the kind of impact a student will make on a college campus is indicated by the kind of impact he/she has made on his/her high school campus. The “college essay,” though, is a unique piece of the college application because it is the only place a student has to offer a personal “voice” to all the data. Thus, students should not pass up this excellent opportunity to share their unique personality with the admissions office at a particular school. Admission officers are expecting to hear from the candidate—not from the student’s parent, tutor or older sibling. Through the essay they want to “meet” an individual, authentic student whose life experiences have in some way prepared him or her to meet and overcome the challenges that abound in college— someone who will contribute to their campus in positive ways. Just the other day, I was talking with an

•Do be personal, but not inappropriate. For example, it is fine to talk about a perceived personality flaw, but not about a first kiss. •Do be yourself, but not the self that uses vague, overly casual or unspecific language. That is, feel free to talk about an important comment someone made to you, but don’t use words such as “something,” “stuff,” or “awesome” to describe that comment. •Do have someone close to you read your essay to make sure it sounds like you, but don’t give it to someone who has a vested interest in changing it to what they think it should be. Admission officers are hoping to learn more about what makes you you, not about your family members, counselors or teachers. Share your essay with a friend who knows you well or a faculty member who can give you honest feedback in an appropriate way, but not with someone who may not fully understand the process or who doesn’t know the importance of preserving your voice. •Don’t wait until the last minute to

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here are several factors admission officers consider when assessing an applicant. The first and foremost is the student’s performance over four years: the past is often the best predictor for college success. Another factor, of course, is testing: how

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write your essay. Allow yourself enough time to brainstorm, write, rewrite, develop and proofread way before the deadline. On a practical level, it is crucial that you follow directions (yes, you get only 650 words to share something significant about yourself) and that you submit your application on time— because if you don’t apply to a school, you won’t get in! •Do know when it is done. Be careful not to over-edit your work. Not only could you edit your voice right out of your personal statement, but you could miss the deadline! The following essay by Teddy Carter ’14 is an excellent personal statement because it has a strong voice, it is detailed and clear, and it is simple without being simplistic. In this essay, the student begins with an interesting personal story that exemplifies his own experience in school. He then segues thoughtfully to how this experience led him to positively influence someone else who faced similar academic struggles. From this personal statement (in combination with a stellar high school transcript), an admission officer would learn that this candidate is resilient and persevering, academically gritty and selfaware, comfortable enough to see his own weaknesses and hard-working enough to overcome them, and finally, empathetic toward others. This author also knows how to get in and out of a topic artfully, without sacrificing his own voice. In this essay, we meet the real Teddy Carter, who will graduate this spring from St. George’s, and is headed to Dartmouth with four of his SG classmates. Enjoy reading his story, and do reach out to our office with any questions you have about the college process. —Kelly Richards Kelly Richards is St. George’s Director of College Counseling. She can be reached at Kelly_Richards@stgeorges.edu.

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Success on my own terms BY TEDDY CARTER ’14 Editor’s Note: This is Teddy’s response to the following “Common App” essay question: “Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.” Why was it coming so easily to my classmates and not to me? There I sat, a month into Ms. Wheary’s third-grade class, unable to read more than the occasional phrase in “Number the Stars.” It was not a question of aptitude—I flew through math and never struggled in third-grade “science.” When read to aloud, I could navigate the complexities of prose. The symbolism of Milo’s quest for Rhyme and Reason in “The Phantom Tollbooth” resonated with me, yet I could not physically attribute sounds to syllables on the page. Spelling tests were overcome through brute

memorization; I failed to see an overarching logic to the discipline. At that point, I would have struggled to differentiate between a dictionary and a bag of Scrabble tiles. I was clambering up a rock wall with greased hands while other students were shown the stairs. I resented the classroom, which I mistook to be the source of my frustration, and misbehaved. My behavior brought further “surveillance” and my school quickly discovered that I had made it this far despite being effectively illiterate. The realization that a third-grade student had essentially no idea how to read was perhaps more alarming to my teachers than it was to me, and the cavalry was called in. After a barrage of tests: puzzles, readings, and identifying clapping animatronic monkeys, the greater minds were in agreement—I had dyslexia (which in writing this I originally spelled “disleyxia”).

Teddy Carter ’14 and Blaise Foley ’15 in Old School.

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Top: Teddy at age 6. Bottom: Teddy in Marblehead, Mass., the spring before his freshman year at SG.

I was quickly engulfed in offers of assistance: Extra time? An exemption from foreign language? My instinctive response was “no.” I did not want to be held to a different standard (which was a kind way of saying having less expected of me) because of something I could not control—something I was born into. I did not want my educational (and life) opportunities artificially limited by a mere label. Luckily, my school and my parents fostered an environment

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where I could work my way to success based on absolute standards. The subsequent years proved to me that labels are not limiting factors, but motivation and environment are. While my condition was unlucky, I was unmistakably lucky to be in a school that believed I could succeed on my own terms. I only had to look across the Potomac River to see how truly privileged I was, to see Washington’s countless inner-city students—labeled at birth as poor and unteachable—who did not have such opportunities. I wanted to change this, to ensure that for others, their fate was not dependent on their situation of birth, on labels, and on luck, but instead on what they believed they could accomplish. While reading Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” I discovered KIPP charter schools, a group dedicated to bringing these “unteachable” inner-city students to and through college. I was filled with a desire to get involved. I felt intrinsically connected to their mission as by birth, KIPP students and I shared this common history of disadvantage (though clearly at diametric levels of severity). But personal identity lies in connecting who we are by birth with what we believe by choice. I had always held a perhaps naïve belief in the American dream, in the power to succeed on our own terms. In June of 2011, my belief manifested itself as I stepped onto KIPP’s Shaw campus, infatuated with the aura of meritocracy and opportunity. During my two-month stint in the classroom, a 6-year-old named David metamorphosed from knocking over library shelves in anger, to reading the aptly named storybook “No David!” with me every day. David was now defying his label and defining his own future. As he sat next to me and stumbled through the book for the first time on his own, I saw a glimpse of our common history and thought that maybe I was not so naïve after all. Teddy Carter ’14 of Alexandria, Va., is a school prefect and the opinions editor of the student newspaper, the Red & White. He will attend Dartmouth College this fall and can be reached at Teddy_Carter@stgeorges.edu.

KATHRYN LUCEY

The idea of audience

hen introducing a paper assignment for my third-form English classes, I say the following: “I want you to write this paper so that if you printed it out and rolled it up and sealed it in a glass bottle, walked down to Second Beach and threw it out into the waves, and it caught a current and drifted out to sea, was played with by dolphins in the Caribbean and penguins in the Antarctic, until finally, it washed ashore somewhere in Australia, and a beachcomber there, whose other hobbies include reading classic works of literature, found it, uncorked the bottle and removed the essay and, having some knowledge and even interest in “The Odyssey,” read it, he or she would know exactly what you meant by every sentence and, as he or she would think that you have represented the work accurately and that your interpretation, though different from his or her own, shares the same standards of judgment and clarity.” Before arriving at St. George’s to teach English, I worked and taught in a number of fields relating to writing and literature. I have evaluated manuscripts for publishers of both commercial and literary fiction; I have proofread advertisements and written communications for a corporation; I have written book reviews for literary journals, websites, and a weekly alternative newspaper. I have published short fiction both online and in print. I have taught creative writing, literature, and composition to students of a wide range of ages. The one element linking all of these fields and experiences and the element that daily informs my thinking about teaching my students at St. George’s is the idea of audience. The idea of audience is a tricky one because it is both literal and metaphorical, which is why I use the story above to introduce it to younger students. Audience includes the actual readers and the implied readers for a piece of writing. A novel’s audience

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BY COLIN MORT includes the person who holds the actual book as well as the readers the writer imagined when he or she wrote it. Although some writers may claim they do not think about the audience for their work, but rather write to express something internal, since language takes its structure from the way in which it is received rather than the way in which it is produced, the idea of audience is ineluctably tied to writing and reading. A piece of writing is never without an audience, even if no one ever reads it. Although the idea of audience may sound abstract, it has concrete implications for how writing can be taught. In my fifth-form AP Language and Composition class I use the fact of the AP exam to stress the idea of audience. I try to get the students to imagine their reader by describing an anonymous person somewhere with a stack of a thousand essays next to him. The room is hot and he is slightly hungry. Their essay will be but one of those thousand; the reader is not inclined to pay close attention unless the essay is not only clearly written and solidly structured, but also original in its approach and engaging in its manner. Teaching the idea of audience helps students understand why they should be concise and direct, why they should cut redundancies, avoid accidental ambiguities, polish phrases, and always work to choose the right word. It also helps highlight the difference between “writing for the teacher,” a skill that has little application outside the classroom and encourages rote or perfunctory ideas, and—what I hope to teach—“writing for life” which can be applied to anything they end up doing later, in college and beyond. In a world where students create thousands of communications quickly—often stringing together clichés, abbreviations, catch phrases, inside jokes, and emoji—the idea of audience instantiates care and craft to create a communication that must

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Colin Mort teaches a third-form English class in 2012-13.

work to get the writer’s idea across to an audience who may not share his fundamental assumptions and effortless argot. In my sixth-form elective, I teach creative essays, fiction writing, and poetry writing. In creative forms the writer has to construct the expectations of the audience then meet those expectations, and then, often within the same work, bend, change, or even contradict them. In fiction writing, audience expectations are controlled by everything from signifiers of genre, to structures of time, to points of view. Here’s an example: in the common contemporary point of view called close third-person, the writer describes the world of the story in the third person, but allows the reader access to one character’s internal mental states. If, halfway through the story, the point of view suddenly shifts to a different character, the audience may become lost because a constructed expectation (consistency of point of view) has been violated … or the audience may be inspired to a more profound reading experience because the deliberate violation has been handled carefully. The only way a writer can determine whether they are doing the former or the latter is by imagining the audience’s experience of the change, or, better yet, having some readers read it and tell them about their experience. For this reason, I use peer-review experiences for almost every writing assignment. Hearing a peer’s response to writing is one of the best ways for student writers to build up

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an idea of audience in their imaginations. The idea of audience also informs how I teach the interpretation of literature. When reading a text from a certain period of history, defining the audience for that work helps students understand the context that informed the novel, and the understanding of context as it relates to meaning is a higher order of interpretation that students begin to acquire during their high school years. Understanding a historical audience involves a mixture of academic research and cultural anthropology. When we study “The Great Gatsby,” I offer students a selection from the reception history of the work showing how readers at the time reacted to the novel. They also independently research news articles about bootleggers, gangsters, fashions, architecture, even automobile design. By combining actual reader responses with a sense of the world those readers inhabited, students imaginatively recreate the audience for a historical text. As a writer and teacher, as well as a dorm parent and coach, the idea of audience determines how I communicate. To whom am I speaking and for what purpose? What am I writing and who will be reading it? Answering these questions is essential for me on a daily basis, and asking them is an important skill that I try to teach my classes. Colin Mort is the head of the English Department. He can be reached at Colin_Mort@stgeorges.edu.

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Checking in with Author David Goodwillie ’90 David Goodwillie ’90 is the author of the novel, “American Subversive” (Scribner, 2010) and the memoir, “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time” (Algonquin, 2006). He writes about books for The Daily Beast, and his fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. Prior to becoming a writer, David briefly played professional baseball, worked as a private investigator and catalogued sports memorabilia for Sotheby’s Auction House. Recently we caught up with him to talk about writing and publishing—and to find out about his next project. —Suzanne McGrady

1. You experienced a good amount of success with your novel “American Subversive.” What was the most surprising/memorable part of that experience? Selling it! It’s not an easy book, exactly, in that it deals with some tough themes head on, including politics, class, contemporary culture, and the consequences of one’s actions (or inaction). But I’m guessing you’re looking for a more concrete answer so I’ll say having it named a “2010 NY Times Notable Book of the Year.” I’d never won any literary awards, and The Times had failed to review my first book, so I took my inclusion on the 100 Best Books list to be at least a step in the right direction career-wise. 2. Your first book, the memoir “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time,” really captured what it was like to live in downtown NYC in one’s twenties. Do you have any recent “New York stories” you’d like to tell? Well, I’m still in downtown New York, and now in one’s (early!) forties—though a move to Brooklyn is probably inevitable. It’s funny, when I wrote that book—which my friends, who are not nice people, refer to as my “cult classic”—I was worried not only about being too young to write a memoir (I was 30), but about the subject matter becoming quickly dated. But neither of those have really come to pass. Now everyone, in these days of self-obsession, is writing a memoir no matter what their age (I’m so proud being an oversharing trend-setter). And it turns out that books about being young and naive and idealistic in New York City (and at St. George’s, which makes an appearance!) contain a certain timeless appeal. And a certain

truth. Which is why, I suppose, I still live here. I realize that doesn’t answer your question in the slightest. 3. What’s your writing life like these days? What are you working on? Well, it’s nice to make a living from one’s art, especially these days, but sometimes I feel like I got just as much done when I was waking up at 6 a.m. to write for two hours before my day job. I suppose it’s obvious from that answer that I’m buried in the middle of my next book—another novel. “American Subversive” was very plot-oriented (a bomb went off!), so this one’s quieter, more character driven. I think it’s a love story, though I’m not completely sure. Also, it was due six months ago. As of now, my editor is still calling to “check in,” but that could change. David Goodwillie ’90 can be reached at david@ davidgoodwillie.com.

Recent book s by SG author s “Revolutionary,” a novel by former English Department Chair Alex Myers based on the true story of Myers’ ancestor, Deborah Samson, who rebelled against the British and society by dressing as a man and fighting in the Revolutionary War (Simon & Schuster, 2013). A review in the New York Times called the book, “approachable” and “imaginative.” Myers will be back on campus May 9 to deliver the annual Dent Lecture. “Passages in Past Tents,” a two volume memoir with photography by Bayne Stevenson ’64. The series chronicles his travels across the country with his wife, Jeanie, in their 28-foot Airstream. Look for the promo on YouTube. “Irreplaceable,” a novel by Charles Pinning ’70 (Daubenton Press, 2013).

A review in the Providence Journal called the book— a mystery that involves a movie being shot in the capital city, an art theft, and a rekindled romance—“a delightful tale with R.I. color.” Do you have a book coming out? Please let us know and we’ll list it in an upcoming Bulletin. Send information to Bulletin_Editor@stgeorges.edu.

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Saying thanks to SG BY HANNAH TODD ’14

Following is the script of a chapel talk delivered on Oct. 29, 2013.

Hannah poses with her mother, Wendy, and father, David Todd ’77, after her chapel talk.

ood morning. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Hannah. As I stand before you all today, I have one goal, to say thank you. I wish to express my immense gratitude for all that each one of you has given me. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it seems only fitting that today I attempt to cover why I feel so strongly about this and how my appreciation for this place has come to be. From cereal for dorm snacks to Gram Stains in Microbiology, my thankfulness for SG is not limited to one area but rather extended to the experience as a whole. Put simply, I love St. George’s. However, this was not always the case. Flashback to freshman year: High expectations and a need to fit in had left me friendless, struggling academically, and all-around lost. Rather than seeing the clear faults with my own approach to life, I looked to the school as a place for my blame. Some of my most

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embarrassing moments happened during this time. By embarrassing, I do not mean slipping on the icy path to Buell, which I certainly did plenty of times, or going to the wrong class because I got my schedule mixed up, another frequent event. My most embarrassing occurrences were the disrespect I displayed toward my teachers as I checked Facebook in class or arrived at class unprepared and the values I emphasized when attempting to decide on a friend group, prioritizing being “cool.” These actions were both humiliating for me as I chose to fill an identity of someone that I barely recognized and degrading for the way I was seen by those around me. The turning point was mid-year grades. It took an F on a midterm for a class that will remain unnamed as a harsh notice that my experience thus far was entirely my own fault. I was not working at an acceptable level nor was I being the kind of person I had been brought up to be. I started taking notes on paper, rather than getting distracted on my tablet. I began making an outward attempt to do my

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best work, work that I was proud of. I decided to make an effort to be nice to everybody and let everything else fall into place naturally, rather than trying to force friendships or decide certain people to be “cool” or “uncool.” I tried to focus more on who I was rather than everything going on around me. While I certainly did not become a better person overnight, I did my very best to be a good person. I’m still trying to fulfill this goal but I have found that every year it becomes a little more within my reach. This ongoing journey is what has made me so grateful for St. George’s. While it is one thing to feel grateful, it is an entirely different task to put that gratitude into words. When we first learned how to write thankyou notes as little kids, we learned to start with a polite salutation followed with a phrase thanking the person for the object specifically, an explanation of what you liked about it or how we were planning on using it, and an ending with some term of endearment, not forgetting to say “thank you” one last time. This task at times was a challenge as I struggled to find things I liked about the turtleneck dress I had received for my birthday or the CD I received at Christmas that I had yet to open because I had categorized it as weird. The letters would end up explaining how much I loved one of the colors on the dress or my great interest in music, failing to mention my dislike for jazz music or my issues with turtlenecks. However, in contrast to these less-than-appreciative thank-you notes, this atypical thank-you note writes itself. To begin with addressing every one of you sitting before me today, I wish to thank you all very much for the past three years. I have grown in innumerable ways since arriving on the Hilltop as a result of the influence each one of you both individually and collectively has had on me. I particularly love early morning breakfasts in King Hall, the John Adams theme song in American Studies, “Steal the Bacon” during field hockey, the Christmas Festival, Winter Formal, breakfast for dinner, trips to the Salvation Army, Feed-a-Friend, assembly games, dorm Secret Santa, bagel toes in

advisory, the friends I have made, and the teachers, coaches and dorm parents whose patience and dedication have given me the tools to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. The list could stretch on forever but I think it best to go into how I plan on using this invaluable gift. In my time on the Hilltop, I have learned to be kind, hardworking and motivated. I wish to keep on being compassionate and caring to those around me and utilize my diligence to accomplish everything I put my mind to. Today, I think I’d like to be a doctor, a job in which I would have the ability to care for people every day, but even if that changes, I know that what will not change is my drive to achieve my goals, a determination St. George’s and all of you specifically have given me. For the rest of my time here, an unnervingly short seven months, I hope to continue to gain new life skills and take advantage of all that this amazing place has to offer. Once again, thank you all for the skills to grow up. Love, Hannah. P.S. This is my thank-you note but I hope that each of you has one of your own just waiting to be written. Hannah Todd ’14 of Austin, Texas, will attend Rice University this fall. She can be reached at Hannah_Todd@stgeorges.edu.

As one of the Community Service Council heads, Hannah Todd ’14 (front) often volunteers at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen in Newport. Here she is accompanied by Jordan Hoffman ’15, Agnes Enochs ’15 and Sarah Braman ’15.

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All my versions of home BY CHRISTIAN ANDERSON ’14 Following is the script of a chapel talk delivered on Oct. 22, 2013.

T Christian Anderson ’14 stands atop Jay Peak in Vermont, where he likes to hike with weights in his backpack for exercise.

o those of you who don’t know me, my name is Christian Anderson. This is my second year at St. George’s and I call this place home. This chapel, North Fields, Schoolhouse, and of course, East. But what is home? Every cliché holds a part of the meaning. Home is where the heart is. Home is where you hang your hat. There’s no place like home. And, I believe home is defined differently for everyone. Today I am going to give a few definitions of my own. To me, home is Newport, Vt., where it is too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter; and people move at their own pace. It is not unheard of to see

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two trucks blocking the road because the drivers recognized each other and decided that the middle of the road was a good place to catch up. A traffic jam often consists of getting caught behind a hay wagon or a manure spreader. In fact, as someone who runs the roads a lot, people often stop to ask if I need a ride because no one exercises for the sake of getting into shape. Jobs and chores are enough to exhaust most people in my town. Home is the place where the first day of deer season is as exciting as Christmas for most of our neighbors. It is a place where sitting on a bridge fishing all day is not considered a waste of time. The fish will feed a family, and any time spent outside is considered better spent than indoors. A deer head on the wall is more fashionable than a Monet, and is

much more practical. It represents time with friends and family, in the woods, and many meals over a long winter. In my town, almost everything can be fixed with WD-40, Bondo, or duct tape. This is also why it is inadvisable to buy used cars in Northeastern Vermont. But if you do need to buy anything—from plywood to hamsters, ice cream to bicycles—the only option is the Pick & Shovel, a sort of redneck version of Walmart. In Vermont, there is no anonymity. You know your cashier, you know the cop motioning you through the stop light, and your old CCD teacher, who tries to bring you back as a volunteer whenever you see her grocery shopping at RJ’s Friendly Market. If you are truly from the Northeast Kingdom, you are also probably related. My family is considered new because we’ve only been there 30 years. My home is a white farmhouse at the bottom of a hill with Lake Memphremagog nestled behind it, running 27 miles into Quebec. We have a 300-footlong white picket fence out front that seems to require paint every summer, as soon as I come back from school. In the winter, our home is heated primarily by wood. The woodstove is often a more popular hangout spot than on the couch near the TV due to the severity of winter. At home, Sunday means a big breakfast, Mass at St. Mary’s, and football. The lawn is always perfect in the summer while in the winter, every day brings fresh snow. Literally, every day...The long days of summer are replaced by the even longer nights of winter. That’s life on the 45th parallel. This is the home where I grew up. This is the home where we had so many Thanksgivings and Easters and our famous Christmas Eve parties. Every holiday was a full house. Every Halloween, our dog would eat my sister’s candy and every birthday party ended with rides on our pony. My brother’s friends from prep school would marvel at the overwhelming feeling of welcome and mothering, for everyone, family and guests alike. Home is where my father would return every night for supper, after driving two hours to work each way on bad roads, six days a week. Home is where the hayloft is a clubhouse and

friends always gather. Home is where our friends have become our family. My aunts and uncles do not know me as well as the friends we have made over the past three decades in Vermont. This is home—because home is where your family is. For those of you who don’t know me, I went to Holderness School before coming to SG last year. At Holderness, all juniors are “strongly urged” to go on a 10-night winter hiking and camping experience called Outback. On Outback, students hike in the White Mountains for four days, spend three nights solo, and then have three days to hike back out. This was the longest 10 days of my life. In my pack, I had clothing for the 10 days, three gallons of frozen beef stew, two fire pans, four tarps, three pounds of frozen sausage, a pound of cheese, three sticks of pepperoni, two Nalgenes full of water, and a gallon bag of frozen chicken and of course, a roll of duct tape. The strap holding up my pack actually ripped one day as I put it on. So I did what any good Vermonter would do, I whipped out my roll of duct tape and fixed it up. Duct tape was the main reason I made it through Outback. I used it to repair my “indestructible” bowl from four pieces back into one that could adequately hold my beef stew. And when I ripped my snowshoe three days in, duct tape came to the rescue again. As most of my group were from the city, I led the march and broke trail for them, through deep snow. After four days of this, I landed on the most remote solo site. On one side of me, there was another student about 1,000 yards down. On the other side of me, I had 22 miles until the first kind of civilization, a snowmobile trail. The first thing I saw, when making my solo camp, was a set of very large “dog tracks” going right through my site. Of course, I knew there were no dogs out there. For three days and nights, I had absolutely nothing to do but think while collecting and burning firewood. The March nights were long and I was absolutely terrified out there. To cope, I made sure I had a big fire every night. The first night was the worst. I had built up my fire before I went to bed so that it would still be light until I was asleep. However, this turned out to be a bad plan. Around 2 a.m. I heard the sound of snapping sticks

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Christian Anderson ’14 embarks on a 10-day hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

and I thought I saw at least 10 headlamps shining on my tarp. Terrified, I just tried to be absolutely still. It sounded as if they were not getting any closer and after what seemed like hours, I poked my head out. It was just my fire dying out. Relieved, I crept back into my sleeping bag and this is when I learned a new definition of home: Home is where you lay your sleeping bag. I slept in seven different campsites those 10 nights, and I learned that all you need to be home is a warm place to sleep where it hopefully won’t snow on you. I was hungry, cold and exhausted for

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most of the trip and a tarp and a sleeping bag looked better than any Tempur-Pedic® mattress. I came to St George’s last year, hoping I had made the right decision, to repeat my junior year and transfer to SG. However, all my worrying was unfounded. The football team became my family, as well as the fine residents of East. Jeff [Nadeau, assistant director of athletics,] even came with me [from Holderness!] I have made lifelong friends and have done stuff I will never forget. From running around Cliff Field during Sandy to half-time speeches in the locker room, shower parties in East to s’mores on the quad, I have loved my time here. The beaches as well as Newport are large reasons to love it here, but I believe that SG’s finest asset is the people. I have yet to meet someone here I do not like. I miss the friends who have graduated; it is different without people like Buffum, Gates, Duncan, Antonio and Katherine on campus. But I am enjoying the time with friends who are still here as well as newcomers. Home is where you have true friends. Not to get overly sentimental, but enjoy your time here. We get to spend our high school years in such an amazing place. I realize how lucky we are to be where we are and how great this experience is. And don’t forget to call your parents from time to time and just thank them for letting you be here. We have the best teachers and the best coaches who are on call whenever we need them. Don’t waste your time. Enjoy every day you get with the people you are here with. We seniors won’t be here in seven months. I didn’t believe it last year and I cannot believe I am already a senior, and soon I will be leaving one of the places I call home. What I am trying to say is this: Home is where your family is. Home is where you look forward to going and where you feel safe and loved. Home is where your friends are. And if you are ever in any trouble, a bit of duct tape will usually do the trick. Christian Anderson ’14 of Newport, Vt., can be reached at Christian_Anderson@stgeorges.edu.

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A little adversity just gets me going BY HANNAH MACAULAY ’14 Following is the script of a chapel talk delivered on Sept. 24, 2013.

’ve always been a rather blunt person. That being the case, I am going to come right out and say it: I am not really funny. I’ve never been witty and my jokes are typically the ones that end the laughter. However, even though I often know the outcome, I still make my awkward remarks, to no avail. One would think I would learn to just keep my jokes to myself after so many misfires; however, I never really

do that. Let this be a warning for my upcoming speech—as this is a literal situation that parallels the metaphorical one I am about to speak of. Say you are foraging in the woods in some backcountry and you come upon an electric fence. There is a big sign next to it displaying lightning bolts inside a big red circle with an X on top. Clearly the fence is electrified, this you know for sure. Now I don’t know about many of you, but I am sure there are some out there who would feel enticed to “test,” so to speak, if in fact the fence is electrified. The path veers to the

Hannah Macaulay ’14 breaks out her guitar for a song in the Auchincloss dorm common room.

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A talented artist, Hannah poses with just one of the items from her AP portfolio.

right at the fence, but you can sort of see that just beyond the fence there is a place where another path could be. There is something so enticing about it. You could live your life, walk on, never knowing if that fence will indeed shock you, or you could tap it lightly and figure out for sure if it would. So let’s just say you all are like me, and you decide to touch the fence. It’s electrified, all right. Your finger probably hurts a bit at this point. Now, this part might be a bit “shocking” to hear. But if you really are like me, you begin to question what will happen if you touch the fence again. You know it will shock you, but some tiny part of you questions, “What if it doesn’t?” And although you are fairly positive you know the outcome, you can’t stop the voice in your head. I would probably touch the fence again, because at that point I would think that whatever is beyond it must be amazing to need this much electricity to keep it contained. In fact, I would probably touch the fence until I was forced to give up

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because it is dangerous and it will indeed always produce an electric shock. This may make me seem crazy, so I will give you the choice to take this situation as you wish. The fence here, in case you haven’t realized it yet, parallels a setback or a hurdle in everyday life. The greatest obstacle I believe is failure, so in this situation, the fence represents potential failure, whereas the shock is actual failure, when it occurs. If someone were to feel the shock they should just walk away, yes? They learned how it feels and therefore realize they should just continue on, taking the hint. But where’s the adventure in that? Now, as I stray away from my metaphor, I understand this may seem a bit strange and contradictory to hear, but hear me out. When we honestly learn from failing or making mistakes, don’t we just give up and try something else? So when people are telling you, “Learn from your mistake,” aren’t they just saying “Never do that again”? I have found this to be true in many circumstances. Because in reality, a failure should tell you that whatever you are doing is not the thing for you. Just like with the electric fence, feeling the shock and abandoning the adventure means you lose an important part of your curiosity. Granted, I am not condoning extreme exposure to electric shock, but just because attempting to get by the fence might sting a bit doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Sometimes we find our metaphorical fences are way too high to feasibly climb over, but even then, if we fail getting over it once, why should we stop trying? Recently I’ve realized the importance of not learning from our failures or mistakes. That’s right, I said not. I don’t think it’s smart to learn from failing. To me, learning from a mistake is synonymous with giving up. Most people often say the opposite—they say mistakes are an opportunity to learn. Granted, people probably aren’t telling you to give up; they probably mean to evaluate what you have just done and maybe do something differently. But if you are stubborn like me you will simply go back again and do the same exact thing, full force. Take my life at St. George’s as an example. To start, I recently got cut from varsity soccer, for the fourth time. And not even that, my freshman year I

even got cut from JV soccer. Each time it’s been a little painful shock, but hey, if I learned from my failure I would have known just to stop trying back in my freshman year when I couldn’t even make JV. In fact, I will probably never get a varsity letter at SG. But hey, I still have two more seasons to try—and probably get cut again. Maybe by then I’ll understand I should just stick with my guitar and paintbrush. As another example, I’m not a school prefect even though I tried very hard to be one. You would think not getting elected should tell me I should retreat to my room and do homework all the time, yet here I am, as loud and as obnoxiously obsessed with this school as I was before. Also, every time I get up to sing during open-mic nights I always make a mistake or am really awkward. But even so, I’ve performed at every one. I got a B- in Visual Foundations, but then I took AP art the next year. My first grade in Spanish 1 my freshman year was too low even to say right now with any confidence, yet here I am reading literature in Spanish. Even now, I can’t make jokes, but I am trying to amuse all of you. If I learned from my failures, my many embarrassments or my mistakes, I would have taken many different paths very long ago. But thankfully a combination of my ignorance and stubbornness has prevented me from ever taking the hint when something didn’t work out as I would have liked. Sometimes, you just have to be reasonable. Everyone has to be realistic; after all, no one is prone to succeed. It’s human. We all eventually encounter our limits. I guess I’m trying to say that I think you can just bundle all that up: failures, mistakes and heartbreak, whatever you want to call it, and experience it, but not learn from it. What does it mean if you learn from heartbreak? Exactly! That it stinks and you should never get close to it again! This means you have learned to fear something, which is the opposite of what you should do. I guess if I wanted to be realistic I would say that these things should not teach you not to do something; rather, they should teach you not to go about something in that way. But I’m pretty stubborn, so even that is too much influence for me. Eventually, someday, today maybe, it will be the feeling of success that we will learn from. So yes, I’ve set myself up for some failures many

times in my life, but coming away from them is not at all what made me a better person. I didn’t learn some corny lesson to get back up and try again. I hope all of you who don’t know me very well don’t think that now I am some dismal pessimist who fails at everything she does. I mean, if those of you who do know me think that, maybe it means I give accurate first impressions. However, I personally don’t consider myself a pessimist in any sense of the word. My glass is always half full. My optimism is probably why I think I can be so honest in a conversation like this one. Well, that and confidence and comfort, which took many awkward and embarrassing moments to get to. My story may not be one full of failure, just as it may not be one full of success either, but it’s a story because I had the drive to make it my own. So maybe it makes me strange because not a lot can stop me, but that’s only because I’ve never learned from a mistake, even if I’ve made many. So here’s to all of you who, like me, would touch the electric fence until we realize we are crazy, climb the tree after a terrible fall, get back on the horse, jump back in the water, do it again, start from the top, or stand up and keep running. We don’t do these things because some motivational speaker told us to get back up; rather we do it because we are just the right amount of crazy. Agree with me or not, don’t learn from your failures. Indeed, look to Miley Cyrus as an example. “We Can’t Stop” is probably the worst song that was written this past year. But then, just when we least expect it, she trumps that with her “Wrecking Ball” music video. If Miley learned from her failures we would be lost in a world without her modern, angsty music. She is a perfect example of how our failures, in essence, often become our successes, eventually. There’s no guarantee we will ever reach any of our goals. In fact, there’s a big chance we never will. But eventually, with any luck, we will get close enough to realize maybe we want something different, and hopefully we will succeed at that. And even then, if we can’t do that, at least we don’t go to Middlesex. Hannah Macaulay ’14 of Carbondale, Colo., will attend Wellesley College this fall. She can be reached at Hannah_Macaulay@stgeorges.edu.

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Kendra L. Bower s ’12 1994-2014 Friends and family members recalled Kendra Bowers ’12 as a “compassionate,” “always positive”

Kendra (right) performs with the Snapdragons a cappella group during Parents Weekend 2011.

lover of nature and music during a “Celebration of Life” service held in the St. George’s Chapel on Feb. 9. Kendra, 19, died in a skiing accident at Sugarbush in Vermont on Feb. 1. A member of the St. George’s Choir and the female a cappella group, the Snapdragons, Kendra could often be heard around campus singing or laughing. She was known for her exuberance, her pranks— and her efforts to be in as many photographs as possible. A Facebook page called “Remembering Kendra Bowers” has many of them. Her funeral service at St. George’s was attended by hundreds and included performances by alumnae members of the Snapdragons as well as Zest, the a cappella group Kendra was a member of the University of Vermont where she was a student majoring in environmental sciences. Head of School Eric Peterson told those gathered, “I want to remember the bright and shining spirit that

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Kendra brought to the world.” He said that he would also remember that Kendra was always “overflowing with the joy of life” and that she once played an angel in the annual Christmas Festival. “Sing on with the angels,” he said, “and know that we all miss you.” Maggie Parke, who worked with Kendra at the Singing Eagle Lodge summer camp for girls on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, said that as a counselor Kendra was “idolized by the younger campers, because she listened to them … really listened.” “Every moment spent with that girl was magic,” Maggie said. “She was so full of love and energy.” Kendra’s older sister Kayla read a biographical essay Kendra had written when she was 11 and a student at St. Michael’s Country Day School in her hometown of Newport, R.I. The piece, tinged with humor, focused on Kendra’s love for her family and her pets— a dog, a cat and Henry the Hamster. Quoting lyrics from the Broadway musical, “Wicked,” Kayla said of Kendra, “I am who I am today because I knew you.” Certainly one of the most poignant parts of the service was when family friend Debbie Bussey read remarks written by Kendra’s mom, Kathy. She recalled a number of memories from Kendra’s youth, including a time she picked Kendra up from school in the fifth grade and a substitute teacher looked at her surprisingly when she told her she was Kendra’s mother. “You’re Kendra’s mom?!” the woman said. “Why that little Kendra … she could run this school all on her own!” “She had a fun and adventurous spirit,” her mom wrote. “And she extended her kindness to everyone.” At home Kendra was known as the “Green Police” because she asserted her environmentalist ways: recycle and don’t buy bottled water. Knowing Kendra’s cheeky side, she said the two often laughed over another of her tenets: “There’s really no need to bathe every day.” On the day she died Kendra called her mother to let her know that she had been picked up by family members and was heading to the mountain. Before she hung up, her last words were, “Mommy, I love you.” —Suzanne McGrady

GILBERT Y. TAVERNER ARCHIVES PHOTO COURTESY OF THE

Jack Doll ’52 was one of the first people I met when I began working at St. George’s in 1998. I was looking for an article idea for the St. George’s newsletter and our then Assistant Head of School Joe Gould told me Jack was researching the history of the chapel. It sounded like a good story, so I gave him a call. And there began my 15-year relationship with the straighttalking, white-haired, loveable curmudgeon who fought for and loved all things St. George’s—and who nearly singlehandedly changed the course of one of our most architecturally significant buildings. Since his re-arrival on campus that day, and through his advocacy, millions of dollars have been invested in the chapel—in much-needed repairs and in several magnificent new stained-glass windows, including the signature altar window. Besides the fact that we all now know what an architectural boss is. A local history buff who lived in Cranston, R.I., Jack had been volunteering as a tour guide at the John Brown House in Providence in the mid-1990s when someone asked him to arrange a tour of the St. George’s Chapel. Jack hadn’t been back to his alma mater since he graduated, but coming back to the Hilltop, he said, instilled in him a sense of pride and intrigue he hadn’t expected. From that time until he died late last summer, Jack made St. George’s—its chapel and its history—his “encore career” and the school benefited greatly from the gifts he gave of his time and energy. He dug up seemingly every bit of information there is on chapel donor John Nicholas Brown ’18. He researched the building and all its detail—and he took up the mantle of school archivist. Following in the footsteps of former Associate Chaplain Dr. Gilbert Y. Taverner, he became intensely protective—psychotic some even might say—about artifacts, photographs, anything related to St. George’s past. He spent years writing a comprehensive history of the chapel he called, “The Heart of the Hilltop,” and nearly 3,000 pages of articles on St. George’s traditions, buildings, former teachers and headmasters. When the Taverner Archives opened in 2001 he beamed bright with the pride of accomplishment and he took it upon himself to transfer his passion for St. George’s history to any student he

John G. “Jack” Doll ’52 1933-2013 could. Students such as Christy Mihos ’05, Sarah Coffin ’06, West Resendes ’08 and Sam Livingston ’10 were taken under his wing, and Jack would teach them as

“I would not be where I am today without Jack’s love and encouragement to follow my dream of preserving history.” —Sarah Coffin ’06 Photo Archivist for the Boston Red Sox

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much as he could about our past—and take them personally into his heart. After they graduated he spoke of them as fondly as grandchildren. And that was a good place to be: You wanted to be “in” —Barry Sloane ’52 with Jack, on his “right Longtime friend and classmate side,” for he would defend a comrade to the hilt— but pity the poor sap who rubbed him the wrong way. Jack had seen a lot in his life. We all knew that. The son of an Army officer, as a small boy, he was in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. He himself had served as an Army officer in Korea and Vietnam, and had seen the unspeakable horrors of Jack Doll ’52, archivist and school historian war. He wouldn’t talk about any of it, even if you emeritus (2008), spent pressed him. In his retirement, Jack chose to live in years in his retirement a state of selective memory, harnessing the good— writing the history of with a twinkle in his eye, especially at any mention of the St. George’s Chapel. his wife Dottie, whom he still seemed to blush at the

“In my opinion, Jack’s extensive

involvement with the chapel will

stand as his greatest legacy.”

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mere thought of. He had a good, infectious cackle and darned if he couldn’t tell a totally inappropriate joke to jolt you out of any overly serious mood you might be in. If even half of his tales of mischievous pranks from his youth were true, Jack as a student here must’ve been the bane of many teachers’ existence. And I swear he still would have shimmied up the outside of the chapel tower even last year if it were necessary nobly to defend the place. Jack was a younger Andy Rooney—unafraid to be a grouch when he wanted to be and yet unabashedly welling up with tears when something touched his heart. Jack died Aug. 8. 2013, just four months after his wife, Dottie. We miss him. I miss him. Jack, from all of us “kiddos” down here, know this: If the walls of the chapel could talk, they’d say (after reporting on that time you took Dottie in here), “Thank you.” —Suzanne McGrady

GILBERT Y. TAVERNER ARCHIVES PHOTO COURTESY OF THE

John A. “Archie” van Beuren 1932-2013

A memorial service in the St. George’s Chapel on Jan. 10 honored the life of one of St. George’s most generous benefactors, honorary trustee John A. “Archie” van Beuren, who died Dec. 23, 2013. He was 81. Mr. van Beuren’s son, Archbold D. van Beuren, also known as Archie, was the first to address the hundreds who gathered, offering a poignant remembrance of his father, whom he said was an awe-inspiring family man who never sought the spotlight. “Getting recognized just wasn’t high on my dad’s list of priorities,” he said. As a lifelong philanthropist who quietly yet passionately supported the local community, including St. George’s, van Beuren came to be known as a gentlemanly leader, strong minded, yet tender in spirit. “Thoughtful and generous were words that were often repeated” when referring to him, the younger van Beuren said. “He had an authenticity that was not corrupted by privilege. He accepted his background, but he wanted to be remembered for what he did— not who he was.” A member of a long line of family members with ties to St. George’s, Archie van Beuren served on the St. George’s Board of Trustees from 1977-1990. As a savvy and visionary member of the board’s invest-

ment committee, he is credited with helping to set the school on a solid path of financial stability. Fueled by gifts tendered through sound investment and spending policies, and the school saw exponential increases in the endowment during and term. His father Archbold van Beuren was a member of the St. George’s class of 1923, his brother Michael graduated in 1948, and his daughter Barbara graduated in 1975. His daughters, Andrea van Beuren and Barbara van Beuren, also spoke at the memorial service. Andrea thanked her dad for his many endearing qualities. He was “never boastful,” “never judgmental,” and a positive force that treated her as an “intellectual equal,” she said. Barbara van Beuren said her dad’s decision to leave the business world in his 40s to pursue a dream—a master of fine arts degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania—was an inspiration. He was a role model, she said, who always displayed a keen “sense of fairness,” and who, through his work with the van Beuren Charitable Foundation which has donated more than $50 million in support of local historic preservation, land conservation, education, health, animals and the arts, “learned to see

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ANDREA HANSEN

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Top: Archie receives the Howard B. Dean Service Award at Reunion Weekend 2008 in recognition of his exceptional service to the school.

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Newport in a whole different way.” As a newly minted architect in the late-1970s, van Beuren brought plans for a new St. George’s library, his senior thesis project at UPenn, to then Headmaster Tony Zane. “There was a groundswell of support for SG to build Archie’s library,” Zane said at the memorial service. When it was completed in 1978, the library was named in honor of his father-in-law, Nathaniel P. Hill, a member of the St. George’s class of 1915. Zane recalled telling Mr. van Beuren it was the only building project everyone seemed universally to like. “No one’s griping about it,” he says he told him, to which he recalled Mr. van Beuren quipped, “Well then, there must be something wrong with it.” Zane further recalled van Beuren as “a good listener” with a marvelous chuckle who evaded the limelight. Mr. Zane’s wife, Eusie, said Mr. van Beuren was so polite that he laughed at her jokes, even when they weren’t funny. The Rev. Erik Larsen, Rector of St. Columba’s Chapel, who presided over the memorial service, said in van Beuren’s later years, the two often talked about spirituality and van Beuren’s respect for and love of the “cathedral of the natural world.” He could often be found fly-fishing, and he loved the outdoors and the ocean. As with many who attended trustee dinners at the van Beurens, Zane said the image of Archie that will be etched in his memory is this: Mr. van Beuren, immaculately dressed, standing on the lawn of his home on Indian Avenue with his beloved wife, Happy. He is holding one of his little dogs, some of his seven grandchildren are around him—and he is welcoming a visitor with his trademark gap-toothed grin. Noted van Beuren’s decades-long friend Charles Mott, “Archie’s journey is over, but we’re better for having been a part of it.” —Suzanne McGrady

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By the time I first met Michael in 2006 he had chronicled his very full life in two autobiographies with stories about his beloved family, his schools, the war years, business ventures, travels, and encounters with the widely and lesser known. But it was another book some years later that would allow us to “share a giggle” whenever we spoke and visited with one another. Douglas Waller’s “Wild Bill Donovan—The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage” landed in stores in 2011. I don’t recall if Michael was reading the book at the time or if we had both seen some mention of it elsewhere. But in the course of a conversation one day about the war Michael mistakenly referred to me as “Bill Donovan from St. George’s.” He realized the blooper afterwards and quickly apologized. But as it always did, the twinkle in his eye was beaming brightly that day. The moniker “Donovan” stuck and thereafter Michael would greet me by this nickname with a boisterous holler, “Dunnn-O-Van!” “How are you old fellow?” I had graduated from “dear boy” to “old fellow” over the years but “Donovan” became my prize. Michael Foxton Wynne-Willson first arrived on St. George’s “wind-swept slope” in the fall of 1936 as an 18-year-old exchange student from Bristol, England, and Radley College. After his one year on the Hilltop had ended he returned home. Shortly thereafter World War II called him to service in the Royal Air Force. Thankfully, a lifetime of blessings—marriage, family, and a varied and purposeful professional life—were ahead. Michael returned to St. George’s whenever he could over the succeeding decades. He quickly and enthusiastically became a loyal volunteer and ambassador. “I just seem unable to stay away,” was how he put it when he described the pull and connection that “his first American home” had on him. Fortunately for us, his abiding affection and love for St. George’s and the faculty and friends he had met here never abated. Michael shared the gratitude he felt for the school with his son Mark who joined

Michael F. Wynne-Willson ’37 1919-2013

his father as an alumnus in 1973. It was no surprise to me that we sang “Jerusalem” and that Michael had asked that the School Prayer be recited at his memorial service in Boston’s venerable Trinity Church. The poem “High Flight” was also shared in one reflection. During his 94 years Michael truly “…danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings…climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds.” And along the way, for nearly 77 of those years, I don’t believe he ever lost sight of St. George’s and the experience he had here. More recently Michael and his dear wife, Anne, began hosting annual summer picnics for the Alumni/ae Office staff. This tradition began on the puddingstone of Purgatory Chasm and later moved to more navigable areas around campus. Michael was a lover of people, even fundraisers, and there were few people whom he met that he did not befriend in some way. In her homily, the priest at the celebration of Michael’s remarkable life rightly noted that he was a man who “lived with others in mind.” I remember that about Michael, and experienced firsthand the example he set for others to emulate. You are greatly missed Old Boy, and were a St. Georgian to your earthly end, and always. Bill “Donovan” Douglas is SG’s Director of Alumni/ae

Relations.

Michael, Anne and Mark WynneWillson ’73 at last year’s Reunion Weekend.

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Remembering Mandela When Nelson Mandela died on Dec. 5, 2013, the world mourned a revolutionary—and an SG alumnus who met him recalled him with reverence BY SYLVESTER MONROE ’69, P’95

Sylvester Monroe ’69, P’95 (sitting right in white shirt) was in the reporting pool when Nelson Mandela (bottom left) was released from prison in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1990.

s a journalist who has lived and worked all over the United States and had many assignments outside the country as well, I am often asked what is my favorite or most memorable story. My answer is that there are way too many to pick just one. However, a few of them stand out. Right up at the top is the assignment I got in February 1990 to fly to South Africa to cover the anticipated release of Nelson Mandela from prison. Meeting the man in

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Cape Town about three hours after his release was one of the highlights of my career. Those who know me well also know that I am not easily impressed by title or celebrity. But standing in Mandela’s presence at the Cape Town city hall, where I got the chance to shake his hand and ask him a few questions, left me awed in a way I rarely had been before or have been since then. And it wasn’t just me. A friend and fellow journalist named John

Alumni/ae news Sam Livingston ’10 was named a President’s Fellow at Trinity College. Just 31 seniors who’ve “compiled an exemplary record” in their first three years at the school earn the honor. The Society of President’s Fellow was established in 1974 to recognize outstanding student achievement in one’s respective major. Sam’s major is Public Policy and Law.

A page from the August 2008 edition of Ebony magazine, with a story by Sylvester Monroe ’69, P’95.

Davis, who was there for WBBM-TV in Chicago was so moved that just as he was about to interview Mr. Mandela on camera he burst into tears and fell into the great man’s arms. To really appreciate this moment, one would have to know that John is one of the toughest, streetwise reporters I know and one of the last I’d ever expect to break down like that on a story. But every one of us in that press delegation completely understood what he was feeling. Seventeen years later, I had the extraordinary opportunity to meet Mr. Mandela again in Johannesburg. I was traveling with former President Bill Clinton who stopped on his annual African visit to celebrate Mandela’s 89th birthday. Just as Mr. Clinton was about to formally introduce us, Mr. Mandela looked up from the chair he was sitting in and said: “I know that this is not the first time that we have met. We met in Cape Town.” I was blown away. But, it was just one more example of the extraordinary human being Nelson Mandela was. And my life has been forever changed by the few brief moments I shared in his presence.

Cornell University senior and star squash player Jessenia “Jesse” Pacheco ’10 was featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal on Dec. 13. Pacheco, who grew up in the Bronx and started her squash career in the urban sports program City Squash, is an All-American who’s dominated on the Ivy Jesse Pacheco ’10 League circuit. The article is headlined, “Ivy League Imports Squash Stars from Unlikely Places.” Robby Larkin ’98 was a presenter at the 2013 TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools) conference in Boston in December. Larkin, an entrepreneur focused on food and nutrition, offered a talk for the TABS Leadership Forum on “Boarding School & Entrepreneurship.” As the cofounder of two Austin, Texasbased companies — Daily Juice and Rhythm Super Foods, Larkin sees a market for “down-home tasty health food snacks” made from fresh, organic ingredients. Making the connection between boarding school and his business-minded spirit, he noted he was honored to participate. “I credit my time on the Hilltop as the most transformative experience in my life,” he said.

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Painting the light A profile of SG alum and Harvard Business School alumnus Derek Reist ’63, called “The Lit City” appeared in the January edition of Harvard magazine. Reist, an urban landscape painter, discusses sunlight and shadow in his work. The article is also online. Reist titled the painting at left, “Downtown Gold.”

If you watched any entertainment news over this winter you couldn’t help but notice Dede Gardner ’86 sharing the glamorous, award-season spotlight with her Hollywood colleagues— including her filmmaking partner, Brad Pitt. Pitt hired Gardner a few years ago to run the film production company Plan B Entertainment—and they may have just scored their biggest hit yet. At press time, the company’s latest project, “12 Years a Slave,” was racking up awards left and right. Gardner, who in an interview with Indiewire.com called Pitt “a kindred spirit” when it comes to movie-making, said Plan B is currently working on a number of projects, including “True Story,” a film that stars James Franco and Jonah Hill; and a film called “The Normal Heart” for HBO.

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Producers Jeremy Klein, Dede Gardner ’86 and Brad Pitt talk about their awardwinning film “12 Years A Slave” at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

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Abner Kingman ’87 won the prestigious Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Year Award for this stunning photograph taken during the America’s Cup Finals.

Writer Tad Friend tells the harrowing tale of Jason Mleczko ’98 (left), whose charter boat capsized off Nantucket last spring, in a compelling article in the Feb. 10, 2014, edition of the New Yorker magazine. The article, titled “Thicker Than Water: A Nantucket family’s trial at sea,” recounts in detail the rescue of Mleczko and four male passengers, who were rescued by Mleczko’s father, Tom, after spending four and a half hours in the water.

Now a senior at Stanford University, Anna McConnell ’09 (at right with her parents, Mike and Karen McConnell P’09) was one of two students who received the prestigious Kirsten Frohnmayer Research Prize for a student majoring in human biology last year. The endowed annual prize honors the life of Stanford graduate Kirsten Frohnmayer, who died at age 24 of Fanconi anemia, a genetic disease that causes bone marrow failure. Kirsten’s parents provide this prize to honor a human biology student who displays “significant academic excellence, true altruism, and the potential to make a difference.” Anna spent last summer in San Francisco working at Glide, a social services organization working on issues of homelessness and poverty.

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Alumni/ae of Color gather on the Hilltop

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The fifth biennial Alumni/ae of Color Conference took place at St. George’s Oct. 11-12, 2013, with a number of engaged alums returning to campus for the event. Highlights of the Friday evening program included talks by former chaplain, The Rt. Rev.

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Women in Leadership heads, Sasha Tory ’14, Hayley Durudogan ’14, Norah Hogan ’14 and R.I. State Senator Gayle Goldin.

The heads of the Women in Leadership Club—Sasha Tory ’14, Hayley Durudogan ’14 and Norah Hogan ’14, helped organize a visit to campus by

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Dr. Hays H. Rockwell, retired bishop of Missouri, and the acclaimed writer Sylvester Monroe ’69, P’95, who both spoke on integration at SG in the 1960s. Jack-Henry Day ’15, Catherine Farmer ’15 and Charlotte Dulay ’14 performed “Lean on Me” Friday night in Madeira Hall as part of the event. It was also announced at the conference that a new prize will be awarded on Prize Day in memory of Conrad Young, the first black student to attend St. George’s in 1963. The Conrad Young Prize will be presented to a member of the fifth form “who has contributed significantly to the school’s effort to become a more diverse, inclusive and respectful community through scholarship, leadership and character.” Photos from the Alumni/ae of Color Conference are in an album on our Facebook page.

R.I. State Senator Gayle Goldin on Jan. 27 as part of SG’s Crossroads Program. Goldin, who is the strategic initiatives officer for Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, spoke about gender equity and women in government to an interested group of students and faculty.

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Sylvester Monroe ’69, P’95; Nancy Corkery P’73, ’74, GP’07, ’08; and The Rt. Rev. Dr. Hays Rockwell reunite at the Alumni/ae of Color Conference in October.

U.S. Navy Capt. Francis Molinari delivered this year’s Veterans Day Chapel talk. Here, he is joined by his family—daughters Lillian and Anna ’16, and wife Lisa.

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Several Brown Bag Lunch programs offered by the Science Department this fall featured student presenters reflecting on their science-related summer experiences. Miranda Bakos ’14 outlined her experience at the University of Rhode Island’s Summer Engineering Academy and sixth-formers Tim Howe, Margaret Schroeder and Hannah Macaulay talked about their internships at the Instituto de Ciencias Materiales de Madrid (The Materials Science Institute of Madrid) during their trip to Spain with SG’s Global Cultural Initiatives Program.

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The esteemed physician and co-founder of Partners in Health, Dr. Paul Farmer, delivered St. George’s annual Burnett Lecture on the Environment Jan. 10. Dr. Farmer discussed PIH’s work in Haiti and Rwanda and ongoing global health issues. Of course his daughter, Catherine Farmer ’15, introduced her father to the audience. Photos of the event are on our Flickr.com site.

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Dr. Paul Farmer P’15, co-founder of the renowned Partners in Health organization and the subject of Tracy Kidder’s best-selling book, “Mountains Beyond Mountains,” was this year’s Burnett Lecture Series speaker.

Margaret Schroeder ’14 and Hannah Macaulay ’14 (top), and Tim Howe ’14 and Miranda Bakos ’14 (bottom), were among this year’s student presenters for the Science Department’s Brown Bag Lunch Series.

Third-former Janna Hedlund wowed the crowd Nov. 18 during a club game limbo competition at Assembly, winning a point for her club team by clearing the pole just a yard off the floor ... Watch the video on our YouTube channel to relive the suspense!

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It was “Twin Tuesday” on campus Nov. 5, in which students, including Red & White Editor-in-Chief Thomas Kits van Heyningen ’14 and School Prefect Peter Carrellas ’14 dressed identically as part of Spirit Week leading up to the Middlesex games, which were away in Concord this year. Other events included Mix-it-up Monday, Neon Wednesday and Throwback Thursday. Of course Friday was Black and Red Day.

Thomas Kits van Heyningen ’14 and Peter Carrellas ’14 get into the spirit on “Twin Day.”

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Campus happenings Another poignant and reflective Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel Service was organized by members of the Insight Club and included a series of readings, performed by Sage Hill ’14, Nick Flores ’14, Margaret Schroeder ’14, Andrea Suarez ’14, Cindy Zhang ’15, Charleen Martins Lopes ’15 and Irene Luperon ’15. Musical performances were by the Hilltoppers, and Laurie Germain ’15, Sydney Jarrett ’16, Charlotte Dulay ’14 and Catherine Farmer ’15, who sang “A Change is Gonna Come,” (arr. by Elodie Germain ’12.) The video is on our YouTube channel. Photos from the event are on Flickr. MOREAU

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The Jan. 21 Science Department Brown Bag Lunch featured a very entertaining talk by the founder and creator of Keen footwear, Martin Keen. Keen is the Jamestown, R.I.-based industrial designer behind the groundbreaking shoe company, which last year earned more than $350 million in sales. He’s now onto a new venture, Focal Upright Furniture, and his talk on design and marketing his new product definitely earned support from the audience, several of whom were sitting in uncomfortable folding chairs. (Ouch.) Keen was accompanied by Focal CFO Steven Kirkpatrick, father of Taylor Kirkpatrick ’16. Charlie Hitchcock, a former professor at Dartmouth and co-founder of the Frontier Design Group, delivered the Science Department’s Brown Bag talk on Oct. 21. A friend of math teacher Doug Lewis, Hitchcock gave an engaging talk on entrepreneurship and technology. Hitchcock, who said he spent a lot of time in high school “building things,” and earned his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon, has spent 35 years in the tech business, much of the time designing cutting-edge digital audio products and synthesizers. His most recent venture has taken off with the ’tween girl set: He designed the app “Video Star,” which had 1.5 million users last year.

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Charleen Martins Lopes ’15 (above) reads and Hilltoppers Jack Bermingham ’16 and Omari Davis ’16 sing at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel Service.

Martin Keen, founder of the popular shoe company, spoke to students interested in industrial design during a talk organized by the Science Department.

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Nine of St. George’s most talented artists have been honored with prestigious Rhode Island Scholastic Art Awards in this year’s competition. Winning “gold keys” for the most outstanding work were Toby Almeida ’17, for his drawing, “Façade;” Tim Archer ’14, for his sculpture portfolio; Avery Dodd ’14, for his drawing portfolio; Hayley Durudogan ’14, for her drawing, “Plate & Silver;” Catherine Rios ’16, for her drawing, “Christmas Ornaments;” and Claire Yoon ’14, for her drawing portfolio. “Silver keys” were awarded to Bud Fralick ’14, for his photograph, “Seeing Color;” Sophia McDonald ’14, for her sculpture “Ego” and her drawing “Peppers;” and Oasis Zhen ’17, for her drawing “Dinnerware.” The students were honored at an awards ceremony Jan. 26 at Salve Regina University. Visit the gallery of award-winning work, including Claire Yoon’s drawing, “Kittyface,” on our Facebook page. … Also noteworthy: Tim Archer’s A.P. 3-D portfolio is being touted online by the College Board as an ideal example of a student-crafted presentation of work.

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The cast of the fall play, “Macbeth,” performs in Madeira Hall in November.

Right: A thoughtprovoking sculpture by AP 3-D Design student Catherine Farmer ’15 rests outside the art center near the kiln.

Hats off to the cast of the Theater Department’s production of “Macbeth,” who performed Nov. 6, 7 and 9: Amirah Keaton ’14 (Malcolm), Norah Hogan ’14 (Lady Macbeth), Avery Dodd ’14 (Macbeth), John DeLuca ’14 (Duncan), Charleen Martins Lopes ’15 (Macduff), Charlotte Dulay ’14 (Ross), Hannah Macaulay ’14 (Banquo), Isabel Knott ’17 (Lady Macduff, Siward, and Servant), Chloe Lee ’15 (Seyton, A Bartender), Sarah Rezendes ’15 (Captain and Fleance), Billy Reed ’15 (Porter and Doctor), Hayley Durudogan ’14 (Murderer #1) and Will Simpson ’14 (Murderer #2). Photos from the play are up on our Flickr.com page. A Music Guild Oct. 21 featured vocal soloists Daisy Mayer ’17, Svenja Nanfelt ’17, Norah Hogan ’14, Julian Turner ’14 and Charlotte Dulay ’14 as well as the

Opposite page, bottom left: A self portrait by photography student Zahra Arabzada ’15.

SG Orchestra, the Jazz Ensemble and the SG “Super Group.” Videos of some of the performances are up on our YouTube Channel.

Opposite page, bottom right: A photograph by Laurie Germain ’15.

The Handbell Choir accompanied the SG Choir as they performed “Here I Am, Lord” at our Nov. 14 formal chapel service. The video is up on our YouTube Channel.

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A Music Guild Dec. 6 featured performances by mezzo soprano Charlotte Dulay ’14, pianist Chloe Farrick ’15, soprano Daisy Mayer ’17, mezzo soprano Norah Hogan ’14, tenor Julian Turner ’14, the Jazz Ensemble and the SG Orchestra. Videos are on our YouTube Channel. The annual Christmas Chapel service Dec. 12 featured performances by the Snapdragons and the Hilltoppers in their holiday-themed gear. Cookie

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Guevara ’15 had the solo in the Hilltoppers’ rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and Brooke Naylor ’17 performed a solo for the Snapdragons’ version of “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

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The Sonic Wallpaper Jazz Combo—Music Department Head Ed Mudrak, Andrew Lynch ’14, Julian Turner ’14, Drew Bailey ’17, Will Muessel ’16, Alex Cannell ’15 and Thomas Kits van Heyningen ’14—perform during an opening at the Hunter Gallery.

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It was a celebration of the arts on campus Jan. 17 with an opening in the Hunter Gallery, featuring a meet-and-greet with professional artist Eleanor Sabin; a performance by the Sonic Wallpaper Jazz Combo (Head of the Music Department Ed Mudrak, Andrew Lynch ’14, Julian Turner ’14, Drew Bailey ’17, William Muessel ’16, Alex Cannell ’15 and guitarist Thomas Kits van Heyningen ’14); and a performance by the Theater Foundation class (see photo p. 63), Photos are up on our Flickr site.

Artist Eleanor Sabin, whose work was on display in the Hunter Gallery this winter, discusses a sculpture with Bochu Ding ’17.

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Parents Weekend

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Opposite page, clockwise from top: Dakota Hill ’16, Richard Hill, Donsia Hill, Sage Hill ’14, Bill Moylan, Perry Moylan, Gigi Moylan ’14 and Rozie Moylan ’17; Adah Seo, Jiwoo Seo ’15 and Kevin Seo; Chloe Farrick ’15 and her mother, Tamara Farrick. Above, clockwise from top left: Carter Haley ’14 with his father, John; Laurie Germain ’15 and her mother, Margalie; Gino Roy ’15, Dejania Cotton-Samuel ’16, Avery Dodd ’14, Phillip Young ’15 and Agnes Enochs ’15 take in the applause after their presentation in the Field House during the Parents Weekend dinner event in October.

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Parents Weekend

A letter from home BY ERIC F. PETERSON

Following is the address delivered by the Head of School on Oct. 25, the first evening of Parents Weekend 2013.

Head of School Eric Peterson and his wife, Krista, attend a Parents Weekend football game with their sons, Will and Jake, at the Rectory School in Pomfret, Conn.

s those of you who have been here for Parents Weekend in years past may recall, this is one of my favorite nights of the year. I love the student performances we will see in a few minutes, and I invariably come away from them inspired, impressed and deeply humbled. This year I love that we are apparently going to forgo our traditional Parents Weekend howling Nor’easter with its cold, driving rain, and I love that once again all is right in the universe with the Red Sox having returned to the World Series. But by far, my favorite part of the weekend is getting to see all of you, the entire St. George’s family, made up of hundreds of your own families, gathered in one place, all together. I say this because professionally, we all live and work together here as something of an extended family, but also because family is something that matters a great deal to me personally. Krista and I have three sons, who like many faculty children, have been more or less raised on the campus. In that respect, the borders between our own family and the school family became happily smudged a long time ago. I’ve been thinking a lot this fall about families and

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Parents Weekends for another reason as well. Like many of you, Krista and I have our children away at school, and so we have been making the rounds of Parents Weekends at the college and boarding school our sons attend. In fact, I believe we have become connoisseurs of Parents Weekends, since this is the fourth such gathering we’ve attended in the last five weeks. … In the course of attending the various events and visiting our boys, it occurred to me that I was rapidly running out of opportunities to offer them some guidance, since too many of our text exchanges go something like; “How was your day?” followed by a reply of “Fine.” Now maybe this degree of communication brevity is a boy thing, but I think I can speak for many parents in suggesting we need a little more detail than that. More broadly, these curt exchanges got me thinking that perhaps the window of influence was closing more quickly than I’d planned, and so I decided to write our boys a letter, hoping to slip in a few last suggestions as they begin to engage the world on their own terms. And, since they are not here to be completely mortified by my sharing it, it also occurs to me that as the head of school it might be useful for me to share the letter with the extended school family. So, having only changed the salutation from “Dear Boys” to “Dear Dragons,” here is my letter to our sons and to all of you:

October 2013 Dear [Dragons], “Now that you are settled at your respective institutions, I thought I’d go old school and send you a short letter in hopes of providing a little guidance for you in the months and years ahead. I do realize of course that a letter seems quaint and old-fashioned, but it offers me the space to think through what I want to say, and you the chance to read through my words at your leisure, so please humor me on this. To begin with, I acknowledge the clear irony that I have reached the age where I finally have some worthwhile information and perspective to share at precisely the time when you’ve each reached the age when you’re most likely to disregard that advice. This is a cruel paradox that has persisted across all of human experience, and is something that I take as further proof that God has a strange and abiding sense of humor. In any case, please bear with me while I offer you some perspective as you stand on the doorstep of the world. As you have no doubt already noticed, high school and college can be really hard. So can life for that matter. Injustices abound, bad luck can spoil everything, evil people can go unchecked and sometimes are even rewarded. This is all true, and yet these things are mostly beyond your control, so don’t waste a lot of time worrying about them. Instead, make the world better by focusing on what you can control—the daily details of your life, and the attitude with which you choose to meet the world. With regard to the details of life, the bottom line is that you should expect to work very hard every day. There’s no way around this. Sometimes it will be a class that challenges you, sometimes it will be a relationship with a friend or a significant other, someday it will be a job or a coworker or a boss. Expect to work hard, no matter what, and learn to enjoy the struggle. Since you can be sure that something difficult will inevitably occur, I hope you will continue to focus on the one thing you can always control—your effort. In the end, you’ll find that things rarely turn out badly when you’ve done your very best. You will each recall the now-legendary episode that gave rise to our unofficial family slogan of “Stop hitting your brother with the shark…” As useful and sound as this advice might be, as an additional philosophy, I’ll re-

mind you of the adage I heard first from a St. George’s student to “See the job, do the job.” We can talk about the philosophy of the task, the importance or meaning of the task, the ‘process’ we should use in the task, but ultimately what matters is that the work gets done, and gets done well. Quit talking about it, worrying about it, making excuses for it, and just get on with it. If it’s easier to visualize this from a sports standpoint, then consider family motto version 3.0. Last week, a reporter asked one of the Red Sox players about the way in which they had approached their lengthy and successful atbats against a talented Detroit Tigers pitching staff. The player replied, “We grind, then we shine.” That’s as good a plan as any for a successful life, so if you need more than just seeing the job and doing the job, then be prepared to grind, and shine when you have the chance. Having said that, it’s fair to acknowledge that sometimes your best efforts to shine may still produce a disappointing result. When you find yourself struggling, be it in a class or in life, it’s really important to recall that life is hard for everyone at some point or another. It may look like someone else has it easy, but realize that there is often more going on than is evident to you. You don’t know, or may not be able to see their struggle, but you can be certain that there is one going on somewhere. There’s a famous quote that is often attributed to Plato, but is probably of more modern origin that says, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Whether ancient or modern, the quote is quite true, and it offers us two key points of reflection. First is the reminder that everyone is struggling with something, so you needn’t feel alone, or targeted by the universe when things go wrong. Second, and even more important, is the directive to be kind. This can be hard to do, but besides the need to do your best and get the work done, it’s one of the most important guide stars I can offer you. In any situation, and under all circumstances, being cruel is a choice. So is being kind. I realize that you have been raised in a world where kindness is often scorned as a form of weakness. Understand that this is not true and that kindness and weakness are not at all the same thing. On the contrary, kindness requires a level of courage and determination that cruelty never does. In fact, I can tell you without exception that the meanest people I have ever known have also been the biggest cowards. They use cruelty as a desperate shield to hide their own fear and vulnerability, hoping that they can distract themselves

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Parents Weekend and the world from their own shortcomings. So don’t head down the dark path of petty cruelty, no matter how justified you might feel. Instead, I hope that you have seen enough examples of kindness that you will choose to follow the road of courage and grace. Speaking of that, I hope you will work on being gracious to those around you. Again, this is tough, since you’ve come of age in a world that seems not just to overlook manners, but at times actively to campaign against them. Keep in mind that manners are not a way to make yourself look cool, or fancy, or to show off some perceived level of good breeding. That’s missing the point. Manners, and gracious actions are there to put other people at ease, to make them feel comfortable, valued, noticed, and appreciated. They are a generous, welcoming gesture, not something self-serving. Please treat everyone around you and especially those whom you someday come to love with the highest level of grace, and manners, and class. I raise this question in particular because one of the tools the world is using to rewrite its sense of manners is technology. As you know and sometimes tease me, I’m kind of a tech geek. I love gadgets, and if I’ve largely resisted the urge to jump into the world of social media, it’s because I also have a skeptic’s eye for the perils of technology. You, on the other hand, have never known a world without the Internet, have never known a world without GPS, or texting, or Google, or smartphones. How you find information, how you connect with one another, and how you understand the world are all different from the way our generation did. We thought photocopiers and fax machines were cool; you’ve seen smartphones and Twitter feeds topple governments and redraw the map. As a child of the Cold War, I often look at technology as akin to nuclear fission. Harnessed carefully and well, both can produce important and valuable benefits, albeit with some potentially problematic complications. On the other hand, left unchecked, either force can run out of control quickly, and produce real devastation. And, God help us, if it is “weaponized,” technology, just like an atomic bomb, can be used to destroy people’s lives and the worlds they inhabit. So with this unpleasant metaphor in mind, I cannot urge you strongly enough to handle your on-line lives with great care. Don’t be cruel, don’t be reckless, don’t be an Internet troll, cowering behind a keyboard and lobbing snark at the world. That is beneath any of us, and should be seen as the contemptible behavior it is. More broadly, do

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not ever post anything anywhere that you’d be uncomfortable explaining to me or to your mother. While we are on it, that is another pretty good life guideline: Avoid doing anything that you’d be uncomfortable explaining to your mother. But with regard to posting such foolishness online, keep in mind that it’s increasingly clear that anything and everything that you put online will live on somewhere, whether on a hard drive, the servers of Google, or in the files of the NSA. In short, the Internet is forever—be cautious. I realize at this point that I have far exceeded my 140-character limit for advice, so I’ll close with one last hope. I hope that in all you do, in school and beyond, that in addition to being kind and hard working and gracious, that you will seek and find the courage that lies inside each of you. Your experiences in school and in life will test you, and perhaps they already have in various ways. But know that inside each of you lies an ember of courage, and you need only to find the right time, and the right ways to fan that ember into flame. It might come in a dramatic, public way, but my guess is that it will come in some smaller, subtle way, perhaps in one visible only to yourself. If you aren’t sure you can reach your courage, if you’re not sure you have it in you to do the right thing, or to give your best, you need only remember two things. The first and most obvious is that your family loves you. We always have, and we always will, no matter what, now and forever. The second comes from the Bible, and it’s the most common phrase that appears in the entire text—“Be not afraid.” Again and again in this sacred text as in so many others, we are reminded as humans not to let our fear own us. Instead, embrace your courage, bring it into flame and use it to light the way for yourself and those around you. With that, I will sign off. Feel free to write, or email or text back, but no matter what, remember that we’re proud of you, and keep up the good work.” So Dragons, though this letter was written for my boys, I share it with all of you in the spirit of family, and in the abiding hope for your continued success, this year and in every year ahead. Thanks again for being here tonight, and for being a part of St. George’s. Enjoy the evening. Eric F. Peterson has been the Head of School since 2004. He can be reached at Eric_Peterson@stgeorges.edu.

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The photo (right) from the Gilbert Y. Taverner Archives was taken by Miss Emily Diman, sister of the school’s founder, the Rev. John B. Diman, in 1909. She titled it “Autumn Holiday,” when the boys had a chance for some fun during time off from class. The colorization (above) was done by Maggie Mead ’14 as part of a special project this fall.

Maggie Mead ’14 was working on a photography project last fall, colorizing some old black and white photos, when English teacher and special projects coordinator Patricia Lothrop had an idea: Why not head down to St. George’s Gilbert Y. Taverner Archives to get some old images? The results have been pretty breathtaking, as evidenced by the colorized photo above. Inspired by colorized photos of Abraham Lincoln and other Civil War photos online, and working under the guidance of art teacher Ted Sturtevant ’96, Mead wanted to hone her Photoshop skills throughout the project. Though time-consuming, she said, adding realistic tints to several images taken by Miss Emily Diman in the early 20th century was pretty eye opening. “Suddenly what you’re looking at actually happened, it’s not

just a photo,” she said. Mead said she has been taking photographs since she was 10, when she first took up the hobby at camp. Working with Photoshop has been an extension of her skills. Sturtevant said Mead is “a very capable student,” whose talents fit perfectly with the project. He would encourage her to do research before making her color choices. “What does an old skate really look like?” he said. “It’s about layering and creating depth.” In a well-done colorization, he said, “You really get a sense of the texture of the world [the subjects] were in.” On Mead’s plate now: A photo of the St. George’s baseball team from the first years of the school and another of three boys on the quad when it was a tennis court. It’s a project Mead said she now works on during her free time. “A shirt here ... a shoe there.” S T. G E O R G E ’ S 2 0 1 4 W I N T E R / S P R I N G B U L L E T I N

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Students from VERSLO (The Commercial College of Iceland) visited St. George’s in the fall.

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Serena Shen, director of curriculum at our sister school—the YK Pao School in Shanghai (below right)—joined the SG community for 10 days in February to visit classes and meet with students and faculty. Allison de Horsey, faculty liaison to the Merck-Horton Center and global programs (below left), coordinated the visit—part of an ongoing exchange.

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We have three students studying abroad this school year: Jessica Park ’15 is with the SYA (School Year Abroad) program in China, Erin Keating ’15 is at the SYA program in Spain, and Lilly Schopp ’15 is studying in Jordan as part of the Arabic Year Program at King’s Academy.

Jessica Park ’15 is spending this year with the School Year Abroad program in China.

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Erin Keating ’15 (left) at Templo de Debod in Madrid, Spain, where she is studying with the School Year Abroad program.

Director of Library Services Holly Nagib will travel to Jordan in March as part of an ongoing exchange with King’s Academy.

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A group of students and a faculty chaperone from Reykjavík, Iceland, (opposite page, bottom left) visited campus in September as part of our ongoing exchange with VERSLO (The Commercial College of Iceland). Several local families served as hosts. The visit ended with a party and s’mores on the King Hall Terrace. In March a group of St. George’s students, led by Administrative Technology Coordinator Ed McGinnis and English teacher Ali Glassie ’04, will reciprocate; they’ll visit Iceland for 10 days of cultural exchange.

Sophomores Christine Court, Simon Jones and Nick Frankenfeld (above) joined the community from South Africa last fall—living and studying at St. George’s as part of an exchange program. Christine is a student at Westerford in Cape Town, Simon attends St. John’s in Johannesburg, and Nick is a student at Bishop’s in Cape Town.

Global Studies students to work alongside locals in the D.R. Twenty-three seniors enrolled in the Global Studies Seminar course this year are traveling to the Dominican Republic to take part in a nine-day trip focused on cultural immersion and community service. For the March trip, St. George’s is partnering with Education First and the nonprofit organization ADESJO, the Association for the Development of San Jose de Ocoa, whose goal is “to provide rural Dominicans the training and support necessary for them to improve their economic and social standing.” Students will be living alongside Dominicans, learning about the rural lifestyle in the country’s southern highlands, and participating in a sustainable development initiative that includes the local environment, infrastructure, health care and education.

After flying into Santo Domingo, the students will spend time in San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan and Rancho Platon. Service projects on the itinerary include simple home construction, reforestation, soil conservation methods, computer literacy classes, English language instruction, trail building and visits to local medical clinics. Another highlight of the trip will be a visit to Elias Pina on the Haitian Dominican border. There the students will be painting three murals to promote HIV awareness—a special project for the global healthcare nonprofit Partners in Health (Socios En Salud). Students will also have the chance to meet with U.S. Embassy personnel and Peace Corps staff. Look for photos from the trip and more information in the Summer Bulletin.

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The fall crew of Geronimo gets a preliminary lesson in hoisting the sail before heading to the Bahamas. The Fall 2013 crew of Geronimo headed out from Newport on their way to the Bahamas in September. On the boat were fourth formers Eleanor Crudgington, Vivian Foley, Audrey Lin, Jonathan Tesoro, Riley Freeman, Kyle Burns and Chad Kilvert. On Jan. 31, we said “Bon voyage!” to the Winter

2014 crew (below)— Cecilia Masiello ’14, Buckley Carlson ’15, Lexi LaShelle ’14, Peyton MacNaught ’14, Avery Dodd ’14, Agnes Enochs ’15, Maggie Mead ’14 and Alden Pexton ’15—as they headed down to the sunny Bahamas for seven weeks of sail training and marine research—(and keeping up with their homework from back on the Hilltop, of course)...

PHOTO COURTESY OF

MIKE DAWSON

Follow Geronimo on all its voyages via the St. George’s website!

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FALL ATHLETES MAKE THEIR MARK 2 013 S T . G E O R G E ’ S FA L L AT H L E T I C AW A R D S BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Galvin Cross Country Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Josiah Adams Cross Country Coaches’ Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Lynch Cross Country Most Improved Award . . . . . . . . . . Peter Carrellas All-ISL, honorable mention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Josiah Adams Captains-elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TBA

Soccer Most Valuable Player Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Boule Soccer Coaches’ Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gigi Moylan Soccer Most Improved Player Award . . . . . . Toni Woods-Maignan All-ISL, first team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Boule ProJo All-State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Boule Captain-elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Kallfelz

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY Galvin Cross Country Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mia Del Rosso Cross Country Coaches’ Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margaret Schroeder Cross Country Most Improved Award . . . . . . . . . . .Anna Molinari All-ISL, first team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mia Del Rosso All-New England, Division III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mia Del Rosso ProJo All-State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mia Del Rosso Captains-elect . . . . . . . Elizabeth Millar, Natasha Zobel de Ayala

FIELD HOCKEY

PHOTO BY J EREMY

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Walsh Field Hockey Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camilla Cabot Field Hockey Coaches’ Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophie Barker Field Hockey Most Improved Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Soares All-ISL, first team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katelyn Hutchinson ProJo All-State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katelyn Hutchinson Captains-elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Hedlund (c), . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michaela Ahern (a), Maggie Small (a)

FOOTBALL

WALKER III PHOTOGRAPHY

Thayer Football Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill Claggett Football Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christian Anderson Mackay Most Improved Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zurab Akirtava All-NEPSFCA, Class C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill All-ISL, first team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill, Jonathan Lumley All-ISL, honorable mention . . . . Cory Davis, Christian Anderson, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Holcombe, Isaac McCray ProJo All-State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill, Isaac McCray Captains-elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zurab Akirtava, Jonathan Lumley, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Holcombe, Connor Fitzgerald

Soccer Most Valuable Player Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnny Kim Soccer Coaches’ Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conor Ingari McIlhinny Most Improved Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will Bemis NEPSSA Senior All-Star Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnny Kim NEPSSA Junior All-Star Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip Young All-ISL, first team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnny Kim All-ISL, honorable mention . . . . . . . . . Chad Ziadie, Carter Haley ProJo All-State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnny Kim Captain-elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conor Ingari

PHOTO BY LOUIS

BOYS’ SOCCER

Top: Camilla Cabot ’14, winner of the Walsh Field Hockey Bowl, goes for the ball during a game against Governor’s Academy. Above: Isaac McCray ’17 evades a tackle during the Parents Weekend game against Rivers. S T. G E O R G E ’ S 2 0 1 4 W I N T E R / S P R I N G B U L L E T I N

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R AY GAO ’15

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Above left: Varsity soccer player Tully Ross ’14 challenges her opponent during the Friday Night Lights game this fall. Below left: Sailor Roger Dorr ’14 competes in the ISA’s Singlehanded Championship race in Newport.

Talented sailor Roger Dorr ’14 represented St. George’s in November at the Interscholastic Sailing Association’s Singlehanded Championship races at Sail Newport. SG hosted the event. It was a merry December for the girls’ varsity hockey and basketball teams: Both were victorious in holiday tournaments at the start of the Christmas break. The hockey team won the 2013 Howard Invitational—and Andie Plumeri ’14 was selected MVP of the tournament. The basketball team beat out Portsmouth

Abbey School, St. Andrew’s School and Westminster School at the Girls’ Basketball Holiday Classic. Last year, we had our first “Friday Night Lights” game at St. George’s (above)—and this year the tradition continued. The girls varsity soccer team—captained by Gigi Moylan ’14, Carly Mey ’14 and Emily Kallfelz ’15—went toe-to-toe with a formidable Portsmouth High School team Sept. 20 to end the contest in a nil-nil tie. As for fan spirit: The face painting was taken to new heights. Check out the photos on our Flickr.com page.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE

HARRISON PAIGE ’15

UNIVERSIT Y OF MASSACHUSETTS ATHLETIC OFFICE

Below right: Tyshon Henderson ’13 looks impressive on the offensive line for UMass Amherst.

Sage Hill ’14 was named a “Prep Player of the Week” by the Boston Globe Oct. 27. A senior captain of the varsity football team, Hill accounted for 170 yards of total offense, recovered a fumble, made seven tackles, and threw two touchdowns—including the game winner—in the Dragons’ 13-7 win over Rivers Oct. 26.

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EVANS PHOTO BY TOM

St. George’s runner Mia Del Rosso ’17 took the early lead over almost 200 runners at the start of the Girls’ 2013 Division III New England Cross-Country Championship meet held on the Hilltop Nov. 9—and went on to finish in an outstanding third place overall. The SG girls’ team placed fourth out of 26 girls’ teams, and the SG boys’ team placed 10th out of 22. Overall more than 700 runners took to the SG course— renowned as one of the most challenging in the region—that day.

Crossing the finish line with her father, Emily Kallfelz ’15 came in a very impressive second place in

PHOTO BY J EREMY

This year, we’ve had our eyes on a number of recent alums continuing to play at the top of their game. Notably from the Class of 2013: Rahil Fazelbhoy (University of Pennsylvania, squash), Will Fleming (Middlebury College, football), Tyshon Henderson (University of Massachusetts-Amherst, football), Stathi Kyriakides (University of Richmond, tennis), Matthew Lau-Hansen (Connecticut College, sailing) Shannon Leonard (Marist College, soccer), Michael McGinnis (Ithaca College, swimming), Oona Pritchard (Claremont College, lacrosse), Michael “Buddy” Reed (University of Florida, baseball), Kemi Richardson (Claremont College, lacrosse) Theresa Salud (Hamilton College, basketball) and Max Simmons (Boston College, sailing).

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the Under-19 female division of the 4.1-mile Pell Bridge Run on Nov. 10. Emily finished the race in 31:16. The event raises money for local nonprofits and is the only time pedestrians are allowed to run or walk across the Claiborne Pell Bridge from Jamestown to downtown Newport.

In September the captains and coaches of our fall sports teams—field hockey, football, soccer and cross-country—took part in a special program for the ISL schools at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., featuring keynote speaker Wyc Grossbec, co-owner of the Boston Celtics. The program was part of an ongoing Positive Coaching Alliance program. Pictured above are Jorge Melendez ’14, Cecilia Masiello ’14, Emily Kallfelz ’15, Margaret Schroeder ’14, Sage Hill ’14, Camilla Cabot ’14, Lexi LaShelle ’14, Carly Mey ’14, Sasha Tory ’14, Gigi Moylan ’14, Andrew Lynch ’14, Johnny Kim ’14, Will Hill ’14, Peter Carrellas ’14, Christian Anderson ’14, Coach Jim Connor, Coach Abbie DiPalma, Coach Ray Woishek ’89, Coach Linda Evans and Coach Jeremy Goldstein.

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PHOTO BY J EREMY

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Faculty/Staff notes

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Above: Faculty members described their summer work to visitors during a professional development fair in the library. Below: Spanish teacher Mafalda Nula visits the home of Jorge Luis Borges in Buenos Aires.

MAFALDA NULA

Faculty members who participated in special summer projects set up displays and were on hand to explain their work during a “Professional Development Fair” in the library this fall. Several of the summer projects were made possible thanks to the Elizabeth and Robert Mandor P’14 Educational Enrichment Fund. While visiting family and friends in Córdoba and Mendoza, Argentina, Spanish teacher Mafalda Nula (below right) said she took the opportunity to do some research into the lives and work of Jorge Luis Borges and Pablo Neruda for a new course being offered this year: Advanced Spanish. Nula went to Buenos Aires for two days to visit Borges’ house and museum, then on to Café Tortoni, one of the landmarks of the city, and one that the author frequented. On her way back from Mendoza, she stopped in Santiago, Chile, for two days and visited Isla Negra and La Chascona, two of the residences of Pablo Neruda. “I also had lunch at Como agua para chocolate, a restaurant in Santiago named after the famous novel by Laura Esquivel, another author whom we will be studying,” she said. During all the visits Nula said she talked to several of the locals about the authors. “I gained invaluable insight,” she said. “I know that I will

be able to transmit to my students my first-hand experiences in the places where the authors lived, wrote and found inspiration.” Among the other projects outlined at the fair: English teacher Beezie Bickford researched oral history in preparation for a revamp of the third-form year biography project (this year students are set to interview alumni/ae rather than grandparents); History Department Head Jim Connor traveled to Germany to conduct research for his WWII history elective; Director of Community Service Margaret Connor traveled to Indonesia with the Wadah Foundation to set up a service trip for students; Math Department Head Linda Evans participated in a service trip to Costa Rica; Art teacher Lisa Hansel worked toward her Yoga Teacher Training certificate; and Art Department Head Mike Hansel ’76 and art teacher Ted Sturtevant ’96 built a gas kiln for use by students this year.

PHOTO COURTESY OF

Faculty Show-and-Tell

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C AMP L AUREL

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PHOTO COURTESY OF

Head of the Science Department Holly Williams and her husband, math teacher Warren Williams (above center) were honored this past summer for their dedicated service to Camp Laurel, an overnight summer camp for kids ages 7-15 in Readfield, Maine. The two have been working at the camp for the past 35 years. Director of the Merck-Horton Center for Teaching and Learning Tom Callahan, Liaison to Global Programs and the Merck-Horton Center Allison de Horsey and Head of School Eric Peterson attended a luncheon in Boston on Oct. 18 to honor Al Merck ’39, P’76 (right). The event was held to honor and celebrate Merck’s widespread support of

Former Senior Prefect Stephanie Johnson ’10, who recently graduated early from the University of Pennsylvania, joined the College Counseling Office staff this winter as a fellow.

teaching and learning. We at St. George’s are especially grateful to Mr. Merck—whose generosity led to the establishment of our own learning center in the Hill Library.

Stevens earns fellowship Science teacher and Fourth-Form Dean James Stevens (second from left) earned a coveted Adele and Louis Osherson Fellowship to attend a two-week-long workshop at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, Calif., this winter. The workshop, led by counseling professionals, is designed to help participants develop more effective counseling and listening skills. During his time there, Stevens said he studied psychoanalytic principles with the faculty and students of the university’s clinical psychology doctoral program to further develop his ability “to form meaningful relationships with my students, advisees and colleagues. “Aside from clearing up some misconceptions I had about psychoanalytic therapy, the Fellowship

provided me with a significant appreciation for just how similar the work of a therapist and teacher can be,” he said. “Ultimately, as teachers, we aim to provide our students with safe but challenging environments so that they can explore who they are and what they know.”

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The results are in from the school’s first charity swimathon organized by Camilla Cabot ’14, Elizabeth Millar ’15 and Natasha Zobel de Ayala ’15—and all we can say is, “Wow!” Thirty-four volunteer swimmers earned sponsorships totaling a whopping $10,123.20 for the American Red Cross Typhoon Relief Fund for the people impacted by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Aubrey Salmon ’14 took the top spot in number of laps completed at the Dec. 8 event with 207. Thank you to all the very generous donors who supported the cause. Photos are on our Flickr.com site.

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After Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines this fall, School Chaplain Jeff Lewis told students during a chapel service, “We need to do something.” Elizabeth Millar ’15 brought her idea—a swimathon—to Community Service Director Margaret Connor—and boy did “something” happen: On Dec. 8 volunteer swimmers helped raise more than $10,000 for the American Red Cross Typhoon Relief Fund.

Things were a little hairy around here in February: As a way to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, male members of the St. George’s community could forgo shaving for the month if they donated $10 to the organization. Senior Prefect Alec Goodrich ’14 helped to organize the student volunteers. All those not growing a beard were encouraged to sponsor a participant in the challenge, affectionately dubbed “Feb-beard-ary,” (though we realize that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue!) The Community Service Council—headed by sixth-formers Norah Hogan, Camilla Cabot and Hannah Todd—organized a “Service Sundays” pro-

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gram this year to offer students a chance to help others on the weekends. Opportunities have included helping out at local shelters and raising money for local charities. Kicking off the program on Sept. 5, Natasha Zobel de Ayala ’15, Norah Hogan ’14, Christina Malin ’15, Margaret Todd ’17 and Hannah Todd ’14 participated in the StarKids bike race to raise money for the StarKids academic scholarship program for underprivileged kids in Newport and Fall River, Mass. Students also make regular trips to the local Salvation Army soup kitchen. A number of student-led community service initiatives this year have benefitted those in need. Camilla Cabot ’14, Hannah Todd ’14 and Norah Hogan ’14 headed up the Angel Tree Project to raise money for the Salvation Army during the Christmas season. Sarah Braman ’15 organized a clothing drive for Cradles-to-Crayons, a nonprofit that provides clothes for underprivileged children in the Boston area. The R.I. Latino Dollars for Scholars organization honored Margaret Schroeder ’14 and the St. George’s Spanish Honors Society for their efforts raising more than $1,000 toward a scholarship that will help high school student Juan Villa, a Rhode Island resident born in Columbia, attend the college of engineering at the University of Rhode Island.

PHOTO BY

MARY O’CONNOR

Margaret Schroeder ’14, Julia Goins ’15 and Rozie Moylan ’17 helped collect donations during the 30th annual Feed-a Friend Food Drive in October.

These other entities also benefitted from the community’s generosity so far this school year: • The Cheetah Conservation Fund and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The dress-down day was organized by Sam Loomis ’14 along with Chad Kilvert ’16 and Peggy Kilvert ’14, all of whom visited Africa last summer, spending time at the wildlife preserves. • The Woishek family—and our beloved family member Ray Woishek Sr. P’89, ’91, ’03, who is suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Family friend Janet Rosa, SG registrar, organized a dress-down day. • Ryan’s Battle Buddies. Megan Daknis ’13, the daughter of two active-duty Army officers, organized the effort. • The Alzheimer’s Association of Rhode Island. Thomas Kits van Heyningen ’14 organized a dressdown day. • Schools in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Callie Randall ’14 was close to the cause.

MARGARET CONNOR

St. George’s 30th annual Feed-a-Friend Food Drive took place this year on Sunday, Oct. 20. St. George’s student volunteers gathered donated food from Middletown residents—an effort that contributes significantly to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center’s annual holiday-basket program.

• YMCA Middletown. A dress-down day was organized by Student Activities Director Mary O’Connor. • Katy’s Courage. Becky Howe ’15 organized a dress-down day. • Water for Cambodia Charitable Trust. Faculty member Kathleen Troost-Cramer organized a dress-down day. • KIPP DC. Teddy Carter ’14 organized a dress-down day. • Technology for Liberia. Director of Housekeeping Luis Carrion organized a dress-down day.

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Margaret, along with Spanish teacher Millie Howe P’14, ’15 and Grace Polk ’14, attended the organization’s honorary banquet on Jan. 11.

Members of the Community Service Council served as volunteers at the annual Harvest Fair at the Norman Bird Sanctuary Sunday, Oct. 6.

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The school year began on a high note. Convocation on Sept. 5, 2013, brought the community together in the chapel to celebrate the opening of the school year, as well as to recognize the academic

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U.S. gains a citizen who can salsa

Born to Miguel and Ana Kelly in Honduras in 1997, Michael Kelly ’15 (right) realized a dream this fall when he became a U.S. citizen at a ceremony in New York City. Kelly, shown here with his varsity squash coach, Colin Mort, came to St. George’s through City Squash, an afterschool enrichment program based in the Bronx. A die-hard Yankees fan who loves to cook and who has two sisters, Kelly said his parents “always put themselves after us.” Life is filled with hard work and “nothing comes easy,” Kelly said. But with his newfound citizenship, he noted, “A door has opened to more opportunities.”

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accomplishments of a number of gifted students: Seven of St. George’s most outstanding scholars were inducted into the prestigious Cum Laude Society: (Above) Sixth-formers Edward Hill Carter, Qinwen (Wendy) Huang, John Jongmin Kim, Margaret Elizabeth Schroeder, Seung Hyouk Shin, William Eberlein Simpson and Jieun (Claire) Yoon. Prizes were awarded to Laura Elizabeth Edson ’16 and Caroline Allen Macaulay ’16 (for highest scholarship in the third form), Yimin “Betty” Xie ’15 (for highest scholarship in the fourth form), John Jongmin Kim ’14 (for highest scholarship in the fifth form), Edward Hill Carter ’14 (The Pell Medal for United States History, The Physics Prize and The Yale Prize), Robert Loux Woodard ’14 (The Pell Medal for United States History), Elizabeth Hale Scheibe ’15 (Americas Society Prize/intermediate Spanish and the Prescott Bible and Theology Prize), John Jongmin Kim ’14 (Renssalaer Prize/math and science), Yimin “Betty” Xie ’15 (Robinson Chemistry Prize) and Allison Vanier Williams ’15 (The McCagg Prize/intermediate Latin). Hayley Elizabeth Lee Durudogan ’14 was the winner of the Alliance Française Prize for excellence in intermediate French. A large gallery of Convocation photos is on our Flickr.com site. Video of Head of School Eric Peterson’s Convocation Address is on his page on our website.

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Lilly Scheibe ’15 and Teddy Carter ’14 (above) were declared the winners of the fifth- and sixth-form semifinal of the All-School Debate this winter. They faced one another in the finals Jan. 24 in Madeira Hall. Also on stage were Annie Kim ’16 and Chase Hedlund ’17, who debated each other after winning the third- and fourth-form semifinal. This year’s co-chairs History Department Head Jim Connor and Luc Woodard ’14, organized the event. Masters of discourse Teddy and Chase were declared the overall winners following the final. Photos from the event are in our Flickr gallery.

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In student elections this school year, Taylor Kirkpatrick ’16 and Sterling Etheridge ’15 were voted members of the Honor Board. Meanwhile Tim Baumann ’16, Caroline Macaulay ’16, Jonathan Tesoro ’16, Ray Gao ’15, Alden Pexton ’15 and Allison Williams ’15 won places on the Student Council. Based on their outstanding performance on the 2012 PSAT, sixth-formers Tim Howe and Margaret Schroeder were named semifinalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program. Two of just 16,000 U.S. high school students to earn the honor, they will now compete for approximately 8,000 scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered this spring.

Toni Woods Maignan ’16, Sydney Jarrett ’16, Andrea Suarez ’14 and Odom Sam ’16 attended the Student

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Six students have been inducted into the National Chinese Honor Society. They are Amanda Warren ’15, Emily Kallfelz ’15, Yul Hee Kim ’15, Irene Luperon ’15, Ian Chun ’14 and Edgar Lee ’14. To be inducted into the honor society, students must have taken Chinese for two years, having never received a grade lower than an A-.

MARY O’CONNOR

Diversity Leadership Conference in National Harbor, Md., Dec. 5-7. Hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9–12) from around the country. Participants examined issues of social justice, developed effective cross-cultural communication skills, practiced expression through the arts, and learned networking principles and strategies.

Thirteen students were inducted into the Spanish National Honor Society during a ceremony in the chapel this fall. Pictured are: (in the back row) Aubrey Salmon ’14, Teddy Carter ’14, Drew Duff ’14, Will Anderson ’14, Alexa Santry ’14, Joey Asbel ’15; and (in the front row) Ito Orobator ’14, Becky Howe ’15, Lilly Scheibe ’15, Gigi Moylan ’14, Bessie Yan ’16, Margaret Schroeder ’14 and Katherine Bauer ’14.

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EDGAR LEE ’14

Chinese and me BY EDGAR LEE ’14 Edgar Lee ’14 with his sister, Victoria Lee ’16 and parents Khim Hong Poh and Arthur Lee.

Editor’s note: Three St. George’s students were top winners in the 10th National Chinese Essay Contest sponsored by the Chinese Language Association of Secondary Schools in November. Claire Yoon ’14 and Seung Shin ’14 both of Seoul, Korea, won first-place awards at the advanced level of the non-heritage section. The following essay by Edgar Lee ’14 of Singapore received the Golden Apple Award (first place) at the advanced level of the heritage program (for students of Chinese descent). There are many different languages in the world today. Similarly, Singapore’s schools also have a lot of languages for students to learn. They can choose to learn Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, Malay, etc. Why did I decide to learn Mandarin? Besides wanting to understand my racial and national identity, I also feel that learning Mandarin allows students to learn about China from a Chinese perspective. Language has a great impact on a Singaporean’s life. As Singapore contains many diverse nationalities, learning a new language allows us to connect with a lot of strangers of different racial backgrounds. Furthermore, as

Singapore’s population is predominantly Chinese, it was necessary for me to be able to interact with people of my own race. When I was young, however, I felt that learning Mandarin was a huge waste of time, feeling that the government shouldn’t have made learning a second language mandatory for students. My perspective changed when, one day, I was talking to a few students I had just met. They were transfer students from China, and as their English wasn’t very good I began to use Mandarin when speaking with them. A few hours later, reflecting on my experience on the way home, I realized that it was only my knowledge of Mandarin that had allowed me to talk and make friends with the complete strangers. Learning Mandarin also allows me to learn about my race’s culture and history. Every new proverb or short story that I learn allows me to understand my ancestors’ lifestyles and enjoy their collective wisdom. Considering this, one could say that Mandarin lessons are half language class and half history class. Every day, I observe examples of proverbs such as “守株待兔” (Don’t sit around and wait for opportunities to come to you), “三心二意” (of two minds, half-

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hearted) and “班门弄斧” (teaching fish to swim) happening around me. It is said: “If we do not learn from history, we will repeat our ancestors’ mistakes.” If we learn from the aforementioned examples, we will be able to improve our lifestyles and work ethics. When we learn Mandarin, we are not only learning to write and speak the way the Chinese do, we are also learning to think they way they do. The attitude of the Chinese toward everyday life differs significantly from that of people from other countries. I feel that the Chinese have a calculated way of thinking, showing care toward events happening around the world. Everyone could learn a thing or two from them; students who learn Mandarin will help us to understand the Chinese perspective, aiding us in thinking like global citizens. Thus, I believe that Mandarin is more than just a language; while studying we can learn many important life lessons. Similar to my precious childhood memories, Chinese will definitely remain an integral part of my life. Edgar Lee ’14 can be reached at Edgar_Lee@ stgeorges.edu.

Academic Honors for First Semester 2013-14 Head of School Commendation for Academic Excellence The Head of School Commendation for Academic Excellence is St. George’s highest bi-annual honor. These students received no grade below an A- during the 2013-14 first semester: Samuel Frederick Alofsin Sophia Abby Barker Kendall W Burdick Edward Hill Carter, Jr. Ka Kiu Cheung Cameron Roarke Cluff Hayley Elizabeth Lee Durudogan Laura Elizabeth Edson

Honor Roll III FORM Toby Wills Almeida Andrew Mitchell Bailey Victoria Alcorn Boatwright Gregory James Boone Aniyah Deborah Borges Andrew C Braff Hannah Day Burdick Kendall W Burdick William Chen Hull Stewart Collins Frances Fortin Corridan Mia Y Del Rosso Bochu Ding Hayley A. Doneghey Eric H Durudogan Colin R. Felix Alden Foster Grimes Zhihao Guo Charles K Hedlund Janna Marie Hedlund Vivien Hough Luke DeWolf Ingalls Adriana Sall Jonas Eliza Anne Kallfelz Sun Woo Kim Isabel Juliet Knott Kirke Robert LaShelle Daisy Eloise Mayer Nicholas Conway McLane Emily Wilber Medeiros George Buck Moss Rosamond Elizabeth Moylan Francis Hutchison Myers Svenja Helen Nanfelt Brooke Davies Naylor Hao Niu Katherine Elizabeth Ripa Anna Elizabeth Rittenhouse Henry Thomas Savage Christia Anne Simanski Sean Vincent Surber Nicole M. Temple Bailey Thran Margaret Rebecca Todd Berk Tural Avis MacGuffie Zane Zi Xuan Zhen Yibei Zhu

Agnes Elizabeth Enochs Frederic Gregoire Rebecca Grace Howe Timothy Michael Howe Qinwen Huang Eddie J. Liu Margaret Anne Mead Elizabeth Goodwin Millar

Rosamond Elizabeth Moylan Virginia Casey Moylan Jiho Park Katherine Elizabeth Ripa Margaret Whitney Rogers Elizabeth Hale Scheibe Margaret Elizabeth Schroeder Seung Hyouk Shin

IV FORM

V FORM

Collin A. Alexander Nicholas Mirko Ambrozic Timothy John Baumann Alyse Christine Borelli Ashlyn Brooks Buffum Timothy Kyle Burns Lee Madison Cardwell Ka Kiu Cheung Dejania Cotton-Samuel Luke William Crimmins James McGee Cunningham Laura Elizabeth Edson Annabelle Blessing Fischer Connor J. Fitzgerald Patrick Burton Ford Frederic Gregoire Olivia Lauren Houston Evan Xavier Jackson Sydney Ann-Marie Jarrett Georgia M. Johnson Jee Seob Jung Ian Daniel Keller Chaeyun Kim Taylor Anne Kirkpatrick David Hall Lamar Elizabeth Larcom Victoria JW Lee Audrey S. Lin Caroline Allen Macaulay Dixie Marr Anna Lynn Molinari Kai A. Nanfelt Victoria Marie O’Heir Elizabeth Bunting Olt Jiho Park Luc Poirier Paruta Alexandra T Riker Jared Howard Rogers Margaret Whitney Rogers Colin Joseph Gallo Seeley Jiwoo Seo Herrick Marcus Smith James Marshall Stevens Jonathan C. Tesoro Olivia Demary Vitton Anthony David von Steuben Sophie Genevieve Williams Toni Lynn Woods Maignan, Jr. Zhou Yan Danqing Zhang

Michaela Kathryn Ahern Zahra Arabzada Victoria Catherine Arjoon Joseph Burnett Asbel Samara Rebecca Ayvazian-Hancock Sophia Abby Barker William Vaughan Bemis Sarah Chase Braman Sloan Alexandra Buhse Buckley Carlson Sarah Stewart Carnwath Nicole Anne Cohen Lane Alexandra Davis Jack-Henry Stockton Day Reed de Bruhl deHorsey Agnes Elizabeth Enochs Sterling Victoria Etheridge Catherine Bertrand Farmer Chloe Amelia Farrick Christopher Wright Fleming Blaise C. Foley Garrett Lawrence Fownes Jing Gao Jillian Reid Gates Julia C. Goins Oliver Ridgely Green Piers Snowden Hill Guthrie Annika Leigh Hedlund Rebecca Grace Howe Cynthia Janette Huyck Conor Sullivan Ingari Hunter Johnson Emily Louise Kallfelz Caroline Kam Jaewoo Kang Yul Hee Kim Thomas Etienne Kylander You Jeong Lee Eddie J. Liu Rolf Benjamin Locher Chenglin Lu Irene C. Luperon Charleen Martins Lopes Anders Cassoday McLeod Elizabeth Goodwin Millar Carter Young Morgan Soravis Nawbhanich Henry Stillman Ordway Harrison Wesley Paige

William Eberlein Simpson Nicole M. Temple Bailey Thran Anthony David von Steuben Allison Vanier Williams Yimin Xie Jieun Yoon Avis MacGuffie Zane

Alden Timothy Pexton Alexander Pfeiffer Robert Carter Rose Cameron Eugene Roy Elizabeth Hale Scheibe Talia Elisabeth Simanski Matthew Ryan Skerkowski Margaret Muriel Small Paget Grace Smith Emma Louise Thompson Amanda Grace Warren Thomas Hunter Westerberg Allison Vanier Williams Yimin Xie Phillip D. Young Lan Zhang Natasha S. Zobel de Ayala

VI FORM Samuel Frederick Alofsin Hyunho An Christian Robert Anderson William Kelly Kerr Anderson Timothy Glimme Archer Miranda Nicole Bakos Katherine Elizabeth Bauer Jonathan Golden Bayne Kari Anna Byrnes Camilla Pepperell Cabot Margaret Deane Cardwell Peter Anthony Carrellas Edward Hill Carter, Jr. Yu Yao Cheng Jaeyoung Choi Woo Won Chun Cameron Roarke Cluff Megan E. Daknis John Anthony DeLuca Elizabeth Dewey Desrosiers Roger James Dorr Andrew James Duff Charlotte Rhucent Ytable Dulay Hayley Elizabeth Lee Durudogan Nicolas Flores Allison Parks Fuller Elizabeth Lipton Grace Alexandre Zvonimir Grahovac John Carter Haley William Christopher Hill

Norah Burke Hogan Timothy Michael Howe Qinwen Huang Amirah Keaton Mary Olivia Keith Margaret Peyton Kilvert John Jongmin Kim Thomas Edward Kits van Heyningen Alexandra Ann LaShelle Edgar Z.H. Lee Samuel Thompson Loomis Andrew Sloane Lynch Hannah Marie Macaulay Peyton Emily MacNaught Margaret Tese Maloy Samantha D. Maltais Cecilia Christiane Masiello Miles Foley Matule Sophia Douglass McDonald Gregory Edward McKinnon Margaret Anne Mead Alexandra Shaw Medeiros Virginia Casey Moylan Margaret Elizabeth O’Connor Charlotte Rosemary Elizabeth O’Halloran Itohan Teni Orobator Andie Fu Yisi Plumeri Grace Connors Polk Brooke Elizabeth Reis Virginia Tully Ross Wilson S. Rubinoff Aubrey Miles Fitzhugh Salmon Lily Joy Sanford Alexa Olin Santry Margaret Elizabeth Schroeder Seung Hyouk Shin William Eberlein Simpson Andrea Suarez Natalie Ann Sullivan Hannah Frances Todd Alexandra Anne Tory Dian-Jung Tsai Julian Phillip Wesley Turner Robert Loux Woodard Caroline Woodward Yerkes Jieun Yoon

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Classrooms E A R N I N G

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Above left: Head of School Eric Peterson consults with Sarah Carnwath ’15 on a microscope slide after making a visit to Tom Evans' microbiology class. Above right: Art Department Head Mike Hansel ’76 explains the effect created by various pottery glazes to Oliver Green ’15.

PHOTO BY J EREMY

MOREAU

Below: Science Department Head Holly Williams took her honors biology class, which included Caroline Billyard ’17, Daniel Kim ’17 and Henry Savage ’17, to Third Beach for a water-testing lesson.

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CHERYL JENKINS PHOTO BY PHOTO BY J EREMY

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Left: Fifth-formers Collin Alexander and Olivia Park participate in a “hopscotch” activity, designed to show students how alcohol can impair their coordination, during a drug-and-alcohol awareness session organized by the Health Council. HC member Elizabeth Millar ’15 (far right) oversees the activity.

Theater Department Head Sarah Ploskina’s Theater Foundation class presented their final project, “The Ground Zero Club,” in Madeira Hall in January. Cast members were: Sacha Grahovac ’14, Beth Larcom ’16, Sarah Rezendes ’15, Avis Zane ’17 and Luke Crimmins ’16. The lighting/stage manager for the production was Nick Flores ’14.

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PHOTO BY

SUZANNE MCGRADY

Traditions

ALL-SCHOOL PHOTO

The panoramic All-School Photo was taken Sept. 23 (above)—and in keeping with tradition, a handful of cheeky students made the run from one side of the bleachers to the other in time to make it into the print twice. Copies of the photo are available in the SG Bookstore.

HONOR CODE SIGNING

The scenery and the whitewater rafting were amazing at the Senior Class retreat to Maine in September (opposite page, top)— and it was a great bonding experience as faculty members and students spent time in the great outdoors. This event has been a tradition for the last several years. Check out the photos from the weekend on our Flickr page.

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It snowed on the Hilltop Nov. 12 … just in time for the Annual Pie Race, which took place at 3:30 p.m. (opposite page, bottom). Established in the 1950s as a way to boost school morale, the race offers students an opportunity to show their speed—or their spirit (or both!). The winner of the one-mile race, based on physical prowess, was Cam Cluff ’14 (running barefoot), but we give points to the Auchincloss girls who went as a “fishbowl” (former Auch dorm dwellers will get the reference); Cory Davis ’14 as Santa; and the fall Geronimo crew, who went as themselves with one student playing a sea turtle. The photo gallery from the festivities is up on Flickr.

PHOTO BY J EREMY

MOREAU

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MOXIE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES PHOTO COURTESY OF

SIXTH-FORM R AFTING TRIP

Opposite page, top: The All-School Photo is taken behind the chapel. Opposite page, bottom: Honor Board members Hannah Todd ’14, Aubrey Salmon ’14 and Annabella Doyle ’14 look on as Sage Hill ’14 signs the Honor Code book.

PHOTO BY J EREMY

MOREAU

This page, top: Sixth formers take part in the annual rafting trip in September.

PIE R ACE

This page, left: The start of the annual Pie Race.

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Traditions

LESSONS & C AROL S

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Members of the Class of 2015—including MARY O’CONNOR

Caroline Kam, Sarah Boule, Talia Simanski and Moudy Abdel-Maksoud—(left) spent the

PHOTO BY

MARY O’CONNOR

PHOTO BY

weekend bonding at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire during the annual Fifth-Form Ski Weekend, a tradition that dates back to the 1970s. Photos from the weekend are also up on our Flickr.com site.

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The bow ties, tuxedo shirts and strapless gowns were all a blur as students—including Janna Hedlund ’17, Isaac McCray ’17, Hadley Smith ’17 and Izzie Schmaltz ’17 (left) readied for the Winter Formal, which took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Newport on Jan. 31. Dinner and dancing were the draw—along with a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream bar and a photo booth—but we also enjoyed seeing the innovative ways students asked each other to the dance ... among them a custom-decorated cake in the dining hall, an announcement from the chapel lectern, a specially written song from one of our Hilltoppers, and a sign with an arrow to a warm cup of chai. Ah, the romance …

PHOTO BY J EREMY

MOREAU

FIFTH-FORM SKI WEEKEND

MOREAU PHOTO BY J EREMY

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY

MARY O’CONNOR

Top: Jack Bermingham ’16, Ray Gao, ’15, and Edgar Lee ’14 were Wise Men; Norah Hogan ’14, Hannah Macaulay ’14 and Hayley Durudogan ’14 were angels; John DeLuca ’14 played Joseph and Gigi Moylan ’14 played Mary in the annual Christmas Festival.

MASQUER ADE BALL

Left: Emma Reed ’14, Norah Hogan ’14 and Sarah Rezendes ’15 don creative masks for the Masquerade Ball which took place in December.

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Alumni/ae invited back May 16-18 REUNION CLASSES 1939 • 75th 1944 • 70th 1949 • 65th 1954 • 60th 1959 • 55th 1964 • 50th 1969 • 45th 1974 • 40th 1979 • 35th 1984 • 30th ANDREA HANSEN

1989 • 25th 1994 • 20th 1999 • 15th

PHOTO BY

2004 • 10th 2009 • 5th

The Class of 1989 celebrates its 20th reunion in 2009.

Mark your calendars for another great Reunion Weekend in May. Scheduled events begin Friday, May 16, when the weekend kicks off with the presentation of the St. George’s distinguished alumnus/a award, the John B. Diman Award, during an evening service in the Chapel. This year, the award goes to Wilson D. McElhinny ’49, P’71, GP’10, the retired chairman, president and CEO of Hamilton Bank, widely recognized for his key role in the bank mergers and acquisitions field, and for his work in the economic redevelopment of Lancaster, Pa. A variety of evening events for individual reunion classes will follow the Diman Award ceremony. On Saturday, the Howard B. Dean Service Award, given annually by the Board of Trustees to recognize members of the St. George’s School community whose service to the school has been exceptional, will be presented to three committed volunteers. This year’s re-

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cipients are: honorary trustee Richard G. Verney ’64, P’87, ’90, ’91, and former trustees Mary “Minney” L. Robb P’78, ’82, ’85 and Keith A. Anderson ’74. Saturday’s activities also include the Ogden Nash Society breakfast, a Chapel tour, class visits, student and faculty presentations, a variety of athletic contests and a picnic lunch on the front lawn. A special program for children ages 4-12 is offered on Saturday. In honor of all the reunion classes, a formal dinner with dancing will take place in the Stephen P. Cabot and Archer Harman Ice Center on Saturday evening, May 17. To register for Reunion Weekend and to view hotel information, the weekend schedule and a list of alumni/ae who have already registered, please visit our website at www.stgeorges.edu. If you have any questions about the weekend, please contact Events Coordinator Ann Weston at ann_weston@stgeorges.edu or 401-842-6731.

We’re St. George’s. So are you.

THE ANNUAL FUND To make a gift online, visit www.stgeorges.edu/support/gift. To make a gift using your mobile device, use your QR reader app to photograph this code. If you do not have a QR code reader, visit your app store. Thank you!

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Development news N

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Alumni/ae Board of Visitors established Inaugural meeting will take place in April

Visitors are Welles Orr ’78 and Lisa Colgate ’81, P’15. Orr, who lives in Washington, D.C., was a member of the St. George’s Board of Trustees from 1988 to 1994. Colgate, from New York, N.Y., was a trustee from 1990 to 2005 and is the parent of a fifth-former. Lisa Colgate ’81 “The landscape of boarding schools like St. George’s is competitive, challenging and ever-changing,” Head of School Eric Peterson wrote in November to prospective

candidates for the inaugural class of Visitors. “We recognize that while the future for the school is bright, it is important that we set a clear path for the future. The Board of Visitors will provide an important perspective in both defining this path and supporting its direction.” Members have been asked to serve a three-year term and to attend an annual meeting on the Hilltop. This year’s meeting will be held April 4-5 in conjunction with the Admission Office’s Revisit program, a two-day event designed to give accepted students and their families a comprehensive view of St. George’s program and culture.

PHOTO BY

ANN WESTON

NATALIA DO COUTO

he St. George’s Board of Trustees voted to establish a Board of Visitors to engage as advocates and ambassadors, “a select group of caring alumni/ae in an annual conversation about the school.” More than 50 dragons have accepted the school’s Welles Orr ’78 invitation to join the newly established board, which will meet for the first time this spring. Co-chairs for the Alumni/ae Board of

Chris Orthwein, Binkie McSweeney Orthwein ’94, Associate Head of School for External Affairs Bob Weston, Courtney Boyd and Rob Boyd ’93 gathered at the home of the Orthweins for an alumni/ae reception in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 22.

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Mark Nuytkens ’12, Camden Howe ’12 and Wells Howe ’09 at the Jan. 9 reception held at the Somerset Club in Boston hosted by George and Kathy Putnam P’11.

OGDEN NASH SOCIET Y MEMBER PROFILE: David A. McElhinny ’71, P’10 Westbrook, Maine ONS member since 2006

Planned-giving opportunities are available to alumni/ae, parents and friends of St. George’s “St. George’s put me on my way.” That’s one of the ways Dave McElhinny thinks about his years on the Hilltop. In that sense, he has always been appreciative of “the chance SG took” to offer him the opportunities he experienced at the school. “St. George’s looked beyond my weaknesses and was patient with me, and for that I am incredibly grateful,” he said. When Dave purchased his business he began a planning process that helped to trigger his thoughts about estate planning and which institutions he might support with a planned gift. Once the discussions were under way, the process itself was an easy one. His attorney was able to craft his will to include gifts to his family’s schools. Each gift is revocable and may be revised as Dave’s family’s circumstances change. As the son of a graduate (Wilson McElhinny ’49) and father of another (Taylor McElhinny ’10), Dave feels particularly connected to St. George’s. “My family has enjoyed a lengthy and special relationship with St. George’s,” he said. As a current member of the school’s Board of Trustees, Dave also has gained an added understanding of the needs of the school. And

for him that insight has underscored the value of today’s SG experience for both current and future students. “This place becomes a part of you,” Dave noted during a recent visit to campus. “Even after you leave, David A. McElhinny ’71, the experiences and P’10 what you learn here stay with you. For me, a planned gift to SG was an easy decision.” To learn more about the variety of ways to include the school in your estate plan, please contact the Development Office by telephone at 1-888-422-5574 or via email at alumni@stgeorges.edu. The Ogden Nash Society (ONS) recognizes and honors alumni/ae, parents and friends of the school who have made provisions to support St. George’s in their estate plans. To date, the Society has 244 members.

SAVE THE DATE The ONS will host its annual breakfast meeting in the Headmaster’s study on Saturday, May 17, 2014, during Reunion Weekend.

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Show your Dragon pride with a purchase from the SG Bookstore!

Flag 3’ x 5’ $

100

Vineyard Vines® Silk Scarf $75 Vineyard Vines® Classic Tote Red border with school shield $

Call the bookstore at 401-842-6662 for these items and more, or visit our online store at www.stgeorges.edu.

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St. George’s School P.O. Box 1910 Newport, RI 02840-0190

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID St. George’s School

In this issue: Today’s college essay BY KELLY RICHARDS Success on my own terms BY TEDDY CARTER ’14 The idea of audience BY COLIN MORT Chapel talks: Saying thanks to SG BY HANNAH TODD ’14 All my versions of home BY CHRISTIAN ANDERSON ’14 Back for more BY HANNAH MACAULAY ’14

Remembering Mandela BY SYLVESTER MONROE ’69, P’95 Q&A with David Goodwillie ’90 In memoriam Student achievements Hilltop archives

Left: Students take advantage of a free period—and good weather—on Arden/Diman Quad. PHOTO BY

SUZANNE MCGRADY