Talking About the Head of School
Learning the Ropes of Leadership
Helping Trentonians
George School community members share their impressions of Nancy Starmer, page 2.
Students travel to Providence for People of Color Conference, page 3.
Mercer Street Friends helps residents leave welfare and achieve independence, page 5.
G
eorgian
Volume 74 • Number 2 • Summer 2002
A Publication of George School, Newtown, Pennsylvania
New Clerk Sets the Mood for Spirit-led Decision Making
By Kimberly Miller Robbins Cristina Luyando and Odie LeFever also contributed to this article.
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hen David Bruton ’53 stands to speak at the podium, people pay attention not only to his distinctively tall frame and his pleasant baritone voice, but also to what he has to say. “What made David our unanimous choice for clerk of the [George School] committee is his seemingly effortless ability to provide leadership … and his talent for dealing with tough issues with enormous good sense,” said committee mem(Turn to page 2 to read more) ber Jackie Bowers.
David Bruton ’53, father of GS graduate Kate ’85, is the ninth clerk in the George School Committee’s 109-year-old history.
Phil Caputo: Ennis Cosby’s Dream Lives on Through ‘Hello Friend’ by Carol J. Suplee hen Phil Caputo ’87 went to bed on the night of January 15, 1997, his life was fairly predictable. A hard-working attorney in a prosperous Los Angeles law firm, he was looking forward to the coming weekend. His best friend from George School days, Ennis Cosby ’87, was in town. But the next morning, Phil’s life turned upside down. Ennis had been murdered during the night. For the Cosby family and for friends like Phil, the tragedy brought chaos. The family’s extraordinary celebrity exacerbated their shock and grief. Media attention was relentless during the ensuing days and weeks, even reaching across the country to George School. In the midst of their heartbreak, Ennis’ parents, Bill and Camille Cosby, established the Hello Friend/William Ennis Cosby Foundation, filing the necessary legal papers that very day. (“Hello, Friend” was Ennis’ greeting to all people he met, regardless of their station in life.) Ennis’ dream — to help children with learning differences — would continue in his name. While appearing on the Larry King Live show, Phil received a call from Bill Cosby, who asked, before an audience of millions, if Phil would head the foundation. Phil replied by saying, “It would be my honor.” Later, after reflecting on that moment, Phil notes that he was “also filled with great sadness. It brought home to me that Ennis was truly gone.”
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Phil had to hit the ground running and deal with his grief as he went along. Thousands of people were calling to express sympathy and offer help. The mail brought hundreds of thousands of letters. Many were addressed simply, “Bill Cosby, USA.” In the first few weeks, he was deeply involved in the murder investigation. That was first priority. Phil, then 27, faced the challenge squarely and gradually the foundation began taking shape. A newlyappointed board of directors brought a variety of expertise to the table. “I try to be a quiet leader,” he said, “and lead by example. That was Ennis’ way, too. He believed that actions spoke louder than words.” At George School, Phil and Ennis served together on SAGE, (Students Associated for Greater Empathy) the student-peercounseling group. There, they learned how to guide by example within the group, and to counsel others quietly, one-on-one. “A leader must know how to delegate,” Phil said. “He should try to acknowledge others’ strengths and give them the opportunity to do what they do best in a non-threatening environment.” In the past five years, Phil has seen the foundation grow exponentially. Philosophically, its mission is to befriend those with dyslexia or language-based learning differences — to open the doors
(Turn to page 5 to read more)