Haverford School Today Summer 2021

HAVERFORD SCHOOL Today

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HAVERFORD SCHOOLToday

HAVERFORD SCHOOL TODAY

board of trustees,

2020-21

Jennifer Paradis Behle P’20 Oray B. Boston Jr. P’17 Amy C. Briddell P’23 ’30 ’33 Caroline R. De Marco P’20 ’22, Secretary Randall T. Drain Jr. ’01 Thaddeus J. Fortin ’77, P’09 Maurice D. Glavin ’83, P’14 ’16 ’20, Chair William C. Hambleton William T. Harrington P’24 ’24 John F. Hollway P’18 Jack H. Kirkpatrick II ’88, P’20 Barbara Klock P’23 ’23 Jeffrey F. Lee ’95 George B. Lemmon Jr. ’79, P’12 ’19, Treasurer John J. Lynch III P’10 ’12, Vice Chair

Christopher J. Maguire P’16 ’19 Wade L. McDevitt P’28 ’30 Sharon S. Merhige P’16 ’18 H. Laddie Montague Jr. ’56 Jonathan R. Morgan ’03 John A. Nagl, Head of School Martha E. Ortiz P’21 Jennifer N. Pechet P’15 ’17 Ravindra A. Reddy ’90 G. Bart Smith ’95, P’28 ’30 Nafis T. Smith ’99 Fitz Daniel T. Tepper ’12 Kristin N. Vollmer P’23 G. Nash Waterman ’98 Roland Yang ’10

Ready to catch up?

Don’t miss out on our upcoming alumni events this fall!

head of school John A. Nagl, D.Phil. • assistant head of school Mark Thorburn • chief financial officer David S. Gold • managing editor Sarah Garling • editors Emily Chahar and Keith Czarny • layout/design Emma E. Hitchcock • printer Intellicor LLC., Lancaster, Pa. • photographers Active Image Media, Dawn Blake, Kristin Brown, William Clarke and Kimberly Rolph P’26, Keith Czarny, Sarah Garling, Josh Greenwood ’67, Jordan Hayman Photography, Dave Larned, Craig and Jessica Morton, Dr. Michael Nance, Nate Pankratz, Jack Phelan, VI former, Neil Sawhney, IV former, Mike Scott ’77, George and Kristin Vollmer P’23, Russell Yoh, III former, and Morgan Young ’08

SEPTEMBER 27 32nd Annual Doc Thomas Golf Classic OCTOBER 7 NYC Regional Alumni Reception OCTOBER 20 Boston Alumni Happy Hour

Sarah Garling, Director of Marketing and Communications; 484-417-2764; sgarling@haverford.org

contact

OCTOBER 28 Washington D.C. Regional Alumni Reception

Please send address changes to Disty Lengel at dlengel@haverford.org.

address changes

Haverford School Today magazine is published for alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of The Haverford School. Nonprofit postage paid at Southeastern, Pa., and additional mailing offices. about

Second grade boys bring their drums outside ahead of practice for the annual African Drumming and Dancing presentation.

NOVEMBER 13 EA Day and Alumni Weekend

Copyright © 2021 The Haverford School (all rights reserved) special thanks Thank you to everyone who contributed to this publication. Special thanks to: Grant Ament ’15, Sara Barton, Michael Bradley ’79, Duane and Valerie Case, The Diversity Alliance, Ben Grant ’07, Henry Fairfax ’99, Christopher Fox, Perry Hamilton ’70, Mark Ling ’73, The Mayock family, Dr. John Nagl, The Smith family, Tom Stambaugh ’90, Stephenie Tellez P’14 ’18 ’23

front cover:

Head of School Dr. John Nagl and his mother, Judy Nagl, read to Lower School students as part of a Veteran’s Day lesson in November 2019. back cover: Upper School students in the 2D Portfolio and Digital Art & Design II class pose with their original artwork called the “Mamba Mural.” It hangs outside the Severinghaus Library and was created as a tribute to the late basketball star Kobe Bryant.

FEATURES 13 A tribute to one of Haverford’s

finest

By Michael Bradley ’79

20 Reflections of a Head of School

By Dr. John A. Nagl, Ninth Head of School

HAVERFORD SCHOOL Today

NOVEMBER 12 Alumni Weekend: Golden Fords Luncheon Alumni Weekend: Annual Alumni Reception

NOVEMBER 24 Notables Reunion Dinner and Concert NOVEMBER 25 Thanksgiving Breakfast with Soccer, Football and XC DECEMBER 15 Philadelphia Regional Alumni Reception *please note all events are subject to change

DEPARTMENTS 2

From the Head of School

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Around the Quad

10 Arts 12 Athletics 25 Parents 27 Alumni 30 Class Notes

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

A toast ...

By John A. Nagl, D.Phil.

Dear Fords nation, What a year! I am immensely proud of the faculty, staff, coaches, boys, and our families for the way we have persevered through a very difficult twelve months. While ending the 2019-20 school year virtually, without the games, plays, concerts, and celebrations that usually mark the spring was a very bitter pill, we did at least have two-thirds of a normal and joyous year. The 2020-21 school year has been masked and perilous from the very beginning, and only very near the end of the year did the clouds pass and sunlight shine through.

We started school on time and in-person for every one of our boys who was willing and able to attend class on campus, and we kept school in physical session for the vast majority of the year.

Virtue Village and the new Middle School meant that we had enough space to learn while physically distanced and masked, and even as some teachers and boys tested positive, our mitigation measures meant that the rest could continue learning in-person.

We managed partial sports seasons in the Upper School, cohort competitions in the Middle School, and socially distanced recess in the Lower School; we ate lunch in our classrooms rather than in the Dining Hall; we held virtual assemblies rather than gathering in person. In March, we inoculated the faculty and staff and breathed a huge sigh of relief, even as new variants of COVID-19 gathered strength. But we stayed Fords Strong throughout, and I couldn’t be prouder.

We have also spent a great deal of time thinking about next year. It appears likely that many of our Upper School boys, and perhaps even some of our Middle School boys, will be vaccinated by the time school starts this fall, and we are planning a much more ‘normal’ year, including a resumption of Middle School sports and larger class sections with boys separated by three feet rather than six feet, per new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.

Our biggest concern remains dining, where we are now required to

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continue to sit six feet apart from each other - unless herd immunity finally beats this virus and gives us back the right to sit next to each other in the lunchroom. We’ll be ready either way, I promise, and next year will be a lot more fun than was this one!

I am proud to have seen Haverford through this crisis. As I depart this great institution, this issue of Haverford School Today includes a few reflections on eight wonderful years here with the faculty, the coaches, the families, and the boys, and I will always be grateful for the many kindnesses I have been shown and the friendships I have made. I leave behind a Haverford that is even better than the one that Dr. Joe Cox left me, with significant improvements to the campus, the curriculum, and the community, and I know that your next Head of School will in turn make Haverford even better.

I ask that you support the School’s tenth head as you have supported the ninth, and that you continue to invest in this wonderful institution that does so much to prepare boys for lives of meaning and of service. Their intelligence, enthusiasm, and love for each other convinces me that our collective future is bright, and that the Maroon and Gold will continue to wave for many, many years to come.

Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this great institution for these past eight years. Go Fords!

John A. Nagl, D.Phil.

Ninth Head of School

AROUND THE QUAD

Mark Fifer named Head of Upper School Mark Fifer was named Head of Upper School in December 2020.

As Head of Upper School, Fifer oversees the operations of the Upper School division, which includes oversight of the academic program, leading Upper School faculty and staff, and serving as a liaison to other divisions and departments in the School.

“The Haverford School has been my professional home for almost two decades, and it has provided me with numerous opportunities to grow as an educator and a leader,” said Fifer.

“Perhaps most importantly, I have come to value the meaningful relationships developed with students, colleagues, and parents.

These relationships inspire me to continuously reflect on ways to improve my practice.”

Fifer joined The Haverford School in 2004 as an Upper School history teacher and a member of the basketball and baseball coaching staffs. Prior to his tenure as Head of Upper School, Fifer served as Upper School Dean of Students, a role he held since 2010.

In this position, Fifer coordinated a variety of extracurricular and community programming, managed student discipline, served on the student support team, and advised various student leadership groups. Fifer served as the interim Head of Upper School from July to December 2020.

Fifer holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Dickinson College and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2015, he has served as a Penn assignment mentor for their master’s program.

Henry Fairfax ’99 presents at George “Porgie” Smith ’67 assembly Henry Fairfax ’99 was the featured speaker at the second annual George “Porgie” Smith ’67 assembly, held virtually on Feb. 22. Head of School Dr. John Nagl began the assembly by celebrating Smith, who was the first Black graduate of The Haverford School.

“George Smith was the catalyst who started the fire that blazed the trail that many of us have been fortunate enough to follow,” said Fairfax. “It’s impossible for me to not reflect on my journey at Haverford when thinking about Porgie.”

Fairfax spoke of adjusting to the social class differences at Haverford, being the target of racial slurs, and feeling like an outsider as a student of color from Philadelphia. He encouraged current students and alumni to continue the important work of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Smith’s son, Sean, shared with attendees: “I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone involved in keeping my father’s memory alive. into your favorite Haverford This summer was the 10-year anniversary of his School stories, including death. Nobody lives forever, but the thoughts, the Henry Fairfax’s ’99 full remarks words – it allows my father to live on.”

First held in February 2013, this assembly at the George “Porgie” Smith ’67 serves to remember Smith, the scholarship that assembly. was established in his memory, and to recognize the impact he and other BIPOC alumni had on Scan the QR code or go to Haverford, as well as the impact Haverford had haverford.org/magazine on them.

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AROUND THE QUAD

Lower School recognizes role models and celebrates Virtue of the Month During Community Time every month, the Lower School comes together to recognize the community’s role models and announce the Virtue of the Month, two programs designed to build socialemotional learning skills.

Students have enjoyed read-alouds, short videos, and guest speakers during Community Time, which align with the monthly theme. Classroom teachers also engage boys in related developmentallyappropriate activities throughout the school year. Monthly themes have included empathy (November), mindfulness ( January), and openmindedness (March).

Whenever any teacher sees a student demonstrating social-emotional skills or good behavior, he or she can award a

student with a role model raffle ticket.

During Community Time, the drawing of these tickets takes place, and a boy in each homeroom and each grade level is recognized and given a prize.

“These programs offer us a chance to build community, reinforce positive behavior, and teach social-emotional skills across the entire Lower School,” said Maureen Finlan, Lower School Director of Student Life. “For example, for November’s theme of empathy, all the students created a Kindness Chain to hang in the lobby, and in December, for the theme of gratitude, they created cards for the Visiting Nurses Association of Philadelphia as a community service project.”

A student selecting an Act of Kindness card to celebrate the theme of empathy in November.

Each student selected one and completed the act throughout the day.

Diversity Alliance elevated to Upper School student leadership group The Haverford School Diversity Alliance created a new charter to reflect their elevated status in the Upper School as a student leadership group. The group is now on the same level as Signet Society, the Character Mentorship Program, and the Student Council.

The change occurred at the start of the 2020-21 school year. The DA’s Executive Team worked with Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and advisor Brendon Jobs, Head of Upper School Mark Fifer, and Upper School DEI Coordinator Katharine Hudson.

“The DA has elevated its status in the Upper School community in terms of its influence and voice,” said VI Former and DA Vice-Chair Nachikethan Srivnivasan.

“Through the redesigned structure that came with this new charter, the group has mobilized itself into a more solidified position of being able to provide a wider range of opportunities to arrange forums for discussion on matters of race and of inclusion with the Haverford School community.”

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These forums for discussions that the DA organized throughout the school year have included weekly discussions during lunch called, “Chit, Chat, and Chews,” focusing on a range of topics and, at times, including alumni speakers.

The DA has also worked to create and advance curricular reform petitions within the School “in order to restructure our curriculum so that it may better advocate for and educate students about the history and identity of underrepresented minorities, genders, and sexualities,” said DA Co-Chair VI Former Ryan Ngo. In order to share lessons learned and resources, and collaborate with other

student-leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion work, the DA Executive Team, led by Co-Chair V Former Quinn Luong, founded the National Diversity Coalition (NDC).

“I wanted to help empower and work with students like me nationwide to enact real change within their communities,” said Luong. “Intersectionality and solidarity are key components of diversity, equity, and inclusion work. NDC plays a pivotal role in connecting students nationwide fighting for a common cause.”

The NDC is comprised of more than 80 student leaders in 20 states. It held its first National Diversity Conference on May 1.

AROUND THE QUAD

Fifth graders participate in the United Nations Goals project This past March, fifth graders participated in The United Nations Sustainable Goals Project, a global assignment in which classrooms from across the world work together to find solutions to global issues. Over a six-week period, the students delved into 13 problem areas that the United Nations identified as presenting major challenges to the planet.

The goals, including No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Climate Action, and Clean Water, are meant to focus people’s attention on those problem areas. The boys worked in groups to develop a plan to raise awareness of their problem and goal.

In developing their presentations, the students had to consider who would be their audience, what medium to use that would best deliver their message, develop the message that would best heighten people’s awareness of their sustainable goal, and then issue a call to action that would rally people to get involved in trying to make a difference in that particular world concern. The boys then had a chance to view and learn from each other’s presentations.

V Former Josiah Somani takes part in IBM Quantum Computing course Upper School student Josiah Somani was selected as one of 5,000 students worldwide to complete the IBM Quantum Computing course.

The course includes live presentations by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Oxford University quantum scientists. The class looks at foundational theories such as superposition and entanglement and various topics in mathematics and physics that support aspects of quantum computing.

“Quantum computing is exciting because it is the future of computing. It will allow us to tackle problems that normal computers simply cannot solve,” said Somani. “I’m learning a lot more about linear algebra and advanced physics in this course. Quantum computing and mechanics are not just a little niche field. It really calls for a lot of knowledge and understanding in other classical fields.”

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AROUND THE QUAD

Third graders use design thinking, collaboration for annual Egypt Fair Students showcased their knowledge of ancient Egypt during the annual Egypt Fair this spring. Throughout the unit, the boys reflected on how artifacts in museums represent the culture of a civilization. With this in mind, and using the Design Thinking process and the LAUNCH Cycle, they planned and presented an interactive museum and a presentation on historical elements about ancient Egypt. Their presentation focused on daily life, how pyramids were built, and the mummification process.

The School’s faculty and staff attended the interactive museum, which included ‘artifacts’ that the boys created out of recycled materials.

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AROUND THE QUAD

Chinese Leadership Talks kicks off Middle School Chinese teacher Daphne Monroy has started a new speaker series, “Chinese Leadership Talks,” which features non-native Chinese speakers who have utilized the language in their careers.

“I want my students to see what they can do by putting in the work to learn another language,” said Monroy. “They can and should seek opportunities such as traveling internationally, earning college scholarships, and becoming leaders in the future.”

Daniel Tedesco, a Principal International Growth Consultant at Google who lives in Beijing, spoke on March 11. He first learned Chinese with Monroy at Drexel University, where he led the Global China Connection organization. He also completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Chongqing. He shared advice about how to overcome failure – what he called “eating bitterness” – which he said is a core part of learning new things and pursuing life goals.

Middle School boys create “mask art” influenced by artist Nick Cave Middle School boys created “mask art” as part of ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion programming.

Students learned about artist Nick Cave, who creates “Soundsuits,” or wearable artwork that promotes empowerment. Cave’s “Soundsuits” are meant to “obscure race, gender, and class, allowing viewers to look without bias toward the wearer’s identity.”

For this project, the boys considered who they are on the inside and how masks can sometimes obscure those qualities. They also discussed how activities or interactions – such as playing sports or acting silly – can be used to mask feelings on the inside, and that a mask may be relied upon as camouflage.

The boys created their masks with paper and colored pencils and the masks were then displayed around the Middle School.

Take a trip

To ancient Egypt with the third-grade or admire more art from our talented young men.

Scan the QR code or go to haverford.org/magazine

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AROUND THE QUAD

Sixth graders write poetry inspired by Amanda Gorman Sixth grade English teacher Sara Barton tasked her students to write poems inspired by U.S. youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman.

Barton’s students read three different books written in verse, all of which dealt with some kind of prejudice. The books were: Inside Out and Back Again

by Thanhha Lai, Brown Girl Dreaming

by Jacqueline Woodson, and Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton.

“When Amanda Gorman spoke at

the Biden inauguration, I thought it was definitely related to what we were reading,” said Barton. “It was great to see a young person who was showing such courage and speaking out. The ideas of speaking out against injustice and being an upstander are big themes in the Middle School this year, as all the students read the book Towers Falling during the summer and we are reading Stamped throughout the school year.”

In a lesson adapted from Teaching

Tolerance, sixth graders read a Los Angeles Times profile about Gorman and closely read her poem “The Hill We Climb.” Then they reflected on what it meant to be part of a bigger system and wrote a poem with the prompts: “What aspects of our greater world push down on your freedom? How do you respond?”

Sixth grader Patrick Keefe wrote “Shattered” and Daniel Tryon wrote “Country Battles.” Their full poems are below.

SHATTERED

By Patrick Keefe Broken and wrecked Lost in a void of sadness A void where all people who don’t see change People who don’t see differences go.

People look up to people and those people have people that look up to them Don’t be a person who is in the void dragging others into it with you.

You look at our country and you see different people, different colors and genders.

And you, you can be someone who is different but still have a place in this messed up country.

With riots and people dead and broken windows. You can make a change you can have a place in the world.

And don’t let those people who don’t see change and don’t see color drag you in the void with them.

Because once you do you have no way out.

So try to change those people in the void’s mind.

Try to make a change yourself, make a change that will affect the people in the void.

But be someone who cleans up after the mess Not shatters it.

COUNTRY BATTLES

By Daniel Tryon Our country feels divorced.

From the intimidation of being wrong not right Will this be the country we pass down or will we see it through?

No, we will make it to the light at the end of the tunnel From the darkness we are in now we gain an everlasting hope Hope of a better life hope of a better country Hope that all will be forgiven We hope that we will prevail No, not hope but knowing.

We will prevail!

We will be better!

We will overcome!

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into your favorite Haverford School stories.

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AROUND THE QUAD

The Index earns first CSPA Gold Medal since 2013 The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) honored The Index, The Haverford School’s student newspaper, with a gold medal at their 2021 Crown Awards for their efforts during the 2019-20 school year. Hundreds of high schools around the nation submit publications to CSPA annually for critique and review.

After winning silver medals the past few years, The Index earned their first gold medal since 2013. The Index staff credits their improvement from silver to gold to expanding the staff, redesigning the paper’s layout, and digging into more provocative and interesting issues. Their goal is to be the best newspaper in the state.

“Last year, I was new to Haverford and to The Index, and was immediately impressed by the initiative and independence of the paper’s editorial team,” said Upper School English teacher and Index advisor Emily Harnett. “Our editors decide the scope and angle of our news coverage, shepherd along new writers, layout the print issues and web content, and shape the paper’s vision. Last fall, our talented editors spearheaded a complete redesign for the print issue, and when the world shut down in response to the pandemic, The Index kept going. Because of their dedication, the paper was able to chronicle one of those most newsworthy chapters in Haverford’s history, documenting all the ways that the pandemic transformed the life of the School. I’m so proud of them, and delighted that CSPA has recognized their accomplishment.”

The team, under the guidance of English department chair Tom Stambaugh ’90 and Harnett, was led by the student Editorsin-Chief Toby Ma ’20, Yan Graf ’20, and Ryan La Rocca ’20. As the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly closed schools and shut down office buildings across the globe last March, the staff continued their exceptional work by featuring Virtual Haverford, the School’s distance learning platform.

“It was amazing to hear that last year’s Index had received Gold from CSPA,” explained Ma, a student at Harvard University. “Not only did the 2019–20 editorial team oversee a redesign of the paper and the website, but we also went through the transition to Virtual Haverford and reported the School and student body’s experience during an unprecedented spring semester. I was already incredibly proud of what last year’s editorial team was able to accomplish, but it is really great to receive recognition for all our time and effort. Winning awards is not The Index’s primary aim, but I’m glad that the improvements we made to the paper last year were on the right track. I’m confident that this year’s editorial team and future Index editors will continue to maintain and nurture the paper’s position as Haverford’s student voice.”

CSPA is an international student press association, founded in 1925, whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges, textbooks, critiques, and award programs. CSPA is owned and operated by Columbia University.

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ARTS

Media Arts Council Art Show

Two Upper School students, VI former Jack Phelan and IV former Neil Sawhney, were selected for the Media Arts Council 2021 High School Student Artists Show, entitled “Together We Rise.” Phelan and Sawhney were two of 22 student-artists chosen from seven local high schools. The full show went live online on Media Arts Council’s website on Jan. 22.

Sawhney’s art piece (above) is titled “The Smokey Buddha.” He said, “I wanted to capture a symbol for peace.

A zoomed in picture of a Buddha with a blurred background helped the peace symbol stand out.”

Phelan’s art piece (left) is “Untitled.” He said, “I wanted to focus around LGBT themes and colors. I hope it can help LGBT people feel more comfortable and encourage everyone to be who they want to be.”

Creative Problem-Solving

by Kristin Brown, Upper School art teacher How does one teach creativity? How does one inspire students to create?

I work with my students to help them become creative problem-solvers. By asking targeted questions to inspire my students, I provide the scaffolding for students to design their own projects and explore their own ideas. For projects, students must brainstorm ideas and write proposals. While a student’s idea might change, it’s great for students to write out their action steps. I have students think about what skills they have and what help they will need from me as their teacher.

In art class, students are encouraged to find their voice. They learn how they can communicate their ideas and passions 10

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visually. Students understand that they are unique individuals with important things to say. They also learn how to collaborate and connect with the larger community.

These are all important skills to carry with them, which can be used beyond the art classroom.

For a recent group project, students looked at contemporary street artists for inspiration. After a class discussion, the students were drawn to the stencil style of Banksy and wanted to create a mural.

As a class, we talked about what the subject of the mural should be. I started the discussion with a reflection on 2020.

After some time, students talked about the passing of Kobe Bryant. The students had

a love for basketball and respect for Kobe.

As a group, they decided that should be the theme. As a teacher, I was there to help answer technical questions and give design feedback when asked. I was merely a facilitator for the project, not the leader.

The students took ownership of their mural creation from start to finish.

Failure is not seen as the end, but merely a learning experience. Sometimes the best way for students to learn is from their mistakes and improve upon their idea on the next try. No one gets a masterpiece on the first try. One creates the masterpiece by honing their skills and learning what works and doesn’t work on their own.

ARTS

Middle School art combines woodworking and painting disciplines Form II students in Doah Lee and Nate Pankratz’s classes used artistic techniques from both painting and woodworking on their “Creating Your Visual Identity” project this spring.

The boys created a painting that represents their identity using symbolic references in Lee’s class, and then completed a frame for the painting in Pankratz’s woodworking class.

To create the painting, the boys had to examine how they’d define themselves from different perspectives and explore topics like visual identity and brand logo design.

“This project allows the boys to not only showcase their unique identity, but also introduces them to how visual language is used as a communication tool,” said Lee. The boys developed a frame designed to highlight their painting. Students used Tinkercad software to create and refine their prototypes. They then used woodworking tools to bring their design to life.

“Frames act as lenses from which we draw significance from an overabundance of information,” said Pankratz. “The boys used frames both in metaphor and in form to drive their own understandings of the visual world.

They took part in the full woodworking experience and turned lumber into art.”

Navigating Lower School music during the pandemic Due to safety measures in place during the 2020-21 school year, the Lower School music teachers were tasked with designing new and creative ways to keep the interest of the boys, while prioritizing well-being.

The boys’ in-classroom music courses continued to use the Kodály method to teach the boys to read basic melodic and rhythmic notation, but this year’s curriculum also saw a more analytical approach to music. Throughout the year, the boys researched and studied the different cultural music of countries around the world. From traditional and contemporary music, to instruments and dancing, the boys “traveled” continent to continent, gaining a new understanding of the world that surrounds them. Oftentimes, the music lesson would augment what the boys were learning in their social studies classes.

“Most days as I entered a classroom, the students would ask me ‘what country are we visiting today?’” said Lower School music teacher Valerie Case. “The boys’ enthusiasm never dwindled, even with their singing and movement being restricted.”

Many Lower School performance groups also became virtual. The choir would practice on their own at home, record their performance, and then receive feedback. Lower School music teacher Duane Case also edited many of the student performances to appear in virtual concerts for the Haverford community to enjoy.

“We are so thankful and grateful for the efforts of the boys’ parents,” explained Duane Case. “Without their help of recording the boys and sending in the audio recordings and photographs to us, we would not have been able to accomplish all we did this year.” haverford.org

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ATHLETICS

New coaches bring experience, strong reputations to Haverford athletics The Haverford School welcomed two new coaches in 2020-21. Alex Stait, Director of Squash Program, and Mike Toomey, Director of Cross-Country Program, come to the School with unique careers in their respective fields.

Stait has had a long career as both a player and a coach, most recently coaching at The Agnes Irwin School, where he led the team to its first league title since 1995 and a second-place finish at the High School Nationals. He is the National Head Coach of the USA Junior Men’s Team and the 2018 recipient of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Coach of the Year award.

Toomey, who also serves as the School’s Director of Tuition Assistance, assumed leadership of the cross-country teams from Tim Lengel ’07, who continues to support the team as an assistant coach while focusing on his duties as an Upper School teacher and advisor. Toomey brings more than 23 years of coaching experience at the high school, collegiate, and open levels to Haverford. He most recently coached at George School and Kents Hill School. Toomey competed at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell and was part of the NCAA Cross-Country Championship team in 1991. He was inducted into UMass Lowell’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

2020-21 Fall & Winter Highlights Fords athletics returned to the fields, courts, and courses this fall and winter. Though it was a little different than what we are used to, having athletic competitions again on campus and at our off-site homes was an inviting and welcoming change from an unusual year.

In the fall, the abbreviated seasons and uncertain expectations steered its way through the autumn months, with participants hoping no hiccups would shut things down and disrupt the excitement around competing again. Football, soccer, water polo, cross-country, and golf held league-only events, with the usual end to the fall being an EA vs. Haverford collision in all sports.

Football was able to play three games with an exciting win over EA to conclude the season. Water polo continued its dominance from fall 2019, going undefeated in its games played. Crosscountry was able to run to a few victories, but unfortunately came up short to wrap up its season against EA. Soccer hit the pitch and displayed tough play from the team winning two of three matches. Lastly, golf remained undefeated and has continued to show the rest of the Inter-Ac that the Fords are the best team in the league.

Winter brought back a number of indoor events that allowed many athletes to showcase their talents in the pool and on the courts.

Squash breezed through the league with another undefeated season. Basketball finished 7-2, defending home court even though the student section was not able to 12

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be there cheering them on. Swimming and diving took advantage of their shortened time in the pool for league meets by trying out a new training cycle designed to jumpstart their readiness to take on Inter-Ac foes. Wrestling had two Inter-Ac tournaments including all the league teams, and the Fords continue to show improvement in league competition.

Though both the fall and winter seasons were limited to Inter-Ac competitions, several seniors took advantage of their last year at Haverford. Quinton Campbell took to the fall wanting to help Fords football by kicking for the team. He put several big kicks through the uprights. He returned home to the squash courts, captaining the team to a zero-loss campaign, and in the spring will be wrapping up his Haverford career as captain of the lacrosse team. Chris Sims continues his threesport approach, excelling on the football field, basketball court, and as a member of the track and field team. Jack Deppen was captain of both the water polo and swimming teams, where he led the water polo group through all the Inter-Ac wins.

Jack will be continuing his student-athlete career swimming at Penn State, Chris will be playing football and running track at Bucknell, and Quinton will be playing squash next year at Dartmouth.

A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF HAVERFORD’S FINEST

By Bradley Terry Spahr

By Michael ’79

’84

It had been more than 35 years, but that didn’t matter. Strong bonds endure. In 2010, Peter Unger ’74 and his family sat in the front of the meeting house, facing those who had come to pay tribute his father. Unger scanned the mourners and couldn’t believe who he saw.

There was Mike Mayock, his Haverford football coach, sitting with Don McBride, former Haverford School Dean of Students and, at one time, an assistant to Mr. Mayock.

“I was really touched,” says Unger.

To Unger, it was a terrific tribute. But those who knew Mr. Mayock understand his presence was no surprise. His former players meant a lot to him, while he coached them and for decades after that. His player-coach relationship with Unger had blossomed into a friendship, and on that morning when Unger was relying on family and friends to buttress him, Mr. Mayock was there. Again.

“Having a good man like Mike as part of my life was very important to me,” Unger says. “He was a great man, and I feel lucky to have been exposed to him. That’s why I value sports so much. It’s an opportunity to touch people and influence people.”

During 26 years teaching and coaching at Haverford, Mr. Mayock had significant impacts on countless young men. He was the embodiment of the teacher-coach model that Haverford has cultivated for nearly 150 years. Mr. Mayock was a mentor. He was also a loyal friend. And he liked to have a good time.

Mostly, he was a family man, a devoted, loving husband to Susanne and a dedicated father to Mike ’76, Molly, Mark ’80, Dan ’82, Peter ’83, Ellen, and Matt ’85. He delighted in his many grandchildren and liked nothing more than to sit back, beverage in hand, when the family congregated, and marvel at what he and Susanne had created.

For Mr. Mayock, a life well-lived was about how successfully he had impacted people.

And his impact was immense.

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Mike Mayock couldn’t believe it. His father had coached football in college. He had directed three different high school programs.

And, yet, here he was, not sure he wanted to spend a day teaching offensive line play to a group of 8-to-10-year olds.

Mike was running a football camp in the area, and one of his instructors was sick. So, he checked in with the best coach he knew.

Could his dad fill in, teach the kids how to get in a stance, and get them firing out after the snap?

“I don’t know,” his father said.

Mr. Mayock had a particular approach to coaching the line. The right approach. And he didn’t like the way linemen were taught to “block” at the time.

“I’m not going to teach them how to hold,” Mr. Mayock said.

He helped out and did his customary excellent job. His high standards continued to guide his approach, just as they did from the minute he ran his first practice, at St. John’s School in Roxborough, in 1955. Later, his teams at Malvern and Haverford won or shared four Inter-Ac titles. His players learned the sport, developed as athletes and individuals, and came to love and respect the man who taught them about football and life.

“Mr. Mayock was a man you didn’t want to disappoint,” says Peter Ziesing ’75. “He had such a great presence. He was a big person with a quiet voice and a great laugh. He wasn’t ever demeaning to any of his players.”

Many people saw Mr. Mayock’s imposing frame and considered him an intimidating block of granite. But the simplistic view of him was wrong. He certainly wanted to win and was a fierce competitor who believed that hard work, commitment, and sound strategy were the hallmarks of successful teams and people.

However, a game’s decision was a waystation on a journey that was more important than the win or loss. Learning the traits necessary to be successful in life was more important than any triumph.

“He was very strict and businesslike,” says Ed DeSipio ’75. “He was steadfast and didn’t waver.”

In 1955, Mr. Mayock graduated from Villanova, where he was a star end on the Wildcats’ 1954 team. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose him in the 24th round of the 1955 NFL Draft, but he decided against pursuing a professional career. Mr. Mayock spent the 1955 season at St. John’s, which closed early the next year. In the late summer of 1956, he began at Malvern.

During seven seasons at Malvern, Mr. Mayock posted a 34-23-1 record (16-12-1 in the Inter-Ac) and led the Friars to shares of league titles in 1959 and 1962. Although Malvern and Haverford have been fierce rivals on the gridiron – and beyond – over the years, Mr. Mayock retained an affection for the school and its players, many of whom were extremely loyal to him.

One is John Toland, who played three years for Mr. Mayock before graduating in 1963 and whom Mr. Mayock taught Algebra I and II. Toland describes his coach as “fabulous and incredibly tough.” On the football field, order prevailed, and old-school rules applied.

“He absolutely demanded hard work,” Toland says. “I don’t think we had a water bucket on the field for all the time I played for him.

When I would go see him years later, I would kid him about that.”

After he left Malvern, Mr. Mayock directed the offensive line and also helmed the sprint team at Penn. Hench Murray, who would later coach against Mr. Mayock while at Penn Charter from 197077, played on the Quakers’ lightweight squad and remembers trying to trim a few yards off the 100-yard sprints the players would have to run after practice. “[Mr. Mayock] would say, ‘If you’re going to run a sprint, run it

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the whole way,’” Murray says. “How simple is that? It changed the whole way I did things. It stuck with me.”

When Mr. Mayock came to Haverford in 1970, the Fords were two years removed from tying Episcopal for the Inter-Ac title. There was a lot of talent on the team, and the league was about to find out just how much. Over the next two seasons, Haverford went 16-0 and won a pair of championships.

At the 1970 team’s first meeting, it was evident Mr. Mayock wouldn’t have any trouble commanding the respect of his new charges.

“When he walked into the room, he had everybody’s undivided attention,” says Jim Nesbitt ’73, a three-time all-league choice. “He was big and powerful, but he wasn’t mean. He just had a presence.”

That powerful bearing manifested itself in the 1970 Fords, who began the season with a 14-12 win over Central, which later won the City Championship. Haverford romped past its other two non-league opponents before ripping Penn Charter, 40-7, in the Inter-Ac opener.

There was no such rout the next week against Malvern, which had tied for the league title the previous year. A late touchdown run

by Nesbitt gave the Fords a 7-6 victory. That was the last time any team would come within 15 points of Haverford over the next 11 games.

The 1970 team was dominant, but the 1971 squad was a thresher. Haverford outscored Inter-Ac opponents, 194-26, and the starters rarely played in the fourth quarters of games.

The Fords ran through everything in their path, including Malvern, a 35-6 victim. The Friars had decided to prevent star halfbacks John Haldeman ’72 and the late Russell Allen from getting around end and didn’t deploy a middle linebacker. So, Mr. Mayock began feeding the ball to fullback Peter Lindquist ’73, who finished

with 250 yards. It was a textbook example of his strategic expertise and ability to deploy players perfectly.

“Mr. Mayock, in terms of scheming and drawing up plays, was outstanding,” says Kevin Burke ’78, who played for Mr. Mayock in 1975 and 1976. “His trick was in maximizing the talent he had without pushing it to the point of injury.”

Though he was stern and committed to the task before him, Mr. Mayock wasn’t without some whimsy. At halftime of the 1971 season finale against Episcopal, a 40-7 Haverford rout, Haldeman and Allen went to him and asked if they could play in the fourth quarter – as offensive linemen. “I didn’t know how he let that happen,” Haldeman says. “We were shocked.” With Haldeman and Allen on the line, guards John Berringer ’72 and Bob McCafferty ’72 became running backs. They learned a couple plays, and late in the game, McCafferty broke loose. He had no one near him, and a touchdown seemed certain.

Until he fumbled.

“I get the ball, and all I see is the goal line, 40 yards away,” McCafferty says. “I thought, ‘This can’t be true.’ I was tickled pink.

But at the 10-yard line, the ball goes shooting out of my arms. There was nobody near me.

“Of course, I was held up for public ridicule.”

The out-of-character gesture was Mr. Mayock’s way of acknowledging how dominant that team had been.

“It was a way for him to celebrate what we had done over the past two years,” Lindquist says. “It was a culmination.”

Injuries and heavy graduation losses prevented the Fords from continuing their Inter-Ac domination in 1972 and 1973. But by 1974, Haverford was in contention again, and the next two seasons brought undeniable highlights, including a pair of wins over Episcopal, the second a 32-0 win in 1975, and a stirring, 28-27 triumph over Archbishop Carroll, the 1975 Catholic League

Southern Division co-champ. But Malvern was the significant obstacle, and the Fords dropped a pair of close decisions to the Friars, including a crushing 21-16 road loss in the pouring rain in 1975.

Among the standouts on those teams were John Clark ’76, DeSipio, Sam Clement ’76, Joe DeSimone ’76, and Mike Mayock Jr. Clark remembers Mr. Mayock as a great teacher – “He was in the right profession,” he says – and someone who rarely had to yell.

One time he did was at halftime of the Penn Charter game in 1975.

The Fords were losing, and Mr. Mayock threw the chalk against the blackboard in the meeting room. It splintered, and every player in the first row got hit with some shrapnel.

“He told us, ‘Boys, football is a mean, rough game. If you want to play it, you have to be mean and rough. You guys are playing poorly, and if you want to win, you have to turn it up a notch or two,’” Clark says. “We went out and won the game [16-8].”

Haverford slumped the following season to 3-5, and Mr. Mayock grew increasingly frustrated with his and his staff’s inability to bring boys to Haverford whom the Board and administrators would admit. Add in the daily stresses of raising seven children, and it was a lot to handle. Mr. Mayock decided to step away from his football coaching responsibilities after the 1976 campaign.

“Some things didn’t go our way,” says John Trueman, Mr. Mayock’s long-time assistant coach, close friend, and former Director of Athletics at Haverford. “He told the Board what he wanted to do, but things didn’t change in terms of recruiting. I think he got tired of that.”

Mr. Mayock stopped coaching football, but he didn’t stop coaching. He directed the Middle School squash team for 20 years and had a 56-match winning streak at one point. He would set up in the coldest of Haverford’s four courts and show his charges how to “control the T,” as the middle part of the area between the two

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serving squares was called.

“He didn’t give you anything on the court,” says Wistar Wood ’79, a member of the Hall of Fame 1978-79 squash team. “You had to earn it.

“To move him off the T, you had to be accurate, powerful, and deceptive. If you didn’t do that, Mr. Mayock would punish you.”

In addition to helping his players develop a physical, aggressive style of play, Mr. Mayock helped give squash some cachet within the athletic department. Nobody was going to deride the sport if he was ready to take on any interested party on the court.

“Something about his presence in the squash program gave it relevance, and I always appreciated that,” Wood says. “He put squash on equal footing with other sports at Haverford.”

Mr. Mayock was able to extend one of his other sporting enthusiasms – golf – into a coaching role, as well, when he took over the varsity golf team. His lieutenant was Ed Hallowell, the former English department chair and presenter of the eponymous literary lecture series that brings renowned writers to the School. Hallowell was impressed by Mr. Mayock’s love of golf – “I’ve never seen anyone as passionate about it,” he says – and the ability to connect with the boys on the team.

“Mike commanded the same kind of enormous respect among the golfers as he did as coach of the football team,” Hallowell says.

“The boys revered him. When he spoke to them before matches, he motivated them. He would tell them to go out have fun, do their best, and see how it worked out.”

Mr. Mayock loved golf and squash, but nothing ignited his love of sports like football. Early in the 1983 season, with Haverford in the midst of a three-year, 1-25 run of gridiron futility and already 0-2 that year, then-Head of School Davis Parker decided to make a change at the top of the program.

“The day after [the second loss], Dave Parker came into my office and said he was going to ask Mike Mayock if he wanted to coach again,” says Trueman, then the Director of Athletics. “The layoff got Mike re-energized. He was ready to come back.”

There was no magical turnaround, but the Fords played much better football. And on Oct. 29, Haverford scored a 21-16 upset win over Malvern, the first triumph over the Friars since the 1971 juggernaut battered all comers. It was particularly sweet for Mr. Mayock because his youngest child, Matt, was part of that team.

Over the ensuing three-plus decades, Matt called his father every year on the date to re-live the big win.

“It was a really special time,” Matt says. “We were coming from losing a lot of football games.

“He came back to coach and made us feel good about ourselves.”

The Fords were 4-4 in 1984, but struggled the next few seasons.

Mr. Mayock was enjoying himself, there was order and discipline within the program, and progress was being made. But the hole that had been dug in previous seasons proved too deep, and the commitment from the School was not sufficient to match those of Haverford’s Inter-Ac rivals. After the 1987 season, second-year Head of School Bo Dixon fired Mr. Mayock. It was a crushing blow for him and those who coached and played for him.

His football coaching legacy remains one of his great successes – his overall record was 49-45-2, and he won two league titles. To him, coaching was teaching, and there were plenty of lessons to be imparted to the young men in his charge.

“The beauty of Mr. Mayock is that he knew how to give young men direction and discipline without ever yelling or shaming them,” says Henry Maguire ’75, who played for him in 1973 and 1974.

“You wanted to do it for him and for the team.”

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*** Maguire wasn’t exactly too enthusiastic about walking into his Haverford summer school math class in June 1970 a couple months before he would start Form II. He hadn’t wanted to go Haverford, but he ended up there. So, he headed into the classroom in June for a little skill development – and got a big surprise.

“I thought, ‘Holy cow! John Wayne is teaching math,’” Maguire says of Mr. Mayock. “He was the rock. He had on a short-sleeved dress shirt and a tie and never had to yell. He said, ‘Okay, boys, we’re going to learn some math.’

“He was a nice guy, but he didn’t tolerate any [stuff].”

Maguire was one of the many Haverford students whose Algebra I foundations were built by Mr. Mayock’s straightforward classroom methods. He presented the material as directly as possible, assigned homework that reinforced the day’s lesson, tested students on what he had taught – with no uncomfortable surprises – and returned the papers the next day. Every time.

Just as Mr. Mayock drilled his charges on the fundamentals as a coach, so too did he make sure his students would be able to handle the early steps on their mathematical journeys.

“He was a really good teacher because he was very clear,” says Gerry van Arkel ’79, P’14. “If you’re not clear with math, it gets fuzzy fast. I came away from his class thinking that I had learned a lot.”

Because Maurice Glavin ’83, P’14 ’16 ‘20, came to Haverford in Form III, he didn’t have a chance to spend time in Mr. Mayock’s classroom. But his brothers did, and after one Middle School Parents’ Night, Glavin’s old-school father came home and announced that he had met his favorite teacher.

“Mr. Mayock had told parents that he gives tests Thursday, grades them that night and gives them back the next day,” says Glavin, Haverford’s Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Mr. Mayock said that if your son tells you he didn’t get the test back, he’s lying

and probably didn’t do well.”

Parents appreciated the no-nonsense approach – and that their children were learning math. Ira Thal attended summer school before starting as a sixth grader at Haverford in 1974. Thal is quick to report that Mr. Mayock “immediately commanded respect,” but he was also extremely clear and effective.

“He was born to be a teacher,” says Thal, who became Mr. Mayock’s physician the last year-plus of his life. “Anyone you come across will tell you that. He was very fair, and I absolutely have the memory of his taking us through a little red book of word problems.

He’d go through it step by step with us.”

That approach impressed Ted Peters ’68, a former Chair of the Board of Trustees who also taught in the Haverford Middle School from 1972-76. His classroom was next door to Mr. Mayock’s, and the two became friendly colleagues who played tennis and squash against each other. Peters remembers Mr. Mayock’s structured lessons and ability to make sure the students worked to their potentials.

“Mike was a tremendous teacher,” Peters says. “He was a very disciplined teacher. The kids came in and worked hard. I remember talking to him once and being impressed that if a kid was lagging, he was very committed to getting him back up to speed.”

Sometimes, it helped to have a coach of several teams as a teacher, especially on warm days. Van Arkel remembers that during his time in Form II, he and his classmates would often return to the classroom from lunch dirty, sweaty, and disheveled after raucous games of Crossbee (the sport invented at Haverford that involved trying to shoot a frisbee into a lacrosse goal), or touch football.

“He might admonish us,” van Arkel says. “But he had a smile on his face. He was glad we were doing it. He was the father of many sons and an athletic guy.

“But within four seconds, we were in study mode.”

You expected something else? ***

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It doesn’t take long after one meets Haldeman to feel his intensity. His gaze is steady and strong. He continues to boast a halfback’s frame, even in his late 60s. And he addresses people directly and with little nonsense.

That’s why it’s so fun to imagine him and Mr. Mayock spending a couple hours on a squash court, trying to smash the ball past each other and turning a “gentleman’s game” into a full contact sport.

“We beat the [crap] out of each other,” Haldeman says. “If we had a really good point that lasted a while, one of us would just start laughing. We had so much fun.”

Haldeman and his wife Sue became close friends with the Mayocks. They babysat the Mayock kids at times, and when the Haldemans’ first child died at an early age, the Mayocks provided tremendous support.

“Coach was just solid as a rock in all aspects of his life,” Haldeman says. “He was that way as a friend, whether it was good

times or bad times.

“Sue and I learned a lot from [the Mayocks’] relationship, how they treated each other, and the respect they had for each other.”

Mr. Mayock brought the same solid principles to his friendships as he did to his roles as coach and teacher. He was loyal. Caring.

He was a terrific mentor and always willing to support those who needed a boost. Malvern’s Toland remembers Mr. Mayock encouraging him during his college years, and during Toland’s time in the Marines. “He was always there for me,” says Toland, who met his wife, Carol, on a double date with Mr. and Mrs. Mayock. “He was a go-to person for me. You need that person in your life.”

Sure, he was a principled, sturdy force, but he loved to have a good time. When he was coaching at Haverford, he and Susanne would welcome the Fords’ assistants and often other Inter-Ac

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coaches to their house in Wynnewood for parties after games.

There was music – “He would always break into song, and he had a beautiful voice,” Dick Nesbitt ’70, says – and jokes that things rarely broke up early.

“One time, we were at his house, and it was really getting late,” Hench Murray says. “I lived in Abington, and I said, ‘I think we have to get going.’ He literally put me back in my seat and said, ‘you aren’t going anywhere.’”

Because John Trueman coached with Mr. Mayock during both of his tenures at Haverford, he had many fun evenings at the Mayock house.

“Mike was a family friend. He knew our kids, and he was as loyal as could be. If you wanted someone to be your friend, he was what you would want.”

And if you wanted someone to be your golf partner, Mr. Mayock was your man – so long as you wanted to play early.

Really early.

As Ed Hallowell says, Mr. Mayock loved golf. When he didn’t have to teach, he headed to Coatesville Country Club and wanted to be the first one off the tee every day – between 5:30 and 6 a.m.

“His nickname was ‘The Ghost,’” says Lindquist, who was also a member at Coatesville. “He would be done playing before anybody else started.”

After he retired, he would spend a couple months each winter down in North Carolina with his brother Dick, playing every day down there. He had fun playing golf, but his competitive side often emerged.

Unger recalls playing a match with Mr. Mayock, Dan Mayock, and Tom Wheelock, who was a one-time assistant lacrosse coach at Haverford. Mr. Mayock hadn’t played particularly well, but on the 18th hole, he rolled in a six-footer to clinch the match – and was euphoric, even though not a penny changed hands.

“You would have thought he had won the Super Bowl,” Unger says. “I loved that. He was so competitive.”

Mr. Mayock’s relationships with his former players went well beyond the golf course. He would have lunch with them, see them at social functions, or at games at The Haverford School. He would often try to get them to call him, “Mike,” to no avail. “I told him, you can ask me to call you ‘Mike’ all you want, but you will always be ‘Mr. Mayock’ to me,” Berringer says. “He was a force of nature.”

In March 2019, Maguire and Ziesing took Mr. Mayock to lunch at his favorite spot, the Flying Pig, in Malvern. “He walked into that place, and it was like 1975 again,” Maguire says. “He moved a little slower, but he still had that presence.” The three men talked football and life, and when they parted, the two former Fords were delighted for the opportunity and impressed with Mr. Mayock’s recall and love of the time he spent as their coach. “He remembered plays from when we played for him, including the down and yardage,” Maguire says. “It was incredible.”

Haverford’s Director of Athletics Mike Murphy P’20 took over as Haverford’s football coach in 2005, and he was impressed by what everybody else would say about Mr. Mayock. “I heard so many things, and I wanted to emulate him,” Murphy says. “When I met him, I found out they were all true.”

Murphy was one of the engines behind the creation of the Susanne and Michael Mayock Family Scholarship, which is awarded to a football player of significant talent at Haverford, who also shines in the classroom and has high character and integrity. “Mr. Mayock always felt his wife was part of his legacy,” Murphy says.

And in 1997, former players from Malvern and Haverford came together to create the Michael F. Mayock Distinguished TeacherCoach Award, which rotates throughout the Inter-Ac schools and

is given to someone who exemplifies Mr. Mayock’s commitment to students and athletes. In 2016, Murphy won it, and Mr. Mayock presented it to him.

“To have Coach Mayock present that to me was a high point of my career,” Murphy says. *** As 2020 neared its close, it became clear that Mr. Mayock needed more help with his daily routine than he could get at Bellingham. So Dr. Thal suggested that he might want to consider living with one of his children, in order to get some more attentive care. That was on a Friday morning. Later that day, he was in Lexington, Va., settling in with Ellen and her family.

“We weren’t giving him a chance to change his mind,” Dan says.

Mr. Mayock spent a little more than a month in Lexington before dying, but he cherished the opportunity to be with his daughter and to see two of his grandchildren.

“One time he said, ‘I’m so grateful for the life I’ve had, but I miss your mother [who died in 2017], and I wish she were here the last three years to see how everything developed. You kids are great,’” Ellen says.

While he was with Ellen and her family, Mr. Mayock reflected on what he and Susanne had built. He was a proud patriarch at rest, rather than a father dealing with life’s day-to-day challenges.

“I would take him to the doctor, and he’d spend all his time talking about his family,” Ellen says.

No matter how much Mr. Mayock accomplished as a coach and teacher or how many lives he touched as a friend and mentor, he was always, at his core, a family man. He and Susanne watched as their children became parents and put the lessons they learned to use every day. There can be nothing more rewarding than that.

“We were down the shore one time, with a lot of the grandkids running around, and we were having a cocktail,” Mike says. “He was shaking his head and smiling. I asked him, ‘What are you thinking?’

He said, ‘If Sue and I knew we would be responsible for all these people, we never would have had you.’

“I think what he was saying was that he and mom were 22, 23 years old, and had they thought about all of this and how daunting it was, it would have scared them. But they were very pragmatic, hardworking people who had a set of ethics and morals that they were going to live every day.”

There wasn’t room for corner-cutting in the Mayock household.

You went to school. Every day. There were no sick days. In the summer, you worked. There were food and clothes, but the kids were on their own for the extras. The older children looked after their younger siblings.

“One of my main childhood memories was of a well-oiled machine at bedtime and their trying to get seven kids bathed every night,” Molly says. “One of them would have two kids in the tub at a time, with the other getting the clothes off the next in line and then getting towels and pajamas for whoever got out of the tub.”

The extras that some of their classmates had – especially at Haverford or Agnes Irwin, where Molly went – were out of the question. “We understood that Christmas at our house was not the same as it was at our best friends’ houses, and that was okay,” Matt says. Hard work was the baseline expectation. So was doing what was right, no matter what.

When Molly was a senior at AIS, she took part in the school’s annual senior cut day and headed to the beach in Atlantic City with her classmates. She had a great time, but she contracted sun poisoning. “My parents knew I didn’t get burned like that at lacrosse

practice,” Molly says. Her parents made her go to Anne Lenox, then the school’s head, “and tell on myself.” To her credit, Lenox told Molly that her “punishment” was to walk from her house in Wynnewood to Suburban Square in Ardmore that Saturday and buy herself something. She even gave her 10 bucks to do so.

“I left the house and went to the movies,” Molly says. “That’s how strict my parents were. They didn’t care what anybody else did.”

The Mayock children all have stories of their parents’ unyielding principles and tremendous devotion to them. But they also have plenty of funny tales, too. Ellen tells about the time she accompanied her parents into the city to see the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Mayock wasn’t too thrilled about the opportunity, but he went. “I remember him asking me, ‘When’s halftime?’” Ellen says, laughing. “I said, ‘They call it intermission, Dad.’” All remember how their father cooked, gardened, and ran the household when Susanne was working. And he was a pretty good cook, too. More than that, he had an abiding love for Susanne and a willingness to help her live as full a life as possible. “They were very much a team,” Ellen says. “I think my dad learned a ton as mom evolved as a woman and a professional. He picked up the slack.”

Haldeman believes their union was unique.

“They were equals,” he says. “They were way ahead of their time in terms of their relationship.”

Mr. Mayock had many roles. He taught. He coached. He raised a family. He was a devoted husband. A loyal friend. A wise mentor.

His impact on his family was profound, and his influence on The Haverford School community endures today.

“He was as good a dad as you could ever ask for, as solid a mentor as you could ever wish for, and he affected the lives of more young men through the coaching and teaching professions than you could ever imagine,” Mike says.

Try to find a better tribute than that. Then try to find a better man. You won’t.

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REFLECTIONS OF A HEAD OF SCHOOL DR. JOHN A. NAGL, NINTH HEAD OF SCHOOL Serving as the head of this remarkable School for the past eight years has been an enormous blessing. In these few words, I look back over my time here in an attempt to capture what I’ve learned at Haverford and the remarkable people I have learned from.

I arrived in 2013 as just the ninth Head in Haverford’s long history, and the first new Head in 15 years, so there was no standard established for the installation ceremony marking my arrival.

We designed one that involved the creation of a student, faculty, and alumni rock band named the Haligoluks, the introduction of walk-on music, and a large shipping crate. For my walk-on music I chose Aerosmith’s classic “Dream On,” which spoke, in my mind at least, to the merits of dreaming big dreams and working hard to bring them to fruition.

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Which is what I set out to do. That first year consisted largely of meeting new people, learning new systems, and understanding the challenges that first-year boys face when they start at Haverford.

It also included an extraordinary number of minor illnesses, as I had to acquire immunity to every variety of sniffle that every boy brought on campus, and just as many snow days—eight, as I recall.

In my second year, with the creation of the Safety, Character, and Culture Task Force, a group of board members, faculty, and staff assembled by then-Board Chair John Stoviak ’69, the School sought to take steps to ensure the mental and physical well-being of all students. In that year, we not only revised our Principles of Community and Characteristics of a Haverford School Graduate, but also created one of the innovations of which I am most proud:

the Brother’s Keeper Card.

This card states clearly the School’s strict policy on drug and alcohol abuse, but more importantly, provides a phone number at which any member of the community can leave an anonymous message expressing concern for a student’s drug or alcohol use or mental or physical well-being. Boys from Form I through Form VI receive copies of the Brother’s Keeper card early in every school year, and they regularly call the number to report concerns about their friends—dozens of calls over the course of the past seven years, many of which have led to interventions that have significantly helped dozens of our boys.

The Safety, Character, and Culture Task Force was John Stoviak’s finest hour as Board Chair, as he led it with dedication and compassion. John was assisted throughout by his Vice Chair and designated successor, Bill Yoh ’89, whose father Spike Yoh ’54 had himself been a Chair of The Haverford School board, and whose generosity had provided the engraved tablets marking the Walk of Virtues that remains one of my favorite parts of campus. Bill ensured that the conclusions of the task force were implemented as he began his first year as Board Chair, and I began my second as Head of School.

John and Bill are just two of the many strong leaders that have blessed the School during my tenure, too many for me to note them all. Among those who taught me the most is Dr. Ron Duska, Head of Lower School upon my arrival on Lancaster Avenue. I will never forget his philosophy of running a Lower School, which was very similar to his game plan as a defensive end at Dickinson College: “contain, contain, contain.”

Ron was succeeded in the Lower School by Dr. Pam Greenblatt, who previously oversaw our Enrichment and Learning Center. Pam is one of the most gifted educators I have ever met; she understands the science of learning and how to apply that science to help

individual boys learn.

Head of Middle School Dr. Jay Greytok ’83 has worked only at Haverford through his extraordinary career, returning here after graduating from Syracuse and never leaving. His 34 years of service - more than one-quarter of the School’s existence - includes time teaching science and math, serving as Upper School Dean of Students, and 20 years as Head of Middle School. He often describes himself as the world’s biggest Middle School boy.

Matt Green was Head of Upper School when I arrived - a job many consider to be among the toughest in any School. Matt, whose father and brothers were Heads of School, is an enormously erudite man whom I encouraged to return to the English classroom, where he had begun his time in schools. Matt has a vision of what humanity can be at its best and a strong desire to move the world in a positive direction, something he has been diligently working for the past several years as Head of Falmouth Academy in his native New England.

Matt was succeeded briefly by Patrick Andrén, a graduate of Brunswick Academy who has now returned to that great boys’ school as Assistant Head of School, and then by Matt’s longtime Dean of Students Mark Fifer, a Friends’ Central graduate who was on the same all-Philadelphia Inquirer basketball team as Kobe Bryant. Mark’s first sport was baseball, and he served Haverford for many years as junior varsity baseball coach. I will forever be grateful to him for stepping up to become Head of Upper School on short notice and hitting the ball out of the park.

The replacement of Crosman Hall was one of the few missions the eighth Head of School and good friend Dr. Joe Cox left for me.

After several twists and turns, we devised a plan to demolish the existing structure and replace it with a new building on the same footprint. This plan necessitated the construction of temporary classrooms on the tennis courts, dubbed “Virtue Village” by the

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estimable Dr. Greytok. We could never have imagined how useful those classrooms would become after the completion of the new Middle School.

Buildings are expensive, and raising the funds for this one was no small task. We developed Character at Our Core, a comprehensive campaign which sought to invest in our extraordinary educators, realize inspiring spaces for all of our boys, open doors for boys who could not attend Haverford without our help, and forge a community of difference makers. The effort was overseen by Director of Development Jeff Day P’20. Jeff’s dogged determination and work ethic were complemented by Campaign Director Jill Miller P’14’s vision and attention to detail, and with Bill Yoh as Campaign Chair and lead donor, we succeeded in surpassing our $50 million goal.

For the first time in the School’s history, we did not take on debt during the construction of a new building, instead funding the work from current operating funds. We were assisted in this effort by a rising stock market and by the School’s sharp-eyed Chief Financial Officer David Gold, who deserves a great deal of credit for keeping expenses in check during his long tenure, and by Treasurers of the Board David Ford ’93 and Geordie Lemmon ’79. During my tenure, but because of their wisdom, Haverford’s net endowment nearly quadrupled, and the gross endowment exceeded $100 million for the first time in School history, even as we retired debt.

Haverford is in a much better place financially than it was on my arrival, and Jeff, David, David, and Geordie deserve the thanks of every member of Fords Nation for helping ensure the long-term strength of the institution.

The construction of the new Middle School marked the completion of the School’s Campus Plan, indicating that it was time to think strategically about the future of the institution. With Character at Our Core and the new Middle School, a new Strategic Plan was the third pillar of Bill Yoh’s extremely consequential tenure as Board Chair. The plan, titled Lifelong Learning and Leading, had three pillars of its own: Inspire 21st Century Teaching and Learning, Enhance and Embed our Commitment to Character, and Expand and Ensure our Future. Led by board members and Co-Chairs John Hollway P’18 and Caroline De Marco P’20 ’22, the effort was visionary, but grounded in reality; among the many who ensured that our reach did not exceed our grasp was Dean of Faculty Rebecca Davis, a teacher who in my mind symbolizes the love that our faculty have for the boys.

Lifelong Learning and Leading was published in March 2020, near the end of Bill Yoh’s tenure as Board Chair and at the beginning of one of the more consequential years in American history. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person learning in dramatic fashion. Sports teams were excited for the start of their games, only to have their last game happen in the same week. Students spent months preparing for the spring production of “Carousel,” and gave a rousing one-time-only performance on what would have been their dress rehearsal night. The next day we were out of session on state orders and began teaching virtually for the first time in Haverford School history, a situation that was made much more bearable because of years of investment and thinking about teaching, learning, and technology courtesy of Director of Information and Instructional Technology Andrea Drinkwine.

We would stay virtual for the remainder of the school year, conducting online classes, holding virtual award ceremonies, and filming physically-distanced moving up and commencement ceremonies.

The summer of 2020, usually a time of rest and reflection, became a time of preparing to return to in-person schooling under 22

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COVID-19 conditions. Assistant Head of School Mark Thorburn, a no-nonsense Mainer who is completely unconcerned with recognition and completely dedicated to making the School run, assumed leadership of the COVID-19 Task Force and ensured that we were ready to open on time with every boy in school in September 2020.

Although getting all of our boys back on campus to learn in-person was a major accomplishment, 2020-21 was one of the most challenging years in Haverford School history. While the Class of 2020 lost their senior spring, the Class of 2021 suffered through an entire year marked by the pandemic. They were present on campus to learn, but they had to do so physically-distanced and without the joys that usually mark coming together in person. For the first time in decades, there was no EA Day. There was, however, a national reckoning with racial discrimination, sparked by the killing of a Black man named George Floyd in Minneapolis by a white police officer. The outpouring of hurt and anger across America included many Haverford School students, parents, and graduates of color who took to Instagram and many other venues to tell stories of discrimination they had faced—and too often continue to face—at Haverford. Recognizing the scope and scale of the challenge, Bill Yoh had convened the first Board Equity and Inclusion retreat back in the summer of 2019, an effort greatly assisted by Upper School history teacher and the School’s first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Brendon Jobs.

The work to build a school where every boy feels valued and free to be himself continued under the leadership of new Board Chair Maurice Glavin ’83, P’14 ’16 ’20. Maurice appointed trustees Randall Drain ’01 and Ravi Reddy ’90 to chair a Board Task Force on Character and Culture and to produce an Equity Action Plan to continue the School’s progress on being a truly equitable institution.

A high point in that work came when the School honored George “Porgie” Smith ’67 during my last year. Porgie was the School’s first Black graduate, a notable scholar-athlete who served for many years in the United States Air Force; his courage and leadership cannot be allowed to be forgotten. We were fortunate to have Henry Fairfax ’99, a notable academic leader who was the first Black Haverford School alum inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame, speak at the event. Henry spoke meaningfully of how far The Haverford School has come since he faced racial discrimination in our halls, and of how far we still have to go.

***** My time at Haverford has been marked by a successful capital campaign, by building a new Middle School, and developing a new strategic plan, but what I will remember longest is none of those things. It is the relationships with the boys I have been privileged to get to know that have made the fundraising, and the planning, and the committee meetings so worthwhile. It has been a joy to watch so many of them achieve more than they ever could have imagined.

I think of the boys so deeply committed to the Cavalry, our Robotics team, who spent hundreds of hours on campus, designing, programming, and building (and rebuilding) robots. I think of the editors and writers of The Index, our phenomenal, award-winning student newspaper. They have earned national awards for their writing, and deservedly so. I could speak much more of the many boys I came to admire in our academic extracurricular activities. I hope that one of the innovations that survives my departure is the Hephaestus Society, designed to honor boys for their contributions to the life of the School, and to the life of the mind.

The Hephaestus Society was created in part because I felt that we were not honoring our scholars as publicly as we were our

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remarkable athletes, whose blood, sweat, and tears we correctly celebrate. Athletics are a place where boys build discipline, teamwork, and character, and I cannot begin to remember all of the times when I have cheered as a boy accomplished more than we could have asked of him in support of the Maroon and Gold. The triumphs are too numerous to mention them all, but at the risk of leaving out remarkable accomplishments on our fields, I must pay tribute to moments that I will always remember - moments like winning a National Championship in lacrosse in 2015 and one in squash in 2017. I remember a 20-game win streak in football across three seasons, the Pennsylvania state title in 2016 in baseball and one in 2019 in basketball, and 11 consecutive state titles in robotics.

These victories were obvious high points of my tenure, but even undefeated seasons are ultimately less important than the things boys learn while working and playing together.

As I often tell parents who are considering Haverford for their son, the School’s academic and athletic programs are, simply, worldclass, but so too are our arts programs. From Pegasus, our Columbia University gold-medal-winning literary journal, to the Notables, our a capella group and the hardest team to make at Haverford, I am enormously proud that the School gives boys the opportunity to explore their passions in art, music, and drama, and takes them as far as they can go in developing their talents. Many leave Haverford with abilities that they will treasure for a lifetime.

All of these efforts are overseen not just by a talented and committed adult staff, but also by student leaders who are given true responsibility and authority. I feel privileged to have developed relationships with each of the eight student body presidents of my tenure, but also salute the leaders and members of Signet Society, the Honor Council, the Character Mentorship Program, and the Diversity Alliance I have come to know. They are young men who are honing the leadership skills that will do so much to improve our world in the decades to come.

Many of the boys who did so much to make my tenure memorable were recruited by Brian McBride ’82, P’13 ’15 ’15 ’20, who served during my tenure as Associate Head of School, acting

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Director of Development, acting Director of Admissions until replaced by the very able McDonough graduate Donta Evans P’27, and even freshman basketball coach. Brian was an invaluable guide to the idiosyncrasies of the Main Line; he truly bleeds Maroon and Gold.

As does the last person I will mention by name, Candy Montgomery P’94, who served as Secretary to the Board of Trustees and to the Head of School during the first seven years of my tenure. Candy epitomized dignity, dedication, and service to Haverford during her 35 years here, and it was one of the great honors of my tenure to name the new Board Room in recognition of her love of Haverford.

***** There is still much work to be done. We must continue our commitment to ensure that the most talented boys can become Fords regardless of their family’s ability to pay, and give our boys on scholarship the resources they need to fully take part in the Haverford experience. We must continue our work to ensure that every boy feels welcome at Haverford; the School should be a beacon of inclusivity and a model for a nation that continues its work toward becoming a more perfect union. Our efforts to combat drug and alcohol abuse, which destroys so much promise, must be redoubled. And we must continue to seek out and nurture faculty and staff who are experts in teaching boys, who see their unending potential, and challenge them to seek out their passions while accomplishing their goals.

I will miss the many joys of serving as the School’s ninth Head, including the one that comes with responsibility for waking up early on days when snow is predicted. As often as not, the weather obliges, and the Head of School gets to make one thousand boys happy, all at once, by making a snow day call. I took the privilege of ending those calls with an old Army expression, which is how I will close this essay: This is Dr. John Nagl…OUT.

Parent Reflection: Stephenie Tellez P’14 ’18 ’23 Our family’s Haverford School journey started 15 years ago. In 2006 my husband, Carlos, and I set out to find an alternate educational setting for our oldest son. Haverford seemed to be the perfect fit for not only our oldest son, Stephen ’14, entering fifth grade, but for our more reserved middle son, Nicolas (“Nico”) ’18, entering first grade. Our youngest son, current IV Former Nathaniel, joined his older two brothers as a Haverford School student in 2011.

There are so many things I have found enriching through my volunteer efforts with the Haverford School Parents’ Association and involvement in the School community. Fifteen years ago, I knew one family, the admissions team, a couple faculty members, and my new family welcoming liaison. That’s it! I was in the same boat as my boys - I was coming into a community that I knew very little about and had no “friends.” Volunteering, for me, was not only a way to give back and to get involved, but a way for me to really survive. I needed to be connected to my new community — and what a connection I found! I think I have chaired or supported almost every event the HSPA coordinates. I have been a class parent, co-chaired the book fair, co-chaired the Gala, and served as the HSPA Chair.

My volunteer positions have allowed me to see a glimpse into what my boys’ days look like, they have introduced me to some amazing individuals, and they have taught me a lot about myself. In 2013, I co-chaired the Gala and once it concluded, I felt like I could take on anything. The following year I agreed to fill the HSPA second chair position. I also took a job outside the home for the first time since my middle son was born. I felt like I was ready to take on the world, but I couldn’t have done any of it without my Haverford community.

My friendships, not only with the other parents, but with the faculty and staff members, will always hold a special place in my heart.

The support, creativity, and genuine collaboration within the Haverford community among the faculty/staff and families is like no other.

It not only enriches the life of a parent, like me, but the life of each of the boys that attend the School. The opportunities to see my boys on campus interacting with fellow classmates, interacting with their teachers, and experiencing firsthand some of the events they get to participate in, are opportunities which have created many memories, and that I will always be grateful for.

Not only has Haverford prepared my sons academically, but it has prepared them for their future. The boys have learned how to take on many challenges. Mr. Duffney’s fifth grade English class taught them hard work, patience, organizational skills, and humility. Coach Rosko’s workouts taught them how mentally and physically strong they really are. As difficult as my boys thought these times were, they were really moments that taught them about themselves. The discipline, traditions, service projects, music and art programs, mandatory sports in Middle and Upper School, collaborative projects, expectations, and a strong work ethic at Haverford have all shaped my sons to be exceptional young men. To be part of The Haverford School INTERESTED IN means that they will be part of a community that from the beginning wanted nothing more than to see them succeed. It means they GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE HSPA? will always have friends and a network of people to call upon. The Contact Dorothy Walker in Palmer House at connections they have made here will be with them for life. dwalker@haverford.org.

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PARENTS

HSPA Party for a Purpose On Saturday, Jan. 23, The Haverford School Parents’ Association threw the first ever virtual Party for a Purpose. The event, co-chaired

by Iris DiBernardo P’28 and Kelly Perrillo, included an optional dinner pick up from Kennett Square’s Talula’s Table, a live paddle-raise emceed by George Corrigan P’27 and David Kelleher P’27, an exciting silent auction, and entertainment from Haverford School students, alumni, and faculty.

The mission of Party for a Purpose was to celebrate and honor the faculty and staff, who showed tremendous commitment to teaching the boys during this year’s extraordinary circumstances.

“These heroes were an incredible source of strength and normalcy for the boys during the pandemic, and the parents were thrilled to give back to them for their continued professional development,” said DiBernardo.

From the comfort of their own homes, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, and community members raised more than $200,000 during Party for a Purpose for School programs.

UPCOMING PARENT EVENTS

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Sept. 14 | 9 a.m.

HSPA Opening Coffee

Nov. 13 EA Day Pancake Breakfast

Sept. 23 | 7:30 a.m.

Hav-Afford Recycle Clothing Sale

Dec. 7 | 9 a.m.

Parents Plugged In meeting

Oct. 5 | 9 a.m.

Parents Plugged In meeting

Jan. 21, 2022 Party for a Purpose

Nov. 9 | 7 p.m.

Parents Plugged In meeting

Keep up-to-date at haverford.org/HSPA

ALUMNI

New speaker series focusing on alumni experiences launches A new virtual speaker series, Haverford Alumni: In the Arena, presents an opportunity for alumni to share their life and career experiences with the Haverford School community. The series brings alumni perspectives and stories to current students, families, and fellow alumni.

During the pandemic, the series has been held virtually using Zoom.

The first Haverford Alumni: In the Arena event took place on Monday, Feb. 10 and featured young alumnus Grant Ament ’15. Ament, who graduated from Pennsylvania State University in May 2020, was the number one overall pick in the 2020 Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Draft by the Archers LC. Ament participated in a question-and-answer style session with Young Alumni Committee Chair Thomas Lindberg ’07. During his talk he reflected on lessons learned at The Haverford School, his time playing for and attending Penn State, and his plans for the future.

“When I look back at Haverford and the experiences I had at the School, it has very little to do with what I learned in class, but more about how the teachers taught and how passionate they were in their individual subjects. All the teachers were extremely passionate about their jobs and more importantly, they wanted to share that passion with students,” Ament said.

Perry Hamilton ’70 was the second alumnus featured in the speaker series. Hamilton, the current Secretary of the Lower Merion Historical Society, explained the impact that Alexander and Lois Cassatt had on the genesis of The Haverford School.

Hamilton began his presentation with a brief overview of Alexander Cassatt’s career with the Pennsylvania Railroad and how the Cassatt family settled in Lower Merion, as the “main line” of the railroad ran through the township. Hamilton also shared that Alexander and Lois Cassatt wanted their son, Robert, to attend a private boys’ school. The couple teamed up with neighbors and Haverford College to establish Haverford Grammar School, which today is known as The Haverford School.

“They [Alexander and Lois Cassatt and their friends] got together with that Quaker college, Haverford College, in an effort to establish a boys’ school. As the planning with Haverford College came together, Alexander Cassatt put up $7,000 of his own money to be spent on building the new school,” Hamilton said. “Cassatt’s son, Robert Cassatt, attended Haverford beginning in 1884 when it first opened until 1887. Then like his father before him, he was educated in France for two years. Then returned to The Haverford School for his senior year when he graduated in 1890 with his class. ” The third installment of Haverford Alumni: In the Arena featured author Ben Grant ’07. Grant is the co-writer of the book Overview Timelapse: How We Change the Earth with fellow Haverford School alum Tim Dougherty ’13. Grant is also the founder of the Instagram account @dailyoverview, which has more than one million followers.

During his presentation, Grant spoke about the extraordinary aerial perspective and stunning patterns of civilization, and shared images from his work. He also explained how his experiences of being a well-rounded student athlete at Haverford indirectly prepared him for this work.

“In my time at Haverford I was encouraged by my teachers and even my peers to not be just one thing. I wasn’t just the soccer goalie or rower or the guy who started the poetry club. I could be all of those things,” Grant said. “Carved above the gym entrance is the of the Haverford Alumni: In Latin phrase mens sana in corpore sano a strong mind and a strong the Arena speakers body. It encourages us to be more than just one thing - not just a by scanning the QR code strong mind or not just a strong body, but both.” or visiting haverford.org/ Did you miss the conversations? See recordings of the presentations magazine at haverford.org/magazine

See the full presentations

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ALUMNI

JOSHUA GREENWOOD ’67 IRONWORKS Josh Greenwood ’67 is an artist blacksmith and has completed hundreds of ironwork commissions including the parclose stair rails for the Washington National Cathedral (left).

MIKE SCOTT ’77 Mike Scott ’77 is pictured (below) with a 110-inch enamel aluminum sculpture he created in 2018. In 1992, he created a painting (right) that was recently exhibited at Le Consortium Museum in Dijon, France.

The painting is enamel on an aluminum panel and measures 47”x47”.

Arts Fest

Virtual Exhibition See the full virtual gallery: haverford.org/artsfest

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MORGAN YOUNG ’09 ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS Architect Morgan Young ’09 shared these building renderings (above and below) he created of the Community Living Center at Lebanon VA Medical Center. This project is a 14 bed small house model community living center and is one of four centers that features an in-house kitchen, spa, open living/ dining room, quiet reading room, and outdoor porches.

The annual Arts Festival showcased the talents of faculty, alumni, students, and friends of the School. This year’s virtual event celebrated the creative talents of the Haverford community with an online exhibit. Started in 2010, the annual event was held in conjunction with Alumni Weekend. This year’s online exhibit, which kicked off on Thursday, April 29, featured works of film, drawings, paintings, music, architecture, photography, and more.

ALUMNI

Dr. Mark Ling ’73

President, Medaphase Inc. therapies for skin disease. He completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard, and a joint MD-PhD from Duke University.

What inspired you to go into medicine?

Unlike some, it was a meandering path. I was “groomed” to be a scientist, specifically a biochemist, like my father. As I spent more time in laboratories, I began to have second thoughts. Bench research can be a lonely endeavor at times. I missed interacting with people, and at the last minute, hedged my bets and entered an MD-PhD program, rather than traditional graduate school. I knew that I wanted constant and direct interaction with patients and pursued a clinical research career.

You started MedaPhase in 1998. Can you talk about owning your own company and the clinical research MedaPhase does?

MedaPhase was a perfect way for me to balance my scientific training with the decision to practice clinical medicine. We partner with the pharmaceutical industry to do mid- and latephase clinical testing of investigational drugs in pursuit of FDA approval. This research gives me a chance to be part of the biomedical research community while continuing to care for patients.

The contrast with my previous academic position at a large university was striking. You make the decisions, and you are responsible for the resulting successes or failures. My career skills and satisfaction have grown greatly as a result.

Want to hear more from Haverford School alumni?

What advice would you give to current Haverford School students as they consider career plans?

Try to find and follow your inner voice. We grow up with all kinds of well-meaning advice and expectations from family, teachers, and friends. They are often based on an incomplete and external vision of who we truly are. I am thankful that my inner voice steered me into medicine, as I would have been a mediocre, and likely unhappy, bench researcher rather than a happy doctor.

What do you remember most about your days at Haverford?

ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Mark Ling ’73 is the president and founder of Medaphase Inc., a clinical research center that develops investigative

I will always be grateful for being part of a supportive community.

On paper, I was a perfect candidate to have been bullied in school, and yet I cannot remember a single instance where a fellow student was cruel or unkind to me. I was accepted by all my classmates. I was able to develop my self-esteem and later outgrew the shy, awkward stage without the scars I might have had from a more conventional education.

Is there a teacher, coach, or mentor that stands out in your memory?

Two stand out to me. Taylor Schoettle gave me the chance to spend two years in his classroom surrounded by pythons, chickens, armadillos, and a 200 lb. capybara. And Robert Jameson, who taught me to write. That’s a skill that is universally crucial in any career, and his insistence on excellence has helped me ever since.

Go to haverford.org/blog to read more perspectives and personal stories

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Outgoing Head of School Dr. John Nagl poses for a portrait. The painting, which was completed this spring by artist Dave Larned, will hang in the Upper School upon its unveiling.

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board of trustees,

2020-21

Jennifer Paradis Behle P’20 Oray B. Boston Jr. P’17 Amy C. Briddell P’23 ’30 ’33 Caroline R. De Marco P’20 ’22, Secretary Randall T. Drain Jr. ’01 Thaddeus J. Fortin ’77, P’09 Maurice D. Glavin ’83, P’14 ’16 ’20, Chair William C. Hambleton William T. Harrington P’24 ’24 John F. Hollway P’18 Jack H. Kirkpatrick II ’88, P’20 Barbara Klock P’23 ’23 Jeffrey F. Lee ’95 George B. Lemmon Jr. ’79, P’12 ’19, Treasurer John J. Lynch III P’10 ’12, Vice Chair

Christopher J. Maguire P’16 ’19 Wade L. McDevitt P’28 ’30 Sharon S. Merhige P’16 ’18 H. Laddie Montague Jr. ’56 Jonathan R. Morgan ’03 John A. Nagl, Head of School Martha E. Ortiz P’21 Jennifer N. Pechet P’15 ’17 Ravindra A. Reddy ’90 G. Bart Smith ’95, P’28 ’30 Nafis T. Smith ’99 Fitz Daniel T. Tepper ’12 Kristin N. Vollmer P’23 G. Nash Waterman ’98 Roland Yang ’10

Ready to catch up?

Don’t miss out on our upcoming alumni events this fall!

John A. Nagl, D.Phil. • assistant head of school Mark Thorburn • chief financial officer David S. Gold • managing editor Sarah Garling • editors Emily Chahar and Keith Czarny • layout/design Emma E. Hitchcock • printer Intellicor LLC., Lancaster, Pa. • photographers Active Image Media, Dawn Blake, Kristin Brown, William Clarke and Kimberly Rolph P’26, Keith Czarny, Sarah Garling, Josh Greenwood ’67, Jordan Hayman Photography, Dave Larned, Craig and Jessica Morton, Dr. Michael Nance, Nate Pankratz, Jack Phelan, VI former, Neil Sawhney, IV former, Mike Scott ’77, George and Kristin Vollmer P’23, Russell Yoh, III former, and Morgan Young ’08 head of school

SEPTEMBER 27 32nd Annual Doc Thomas Golf Classic OCTOBER 7 NYC Regional Alumni Reception OCTOBER 20 Boston Alumni Happy Hour

Sarah Garling, Director of Marketing and Communications; 484-417-2764; sgarling@haverford.org contact

OCTOBER 28 Washington D.C. Regional Alumni Reception

Please send address changes to Disty Lengel at dlengel@haverford.org. address changes

Haverford School Today magazine is published for alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of The Haverford School. Nonprofit postage paid at Southeastern, Pa., and additional mailing offices. about

Second grade boys bring their drums outside ahead of practice for the annual African Drumming and Dancing presentation.

NOVEMBER 13 EA Day and Alumni Weekend

Copyright © 2021 The Haverford School (all rights reserved) Thank you to everyone who contributed to this publication. Special thanks to: Grant Ament ’15, Sara Barton, Michael Bradley ’79, Duane and Valerie Case, The Diversity Alliance, Ben Grant ’07, Henry Fairfax ’99, Christopher Fox, Perry Hamilton ’70, Mark Ling ’73, The Mayock family, Dr. John Nagl, The Smith family, Tom Stambaugh ’90, Stephenie Tellez P’14 ’18 ’23 special thanks

front cover:

Head of School Dr. John Nagl and his mother, Judy Nagl, read to Lower School students as part of a Veteran’s Day lesson in November 2019. back cover: Upper School students in the 2D Portfolio and Digital Art & Design II class pose with their original artwork called the “Mamba Mural.” It hangs outside the Severinghaus Library and was created as a tribute to the late basketball star Kobe Bryant.

FEATURES 13 A tribute to one of Haverford’s

finest

SCHOOL Today

By Michael Bradley ’79

20 Reflections of a Head of School

HAVERFORD

NOVEMBER 12 Alumni Weekend: Golden Fords Luncheon Alumni Weekend: Annual Alumni Reception

By Dr. John A. Nagl, Ninth Head of School

NOVEMBER 24 Notables Reunion Dinner and Concert NOVEMBER 25 Thanksgiving Breakfast with Soccer, Football and XC DECEMBER 15 Philadelphia Regional Alumni Reception *please note all events are subject to change

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