Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018 by Loomis Chaffee

Summer 2018 VOLUME 80 |

NO. 3

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Springfest

Students celebrated the last day of classes this spring with an afternoon of entertainment, carnival food, and active games on Sellers Field. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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Contents Su m m e r 2 0 18

Volume 80

No. 3 EDITORIAL & DESIGN TEAM

Lynn A. Petrillo ’86

F E AT U R E S

Becky Purdy

Six Seniors

Managing Editor

What do a robotic hand, social justice, creative writing, global studies, the backstroke, and pancakes have in common? They are some of the varied academic and extracurricular pursuits of six members of the Class of 2018 whom you are about to meet.

Reunion 2018

Birds of Loomis

Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing

From a Red-Bellied Woodpecker to a Ring-Necked Pheasant, birds on the Loomis campus attracted the keen eye of senior Zeno Schwebel, who photographed, identified, and catalogued the avian inhabitants in May for his two-week Senior Project.

Podcasts: What’s on Your Playlist?

Faculty members recommend podcasts they enjoy — including some you never knew existed.

4 From the Head 5 Island News 26 Faculty & Staff News 27 Pelican Sports 62 Object Lesson 64 Class Notes 70 Alumni Gatherings 72 Obituaries 80 Reflections

Graphic Designer

Christine Coyle Obituaries Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

More than 450 Pelicans and their families gathered on the Island in June to reconnect with classmates and enjoy a fun and sunny weekend on campus.

D E PA R T M E N T S

Jessica Hutchinson

On the cover: A Solitary Sandpiper surveys the campus wetlands in this photograph taken in May by senior Zeno Schwebel for his Senior Project. To see more of Zeno’s bird photos, turn to page 50.

WEB EXTRAS Look for this notation throughout the magazine for links to online extras, from podcasts and videos to photo galleries and expanded news coverage.

Christine Coyle Freshman Stephanie Zhang Junior Cheryl Zheng Mary Coleman Forrester Tim Struthers ’85 John Cunningham Lisa Salinetti Ross Heidi E.V. McCann ’93 Deidre Swords Paige Abrams Karen Parsons SUBMISSIONS/STORIES & NEWS

Alumni may contribute items of interest to: Loomis Chaffee Editors The Loomis Chaffee School 4 Batchelder Road Windsor, CT 06095 860.687.6811 magazine@loomis.org

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Visit Loomis Chaffee online at www.loomischaffee.org for the latest school news, sports scores, and galleries of recent photos. You also will find direct links to all of our social networking communities. For an online version of the magazine, go to www.loomischaffee.org/magazine. Printed at Lane Press, Burlington, VT Printed on 70# Sterling Matte, an SFI Sheet, Sustainable Forestry Initiative

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From the H e a d

Financial Aid By Sheila Culbert

I want to thank you so much for your generosity. It has given me the opportunity to change my life and pursue a field that will aid others. I hope to follow in your footsteps one day and change the life of someone like me who loves to help and make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you so much for changing my life and giving me an opportunity I will never regret. A final thanks to you for giving me the initiative to never miss a class; when my friends would say “I’m skipping my next class, I just have too much work,” I always thought to myself that I wouldn’t be making you, my benefactor, proud. I knew those who are helping me to attend Loomis would expect better of me, and I always carried that in the back of my mind. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

So wrote a young student to the benefactor of the named scholarship that he holds. Every year, those students on financial aid write letters of gratitude to donors who have funded a scholarship. I read many of these letters and am always moved and inspired by what our students write. So many of them, as in the example above, capture the school’s commitment to the best self and the common good. Financial aid is very much at the heart of our mission. When our Founders wrote their family testimonial in 1878, they wanted to leave a legacy that would make the world a better place, and they called for the establishment of a free school that would attract students from all walks of life and from around the world. They established access as a leading priority for the school. Still today, that decision by our Founders helps to define our campus culture. Currently, one third of our students are on aid, all of which is need-based. Ninety percent of students on aid are domestic students who come from 23 different states, bringing a variety of regional perspectives to campus. The 10 percent on aid who are international students hail from 13 different countries, adding still more global perspectives. Much like the student body as a whole, about a quarter of the students on aid are day students and the rest are boarders. All of them bring a host of different backgrounds and experiences with them, creating a microcosm of our nation and the world, and we know, like the student whom I quoted above, they benefit

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enormously from their time at the school. They are artists and athletes, good scholars and leaders in the dormitories. They are elected to Student Council and they serve on committees and run clubs. Indeed, they are in their accomplishments hard to distinguish from our full-pay students. Our financial aid program benefits all our students—both full-pay and f inancial aid—and allows us to create a school culture that is most conducive to learning and comes as close as possible to the Founders’ dream. Financial aid brings us closer to what Osbert Loomis described as “a bright beacon of usefulness throughout the length and breadth of our Country.” It is only through aid that we are able to enroll students from across the economic spectrum with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences—and it is this diversity that is so critical to a vibrant learning environment. Students learn a great deal from each other, and the more diverse the student body, the richer the learning environment. Nathaniel Horton Batchelder put it well when he wrote in the Loomis Bulletin in 1938, “Our boarding schools are not private enterprises but public responsibilities. Our task is not merely to furnish college preparation and social amenities for those who can afford to pay for them, but earnestly to seek potential leaders and train them in the arts and duties of citizenship.” Some 80 years after Mr. Batchelder wrote his column, ensuring that Loomis remains accessible is harder than ever. The average family

income in the United States in 2018 is $59,000. Loomis tuition for boarding students now stands at $60,540 with day tuition at $46,280, thus making a Loomis education out of the range of most families. And so we need to continue to expand and protect our endowment for financial aid. In Our Time Is Now: The Centennial Campaign for Loomis Chaffee, we raised almost $36 million for financial aid—this because of the generosity of so many people, including a $12 million bequest from Robert P. Hubbard ’47, a generous annual current use gift from Henry Kravis ’63 in support of the Kravis Scholars Program, $4.3 million in matching funds from an anonymous donor, and literally scores of commitments for financial aid from other donors who took advantage of the match. The campaign has concluded successfully—but our commitment to continue to raise financial aid dollars and to expand access to the school remains as pressing as ever. Talented students come from all walks of life, and financial aid allows us to provide opportunities that transform their lives. For us to be the school that our Founders envisioned, for us to meet our mission of being our best self and serving the common good, for us to continue to transform the lives of children from around the world, it is imperative that we continue to focus on financial aid. As we draw up the strategic plan for the next 10 years, financial aid must be a top priority.

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102 N D COMMENCEMENT

Class of 2018 With “bittersweet delight,” Loomis Chaffee celebrated and bid farewell to the school's newest graduates.

Photo: John Groo

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“We may call this place ‘The Island,’ but none of us [was] isolated. Everyone graduating today developed interests through a web of encouragement.” —Sam Goldfarb ’18

ABOVE: Commencement dignitaries and prize winners gather in Founders Chapel: (back) Director of Studies Timothy Lawrence, Trustee Jonathan Kelly ’81, Trustee Elizabeth Richmond ’80, Associate Director of Studies Robert DeConinck, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Christopher Norton ’76, Trustee Douglas Lyons ’82, Trustee John Bussel ’87, Trustee Erik Cliette ’84, Trustee Kristen DeLaMater, and Trustee Duncan MacLean ’90; (middle) the Reverend Charlotte LaForest, Trustee Harvey Struthers ’60, Head of School Sheila Culbert, Trustee Karin Finlay, Trustee Pauline Chen ’82, and Trustee Michael Dubilier ’73; and (front) prize recipients Robert Wang, Robert Lotreck, Chelsea Offiaeli, Brener DeSouza, August Donovan, Jacy Case, Leonie Kurzlechner, Jet Elbualy, Otto Laakso, Rosie Park, Louisa Gao, Suzanna Ryckman, and Gunnar Simons. Photo: John Groo

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Loomis Chaffee celebrated its 102nd Commencement under a festive tent in Grubbs Quadrangle on May 27 as the buoyant spirit of the Class of 2018 chased away the damp, chilly weather beyond the tent's shelter. The 198 members of the graduating class received their well-earned diplomas as families, friends, faculty, school administrators, and distinguished guests celebrated their achievements and wished them well in their future endeavors. After a greeting from Board of Trustees Chairman-Elect Duncan A.L. MacLean ’90 and the presentation of Commencement Prizes, Senior Class Speaker Samuel Goldfarb delivered his address. To warm laughter and applause, Sam made self-deprecating reference to the differences between an immature and sociallyawkward “Ninth-Grade Sam” to a more openminded, more self-aware “12th-Grade Sam.” He thanked his classmates and teachers for aiding his personal evolution and vowed to pay back their patience and kindness through his interactions with others as “College Freshman Sam.” “We may call this place ‘The Island,’ but none of us [was] isolated. Everyone graduating today developed interests through a web of encouragement,” he said.

Sam and all the day’s speakers touched upon the idea that as Loomis graduates, the members of the Class of 2018 join all alumni in sharing the responsibility of making good use of the many lessons learned on the Island, and taking an active role in making the world a better place. Retiring Chairman of the Board of Trustees Christopher Norton ’76 was this year’s Commencement Speaker. As Head of School Sheila Culbert noted in her introduction, Chris is a member of a three-generation Loomis family. With 21 years of service on the Board of Trustees, 14 as chair, and with his advocacy for the establishment of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, Chris has continued a profound family legacy at the school, Sheila noted, and the school is grateful for Chris’ enduring dedication. In his Commencement address, Chris encouraged the members of the Class of 2018 to adopt the word “why” as a “philosophy, an attitude of life” as they step into their futures. “Why” is a driver of discovery, he said, and it invites us to ask fundamental questions about existence, purpose, and the future and to seek truth that yields courage.

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Chris pointed out that the word “why” comes to us easily and often when we are children, reflecting a child’s curiosity and fascination with life. As we go through school, teachers try to evoke the “why” to foster a sense of wonder and inquisitiveness in their students. Truth and wisdom “flow from ‘why,’” Chris said. As we grow into adulthood, Chris continued, we sometimes lose that child-like curiosity and become more concerned with fitting in. But Chris said his teachers at Loomis instilled in him a lasting understanding of the importance of asking “why?” and a belief that well-reasoned ideas are worthy of expression. “In their vocabulary, ‘why’ was both encouraged and respected. That’s a lesson that’s stayed with me throughout my life,” he acknowledged. Concern for others and a commitment to becoming engaged citizens is an integral part of a Loomis education, Chris noted, and part of the mission of the Norton Center is to empower students to thoughtfully confront divisive issues with the goal of finding common ground. TOP: Class Speaker Sam Goldfarb addresses the Class of 2018. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson MIDDLE: Commencement Speaker Christopher Norton ’76 listens to Sam’s address. Photo: John Groo BOTTOM: One of 198 toy backhoes presented to the head of school. Photo: John Groo

“So I’d like to challenge each of you ... to have the courage to step up and ask ‘why?’ — frequently and without fear, embarrassment, or reservation of what you might find,” he said. Following Chris’s speech, the names of all the graduates were read by Director of Studies Timothy Lawrence, and the diplomas were presented by Associate Director of Studies Robert DeConinck and Sheila.

In a long-standing Commencement tradition at Loomis Chaffee, graduating seniors hand the head of school small items as they shake hands and receive their diplomas. In past years, graduating classes have given seed packets, puzzle pieces, and silver dollars. To mark a senior year accented by campus construction, each student this year handed Sheila a toy backhoe. As the ceremony neared its conclusion, Sheila bid farewell to the students, noting that all the people gathered on campus share in the “bittersweet delight” that Commencement brings. She congratulated them on their hard work and reminded them to thank those who helped them get there. “Come back any time to visit us on the Island — we will be thrilled to see you,” she said before the Reverend Charlotte LaForest gave a benediction and the students recessed to celebrate with their families and friends.

To see the Commencement program, view a gallery of photos, watch a video montage from the day, and view videos of Chris’s and Sam’s addresses, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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EARTH WEEK ACTIVITIES

The school celebrated Earth Week April 9–15 with a program of activities and events planned and organized by students in the school’s Environmental Sustainability programs with support from the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies. “The students took the lead this year with Earth Week and did a fantastic job ... shedding light on the importance of sustainability in our everyday lives,” said Gratia Lee, director of Sustainable Agriculture at Loomis. Here’s a rundown of the week’s activities: 1.

At an all-school convocation, Paula Kuhumbu, a wildlife conservationist and activist from Kenya, spoke about the need to protect elephants and the world’s megafauna and preserve our global heritage.

At a community dialogue organized by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, students in the Debate Society argued both sides of the question: Should corporations be subsidized for using renewable energy sources or taxed for carbon emissions as the most effective and financially viable way to reduce the United States’s carbon footprint?

Students in Freshman Seminars planted rye grasses in pots in the Greenhouse and decorated the pots for a contest organized by student leaders in the Agriculture Program.

4. Mountainfilm On Tour presented a collection of high-action, beautiful, environmentally-focused documentaries from the annual Mountainfilm Festival held in Telluride, Colorado. 5.

Student leaders sold succulent plants and T-shirts all week during lunch, with the proceeds going to support sustainability initiatives on campus.

Students made re-usable shopping bags from recycled materials as part of the Boomerang Bag Project. To read more about the Earth Week events, go to www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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Matt Lyman. Photo: Christine Coyle

Protecting the Water Matt Lyman, environmental analyst for the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, spoke to students in May about his work monitoring water quality along Long Island Sound. Meeting with students interested in environmental issues, Mr. Lyman discussed the state’s program for monitoring a 1,700-square-mile section of Long Island Sound, a tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and drainage basin of many state waterways. Since 1991, the state Department of Energy has monitored the water quality yearround, including evaluation every two weeks during the summer because of increased public use during the season. Mr. Lyman shared some of the methods for collecting samples and taking measurements to determine levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, oxygen, salinity, and biogenetic materials, among other substances. The data is shared publicly and helps drive management decisions, according to Mr. Lyman. He gave the example of sewage treatment plants in Connecticut that have been required to upgrade in order to meet nitrogen output standards. The release of too much nitrogen encourages the growth of algae, which in turn strips oxygen

from the water and negatively affects fish and wildlife, he explained. The state uses the collected data to ensure that treatment plants meet standards. Mr. Lyman offered some easy steps individuals can take to help preserve the water quality in Connecticut, including refraining from use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on lawns and gardens before rain is predicted, limiting run-off of the chemicals into waterways. He also discussed ways that the government and businesses work together to reduce the release of nitrogen into the sound. Mr. Lyman brought in samples and photos of several high- and low-tech methods for collecting and analyzing water samples. He also suggested education and career paths for students considering careers in environmental science. Mr. Lyman’s visit to Loomis was organized by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good.

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NEW TRUSTEE ELECTED

LEFT: Ann Micklos. RIGHT: Jordan Palamos.

Universal Lessons

CYNTHIA L. CITRONE Southport, Connecticut

Two experts in the exploration and study of outer space spoke with students and faculty during visits to campus this spring. NASA aerospace engineer Ann Micklos has worked for 25 years at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where she has been involved in 110 space launch missions. During her two-day visit to Loomis, she gave an evening talk and presented to advanced physics and astronomy classes. Ms. Micklos discussed the six mission launches slated for 2018 and the goals of these missions, which include launching a satellite to track hazardous storms on Earth, more deeply exploring Mars, studying the space frontier, and launching a solar probe. She also explained the basics of launching rockets. The following week, physicist Jordan Palamos spoke to an audience of students and faculty about scientific advances in measuring gravitational waves, which aid in the detection of black holes in the universe. Mr. Palamos, a graduate student of physics at the University of Oregon, is part of a team that is revolutionizing how scientists detect and measure black holes. A former classmate of Loomis science and math teacher James Sainz, Mr. Palamos was invited to speak about a ground-breaking astronomical finding that he and fellow

physicists discovered in 2015. The team recorded the first evidence of black holes through the measurement of gravitational waves at a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in the United States. In his evening talk, Mr. Palamos described how gravitational waves — ripples in spacetime — are formed, how humans can detect and measure them, and how they indicate the existence of black holes. These phenomena are areas in space that scientists know exist, but cannot see because nothing, not even light, can escape from a black hole’s dense mass. At the Hanford, Washington, LIGO site, Mr. Palamos’s team measured and recorded the microscopic ripples in space-time caused by the collision of two massive black holes more than a billion light years away. The discovery re-confirms Einstein’s theory that space and time are knitted together and capable of stretching and shrinking, and could unlock a new area of astronomy research that would expand humans’ understanding of the universe.

The Loomis Chaffee Board of Trustees this spring elected its newest member, Cynthia L. Citrone of Southport, Connecticut. Cindy is the parent of Nick Citrone ’12 and rising junior Steele Citrone. Hailing from Pittsburgh and a graduate of The Ohio State University, Cindy began her career as a pediatric occupational therapist. She now serves as founder and CEO of the Citrone 33 Foundation, which studies communities’ needs and then works to pull together community resources and organizations to successfully address and resolve those needs. Cindy has more than two decades of experience in health, education, and human services philanthropy. Committed to serving a vast range of organizations, Cindy is a trustee at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, and Elon University. She is a former trustee at Fairfield Country Day School, Hamden-Sydney College, the Pequot Library, and the Westport Young Women’s League. In 2015 the Connecticut Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals presented Cindy with its Outstanding Philanthropist Award.

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WALK OUT, SPEAK UP Students gathered in front of Palmer Hall on April 20 to speak out against gun violence in schools and to listen to student speeches, spoken-word poetry, and musical performances on the troubling topic. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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Voices of the Community

The Loomis community leaned in to several difficult and sensitive subjects this spring on the Island with a student-organized rally about school gun violence, a panel discussion about atheists, and a fishbowl forum about being black in America.

NATIONAL SCHOOL WALKOUT On April 20, hundreds of Loomis students joined students across the country in the National School Walkout to protest government’s failure to protect students from gun violence. The event marked the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings. The students who chose to walk out of class gathered in front of Palmer Hall in Grubbs Quadrangle to listen to impassioned student speeches, spoken-word poetry, and musical performances on the topic of gun violence in schools and in American society. The walkout organizers shared their personal perspectives and experiences regarding gun violence as it relates to school safety, race, and domestic or misogynistic violence, and they called upon their peers to take civic action, look after each other, and work together to become the generation of change. The rally organizers also invited other students to speak at the event, including students with differing views about gun control. The walk-out program ended with one minute and 13 seconds of silence to remember the Columbine victims and to reflect upon the many other lives affected by gun violence. In addition to the walk-out, marches, a letter-writing campaign, and a video-conference dialogue with students at a military academy this spring attracted Loomis students concerned about gun violence in schools.

ASK AN ATHEIST The often misunderstood and little-discussed topic of atheism was the subject of a panel discussion during a free period in a class day in May. “Ask an Atheist” was part of an annual series of Dialogues in the Common Good organized by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good. The discussion, held in Founders Chapel, was co-sponsored by science teacher and Director of Student Religious Life Sara Markman. Loomis science teacher Clare Parker Fisher and dorm faculty member Stanford Forrester led the discussion, sharing their perspectives as self-identified atheists and answering

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questions from the gathering of nearly two dozen students, faculty, and other community members. They also suggested books for additional perspectives on the spirituality of nature, including The Forest Unseen by David George Haskell and Forest Bathing by Quing Li.

BLACK IN AMERICA What it means to be black in America was the topic of a campus fishbowl discussion in April in the Hubbard Performance Hall, where black students and faculty from a variety of ethnic backgrounds shared their personal experiences and addressed the complexities of black identity in America. The forum aimed to promote understanding in order to strengthen personal connections within the school community and beyond. Sophomore Margaret Kanyoko led the initiative to organize the event and served as moderator for the panel discussion, which was sponsored by Loomis’ Office of Diversity & Inclusion and the Norton Family Center. The eight students and two faculty members on the panel shared how they identified themselves and expressed some of their heartfelt concerns and personal perspectives as people of color. They talked about their sense of identity within their families, in their hometowns and places of origin, among their peers, and at Loomis Chaffee. An audience of more than 60 students and faculty members listened as the panelists responded to questions that included “How does the term ‘black’ affect the way you think about yourselves?” and “Does race take precedence over your ethnicity?” and “Where do cultural stereotypes of black Americans come from?” The panelists responded with insight and openness. Several panelists also encouraged school community members not to make assumptions about each other based on appearances. They highlighted some things that they have witnessed white people saying and doing that are, often unintentionally, hurtful to black people. Others encouraged the school community to find ways for people to continue to talk to each other, constructively and respectfully, about race in society.

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Norton Fellows Olivia Malcolmson, Abby Huang, Steele Citrone, Beatrice Dang, and Kavya Kolli are flanked by Norton Family Center Director Eric LaForest and Associate Director Molly Pond after their kick-off meeting. Photo: Christine Coyle

Norton Fellows Set Summer Plans Five juniors and sophomores were selected for this year’s Norton Fellowship Program, which enables students to take active roles in their communities through self-directed engagement projects during the summer. The newest Norton Fellows provided overviews of their projects and shared their goals with each other in a kick-off meeting on June 1 with the director and associate director of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, which runs the fellowship program. Junior Beatrice Dang plans to interview veterans living in her hometown of Bloomfield, Connecticut, recording their oral histories and creating a book about their experiences to be shared with the veterans’ families. Beatrice also plans to give copies of the book to local libraries to help preserve the history of the town’s citizens for future generations. Junior Abby Huang will expand a global language lab project on which she began working through Loomis’ Community Service Program. The project involves creating fun and engaging videos to teach English to language learners from Asia. While in her hometown near Hong Kong during the summer, Abby will meet with a group of school-aged children to further develop and test her interactive English language lessons. Abby’s goal is to focus

on dialogue practice to enrich a written grammar curriculum that commonly is the bulk of English training that children there receive. Sophomore Steele Citrone, a Connecticut resident, hopes to draw attention to and generate interest in organ donation. He will focus on reaching young people in their late teens as they apply for driver’s licenses and approach the age of consent. While staying with her grandparents in India, sophomore Kavya Kolli plans to organize a self-defense course for school-aged girls living in a rural area of Chhattisgarh state. Kavya has a black belt in karate and has taught and mentored martial arts students for several years. She hopes to provide enrichment for this underserved population and help them to build self-confidence and leadership skills. Sophomore Olivia Malcolmson, who is from the Boston metro area, will work on developing an online platform for adopted teens and their families. The website will provide a forum for users to connect, share information, and offer support to each

other across a broad geographical region. Olivia, who is herself adopted, recognizes the value of a supportive community in helping families cope with issues that may arise between teenagers and their birth and adoptive families. Olivia plans to work on the technical as well as the content aspects of the platform. Eric LaForest, the Keller Family Director of the Norton Center, and Molly Pond, associate director, gave the students some practical advice about managing their time, staying connected to the Norton Center faculty, and dealing with budgets and finances. They wished the fellows success and said they hoped the experience would show them ways they can continue to engage in their communities and share their experiences at Loomis. Both directors said they were impressed with the proposals this year and were excited to learn about the fellows’ discoveries and experiences throughout the four- to sixweek projects. To find out more about the Norton Fellowship program, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine.

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for the school and for the very special mission of this wonderful institution,” she said. “His enthusiasm for the idea of the best self and the common good, for the notion of purpose lived, was inspirational.” Woody Hess, former associate head of school, noted, “Loomis could not be the wonderful school it surely is if it weren’t for talented people like Chris Norton who invest themselves in its success. His quiet, dignified tenacity which serves his great passion for this school reminds us all of the things in this school that we appreciate and the good luck we have had being a part of it.”

A Fond Farewell for Chris Norton “Loomis has given me far more than I could ever repay. …Take care of her, and she will take care of you. May we always allow the goodness of her soul to guide us.” —Christopher K. Norton ’76

ABOVE: The Norton family gathers for the unveiling of the official portrait of retiring Chair of the Board of Trustees Christopher Norton ’76: Andrew Norton ’80, Alexandra Norton ’05, Kiley Norton ’07, Katherine NortonMagovern ’04, John Magovern, Chris, Nicholas Norton ’48, Carter Norton, Lynn Norton, Oliver Norton ’10, Sara Norton, and Nour Seikaly. The portrait was painted by Robert Anderson ’64. Photo: Defining Studios

The Loomis Chaffee Board of Trustees, Head of School Sheila Culbert, former Head of School Russell Weigel, alumni, and current and former faculty and staff gathered in the Olcott Center on the evening of May 11 to celebrate Christopher K. Norton ’76 on the occasion of his retirement from the Board of Trustees. Chris served on the Board for 21 years, including the past 14 years as chair. The master of ceremonies, Trustee Jamie Widdoes ’72, set the tone for an evening filled with laughter, admiration, and gratitude. Into his opening remarks, along with praise for Chris’s long service, Jamie deftly weaved several of Chris’s favorite novels that had been strategically placed on guests’ tables. The audience’s

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chuckles became hearty laughter later in the program when Jamie’s video, featuring “Cardboard Chris,” focused on Chris’s particular affinity for the accommodations at the Windsor Marriott, where many Trustees stay while in town. Trustee Harvey Struthers ’60 and Chief Financial Officer Richard Esposito also went for the laugh, roasting Chris’s love of the trash truck as a workjob and his proclivity for long-term planning, Yankee ingenuity, judicious word selection, and bold, innovative thinking. Sheila’s remarks reminded everyone gathered of Chris’s power to inspire. “Ten years ago, one of the reasons I was intrigued about Loomis was Chris’s passion

Newly elected Chair of the Board Duncan MacLean ’90 joined in the praise of his predecessor. “The Loomis family, our Founders, built this school around the core principles of respect, tolerance, humility, and above all else community. Chris has been an outstanding custodian of their vision, and, further, Chris’s Board leadership and his family’s commitment to the Norton Center have ensured the founding principles of good citizenship will continue for many generations of Pelicans to come.” Following the unveiling of his official portrait, painted by Robert Anderson ’64, Chris took to the podium and thanked his fellow Trustees, Russ, Sheila, and former teachers for their guidance and collaboration throughout the years, and his family, especially his wife, Carter, for their unwavering support. He concluded, “Loomis has given me far more than I could ever repay.…Take care of her, and she will take care of you. May we always allow the goodness of her soul to guide us.”

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ISLAND VISITORS Dena Silberstein ’85, Dean Adams, Susan Bain Bellak ’85, Jonathan Collins ’84, and Kirk Marcoe ’86 at The Players Club. Photo: Timothy Struthers ’85

NEO Troupe Reunites

Thirty former Loomis thespians gathered at The Players Club at Gramercy Park in New York City on June 14 for a special 1980s reunion: It had been 31 years since many alumni in attendance had made history as the first American musical cast to perform in China. The Norris Ely Orchard Theater reunion, over a year in the making, was originally conceived by former theater director Dean Adams, along with his former students Jennifer Rhodes ’88 and Bradley Solmsen ’88. The Players Club served as a fitting venue for this occasion as it had been the home of Edwin Booth, the greatest American actor of his time in the 1800s. The evening featured remarks by Jen, Dean, and Kirk Marcoe ’86 and included raw video footage from the group’s trip in the spring of 1987 to perform their musical, Once Upon a Mattress. Alumni traveled from as far as California, England, Germany, and Hong Kong to be part of the warm, celebratory evening of remembrances and storytelling, of alumni sharing the special impact that Dean had had on their lives and careers. The group’s 1987 trip to China, two years prior to the student protests of Tiananmen Square, was extraordinary for its time. With the initial support of the Connecticut Department of Economic Development, Dean learned of the newly formed sister city relationship with the province of Shandong, helping to open the door for the trip. A total of $90,000 was raised, mostly by parents, in order to make the trip a reality. Dean had to select a musical that would meet the Chinese stipulations of “no sex, no violence, no politics and no religion.” Once Upon a Mattress, taken from the Hans Christian Andersen story, fit the bill. The students performed the musical three times over two-and-a-half weeks. Coincidentally, while in Shanghai, the NEO group overlapped with Steven Spielberg and his crew, who were filming Empire of the Sun, the first American film shot in Shanghai since the 1940s and after the Cultural Revolution. Both groups were being followed by documentary crews.

GUEST MUSICIANS

MuUyas String Trio Members of the MuUyas String Trio provided coaching for Loomis Chamber Music students during a return visit to campus in April. The trio, featuring violinist Yu-Hao “Howard” Chang, violist Po-Chun “Gene” Chen, and cellist Wen-Hsuan “Vivian” Su, performed a recital of chamber music at Loomis in March. MuUyas means “making music” in a dialect of the Seediq people, one of 14 Taiwanese aboriginal tribes. The ensemble’s founding musicians chose the name in honor of their Taiwanese musical heritage. All three members of the trio are doctoral music candidates at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music.

GUEST MUSICIAN

Haneef Nelson Jazz trumpeter Haneef Nelson, who heads the Hartford-based Haneef Nelson Quintet and regularly plays horn with Other Orchestra, visited Ken Fischer’s Jazz Band class in April. He offered musical advice, shared his love of music, and spoke about his experiences as a professional jazz musician. Other Orchestra, which featured Mr. Nelson on horn and Ken on piano, presented a concert of jazz music in Hubbard Performance Hall in March. The musicians’ visits to Loomis were made possible with support from the Joseph Stookins Guest Musician and Lecture Fund.

Dean, now associate dean of performing arts services at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, started his theater teaching and directing career at Loomis Chaffee from 1982 to 1989. At the June dinner, he pointed to three watershed moments in his life: “My marriage to Kristin, the birth of my two sons, and my time at Loomis Chaffee, particularly the China tour.”

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Stage

the

spring

Student music, dance, and theater abounded on the stages of the Hubbard Performance Hall and the Norris Ely Orchard Theater this spring.

Spring Dance Revue Photo: Anna Vdovenko

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The fifth annual Framed-In Theater Festival in April revolved around the school’s yearlong theme, “Globalization.” Student playwrights, directors, and actors presented their original oneact productions in the NEO. Each performance was required to meet the Framed-In parameters: running approximately 10 minutes; incorporating a collective prop or set piece; containing all action within a theatrical frame set on stage; focusing either literally or figuratively on globalization; beginning with the line, “That is a baseless superstition”; and ending with, “Where do I even start?” Two Men Falling: A Musical Revue, an annual show performed and produced entirely by students, revved up the audience in the Hubbard Performance Hall in April with a variety of songs from Broadway shows, including Footloose, Finding Neverland, Company, Newsies, Anastasia, and The Civil War: An American Musical. Twenty students, representing all class years, made up the cast of the Musical Revue, led by seniors Noah Yoon and Cameron Purdy and junior Micaela Mesite.

The Spring Dance Revue, a much-anticipated annual event on the Theater & Dance Department calendar, was presented in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater in May. The performances featured the work of Loomis’ dance companies, dance classes, student dance clubs, and student choreographers for the school year. Under the direction of dance teacher Kate Loughlin, dancers presented a variety of styles, including jazz, hip hop, tap, ballet, contemporary, and ballroom dance. Also this spring, each of the large music ensembles, including the Jazz Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra, performed concerts, and nine students presented end-of-year recitals. The student vocal group The A Cappelicans also performed its annual spring pajama concert in Founders Chapel.

ABOVE: Freshman John Howley performs in the Framed -In Theater Festival. Photo: John Groo LEFT: The cast of the Musical Revue gathers on the Hubbard stage. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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THE PELICAN SCOOP PODCAST

Final collaborative project. Photo: John Groo

Syrian Artist Mohamad Hafez Mohamad Hafez discusses the "Unsettled Nostalgia" exhibit; his artwork, which he says reflects the homesickness he feels for Syria, especially when witnessing the country's turmoil and war from afar; and the ways his architectural training has informed his artistic expression.

LISTEN IN AT: www.loomischaffee.com/podcast

Unsettled Nostalgia A creative collaboration among Syrian artist and architect Mohamad Hafez and members of the Loomis community culminated with an exhibit in the Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery this spring.

Using found objects, paint, scrap metal, and other materials, Mr. Hafez creates “surrealistic” streetscapes that are structural in appearance and infused with political allusions. Throughout the school year, students and faculty composed their own miniature street settings, and Mr. Hafez visited campus periodically to work with the participants. He then incorporated the community members’ creations into a larger streetscape for the exhibition. “Unsettled Nostalgia,” which ran from April 24 through May 30, featured the collaborative work and some of Mr. Hafez’s other sculptures and large, three-dimensional, mixed-media installations. Originally from Damascus, Mr. Hafez was raised in Saudi Arabia and educated in the United States. His art, according to his exhibit

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

statement, reflects the inherent conflict between the influences of East and West that are part of his identity and echoes the political turmoil in the Middle East. Concerned that Syrian refugees fleeing violence and oppression have become unwelcome worldwide, Mr. Hafez has reached out to many groups of people in the United States and abroad, and especially to young people, to counter the fear perpetuated by media information and images of Syrians. Now a resident of New Haven, Connecticut, Mr. Hafez speaks about his homeland’s history and diverse cultural influences and shares his artwork to demonstrate that Syria is comprised of individuals with families, daily lives, and hopes for the future that mirror those of people in much of the rest of the world. In the fall, Mr. Hafez was the first convocation speaker on the 2017–18 school theme of “Globalization.” For more about Mr. Hafez and his artwork, go to www.loomischaffee. org/magazine.

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Learning about Leading Fourteen Loomis students and their faculty mentors engaged in a pilot program of living and learning together this year in Longman Hall. The Longman Leadership Institute, as it was called, aimed to empower young women and encourage their development of leadership skills within a supportive on-campus community. “It was a really great year,” notes faculty member Lillian Corman, the program leader and head of Longman Hall. The program involved eight sophomores and two junior prefects who lived in Longman and four sophomore day students. Programming included weekly evening group learning sessions focused on different leadership themes, and other activities throughout the year focused on skills development. The Longman program was partly inspired by residential learning communities at many liberal arts colleges where students and faculty explore a thematic course together in an associated and supportive housing environment, according to Lillian. Longman’s small residential capacity is ideal for the specialized programming, according to Dean of Students Michael Donegan, and the leadership program helped attract students to BELOW: The Longman Leadership group gathers at a year-end barbecue at a faculty member’s home. Photo: Christine Coyle

live in Longman, which is located a little farther from the center of campus than the residential quadrangles. Starting out small is important in order to assess the program’s effectiveness and to ensure that the time students dedicate to the program fits in with their academic and extra-curricular commitments, says Mike, who is a member of the Longman dorm faculty. The Longman curriculum was organized and led by Lillian, who has experience running leadership programs in other educational settings, as well as Mike and Mimi Donegan, both of whom have master’s degrees in social work and experience as dorm faculty. Other faculty members with leadership experience at Loomis and beyond served as dorm affiliates and shared their knowledge with the group. The experiment was successful, remarks Mike, who recently earned an M.B.A. with a specialization in leadership. “Importantly, [the students] developed their own styles — because leadership means different things to different people,” Mike says. “And they also learned how to be good followers.”

The programming kicked off in September with a group read and discussion of Strong Is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves, by Kate T. Parker. The book is a collection of prose and photographs celebrating the strength and individuality of girls and young women. The rest of the year-long curriculum focused on identifying the characteristics of good leaders; discussing ways for girls and young women to build self-confidence; developing effective communication skills; and learning how to set specific, attainable, and measurable goals for personal success. Together, the girls and faculty also discussed complex societal issues related to racial and gender stereotypes and body image, and deliberated possible ways to overcome these issues at school, at work, and in the community. Group activities included attending campus forums and guest speaker presentations, watching thematic movies and TED talks, and holding evening discussions with invited guests, including Dean of Students Patricia Sasser, Summer Program Director James O’Donnell, and Head of School Sheila Culbert. A subset of the Longman students attended the conference #LeadLikeAGirl in April at the Stuart Country Day School in New Jersey. The year’s programming concluded with three capstone projects. A video project called “Hidden Figures of Loomis Chaffee” highlighted the contributions of behind-the-scenes, yet important, Loomis community members. A photo-book project inspired by Strong is the New Pretty featured women and girls in the Loomis community. And an enrichment program helped local middle school girls, following the model of Let Girls Lead, a Norton Fellowship project developed by senior Sarah Gyurina last summer. Anya Sastry, a sophomore resident of Longman, says taking part in the Longman Leadership Institute helped “further my own ideas and gave me more perspective.” She looks forward to serving as a Longman prefect next year and continuing her involvement in the program. Lillian also looks forward to next year’s Longman Leadership Institute, which is fully enrolled. The group’s goals next year include hosting a girls’ leadership conference at Loomis. She says she hopes this year’s participants came away from the Longman Leadership experience with “open arms and an open mind for future possibilities.”

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Mangroves, Bagpipes, and Digital Storytelling After classes ended in June, groups of Loomis students and faculty set off on three global education travel excursions to Puerto Rico, Spain, and Vietnam and Cambodia. The three thematic journeys, as with all trips organized by the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, aimed to give participants first-hand understanding of global history and cultures and of their own role in respecting and protecting the Earth and its inhabitants.

about the challenges residents face coping with the environmental, physical, economic, and social disruption in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The group toured a series of public murals, graffiti, and street art created to express the social and political views and concerns of everyday people in Puerto Rico.

English teacher Fred Seebeck and science teacher Elizabeth Bucceri ’07 accompanied a group of 15 students on an eight-day trip to San Juan and Cataño for an environmental exploration and learning service experience in Puerto Rico.

In Cataño, the group learned about the mangrove trees that evolved to thrive in Puerto Rico’s salt-water coastal environment and others like it around the globe. Mangrove forests play a critical role in the ecosystem — for the filtration of water and the survival of marine, bird, and plant life — but are at risk of destruction from people and natural disasters. Working alongside members of Caras, a nonprofit that focuses on Puerto Rico’s

In San Juan, students learned about the complex political history of Puerto Rico and its relationship with the United States and

The Spain group pauses for a photo in Aracena in the province of Huelva.

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Opposite page: TOP: Junior Nina Gildor and fellow travelers help to plant mangrove trees in Cataño, Puerto Rico. MIDDLE: During the Spain trip, a Flamenco dancer performs before leading the group in a dance workshop. BOTTOM: Juniors Liam Scott and Laith Hijazi sip coconut water from freshly opened coconuts during a boat ride in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

human and environmental needs, the travelers joined a mangrove restoration project. They helped with the painstaking collection of red mangrove seeds, which will be grown in greenhouses until they are strong enough to be replanted. They also helped weed and clear the muddy, root-tangled ground for the planting of young trees. The group also assisted with chores at a local community center, toured Old San Juan, visited beaches, sampled Puerto Rican food specialties, and enjoyed interacting with their guides and other local people. In Spain, 15 Loomis students, head of the Music Department Susan Chrzanowski, and Spanish teacher Lillian Corman were immersed in the country’s rich cultural traditions of the visual, culinary, and musical arts. The two-week trip began in Galicia, where the group learned about the history of the traditional bagpipes from a local craftsman and several musicians. The travelers tried playing the bagpipes, met with a band of Spanish musicians who shared their music and instruments, and took part in a Spanish folk music and dance workshop. The chock-full itinerary also took the group to the regions of Castilla y León, Sierra de Aracena, and Sevilla, where they engaged in a variety of cultural experiences, including preparing and sampling meals and food specialties made from locally farmed and fished seaweed, octopus, meats, cheeses, herbs, spices, and other produce and baked goods. Along the route, the students and faculty learned from local artists and created their

own work in different media, including clay sculpture, painting, and photography. While in the region of Sierra de Aracena, the group took part in an environmental collective art installation in the town of Valdelarte. And in one of the highlights of the journey, the group was treated to a Flamenco concert and dance workshop accompanied by a tapas meal. In addition to tours of museums, churches, and other cultural and historical landmarks, the group learned about local farming practices, ecosystems, and farm-to-table culture, including a tasting of the iconic jamón (ham) from an acclaimed producer. A tapas tour and exploration of the unique art and architectural style of the city of Sevilla rounded out the two-week cultural immersion. English teacher Jessica Hsieh ’08, who is faculty advisor to The Log student newspaper, and history teacher Harrison Shure accompanied 15 students on a journey to Southeast Asia to explore the culture, customs, and history of Vietnam and Cambodia through the lens of journalism and digital storytelling. As part of the program, students created digital storytelling projects to document their experiences and discoveries on the 16-day trip. The group’s journey began in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, where they toured architectural and historic sites, including Reunification Palace and the War Remnant Museum, and sampled Vietnamese cuisine, including ubiquitous “Pho” noodles. They met up with several Loomis alumni, including Dat Nguyen ’09, who shared his views of Vietnamese politics and the country’s relationship to global economies. While in Saigon, the students also learned some best practices of digital storytelling from filmmaking professional Jackson Kroopf.

had opportunities to interact with people who lived through decades of conflict in Vietnam and explained how their lives have changed since the end of the war. Week two began with a flight to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, where the travelers toured the Royal Palace and other historical sites, visited the Cambodian Living Arts cultural center, and sampled specialties of Cambodian cuisine. They also met Youk Chhang, who survived the oppression of the Khmer Rouge and now directs a center that documents Cambodia’s history, especially the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge’s regime. He shared the documentary he directed and produced called “Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll.” The film included a collection of interviews with survivors of the genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. The group also visited the S-21 Genocide Museum, housed in a notorious former prison run by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s; toured a museum about the history of the use of landmines; and visited the Choeung Ek extermination camp, known as the Killing Fields. Also in Cambodia, the Loomis travelers visited community organizations, including a center that invites foreign visitors to witness the challenges faced by the Cambodian people through the eyes of the poor. They also met with young people involved in a non-governmental organization that seeks to improve the lives of young Cambodians through education and connection to opportunities. Before the return journey home, the program participants visited the iconic Angkor Wat temple grounds, the largest religious monument in the world, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the Mekong Delta, the group experienced daily life along the coast through local homestays, boat trips, and cycling around the delta islands. They enjoyed shopping for food at a local market, preparing meals with their homestay families, visiting cottage industries of the region, and attending musical performances. Throughout the visit, the travelers

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Exit West Author Visits Campus

Mohsin Hamid, author of the acclaimed novel Exit West, this year’s all-school read at Loomis, spoke about his life and writing and shared his perspective on globalization during a visit to campus in March. Mr. Hamid took inspiration for Exit West, his fourth novel, from his experience of living in Pakistan, California, London, and New York for significant stretches of his life. “I’ve migrated my whole life,” he said at the all-school convocation. “I am a product of globalization,” he noted, referring to this year’s school theme. Exit West also sheds light on the globalization theme. The novel, which was short-listed for the 2017 Man Booker Prize and was named among the 10 Best Books of 2017 by the New York Times Book Review, tells the story of a young couple trying to escape civil unrest in their homeland by traversing the Earth across lands real and imaginary. “We are all migrants through time,” declares the novel’s narrator. Throughout the story, the main characters enter and exit destinations though a magical doorway that leads them into other unknown existences, where they must adapt or flee again. During the convocation, Mr. Hamid recalled one of the many times he has felt like a foreigner —different or strange among other people. Born in Pakistan, Mr. Hamid was 3 years old when he moved with his family to the campus of Stanford University in California, where his father pursued a doctorate and where the family was part of a multicultural community of graduate student families. Not long after arriving, he was ridiculed by some of the other children because he didn’t speak English. (He spoke Urdu.) Feeling alienated, he did not speak for several weeks after the incident, his parents later told him, and instead watched hours of television in order to learn English and be more like the other children. When he returned to Pakistan at age 9, he spoke only English and, feeling an outsider again, had to relearn Urdu. In addition to his childhood years in the United States and Pakistan, Mr. Hamid attended university in the United States and lived for several years in London

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“We all descended from people who migrated. It’s the story of civilization.” and other locations around the world. He now lives in Lahore, Pakistan, with his wife and children in the house where he was raised, and he travels extensively. Mr. Hamid said he used to be a “chameleon,” adapting himself to wherever he was. Over time, however, he came to understand that “every human feels foreign to a certain extent in different ways,” and he embraced what he described as his “mongrel” individuality. This shared experience of being different — whether as a lone girl in a family of boys or as a poet in an undergraduate engineering class — served as the backdrop for Exit West, according to Mr. Hamid. “To be a human being is to be a transient creature. We are only here for a little while, and everything in that little while, we lose,” he said. Exit West is also about the shared human experience of breakups and loss, including getting old and dying. But there is optimism in this theme, the author explained. Rather than becoming depressed by the reality of inevitable loss, he said, we can acknowledge that we will lose everything yet still embrace the possibility of finding beauty and hope and of living one’s life in a way that is decent and true to one’s beliefs. Globalization is not new, Mr. Hamid noted. “We all descended from people who migrated. It’s the story of civilization,” he said, adding that the larger question centers on how we deal with the reality of migration.

Mr. Hamid concluded his talk as he concluded his novel — with hopefulness. “It’s very important that we remain optimistic,” he stressed. Otherwise, “you begin to think things should be as they were in the past.” But we can never go back to the past, and people who are driven by nostalgia, who try to go back to the “good old days” or who try to stop change from happening, fail, resulting in unhappiness. The antidote, whatever your politics, he said, is optimism. “If we are not optimistic, we abandon the future to the pessimists,” Mr. Hamid cautioned. And pessimists will exploit our fear and make us turn away from decency toward each other and from belief in truth, he said. While on campus, Mr. Hamid also met with English Department faculty and signed books for students, faculty, and other school community members. His visit to Loomis was made possible by a gift from the Ralph M. Shulansky ’45 Lecture Fund and by the Robert P. Hubbard ’47 Speakers Series.

LEFT: Mohsin Hamid speaks during a convocation in the Olcott Center. RIGHT: Exit West, on display in the Katharine Brush Library. Photos: Jessica Hutchinson

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Seniors Pursue Creativity, Innovation, Discovery With topics ranging from robotics and florescent microscopy to filmmaking, digital animation, and unique music-related subjects, 22 seniors completed two-week Senior Projects in May.

An Island tradition for more than 20 years, the Senior Projects program enables selected seniors to engage in self-designed, independent learning exercises during the final two weeks of school, with a goal of inspiring in them creativity, innovation, and self-discovery. Each year seniors in good academic standing may propose topics they wish to explore in-depth as Senior Projects with guidance from a faculty mentor. Students submit their proposals in the winter term,

Rosie Park researched how to operate a florescent microscope that was part of the school’s lab inventory and prepared training materials for its future use.

Carolyn Riley studied the use of modern literature in Latin as a teaching tool.

Max Mossberg created a robotic forearm and hand that he programmed to play the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. (Read more about Max’s project in “Six Seniors,” beginning on page 30.) Paris Cipollone explored animation techniques and created an original short film.

Robert Lotreck recorded an album devoted to jazz drummer Kenny “Klook” Clarke.

Izzy Lachcik and Sarah Olender wrote and produced a keepsake book about the lessons they learned in their four years at Loomis.

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and a committee of faculty and students reviews and approves the projects. Upon approval, seniors are excused from classes while they immerse themselves in their chosen endeavors. This year, 13 projects — some conducted by single seniors, some by small groups of students — gained approval, and after completing the work, the 22 participants shared their work and what they had learned from the process.

Logan Katz, Alexa Kim, Cameron Purdy, Josh Ryu, and Noah Yoon, who combined their talents this year as the Take 5 a cappella singing group, practiced, arranged, performed, and recorded some of their repertoire.

Cara Keogh and Yuyang Zhang explored the convergence of music in Chinese and English and created a mixtape combining the two genres.

Sage Sutton-Hall created an animated short film examining the self-identity of a Russian immigrant.

10.

Callista DeGraw, Jet Elbualy, and Macon Jeffreys produced the one-act play Pandora’s Revenge, by Pat Cook, and presented it to a live audience in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater.

11.

Claire Collins performed and engineered original music, incorporating modern and tra-

ditional elements of folk music, and shared her recordings across several digital music streaming platforms. 12.

Zeno Schwebel learned about the bird species that live on and around the Loomis campus, cataloguing and photographing the birds he spotted and connecting with other bird enthusiasts through citizen science websites. (See some of Zeno’s stunning photographs in “Birds of Loomis,”beginning on page 50.)

13.

Jacy Case and Abigail Forrester produced the film “Loomis Chaffee Detective Agency,” an entertaining spy-comedy about a top secret society that solves crimes on campus.

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THAT’S ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! SPECIAL OLYMPICS TIME TRIALS For the fifth consecutive year, the Loomis community hosted the Northern Connecticut Time Trials for the Special Olympics on May 6. About 300 student and adult volunteers from Loomis and the surrounding community gathered at the Wilde Track, Olcott Center, and Hedges Pool to orchestrate the time trials for more than 500 athletes, who competed in swimming and track and field events. As in previous years, Loomis’ volunteer effort was led and organized by a devoted committee of students. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Students in the International Relations course this spring, taught by Michael Murphy, took part in a simulated emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, in a role-played response to the reported chemical weapons attack in Syria in early April. Assuming the roles of countries on the Security Council, the students developed and voted on two proposed resolutions. With the vote at the end of the class period, the simulated Security Council failed to agree on an independent investigative mechanism — results that closely reflected the vote taken at the actual U.N. Security Council emergency meeting on April 10, Mike said. LOOMIS CHAFFEE ORCHESTRA The Loomis Chaffee Orchestra, conducted by music teacher Kalena Bovell, was selected this spring as a semifinalist in the high school division of The American Prize, a national nonprofit competition recognizing excellence in the performing arts in schools and communities throughout the United States and abroad. CONNECTICUT ALL-STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL Seven Loomis student musicians performed in the Connecticut All-State High School Music Festival in Hartford in April. The festival, organized each year by the Connecticut Music Educators Association, brings together vocal and instrumental musicians from across the state who are selected by audition. The three-day festival culminated with a concert by the large ensemble groups. Loomis participants included seniors Cameron Purdy and Noah Yoon in the

Mixed Chorus; senior Sarah Gyurina, sophomore Makayla McPherson, and freshman Emma Kane in the Treble Chorus; freshman Clara Chen (clarinet) in the Festival Band; and sophomore Ethan Levinbrook (cello) in the Festival Orchestra. WIKIPEDIA EDIT-A-THON An Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon sponsored by several Loomis Chaffee departments and organizations drew an engaged group of students on May 1. Andrew Boyles Peterson, the instruction and outreach librarian at Loomis, worked with history teacher and school archivist Karen Parsons to find Loomis Chaffee-related individuals and events that are listed on Wikipedia and would benefit from review or that warranted inclusion in the online information hub. The participants gathered at a local bakery to review and edit the articles and, in some cases, to write articles based on information from the Loomis Chaffee Archives. Art+Feminism states that it is “a campaign improving coverage of cis and transgender women, feminism and the arts on Wikipedia.” DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Fourteen students and two faculty advisors joined more than 400 other students and teachers at the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference, held at Hotchkiss in April. “Breaking Boundaries: Identity and Intersectionality” was the theme of this year’s conference. COLOR RUN A Color Run fundraising event coordinated by the student-led Pelican Service Organization and co-sponsored by the equestrian team took place on the Island on May 11. Proceeds from T-shirt sales went to support High Hopes, a therapeutic riding center in Old Lyme, Connecticut, dedicated to serving the needs of disabled individuals. COMMUNITY SERVICE Students took part in several community service projects and events on and off campus this spring. Among them: The girls JV lacrosse team and coaches volunteered to run with 35 local elementary and middle school children in the Girls

In Stride organization on Monday afternoons as the young girls trained for Windsor’s Shad Derby 5K; on May 19, the local kids and their Loomis mentors completed the 5K run together. Students helped local residents to master their smart phones, tablets, and computers at the Windsor Senior Center through a technology workshop. The student-led Loomis Community Service Choir performed for residents of the Bloomfield Health Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Students involved in the Sage Pelicans community service after-school program teamed up with the Loomis Baking Club to make brownies for the Church Street Eats Soup Kitchen in Hartford. And a group of students helped with a Memory Walk for bereaved children and families supported by Mary’s Place in Windsor. BEE COLONY A new bee colony was installed on campus in May with help from a local beekeeper, and the colony is thriving near the school’s agriculture plot beyond Faculty Row. The beekeeping project is part of the school’s Sustainable Agriculture program. GREEN CUP VIDEO CHALLENGE Environmentally-focused filmmakers senior Ashleigh Scott and juniors Katie Lunder, Rosalie Grubb, and Grace Lawrence took first place on behalf of Loomis in the interscholastic Green Cup Video Challenge this year. To see their winning video, “Tree Fever,” visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine. CULTURAL OUTBURST Cultural Outburst, an annual event celebrating the diversity of the Loomis community, attracted a crowd of students and faculty to Founders Hall on a Saturday evening this spring to enjoy food, music, dance, and other cultural activities from around the globe. Participants set up more than 20 booths with artifacts and food representing traditions and cultures of their homelands and backgrounds. The celebration, sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, included professional music in the Scottish tradition and student performances. loomischaffee.org

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Math teacher Adnan Rubai was named Teacher of the Year by the Student Council at the All-School Awards ceremony this spring. The council chooses a recipient each year based on nominating essays submitted by students. Adnan was nominated by senior Lauren Hinton, who wrote, in part: “Mr. Rubai’s math class has instilled in me a confidence in my mathematical abilities that I did not have before. I am grateful for having had him as a teacher because he understands that learning demands patience, persistence, and hard work.” Adnan, who has taught high school math for 15 years, including the last five years at Loomis, was appointed assistant dean of faculty beginning this fall but will continue to teach math with a reduced course load. Dean of Faculty and French teacher Katherine Ballard bid adieu to the Island this summer after 27 years at the school. During Katherine’s tenure, in addition to teaching French with talent and enthusiasm, she twice served as head of the Modern and Classical Languages Department, worked as a major gifts officer in the Development Office, served as assistant dean of faculty before moving to the dean of faculty post, lived in the dorm and in the Loomis Family Homestead, and coached volleyball. Katherine is moving on to new endeavors in the Boston area along with her husband, Revell Horsey ’79. Several treasured staff members retired from the school this year and were celebrated at the Community Honors ceremony in June: Sally Lengyel of the Dean of Students Office, who worked at Loomis for 27 years; Richard Johnson of the Physical Plant, with 20 years of service; Steven Morse of the grounds crew in the Physical Plant, with 19 years; Roberta Fletcher of the Academic Office, with 14 years; and Equipment Manager Joseph Billera, with 14 years. Also departing the Island this summer are Chinese teacher and dorm head of Carter Hall Naogan Ma, French teacher Sabine Giannamore, economics and history teacher Michael Murphy, math teacher Lyssa “Isso” Shimamoto, head of the English Department John Morrell, English teacher Laura Richards Milligan ’99, and computer science teacher Alexander Ozdemir.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

At the end of the school year, the Loomis community celebrated faculty and staff members who reached the 20-year mark in their tenures at the school this year: Andrew Dowe of the Physical Plant, Lorna Grant of the Health Center, Dave Maitland of the Housekeeping staff, choral director and head of the Music Department Susan Chrzanowski, Associate Director of Studies and science teacher Robert DeConinck, Associate Director of Communications Becky Purdy, and English teacher Scott Purdy. History teacher Lori Caligiuri and English teacher Kate Saxton were awarded the Austin Wicke Prize in June. The prize, given in memory of Austin by his parents, honors faculty members of less than 10 years of service who “have demonstrated a dedication to the discipline of teaching and a commitment to fostering the growth and development of young persons.” Science teacher Elizabeth Conger, psychology teacher Ruth Duell, and English teacher Fred Seebeck were presented with the Distinguished Teaching Award in Honor of Dom Failla. The award, which honors outstanding teachers with more than 10 years of service at the school, was established shortly after Dom retired seven years ago from what was then the Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion Department. The community also honored eight members of the staff and faculty with Service to the School Awards for “significant contributions to the success of this academic year.” They are Audio/Visual Coordinator Andris Briga; Michael Fisher and Jan Perlik of the Physical Plant; Connie Yocius of the Academic Office; Associate Director of Admission Katherine Langmaid; Director of International Education Programs and science teacher Marley Matlack; Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications Lynn Petrillo ’86, who also served as dean of enrollment for the last two years; and Librarian Katherine Popadin. Head of School Sheila Culbert has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of School Year Abroad. Naomi Appel was appointed as the new head of the Science Department, following Elizabeth Conger in that role.

Language teacher Rachel Nisselson and history teacher Harrison Shure are the new assistant directors of the Henry R. Kravis ’63 Center for Excellence in Teaching, which is headed by Director Sara Deveaux. The former director of the Kravis Center, Scott MacClintic ’82, has moved to the newly created position of director of innovation, in which he will oversee much of the work of the soonto-open Pearse Hub for Innovation in the Scanlan Campus Center. Dorm faculty member and haiku poet Stanford Forrester received an Award for Excellence in the English Haiku division of the 29th annual Ito En Oi Ocha Shinhaiku Contest this summer. His poem, below, was one of nine chosen in this category from nearly 21,000 entries and will appear on bottles of the tea that the Ito En company sells. morning light — the shadow moves faster than the snail Loomis Chaffee Orchestra Director Kalena Bovell has been appointed music director of the Civic Orchestra of New Haven for the 2018–19 season. Kalena will continue in her roles at Loomis during her tenure with the Civic Orchestra, which is celebrating its 80th year. Head of the Visual Arts Department Jennifer McCandless will join the Millay Colony for the Arts for a month-long residency in the fall. The highly sought-after arts residency program is located in Austerlitz, New York, and Jen, who is a sculptor, will join a playwright, a fiction writer, a nonfiction writer, a poet, and a music composer in residence as part of Jen’s fall sabbatical. In other news, Jen’s work was featured in “The Imagined and Invented Figure,” an exhibit at the Melanie Carr Gallery in Essex, Connecticut, June 23–July 23. In baby news, Assistant Athletics Director Donald McKillop and his wife, dorm faculty member Kate, welcomed their second child, Phoebe Gorton McKillop, on June 18. She joins 2-year-old big brother Trace. Megan Blunden Stoecklin and her husband, Casey, welcomed son Cullen Thomas Stoecklin on June 26.

Photo: Stan Godlewski

P el ic a n Sports

Senior Julia Thompson

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VARSITY RECORDS BASEBALL 14-3 Founders League Champions

BOYS GOLF 8-8-1 Coppola Cup, 2nd Place Bader Tournament, 2nd Place

GIRLS GOLF 13-3 Pippy O'Connor (New England) Tournament Champions Founders League Tournament, 2nd Place

BOYS LACROSSE 5-15 GIRLS LACROSSE 14-5 Founders League Champions

SOFTBALL 1-10 BOYS TENNIS 11-5 GIRLS TENNIS 7-5 BOYS TRACK & FIELD 7-1 Division I New England Champions Founders League Champions

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD 6-2 Division I New Englands, 3rd Place

GIRLS WATER POLO 2-14

3 1 Senior Justin Pacheco 2 Junior Maia Paige 3 Junior Maddie Hong

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Girls Golf Photo: Stan Godlewski | Boys Golf Photo: Alex Serbetzian | All other photos: Tom Honan

9 4 Freshman Chase Thompson 5 Senior Cathy Hyeon 6 Junior Gus Mazzocca

10 7 CHAMPS! The boys track & field team won the Division I New England Championship at home on the Wilde Track, and the girls team placed third.

11 8 9 10 11

Senior Matt Adler Sophomore Claire Wibiralske Sophomore Becca Yen Senior Lia LaPrise

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Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Six seniors

One hundred ninety-eight individuals full of energy, talent, intelligence, determination, sincerity, sense of humor, and hope make up the Class of 2018. Allow us to introduce you to six of these seniors, who spoke with us about their Loomis Chaffee experiences, the paths that led them to the Island, and the adventures that await them.

interviews by

Becky Purdy photographs by

Jessica Hutchinson

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Chelsea Offiaeli

hen Chelsea Offiaeli speaks, people listen — and they’re glad they did. A leader, a community-builder, a thinker, an athlete, and a burgeoning scholar of social justice, Chelsea is a young woman of few but meaningful words, a president of the student multicultural organization PRISM, a two-year captain of the track and volleyball teams, a founder of the instantly successful Sister Circle affinity group, a repeat New England prep school champion in the shot put, and a keen, insightful student. In her four years at Loomis, she has evolved from a quiet little sister — Maxine ’14 and Kendra ’16 preceded her at Loomis — who thought deeply but wasn’t sure how to express herself, to a skilled and respected proponent of dialogue who speaks with wisdom and listens with curiosity. She received the Jennie Loomis Prize at Commencement and the Matthew Whitehead Prize in recognition of her role in creating and supporting an inclusive community at Loomis. She is headed to Harvard in the fall.

Q: Would you describe yourself as vocal? A: I’m kind of on the quieter side, but when I

feel like it’s necessary, I make sure that my voice is heard. Whether it’s in the classroom or in this community in general, I may not be the person that you see most often in front of a crowd of people, but if I feel like I need to say something or do something, I will. Q: How has being a member and president of PRISM shaped your Loomis experience? A: I was a member since freshman year, [and]

I was silent my first two years. I rarely said anything, but I would listen. And I would leave the room and then go have conversations with my friends, basically continuing what I had just

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

been listening to. PRISM is the group that changed my experience the most, probably. It was where you went as a freshman not knowing anyone, but you saw a bunch of faces that looked like yours and you thought, ‘Ok, I’m going to trust in these people.’ And then you have these very vulnerable conversations about things that you probably weren’t talking about before. Through that you let yourself be vulnerable with these people, so you build a strong foundation for a relationship, a strong connection. … I ran [for PRISM president] thinking I would not get it, but I did. I was very surprised, especially because I wasn’t that vocal in that group, but I guess people could see that I cared about it, how it really did change me and change my experience here. Q: You and your classmate Amaiya Parker have led Sister Circle for the group’s first two years. How did the group form? A: I had done an interview with Ms. Neal

[former faculty member Madison Neal] and Ms. Parada [Director of Multicultural Affairs Elizabeth Parada] talking about my experience as a black female on this campus for MLK Day, and Ms. Neal had heard similar things from the other black girls here. … She said, ‘Let’s just reach out to all the black girls on this campus. Let’s send them an email saying we want to start this group to help build our community, to help create relationships with each other because we know we’re all going through something similar, we all want to help each other out.’ We had a meeting the next week, and it was the most freeing [experience]. It was supposed to be an hour long; we were there for three hours, venting, letting every good, bad, funny experience we’d ever had here just all out in one night in the dance studio. That was the start of it all. Since then it’s grown. We don’t even have serious conversations every time we meet. Sometimes we just go to the Fitness/Wellness classroom [in the Athletic Center] and blast music and have a dance party. But it’s helped foster relationships, especially between seniors and freshmen because seniors and freshmen don’t always talk because there’s that four-year age difference. But they have become my children.

[In May] we had our elections for next year’s presidents. They’re all outstanding women, and I trust them to keep this going and to keep it amazing. Q: How have you grown as a team leader in varsity volleyball and track? A: Volleyball, freshman year I didn’t really

play, didn’t really talk to many people. I hung out with the juniors because those were [my sister] Kendra’s friends. Then sophomore year I was aware that the seniors would be leaving, so I needed to get close with the people I was going to have after they’d gone. So I spent more time with them. When I was elected captain for my junior year, [I realized] I had to step up and help this team, rather than just take from the team. Looking at the underclassmen, I thought, ‘OK, I was in your position. I was the scared freshman who didn’t know anyone, who didn’t play.’ Kelly White ’17 was the other captain last year. It was a good dynamic. She was the fun, goofy one, and I was the more serious one. Playing ability rose a lot. Those girls are amazing. They’re amazing at volleyball, so being around them made me better and vice versa. And track was the one place where I was actually in Kendra’s shadow 24/7 because she was the first one and I’d be second. I never really felt any competition or anything. That’s my sister, I’m going to root for her 24/7. I remember the one time I got first place because she had a basketball tournament that day and couldn’t come, I thought, ‘This is what it’s going to be like when you’re gone, hopefully.’ When she graduated, I definitely pushed myself more, I held myself to a higher standard as an athlete. And again being captain, especially with the throwing group, I had to keep everything going but also make sure that everyone was having fun and that I had everyone’s back. Q: You suffered a serious knee injury at the end of your junior year. How did that affect your senior year athletically? A: I knew I was out for volleyball. But I

worry at the beginning of the season. I was hesitant to give it my all, but I sat down and had a conversation with Hutch [girls track head coach Lilian Hutchinson] at one of the first track meets. And she said, ‘I can see that you’re hesitant. It might not even be your body, but something in your head is stopping you from giving it your all.’ So I had to let my guard down and just do it. And the next two track meets were my best throws of the year. So, thanks, Hutch. Q: What academic courses have most interested you at Loomis? A: Because I’m very involved in social justice,

I like history and English because they give me an opportunity to read and educate myself more on what I’m really passionate about. I love Harkness discussions, which sounds so corny. I love the conversations. I love hearing the different perspectives because we do have a lot of different perspectives here. Hearing sides that I might not consider or might not believe in necessarily, but hearing those two opposite opinions in conversation with one another, is always really interesting to take part in. Q: What have you learned about engaging in discourse over the last four years? A: [Freshmen year] was when I learned how to

talk about these things, in spaces like PRISM and history classes, but I didn’t really start using my voice until end of sophomore year or my junior year. I’ve definitely grown into it. I’m more comfortable speaking up. And in conversations where there are two very contrasting opinions and I’m clearly on one side, I’ve learned to not just attack or just get mad at whatever the other side is, but to really try to understand what people believe and why they believe it. I think that’s the more important part because everyone has experiences that have led them to think a certain way, be a certain way. I have to understand that to get to what [a person] actually believes.

wanted to be back for the next track season, but back to throwing how I throw. It was a

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ustin Pacheco was in the seventh grade when he first visited the Island for a baseball showcase through the Boys Club of New York. “I just immediately fell in love with Loomis,” he says. He wasn’t yet ready to leave his home in Queens, New York, but by the time he was in the 10th grade, he yearned to combine his three interests — school, baseball, and music — all in one place, and Loomis was the answer he sought. Friendly and easy-going, Justin quickly settled into the school community life as a new sophomore, playing guitar in the Jazz Improv ensemble, playing varsity football and baseball, and starting an academic trajectory that would lead to a Global & Environmental Studies Certificate along with his Loomis diploma. He also served as a resident assistant in Warham Hall this year. Although he stopped playing football after one year, Justin shone on the baseball diamond, especially on the mound. He became a starting pitcher for the varsity team as well as a very good hitter and infield player. Over his three years on the Island, Justin’s passion for baseball continued to grow, but he maintained a balance with other areas of his life, a balance he knows he will need as he pursues Division I college baseball success and, he hopes, a career as a pro pitcher.

A: I’ve been playing guitar for six years now, piano

for two years. I took guitar lessons through the Boys Club. That’s how I first picked up the guitar. I enrolled in piano lessons here. This was my first year with lessons. This all led to my taking Digital Music here this year. You get to produce music, and that’s one of my top passions besides baseball because it allows for creativity. Q: What have been some of your digital music projects? A: I came out with an album, a dorm album. It’s

called The Warham Album. It took a lot of effort, but we have some Spanish on there and some rap and some EDM [electronic dance music]. It was actually a big hit in the school, and it was a good bonding moment for the dorm. I was mostly the producer, so I made the music on it, and I rap on a couple of tracks. About 13 people in the dorm have songs on it. Q: What have you learned from being an RA in the dorm? A: I’m a goofy kid. I’m always joking around with

the guys, but when it’s time to get serious, I know I have to flip on a switch, present myself in an orderly fashion. It has taught me how to be a leader and work with people and have a dialogue with people.

Q: When did you start playing baseball?

Q: You’re going to play baseball at Marist College next year. How did the recruiting process unfold?

A: I started playing when I was 5 years old. My dad

A: Another kid on my summer team was getting

Q: Did you have any idea you’d be good at pitching?

Q: How have you been challenged at Loomis?

A: Not really. There was just one day, when I was like 10 years old, when my team was short [of players]. And they just put me on the mound, and I was pretty good. That was the first time I ever pitched. Then every time I stepped to the mound, I did something good. I’m a pretty good hitter. I’m a pretty good fielder. But I know I’m going to do my thing every time I go to the mound.

A: Physics was a big challenge sophomore year. It just

loves sports. His main thing was football, but I just sort of gravitated toward baseball. He didn’t make me play baseball or anything; it was my choice. I did play basketball and football and played soccer for a little bit. I swam at my old school. So I did a bunch of sports. Each kind of helped build me as an athlete, but definitely my talent was baseball.

Q: When did your interest in music first develop?

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

looked at by Marist. They came to see him play [last summer], just out of the blue, and I was pitching that day. I think I had nine strikeouts that day. I was doing very well. And it was kind of luck that Marist was there. They talked to my head coach. … It took about three more months [to finalize Justin’s acceptance and financial aid], but it’s where I wanted to go.

took the extra time. I had to network a lot, ask for help, go around to peers who had physics too. There were kids that immediately gravitated toward the subject. I knew talking to those kids would eventually help me. There’s nothing wrong with not knowing something. You just ask questions. … I remember coming back from a baseball game in spring, and

I had to go back in to do a physics lab. That’s just what you have to do, and that’s becoming a student athlete. At Marist I’m going to have to come back from a five-hour bus ride and get my homework done. Loomis prepares you for being responsible in college.

Justin Pacheco

Q: There have been challenges on the baseball field too, like the close loss to Choate this spring. How do you respond to disappointments like that? A: You’ve just got to roll with it, and that’s

something that the competitiveness at Loomis has taught me. It’s easy when [a batter gets a hit off of your pitch] to think, “I just want to get out of this game.” Or you can fight through it. Just throw the next pitch. That’s something that the coaches preach a lot. I think that’s what separates the good pitchers from some of the great pitchers. You have to have some kind of talent, obviously, but your mental game has to be very strong. Q: What else about your Loomis experience stands out in your memories? A: My trip to DR my sophomore year. I’m in

the Global Studies program. [On the service learning trip to the Dominican Republic through the Loomis International Education Program, a group of students and faculty built a home for a local family.] I’m Puerto Rican. My mom and my dad are fluent in Spanish, but they’ve never taught me. It was a way for me to practice with the local people. And it was exciting to see how excited the families were when we built that house. It was a long process, a lot of hard work. Obviously we’re not in it 100 percent of the time, but [it was amazing to see] some of these 11-yearold DR kids carrying around wheelbarrows like “We’ve got to get this done.” Very determined. The greatest time was going out in the pueblo and experiencing the food and the culture and just how much fun they have. Baseball obviously is a big part of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and you can see where the rhythm comes from with the [pro] players, why they have a chip on their shoulder. They built their own house, you know what I mean? When your workout is to carry bricks, you’re going to think, “No, you’re not better than me.”

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Louisa Gao

he liberal arts is not a concept for Louisa Gao. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lifestyle. Coming to Loomis from her home city of Beijing, China, she sought an in-depth cultural and academic experience in the United States, and she seized every opportunity. An outstanding student, she advanced through the entire math curriculum, engaging in a yearlong independent study in mathematics as a senior. Among her college-level courses in her junior and senior years were Physics II, Computer Science, French IV, Statistics Accelerated, Satire, Contemporary Literature, and Creative Writing. Meanwhile, she served as a prefect in Carter Hall, a resident assistant in Palmer Hall, a four-year member of the math team, an Admissions tour guide, and editor-in-chief of the literary magazine The Loom, which she expanded to include a second, online edition in the fall. She ran cross country and track as a freshman. And she discovered a love of photography. Combining her interest in photography with her already active engagement in community service, Louisa completed a Norton Fellowship project creating photographic memory books for senior citizens back home and in Windsor. Genuine and quick to laugh, her well-rounded approach to her education earned her a Founders Prize as a junior and a Sellers Faculty Prize on Class Night.

Q: How was the transition from going to school at home in Beijing to living at and attending Loomis? A: It was scary because I was with the same

group of people since elementary school. Then because my class was a special math-focused

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

class, pretty much everyone except for me ended up in the same high school and the same class. It was kind of sad for me because I was the only one not there. So the social aspect was definitely one of the hardest parts [of the transition] — and of course being away from my family. My family stayed for the Centennial celebration two weeks into the school year, and that was really nice for me because it could have been the toughest time. It was still pretty hard after they left, but it forced me to deal with the cultural differences and to make friends completely by myself. Q: With an advanced background in math and science, what were the challenges in these subjects at Loomis? A: At first the most challenging part for me

was language because I had learned everything in Chinese as far as math and science, so it would always take me a while to realize what [terms] actually meant. Back home for all the science courses we would do biology, chemistry, and physics all in one year, but we wouldn’t focus as much, so we would spread something like Advanced Placement Chemistry over several years. Here [the curriculum] keeps me focused on one subject. And it also doesn’t focus as much on the calculation aspect [of science]. Like in physics, I get to learn cool stuff like relativity that I wouldn’t normally learn as a high school student [in China]. It’s really interesting. Q: What about in the humanities? A: My improvement in English is one of the

things I’m most proud of. I really struggled in freshman English. I was fine with grammar, but [I didn’t know] a lot of native expressions and how you organize a sentence. I never knew you shouldn’t use passive [voice] and “to be” verbs. The first two years I improved a little bit, but Sem [the college-level junior seminar in English language] got me to improve a lot as a writer, partly because the material itself was challenging but also very interesting, but also because I was surrounded by really amazing writers. It’s always good to listen to their work and know how you could

write better. Then senior fall I was in Creative Writing, and that definitely helped me a lot as a writer. I love English more and more as I go forward at Loomis. Q: How did you like being a prefect? A: Prefect was the position that had the most

influence on me as a person. I’m the only child in my family, and being a prefect gave me 30 younger siblings to take care of. I’m still really close to a lot of them. It’s just super nice to bond with kids that you would normally not be in the same class with or play the same sport with or have any interaction with if I weren’t their prefect.” Q: You have been on the math team all four years. Has that been an important outlet for you? A: I have a lot of friends from the math team.

The first year that I was here was the first year of math team, so it was really small at first and not anything systematic. It was just a bunch of people chilling after school and doing math problems, but honestly most of the time was chilling. Q: How did you become interested in photography? A: My dad and my grandpa were both really

interested in photography. They were doing it pretty seriously when they were young, so that was an influence. Sophomore year I took Photography I, and I realized that I actually really liked it, regardless of my family influence. I just started to do it for fun, like walking around Beijing and taking photos, or when Loomis was really pretty at sunset or sunrise hours, I would go around the Loop and take photos. I also really like portraits. I feel like it’s a really nice way to capture personalities with a two-dimensional piece of paper.

photos, and I thought maybe it was time to change the style of doing things and it would also be nice for people to see others’ photos. They all know each other living in the same building or on the same floor, and it would be nice to see your friends and neighbors all exhibited on the wall. So I did the exhibition in the spring [of junior year] at the Caring Connection in Windsor, and then in the summer when I went back to Beijing, I recruited volunteers at a nursing home [to be photographed] for the Norton Fellow project. I thought it would be nice for all the volunteers to have something that they could always remember. I felt like maybe an exhibition wasn’t the best way to have a physical copy of this project, so that’s how I thought of the photo book. Q: You are going to Dartmouth in the fall. How did you make that choice? A: At first I thought I really wanted to go to

a city school because I was born and raised in a city, but when I visited Dartmouth, it was actually a really nice, very natural environment. As much as I love city schools, some of my friends who were in New York or Boston told me sometimes it gets to be too much. And also I really enjoyed Loomis’ size, so going to a really good school but also a relatively small college is what I wanted since the beginning of the college process.

Q: How did you come up with idea of photographic memory books for the elderly? A: At first I was just taking photos, and I

thought it would be nice to give something back to them. At one point I got to 90 to 100

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ax Mossberg combines music and robotics like a chef melds sweet and sour; what seem like opposite tastes complement and balance each other in unexpected ways that seem only natural to their purveyor. An accomplished pianist, Max has won piano competitions outside of school, contributed to the Loomis Chamber Music Ensemble throughout his four years on the Island, and performed an impressive senior recital in May. He also played the clarinet in the Wind Ensemble. A leader of Team Hax, the Loomis robotics team, Max helped the squad win both the Connecticut and the Vermont state robotics championships this year. For a senior project, the aspiring engineer designed, built, and programmed a robotic hand that can play Rock, Paper, Scissors against humans, and win. He’d like some day to work in the engineering of self-driving cars.

Q: How long have you been playing the piano? A: I started when I was 6 years old in first grade, and

I played it all the way up until now. I began with the Suzuki method, and I had the same teacher all the way up until I came here. That’s when we switched to Ms. [Tamila] Azadaliyeva [a piano instructor at Loomis], and I took lessons with her for the past four years. Q: Was it your idea to play an instrument from a young age? A: I listened to a lot of music growing up. My mom

always had these classical CDs going, and my brother and sister [Kirsten ’16] both started out with classical piano although my brother branched off to electric guitar. My sister did violin for a bit. It was a very musical household. Q: What do you enjoy most about playing music? A: I consider myself a very technical person. I do a lot

of engineering and programming and a lot of STEM stuff, but music is a pretty big break from that. It lets me get my creativity out there. When I do get to play music, it’s a nice breather from school work. You can kind of just go with the flow, so it brings balance.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Q: Why engineering? A: My parents are both engineers, so I’m sure that’s

been a big influence. My dad is an automotive engineer, and I was always working on our car with him, so I’ve always had a bit of a feel for mechanical things. And my brother was also a big influencer in the programming aspects. He works in cybersecurity now, and he introduced me to it in middle school. My family has definitely been a big influencer in all of my interests. Q: Tell us about the robotic hand you built. A: My senior project is to build a robotic hand that

plays Rock, Paper, Scissors with people. I always thought that was an awesome idea. I’d seen some videos. The New York Times, I think, had a video of this robot that looked very quickly at what you’re throwing and always threw the winning move. It had a very quick camera. And I wondered if I could build something similar to that. It also combined with my interest in 3D printing because I found a bunch of open-source models on the internet for the hand, and we have a 3D printer at school, so I could just build it right there. This project combines all the mechanical aspects of building it, the programming aspects, and even the computer vision part because the idea is to have a camera that looks at your hand and then reads if it’s doing scissors, paper, or rock. And that relates to my interest in later on hopefully working with robotic systems like self-driving cars, which take this technology, this image recognition and all sorts of other sensors, and integrate it with the mechanical driving and make it work. Q: What academic classes have been most enjoyable for you at Loomis? A: Either AP Physics [College-Level Physics II] this

year or Multi [Multivariable Calculus]. I love Multi in particular because I can see all these connections between Multi and physics and computer science — vectors and arrays and things — and all of a sudden things are starting to click. I also took Topics in Logic in the fall. I wasn’t so sure at first, but there were a lot of connections to computer science. I wish I could have taken the Theory of Knowledge class as well, but I couldn’t fit it in my schedule.

Q: How did you get involved in the robotics team? A: I’ve been doing robotics since seventh grade

in a team setting. I started on the Windsor High team and then came here and joined the Loomis team. Because I already had experience, I was a little bit ahead of some of the other kids who joined [Team Hax] just for the interest, so I was able to be somewhat of a leader. Mr. Ross [Ewen Ross, the robotics team advisor] said he appreciated having me in there because I had a drive to get things done. He called it “the Mossberg effect.”

Max Mossberg

Q: What do you enjoy about the robotics team? A: I love working with the kits and problem-solv-

ing and critical thinking. And I like the competitions. Most people think that robotics isn’t something that’s [physically] demanding, I guess, and there is some merit to that. You’re not running or anything. They don’t realize how much politics goes on between the teams — the alliances and scouting and [diplomacy]. It’s a stressful day, but very rewarding when you get your robot actually moving around and doing what you want it to do, which of course doesn’t always happen. Q: Have you had time for any other extracurricular activities? A: I was on the track team sophomore and junior

years. The only varsity letter I got at Loomis was in pole vaulting. I got the letter junior year by clearing nine-and-a-half feet, and I’m pretty proud of that varsity letter even though I’m not necessarily an athletic person. Q: What are you looking forward to about college?

A: University of Michigan is getting this big new

engineering building. It’s going to be finished in 2020, I think, so I’m looking forward to the resources. I know they’re going to have some really nice 3D printers there. And I’m looking forward to the freedom and independence as well. I’m looking forward to getting to know new groups of people, playing ultimate [frisbee] games with people, and working on projects with other like-minded people, like making robotic hands. (He laughs.)

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Suzy Ryckman

resident assistant in Palmer Hall, a captain of the swimming and diving team and the varsity lacrosse team, a school record-holder in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke, a dancer, a diligent student who graduated with a certificate in Global & Environmental Studies, and a friend to many who is known for her gentle nature, Suzanna Ryckman received the Florence E. Sellers Prize at Commencement. The award honors a young woman in the graduating class “with the characteristics of Mrs. Sellers: a quest for excellence, self-discipline, and a concern for others.” The prize criteria could very well describe the arc of Suzy’s four years at Loomis. Striving for her personal best has motivated her academic success, her athletic achievements, her social interactions, and her leadership style. Though determined and goal-driven, she thrives on sharing experiences and building relationships, joining efforts. Suzy’s own narrative of her last four years is all about people: family, teammates, friends, coaches, teachers, dorm heads, mentors — and herself as the person she has become.

Q: What appealed to you about going to a boarding school? A: I took a tour, and I fell in love with the idea

— everything in one place, having all of these mentors as teachers and students. I loved the idea of prefect, for some reason. Ever since that point I was really motivated to go to boarding school, try something new. Q: You and your family are close. Was it hard to be away from home? A: It was very difficult, but I think it brought my

family a lot closer because whenever I go home,

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

they are my priority. We get to spend a lot of quality time together. [When I’m at school], every other day I have a really nice phone call with my family. It’s special that I am able to be a student here and have my life here but then be able to share that with my family. Q: Do you have certain academic disciplines that you like more than others? A: Yes and no. I’ve been able to find some-

thing that I love about every class, which is incredible, but I think it has a lot to do with the teachers. I have trouble with English just because it takes me forever to collect my thoughts and put them into words, but even in English I love what we’re reading, I love discussing the different perspectives of how to look at books and interpret the way that authors convey their message. Even though it’s probably my toughest subject, I still love it. But I’d say that my strongest discipline would be either math or science. I’ve always been motivated by getting better, so I love that you can learn from your mistakes very clearly in math and science. Q: What role has the swim team played in your Loomis experience? A: When I was looking at boarding school,

[the swim team] was a consideration, but it wasn’t the priority because I knew it was only going to be a four-month season. And because I had a background in other sports, I thought it might be refreshing to do different sports, try different things. Mr. DeConinck [head coach of girls swimming Robert DeConinck] had a meeting with me, and I really liked him as a person, but also as a coach. I went to one of the meets and met the team, and I decided, “I need to be part of this team.” As a freshman I became close with one of the senior swimmers, Krystal Sung ’15. She was like my second mother. She really took care of us. She was a huge motivator, and ever since, I wanted to be like her. Having her as a mentor was important for me as to how to be a teammate, how to be a leader, how to be the best swimmer that I could be. And that ended up translating to everything else in my life. That’s

part of the reason I’m swimming in college [at Bates College] because that network motivated me in every aspect of my life. Q: You also played lacrosse. A: I was raised with the mentality that you

should be an all-around athlete, and you should find a balance — an individual sport in swimming and a team sport with lacrosse. … When I came to Loomis, I didn’t try out for varsity lacrosse. I played JV freshman year, and I had so much fun. I’m so glad I did it. And then my sophomore and junior year I was on the varsity team, and they were really, really good. I had a lot to learn from the girls that were going to Yale and UNC for lacrosse, and I loved it. Q: What was it like to captain the lacrosse team this spring? A: We kind of had a slow start, and only mid-

season did we become disciplined enough to work hard as a team and think one step ahead. So being a captain of that team was tough because we were trying to set a tone of intensity and make sure that they understood that we have a legacy to uphold. And after a couple of tough games that made us realize that we can’t just rely on the midfield or rely on just a few girls to get it done, we started to get it together, which has been awesome to see. Q: You had been planning to attend the High Mountain Institute (HMI) in Colorado for the first half of your junior year, but a knee injury at the end of your sophomore year prevented this. And you hadn’t applied for leadership positions at Loomis because you had expected to be away for the first half of the year. How did these disappointments affect you? A: When I came back to school for junior year

and I couldn’t be a prefect and I didn’t have any other leadership positions, I thought, “OK, how am I going to rebound from this? This is a critical moment for me. How am I going to make staying at Loomis count?” I think that was really good. Rather than worrying so much about myself, I decided to

invest in everybody else, so I made a lot of friends in my dorm, I took physical therapy pretty seriously, I took a more rigorous academic load. I was trying to get myself involved in Loomis as much as I could, and it was one of the most rewarding things I could have done because I earned the respect of my teammates and my friends and faculty. They saw how hard I was trying to work in order to compensate for what I had lost. Then for senior year, that helped me with being an RA and with being captain of swimming and lacrosse. So even though I don’t know what I missed out on at HMI, I try to dismiss that by thinking, “Look at what I have gained by staying at Loomis.” Q: You had a great swim season this year. You and your teammate, senior Ashleigh Scott, each swam an identical school record in the 50 free at the Senior Day meet. At that same meet you set a school record in the 100 backstroke, and she broke the school, pool, and New England prep school record in the 100 free. Plus one of the boys, senior Otto Laakso, set a school record in the 100 free. What a day that must have been. A: It was an awesome meet because it was a

perfect way to show how close the team was and how much of an impact your team can make on how you race and your mentality going into something that seems pretty impossible. I was doing this for my team, and it wasn’t just me breaking the record. It showed how hard everyone had been working and made me work. Q: What do you think of having your name and Ashleigh’s on the record board for the same event? A: It couldn’t have ended up any better. We

had been through this whole swim season together, and the fact that we were able to go on the record board together at the same meet, is just crazy. And I’m so happy. I wouldn’t have wanted to be up there alone. I’d much rather have her up there with me because it perfectly embodied the swim season, perfectly closed everything that we had worked for.

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yan Durkin had never pole vaulted before he joined the Loomis track team his freshman year, but his potential was evident even in those early days. Today, he is the school record-holder and the reigning (and repeat) New England champion in the event. He set the school record as a junior, jumping 14 feet-6 inches, a foot higher than the previous record, and but for the rainy, cold spring this year, he would have bettered that record as a senior. But track, which he captained, is just one of Ryan’s varsity sports. He also wrestled, qualifying for and competing in the high school nationals the last two winters and serving as a captain in his junior and senior seasons. And he played varsity water polo as a formidable defensive player and a scoring threat when he was on the offensive end of the pool. Ryan is by no means an athlete only. A prefect in Flagg as a junior, a resident assistant in Taylor and an agricultural proctor as a senior, his course load this year included college-level courses in calculus, physics, economics, genetics, and English. And in perhaps his most surprising claim to fame on the Island, Ryan and his best friend, senior Gunnar Simons, established the wildly popular Pancake Society, which at its peak had 140 members and attracted dozens of students to the Taylor common room every Thursday morning for pancakes and a vibe of devotion to this simple breakfast confection.

Q: You were a day student as a freshman, commuting from Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Why did you switch to boarding your sophomore year? A: Throughout freshman year I thought more and

more of it because it was a lot of travel. I was in a car pool, and it was just a mess. Sometimes I’d get left at school, which was kind of rough. Just overall freshman year was a strong transitioning phase, so becoming a boarder really helped me. Q: What was difficult about the transition to Loomis? A: I think I came into it too fast. Coming from a

school with a class of 11, there were are a lot more people here, so that kind of took me aback. But also I jumped into advanced chemistry and advanced A2A

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

[Algebra 2 Advanced], and it was a little too much, so I dialed it back, became a boarder, and then worked my way from there. The tough transition was really just freshman fall; everything kept getting better from there. Q: What was your wrestling background before you came to Loomis? A: I wrestled for two years before. I had six years in

jiu jitsu-type grappling, not strictly wrestling. I knew I couldn’t keep doing [jiu jitsu] in high school, so I transitioned to wrestling because I knew most schools have a wrestling team. Q: How did you progress as a wrestler through high school? A: Freshman year I didn’t lose a single JV match. But

[in varsity matches] I went 2-5. I didn’t wrestle a lot of varsity, and I didn’t wrestle it very well. My third varsity match I ended up breaking my ankle, so that kind of threw a monkey wrench into it. Sophomore year I did a lot better. I actually got my own spot, my own weight class. My record was something like 28-10. That’s been pretty consistent since then. Q: How did you start pole vaulting? A: Honestly, it kind of started out as a joke. I was

talking to my parents during winter term about picking a spring sport. I thought I was going to try out for tennis because I had played tennis the summer before that. I probably wouldn’t have made the team, but I thought I would try out. But then I was looking at track events, and I said to my parents, “I’m going to do pole vaulting,” just kind of as a joke. And they said, “That’s kind of weird. Just throw javelin or something like that.” And I said, “Nope, I’m gonna pole vault.” And then I got into the season, actually tried pole vaulting, wasn’t half bad, and then I just kept doing it. I still threw javelin, but I was definitely not as good at javelin. Q: Was it frustrating this spring not to have good jumping weather for the big meets, when you might have broken your school record? A: My jumps have been better. They just haven’t been

higher. So I’m not too upset, but I’m still a little salty.

Q: How much of pole vaulting is muscle memory and how much is mental? A: It’s all muscle memory. When you’re practic-

ing, you think about one thing, and you try and do it every single time. During meets, I could probably close my eyes and almost do it just as well. After I jump, I don’t remember any of it, hardly. I can remember the top, which is the slower part where you hit the bar or not, but when I actually jump and swing upside down, it’s so fast, I don’t know what’s going on.

Ryan Durkin

Q: You also played water polo. Are you a good swimmer? A: No, I’m not. Mr. Pond [head coach of water

polo Edward Pond] was telling me that I’m the slowest varsity starter we’ve ever had. I don’t know how I became a starter. I grab onto people, really. I play defense. … I would defend the [opponent] in the middle [of the play formation], and then I would swim most of the way down and just worked on getting the ball to the other side of the pool for offense. If the play went a little bit longer, I’d get myself in there and start being a scoring threat. Q: How did you and Gunnar start the Pancake Society? A: We found the pancake griddles in Taylor, and

we said, “We should use these at some point.” So we decided, pancakes, nice easy thing to make, just throw them on there, flip them, they’re good, right? So we did that once, and this was around the time [clubs are formed for the year], and we thought, “Hey, we could do this weekly and just get Mr. Donegan [Dean of Students Michael Donegan, who also runs student activities] to pay for it. No one has to sign up, just ourselves.” And Mr. Donegan, being Mr. Donegan, loved it, so he accepted it. And then we put up a table at Harvest Fest [a clubs sign-up event], just to see if people would join. We got something like 90 signups on the first day. We were like, “Oh, this is 88 more people than we expected. I guess we’ll roll with it.”

loomischaffee.org

Reunion

2018

Alumni reveled in gorgeous weather, familiar

surroundings, and the company of tried-and-true friends during Reunion Weekend in June.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Food truck festival in Grubbs Quad on Saturday afternoon. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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Abundant sunshine and warm breezes welcomed more than 450 Pelicans and their families home to the Island June 15–17 for Reunion 2018. Attendees had many opportunities to reconnect with friends, teachers, and others during a weekend full of gatherings, celebrations, presentations, learning, and enjoyment for all. Revelers included alumnae from Chaffee and alumni from Loomis and Loomis Chaffee class years ending in 3 and 8, as well as alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago. The festivities kicked off on Friday afternoon with a golf outing at the newly refurbished Keney Park Golf Course on the Windsor/Hartford line. Afternoon and evening activities included a 50th Reunion reception at the Head’s House and a 25th Reunion reception in Katharine Brush Library. Alumni arriving on campus Friday evening enjoyed dinner accompanied by a jazz trio, a coffee house in Cutler Hall TOP: Brian Thompson ’87, Mark Rush ’86, Tim Struthers ’85, and Earl Thompson P ’87, GP ’18, ’20, ’22 prepare to tee off at the Reunion golf outing at Keney Park Golf Course. Photo: Fred Kuo BOTTOM: Members of the Class of 1983 celebrate their 35th Reunion. Photo: Keller Glass Photos: Jessica Hutchinson

Helen Powers Textor ’93, Faith Model ’93 and Elizabeth Robertson Sheehan ’93 are among the crowd enjoying the “Crazy Pelicans to Mad Men” presentation in Founders Chapel.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

The lawn behind Huntington Wall was converted into a mini golf course.

Our own Pelican Pride soda was served during the food truck fair on Saturday.

for quiet conversation, a late-night D.J., and “Burgers with Bruno” (longtime faculty member and coach Chuck “Bruno” Vernon) in Grubbs Quadrangle. A host of activities and presentations highlighted the Saturday schedule. Jason Liu ’17 and Jeff Dyreson, director of environmental/sustainability initiatives and associate director of the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, debuted Loomis’ solar array project, which is scheduled for installation on campus this summer. The project, spearheaded by Jason when he was a senior, is expected to generate upwards of 70 percent of the Island’s electricity demand and significantly reduce the school’s carbon footprint. In “Crazy Pelicans to Mad Men,” Tom Pettus ’93 and Winston Binch ’93, celebrating their 25th Reunion, related ways that their shared experiences at Loomis and the intersection of their professional paths helped shape their advertising and digital marketing careers. TOP: Alumni gather at a PRISM reception in the Katharine Brush Library. Photo: Christine Coyle BOTTOM: Fifth Reunion celebrants reconnect in the quad. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Jack Litter ’45 was the senior-most alumnus in attendance at the 50th Plus Reunion reception.

Steven Ockerbloom ’93 and his family pause during the festivities in front of Founders Hall.

Tom Pettus ’93 and Winston Binch ’93 discuss how their days at Loomis helped shape their advertising and digital marketing careers.

loomischaffee.org

Pelican lacrosse players young and young-at-heart gathered before the alumni game on Pratt Field. Photo: John Cunningham

The Reunion Leadership Reception took place at the Head’s House. TOP: Sally Crowther Pearse ’58, Jim Kelly ’58, John Pearse ’58, and Joan Thompson ’58. SECOND: Rory O'Halloran ’98 and Scott Kilpatrick ’98. THIRD: Head of School Sheila Culbert. FOURTH: Beth Armstrong Zapatka ’83, Jim Scully ’83, Michaela Dempsey ’83, Christine Mangiafico Steiner ’83, and Brad Lewis ’83. ABOVE: Liz Byrne ’03 and Isabel Yordan ’03. Photos: John Groo

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Mr. Magichead, his rabbit, and a happy assistant enjoy Saturday evening childcare. Photo: Kaitlyn Pratt

TOP: A future robotics engineer appreciates her work. Photo: Mary Forrester ABOVE: Face painting draws the younger set under the tent. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Head of School Sheila Culbert presented her “State of the School” summary and answered alumni questions about the school’s plans to continue to meet its mission in an ever-changing world. Sheila and Associate Head for External Relations Nathan Follansbee shared an insider’s view of the new Scanlan Campus Center, which is on track to open in the fall. The day’s activities also included a lunchtime food truck fair on Grubbs Quadrangle, a boys alumni lacrosse game, round-robin tennis matches, and a memorial service, officiated by Alan Hooker ’68 and Charles Drew ’68, in Founders Chapel. Children’s activities included hands-on robotics projects, arts and crafts, face painting, mini golf and other games in the quad, and swimming in Hedges Pool. Childcare on Friday and Saturday evenings enabled parents to enjoy their classmates while the kids had fun too, including Art Truck activities on Friday and an evening of “abracadabra” and fun featuring Mr. Magichead on Saturday. Reunion Weekend culminated on Saturday night with class dinners followed by an all-class dessert and dancing under the tent in Grubbs Quad. Alumni bid each other farewell until next time at breakfast on Sunday.

To see more photos from Reunion, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine.

TOP: Kathy Howard Kerrigan ’68, Susan Carlson Garratt ’68, Emmy Norris ’68, Jane Weiner Freeman ’68, and Vini Norris Exton ’67 enjoy the 50th Plus gathering. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson ABOVE: 25th Reunion-goers spent a special afternoon together by the Cow Pond and the bench dedicated during their 10th Reunion in honor and memory of their classmate Amanda Crosby, who died in 2002. They were joined by Amanda's parents, Betsy and John Crosby. To read more about this event, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

Dancing, fun, and photo booth antics accented Saturday night under the tent in Grubbs Quad. TOP: Molly Strabley ’13, Olivia Szczerbickyj ’13, Arianna Calabrese ’13, and Izzy Fleming ’13. MIDDLE: Jesse Smith ’98, Pete Albro ’98, and Erich Muhlanger ’98. ABOVE: The Reunion tent in the evening. Photos: Kaitlyn Pratt and Keller Glass

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Birds of Loomis

Senior Zeno Schwebel spent his last two weeks before Commencement fully engaged in birding as part of a Senior Project focused on the variety of bird species that can be spotted on the campus. Making the most of the early daylight hours in late spring, Zeno headed out from Warham Hall with his camera to spot, photograph, identify, and catalogue as many birds as he could. Zeno graciously agreed to share some of these photos with us. All were taken on the Island during two weeks in May.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

1 2 3 4 5

Male Wood Duck Male and Female Tree Swallows Chipping Sparrow Red-Bellied Woodpecker Female Red-Winged Blackbird

6 7 8 9 10

Grey Catbird Chipping Sparrow House Finch Male American Robin Ring-Necked Pheasant

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Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

loomischaffee.org

Podcast Playlist Looking for podcast suggestions? We’ve got you covered. We asked Loomis faculty members to share their podcast playlists with us, and they offered a variety of suggestions as wide-ranging as their areas of personal interest and professional expertise. Here’s a collection of 60 of these free, downloadable audio shows for you to try, listed alphabetically with their “recommenders” listed below each entry.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

30 FOR 30

ATLANTA MONSTER

BREAKING MATH

You may be familiar with ESPN’s 30 for 30 series of award-winning sports documentaries on television. The podcasts of the same name are audio documentaries on similarly compelling subjects. Recent podcasts have looked at the man behind the Bikram Yoga fitness craze, racial activism by professional athletes, the origins of the hugely profitable Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the lasting legacy of the John Madden Football video game.

A true-crime podcast about the Atlanta Child Murders, serial killings of more than 25 young African-Americans in this southern city from 1979 to 1981. Questions still remain.

From the podcast website: “Here at Breaking Math, we don’t try to give you concepts we think you can’t handle just to make ourselves feel smart. We get that math is hard for a lot of people, and our episodes are designed to accommodate that. For the more mathematically minded of you, however, we don’t skimp on the math, and even have write-ups to go with every episode.”

RECOM M EN DED BY

A podcast for school leaders.

Elliott: “I love how it involves the culture of sports. You get an inner look on a sports story or event that you never really knew about. Brings real life and sports together in a fantastic way.”

RECOM M EN DED BY Eric

BETTER LEADERS BETTER SCHOOLS

RECOM M EN DED BY Adnan

CAST ON RECOM M EN DED BY Patricia: “I enjoy this podcast because I

A podcast for knitters and others.

always walk away with insight and nuggets about leading in schools from those who

RECOM M EN DED BY

are or have done it.”

Karen, an avid knitter, who describes the

ABCA CALLS FROM

show as “a quirky podcast about knitting

THE CLUBHOUSE

BLACK MEN CAN’T JUMP

Interviews with coaches in the American Baseball Coaches Association

(IN HOLLYWOOD)

and, more generally, about making textiles, art, and clothing by Brenda Dayne, an American living in Wales.” The podcast ended in 2015, but Karen says, “re-listening

RECOM M EN DED BY RECOM M EN DED BY

Elliott, who says the show is especially

Donnie, who is head coach of varsity

relevant for “film lovers concerned about

baseball and says the podcast covers “all

Hollywood whitewashing. This excellent

aspects of baseball, culture, techniques,

podcast reviews the films of leading black

practices, strategy, etc. It is gold for a

actors and discusses them in the context of

baseball guy.”

Hollywood’s race issues.”

ADVICE TO MY YOUNGER ME

BRAVE LITTLE STATE

Designed to help women thrive in their careers and beyond, this podcast is hosted by Sara Holtz, a lawyer, former senior executive at a Fortune 500 company, and expert on helping female lawyers succeed. She “and her expert guests serve as virtual mentors to younger women on how to craft successful, satisfying careers,” according to the podcast website.

Vermont Public Radio solicits questions and story suggestions from listeners about Vermont-related topics then investigates to find the answers. A recent episode sought to answer the question “Where are they now?” in relation to the hippies who moved to Vermont in the 1960s and 1970s.

is just as good as the first time around.”

CODE SWITCH From NPR, Code Switch is about race and identity and is produced by journalists of color. “Sometimes, we’ll make you laugh. Other times, you’ll get uncomfortable. But we’ll always be unflinchingly honest and empathetic,” the podcast promises. RECOM M EN DED BY Patricia: “We need to talk (and listen) about race and identity so I appreciate this podcast for its willingness to go there.” Jen: “I look forward to every episode of this podcast. As a white woman, I benefit from an unquantifiable amount of privilege and

RECOM M EN DED BY

this podcast gives me a great opportuni-

Alec, a part-time Vermont resident

ty to listen to people of color discussing

RECOM M EN DED BY

issues, taking questions, consulting with

Patricia: “We all wish someone had told

academics, etc. This podcast has prompt-

us some of the things we know now, and

ed me to check my own privilege, and

I enjoy hearing the advice women would

understand and empathize more with the

give to themselves while reflecting on what

experiences of others.”

I would say to my teenage or early professional self.”

loomischaffee.org

Our Panel of Recommenders The following faculty members suggested podcasts and shared their favorites with us:

Adnan Rubai, math teacher and associate dean of faculty

Jim O’Donnell, Summer Program director

Alec McCandless, economics teacher and the Christopher H. Lutz Director of the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies

Joe Cleary, head of the Math Department

Amy Thompson, newly appointed dean of enrollment, formerly director of college guidance Beth Fitzsimmons, registrar Bob DeConinck, science teacher and associate director of studies

Julie Hinchman, science teacher Karen Parsons, history teacher and school archivist Keller Glass, associate director of communications Laura Rochette, English teacher Ludmila Zamah, Arabic teacher

Donnie McKillop, assistant athletics director

Mary Forrester, director of digital communications

Ed Pond, physics teacher

Neil Chaudhary, science teacher

Elliott Dial, history teacher and Flagg dorm head Eric Styles, library director Fred Seebeck, English teacher Freddi Dupre, associate director of college guidance Ginny DeConinck, coordinator of standardized testing and assistant director of student activities Isso Shimamoto, math teacher Jed Stuart, associate director of college guidance Jen Solomon, science teacher and associate director of innovation

Patricia Sasser, dean of students Rachel Engelke, history teacher and head of the History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Social Science Department Sara Markman, science teacher Scott MacClintic ’82, science teacher and director of innovation Seth Beebe ’78, director of advancement services and operations Will Eggers, English teacher

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

CRIMETOWN “Every season, we’ll investigate the culture of crime in a different American city,” notes the web presence for this new series from Gimlet Media and the creators of HBO’s The Jinx. “First up: Providence, Rhode Island, where organized crime and corruption infected every aspect of public life. This is a story of alliances and betrayals, of heists and stings, of crooked cops and honest mobsters — a story where it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.” RECOM M EN DED BY Eric Bob Fred

CRUISE RADIO This weekly podcast reviews cruise ships and offers advice and insights for people who love to take cruises. RECOM M EN DED BY Ginny, a cruising enthusiast and former travel agent: “A great podcast about cruising! One podcast interviews a guy who has taken 1,100 cruise nights! You have got to listen to it.”

DESERT ISLAND DISCS Interviews intertwined with castaway-worthy songs. RECOM M EN DED BY Freddi: “It originated as a BBC radio program in the ’40s where, over the course of 30 minutes to an hour, the host interviews a famous person, and punctuated throughout the conversation are the eight songs the interviewee would bring with them if they were trapped on a desert island. It’s now a podcast, and through the podcasts you can access episodes as far back as the 1970s. It’s great!”

FACU LT Y P ODC A S T RECOM M EN DATIONS

FINDING MASTERY

FRESH AIR

HEAVYWEIGHT

Host Michael Gervais is a “high performance psychologist” who interviews people who are among the best in the world at what they do, from surfer Ian Walsh and soccer superstar Carli Lloyd to Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood and Formula 1 owner Toto Wolff.

An award-winning radio magazine from public radio, Fresh Air features conversations with fascinating people, illuminated by the superb interviewing skills of host Terry Gross.

A Gimlet Media podcast that chases down people’s regrets and examines watershed moments in everyday people’s lives.

Eric

RECOM M EN DED BY Keller

HERE’S THE THING

RECOM M EN DED BY Patricia: “I enjoy listening to people at the peak of their game discuss how they got there and who was instrumental in their success.”

FISH NERDS FISHING PODCAST “Fish Nerds is a celebration of fish, fishing and eating fish with your host Clay Groves. The goal of the show is to explore all aspects of fish, highlighting the amazing, inspiring, unusual and funny,” according to the podcast summary. RECOM M EN DED BY Donnie: “I’m a sucker for good talk about fishing.”

FREAKONOMICS Host Stephen J. Dubner helps explain “things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything,” according to the podcast website. RECOM M EN DED BY Ed Joe Adnan Keller Alec: “Lots of applied econ here.”

RECOM M EN DED BY

This podcast is about exactly what it sounds like it’s about.

Alec Baldwin — yes, that Alec Baldwin — “brings listeners into the lives of artists, policy makers and performers,” according to NPR, the producer of this podcast.

RECOM M EN DED BY

Amy, who calls Getting Things Done “my

Amy

GETTING THINGS DONE

organizational geek podcast. [It] goes over everything from the power of the Weekly Review to the Two-Minute Rule.”

HARDCORE HISTORY From the host’s website: “He’s been called a lot of things, but no one says that Dan Carlin is boring. … Part storyteller, part analyst, Carlin has mastered the art of looking at subjects from multiple angles and dissecting and thinking about them in original ways.”

HIDDEN BRAIN A popular podcast from NPR, Hidden Brain combines science and storytelling to explain human behavior. RECOM M EN DED BY Will Scott Adnan Sara: “There’s a lot of psych research, and the episodes are interesting and well-researched. Sometimes I get good

RECOM M EN DED BY

teaching ideas as well, depending on the

Adnan

topic that week.”

HARVARD EDCAST

HOLDING COURT

This weekly education podcast from Harvard University features interviews with leading educators and discussion of issues in the education field. The wide range of guests has included Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell, Wynton Marsalis, and Lois Lowry.

(WITH GENO AURIEMMA) UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma interviews famous figures in sports and entertainment. RECOM M EN DED BY Jim: “Geno strikes an enjoyable balance of

RECOM M EN DED BY

average fan and a sports icon as the lead in-

Jim: “As a career educator, I like to stay

terviewer in this podcast. Always an effec-

current on topics in education. Harvard’s

tive recruiter, Geno has been successful in

EdCast is a great medium for that.”

getting a host of sports stars on the show, from Tiger Woods and Charles Barkley to UConn legend Sue Bird.”

loomischaffee.org

FACU LT Y PODC A ST RECOM M EN DATIONS

HOW I BUILT THIS

IT’S NOT ABOUT ME

LATINO USA

This NPR podcast tells the origin stories of some of the most well-known companies in the world. “How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists — and the movements they built,” the producers note.

The podcast describes itself as “Politics, feminism, race, culture and motherhood at the intersection of mindfulness and yoga.”

This news and culture podcast is “the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective,” according to NPR.

RECOM M EN DED BY Sara: “One of my favorite feminist

RECOM M EN DED BY

podcasts because it is women speaking

Sara: “The best journalism I’ve ever en-

RECOM M EN DED BY

the truth of their experiences about ev-

countered. The writing is vivid and clear,

Alec

erything from walking down the street

and I always learn something.”

to opening a yoga studio. The topics

HOW TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT ANYTHING The host of this both practical and inspiring podcast is Robyn Silverman, a child and teen development specialist, parenting coach, author, speaker, and mother of two. RECOM M EN DED BY Patricia: “As a parent, sometimes you need help finding the way to approach topics and finds the words when discussing things with your kid, and this podcast helps me with that.”

THE INNOVATOR’S MINDSET

race, culture, size, and more.”

THINK Hosted by Krys Boyd, this award-winning call-in radio show from Texas has a national following in its podcast form. The program gained national prominence for the thoughtful coverage and dialogue it provided immediately after the Dallas police shootings in 2016. Topics range widely, and guests have included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jane Goodall, artist Frank Stella, actor Bryan Cranston, and filmmaker Werner Herzog.

Host George Couros, author of the book The Innovator’s Mindset, declares: “I believe we need to inspire our kids to follow their passions, while letting them inspire us to do the same.”

RECOM M EN DED BY

KEVIN POLLAK CHAT SHOW

Scott

INVISIBILIA “Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia — Latin for invisible things — fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently,” notes producer NPR’s website. RECOM M EN DED BY Ed

reach beyond feminism to issues with

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Jim: “Boyd covers a broad range of topics from culture and economics to politics and sports. It’s fun to see what

LEND ME YOUR EARS A podcast mini-series from Slate that examines Shakespeare plays in the context of the times in which they were written and the issues that have withstood the test of time. RECOM M EN DED BY Keller

LEXICON VALLEY Slate’s “show about the mysteries of English” RECOM M EN DED BY Keller Mary: “Anyone interested in language will love this.”

she comes out with next,” Jim says.

MEN IN BLAZERS

Actor Kevin Pollak interviews prominent figures in the entertainment industry in this podcast and accompanying livestreamed YouTube talk show. RECOM M EN DED BY Beth: “One- to two- hour interviews with famous (Tom Hanks) to mildly famous (Mary Lynn Rajskub) actors, comedians, musicians.”

This podcast says its hosts “believe soccer is America’s Sport of the Future. As it has been since 1972.” RECOM M EN DED BY Joe: “For fun, it’s an entertaining look at the world of soccer.”

MORE PERFECT

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

PLANET FÚTBOL

NPR describes this Radiolab spin-off as “a series about how the Supreme Court got so supreme. … Supreme Court decisions shape everything from marriage and money to public safety and sex. We know these are very important decisions we should all pay attention to — but they often feel untouchable and even unknowable. … More Perfect bypasses the wonkiness and tells stories behind some of the court’s biggest rulings.”

“This show brings you folklore that has shaped our world. Some are incredibly popular stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth a listen,” the podcast summary notes. “These are stories of magic, kings, Vikings, dragons, knights, princesses, and wizards from a time when the world beyond the map was a dangerous, wonderful, and terrifying place.”

Grant Wahl, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, interviews people in the soccer world.

RECOM M EN DED BY

Neil

A podcast by two tennis bloggers. RECOM M EN DED BY Rachel, an avid tennis fan: “They post and discuss tennis on Twitter exhaustively, so

RECOM M EN DED BY

the podcast is kind of a supplement to [the

blog]. … I’ve met both of them in person,

Will

and have corresponded via email with each,

Adnan

too. They’re very inclusive and engage with tennis fans around the world.”

MY FAVORITE MURDER A “true crime comedy podcast” from standup comedian and television writer Karen Kilgariff and writer and Cooking Channel host Georgia Hardstark, who “tell each other their favorite tales of murder and hear hometown crime stories from friends and fans,” according to the podcast summary.

international soccer.”

PLANET MONEY An NPR podcast about the economy, money, and business.

Alec, who says the show is about “making

NO CHALLENGES REMAINING “True stories told live” is Moth Radio’s motto, and the podcast gathers the most popular of those stories for its listeners.

Seth: “Feeds my love of both U.S. and

RECOM M EN DED BY

Will

THE MOTH RADIO HOUR

RECOM M EN DED BY

the world understandable.”

RADIOLAB “Investigating a strange world and making science accessible” is the tagline for this award-winning podcast from WNYC. RECOM M EN DED BY Ed Julie: “I always learn something cool, amazing, surprising.” Neil

PENGUIN PODCAST From the publisher Penguin Books, the podcast features authors who discuss objects with special meaning.

Laura Adnan Joe: “RadioLab and Freakonomics both ask interesting questions and explore them with the help of data.”

RECOM M EN DED BY Karen: “It’s a mix of two of my favorite topics: material culture and writers talking

RECOM M EN DED BY

about writing. Authors bring five objects of

Neil

personal meaning to the studio and discuss their latest book as well as why these things matter to them.”

loomischaffee.org

FACU LT Y PODC A ST RECOM M EN DATIONS

REVISIONIST HISTORY

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

THIS AMERICAN LIFE

Author Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast looks back at events, people, and ideas and finds “something overlooked, something misunderstood,” which is Mr. Gladwell’s uncanny forte.

From the creators of the robust website How Stuff Works, which explains how the world works in plain, easy-to-digest language. The podcast does the same, with personality.

RECOM M EN DED BY

Bob

Keller

Ludmila: “I like Stuff You Should Know

Jed

for the info [that hosts] Chuck and Josh

A radio show with 2.2 million listeners every week, each podcast episode is downloaded by 2.5 million people, according to the This American Life website. “Each week we choose a theme and put together different kinds of stories on that theme,” host Ira Glass explains at the top of every episode. Plot- and story-driven, the segments are mostly journalistic and invariably compelling.

Scott

present, the banter between them, and

Amy: “[Mr. Gladwell] interviews inter-

the ’90s references.”

RECOM M EN DED BY

esting people ranging from those in the

Sara: “Discussions about literally

Laura

film and TV industry to writers, sports

anything you can think of. The hosts

figures, and politicians. The one with

have goofy personalities and are very

Neil

Anthony Weiner pre-latest fall from

likable.”

Isso

grace was fascinating.”

Isso: “The hosts are super dorky, and

Adnan

Jim: “I have been an avid reader of

I get to learn a lot of probably not

Gladwell books. I enjoy his perspective

super-useful information. Sometimes it

and the way he reinterprets something

is useful, though. The episode on megal-

from the past. No matter the topic,

odon, probably not so much.”

he always manages to convey a compelling story.”

TED RADIO HOUR

“Storytelling with a beat” is the podcast tagline. The stories in each episode revolve, at least loosely, around a theme.

As NPR puts it, “The TED Radio Hour is a narrative journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.”

RECOM M EN DED BY

Will

SNAP JUDGMENT

Scott

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS THERAPY FOR BLACK GIRLS RECOM M EN DED BY Karen: “Special Collections is about the stories behind museum collections and other historic sites with what the podcast description calls ‘distinctive cool stuff.’”

Psychologist Joy Harden Bradford hosts this podcast about mental health and personal development. RECOM M EN DED BY Patricia: “I am all about self-care and personal development, so this podcast

STARTEDUP Interviews about people’s potential with experts in education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. RECOM M EN DED BY Scott

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

fits the bill for me and the intersections of my race and gender.”

THIS WEEK IN VIROLOGY A podcast about viruses, how they make us sick, and what the latest research reveals about them. RECOM M EN DED BY Neil

TOP COACH PODCAST Focusing mostly on amateur coaches, this podcast features coaches discussing their programs, philosophies, and careers. “There’s a lot to be learned about impacting lives, whether it’s on a field, court, or track,” the podcast description says. RECOM M EN DED BY Donnie

TWO OUTS Two openly gay Boston sports personalities discuss “the intersection of society and sports from the perspective of two very different generations,” according to WEEI, the radio station that produces the podcast. RECOM M EN DED BY Fred

WAIT, WAIT, DON’T TELL ME

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING

Episodes of NPR’s current events quiz show.

Host Chris Hayes “asks the big questions that keep him up at night: How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this all happening?” according to the podcast. Then he tries to answer these political questions with the help of writers, experts, and others seeking answers.

RECOM M EN DED BY Adnan Keller

THE WAY I HEARD IT Short mysteries and brief, surprising stories.

RECOM M EN DED BY Beth

And don’t forget Pelican Scoop, the podcast about Loomis Chaffee. Recent episodes include

RECOM M EN DED BY

a recording of former U.S. Secretary of State

Beth: “A chance to learn fun facts

George Shultz’s ’38 on-stage interview with Head

quickly — all podcasts are about 10

of School Sheila Culbert, a conversation between

minutes long.”

two freshmen about their friendship and their first year at Loomis, and an interview with Syrian artist

THE WEST WING WEEKLY

Mohamad Hafez, who collaborated with students

Remember the TV show The West Wing? So do the hosts and listeners of this podcast — in fascinating detail.

and faculty on an art installation this year.

RECOM M EN DED BY Sara: “This show is a minute-by-minute discussion of every single episode of The West Wing, hosted by one of the show’s stars. Listeners get a behind-thescenes look at how the show was made, including the writing, costumes, music, set design, and all of the gossip you could ever want to know about the cast and crew. They deal with controversies and debate meaning and symbolism of

For the complete list of podcast recommendations, please visit www.loomischaffe.org/magazine

everything … . Listeners have a cult-like following with our own hand signals.” Rachel: “Basically, you’re supposed to (re-)watch the episode of The West Wing in question, then listen to the accompanying podcast episode, so … each one is basically a two-hour commitment. But so worth it! … They do an excellent job of getting guests to come on the show (former stars of the show, including Alison Janney, Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford), former writers (i.e. Aaron Sorkin), directors, producers, consultants, and even just people in public policy or media today whose work might be relevant to something from that episode.”

loomischaffee.org

Obj e c t Lesson

Time Lapse of History on Rockefeller Quadrangle By Karen Parsons

his is a story about the Rockefeller Quadrangle. It begins in the White Mountains, in 1857, and with school founder Osbert Loomis sketching the landscape before him. From a perch overlooking a valley and distant hills, Osbert drew the expansive, commanding view. He added small symbols to the drawing — each keyed to notations written in the margin of the sketch — as a means to record the movements of clouds and light during one September morning. It’s a rudimentary time lapse telling the story of sun and shade on that fall morning.

Some will remember a low brick sitting wall at the quad’s northern end in the 1970s and 1980s. Others may recall Book Moving Day, in spring 1970, when Loomis and Chaffee students and their teachers hand-carried library books from Founders Hall to the not-yet-opened Brush Library. Later that fall, Chaffee School’s Committee X marched through this quadrangle dressed in togas, escorting the beloved sculpture “Minerva” and completing its migration from the Palisado campus to the newly completed Chaffee Hall at the south end of the Island campus.

This sketch, now in the Loomis Chaffee Archives collection, had me wondering if such a prospect on the Rockefeller Quadrangle could exist. And might it offer a view of movements, not on a single day, but over generations of school life? What larger story might be understood from this collection of single images captured over time?

On October 15, 1960, Science Department Head Howard “Squirrel” Norris ’28 prepared the contents of a copper box — a time capsule — to be sealed into the wall of Clark’s entrance lobby. A ceremony marked the occasion as did the building’s dedication one year later. T. Keith Glennan, president of Case Institute of Technology and former head of NASA during Eisenhower’s presidency, gave an address that day. He described the Clark Science Center as being for “the common good of the country” in the efforts to “engage in a vast effort toward scientific literacy among the entire American people” and to accelerate the development of American science and technology, a race — the Space Race — Glennan noted, that “we are beginning to lose.” Even the cupola offering this prime vantage point on the quad gained new historical significance during the Cold War. At a November 1962 faculty meeting, Headmaster Frank Grubbs and Business Manager Norman Smith told of plans for the school’s civil defense preparedness “following the recent Cuban crisis,” including the installation of an air raid siren in the “cupola over the dining hall as part of a general warning system.”

The best view of this quad would undoubtedly be from the cupola of the William H. Loomis Hall, one of the school’s original 1914 buildings. For most of the school’s first half-century, one would have seen farm fields, dairy barns, faculty houses, and playing fields stretching to the southern end of the Loomis campus. And then the scene changed, first with the construction of the Clark Science Center in 1960. The Katharine Brush Library and the Wilbur Dining Hall, added in 1970, were essential elements in the master plan welcoming The Chaffee School to the Island and setting the foundation for coeducation at Loomis Chaffee. In 1986, Carter Hall expanded the girls’ boarding division. The 1995 opening of Kravis Hall established the quad’s fourth façade; it was now a place for living and for learning, for boys and for girls. Neighboring dormitory Cutler Hall extended this fourth periphery in 2016.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Obj e c t Lesson

The quadrangle bears the name of Winthrop Rockefeller ’31. A moderate Republican who served as governor of Arkansas from 1967 to 1971, he sought advancements for his constituents in economic development, education, and racial and social justice — values that guided his philanthropy as well. As a Loomis student, Rockefeller founded the Student Endowment Fund, raising significant monies with his peers that helped to make possible projects needed by the young school. As a Trustee, he advocated passionately for coeducation and for economic and racial diversity of the student body. These values he supported generously in both word and deed. In 1874, when Osbert, his sister, and three brothers wrote the school charter, they looked out onto the future of American education. They hoped their school would provide knowledge and inspiration for its students to energetically take up the responsibilities and opportunities of citizenship in a democracy. They envisioned connections between their school and the larger world. The view onto the history of the Rockefeller Quadrangle, with its many narratives and links to movements beyond the Island, would please the Loomis siblings.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Looking out one of Loomis Hall’s windows and across the Rockefeller Quadrangle in the 1970s. ABOVE: Installed in 1972, this brick sitting wall defined the northern end of the Rockefeller Quadrangle. BELOW: Students enjoy a beautiful spring day in the Rockefeller Quadrangle, c. 1973. Photos: Loomis Chaffee Archives

Karen Parsons is the school archivist and teaches history.

loomischaffee.org

Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Class Notes

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Cl ass Not e s

1951 John F. Foster writes: “I have won the prestigious Performance Poetry Prize sponsored by the Florida State Poets Association. At the FSPA’s spring convention in Melbourne, Fla., I competed against 24 Florida poets, reciting ‘Ode To An Outhouse,’ a poem which I shared with LC alums at my 65th Reunion in 2016. Contestants were judged on vocal and facial expression, clarity and physical gesture. I continue to offer workshops and readings and am working on a fifth collection of poems. I invite fellow alumni to check out the reviews of my work on Amazon.”

1963 Correction: The class year and last name of a deceased class member was incorrect in the Class Notes in the spring issue of Loomis Chaffee Magazine. Joseph “Jeph” Thompson Jr. ’63 died on February 9 at home in University Place, Wash. An obituary for Jeph appears in the current issue on page 79.

of executive director of I-Park Foundation Inc. in East Haddam, Conn. Alison invites the Loomis Chaffee community to explore this inspirational international artists-in-residency organization at www.i-park.org. Alison writes that she and her husband, William Sledge, “plan to put down roots in Middlesex County.”

’51

1984 Stephen Sayers shared the news that his first novel, A Taker of Morrows, was due to be released in June through Hydra Publications, which he describes as “a midwest publishing house focusing on horror, thrillers and science fiction.” The novel is the first

1971 Stuart Samuel is happy to report that his children’s book The Adventure of Thomas the Turtle has won several prizes: a 2018 Reviewer Choice Award, a “Be Kind to Animals Prize” from Feathered Quill Book Reviews, and an Independent Press Award 2018 Distinguished Favorite.

’64

TOP: John F. Foster ’51. RIGHT: Suzanne Sherwood Cane ’64 and Evelyne Jardon Rossi ’64 enjoy the south of France.

1973

Suzanne Sherwood Cane writes: “In May 2018, my husband David Cane ’62 and I spent a wonderful week in the south of France with classmate Evelyne Jardon Rossi and her significant other, Bernard. Evelyne is flourishing and sends greetings to all.”

Frank Russo sent his regrets that he and his wife, Judy, would not be able to attend Reunion because his stepson was getting married in Temecula, Calif., on June 15. Frank shared that his stepson “recently got out of the Marine Corps, where he flew C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. He has joined the Air Force Reserve, where he can continue to fly C-130s while he works on a degree.” Frank’s daughter Caroline got married on Valentine’s Day of this year. “In other news, I have had two successful operations on my right leg and hip in the past two years and can now walk without crutches or a cane,” he writes.

1969

1980

Following 10 years as executive director of Cave Canem Foundation: A Home for Black Poetry in Brooklyn, N.Y., Alison Meyers has moved to the post

Last year, Jane Carey was promoted to associate professor of English at Quinebaug Valley Community College. This year she was granted tenure. Jane

1964

received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, and she earned her doctorate in language, literacy and culture from UMass-Amherst.

CHAFFEE BOOK CLUB

The May gathering of the Chaffee Book Club was a celebration of Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow as well as a celebration of a wonderful alumna, Mims Brooks Butteworth ’36, who had turned 100 years young a few weeks prior to the event. English teacher Will Eggers facilitated the book discussion and provided culinary expertise, as he prepared themed items for the dinner buffet. Attendees included (front) Evie Smith ’50, Mims, and Kate Butterworth de Valdez ’67; (middle) Lynn Hayden Wadhams ’61, Jane Torrey ’67, Flo Ransom Schroeter ’71, Priscilla Ransom Marks ’66, Betsy Mallory McDermid ’66, and Beverley Earle ’68; and (back) Will, Anne Schneider McNulty ’72, Anne Shepard King ’68, and Kathy Howard Kerrigan ’68.

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Cl a ss No tes

in a trilogy, and he plans to complete the second installment for publication in late 2018.

1988 Caleb Kenna was the featured photographer in New England Today, with his beautiful images of rural Vermont. For a link to the feature, visit www. loomischaffee.org/magazine.

1996 Nancy Webster Gleason writes: “I have just published an edited volume titled Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial. I also contributed the introduction and a chapter on Singapore titled ‘Singapore’s Higher Education Systems in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Preparing Lifelong Learners.’ It is free to download so please check it out.” Nancy is director of the Centre for Teaching & Learning and a senior lecturer of global affairs at Yale-NUS College. To download Nancy’s book, visit www.loomischaffee.org/ magazine.

2009 Danielle Gladstone graduated from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in May with a medical degree and a scholarly concentration in global health. She has matched to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., for her residency in pediatrics, in the Community Health track. In the past year she has done research at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and in Atahualpa, Ecuador as part of her scholarly concentration in global health. Her accomplish-

ments were recognized at the Commencement Dinner, where she won four awards, including the 2018 Award for Clinical Excellence.

2010 Kara Krakower shares the good news of the publication of her student note, “Finding the Barre: Fitting the Untried Territory of Choreography Claims into Existing Copyright Law,” in the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal. Kara is studying at Fordham University School of Law. “This Note seeks to evaluate the standards that would apply in a potential choreography copyright infringement suit by following two hypotheticals through the determination and application of copyright law,” Kara writes in her summary. “This Note posits a possible rationale for choreography’s addition to the 1976 Copyright Act. After determining what standards from general copyright law would be applicable to a choreography copyright infringement suit, this Note suggests clarifications to the statute, specifically by presenting a definition of choreography itself and clarifying the use of fair use factors in a defense analysis. This Note concludes with the application of the suggested standards to two hypotheticals: a hypothetical claim by a modern choreographer against Beyoncé for using her choreography in a music video, and a hypothetical claim by Martha Graham against her protégé Paul Taylor for appropriating her signature technique.”

’68 “Old friends — 50 years on,”writes David Powsner ’68, second from right, with Bill McLaughlin ’68, Wilder Gleason Jr. ’68, and Lan Melville ’68.

’84

’69 Alison Meyers ’69 and her husband, William Sledge, have moved back to Connecticut, where Alison works for an artist-in-residency organization.

Jinbon Kim ’99 and Jenn Welch ’97 connected in Seoul, South Korea, in March. Jenn was traveling in Asia for Thayer Academy, where she is director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity.

’99 ’97 Violinist Sirena Huang ’12 was the featured soloist with the Atlantic Classical Orchestra in Vero Beach, Florida, in February, much to the delight of audience members Harvey Struthers ’60 and Sally Crowther Pearse ’58.

For a link to Kara’s note in the law journal, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Stephen Sayers’s ’84 debut novel, A Taker of Morrows.

’60 ’12 ’58

Cl a ss No tes

’68

STAY ENGAGED JOIN THE LOOMIS CHAFFEE CAREER NETWORK Get advice from seasoned alumni through: • Career conversations • Mock interviews • Resume critiques The network is completely private and accessible only to those in the community.

CHAFFEE CLASS OF 1968 — 50TH REUNION: (front) Marianna Rafal Steriadis, Wendy Bell, Emmy Norris, and Barbara Savitt Pearson; (middle) Lisa Sinclair, Diane Tutherly Resly, Linda Manning Morris, and Susan Carlson Garratt; and (back) Gail Baldauf Borkowski, Bronwen Zwirner, Anne Shepard King, Janet Saglio, Elise Konney Weber, and Kathy Howard Kerrigan. Photo: Mary Forrester

For more information and to join, visit www.loomischaffee. org/careernetwork

For another photo of the class, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

’68

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

facebook-square twitter-square linkedin

Page name: Loomis Chaffee Alumni Tweet to and follow @LC_AlumniNet Go to LinkedIn and search for “Loomis Chaffee alumni.”

SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE

LOOMIS CLASS OF 1968 — 50TH REUNION: (front) Charlie Drew, John Keenan, Gerry Cohen, Lanning Melville, Wilder Gleason, and Peter D’Ambrosio; and (back) Bruce Gilchrist, Bob Krzys, Bill McLaughlin, Rick Wagner, Alan Hooker, Clyde Hanks, Bob Shea, Al Chrzan, and Scot Wallace. Photo: John Groo

Email the Class Notes editor at magazine@loomis.org to share news with classmates and friends. High-resolution photographs are welcome; please clearly identify all people.

loomischaffee.org

Amanda Schiessl graduated from Trinity College in Hartford in May with a master’s degree in public policy with a health policy concentration, and she assumed the role of project director of the National Cooperative Agreement on Clinical Workforce Development at Community Health Center in Middletown, Conn. Community Health Center and its Weitzman Institute are honored with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s National Training and Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement focused on Clinical Workforce Development. Community Health Center will engage health centers across the country in developing health professions training programs at both the pre-professional and post-graduate level, and team-based primary care practice models.

Evan (far right) and family celebrate at his brother Tyler's ’96 wedding. Evan's wife, Emily, is next to him, and their three daughters are at the front of the group.

Evan Welch ’93 “I was always aware that I was fortunate to attend Loomis, but I did not fully appreciate the gifts that the school had provided me until many years after graduation. Looking back, I realize that Loomis was one of the most positive experiences of my life. These feelings have subsequently been strengthened by attending three Reunion Weekend events at the school and staying in touch with several alumni. The accomplishments of fellow classmates and the impact many of them have had on the world is remarkable. “My wife Emily and I decided to include Loomis in our estate plan because it is important to us that the school has a positive impact on future generations. The world is a better place because of how Loomis prepares students for adulthood. In an era of ‘teach to the test’ and overcrowded classrooms, it is critical that institutions like Loomis continue to flourish.”

interested in planned giving?

Join The John Metcalf Taylor Society For more information, please contact Director of Development Tim Struthers ’85 at 860.687.6221 or tim_struthers@loomis.org, or Associate Director of Development Heidi E.V. McCann ’93 at 860.687.6273 or heidi_mccann@loomis.org. www.loomischaffee.org/plannedgiving 68 Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter Summer2018 2018

2012 Monica He wrote an article published in Stanford Lawyer. Titled “Field Study of Global Poverty, Corruption, and the Law in India,” the piece is based on a trip Monica took to Delhi as part of a Stanford Law School course. To find the article online, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine.

2016 On May 27, the Wesleyan men’s lacrosse team defeated Salisbury University 8-6 in the Division III National Championship game, and Zack Zavalick was a major part of the team’s success. Zack serves as the team’s face-off specialist and won eight face-offs in the game while also scooping up five ground balls. Bill Lee, head coach of the Loomis boys varsity lacrosse team, and members of the Loomis team attended the game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., to cheer on Zack. Zack played in every game for Wesleyan this season, winning just under 60 percent of the 380 faceoffs he took. Zack also scored two goals this season, recorded three assists, and scooped up 139 ground balls during his sophomore campaign.

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LOOMIS CHAFFEE CLASS OF 1993 — 25TH REUNION: (front) Dan Gertsacov, Elizabeth Robertson Sheehan, Andrew Kilbourn, Elizabeth Kohn, Faith Model, Holly Morrow, Helen Powers Textor, James Loveman, Jennie Hefner Carbone, and Tom Pettus; (middle) John Stiefel, Steve Ockerbloom, Delyn Hall, Christy Appleby, Sara Hutchinson, Julie Vacek Wilde, Heather Herson Burris, Chrissie “Topher” Samra Karper, and Andrea Pedemonti Cinti; and (back) Gary Grilli, Winston Binch, William Caramella, Adam Bean, Peter Bepler, Lucy Mayo, Heidi Erdmann McCann, Erin Carstensen, and Sara Wicks. Photo: John Groo

COMMENCEMENT 2018: Graduates with alumni family members gather in the Lawrence Rotunda of the Athletic Center: (back) Carol Gyurina, David Snyder ’80, Katherine Warner ’16, Katie Donovan ’79, V.P. Dao ’11, Brian Thompson ’87, Harvey Struthers ’60, Tim Struthers ’85, Mark Rush ’86, Richard Case ’54, Bill Case ’86, Allison Mills ’86, Walter Wickersham ’85, Sally Crowther Pearse ’58, Abigail Lavalley ’13, John Pearse ’58, Karen Robbins Donshik ’89, Polly Pearse Lavalley ’85, Dan Donshik ’89, Lauren Schwebel Inzero ’88, Todd Schwebel ’83, Philip DeLaMater ’13, Will DeLaMater ’11, and Marge Storrs GP; and (front) Sarah Gyurina ’18, Julian Snyder ’18, Jack Warner ’18, August Donovan ’18, Anh Dao ’18, Olivia Thompson ’18, Eleanor Struthers ’18, Ben Rush ’18, Jacy Case ’18, Max Wickersham ’18, Claire Lavalley ’18, Andrew Donshik ’18, Zeno Schwebel ’18, and Margaret DeLaMater ’18. Photo: John Groo

loomischaffee.org

Alumni Gatherings LA RECEPTION

LATEST NEWS:

The Annual Fund reached a record $4,452,770! With your help, we had our most successful Annual Fund year in the history of the school. Thank you to alumni, parents, and friends for your enduring and exceptional support.

Your gifts provide almost 10 percent of the school’s operating budget, supporting our outstanding academic and extracurricular programs and our extraordinary faculty each year.

On behalf of the entire school community,

thank you!

ALUMNI AUTHORS:

The Katharine Brush Library would love to have signed copies of any books you publish. We have a growing collection showcased in the library foyer, and we want to keep as current as possible. Mail copies to: Katharine Brush Library, 4 Batchelder Road, Windsor, CT 06095

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Alumni Reception, April 23, Il PASTAIO Ristorante, Beverly Hills, Calif., hosted by Elizabeth Richmond ’80, P ’11 ’13 ’16, Jamie Widdoes ’72, and Yvonne Stevens and Paul Schickler ’82 1 Kim Harbin P ’18, Paula Humerick P ’13, and Elizabeth Richmond ’80, P ’11 ’13, ’16 2 Andrew Saward ’09, Eric Chen ’08, and Kathryn Alsman ’09 3 Dennis Cooper ’72, Stephen Paul ’85, and Jamie Widdoes ’72

A lu mn i Gather ing s

SAN FRANCISCO RECEPTION

HARLEM RECEPTION

Alumni Reception, April 25, Waterbar, San Francisco, Calif., hosted by Reed Foster ’50, P ’80 and Reed Foster Jr. ’80

Loomis in Harlem Reception, May 30, B Squared, Harlem, N.Y., hosted by Courtney Ackeifi ’06, Erik Cliette ’84, Julian Riley ’86, and Miles Williams ’84

4 Reed Foster Jr. ’80, Associate Head for External Relations Nat Follansbee, and Reed Foster ’50, P ’80 5 Anita Richmond Schulman ’16, Soojin Lee P ’14 ’16 ’19, and Eagle Wang ’16 6 David Li ’10, Leah Lovelace ’90, Jennifer Lindh ’90, Andras Petery ’90, and Jeffrey Crolius ’91

7 Ismael Perez ’09 and Khaliyah Washington ’10 8 Michael Dubilier ’73, Erik Cliette ’84, Head of School Sheila Culbert, Courtney Ackeifi ’06, Julian Riley ’86, and Nat Follansbee 9 Carlos Dure (spouse of Shenae Smith Dure ’00), Sheria Butler ’99, and Miles Williams ’84

loomischaffee.org

Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Obit ua r ies

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

O bi tuar i e s

1935 Robert Louis Stilmar, on December 16, 2017, in Midvale, Utah. A four-year Honor Roll student from Windsor, Conn., Bob was involved in Concert Orchestra and served as president of the Chess Club. He was active in cross country and tennis. Bob earned a degree in electrical engineering from Yale University in 1939, and he worked as a civilian for the U.S. government. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Bob served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines, running early warning radar. In 1945, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and, at a church party, met his future wife, Della Skousen, in Washington, D.C., where they were both working at the time. In the early 1950s, Bob earned a law degree at George Washington University on the G.I. Bill, and he and Della raised their three children while living in the D.C. area. Continuing his work in electrical engineering, Bob worked for Air Defense Engineering, at the Goddard Space Flight Center tracking data for NASA, and on several NASA missions to the moon. In retirement, Bob and Della enjoyed vacation travel and visiting children and grandchildren living in the western states. In 2000, the couple relocated to Utah to be closer to family. Bob’s many interests included physics, astronomy, economics, and psychology. He was a very good chess player and enjoyed teaching his grandchildren how to play the game. Preceded in death by his brother, Frederic B. Stilmar ’32, Bob was survived by Della, his wife of 68 years; his three children, Deborah, Robert, and Janis; his 10 grandchildren; and his 19 great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held on December 29,

2017, at the Union Fort 6th Ward Chapel in Murray, Utah.

in education from Harvard University in 1956. Dick was a direct descendent of DeWitt Clinton, former mayor of New York City, governor of New York, and father of the Erie Canal, and his family traced its roots to some of the earliest settlers of Falmouth on Cape Cod. With the exception of the years he served in World War II, Dick spent summers in the town of Quissett on the Cape until he moved permanently to Falmouth in 1956. He met Margaret “Megan” Hanna in Quissett, and the two were married in 1952. Dick and Megan pursued their teaching vocation together in Istanbul, Turkey, for one year before returning to the United States, where they raised three children. Dick spent more than 30 years as an educator and school administrator in the Falmouth, Mass., school system. In his tenure there, Dick taught math, assumed a number of managerial roles within the district, ran the Falmouth Summer Program for five years, and served as a mentor and advisor to students outside the classroom. He retired in 1988. Personally committed to civic duty, Dick enjoyed serving in a number of community leadership roles in Falmouth, including as an active Town Meeting member for 50 years. In 2010, Dick and Megan earned the Falmouth Heritage Award for their many years of service to the community. Active in the Democratic Party and as a supporter of liberal politics, Dick took part in political campaigns, organized local events in support of progressive causes, and joined marches in Washington, D.C. According to the family obituary, Dick most enjoyed his self-appointed, ceremonial role as mayor of Quissett, which required that he preside over Fourth of July parades and other ceremonies for more than 50 years. Dick’s many

1940 DeWitt Clinton Jones III, on February 3, at his home in Falmouth, Mass. A four-year student from Englewood, N.J., Dick, as he was known, was involved in the French Club, Student Council, and Wolcott Club, and he was president of the Endowment Fund Working Committee. He was cast in theater productions of Androcles and the Lion and Our Town. Dick was active in club tennis and winter track, and he was manager of the soccer team. At Commencement in 1940, Dick earned the Loomis Princeton Club Prize. He attended Princeton University in the fall of 1940 but interrupted his studies to enlist in the U.S. Air Force after the United States entered World War II in December 1941. He trained as a B-24 navigator and was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1943. He was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 453rd Bomb Group, and 732rd Bomb Squadron. Dick’s outfit was based in East Anglia, England, and his plane was selected to be one of the lead bombers supporting the invasion of France on D-Day. Afterwards, he was promoted to intelligence officer, briefing other navigators before each mission. During this time, his executive officer was the actor Jimmy Stewart. In total, Dick flew 31 missions in Europe and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross medal. Dick returned to Princeton after the war and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1948. Dick then joined the Math Department faculty at Loomis, where he also served as Palmer Hall dorm head and soccer coach for seven years. He earned a master’s degree

and varied interests included a love of sailing, especially in Quissett; an appreciation for international cultures and global travel; and a lifelong love of community theater productions — especially Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Preceded in death by his sister, Mary Willet, Dick was survived by Megan, his wife of 65 years; his three sons, DeWitt C. Jones IV, Peter W. Jones, and Douglas H. Jones, and their spouses; and his six grandchildren. A celebration of his life was planned in Quissett in the summer. Priscilla Huntington Silliman, on February 24, at her home in Windsor, Conn., surrounded by her loving family. A lifetime Windsor resident, Priscilla grew up helping out on the family tobacco farm, Huntington Brothers. She was a four-year student who was active in drama and soccer. After graduation from Chaffee, Priscilla earned a degree from Skidmore College. She married Robert T. Silliman and was bookkeeper in the businesses he operated, including Camp Supply Company and Winding Brook Farms. She was active in the community as a member of the Descendents of the Founders of Ancient Windsor and as an active member in the Poquonock Community Church. Priscilla enjoyed golfing and bowling. Preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her two brothers, Edward Huntington and William C. Huntington ’38; and her niece Rebecca S. Boardman ’66, Priscilla was survived by her brother, Sidney Huntington, and his wife, Helen; her sister, Patricia A. Huntington ’55; her three children, William Silliman, Mary Silliman Meyers, and Martha Silliman Fisher, and their spouses; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; her loomischaffee.org

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sister-in-law, Barbara Huntington; and several extended family members. A memorial service was held on March 4 in Windsor.

1941 Frank Gilbert Bucknam, on February 17, at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. A four-year Honor Roll student from West Hartford, Frank was involved in the French Club, served as chairman of the Scholarship Committee, and was secretary of the Darwin Club. He was active in Ludlow soccer and basketball and in club tennis. An exceptional student, Frank earned the Yale-Loomis Scholar Prize at Commencement and was recognized for Highest Scholarship of the Senior Class. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Yale University in 1944 and a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1947. Frank proudly served in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves for many years and at Navy hospitals around the world, including 130th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, and Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. His community commitment included his service as director of the Institute of Living in Hartford and as a consultant at the Connecticut Institute of the Blind. Frank also operated a private child psychiatry practice. He was an avid reader and world traveler, and he loved the beach, especially on Cape Cod. Frank volunteered as a historical guide in Wellfleet, Mass., and in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and he was active in his church. He remained connected to the Loomis Chaffee community as a member of the Common Good Society. Preceded in death by his wife, Clare Hoffmeister Bucknam, Frank was survived by his four

children, Martha Patton, Frank G. Bucknam III ’69, Matthew Bucknam, and John Bucknam; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. A graveside service was held on February 26 at Mount St. Benedict Cemetery, in Bloomfield, Conn. Clayton Ryder II, of Wauwatosa, Wis., on December 15, 2017, surrounded by his family. A two-year student from Rye, N.Y., Clayt, as he was known, was involved in the Glee Club, Music Club, and Dance Orchestra. He served on The Loom Business Board and was cast in a theater production of The Sorcerer. He was active in first football team, first basketball team, first track, and skiing. After serving two years in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a B-24 pilot in the European Theater during World War II, Clayt earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1947. His professional sales and marketing career included roles with General Electric’s Electronics Division in New York City and other cities in the Northeast; as director of marketing-electronics for Allen-Bradley in Milwaukee, Wis.; and as regional manager for Cahners Publishing Company in Des Plaines, Ill. Clayt’s many and varied interests included enjoying big band music, playing golf, writing poetry, taking on challenging crossword puzzles, spending time with family, and singing — especially with the Loomis Glee Club and the Harwood Place Chorus. He will be remembered for his engaging stories and colorful recollections of his experiences on the Cornell crew team and on World War II flying missions. According to the family obituary, Clayt was “a warm, generous, welcoming, unassuming, and intelligent man with a keen

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sense of humor [who] was, above all, kind. To his core, he was an egalitarian and walked that talk without waver. He and [his wife] Joan supported innumerable causes that forwarded the ideals they so believed in — human rights and liberties, fairness, and justice.” He remained connected to Loomis Chaffee as a member of the Common Good Society. Preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Joan Maureen Coffey Ryder; and his sister Diane Ryder; Clayt was survived by his sister Connie Ryder Smith; his six children, Jeff Ryder, Tim Ryder, Jen Raabe, Ky Ryder, Libby Simones, and Sue Ryder, and their spouses; and his eight grandchildren. A celebration of Clayt’s life was held on January 6 at Harwood Place in Wauwatosa, Wis. A summer burial was planned for Clayt and Joan alongside other members of the Ryder family in Raymond Hill Cemetery in Carmel, N.Y.

1943 Steele Anderson Taylor, on April 27. A four-year student from Glen Ridge, N.J., Steele served in a number of leadership roles while at Loomis. He was Student Council vice president, Military Drill commander, study hall supervisor, and president of the Athletic Advisory Committee. In athletics, Steele served as captain of Allyn senior football, Allyn senior hockey, and track. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and served for two years in the U.S. Navy. Afterwards, Steele made his home in Grand Rapids, Mich., and was employed first by Doehler-Jarvis Inc. and later by Grand Rapids Steel & Supply Company, where he was named president and chief executive officer of the company. Dedicated

to the Grand Rapids community, Steele contributed his leadership skills for the betterment of several philanthropic and civic nonprofit organizations. He appreciated nature and the outdoors and enjoyed many outdoor activities, including golf, tennis, fly-fishing, and especially tending the gardens around his cottage in Charlevoix in northern Michigan. Steele and Mary, his wife of 37 years, together enjoyed world travel adventures and spending winters on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Steele was known for his keen sense of humor and concern for others. He remained connected to Loomis Chaffee as a member of the Common Good Society. Preceded in death by his first wife, Joan, and his son, Steele Jr., Steele was survived by his wife Mary Taylor; his two children, Louise Norlin and Megan Harding, and their spouses; his three step-children, Anne Rothwell, Susan McClure, and Jane Kingsley, and their spouses; his daughter-in-law, Mindy Wolf; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his nephew, John Alfenito ’64. A memorial service was held on May 9 at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids.

1945 Janet Simmons Eblen, peacefully, on April 8. A four-year student from West Hartford, Janet was involved in the Glee Club, Game Committee, and Dance Committee, and she was a writer for Chiel and literary editor of the yearbook. She was active in tennis, badminton, soccer, and basketball. She earned a degree from Connecticut College in 1949. She was married to William R. Eblen for 27 years, and the couple raised three children

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together while living in the town of Wilton, Conn. Known as “GramE” to her grandchildren, Janet “kept the family at the heart of everything she did,” and enjoyed spending time with her lifelong friends from Chaffee and college, according to the family obituary. Janet enjoyed expressing her artistic and creative talents as a retail designer for many years. Preceded in death by her son Rory Eblen, Janet was survived by her brother, Charles Simmons; her cousin, Cortney Gabb Lyle ’87; her children, Scott Eblen and Kathryn Eblen Hughes, and their spouses; and seven grandchildren.

1946 David J. Saunders Jr., on February 13, in Houlton, Maine. A two-year student from Houston, Texas, David was involved in the Rifle Club, Military Drill, and Darwin Club. He was active in Wolcott senior football and earned a letter on first rifle team. David spent three years studying at Wesleyan University before enlisting in the U.S. Army at White Sands Missile Proving Grounds in New Mexico in preparation for the Korean War. He left the Army in the early 1950s to join the U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas. As a federal agent there, David was called upon to protect a group of civil rights protestors from a threatening mob as they gathered to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech to the Freedom Riders at the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. In 1963, David transferred to U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in Fort Kent, Maine. He was later stationed at the Houlton, Maine, port from 1966 until his retirement in 1983. An outdoorsman and lifelong nature-lover, David canoed along the Allagash Waterway numerous

times, and he enjoyed birding and vegetable gardening. He also enjoyed taking part in historical re-enactments in Canada and the United States with the Meduxnekeag Long Rifles. A lover of history, David was known to research many and varied topics at a local public library, including for Joseph Houlton, a theatrical role he played in the historical re-enactment video filmed for the 200th anniversary of the town of Houlton, Maine. David was survived by his wife of 32 years, Sandra E Boyer: his four children, David J. Saunders III ’72, Michael R. Saunders ’73, Andrea Saunders Moore, and Maren E. McGillicuddy, and their spouses; and his grandson. He was predeceased by his first wife, Grace C. Coleman.

and she was a great support to her active and growing family through several home relocations, including to Hanover, N.H.; Boston, Mass., Wichita, Kan., and finally to Portland, Ore., in support of Philip’s medical career. She and Philip traveled widely, visiting all seven continents, and they would have celebrated their 65th anniversary in spring of this year. Preceded in death by her sister, Eleanor Vaughn Medovich ’56, Bobbie was survived by Philip; her four children, Marianne, Jeff, Philip, and Lisa; her five grandchildren; and her brother, Donald B. Vaughn ’55. A memorial service was planned for August.

1950 Nicholas Wright Gillham, on March 19, at his home near Pittsboro, N.C. A four-year student from New York City, Nick was involved in the Darwin Club, Rifle Club, Classical Music Club, Sportsman’s Club, Russian Club, Political Club, and Stamp Club, and he served as a volunteer medical aide and head laboratory assistant. He earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate from Harvard University, and he served as an entomologist in the U.S. Air Force Medical Service for three years. From 1961 until 1963, Nick was a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University, after which he returned to Harvard as an instructor and assistant professor. He married Carol Collins of Troy, N.Y., in 1956. A grandson of Frank Lloyd Wright’s sister, Maginel Wright Enright Barney, Nick spent many summers as a child at Taliesin, the home of Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, Wis. Nick also spent many summer days at the family home in Wainscott, Long Island, and in 1966, he and Carol

1949 Barbara Vaughan Parshley, on May 5. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Bobbie, as she was known, was involved in the French Club, the Christmas Choir, the Library Committee, and class plays, and she was a reporter for Chiel. She was active in tennis. According to the family obituary, Bobbie, who was smart enough to skip a grade, demonstrated her initiative by being the one to invite her future husband, Philip Parshley ’49, to a Chaffee School dance. The two later married in June of 1953 while Bobbie was a student at Mount Holyoke College. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Mount Holyoke and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. Bobbie also earned a master’s degree in education at Harvard College, and she joined the P.E.O Sisterhood, an organization in support of educational opportunities for women. Bobbie and Philip raised four children together,

bought their own cottage in nearby Sagaponack, which kept them close to their Northeastern roots and friends in New York. In 1968, Nick joined the Duke University faculty and was named James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of Biology in 1982. He served as chairman of the Department of Zoology from 1986 to 1989 and ran a large and successful genetics laboratory at Duke for more than 34 years. During his tenure there, Nick wrote two textbooks on his scientific specialty in genetics and molecular biology, and he co-wrote a textbook on microbiology. For his scholarship, Nick was invited to be a member of several editorial boards and national panels, including the President’s Biomedical Research Panel in 1975. He served a 12-year term as a board member and chair of the American Type Culture Collection, and he was awarded a U.S. Public Health Service career development grant. Nick spent a sabbatical at Rockefeller University in 1975 and received a Guggenheim fellowship grant in 1984, which allowed him to conduct research at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. In mid-career, Nick developed an interest in the social aspects of genetics, which inspired the writing of his book A Life of Sir Francis Galton about a controversial scientific figure of the English Victorian era, which was published in 2001. Nick retired in 2002 but continued to study and write about genetics. He published Genes, Chromosomes, and Disease in 2011 — a text written for non-scientists to better understand genetic diseases. Nick was survived by Carol, his wife of nearly 62 years; his brother Robert Gillham II and his wife, Carol; his two nephews; and other extended family members. Nick was predeceased by his loomischaffee.org

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brother Oliver and his devoted pet Labrador, Lily Rose. A memorial service was held at Galloway Ridge retirement community in Pittsboro on May 14. David Byers Metz, on February 8, at home surrounded by family. A four-year student from New Britain, Conn., David was involved in the Glee Club and Jazz Club and served as vice president of the Student Council and president of the Athletic Association. A talented athlete, David earned a combined six letters on first team football and first team basketball and as captain of first team baseball. At Commencement, David was awarded the Parents Association Award for Athletics and Scholarship. He attended Dartmouth College before entering the U.S. Army and serving as an officer in Korea and Japan. David returned to Dartmouth to study at the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration. Inspired by one of his first jobs selling advertising in The Reader’s Digest, David recognized the power of magazines and experienced the thrill of new opportunities. Following stints at New Times and Classic, start-up publications, David joined McGraw-Hill and created a network of trade magazines. Eventually, David added more publishers and turned the concept into his own private enterprise. The company he started, Media Marketing Associates, became a successful business network that gives advertisers the ability to target professionals in 175 trade magazines, and continues to be managed by David’s family. Passionate about watching and playing sports, David continued to play as often as he was physically able, and he coached his children and their friends at many levels.

He converted his leadership talent and energy into fundraising for his beloved alma maters and for numerous civic and philanthropic organizations. David remained connected to Loomis Chaffee as an active member of the Head's Council from 2009 until 2012 and as a member of the Common Good Society. He was survived by Betsy Casey, his wife of 57 years; his four children, Harry, Andy, Stephen, and Alden, and their spouses; his seven grandchildren; and his many friends and admirers. Douglas B. Pierson Sr., on March 18, in Ormond Beach, Fla. A four-year student from Clearwater, Fla., Doug was involved in the Glee Club, Entertainment Club, Barbell Club, Jazz Club, Bridge Club, Ping-Pong Club, and Outing Club, and he served as a volunteer medical aide. He was active in first football, first hockey, first baseball, winter track, and Wolcott senior basketball, and he earned a school letter in both football and baseball. Doug earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and served for four years in the U.S. Air Force. He became president of his family’s business, A.N. Pierson Inc. of Cromwell, Conn., one of the largest commercial rose growers in the United States. Doug was among the fourth generation of his family to work in the business enterprise, begun in 1872 by Andrew N. Pierson. At one time, the company owned 20 acres of glass greenhouses in Cromwell known locally as the “sea of glass.” Under Doug’s direction, the company’s scope was expanded to that of a full-service wholesale florist. Additionally, he mentored his children in the field of horticulture. As an active member of Roses Inc., the Society

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of American Florists, and the New England Rose Growers Association, Doug was a leader in a number of professional organizations, and under his direction A.N. Pierson received the Century Farm Award from the state of Connecticut in 1986. A resident of Wethersfield, Conn., Doug served as a deacon at the First Church of Christ. Doug was survived by Margaret, his wife of 58 years; his two children, Barbara and Douglas; and his four grandchildren.

families throughout his life and long career. He was survived by his wife of 58 years, Sandra E. Flatow; his three children, Jonathan A. Flatow ’79, Jennifer F. Culhane, and Matthew D. Flatow, and their spouses; his three grandchildren, including Ames F. Flatow ’08; his sister, Lynne N. Johnston; and many extended family members. A memorial service was held at the Guilford Congregational Church in Guildford, Conn., on March 3.

1952

George Nicholas Tsilibes, on March 16, peacefully in Brighton, N.Y. A one-year Honor Roll student from Kalamata, Greece, George was involved in the Radio Club and the Science Club, and he was active in Wolcott soccer, Wolcott basketball, and Allyn tennis. He earned degrees in electrical engineering from Princeton University and Columbia University and enjoyed a long professional career working for IBM, Xerox, and Eastman Kodak. Proud of his Greek heritage, George shared his love of Greek culture and its many traditions with family and friends, according to the family obituary. He remained connected to Loomis Chaffee as a member of the Common Good Society. George was survived by Alice, his wife of 58 years; his three children, Chrysanthe, Nicholas, and Alexandra, and their spouses; and his four grandchildren. A Funeral Mass was held on March 23 at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Rochester, N.Y.

Frederick A. Flatow Jr., on February 25, surrounded by his family at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. A two-year student from Meriden, Conn., Fred was involved in the Concert Orchestra, Nautical Club, Stamp Club, Barbell Club, and Science Club. He served on the Senior Executive Committee and as chairman of the Senior Library Committee. Fred was active in Wolcott intermediate football and basketball and Wolcott senior baseball. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1956, and a medical degree from Cornell Medical School in 1960. Fred served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve assigned to the National Institute of Health, where he was a research fellow focused on cancer research. Fred enjoyed a 67-year professional medical career as an oncologist/hematologist, during which he maintained a private practice in Springfield, Mass., and served as medical director of the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, Conn. Devoted to his family and to his vocation in the practice of medicine, Fred had an immeasurable impact on thousands of patients and their

1955 Richard M. Blystone, on April 17 in London. A one-year student from Elmira, N.Y., Dick was a

reporter and cartoonist for The Log, was involved in the Glee Club and Sailing Club, and was cast in theatrical productions while at Loomis. He was active in Allyn senior football and lettered in first track. Dick earned a bachelor’s degree at Amherst College and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy before embarking on a lifelong career in journalism that included roles with the Associated Press as an international correspondent, and later at CNN. After brief stints at the Elmira Star-Gazette and the Scandinavian Times, Dick joined the AP news organization in Atlanta in 1965, where he covered civil rights issues. He spent time at the AP New York headquarters before relocating to the Saigon bureau in 1970 to cover the Vietnam War. In Saigon, according to his obituary in The New York Times, Dick lifted the spirits of his colleagues at the AP by writing a regular, humorous worklife comic strip. In 1973, Dick became bureau chief in Bangkok, Thailand, and had opportunity to write about human rights injustices resulting from widespread conflict in Southeast Asia and the desperation of the Cambodian people during the country’s fall to the Khmer Rouge. An Edward R. Murrow Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in 1977 and 1978 in New York, Dick moved to the AP’s London bureau until he joined CNN in 1980. From the network’s earliest days, Dick covered many global crises for CNN. As a senior correspondent for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Dick reported on the Iran-Iraq War, the downfall of communism and the break-up of the former Soviet Union, the Gulf conflict, U.S. interventions in Somalia and Haiti, the African famine, and the NATO bombing of Kosovo, among others. A

cartoonist from a young age, Dick employed his dry sense of humor in producing satirical pieces about minor news events — such as the traditional gathering of the Royal Swans near London. He retired from CNN in 2001, returning briefly for assignments in Kuwait and Iran in 2003. In retirement, Dick continued to work as a freelancer and taught journalism for a semester in Botswana. He shared time living in London and Maine, and he remained connected to Loomis Chaffee as a member of the Common Good Society. Dick was survived by his sister, Louise Reilly; his wife of 54 years, the former Helle Pechter; his three children, John, Julia, and Daniel; and his grandchild.

1959 Thomas Edwin Eustis, on February 6, at home in Maryville, Tenn., after a battle with lung cancer. A four-year student from Hudson, Ohio, Tom was involved in the Darwin Club, Athletic Council, Key Society, and Dining Hall Committee. He was co-captain of varsity football and lettered in varsity basketball and track. Tom earned a bachelor’s degree in 1963 from the University of Tennessee, where he played defensive end on the football team until sustaining a career-ending knee injury. Tom married Jackie Beukenkamp Gahan in 1965, and they raised two sons during Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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their 13-year marriage. Tom wed Margie Weaver Eustis in January 1986, and the couple moved to Maryville in 1991. According to his friend and classmate Craig Stewart ’59, “Tom loved antique cars, fishing, and sailing. As captain, he raced vigorously and enjoyed cruising the Atlantic coast with family and friends. He loved fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains, in-shore fishing for ‘reds,’ and offshore fishing in the Bahamas. He enjoyed restoring and driving his 1929 and 1937 Fords.” Committed to his family and community, Tom remained active in retirement, serving in leadership positions for a number of civic, environmental, and philanthropic organizations. According to Craig, Tom valued his many friendships. In retirement, he continued to work in real estate with his dear friend Bill Lyons and kept in touch with his schoolmates and other friends throughout his life. He remained connected to Loomis Chaffee School as a 50th Reunion volunteer. Preceded in death by his father, John N. Eustis ’29, Tom was survived by his wife of 36 years, Margie Weaver Eustis: his two sons, Thomas Chadwick Eustis and Erik Edwin Eustis; his three grandchildren; his brother, J. Christopher Eustis ’60; his sister, Cecily Eustis Robinson; his nephew, John R. Eustis ’84; and several extended family members. A memorial service was held on February 10 at New Providence Church in Maryville.

1961 Robert Huntington Breed II, on December 9, 2017, in Nantucket, Mass., following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. A threeyear student from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Hunt, as he was known,

was involved in the Ski Club and Chess Club, and he served on the Senior Scholarship Committee, on the Emma Willard Religious Conference, and as a chemistry lab assistant. He earned varsity letters in football, wrestling, and tennis. Hunt earned a Graduation with Distinction award at Commencement and was awarded a yearlong English Speaking Union fellowship at Bristol College in England, where he played on the rugby team. At Yale University, Hunt lettered in rugby and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. In 1970, he earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and, in 1975, completed his medical residency in general surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. Proud to continue in his family’s tradition of military service, Hunt was activated in the U.S. Navy as a medical reserve officer, where he served as lieutenant commander for two years and spent a year aboard the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. Midway as the chief surgeon for the 7th Fleet. Hunt earned the respect of the airmen he served aboard the carrier and was invited to ride as co-pilot in helicopters and F-4 Phantom jets. “Blades Breed” was the call sign given to him by the pilots. Hunt met his future wife, Lucy Barker Fowlkes, in New York City, and after he completed a two-year fellowship in reconstructive and plastic surgery at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., in 1979, the two were married. Hunt and Lucy moved to New Hampshire, where they raised a family and Hunt continued in the practice of medicine. Hunt earned the respect of his professional colleagues and patients for delivering the best of care in his medical practice and in his work at Concord Hospital. As part of the hospital’s med-

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ical and administrative team, Hunt helped Concord Hospital expand into a regional medical center, and he ultimately served as the hospital’s chief of surgery. Hunt’s commitment to the community extended beyond his medical practice; as co-founder of Healthsource in 1985, he worked to improve health insurance for people living in New Hampshire and served on the organization’s board of directors until it went public. Recognizing the role music can play in enriching people’s lives, Hunt served on the board of Concord Community Music School for many years. He also spent two months on a service mission in Nepal, teaching surgery and providing medical care to people living in Himalayan villages. Hunt remained close with his siblings, including his identical twin, “Jharry,” and enjoyed gatherings of the extended Breed family, including each year at Thanksgiving. Devoted to his family, Hunt would take time out of his demanding daily work schedule to spend time with his boys in activities and outdoor pursuits and for family vacations on Nantucket and other worldwide travel destinations. On Nantucket, Hunt especially enjoyed walking with the dogs on conservation land, playing tennis, and exploring remote beaches by boat. A lifelong athlete, Hunt skied and played tennis until as recently as 2016, when he became no longer physically able due to Parkinson’s disease. According to the family obituary, Hunt’s life was “defined by family, his tireless work ethic, lifelong natural curiosity, care for others, and raw brilliance. … Time spent with Hunt often required a baffling attempt to keep up as his mind, full of wonder, leap-frogged from lily pad to lily pad. He jumped seamlessly from astrophysics and plate

tectonics to obscure language and historical references — all conveyed through an intertwined sequence of puns, metaphors, and allusions.” Preceded in death by his wife, Lucy, Hunt was survived by his twin brother, James Harrington “JHarry” Breed; his sister, Alexandra Taylor Breed; his two sons, Allen Huntington Breed and Robert Taylor Breed; his daughter-in-law, Tarah Carroll Breed; and his two grandchildren. A service was held on January 20 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Hopkinton, Mass., with an internment on Nantucket in April.

1962 D. Keith Hargreaves, on May 7, in New York City. A one-year English Speaking Union student from Middlesex, England, Derek, as he was known, was involved in the Glee Club, Political Debating Club, Senior Scholarship Committee, Chapel Committee, Foreign Policy Association, and U.N. Model Assembly. He was active in Ludlow cross country, track, and rifle. An Honor Roll student at Loomis, Derek earned a degree in physics from Christ’s College, Cambridge, England, in 1965 and later studied economics and philosophy at Yale University. His professional career included roles as an economist at the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of New York and as an executive with J.P. Morgan Chase in New York City. Passionate about theater and opera, Derek supported numerous theater and music organizations in New York and Philadelphia, including New York’s Metropolitan Opera. He was survived by his brother, Brian. A funeral service took place in Atlanta, Ga., on May 26, and a memorial service was planned for a later date in Philadelphia.

Obit ua r ies

John P. O’Brien, on February 13, peacefully at home in Stonington, Conn. A four-year student from West Hartford, Conn., John was involved in the Chess Club, Astronomy Club, Photography Club, Bridge Club, and Beach Club. He was a member of The Log circulation staff, Senior Coffee Catering, Elections Committee, and Senior Scholarship Committee. He earned a letter in first football and first basketball and was active in Allyn senior basketball and golf. John earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross and was first in his class at the University of Connecticut School of Business, where he earned an M.B.A. in finance and won the Wall Street Journal Award. He married Martha “Marty” McDonough in 1968, and together they raised two boys. John began his long and successful business career with The Ensign-Bickford Company in Simsbury, Conn., where he rapidly advanced in the organization to vice president of research and engineering. He embraced the challenging leadership opportunities he was given there and took pride in his work helping the company achieve a position as industry leader for initiation systems. With encouragement and support from Marty, John left Ensign-Bickford in 1988 and, as an entrepreneur, created multiple companies of his own design, each targeting a different initiation systems sector. He co-founded Shock Tube Systems, with products designed for military use, and he formed Detotec North America, which was able to achieve success in the highly-competitive oil and gas industry. According to the family obituary, “John had a strong belief that he could achieve anything he set his mind to, and he has left a lasting legacy that bears this out.” Committed to his commu-

nity, John became involved in local politics and served for many years on the Board of Finance for Stonington and as the treasurer for the Stonington Democratic Town Committee, and he was appointed by the governor of Connecticut as harbormaster for the Pawcatuck River. An avid rugby player, John helped form the Hartford Wanderers rugby club and enjoyed tennis, skiing, sailing, and boating — especially on “Obie,” his powerboat. A proud grandfather, John enjoyed supporting his grandchildren’s teams. He stayed connected to Loomis Chaffee as a 50th Reunion volunteer and as a member of the Common Good Society. John was survived by Marty, his wife of almost 50 years; his two sons, Tim and Brendan, and their spouses; his brother Joe; and his five grandchildren. A Mass was held on February 22 at St. Mary’s Church in Stonington Borough, followed by burial in Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, Conn.

it organization in Lakewood, Wash., devoted to the prevention of homelessness. According to his sister, Joan Thompson ’58, Jeph was “an accomplished whistler with the fiery personality of a true redhead. He did the [New York Times] crossword in ink and loved unusual obits and wedding announcements. He was a masterful storyteller: At least 50 percent of his stories were true.” In addition to Joan, Jeph was survived by his siblings Samuel Thompson ’61, Fran Thompson, and George Thompson; his wife, Janne Hutchins; his daughter Molly; and many extended family members. A celebration of Jeph’s life was held on March 10 in Tacoma, Wash.

1968 Richard G. MacKay, on April 9. A four-year student from Hartford, Conn., Richard was involved in the Photography Club and The Log, and he served on the Dining Hall and Library committees. Richard earned a bachelor’s degree from Colby College and a master’s degree at Brown University. He taught at Watertown Public Schools and worked for the state of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. He was survived by his brother, William M. MacKay, of Boston, Mass.

1963 Joseph Thompson Jr., on February 9. A four-year student from Toronto, Canada, Jeph, as he was known, was involved in the Glee Club, Political Debating Club, and Dance Committee. A talented athlete, Jeph earned five varsity letters in soccer, hockey, and track. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, Jeph served in the Peace Corps and spent some time working in government service. Later, he worked in carpentry and enjoyed being a stay-at-home parent for a few years. Though he was a resident of Tacoma, Wash., for more than 30 years, Jeph remained a proud New Englander and Boston Red Sox fan. Jeph was a 20-year volunteer at LASA, a nonprof-

worked as a Realtor/broker for several real estate organizations. Dottie was employed by Loomis Chaffee for 17 years, working in the bookstore before retiring in 2003. Predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Edward W. Dombrowski, Dottie was survived by her sister, Florence Howard; her children, Donna Sadosky, Diane DiCicco, Robert Dombrowski, Edward Dombrowski, and Stephen Dombrowski, and their spouses; her seven grandchildren, including Anthony DiCicco ’00 and Andrew DiCicco ’03; her great-grandson; several extended family members; and many friends. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church on March 24, followed by burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Windsor Locks, Conn.

Other News The Alumni Office has learned of the passing of James Trowbridge II ’38 on October 19, 2013; John Thompson Dobbin ’41 on May 17; Frederick Butler Wightman ’50 on May 1; Douglas W. Bleiler ’52 on June 2; Craig Swinton Stone ’52 on May 31, Gene F. Armstrong ’63 on April 18; John R. Hope ’80 on April 19; and Matthew Jared Strouch ’95 on June 28. More information, as available, will be printed in future editions.

Former Staff Dorothy Osmanski “Dottie” Dombrowski, on March 20, at her Seabury Meadow residence in Bloomfield, Conn. Born on February 4, 1931, Dottie was valedictorian of her graduating class at Classical High School in Providence, R.I., and became a devoted wife and mother. She

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R ef efll ect e c t ions

Sliding into Spring Sports For more than a century, dust has risen from Loomis baseball diamonds as players slide into base, attempting to advance or tag up before infielders can thwart them. Timing, speed, and precision — of both the baserunner and the opposing team’s infield — determine the success or failure of these plays, which are still among the most exciting moments of “America’s pastime.”

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

THEN: Top: A play at third base thrills the home crowd in this undated photo from the school’s early years. Bottom: Safe! A Pelican slides into home plate in this undated photo. Photos: Loomis Chaffee Archives NOW: Right: Luis Guerrero ’17 makes a close play on Sellers Field in a 2017 game. Photo: Tom Honan

R efl e c t ions

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Commencement pre-amble Photo: John Groo

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Summer 2018

Articles inside

Reunion 2018

Six Seniors