Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020 by Loomis Chaffee

Ma g azine

Winter 2020 VOLUME 82 |

NO. 1

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CAPTIVATED AUDIENCE The Wind Ensemble, led by David Winer, performs during the Family Weekend Concert in October.

Photo: Nicole Bushey

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ON THE COVER: Early-morning fog drifts over the Island. Photo: PhotoFlight Aerial Media

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Contents Wi n t e r 2 0 20

Volum e 82

No. 1 EDITORIAL & DESIGN TEAM

F E AT U R E S

23 38

Lynn A. Petrillo ’86 Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing

Bird’s Eye View

Becky Purdy Managing Editor

New aerial photographs reaffirm the beauty of the Island.

Jessica Ravenelle Graphic Designer

Melissa Rion

“I Believe in Freedom”

Class Notes Editor

Dang Phan ’79 delivered this moving keynote address for a U.S. Naturalization Ceremony on campus this fall.

Courses that Wow

Solar-Powered Visionary

Faculty Desks

Christine Coyle Melissa Rion Senior Kenedi Clinton Sophomore LIsa Chang John Cunningham Lisa Salinetti Ross Timothy Struthers ’85 Debra Bathman Heidi E.V. McCann ’93 Paige Abrams Karen Parsons

Alumni reflect on Loomis Chaffee electives that changed their outlooks, or even their lives.

A one-megawatt solar array on campus began as a simple question posed by Jason Liu ’17 when he was a junior.

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

Spanish teacher Lillian Corman’s workspace reflects her people-centric personality and infectious enthusiasm.

From the Head Island News Faculty & Staff News Pelican Sports Object Lesson

Obituaries Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

D E PA R T M E N T S

4 5 18 19 58

Christine Coyle

60 Class Notes 66 Alumni Gatherings 68 Obituaries 80 Reflections

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.

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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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Fr om t he Head

Sabbatical Discoveries, Reflections A fall sabbatical allowed time for research into the first U.S. culture war as the issue of slavery was debated in the North before the Civil War.

I have been on sabbatical for the fall trimester, and my time away has been everything that I had hoped for. I traveled, read a lot, indulged my dual passions of photography and birding, and spent the fall in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire. The majority of my time, though, was focused on researching a book project on Northern antebellum colleges, seminaries, and academies and their response to the issue of slavery. The debates within these educational institutions over slavery represented the first U.S. culture war as administrations and trustees tried to prevent the admission of black students and to stop their white students and faculty from discussing the topic of slavery or organizing anti-slavery societies. Most trustees and presidents of academic institutions in the 1830s and 1840s opposed immediate abolition of slavery and supported instead the voluntary colonization of free blacks back to Africa. Most also opposed admitting blacks as students. A variety of factors motivated this stance, but not least among them were a desire not to alienate or discourage Southern students from attending their schools and an underlying racism that refused to acknowledge that blacks could learn as effectively as whites. In 1834, for example, the principal of Phillips Academy (Andover) tried to stop his students from attending lectures by the British abolitionist George Thompsonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they went anywayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and when he went still further by banning the formation of an anti-slavery society, some 50 students resigned from the school. Andover survived the crisis; other schools did not. At Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, students held a series of debates on abolition and the colonization of free blacks to Liberia that drew national attention, organized an anti-slavery

society, and volunteered in the local black community establishing schools and libraries and finding other ways to directly improve the lives of the free black population. In response, the Lane trustees insisted that the students stop their activities and threatened them with expulsion if they continued. They tried to prohibit students from having private conversations about abolitionism and suggested that it was inappropriate for the students to spend time on this issue instead of studying. Lyman Beecher, the Lane president and a nationally recognized theologian better known today as the father of Harriet Beecher Stowe and of Henry Ward Beecher, tried to find a middle ground between his students and the trustees. There was no middle ground to be had, however, and eventually Beecher joined his trustees on the wrong side of history. Close to 100 students left the seminary with many of them transferring to Oberlin College. Lane was left a much-diminished school and Beecher with a much-diminished reputation. College presidents across the North soon found that they could not prevent their students from debating the national issue of slavery or from supporting immediate abolitionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;although it would be many more decades before they allowed equal access to all students regardless of color. Today, we celebrate the diversity of our community, and we encourage our students to grapple with the difficult issues of our day. Those issues are perhaps not as momentous as those that led to the Civil War, although there are surely some who feel that we are headed in that direction, but they are extremely divisive. I am writing this column just as the public phase of the impeachment hearings have begun, the 2020 election campaign is in full spate, and Continued on page 11

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Citizenship in Action

Photo: Nicole Bushey

orty-nine people from 24 countries became naturalized U.S. citizens at a federal ceremony held at Loomis Chaffee on October 22, taking their oath of citizenship before an all-school audience that burst into cheers and applause at the conclusion of the official program. The Olcott Center was convened as a U.S. District Court of Connecticut, with the Honorable Judge Alfred Covello ’50 presiding over the court’s special session, and Dang Phan ’79, a naturalized U.S. citizen who came to the country as a refugee from Vietnam, delivered a moving keynote address. Continued next page

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ABOVE: Judge Covello congratulates a new U.S. citizen during the Naturalization Ceremony in the Olcott Center. TOP RIGHT: Dang Phan ’79 and U.S. District Court Judge Alfred Covello ’50 pose for an alumni photo after the event. MIDDLE RIGHT: A new citizen shakes hands with Eric LaForest, Keller Family Director of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, which helped arrange for the ceremony. BOTTOM RIGHT: A new American hugs a court official as he presents her with a certificate of citizenship. Photos: Nicole Bushey

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

The standing-room-only audience included students, faculty, and staff of the school; officials of the court; and families and friends of the citizenship candidates. Camille Fisher of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services made an official motion to the court that the candidates be admitted as citizens of the United States. Judge Covello recited the declarations of the oath of citizenship, to which the candidates responded in unison, “I will.” “Like you, my mother and father were born in other countries,” Judge Covello remarked. “They came here because their parents saw in America the opportunity for a better life for themselves and their families.” He welcomed the group as new U.S. citizens with both the freedoms and the responsibilities of citizenship. Dang told the story of his family’s harrowing escape from Vietnam in April 1975 during the fall of Saigon and their eventual settlement in Windsor, Connecticut, where he and his sister attended Loomis Chaffee on

scholarships. Dang graduated from Loomis cum laude, attended the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Business School, and built a career in finance. “Where but in America can a boy, initially stripped bare of all resources, go to boarding school, Ivy League college, Harvard Business School, and a succession of pre-eminent financial institutions?” Dang asked. “I submit humbly to you, with just pride in my own hard work, that I am but a flower that blossomed in the fertile American soil that others plowed before me, and that we must continue to till.” (Read Dang’s full keynote address on page 38.) After Dang’s address, Officer Fisher called out the name and country of origin of each of the 49 new citizens, and each stepped forward to receive a certificate. The final recipient, a woman originally from Jamaica, accepted her certificate, hugged Judge Covello, and then lifted Dang off his feet in a celebratory embrace. The audience erupted in applause, and a sustained standing ovation punctuated the conclusion of the ceremony.

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Belonging as a Pillar for a Meaningful Life Feeling that you belong, that you are valued, is crucial for authentic human happiness, said author and researcher Emily Esfahani Smith, who spoke at an all-school convocation in the Olcott Center on September 16. Belonging, which is this year’s school theme at Loomis Chaffee, serves an essential purpose in helping humans to find meaning in their lives, and meaning is the key to happiness, said Ms. Smith, an assistant psychology instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World that is Obsessed with Happiness. While studying philosophy in college and psychology in graduate school, Ms. Smith began to question the commonly-accepted ideals of a “success culture,” which assumes that a person’s happiness is derived from achievements in academics, career, finance, power, or notoriety. Research in philosophy, psychology, and human behavior do not bear out this formula for happiness, she said. “It is meaning … that makes life worth living. Humans have a need for meaning in their lives for emotional and physical well-being,” she said. Through her research and writing, Ms. Smith identified four pillars of meaning in people’s lives. The most important pillar, she said, is a sense of belonging. “True belonging springs from generosity and love. You have to be willing to make yourself open and vulnerable,” Ms. Smith said, but the result is a more meaningful experience for everyone. In the context of a school or workplace, belonging is the feeling that the community values every individual for who they are and what they contribute, she explained. She encouraged her listeners to promote a “belonging mindset” and to strengthen the sense of community through moments of connection, such as listening to someone else’s story or putting away your cell phone when speaking with someone in person. These small but powerful outward expressions acknowledge

that you value others. After the convocation, Ms. Smith continued the discussion with a smaller group of students and faculty in the Parton Room of the Scanlan Campus Center. Her visit to campus was made possible with support from the Robert P. Hubbard ’47 Speakers Series. Ms. Smith’s articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and other publications. She also reports for the Aspen Institute's Weave project, an initiative founded by David Brooks of The New York Times to address the problems of isolation, alienation, and division. In addition to her writing, Ms. Smith delivered the widely-viewed TED talk “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy.”

“True belonging springs from generosity and love. You have to be willing to make yourself open and vulnerable,” Ms. Smith said, but the result is a more meaningful experience for everyone.

Author and researcher Emily Esfahani Smith speaks at convocation in the Olcott Center. Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

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Pelican Contingent Rallies at Youth Climate Strike

ore than 100 Loomis Chaffee students participated in a Youth Climate Strike demonstration at Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s State Capitol Building in Hartford on September 20, demanding immediate action on global climate change. The Loomis activists, who missed part of the class day for the demonstration, joined millions of concerned young people participating in Climate Strike events worldwide, an effort that aimed to pressure world leaders to take action the following week at the United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The number of Loomis students who want to participate [in the Climate Strike]

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

The Loomis Chaffee organizers were inspired by the momentum of grass-roots movements and by the work of youth climate activists, including 16-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden and Loomis senior Anya Sastry, the national outreach director for the U.S. Youth Climate Strike organization. is encouraging because it means people care about the issue and want to commit to the cause,â&#x20AC;? said junior Sophie Rodner, one of the Loomis student leaders who organized events in advance of the walkout. The Loomis organizers were inspired by the momentum of grass-roots movements and by the work of youth climate activists, including 16-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden and Loomis senior Anya Sastry, the national outreach director for the U.S. Youth Climate Strike organization. Anya traveled to New York with the national organization for the U.N. summit on September 23. In the days leading up to the Hartford demonstration, students made posters and

signed a banner to carry during the march and rally, and an open discussion about climate change and what students can do to initiate positive change took place on the evening before the demonstration. At 11 a.m. on September 20, the students and several faculty advisors mustered in the Scanlan Campus Center and then marched, signs aloft, into the Windsor town center, where they boarded a local train to Hartford. They marched from the Hartford train station to the Capitol Building, where they gathered at noon with hundreds of others representing local schools, community organizations, and concerned citizens to demand that lawmakers and citizens work together to address climate

CONVERSATION S TARTERS LEFT: Loomis Chaffee students march toward the Connecticut Capitol Building in Hartford. FAR LEFT: Sophomore Bill Ngo displays rally signs before he and the group of Pelicans head to Hartford. BELOW: Juniors Pedro Arellano, Stephanie Zhang, and Lily Bahrehmand gather at the rally. Photos: Senior Kelly Eng

“Fast fashion,” climate-change activism, civil political discourse, and being Muslim in the United States were among the topics discussed this fall in a series of open conversations on campus. The series introduces and invites discussion of issues and current events of interest to students. Organized by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, the conversations are open to all members of the school community. Freshmen and sophomores must attend at least one of the conversations per term as part of the Norton Center’s ninth- and 10th-grade seminars.

CLIMATE ACTION In September, the first conversation focused on climate action at Loomis Chaffee. Students involved in climate activism and environmental sustainability endeavors led the discussion about climate change and what Loomis students can do to initiate positive action at Loomis and in their home communities. Eric LaForest, Keller Family Director of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, facilitated the forum.

CIVIL POLITICAL DISCOURSE

FAST FASHION In October, a conversation about “fast fashion” took place in the Pearse Hub for Innovation (PHI). The nearly 60 students and faculty in attendance watched a portion of The True Cost, a Netflix documentary exposing the negative impact of the global fashion industry on people and environments where garments are cheaply mass-produced. After the screen-

change. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal was among the people in attendance. Loomis students also expressed their views on climate change with local radio and television news media covering the event. The students returned to campus energized by the experience, and student environmental leaders have more activities planned for the rest of the school year to maintain student focus on issues related to the environment and sustainability. To watch a video on the Loomis students’ participation in the event, go to www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

the United States and the experience of being American and Muslim in a time when the two identities are sometimes seen as incompatible. Ludmila shared stories and examples that offered a more rounded view of Muslim individuals in this country than stereotypes convey, and she talked about challenges American Muslims face in their everyday lives and in finding communities with which they identify.

ing, Visiting Entrepreneur Rachel DeCavage spoke about her eco-friendly business, Cinder & Salt in Middletown, Connecticut, which designs and creates clothing and other items from recycled, re-purposed, or reusable materials. Ms. DeCavage demonstrated how to make fun, creative screen prints from recycled or re-purposed materials. The students and faculty then gathered into groups to discuss what they had learned and how they might use that knowledge as consumers and in their future enterprises.

BEING MUSLIM IN THE UNITED STATES Later in the month, Arabic teacher Ludmila Zamah discussed the history of Muslims in

In November, a conversation focused on engaging in political disagreements with civility. Members of the Shultz Fellowship, a student nonpartisan discussion group, reviewed best practices for meaningful conversation and modeled a respectful dialogue around the topic of gun control. Students and faculty in attendance were invited to write down their thoughts and questions about gun control, which Eric LaForest, director of the Norton Center, posed to the panel as a jumping-off point for conversation.

NATIVE AMERICAN CEREMONY In the final conversation of the term, history teacher Elliott Dial conducted a Native American smudging ceremony, an ancient custom used for spiritual cleansing, and Elliott and fellow history teacher Kevin Henderson, both of whom have indigenous North American heritage, discussed issues related to indigenous tribes. Small-group discussions explored these topics further. The conversation series will continue in the winter and spring terms.

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Ethan works with one of his cello students at a local church. Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

Norton Fellow Mentors Young Cellists Senior Ethan Levinbook last summer expanded upon a mentoring program for young musicians that he had originated at Loomis Chaffee in 2017, to include local students with limited access to instrumental instruction. With support from a Norton Fellowship, Ethan identified three Greater Hartford grade-school students who wanted to take music lessons and provided weekly one-hour instruction to each student during a fiveweek period in July and August. Through the fellowship he bought teaching materials and special student-sized cellos that his pupils could use to learn and practice.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

“You need more than lessons … to learn to play an instrument,” says Ethan, who has played the cello since he was 5 years old. “You really need a support network to help you work through challenges, so you don’t get discouraged.” Ethan says he has benefitted from the support of his family, teachers, and several music communities, including the community division of the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music. Two years ago, Ethan launched the Loomis Chaffee Music Mentors community outreach program to offer one-on-one support to children enrolled in instrumental programs at local schools. Through the program, young

music students come to Loomis for mentoring from Ethan and other Loomis student volunteers. He applied for and was granted a Norton Fellowship last year to extend the outreach to children who lack easy access to instruments and lessons. The fellowships, administered through the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, each year enable selected students to pursue their interests and become more engaged with their local communities over the summer. After returning to campus in the fall, the fellows modify their projects to involve other members of the school community. Norton Center faculty guide the fellows as they plan and engage in the endeavors. Ethan’s summer students and their parents responded positively to the experience, he says, and the students continue to use the instruments to participate in the school-year Music Mentors program at Loomis. Ethan also benefitted from the experience, he says, because he was able to connect with members of the community and share his love for music and for playing the cello. “Teaching is a great way to further develop what I know about playing the cello,” he says. “Thinking about what worked for me as a music student in order to share it with the students helped me to synthesize and distill what my teachers have taught me.” He also enjoyed seeing his students get excited about the cello.

To learn more about the Norton Fellowship program and the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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Financial Literacy Seminars Feature Alumni Speakers

Dale Reese ’13 Photo: Christine Coyle

It wasn’t so long ago that Dale Reese ’13 was a Loomis Chaffee senior like the students who sat listening to him in Hubbard Hall one evening in October. And for that reason alone, his message resonated with them. Here was a recent college graduate who had established himself in the professional world and could offer them real, on-the-ground advice about something they soon would have to face whether they wanted to or not: managing personal finances. Dale’s talk, which focused on budgeting, was the first of five evening seminars on personal finance for interested members of the senior class, a series organized by economics teachers Matthew DeNunzio and Elizabeth Leyden to help students expand their knowledge of personal finance basics before they head to college and enter the workforce. Alumni speakers will make presentations at each of the seminars, spread across the academic year. “The theme for tonight’s topic is

discipline,” Dale told the assembled students. He described what he had learned about discipline in the classroom and on sports teams at Loomis and suggested that the discipline they learn on the Island will serve the seniors well in other areas of life, including their personal finances. Dale, a senior associate in the audit division of KPMG professional services in Hartford, encouraged the students to see a budget as a plan for reaching a goal. With the discipline to follow and track that plan, they will gain the freedom to control how and where they direct their money. Dale emphasized that budgeting is useful regardless of one’s income because everyone has personal financial goals. Dale showed a sample budget and a method for individuals to track their income and expenditures and make choices for discretionary spending. He talked about defining “wants” versus “needs,” delaying gratification, setting aside money for emergencies, and funding savings before other expenditures, known as “paying yourself first.” He suggested books, smartphone apps, and other resources for budgeting and budget tracking. After his presentation, the students broke into groups to play a game focused on budget decision-making. A graduate of Grove City College in Pennsylvania, Dale majored in finance and accounting. He and his wife, Maddie, live in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Support from John Pearse ’58 and Sally Crowther Pearse ’58 help to make the senior financial seminars possible.

Sabbatical Continued from page 4 Greta Thunberg is on her way back to Europe for the United Nations World Climate Talks. National discord is extreme and is likely to become even more extreme as we near the presidential election. Large percentages of Republicans and Democrats say that members of the opposing party make them angry or upset. We have lost any sense of a middle ground, and in its stead, we have a chasm. This, of course, has consequences for our campus and our students. How do we prevent rifts from developing on campus while encouraging a full engagement with the issues? Is it even possible—or desirable to do so? I think that it is both possible and critically important that we foster thoughtful, respectful, civil discourse. Our students will be well served if they learn to think critically and to cut through the noise to understand underlying issues. Our value as a school is based on our ability to prepare our students for college and for the world in which they will live. We do this through a rigorous curriculum and a faculty that is well versed on effective pedagogy and who care deeply about their students. We also do so by being aware of the broader national and global context in which we operate and by encouraging our students’ participation in these national discussions. We encourage faculty to discuss current affairs in their classrooms, and we foster an environment of active engagement. In addition to classroom discussion, the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, the Shultz Fellows, The Log, and various student political, environmental, and affinity clubs and groups sponsor active discussion of the issues, and dormitories and the dining hall also provide space for conversation and discussion across the spectrum. Our job is not to tell our students what to think; it is rather to teach them how to think critically, and to help them understand and navigate the national debates that are central to our democracy. Unlike our 19th-century counterparts, we do so by providing forums where students can test positions, push different agendas, and experiment with ideas. An effective learning environment requires that students and faculty actively listen to one another, respect differences of opinion, question their own biases and assumptions, and critically unpack arguments and positions. Unfortunately, the national political climate does not encourage much thoughtful debate. All the more reason, then, that we at Loomis keep the avenues of communication open.

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GUEST MUSICIANS

Island Visitors

Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra

Loomis students worked with several visiting artists and musicians during the fall term.

"Brickhead" by James Tyler Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

The Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra (HICO) presented a recital in the Hubbard Performance Hall in October.Â Comprising a roster of Hartford-based musicians, including Loomis Chaffee instrumental instructors Cathryn Cummings on horn and LingFei Kang on oboe, HICO promotes contemporary music. Joining Cathryn and Ling-Fei to complete the quintet were Allison Hughes on flute, Alexander Kollias on clarinet, and Mason Adamson on bassoon. The program included works by Valerie Coleman, Thomas Schuttenhelm, Jennifer Higdon, Andrea Clearfield, and Astor Piazzolla.Â HICO champions the music of local, living composers and has commissioned and performed numerous pieces by Connecticut composers. The orchestra collaborates with local cultural organizations and institutions of higher learning.

VISITING ARTIST

GUEST MUSICIANS

Harriet Diamond

Five O’Clock Shadow

Installation artist Harriet Diamond returned to campus this fall for a second residency as a Visiting Artist in conjunction with Exiled, an exhibition of sculptures on which she worked last time she was on the Island, in January 2019. The exhibit in the Richmond Art Center’s Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery explored the refugee experience through two large-scale sculpture installations: “Driven From Their Homes,” a story of war and diaspora from Syria; and “Arrival: The Rohingya,” about the Rohingya people’s arriving at a refugee camp in Bangladesh. In a presentation to art students during the opening reception, Ms. Diamond explained that her art is a hybrid of installation sculpture and “illusionistic scene-making.” She said she was inspired by photojournalists who travel the world to tell the stories of everyday people affected by geopolitical conflicts. “I explore many of the simple aspects of the lives of the people caught up in overwhelming experiences,” she explained in her exhibition statement.

VISITING ARTIST

James Tyler “Brickhead,” a large-scale sculpture of a human head by artist James Tyler, inhabits the courtyard of the Richmond Art Center this school year. Mr. Tyler installed the ceramic sculpture in September before the opening of his exhibit TRUTH/NO TRUTH in the Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery, and the massive head will remain in the courtyard through the end of the school year. Mr. Tyler, who returned to campus as a Visiting Artist in December, is well-known for his Brickhead series, which he describes on his webpage as “unique colossal heads that invite us to identify with the world’s ceramic heritages. They bring today’s faces together with pre-Columbian, South American, Native American, Asian, African, and Western influences.” Made from bricks of architectural red clay or buff stoneware, his sculptures gain a variation in the bricks’ color during the firing process.

Members of the Boston-based professional a cappella group Five O’Clock Shadow conducted masterclasses with Concert Choir and Digital Music students and performed for the Loomis Chaffee community in November. During the masterclasses the six Guest Musicians discussed their craft and demonstrated their performance techniques as well as singing with the Concert Choir. They talked about ways to use technology to enhance vocal sounds; strategies for balancing a passion and talent for music and the need to earn a living; and best practices for maintaining vocal health. During the evening concert in Hubbard Performance Hall, Five O’Clock Shadow performed with members of the A Cappelicans student group.

GUEST MUSICIANS

Music Instructors Showcase The Music Department hosted a Music Lesson Instructors Showcase recital in October in the Hubbard Performance Hall. The recital featured five professional musicians who are instrument and voice instructors at Loomis. Solo performers included Ling-Fei Kang on oboe, Rajan Kapoor on cello, James Kleiner on saxophone, Dongbin Shin on violin, and a vocal performance by Erica Maas.

TOP: Artist Harriet Diamond talks with students about her installations. Photo: Christine Coyle MIDDLE: Five O'Clock Shadow demonstrates their vocal sound during a masterclass. Photo: Christine Coyle BOTTOM: Showcase musicians Dongbin Shin, James Kleiner, Rajan Kapoor, Ling-Fei Kang, and Erica Maas. Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

Guest Musicians’ visits to campus are made possible with support from the Joseph Stookins Lecture Fund. The Visiting Artists program is made possible with support from Adolf and Virginia Dehn.

For more information about the guest musicians and artists, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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RIGHT: Junior John Howley as Macbeth

Is This a Dagger Which I See Before Me? Student actors and technicians take on a chilling Shakespeare tragedy in the NEO.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY:

Anna Zuckerman-Vdovenko

he tragic tale of Shakespeare’s Macbeth unfolded on the stage of the Norris Ely Orchard Theater in November as a student cast and crew produced the Shakespeare classic with several theatrical twists and a full supply of treachery, ambition, madness, and murder. A combination of unexpected elements, including gender-fluid casting, a set constructed at skewed angles, lighting that was incongruous with the stage action, and costumes designed with both masculine and feminine elements, created an atmosphere that was “recognizable, yet vaguely unfamiliar,” as English teacher Will Eggers, who directed the play, noted in the playbill. Junior John Howley depicted Macbeth, who succumbs to his own murderous ambition, driven by the foreshadowing of the three weird sisters

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

and the evil desires of Lady Macbeth. The sinister and haunting weird sisters — a departure from the script’s three witches — were played by senior Emma Goldfarb, junior Julie Chung, and sophomore Grace Thompson. Junior Lana Breheney embodied the cruel and manipulative Lady Macbeth, who descends into madness and, with a maniacal scream, takes her own life. And senior Grace Kulas portrayed a grieving and wrathful Macduff, who takes down Macbeth and ends his bloody reign of terror. The production team included Will; English teacher Kate Saxton, the assistant director; Head of the Theater & Dance Department Candice Chirgotis, the production manager; and several professional theater assistants.

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To see a gallery of photos, read the playbill, and watch a full performance of the play, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine. CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Junior Lana Breheney as Lady Macbeth. Senior Grace Kulas as Macduff and junior Baihan "Tom" Zhang as Banquo. King Duncan (senior Steele Citrone) and his children (junior Rosalie Lyons and sophomore Aidan Cooper) bestow military accolades on Macbeth and Banquo. Weird Sisters senior Emma Goldfarb, junior Julie Chung, and sophomore Grace Thompson.

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THAT’S ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! DEBATE SUCCESS Junior Aidan Gillies has been invited to compete in the World Debate Championships in Shanghai, China, in April. Aidan earned the invitation as the top advanced speaker in the Debating Association of New England Independent Schools Parliamentary Debate Tournament in September at the Roxbury Latin School. A number of Loomis Chaffee debaters fared well at the tournament, and with an overall record of 9-3, the debate team placed second out of 17 schools in the tournament. Senior Eleanor Peters was the fourth-place advanced speaker, and Eleanor and junior Clara Chen were the thirdplace advanced team. Aidan, Eleanor, Clara, and senior Maral Asik combined for the highest advanced speaker point total in the tournament. Junior Lily Potter and freshman Calvin Pan received the award as the top novice team. EMERGING Fourteen students and two faculty members shared their travel experiences in various multimedia formats this fall in the inaugural Emerging Travelers Exhibit, sponsored by the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies. The exhibit, which opened during Family Weekend in October in the Katharine Brush Library, included photographs, videos, recorded poetry, and a slide deck from a Powerpoint presentation. Community members and families perused the photography, watched the videos, and listened to poetry inspired by travels to Iceland, Cuba, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Italy, and Antarctica. The exhibitors created their presentations with guidance from Alvord Center Associate Director Meg Blunden Stoecklin and Director Marley Matlack. The Alvord Center plans to mount an Emerging Travelers Exhibit for Family Weekend every year to give families the opportunity to see what their children have learned from their travel experiences, and to inspire students and families to consider international travel for themselves. SPEAKING OF EMERGING . . . The annual Emerging Artists and Emerging Writers exhibits opened concurrently in the Richmond Art Center in September. The exhibits featured the independent creative work of student artists and writers from the previous

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summer. Curated by the Visual Arts Department, the Emerging Artists program has encouraged artistic endeavors during the summer break for many years. Similarly, the Emerging Writers program, launched in 2016, invites student writers of all inspirations and genres to submit proposals for independent development during the summer and exhibition in the fall. The program is sponsored by Writing Initiatives at Loomis and the student literary publication The Loom. To read excerpts from this year’s Emerging Writers’ work, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

was led by students of color, members of the multicultural student organization PRISM, and Pa’Lante, a Latinx affinity group. Throughout the month, “Did You Know” items in the Daily Bulletin informed the community about Latinx and Hispanic history and culture. The events culminated on October 12 with Latinx Fest, a celebration with live music, dancing, face-painting, and food inspired by Latinx and Hispanic cultures. Students from Miss Porter’s School and Watkinson School joined Loomis students and other school community members in the Scanlan Campus Center for the festival.

EMPTY BOWLS

BOOK CHATS

Ceramics II students, members of the student-run Pelican Service Organization, and students in the Community Service Program this fall made ceramic bowls for donation to Empty Bowls, a national effort to address hunger in inner cities. In Ceramics II class, taught by Jennifer McCandless, each student created at least two bowls for the initiative. Additional students threw, molded, or hand-built bowls in their free time in order to contribute to the effort. Finished bowls were donated for a local Empty Bowls fundraising event in support of the regional food bank Foodshare. At the event, held each year at Manchester Community College, members of the public purchase a bowl of hearty soup, donated by area restaurants, that is served in one of hundreds of bowls hand-crafted by local artisans. Attendees enjoy a meal and keep their bowls, and Foodshare receives 100 percent of the proceeds to be used directly for those in need.

Loomis Chaffee set aside a community free period at the beginning of the school year for students to participate in school-wide Book Chats, discussing their selections from 30 fiction and nonfiction titles as part of the school’s Summer Reading Program. In addition to grade-level reading requirements and the all-school book, students were required to read at least one Book Chat selection during the summer and come prepared to join group discussions based on that title. Introduced in 2018, the Book Chat readings and discussions are designed to encourage reading for enjoyment. Faculty members from a cross-section of disciplines and offices selected the Book Chat titles again this year, and one or more teachers led each discussion group. Meeting in venues across campus, the groups ranged in size from three to 160 readers. Some of the larger groups were separated into smaller subsets to allow everyone to participate in the conversations.

HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION The school community celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15 with a series of events and activities honoring the history and culture of Latinx and Hispanic Americans. Organized by the school’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as several other campus organizations and departments, the celebration kicked off with an evening of Mexican and Chilean music by guest musicians on September 24 in the Hubbard Performance Hall. On October 1, a community dialogue that focused on “colorism”

To see a photo gallery and video from the Book Chats, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

FRESHMAN SERVICE DAY On a mid-October Wednesday, while sophomores and juniors took the PSATs and seniors worked on their college applications, the Class of 2023 fanned out across campus and into the surrounding community to engage with the school’s neighbors and take part in service projects. Organized by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good and the Dean of Students Office, Freshman Service Day has become a

fall tradition on the Island, adding context to Freshman Seminar discussions of altruism, philanthropy, and service. In the morning, more than 160 students and two dozen faculty leaders broke into 13 project groups and set off for their locations on and off campus. Among the projects, groups of freshmen enhanced the landscaping around a local elementary school, joined in a music and memory project with senior citizens, helped sort and organize pantry goods at a soup kitchen, joined activities with kids at an elementary school and a school for young people on the autism spectrum, collected a vanload of donated children’s books from across the Island and delivered them to a school in Hartford, fashioned no-sew fleece blankets to give to senior citizens and children during the holiday season, and assembled winter comfort kits for homeless people and delivered them to a shelter in Hartford. To view a gallery of photos from Freshman Service Day 2019, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

DANCE SHOWCASE Loomis Chaffee dance enthusiasts, including students in classes and clubs, performed a one-hour sampler of the dance pieces they are working on this year during the Fall Dance Showcase in November in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater. The show featured 15 performances of various dance styles, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, Latin ballroom, and a Bharatanatyam Indian dance performed by Arabic teacher Ludmila Zamah. Two dozen students from several clubs and classes, including LC Dance Company, Dance Ensemble, and Ballet, took the stage to perform for appreciative audiences. To view a gallery of photos from the Fall Dance Showcase, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

Engineering for Zero Gravity

During a visit to campus in November, spaceship engineer Donna Grossman spoke to students about her work on projects for the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and the Orion spacecraft and about starting her career in 1977 as one of only a few women in the field. Ms. Grossman, a Windsor resident, explained the challenges and innovations of spaceship engineering and shared details of several of her team’s most important projects, including the Space Shuttle toilet, a feat of zero-gravity engineering. An employee of Hamilton Standards, which is now United Technologies, until she retired in 2017, Ms. Grossman worked in mechanical engineering design in the Space Systems Department. NASA contracted with the company to develop systems for space travel and exploration, many of which involved controlling the life-supporting environment inside spacecrafts and spacesuits — temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, electronic emissions, and other conditions. She explained for students the engineering of the Space Shuttle toilet to collect waste in a gravity-free setting, a water processor for the Space Station that filters and purifies everything from waste water to sweat to urine so that it can be reused, and the environmental controls for Orion, a spacecraft still under development and testing that scientists hope will eventually take astronauts to Mars. The toilet, Ms. Grossman said with a wry grin, was the only project that attracted her family’s keen interest. The students in attendance, intrigued by both the science behind her work and the day-to-day aspects of her job, asked a number of questions and stayed after the talk to converse further with Ms. Grossman.

ABOVE: Donna Grossman. Photo: Becky Purdy

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Facult y & S taf f Ne w s

History teacher and school archivist Karen Parsons led a pedagogy workshop at the 2019 American Studies Association meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, in November. Her session, “Material Culture Pedagogy: Writing, Thinking, and Ethical History,” focused on activities in examining and process writing that Karen’s College-Level U.S. History classes have employed with a 19th-century painting of African American Nancy Toney, who lived for three generations with the Bradley, Chaffee, and Loomis families and was one of the last slaves in Connecticut. Ethical history, Karen explains, is a new pedagogical approach that can help students “think about and reconstruct more fair and equitable narratives of the past.” The approach is used most often with document sources, but Karen is exploring ways her students could use the approach with objects like the Nancy Toney portrait. Karen and four others presented at the pre-conference workshop, which also involved working with local indigenous makers, practitioners, and scholars to explore the collections of the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives. Director of the Pearse Hub for Innovation Scott MacClintic ’82 spoke about “Learning & the Brain” in a webinar for independent schools offered by Mount Holyoke College’s Professional and Graduate Education program in September. Scott discussed working memory and how it is involved in learning and offered strategies for applying brain research in the classroom. Former Loomis Chaffee chaplain and teacher Duncan Newcomer has written an acclaimed new book, Thirty Days With Abraham Lincoln: Quiet Fire, a collection of 30 of the best stories from his 200-episode radio series Quiet Fire: The Spiritual Life of Abraham Lincoln. The book, published by Front Edge Publishing, is available from online and brick-andmortar booksellers. In the book’s foreword, Peter M. Wallace, the producer and host of the nationally syndicated radio program and podcast Day1, writes: “By reading these sublime and soulful reflections, possessed — as Duncan puts it — by a quiet fire, you will find inspiration and insight that will make sense in your own life, in your own battles with fear and grief, in your own decisions over the best path to take in a certain situation, in your own yearning for deep meaning and purpose.”

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Pictured: (BACK) Drin Pacuku ’15, Ned Heckman, Stephanie Bissett, Danielle Fergus, Ge Song, Netta Hadari, Jeffrey Moore, and Abe Schulte; (MIDDLE) Beth Helfrich, Hannah Insuik, Jake Smith, Emily Garvin, Matthew Johnson, Kevin Guevara, and Steven Stewart; and (FRONT) Nicole Bowen, Michaela Chipman, Kimberly Randall, Courtney Doyle, Stacy-Ann Rowe ’97, and Fiona Mills. Photo: Mary Forrester The school welcomed 22 new faculty and administrators to the community this fall. They include Stephanie Bissett, assistant athletic director and head girls varsity lacrosse coach; math teachers Nicole Bowen, Courtney Doyle, and Abe Schulte; English teachers Michaela Chipman and Kimberly Randall; science teachers Emily Garvin, Ned Heckman, Hannah Insuik, and Steven Stewart; psychology teacher Danielle Fergus; history teacher Kevin Guevara; music teacher Netta Hadari, who is also the new Loomis Chaffee Orchestra director; English teacher Beth Helfrich, who has been dorm head of Carter Hall for the last three years; English and computer science teacher Matthew Johnson, who also is the associate director of digital and computational learning; dean of the junior class Jessica Matzkin, who also teaches psychology; English and social sciences teacher Fiona Mills, who previously taught at Loomis from 2008 to 2011; Jeffrey Moore, college counselor, head varsity football coach, and dorm head of Kravis Hall; alumni admissions fellow Drin Pacuku ’15; graphic designer and teacher Stacy-Ann Rowe ’97; Associate Director of Admission Jake Smith; and Chinese teacher Ge Song.

Faculty members visited their colleagues’ classrooms to gain insights and offer feedback during Open Classroom Week in November, a professional development opportunity that takes places three times a year. Although many teachers invite their colleagues to observe any time, Open Classroom Week is a chance for teachers to break out of their silos, celebrate what is happening in classes every day, and gather for more formal feedback at the end of the week. Teachers who signed up their classes for observation noted what the lesson would be for that period and on what aspect of teaching they sought feedback. There were 20 opportunities throughout the week for class visits, and many classes had multiple observers at once. Observers and the observed shared feedback in myriad ways, including face-to-face conversations right after class, dialogues over email, and discussions during a group gathering at the end of the week. Sara Deveaux, director of the Henry R. Kravis ’63 Center for Excellence in Teaching, which organizes Open Classroom Week, says teachers find the exercise informative and inspiring.

“This week always reminds me that complacency really has no home here,” she says. “The faculty are so willing to learn and engage, and really embrace the culture of lifelong learning.” Tiffany Delaney, administrative assistant to the Physical Plant, gave birth to daughter Hadley Ann Delaney on October 1, 2019. Science teacher Naomi Appel and math teacher Andrew Bartlett welcomed their second daughter, Breah Marly Bartlett, on October 13, 2019. She joins her big sister, Emily, in the family. Longtime Office of Admission assistant Debi Knight retired last summer. Debi was often the first person that prospective students and their families met when they arrived on campus. Her warmth and personable nature immediately put nervous visitors at ease, and she served as a surrogate mom to many tour guides through the years.

Senior Bailey Prete

Photo: Stan Godlewski

P el ic a n Sports

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VARSITY RECORDS BOYS CROSS COUNTRY 7-0 Founders League Champion New England Division I, 3rd Place

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY 5-1 Founders League, 2nd Place

CO-ED EQUESTRIAN 5 shows Folly Farm Show, 1st Place

FIELD HOCKEY 10-7 FOOTBALL 3-6 2

BOYS SOCCER 11-4-4 New England Class A Quarterfinalist

GIRLS SOCCER 5-9-2 VOLLEYBALL 15-5 Founders League Champion New England Class A Semifinalist

BOYS WATER POLO 17-5 New England Tournament, 3rd Place

1 Senior Akeim Clarke 2 Junior Haven Low 3 Sophomore Karishma Lawrence 4 Junior Matt Ryckman 5 Junior Kevin Luke, junior Cameron Pilon, and senior Paris Shand

7 Senior Christina Stone, senior Charlotte Hill, junior Selia Coady, and senior Laine Duncan 8 Junior Alejandro Rincรณn 9 Junior Caroline Appleyard, senior Caroline Thompson, senior Bailey Prete, and junior Alexandra Darrah

6 Senior Kenedi Clinton

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Equestrian photo: John Groo. All other photos: Stan Godlewski

3 7

4 5

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Birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eye View New aerial photographs of Loomis Chaffee reveal the unifying architectural language of the campus, even amidst changes, and the enduring beauty of the Island.

P H O T O G R A P H S B Y:

PhotoFlight Aerial Media October 2019

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From the north: Looking toward Hartford from a vantage point above the Farmington River. The Head's House and River Cottage are in the foreground. The Connecticut River flows along the eastern edge of campus.

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ABOVE: The campus as Canada geese must see it on their way north. In the foreground, the Loop Road bends around the Richmond Art Center, with its studio skylights. OPPOSITE PAGE: Seen from the east, the campus buildings rise from the expanse of the Meadows and the Cow Pond.

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OPPOSITE PAGE: Founders Hall. BELOW: clockwise from upper left: Founders cupola; the Senior Path through Grubbs Quadrangle; Grubbs Quad from directly above.

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The Way curves gently through Rockefeller Quad, crossing between the Scanlan Campus Center and Howe Hall on the right and Cutler Hall and the Athletics Center on the left.

LEFT: Katharine Brush Library and Rockefeller Quad. BELOW: Richmond Art Center and RattĂŠ Quad.

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TOP: Hubbard Music Center and RattĂŠ Quad. MIDDLE: East-facing side of Kravis Hall with Richmond and Cutler halls behind it. BOTTOM: The approach to campus from the west, with the Athletics Center on the left, Sellers Hall and Cutler Hall on the right, and the southern end of Grubbs Quad at the far end.

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TOP: The Island, seen from a southwestern vantage point, with the Connecticut River beyond. LEFT: Pratt Field. OPPOSITE PAGE: New spaces with an intimate scale emerge from the proximity of Cutler, Richmond, and Sellers halls.

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Loomis Chaffee. You will find it at the confluence of two rivers, on a drumlin surrounded by green meadows. It is sometimes known as the Island.

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“I Believe in

Freedom” By Dang Phan ’79 Photos by Nicole Bushey

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Dang Phan ’79 was the keynote speaker at a U.S. Naturalization Ceremony at Loomis Chaffee on October 22, 2019, during which 49 immigrants from 24 countries became U.S. citizens. Dang immigrated from Vietnam in 1975 and became a U.S. citizen seven years later. He graduated from Loomis Chaffee cum laude, attended the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Business School, and built a career in finance. He served on the Loomis Chaffee Board of Trustees for 12 years, concluding his service in 2014, and has remained close to the school. The text of Dang’s keynote address, edited for publication style, follows.

great morning to our new citizens, on a day you will never forget. We gather joyfully on this beautiful Island to celebrate the citizenship of our new fellow Americans, and the rights and responsibilities we share as citizens. In bearing witness to your sacred naturalization ceremony, we affirm our allegiance to this great Republic, and we swear to do our part in preserving, protecting, and perfecting our union. From one immigrant to another, I send to you and your families my heartfelt congratulations. When I was 14, on the day the Vietnam War ended, our family gave up everything to seek freedom. When enemy tanks laden with northern communist forces rolled into Saigon on April 30, 1975, we had exhausted all means of escape. My parents had attempted to give up my sister and me to an American family for adoption. Our family had camped outside the United States Embassy for three days and nights, in front of closed gates guarded by U.S. Marines in full battle gear. Shortly after Saigon surrendered, we climbed aboard a small boat with 100 other souls. My father paid for passage with our family car and all the gold that was left to us. We knew before boarding that there was not enough fuel to reach the Philippines or Thailand.

Facing the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea, we cast our lot with the ocean. Many indelible events occurred on that fateful trip. My sister was separated at sea. A man threw himself overboard, hours before he would have been saved. I lost my childhood keepsakes, which now lie in cold waters in the deep of the Pacific. On the fourth day, a miracle intervened. We were rescued by the United States Seventh Fleet, which, unbeknownst to us, was out there the whole time. We sailed to Subic Bay naval base, were airlifted to Guam Island, and “summered” in tent cities hastily built for refugees. By September, we “washed ashore” on this Island, where I began ninth grade at Loomis on a full scholarship. For me, this three-month odyssey is nothing short of a magical reincarnation in a place called America, which embraced us with open arms and open hearts. With the perspective of 45 years, I now appreciate that my experience is actually quite similar to those of many immigrants who have come to these shores over the last six centuries, risking their lives in search of freedom and opportunity. I love my new country. I felt then and now that my country loves me. And yet the America I met in 1975 was different. “Chastened by the hard peace” that followed the Second World War, America still heeded

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the echoes of President Kennedy’s clarion call to serve our country and the cause of liberty at “any price, any burden, and any hardship.” Divided and scarred by wars and the civil rights movement, America in 1975 remained optimistic, welcoming, generous, confident, and hopeful in our destiny as an exceptional place and idea, as the “shining city upon a hill,” as the beacon of the free world. America then still remembered that we woke to the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, that we ride the “long arc of justice,” that we shot for the moon, that we took a giant step for all mankind. I found this America in the kindness of the midshipman who pulled me aboard an American warship, in the school community that welcomed our family in September 1975, in federal guaranteed student loans that allowed me to matriculate at [University of Pennsylvania], and in subsequent opportunities that I was given to build a second life. Where but in America can a boy, initially stripped bare of all resources, go to boarding school, Ivy League college, Harvard Business School, and a succession of pre-eminent financial institutions? I submit humbly to you, with just pride in my own hard work, that I am but a flower that blossomed in the fertile American soil that others plowed before me, and that we must continue to till. And yes, our family received food stamps for a little while, even as I picked tobacco for $2.10 an hour, and my sister earned coin tips at night as a 16-year-old waitress, to help make ends meet. We weren’t public charges. America made sound investments with food stamps that fed three future taxpayers, who pay happily. Seven years from our arrival, I was naturalized as a proud citizen at City Hall in Philadelphia, steps from the Liberty Bell. The pendulum has swung the other way. What then must we do? We have come to a new America, riven by immigration and race. It is helpful to remember that this is not the first time in our history that we

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have faced bigotry and resistance to immigration. The targets are new, but the sentiments are not. Perhaps your parents, your grandparents, or your great-grandparents have met hostility and trial as immigrants. I believe that the source and scourge of our suffering is fear. And yet, “this too shall pass” and “we shall overcome” if each of us would join the enduring causes of seeking freedom and prosperity. I have been given a second life of privilege, comfort, achievement, and I have no wish to close the door behind me. I want more. We want more. We want a life of meaning, of belonging, to our community, our nation, and our planet. As an immigrant and an American, I believe. I believe in seeking brave new worlds, in reaching for new frontiers in time and space, and also in our hearts and minds. I believe in a world without walls. When the Berlin Wall came down, its demise joined us with three billion people on the other side and allowed me to re-cross the Pacific Ocean to return to Vietnam as a young man. There, I learned that neither distance nor time nor circumstance separates me and us from the people and places and other objects of our love. I believe in freedom. I believe in facing down fear with resolve, and hope. I believe in sustaining courage with kindness. I believe in hard, not easy. I believe in never giving up. I believe that our common good begins with our individual best selves. I share my own values because I believe that the keys to unlocking our public ideals lie in the privacy of our own hearts, which are the ultimate sources of what we believe in together. We are all immigrants, as we trace our personal and family histories back, as recently as the time of the pilgrims’ voyages from the Old World or as long ago as the time our forebears left the plains of Africa. And I offer my homage to some 10 million of us who came involuntarily through the Middle Passage, under unimaginably cruel conditions, for

â&#x20AC;&#x153; I believe in freedom. I believe in facing down fear with resolve, and hope. I believe in sustaining courage with kindness. I believe in hard, not easy. I believe in never giving up. I believe that our common good begins with our individual best selves.

which we grieve, and seek redemption. As all immigrants, we believe in truths greater than our individual selves. We believe that we are one people, one people granted the boundless bounty of a continent protected by two oceans, united by a common history, committed to a common future, and aiming for an ever more perfect union. We believe in celebrating diversity of skin color, religious faith, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and thought. We believe that the mosaic of pluralism brings about a richer and better world, for one and for all. We believe in securing and offering opportunity to our children and to newcomers, just as

opportunity had been given to us and fought for us by our forebears. We will not be falsely divided by class and race. Opportunity will be our common cause. Fear will be our common enemy. Reason and purpose will be our common work. Peace, prosperity, and love will be our common reward. To my new fellow citizens, congratulations and welcome. Please join us with your voices, your votes, your acts of kindness and purpose to form â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for ourselves and our children â&#x20AC;&#x201D; eternal bonds of citizenship, brotherhood, and sisterhood. Thank you. God bless the United States of America.

To see more photos from the Naturalization Ceremony, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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Courses that Wow Alumni recall eye-opening, life-changing, mind-blowing electives. WORDS BECKY PURDY I L LU S T R AT I O N S J A M E S YA N G

lectives. Even the term for these Loomis Chaffee courses sounds intriguing. You “elect” to enroll in them. They’re not part of a required sequence from fundamental to sophisticated or a standard progression from level 1 to level 5. They are often one-offs, courses for their own intellectual sake. They may satisfy certain graduation requirements or college-application expectations, but the bottom line is that you get to choose electives based on your interests and proclivities,

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which makes these courses all the more enticing. You may even find yourself asking, “Wait, I get to study that? In high school?” Better still, this amazement may grow as you engage in the course itself, immersed in a topic that almost makes you forget you’re in school. We asked Loomis Chaffee alumni to tell us about eye-opening, life-changing electives they took during their time on the Island, and they answered by the dozens. Here are a few that stood out:

American Music & Culture of the 1920s and 1960s Andrea Barton ’83 loved the very idea of this course. “It validated my interests,” says Andrea, who was fascinated by the Woodstock era and the music of the Harlem Renaissance. “When a class was offered that focused on everything I loved at the time, how could that not feel like an indulgence?” says Andrea, who describes herself as a “Dead

Head” while she was a Loomis student. “To get to look at things that fascinated me, to find out where the ideas came from, to discuss how the impact of those ideas continued to live in my modern world; it was kismet.” Andrea, a long-time teacher and the daughter of Loomis English teachers Jane and Adrian Bronk, says she still has one of the papers she wrote for the class. The year-long interdisciplinary course

offered by the Music Department during the 1980s combined American history, literature, art, and music studies. “Students learn how literature, art, and music act as a reflector of social concerns and events of the selected time periods,” according to the course description book at the time. In addition to readings, discussions, and tests, students engaged in creative projects in writing, art, and music over the course of the year, with assistance from English, visual arts, and music faculty members. loomischaffee.org

“I remember walking into class one day and the chairs were all on top of the tables.” KIMM BUETTNER LUCAS ’95

Assigned readings for the 1920s included Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis, a selection of short stories and poetry, and books examining the American culture and music of the era. For the 1960s, the class read On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Coming Apart: An Informal History of America in the 1960s by William O’Neill, The Story of Rock by Carl Belz, Pop Art by Lucy Lippard, and several other selections of fiction and poetry. The course was developed by Faith Miller, who was head of the Music Department.

Myth, Dream & Ritual First offered in the late 1970s, this philosophy term course focused on the irrational and the symbolic, the musings of the “unconscious mind,” and the meanings they might reveal. By design, the course asked more questions than it answered. Developed and taught by longtime philosophy teacher Dominic “Doc” Failla, who retired a decade ago, Myth, Dream & Ritual invited discussion and out-of-the-box

thinking. Among the readings were The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell and The Symbolic and the Real by Ira Progoff. “I remember walking into class one day and the chairs were all on top of the tables,” recalls Kimm Buettner Lucas ’95. “We had class sitting in chairs on top of the tables that day. I don’t remember the specific lesson, but we were definitely being challenged to consider things from a different perspective. I appreciate now, as an educator myself, challenging students to think outside the box, to consider new perspectives, and the importance [of trying to] connect with all different kinds of learners.”

Photography Art teacher Walter Rabetz initiated photography instruction at Loomis when he arrived in 1970. By 1973–74, the course description book listed four photography course options, tailored to students from beginners to advanced photographers. Walter continued to teach photography at Loomis until his retirement in 2007. (Sadly, Walter passed away this fall.) The electives have evolved through the years and, while still emphasizing the fundamentals of photography, have moved away from film photography and developing to digital photography and the use of such programs as Adobe Photoshop. Hundreds of alumni learned the fundamentals of photography in this class. Many continued to pursue photography as a hobby, and still do. Some are now professional photographers. “I learned the technical aspects of photography from F stops and apertures to darkroom developers, types of film, and the frustrating but rewarding process of rolling film onto (somewhat finicky) developing reels in the pitch black,” recalls Sarah O’Keefe Greig ’98 of her Photography 1 class at Loomis. “To this day, one of my favorite things is placing a photo paper into the developer tray and seeing the image

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“Mr. Rabetz really saw us as artists. He was so thoughtful in his approach to and critique of our work.” SARAH O’KEEFE GREIG ’98

slowly appear.” Sarah is a professional photographer, having majored in fine arts at Amherst College, completed an intensive 12-week career training program at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, earned a master’s degree in art history at Tufts University, and worked in the photography departments at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, among other training. She now has her own business, specializing in photographing events and children’s portraits. “My photo class at Loomis definitely challenged us to think intentionally as we were taking photos and to pair the technical with the creative to make our art,” Sarah says. “Mr. Rabetz really saw us as artists. He

was so thoughtful in his approach to and critique of our work.” For one of the most memorable assignments, Walter took his students to Hartford to do street photography. “We had to approach people and ask permission to take their photo, which was an awkward thing to do as a teenager,” recalls Sarah. “It was also a lesson in how to respect and show kindness and compassion toward our subjects. How do you approach a stranger? How do you want to depict them? How do you want to frame it? Does the photograph capture more than just the subject and their surroundings? Putting us out there to figure it all out was a great lesson.” Barbara Wehr Calabrese’s ’85 interest in the

medium began when she received a 35mm camera for her 10th birthday, but learning developing and printing techniques at Loomis in Photography 1 her senior spring opened a new vista for her. She, like Sarah and many other Loomis Photography alumni, has fond memories of the darkroom, which in 1985 was in the basement of Palmer Hall. “At the time I didn’t realize how much I would come to love photography even more. When working in the darkroom, time seemed to fly by,” Barbara says. Barbara has taken photography courses from time to time since her days at Loomis, and she has exhibited her work and recently sold some of her photographs. “It has really become my passion,” she reflects.

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Communism “An inquiry into the theory of Communism as expounded by Marx, Lenin, Mao Tse-tung, and others,” announced the 1970–71 course description book entry for the new, year-long class, which later became a term course. “The course examines the attempts, past and present, to apply the universal ideals of Communism to actual societies. In particular, the course focuses on Communists in Russia, China, several underdeveloped nations, and in the United States.” Offered for more than a decade, the course shifted its focus slightly as the Cold War progressed. “Communism represents one of the most potent political forces and one of the most important historical problems in the modern world,” read the course description for 1979–80. “This course surveys the evolution of communism — largely in 19thand 20th-century Europe — as ideology, revolutionary movement, and established government.” Taught by Bert Thurber, the Communism course attracted students who wanted to learn more about one of the Cold War’s driving ideologies — and to take a course with Bert, who was known for his intellectual intensity. “I was always excited at Loomis to take classes about things that I didn’t know much about,” reflects Sarah Larson ’91, who took Communism in the fall of her senior year. And Bert, she says, was both brilliant and hilarious. “It was so exciting to watch his mind work.”

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“I was always excited at Loomis to take classes about things that I didn’t know much about.” SARAH L ARSON ’91

Existentialism

Bert assigned enormous reading packets that were hard to get through, but students knew they offered valuable insights, Sarah says. They also appreciated the opportunity to read original sources, discuss them, and write about them, even as the subject they were studying continued to develop. “It felt exciting and entertaining and fascinating. You were always learning things at such a rapid clip,” Sarah says. On the first day of class, she recalls, Bert assigned students to look up a list of terms about communism and socialism. “One of the terms was equality, which is obviously a term that we think we understand,” she says, but it quickly became complicated to try to define it and describe it as a value that a country espouses.

“Despite their disagreements about religion, the meaning of life, and human nature, existentialist writers share a common belief in the primacy of personal experience. Whether we choose to accept or reject the ideas that ‘God is dead,’ that ‘man is condemned to be free,’ that ‘Reason is the most obstinate adversary of thinking,’ or that ‘life is the Will to Power,’ we cannot ignore the dramatic effects of existentialism on modern thought and on our own self-awareness,” declared the Existentialism course description in 1979–80. The course was developed by Doc Failla and was offered by what was then the Philosophy and Religion Department. Dayne Jervis ’06, who took Existentialism in his junior year, says the course “totally blew my teenage mind.” Dayne grew up in Jamaica, where, he says, children are raised “to respect their elders and to be devout Christians.” He preferred to think more freely, and he had doubts

about the idea that “we all have predetermined paths we should follow in life.” In Existentialism, he realized for the first time that others shared this skepticism. He particularly remembers reading Nietzsche. “I had never been exposed to someone openly challenging the foundation and theories behind religion before,” he says. The course rewarded expansive thinking, another revelation for Dayne. “All of my course work previously had been defined by following theories and rules. Existentialism was a departure from that. I was allowed to freely express myself in coursework, and be graded fairly for it,” he recalls. Although Dayne wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into when he enrolled in Existentialism, he knew from the course description that it would give him new perspectives. His advice to Loomis students today as they decide which electives to choose would be to consider what they care about, who they are, and what might help them grow. “You have a unique opportunity at Loomis to expand your mind at an early age. Take advantage of it,” he says.

leadership, this course examines the institution of the presidency and the individual presidents who have most influenced its evolution,” the 1974–75 course description began. In the few months between the course book’s publication and the opening of the school year, Nixon had resigned the presidency. Offered as a two-term course, The American Presidency looked at some of the nation’s early presidents, including Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Wilson, and the Roosevelts, but it focused most intently on the most recent presidents at that time: Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. Readings included The American Presidency by Clinton

Rossiter and Doris Kearns Goodwin’s classic biography of LBJ, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, among other texts. Taught by Bert Thurber, the course “gave us a critical language to think about the presidency as an office” in an ecosystem with other branches of federal government and with state and local governments, says George Trumbull IV ’95, an author and former professor of history at Dartmouth College. To this day, George says, he feels he has a good understanding of what a president can and cannot do within the government framework. Even presidential failures and shortcomings were illustrative, George says, citing James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson, who served as the 15th and 17th U.S. presidents, respectively, before and after the Civil War. Lyndon Johnson and Ms. Kearns Goodwin’s humanizing biography of him especially intrigued students. George describes LBJ as a “fraught figure in American history,” especially in his roles in the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement. In its study of Johnson and others, the course explored the intersection of personality and presidency. George notes that the country is currently struggling with this very question of how to think about personality as part of the presidency.

“You have a unique opportunity at Loomis to expand your mind at an early age. Take advantage of it.”

For Sarah Larson ’91, a staff writer for The New Yorker, the Kearns Goodwin biography had a double impact. Not only did she come to know Johnson as both a human being and an important historical figure, she says, but she also saw what political writing could be: scholarly and human, revelatory and exciting. “That book is such a crazy lesson in literary journalism,” she says.

DAYNE JERVIS ’06

George also recalls the strong feeling that he was “part of a community of learning having a conversation” in The American Presidency and in general at Loomis. This sense prepared him for the discourse of college academics. Unlike some of his college classmates, he says, the atmosphere felt familiar to him.

The American Presidency In the wake of Watergate and President Richard Nixon’s eventual resignation, the History Department developed a course on the U.S. presidency. “At this time of intense concern for the nation’s highest position of

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Psychology of Loss, formerly Death and Dying Under several titles and several department headings, the course that is now called Psychology of Loss has been taught pretty much continuously at Loomis Chaffee for the last 47 years, and generations of students recall its impact on them. A post on the Loomis Chaffee Alumni Facebook page asking graduates to recall eye-opening courses they took at Loomis prompted 97 responses. Twenty-six mentioned Death & Dying, as it was known for most of the last five decades. Although, or perhaps because, the course examined difficult, even troubling, topics, it was important and worthwhile, they commented.

The Films of Alfred Hitchcock

Mark Twain and Nook Farm

For many years, the English Department taught a course that concentrated on the major films of a single director, varying the director from year to year. The course was especially popular in the years when famed director Alfred Hitchcock was the focus, as several alumni fondly remember.

Like the Hitchcock film course, Mark Twain and Nook Farm attracted students eager to dive into the works of a single author. Twain’s connections to the Hartford area provided a wealth of local resources. Nook Farm, a neighborhood in the Asylum Hill section of Hartford where Twain lived, was a vibrant literary community during Twain’s time. The English Department offered the course from about 1975 until the mid-1980s, and readings included The Gilded Age, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Pudd’nhead Wilson, and The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories as well as Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and biographical writings about Twain and the Nook Farm circle.

Students in the class watched, discussed, analyzed, and wrote about some of Hitchcock’s most important films, including The 39 Steps, Shadow of a Doubt, The Man Who Knew Too Much, North by Northwest, The Birds, and Psycho. Led by English teacher Adrian Bronk, the class convened in what was then Brush Auditorium in the basement of the Katharine Brush Library for film screenings during class time and again one evening during the week. Adrian and his students compared the films and discussed their themes, narratives, and cinematic techniques, and the students were assigned to write a paper on each of the works. The idea of watching films instead of reading books appealed to many students, as did the rich supply of discussion-worthy narratives and techniques in Hitchcock’s works.

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“Discussing death with your peers before noon three times a week isn’t easy, but it made me a more reflective and engaged student,” says Blaine Stevens ’18, who took the course as a senior. The hard discussions were valuable, she says, because they helped her and her classmates learn about themselves and about each other’s diverse perspectives and life experiences. Blaine enrolled in the course not knowing quite what to expect. “I chose this class as an elective as it was discussed as the stuff of legends by older Loomis students when I was an underclassmen,” she says. The class lived up to its word-of-mouth reputation. Andrea Barton says Death & Dying “took the swirling thoughts in my head, and pointed them out to be a process that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In being a human among humans, one must consider not only other people’s mortality, but our own.” Loomis helps students in the journey toward living meaningful lives, she says, and contemplating mortality as one of life’s processes helps to move that journey forward. “I remember leaving that classroom with my brain on fire — the mark of learning,” says Andrea, who teaches English. She has remained close friends with her Death & Dying teacher, Dominic Failla. They wrote a book together, share a love of poetry, and get

together regularly in Windsor for lunch.

To see a list of other courses that alumni found eye-opening, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

“Discussing death with your peers before noon three times a week isn’t easy, but it made me a more reflective and engaged student.” BL AINE STEVENS ’18

The class looks at loss, death, and dying from many angles, including religious and psychological perspectives, political issues such as capital punishment and genocide, medical practices, cultural attitudes toward death in different parts of the world, and the multi-billion-dollar death industry. The class visits a funeral home and has sometimes taken field trips to local cemeteries associated with a variety of religious faiths. The students write research papers, learn to read psychological studies, and for a culminating assignment, can choose to write their own funeral instructions. The students themselves help to determine the paths of inquiry. This fall, for instance, the class looked closely at the psychological similarities between grief and post-traumatic stress disorder, and they delved into the psychology of learning to kill in the military. To a certain extent, the content that the class examines depends on the students and what interests them, says Ruth Duell, who has taught the course for many years. “These are the classes at Loomis that help people to become self-directed learners,” she says, adding that this course nurtures self-directed learning about a universal and

large-looming topic. “This is the big boogie man for all of us culturally,” she says. Class conversations about assisted suicide stand out in Blaine’s reflections on the course. “The differing political, social, and religious opinions present in the classroom really came to a head during this talk,” she says. “But Ms. Duell did a superb job at moderating the class, and everyone was incredibly respectful. There were times when discussion got difficult and when eyes got teary, but I truly do think that everyone was all the better for having had such discussions.” Ruth says she always loops the Counseling Office into discussions of especially difficult topics such as assisted suicide. For Betty Stolpen Weiner ’04, who took Death & Dying as a junior, the course opened a door to a fascinating world of ideas. “Coming into the classroom and sitting in a circle and just being able to feel comfortable enough to speak your mind opened the flood gates, and I have never stopped speaking my mind,” Betty says. She went on to take every elective offered in the Philosophy and Religion Department and as a senior engaged in an independent study on misinterpretations of the Bible. Originally titled simply Death, the course was first offered in the Philosophy and Religion Department in 1972, and its name changed to Death & Dying later that decade. As the department evolved to include psychology as a discipline, Death & Dying fell under psychology’s purview. Several years ago the course name changed to Psychology of Loss to more accurately reflect its academic focus on student transcripts. Ruth, Dom, Duane Estes, and David Newell are among the faculty members who have taught the class. But through the years, the central idea behind the course offering has remained the same, as a path toward self-understanding and enlightenment. One of the earliest descriptions of the course distilled its purpose: “Talking about death is a door into the deepness of life. When you are young, thinking about death can be a way of thinking about life, the purpose of living it and the meaning it may have for you.”

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Solar-Powered Visionary

Photo: PhotoFlight Aerial Media

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

B y C H R I S T I N E C OY L E

Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

Why couldn’t we power Loomis Chaffee with solar energy?

Jason Liu ’17

It was an ambitious question, contemplated by Jason Liu ’17 while studying renewable energy as a junior in Jane Phillips’s CollegeLevel Environmental Science class. And it became the motivation for Jason to lead the school community on a two-year journey to research, finance, construct, and finally power up the largest solar array on a Connecticut K-12 school campus at Loomis Chaffee. The resulting one-megawatt array, completed in the fall of 2019 on the southwest side of the Island and energized this winter, will provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of 187 homes and reduce the school’s carbon footprint by 15 percent. “I love the outdoors,” says Jason, a four-year student from Windsor who participated in a variety of environmental sustainability-focused activities and organizations while at Loomis. He served as an environmental proctor, received a Gilchrist Environmental Fellowship, and spent his spring afternoons on the greens as a varsity golf champion. Living a healthy outdoor lifestyle and having a concern for the environment go hand in hand, according to Jason, and one doesn’t even have to “believe in” climate change to understand the economic benefit of living sustainably. “To me, it just logically makes sense,” he says. After he had exhausted Loomis’ advanced-level science coursework in his junior year, Jason took on a solar power feasibility study his senior year that ultimately set the school’s solar array project in motion. Jeffrey Dyreson, who is associate director of the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, director of environmental/sustainability initiatives, and an environmental science teacher, oversaw Jason’s work for the independent environmental science research project. In his 17 years of experience at Loomis, Jeff says, many students have casually suggested the school should look into using a renewable power resource as a way of reflecting the school’s commitment to environmental sustainability. But it was Jason who acted upon his inclination. Jason’s perseverance in steering the project past obstacles and rallying community support drove the solar project from idea to reality, according to Jeff.

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“We learned that when the impetus of a project comes from students, it carries a lot of weight,” says Alexander McCandless, former Alvord Center director who is now head of the Social Sciences Department. Alec was the lead faculty member involved in the mechanics of taking the project through school leadership and administration review as well as legal and regulatory approvals. Interest in sustainable energy and resource conservation has a decades-long history at Loomis Chaffee, and there have been a number of projects led by students, faculty, administrators, and benefactors that have moved the school in a positive direction. In the 1970s, the school installed a bank of solar panels behind the Physical Plant that were a source for hot water. The school stopped using the panels in the 1990s when the older technology became costly to maintain. Jeff notes that the panels heated water directly instead of generating electricity and were most efficient in the summer months when there was less demand for hot water on campus. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the school used a co-generation system that made good use of waste from a gas-powered engine. According to Jeff the system generated about 1 megawatt of electricity when it ran, and then the “waste heat” was used for domestic hot water and heating of the pool. That system was taken offline around 2011, according to Jeff, because it no longer operated efficiently and required significant financial investment to bring it back into operation. More recent initiatives include the installation of LED lighting and hydration stations on campus; the purchase of carbon credits to offset air transportation for school trips; and participation in inter-school energy-saving competitions, among others. Many of these projects have been funded with $500 to $5,000 grants through the school’s Gilchrist Environmental Fellowship program, established in 2013. “We’ve made a lot of progress through the years, but as far as I know, there has been no student-initiated project of this size,” Jeff says, referring to the new solar array. In the spring of 2016, Jason connected with author, lecturer, and international consultant Sajed Kamal ’65, who has been an activist for environmental protection and a proponent of solar energy for more than 30 years. Sajed’s book, The Renewable Revolution: How We Can Fight Climate Change, Prevent Energy Wars, Revitalize the Economy and Transition to a Sustainable Future, was published in 2011. Sajed visited the Island in April 2016 to speak at an Earth Day convocation about solar energy, and Jason said he found Sajed’s enthusiasm for a sustainable future to be inspirational. In the summer of 2016, Jason persuaded his parents to install solar panels on their Windsor home, and he was pleased with the

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

The first order of business was to find a one-acre location to accommodate the size of the solar array. Jason says he naively thought this task would be easy given the campus’s 300 acres, which include the unforested expanse of the Meadows.

outcome. That experience, according to Jason, is what convinced him that Loomis Chaffee could benefit from solar power as well. He decided to pursue a solar energy project as an independent study during his senior year and gained approval from Jeff and the academic deans. In the fall of his senior year, Jason met with Head of School Sheila Culbert and Chief Operating Officer Richard Esposito, and they encouraged him to dig into the details. With inspiration from Sajed, encouragement from Sheila and Rich, and faculty guidance from Jeff and Alec, the project moved quickly from theory to practice, Jeff says. The first order of business was to find a one-acre location to accommodate the size of the solar array. Jason says he naively thought this task would be easy given the campus’s 300 acres, which include the unforested expanse of the Meadows. However, the Meadows and nearly all but six acres of Loomis-owned property in Windsor are in the 100-year flood plain and can’t be built upon for insurance and regulatory reasons. It was the first of many obstacles that Jason encountered in his quest to deliver solar power to campus.

Solar Array

Through his interactions with schools and other organizations that had constructed solar arrays, Jason discovered that he would need to enlist the help of experienced industry professionals to advise the school in finding an appropriate site on campus as well as assisting with a cost analysis, navigating regulatory approvals, and overseeing the construction. Jason met with several solar power vendors, including representatives from organizations that work on power purchase agreements, or PPAs. Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

“PPAs work for us,” Alec explains. Companies that offer PPAs finance the construction of the solar array, and in exchange the school agrees to purchase electricity generated from the array for a fixed time period. The school is spared the initial capital investment and maintenance costs and receives power from a renewable source of energy at a reduced rate by taking advantage of state energy credits.

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Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

During site visits at Loomis, industry vendors and Jason considered putting solar panels on rooftops and other building surfaces on campus, but this approach posed additional obstacles: Most of the buildings were not designed with roofs to support the additional weight of solar panels. In addition, the PPA arrangement requires the metering of energy, so all of the panels would have to be wired to the school’s one power shed, located between the Savage/Johnson Rink and the railroad tracks on Island Road. Upon a detailed examination of a campus map, Jason and others on the school’s administrative team identified an undeveloped area outside the 100-year flood plain that was large enough to accommodate the array. Situated west of the railroad tracks and south of Beckwith Drive, a faculty-housing cul-de-sac, the site’s location close to the power shed was a bonus. The working group eventually decided to work with Onyx Renewable Partners, a leader in the development and financing of small-scale commercial and industrial solar projects. Because of an Onyx agreement with Connecticut Green Bank, Onyx could offer Loomis a significant rate reduction for power, and the school earned further advantageous pricing as a result of the school’s bid

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

on Renewable Energy Credits from Eversource, the local utility company. According to Alec, these credits are part of a state plan to support green energy generation in Connecticut. “That program is nearing its final year, so we did well to get in during this window,” he comments. The state makes payment to the financer of the array based on the output, and those payments are passed along to Loomis in the form of reduced pricing, Alec explains. After identifying a site and deciding on Onyx as a business partner, Jason, Alec, and Jeff presented the plans to the Loomis Chaffee Board of Trustees in May 2017. “I talked about my solar journey,” Jason says. He told the Trustees what he had learned in pursuit of the answer to his ambitious question, “Why couldn’t we power Loomis Chaffee with solar energy?” He talked about his home solar project, his research, and his discussions with Sajed, other schools, community members, vendors, and Loomis Chaffee faculty, administrators, and physical maintenance professionals. Jeff made a presentation to Trustees about the significance of the solar project in representing the school’s commitment to environmental sustainability, and Alec provided a cost-benefit analysis that showed the project was sound from

a business perspective. Then Jason spelled out a detailed plan of action and delivered convincing evidence that the school community could and should “solarize the Island.” His proposal received overwhelming approval from the Board. The Trustees were so impressed and inspired that they gave Jason a standing ovation, Jeff says. “That moment was essentially the culmination of what I could do [for the project] as a student,” Jason recalls. He says working his idea through to Board approval was probably his most rewarding learning experience at Loomis. After the Board’s approval and Jason’s graduation a couple of weeks later, he passed the baton to Jeff, Alec, Rich, and other school administrators, including Director of Physical Plant Lance Hall and Associate Head of School Webster Trenchard, who had several more hurdles to clear before construction could begin. Initially, several neighbors of the array’s proposed location raised objections and a possible legal challenge to the project, which would be visible from the back of their Windsor Avenue homes. At a Windsor town government meeting, they expressed concern that mature trees would be removed and that the array would negatively affect their view and the environment. The owners of one of the neighboring houses invited Sheila to visit them in their home to discuss the school's plans. During that meeting they asked if the school might consider purchasing their house. Subsequently, five additional homeowners on Windsor Avenue with land adjacent to the project site approached the school with similar requests. Given its growing need for additional faculty housing, the school ultimately bought these six homes. The purchases and renovations by Loomis Physical Plant staff were completed by spring 2019, and faculty families now live in those homes. Regarding the environmental and habitat concerns, Jeff says the area was not in an ecologically pristine state because it had been deforested decades ago and had been used as farmland, as an orchard, and even as a dump for a while. “It’s second-growth, successional forest with many invasive species,” he says, and, therefore, removing the trees and plants to install the array had minimal environmental impact. There was, however, a protected natural wetlands area of about one-and-a-half acres within the proposed site, identified by a required environmental study. Construction was delayed while the school adjusted the project design to leave the wetlands outside of the array’s footprint.

TOP: Junior Sophie Rodner, a student environmental leader, speaks at the October celebration of the solar project. MIDDLE: Former Trustee Joel Alvord ’56 and Jason Liu ’17 connect at the October celebration. BOTTOM: Faculty members Alec McCandless and Jeff Dyreson honor the community’s efforts to make the solar array a reality. Photos: Jessica Ravenelle

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Environmental science students work in the wetlands to remove invasive species, replant and encourage native species, and foster the natural habitat. Photos: Mary Coleman Forrester

“Wetlands are sacred,” Jeff says. While they cannot be built upon, it is fortunate happenstance that the site now serves as a living laboratory and classroom for environmental science and other courses in the Loomis curriculum. Students in Jeff’s College-Level Environmental Science course study wetlands ecological systems and are working to revitalize the area, eliminating invasive species and planting and encouraging the growth of native species to foster the natural habitat. Other steps in the solar array process included gaining approvals from the town and its zoning board; working with the county engineer, the fire marshal, and Amtrak; making further design adjustments; and changing the dimensions of the panels due to increased tariffs on solar panel imports. The various hurdles and issues all contributed to the delay of the project by more than a year from the Board’s approval in May 2017 to the start of construction in October 2018. Construction was completed this fall, and with a few final details to be completed as this publication went to press, the array was expected to be in full operation in January. It was Jason’s enthusiasm, his willingness to put in the necessary hard work, and his ability to speak eloquently and convincingly about why the school should persevere on the project that motivated everyone to see it through, Alec says. For Jason’s part, he says the experience of conducting the research, persuading others to buy in, and figuring out the economics of the project was invaluable to him. Not surprisingly, Jason is studying electrical and energy engineering at Dartmouth College, where he is a junior. But somewhat unexpectedly, he also is pursuing education as a minor. “I think it’s important to understand how people learn,” Jason says, explaining that he sees learning as an aspect of communication, and communication as a key to getting things done. While he is gratified to see his idea come to fruition, Jason is quick to credit the people in the school community who encouraged and supported him in his efforts — Jeff, Alec, Sheila, Rich, Lance, Sajed, his friends, his parents, science teacher Scott MacClintic ’82, English teachers Will Eggers and Jeffrey Scanlon ’79 (who also was Jason’s advisor), and Senior Associate Director of the Annual Fund Fred Kuo, who directed experiential learning programs at the time, and several others.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

The school celebrated the solar array at a ceremony on October 18 while the Trustees were on campus for their fall meeting. Chairman of the Board of Trustees Duncan A.L. MacLean ’90, Trustee Douglas Lyons ’82, Alec, and Jeff acknowledged Jason’s fundamental role in bringing solar power to Loomis Chaffee along with all the residual benefits that come with the project, including the intrinsic and economic benefits of sustainable energy usage, the expansion of learning opportunities beyond the classroom, and the forging of relationships with community members beyond the Island. Plans are in place for an all-school celebration of the solar array in January, according to Jeff, and its influence will be felt for decades to come. “The solar array will serve as an ongoing inspiration for students, illustrating that one student can indeed make a dramatic impact and that Loomis can be a place where theory and ideas come to reality,” Jeff says.

“

The solar array will serve as an ongoing inspiration for students, illustrating that one student can indeed make a dramatic impact and that Loomis can be a place where theory and ideas come to reality.” Jeff Dyreson

panish teacher, coach, and dorm head Lillian Corman keeps her desk in her classroom, which she shares with a colleague, on the second floor of Founders Hall. The space reflects her people-centric personality and her infectious enthusiasm for language, travel, friends old and new, and mentoring young people. Lillian fell in love with Spain, the language, and the

people while studying in the autonomous community of Andalucía. In addition to teaching Spanish, Lillian leads a 10th-grade Seminar in the Best Self, coaches JV field hockey and intramural basketball, and serves as dorm head of Cutler Hall. In a previous role as head of Longman Hall, she helped establish the Longman Leadership Institute, which fosters girls’ leadership (and “followership”) skills.

Faculty Desks LILLIAN CORMAN

Flag of the autonomous community of Andalucía, Spain

A tin of notes from students over the years. "Keep all of those for a rainy day," a colleague told Lillian during her first year of teaching when she received an appreciative note from a student.

Notebook from the Lead Like a Girl Conference, where Lillian has taken students for the last two years.

A photo of Lillian and her fellow coach and pal, history teacher Lauren Williams; a penant from Lillian's alma mater; and the bat mascot of the Valencia soccer team.

A panuelo, worn at the annual Las Fallas celebration in Valencia, Spain. The scarf was a gift from a family Lillian met on a bus in Valencia and remains close to.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

Photograph of Lillian with Lauren and economics teacher Mat DeNunzio during their trip Zimbabwe, where Lauren is from, and South Africa.

J E S loomischaffee.org S I C A R AV E N E L L E

O bject Le sson

Salem Belongings By Karen Parsons Loomis Chaffee History Teacher & School Archivist

athaniel and Gwendolen Batchelder compiled an album of photographs during their first year living in the Loomis Head’s House. Among these images, given as a 1914 gift to Mr. Batchelder’s parents, is one captioned, “Living Room showing mantel from Old Salem Custom House.” Salem, Massachusetts, was Mr. B’s first home and where his parents resided; the elder Batchelder may have procured the mantle from a building used as one of the early 19th-century custom houses. It had undergone several phases of commercial reuse by the time the school’s architects, Murphy and Dana, drafted plans for the Loomis Head’s House. This piece from home — a gracefully proportioned wooden fireplace surround — fit perfectly into the new Georgian Revival-style residence. Batchelder memorialized his hometown in other material ways. A 1928 Log article reported that he kept two documents on his desk: a letter to Salem’s first U.S. Collector of Customs, Joseph Hiller, from Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton; and a receipt of paid custom duties signed by Inspector of the Revenue Nathaniel Hawthorne. In 1915 Batchelder requested that Murphy and Dana design the interior of his Founders Hall office after a room in Salem’s House of Seven Gables. Their drawings — as well as the office today — document the inspiration of Georgian-style interior renovations done at the House of Seven Gables by owner John Turner II after 1710. While a bustling seaport during the colonial period, Salem earned designation as a U.S. port of entry in 1789 when the First Congress met to implement Alexander Hamilton’s economic plan for the young nation. Hiller’s appointment by President George Washington opened a new era for Salem and for America with ships leaving directly for and returning from Asia, Africa, Europe, the West Indies, and coastal U.S. cities. In

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

his communications with eastern port officials — like the one kept by Batchelder and others in the National Archives — Hamilton underscored the vigilance necessary in customs work; during the United States’s early years, import duties funded about 90 percent of the federal budget. A half century later at Hawthorne’s appointment, shipping in and out of Salem was in its long decline. By day, he inspected the collection of duties, such as the taxes paid in 1847 on a cargo of hides arriving on the Brig Zaine and recorded in Batchelder’s document. At night he was “dreaming about stories,” as he told his friend Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Hawthorne had put writing aside for the stable salary of this political appointment. He lamented that “these forenoons in the Custom House undo all that the … evenings have done.” Zachary Taylor’s 1848 election and the resulting partisan switch in the White House removed Hawthorne from his position. He returned to writing and published The Scarlet Letter, with its introduction, “The Custom House,” in 1850. Batchelder recalled his Salem stories during the 1916 dedication of Founders Hall. He told of boyhood days spent with artisans, learning “to use tools from a particularly skillful cabinet maker who did not mind boys about his shop, printing in my grandfather’s newspaper office, and enough of pattern making in a nearby foundry so that I could cast a 12-pound lead sphere for shot putting.” These early lessons would, in part, shape Batchelder’s commitment to the Loomis Founders’ vision for relevant and useful education, one that he articulated as a school that would be “a community made up of many men of different kinds, each respecting the ideals of the others and working for the common good.” Mr. Batchelder’s objects and stories offered him a way of knowing he was at home at Loomis for nearly four decades.

O bject Le sson

On his desk in Founders Hall, Mr. B kept this 1790 letter from U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton to Joseph Hiller, the first U.S. collector of customs in Salem, Massachusetts, one of a number of references to Mr. B's hometown that accented his office.

To see the customs duty receipt signed by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Murphy and Dana drawings for the interior of the Headmasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office in Founders Hall, and a photograph of the Headâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House fireplace surround, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

Cl a ss No tes

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Cl ass Not e s

1951 John Foster was featured in the Member Spotlight section of the September issue of the Florida State Poet’s Association newsletter, Of Poets and Poetry. He says he hopes to inspire alumni in retirement to “pursue and develop new interests. It’s never too late!” To view the full text of the spotlight, visit www.loomischaffee.org/ magazine.

1963 Prompted by his experience serving as an advisor for a major historical movie, Ralph Sawyer recently began writing scripts and novels with historical and technologically accurate settings. His first two novels were recently published. Assassin’s Quandary: An Intrepid Healer in Early China is “a tale of a young healer in Warring States China who is compelled to undertake a critical assassination mission.” Solitary Subversives “is a story about two young New England brothers who, inspired by a Chinese military manual and the lessons of Greek history, try to prevent (or at least deter) the War of 1812 through deception, facades, ‘the ploy of suffering flesh’ (as the Chinese term it), and theatrical explosions.” Ralph reports that “[movie] scripts written in conjunction with both of them are bouncing around Hollywood, though I’m not optimistic about their chances in an industry obsessed with action and fantasy.”

1971 Martha Gunn Anderson Eichler has much good news to report, including the wedding of her daughter Caroline in March 2019

and her daughter Tory’s graduation from Oberlin College in May 2019. Martha and her husband, Rob, are working to open the Thornton Wilder Center for the Arts in Peterborough, N.H., where Wilder wrote his play Our Town and other works. She is grateful for good health and living in a green place of beauty.

1978

ABOVE: Members of the Chaffee Class of 1972 got together in September for a mini-reunion at the home of Susan Hubbard Hamlet in Clinton, Conn.: Kitty Johnson Peterson, Ellen Kennedy, Susan, Anne Schneider McNulty, Betty Collins, and Gail Budrejko.

Peter Korzenik was recently profiled in the inaugural issue of The NGO Whisperer, a magazine published in South Africa. He and his business partner in Kenya have launched a virtual mentoring program for Kenyan health managers called Wired4Excellence, which “connects experienced U.S. healthcare executives with young, up-and-coming Kenyan health managers via Skype and email.” Peter explains that this is the first initiative of its kind anywhere in the world, and he thinks Wired4Excellence “can have [a] substantial impact and improve the health and well-being of countless people in Africa.”

CHAFFEE BOOK CLUB

1979 Dang T. Phan celebrated his 40th Reunion on the Island this year. He shares that he and his son Revel and a team of 30 U.S. veterans and volunteers built three houses in Vietnam with Habitat for Humanity in 2018. He leads the U.S. business of Capitaland, a Singapore-based global real estate company. Dang was the keynote speaker at a U.S. Naturalization Ceremony held at Loomis Chaffee this fall. For more on the ceremony, see page 5, and for the text of his address, see page 38.

The fall gathering of the Chaffee Book Club on October 2, 2019, featured Kimberly S. Alexander’s Treasures Afoot: Shoe Stories from the Georgian Era, with history teacher and school archivist Karen Parsons leading a lively and interesting discussion. Karen had invited attendees to wear or bring shoes that had special meaning to them, adding a fun and fascinating element to the conversation. And of course there was much delight in discussing the traditional “sturdies” worn at The Chaffee School. Attendees included: (front) Priscilla Ransom Marks ’66, Evie Smith ’50, Lynn Hayden Wadhams ’61, Beverley Earle ’68, and Elaine Title Lowengard ’46; and (back) Anne Schneider McNulty ’72, Kate Butterworth Valdez ’67, Jenefer Carey Berall ’59, Betsy Mallory MacDermid ’66, Sarah Lowengard ’72, and Karen.

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Cl ass Not e s

1 Mike O’Malley ’74, Jim Cubeta ’74, and John Leffel ’74 got caught in a few rain storms riding around Cape Elizabeth, Maine, this summer. 2 Carlo Centeno ’74 (right) recently caught up with fellow Pelican Ken Werner ’75 at a reception at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Mass., where Ken is the chair of the Board of Trustees. 3 Class of 1985 alumni gathered for a picture with their children who are current Pelicans at Family Weekend this fall: Luke Struthers ’21, Tim Struthers ’85, Ethan Lavalley ’21, Zennon Briggs ’22, Polly Pearse Lavalley ’85, Maria Gluch Briggs ’85, Susan Bain Bellak ’85, Sadie Gardner ’20, Nicholas Bellak ’21, Kevin Gardner ’85, Sam Scherer ’21, Hayley Scherer ’23, and Tony Scherer ’85. 4 Rich First ’86 ran into classmate Sydney Monstream this fall at Art Hop in Burlington, Vt. 5 Nick Filipone ’98 was named to Aircraft Maintenance Technology Magazine’s 2019 40 Under 40 list for the aerospace industry. 6 Pelicans gathered with Shenae Smith Dure ’00 at her baby shower: Sarah-Beth Chester ’99, Denaka Perry ’00, Kimya Charles ’99, Shenae, Tiffany CastlemanSmith ’00, and Gleennia Napper ’99.

1983

1995

Margaret Symonds is grateful for the help of physician J.B. Durand, husband of Jessica Ferdinand, who helped Margaret through a recent stroke. Margaret says that Dr. Durand was “her angel…and simply extraordinary, as he explained the whole procedure.” Margaret is on leave from her medical practice awaiting a heart procedure.

Chris Doherty writes that “everything is cruising along pretty well!” He has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for 20 years and has gone from software engineering to managing teams of software engineers. He writes that he is “grateful to have been doing that for a couple open-source companies now.” He is still happily married, and his child is almost 6-foot-2 and just started high school. Chris reports a new hobby: “I picked up the violin a couple years ago so I could learn to play Swedish folk music, and it’s a merciless instrument, but I love it anyway.”

1986 Rich First bumped into some fellow alums recently. He spent time with former roommate Ed Sharkansky and his family in Burlington, Vt., this summer, where they took a walking tour of Queen City and caught up. In September, Rich ran into Sydney Monstream at Art Hop in Burlington. Rich reports that his family is doing well, “playing soccer, complaining about school, and enjoying all that Vermont has to offer!”

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Lori Sherman Shaer ’91 Class Agent 6

1996

1999

Trace Kelsey Peterson’s book of poems Since I Moved In was published in May 2019 by Chax Press. This is the second edition of what has become a classic text in transgender literature, now revised with a new introduction by poet and scholar Joy Ladin. The subject matter includes transgender memoir, poems about towns in Connecticut, and nonbinary poetics. Harvard scholar and poet Stephanie Burt says in a blurb: “This book is maybe the first book of poetry in which I saw my own trans experience written and comprehensibly embodied, not allegorically or across a gap of anachronisms but as it is, as it was at the very same time.”

Pete Lepak led his South Windsor (Conn.) Bobcats boys soccer team to a 14-2 record, winning the Central Connecticut Conference East Division for the fourth straight year. All 14 wins were by shutout. Lepak also earned his 100th career win when the Bobcats beat Kennedy High 3-0 in the first round of the state tournament.

2000 Shenae Smith Dure and her husband, Carlo, welcomed Cairo Joseph Dure on September 11, 2019. Shenae reports that his big sisters Laila, Brielle, and Serena are happy to finally have a brother!

The Class Agent program at Loomis Chaffee is comprised of a dedicated group of volunteers who appreciate lasting connections with their classmates and understand the importance of fundraising. They serve as ambassadors for Loomis Chaffee, encouraging classmates to remain engaged with their alma mater through involvement in alumni events and through participation in the Annual Fund. During 2018–19, Class Agents helped raise a record-breaking $4,571,292 for the Loomis Chaffee Annual Fund. One such Class Agent is Lori Sherman Shaer ’91. “I have served as a class agent since graduating from Loomis Chaffee because the program is a great vehicle for me to periodically connect with my classmates while doing the important work of raising money to support the school with resources for today and into the future,” Lori says. If you are interested in learning more and joining Lori and other Class Agents in the program, please contact Debra Bathmann, associate director of the Annual Fund, at debra_bathmann@ loomis.org or 860.687.6805.

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2012 Molly Pitegoff recently visited Denver, where she hiked Square Top Mountain (13,974 feet) with Will Fierston.

Catherine Gouge ’04

Rachelle Soriano is in medical school at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She recently interned with WHO Africa and helped the central office in Brazzaville, Congo. Her knowledge of French, learned at Loomis, was invaluable in French-speaking Congo. Rachelle also participated in the training of mid-level practitioners in the First WHO Regional Value Money Training in Abuja, Nigeria.

2013

Catherine with dad Thomas Gouge, sister Nora Moore, and niece Fiona Moore

“I look back at my time on the Island fondly. Through all the ups and downs, I am forever grateful for my Loomis Chaffee experience. The school challenged me both in the classroom and swimming pool, providing me the belief that I could go beyond my limits. It taught me to be my best self and work towards the common good, and it taught me that both successes and failures should be celebrated and used for learning opportunities. To this day, Loomis Chaffee students inspire me as the next generation of leaders find their best selves on the Island just as I did more than 15 years ago. I chose to include the school in my estate plans because I believe deeply in making sure the next generation of Loomis Chaffee students have the opportunities I had: opportunities to lead, be challenged, and create lasting memories of their time on the Island so that they too will give back to the next generation.”

interested in planned giving?

Join The John Metcalf Taylor Society For more information, please contact Associate Director of Development Heidi E.V. McCann ’93 at 860.687.6273 or heidi_mccann@loomis.org. www.loomischaffee.org/plannedgiving

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Benjamin Russell announces that he was sworn in to the Louisiana State Bar on October 14, 2019, after passing the July 2019 bar exam. He reports that “after the demands of law school and the intensity of bar exam preparation, it was so rewarding to finally take the oath and see the payoff of more than three years. Practicing law is difficult, but I’m privileged to do something every day that I truly love doing.”

2016 Evan Manafort was a Fordham University Gabelli School of Business 2018–19 Academic Year Dean’s List Honoree and is looking for a full-time position in investment management in New York City. He is looking forward to graduation from Fordham in 2020.

REUNION 2020

Classes ending in 0s and 5s, it’s your year! Mark your calendar for Reunion Weekend, and join us on the Island for the festivities! Look for your invitation in the spring. Stay connected by completing the Reunion survey, and find out more about the weekend at www.loomischaffee.org/reunion or call 860.687.6815.

UPCOMING EVENTS Head’s Holiday NYC Thursday, February 6 District Social New York City 6:30–8:30 p.m.

4 1 Will Fierston ’12 and Molly Pitegoff ’12 atop Square Top Mountain in Colorado

3 Newly minted lawyer Ben Russell ’13 beams at the 2019 Louisiana Bar Admission Ceremony.

2 Rachelle Soriano ’12 stands outside the World Health Organization Africa central office in Brazzaville, Congo, where she interned.

4 Evan Manafort ’16, a senior at Fordham University Gabelli School of Business

Hartford Area Reception Thursday, February 6 Scanlan Campus Center Loomis Chaffee 6–8 p.m.

An Evening at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts Wednesday, April 22 Pre-show reception and a performance of the award-winning musical The Band’s Visit 5:30 p.m. Pelicans at the Ballpark Hartford Yard Goats vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats Sunday, May 31 1:10 p.m. For more information, visit loomischaffee.org/alumni or email michelle_carr@loomis.org. loomischaffee.org

Pelicans at the Ballpark

A lumni G at her i ngs

LEFT: Faye and Fred Geisel ’67 and Nancy and John Rogers ’67 MIDDLE: Barnaby Horton ’87 and Tracee Petrillo Murphy ’87

BOSTON RED SOX | May 19, 2019

RIGHT: Chuck Whelan ’59 and John Whelan ’58 with family

LEFT: Matt Hartigan ’02, Dan Lacy ’02, Jessica Bristow, and Stefanie Kovach

NEW YORK YANKEES | June 22, 2019

RIGHT: Emily Neal and Kai Williams ’02

LEFT: Nick Filipone ’98 with family

HARTFORD YARD GOATS | June 23, 2019

RIGHT: Pam and Jeff Verney P ’14; Ruth Shulansky P ’72, ’77, GP ’06, ’07, ’14 ; Deb Shulansky ’77, P ’07, ’14; Carolyn Gershman ’14; and Sam Verney ’14

LEFT: Freshman Zoe Alford, senior Ethan Alford, and their dad, Chris Alford MIDDLE: Sarah Williams ’13 and Joe Niemiroski ’12

HARTFORD YARD GOATS | July 27, 2019

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RIGHT: John and Amy Silliman Avedisian ’69

Alumni G at her i ngs

HARLEM RECEPTION | September 24, 2019

DALLAS RECEPTION | October 10, 2019

TOP LEFT: Hosts Denaka Perry ’00, Nana Mensah Dimechkie ’01, Courtney Ackeifi ’06, and Erik Cliette ’84 with Associate Head for External Relations Nat Follansbee TOP RIGHT: Darius Moore ’13, K.J. Picou ’13, and A.J. Poplin ’13

TOP: Hosts Katie and David Aisner ’96, Gifts Officer Mitch Linker, and Associate Head for External Relations Nat Follansbee

BOTTOM LEFT: Bridget Ackeifi ’07, Shahri Griffin ’82, and Kwanza Butler ’89

BOTTOM LEFT: Rachael Evans Singer ’94 and Evan Singer ’94

BOTTOM RIGHT: Darin Kingston ’01, Victoria Hoen ’02, Taharqa Patterson ’01, Denaka Perry ’00, and Candace Arrington ’03

BOTTOM RIGHT: Jonathan and Deborah Stowe P ’21 and Kris Clinton P ’20

Introducing LC Connect Loomis Chaffee’s new alumni engagement platform

Loomis Chaffee has launched a new online community and resource for alumni, making it easier than ever for Pelicans to stay connected to each other and with the school. LC Connect is an opt-in networking platform, powered by Graduway, that will enable alumni to: • Find and re-engage with fellow alumni through the online directory and groups • Expand professional connections through mentorship opportunities and a job board

• Stay up to date with Loomis Chaffee news and activities through an alumni events board and the school’s social media channels • Have on-the-go access through the LC Connect mobile app

Register at www.loomischaffeealumni.org LC Connect replaces Loomis Chaffee’s Evertrue app and Career Network, upgrading the alumni experience by providing several resources in one platform.

Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

Obit ua r ies

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

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Former Trustee Miriam “Mims” Brooks Butterworth ’36 Served 1981–1986

Miriam “Mims” Brooks Butterworth, a devoted alumna, a former Chaffee teacher, and a former Loomis Chaffee Trustee, died on July 9, 2019, in Bloomfield, Conn., just a few miles from her childhood home on Park Avenue in Windsor, where she lived when she was a Chaffee School student. Throughout her long life, Mims traveled the world and was a dedicated parent, historian, educator, author, and activist. Mims, who was a year young for her grade when she started at Chaffee in the fall of 1931, was a five-year student. After graduating, she attended Connecticut College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in German in 1940 and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She earned a master’s degree from Wesleyan University in 1959. Mims taught history for 10 years, including eight years (1961–69) at The Chaffee School. With strong views on the political and social issues of her day, Mims was vocal in her opposition to the Vietnam War and the worldwide nuclear arms race. A witness to police violence at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, her activism led her to become a member of the People’s Delegation at the 1971 Paris Peace Talks, and she helped organize the Connecticut Freeze Movement against nuclear proliferation. She served as an official observer of Nicaragua’s first elections under the Sandinista govern-

1941 Clinton Gilbert Morrison, on May 19, 2019, at Water’s Edge in Lake Wales, Fla. A fouryear student from Great Neck, N.Y., Clinton served in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist mate, first class corpsman, attached to the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He spent his career in the medical supply field and was the owner of Hazleton Medical Supply in

ment in 1984, and she made several subsequent trips to Central America to report on conditions there. In addition to teaching, Mims served as commissioner of the Connecticut Public Utilities Control Authority and was president of Hartford College for Women in 1979–80. She served on the West Hartford Town Council in the 1980s. In her later years she authored several books on history and social causes. Mims was a champion for women and believed they should have the same opportunities as men. In an interview for the Summer 2015 issue of Loomis Chaffee Magazine, Mims reflected that she would have loved to work as a foreign correspondent, a journalistic career that was not possible decades ago for a married woman like herself. She was encouraged that women today may choose to have both a family and a career. Mims remained closely connected with the school and her classmates, serving on the Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1986, and she was a regular attendee and vocal contributor to the Chaffee Book Club. Head of School Sheila Culbert writes, “I was privileged to get to know Mims Butterworth over the past 12 years. She was a regular at the Chaffee Book Club, where her love for The Chaffee School and all that it represented was clearly evident. Even into her late 90s, she not only came fully

Hazleton, Pa. He was passionate about volunteering, socializing, the outdoors, and flying. He led a Boy Scout explorer troop and was a member St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and the Masons in Hazleton. He served on the Saddlebag Lake Community Council and the Lake Wales Literacy Council, was a tour guide at Bok Tower Gardens, and introduced generations of children to the outdoors and Winnie the Pooh through a Pooh Trail he creat-

prepared for discussion, but her comments and contributions were indicative of her fierce intellect and passion for social justice. She is sorely missed.” Mims was a member of the Common Good Society and the James Metcalf Taylor Society. Preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Oliver Butterworth, and her brother, Douglas Brooks ’34, Mims was survived by her four children, Michael Butterworth ’59, Timothy Butterworth ’62, Kate Butterworth Valdez ’67, and Daniel Butterworth, and their spouses; her nine grandchildren; her 13 great-grandchildren; and two former exchange students, Detlef Leenen of Berlin, Germany, and Anna Bing Major of Beaufort, S.C.

ed in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Organization, and he helped restore a Taylorcraft plane, which he flew to organization events. According to the family obituary, Clinton was “interested in everybody and was an easy friend. He loved entertaining friends and family with his stories, games, puzzles, and magic tricks.” He was survived by his wife, Marian Morrison; his sons, C. Gilbert

Morrison, Harold B. Morrison, and Donald E. Morrison, and their spouses; and five grandchildren. A memorial service was held on May 27, 2019, in Lake Wales.

1942 Eleanor Rockwell Poole, on December 30, 2018. A three-year Chaffee student from Hartford, Conn., Eleanor served as literary loomischaffee.org

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editor of the yearbook. She married Robert Poole in 1944, and the couple raised their family of five children in Middlefield, Conn. Eleanor earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Connecticut in 1968. According to the family obituary, Eleanor was an early environmentalist, and she and her husband “shared their hearts, house, and organic vegetables with many renters, friends, and family members.” She was active in the Green Mountain Hiking Club and enjoyed spending time at Upper Goose Pond in Lee, Mass. Predeceased by her husband, Bob; her son Kenny; and her daughter Leslie, Eleanor was survived by her children Allan, Margaret, and Laura; and three granddaughters. A memorial service was held on April 27, 2019, at South Congregational Church, in Middletown, Conn. Edwin Snelgrove, on May 28, 2019, peacefully, with family by his side. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Ed was involved in the Rifle Club, Glee Club, Debating Club, and Grounds Committee, and he was cast in several theater productions. He was active in football, baseball, basketball, and tennis. Ed attended Yale University on scholarship for two years before joining the U.S. Navy, where he served his country in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Wedderburn (DD 684) during World War II. After the war, he completed his bachelor’s degree at Yale and enjoyed a long and successful career in advertising. He was first employed in New York City, and after a short while, Ed returned to Connecticut, where he worked as the production manager for several advertising agencies, including at H.H. Graham and Associates, where he met his wife, Norma.

He also worked at Wilson Haight and Welch and retired from Mintz and Hoke. Ed and Norma lived in Berlin, Conn., for 52 years before moving to Manchester to live near their daughter. Over the course of his career, Ed was recruited as a model several times and appeared in a few print advertisements in national magazines. Known as a quiet man who loved to read books on historical subjects, Ed also had a good singing voice and sang in several voice ensembles, including the Yale Glee Club, the Hartford Chorale Club, several church choirs, and, later in life, a large barbershop chorus. He enjoyed amateur theater and took part in several productions at Loomis, at Yale, and with the Windsor Jesters. Ed’s volunteer commitments included service to the Berlin Congregational Church and as a community literacy volunteer. His favorite pastimes included golfing, bowling, hiking with his son, Andy, and visiting historical sites with his son-in-law, Tom. According to the family obituary, Ed was “a wonderful, unselfish father, supportive of his children’s interests and patiently chauffeuring them to their activities. … [He] was a devoted husband to his wife, Norma, and faithfully continued to care for her in the last few years of her life as her physical and mental health declined.” Ed was survived by his sons Edwin Snelgrove Jr. and Andrew Snelgrove ’82; his daughter Elizabeth Zownir and her husband, Thomas; his stepson Michael Casey; his brother Alan Snelgrove ’45 and his wife, Lois; seven grandchildren and step grandchildren; and many extended family members. In addition to Norma, his wife of more than 60 years, Ed was predeceased by his sister, Virginia Maher, and his father, Percy Snelgrove, Class

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

of 1919. A joint memorial service was held for Ed and Norma on June 15, 2019, at Center Congregational Church in Manchester followed by a private burial in Wilcox Cemetery in East Berlin, Conn.

1943 Jean Rowland Haffenreffer, on June 2, 2019, surrounded by her family. A three-year Chaffee student from New Britain, Conn., Jean served as president of the senior class. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Wellesley College. Jean married Frederick Fritz Haffenreffer, and the two raised a family of six children. Passionate about music, Jean established a long friendship and musical collaboration with opera impresario Sarah Caldwell, who directed and conducted the Opera Company of Boston for more than 30 years. Jean served on and chaired the board of the Opera Company of Boston and the board of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, sang in her church choir and with the Handel and Hayden Society, was a talented pianist, and rarely missed Friday symphony. Committed to serving the community, she was a member of the Junior League of Boston for more than 60 years and served as its president for three years. She was a founding member of the Wellesley Garden Study Group and served as a board member and past president of the New England Home for Little Wanderers. A summer resident of Nantucket Island for 93 seasons, Jean, along with Fritz, supported island conservation efforts through the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and the Nantucket Land Council and instilled in their children

a deep love and respect for the island’s fragile beauty. When not refereeing gaggles of children and their friends, Jean enjoyed driving her moped, playing tennis and bridge, watercolor painting, and making Nantucket lightship baskets. Jean will be remembered for her devotion to her children and family. Preceded in death by Fritz, her husband of 47 years, and her son Frederick (Frizi), she was survived by her children William, Peter, Carol Abrahams, Hugh, and Jeanie Resetarits and their spouses; 10 grandchildren; her nephew William Rowland ’73; and many extended family members. A celebration of Jean’s life took place on July 13, 2019, at the Lutheran Church of the Newtons, in Newton, Mass., followed by interment at Walnut Hills Cemetery in Brookline, Mass.

1945 Gretchen Schafer Skelley, on June 4, 2019. A four-year Chaffee student from Hartford, Conn., Gretchen was involved in the Glee Club, was a reporter for Chiel and yearbook editor, was active in cheerleading and soccer, and performed in theatrical productions. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College for Women in 1949, and she married Joseph F. Skelley Jr. in 1950. As a lifelong Hartford resident, Gretchen was active in Center Church and was a longtime member of the Town and Country Club of Hartford. Gretchen’s many and varied interests included reading, playing bridge, world travel, and writing poetry. She was a lover of cats, and in her 40s took up yoga and taught classes for many years. Gretchen remained connected to the Loomis Chaffee community

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Former Trustee Warren W. Eginton ’41 Served 1974–1988

Warren W. Eginton passed away on October 7, 2019, at his home in Redding, Conn. “Edge,” as he was known, served on the Loomis Chaffee Board of Trustees from 1974 until 1988, and after stepping down was named an honorary life Trustee. His devotion to Loomis Chaffee can be traced back 82 years, to his arrival on the Island as a freshman in 1937. A four-year student from Darien, Conn., Edge was involved in the Debating Council and Theater Crew, and he served as president of the Chess Club, business manager of the Stagehands Union, and sports editor of The Log. He was active in soccer, golf, baseball, and hockey. Edge roomed with four boys, including his lifelong friend Knight Edwards ’41, on the third floor of Founders Hall, and their prefect was George P. Shultz ’38, who later became U.S. Secretary of State. After Commencement, Edge attended Princeton University, but his undergraduate study was interrupted in 1944 when he was commissioned at Fort Sill and then became an armored officer at Fort Knox. He served in the Philippines with the 716th

Tank Battalion and became a war-crimes investigation officer for the trials of Japanese Generals Yamashita and Homma. While awaiting transportation back to the United States, he was caught in crossfire involving the Filipino Constabulary and Japanese prisoners, so his return was delayed by six months for hospital convalescence. He arrived back at Princeton in the fall of 1946 and received a degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton in 1948. He then attended Yale Law School and earned a juris doctorate in 1951. Edge spent brief periods with the New York City law firms of Donovan Leisure and Davis Polk, after which he became a partner of Cummings & Lockwood in Stamford, Conn. Nominated by U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker and appointed by President Jimmy Carter, Edge became a U.S. District Court judge in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1979. He was the longest-serving federal judge in the history of the U.S. courts in the district of Connecticut, serving as an active and, subsequently, senior judge until his death. According to an obituary published in The Hartford Courant on October 8, 2019, by Edmund H. Mahony, “Edginton … was known for interacting with the public, and he particularly enjoyed presiding over naturalization ceremonies, including many at the U.S. Navy submarine base in Groton, with which he had a special relationship. … He was an expert in product liability law … and is the author or editor of several noted publications concerning product liability litigation.” Edge was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, American Judicature Society, Federal Bar Council, Connecticut Bar Association, and Institute of Judicial Administration, among others. In addition to practicing law, Edge was an adjunct law professor at New York University and Fordham University, and for two decades he served annually as a visiting judge

in Arizona and New Mexico. Edge served on many boards, including the Terrace Club and Leadership Development Council at Princeton, the Hilla von Rebay Foundation in support of the arts, and the Pine Island Camp in Belgrade Lakes, Maine. In his years as a Loomis Chaffee Trustee, Edge was instrumental on the search committee that brought John Ratté to the Island as headmaster. Edge’s leadership led to the establishment of the Committee on Trustees, ensuring a sound methodology for the selection of Trustees. A loyal and dedicated Pelican, Edge had a hand in organizing several class reunions and was a member of the Common Good Society. “Edge was a master at developing relationships and networks of close personal and professional friends,” remembered Associate Head of External Relations Nat Follansbee. “Along with his occasional attendance and commentary at Board meetings as [an honorary] Trustee, I will remember Edge best for the Hartford luncheons that he organized for archivist Karen Parsons, former Head of School John Ratté, former Trustee Tim Covello ’50, and me, where his Loomis Chaffee bonds were so strong, and for the summer evening cruises on Long Island Sound with individuals from all walks of his life, where his wide network brought so many together to become far better acquainted. He was an extraordinary man and friend.” In 1951, Edge married the former Marjorie Barr, who preceded him in death after 40 years of marriage. He later married the former Mary Leonard, who died in 2013. Edge was survived by his daughter, Andrea Seaton, and her husband, Mike; his son, John Eginton; his two granddaughters; and his companion, Edythe Woodruff. A celebration of his life was held at Loomis Chaffee in Founders Chapel on November 9, 2019.

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as a member of the John Metcalf Taylor Society. Preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, and her brother Lawrence Schafer ’38, Gretchen was survived by her daughters Susan Skelley ’69, Katherine Skelley ’72, and Joan Skelley ’76; and four grandchildren. A memorial service was

held on June 29, 2019, at Center Church in Hartford.

1947 Richard W. Osborne Sr., on April 25, 2019. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Dick

was involved with the Political Club, Rifle Club, and Athletic Council. He was active in soccer, fencing, tennis, and badminton, and he was captain of the rifle team. Dick earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Trinity College and served his country as a staff sergeant in

the U.S. Air Force, for which he was honored with a National Defense Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. He met his wife, Marge, at Lake Hayward in East Haddam, Conn., and the two married in 1961. They raised their family of four children in Wallingford, Conn. Dick enjoyed

Former Trustee George Alexander Scott Served 1988–1992

George Alexander Scott died peacefully at home in the presence of his family on September 16, 2019. George, a respected educator, business owner, and community leader, served as a Loomis Chaffee Trustee from 1988 to 1992. Originally from St. Andrew, Jamaica, George graduated from Kingston College in 1946 and became a teacher there and at Knox College, both in Jamaica. George received a scholarship to attend the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where he earned a degree in psychology and moral philosophy and graduated with honors in 1957. Afterwards, George returned to Jamaica to Knox College, where he became second principal. In 1977, George and his wife Pauline made the difficult decision to leave Jamaica to start a bakery business in Toronto, Canada. After two years, the family moved to Hartford, Conn., and opened Hartford West Indian Bakery on Albany Avenue. Through its 40 years in business, the bakery, known to many as Scotts’ Jamaican Bakery, grew to employ 45 people in three retail outlets and a manufacturing plant. With the business all located in Hartford’s troubled and economically underserved North End, George was committed to taking an active role in the community. He dedicated time and energy working with a variety of organizations devoted to improving the lives of people living in Hartford’s urban areas, and George’s leadership included service on a number of boards, including Upper Albany Merchants Association, the Hartford Courant Foundation, the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford Hospital, University of Hartford,

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

and Loomis Chaffee. “A highly successful businessman, George Scott was an elegant man who cared deeply about education, that of his own children — Gordon ’83, Robert ’85, Rachael ’86, and Michael ’88 — and that of others,” recalls Loomis Chaffee Associate Head for External Relations Nat Follansbee. “I was fortunate enough to meet him and his wife Pauline in the years when I taught and had two or three of his children in class. As a Trustee, this same concern shined through as a priority for the school. He served Loomis Chaffee and the local community with care and insight from his life experience.” George developed a reputation as a problem-solver, and civic leaders from churches and schools, students, employees, friends, and neighbors came to rely on his wise counsel in resolving issues of broad concern. Praised for his “deep love of Hartford,” George was recognized by The Hartford Courant as Business Leader of the Year in 1999, and through the years he received numerous awards, citations, and letters of recognition from both civic organizations and local and state government officials. Among them were a Distinguished Service Award from Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell and a proclamation from Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez declaring April 30, 2009, George Scott Day in the city of Hartford. George’s favorite pastimes included reading and gardening. In his youth, George played cricket and tennis and enjoyed sailing and waterskiing. Later in life, his leisurely pursuits included golf and table tennis. While in his early 70s, George was selected by Robert Pinsky,

national poet laureate, to be featured in the Favorite Poem Project. A segment about George’s life and his reading of his favorite Jamaican poem, “Song of the Bananaman,” aired on PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and a video copy is cataloged in the U.S. Library of Congress. According to the family obituary, George was “known to have a childlike curiosity about the workings of the world, a gentleman’s honor and humility in his dealings with people, a calm, thoughtful approach to solving problems, and his own style and grace both on and off the dance floor.” He was survived by his wife, Pauline; his children, Gordon C. Scott ’83, Robert C. Scott ’85, Rachael N. Beare ’86, and Michael G. Scott ’88; eight grandchildren, including Alexander Scott ’17; and an extended network of family, colleagues, employees, neighbors, and friends. A funeral service was held on September 29, 2019, at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford.

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a long and successful career as an engineer for Southern New England Telecommunications and retired in 1987 after nearly 37 years with the organization. He was a proud member of the Wallingford Compass Lodge, where he served as Worshipful Master in 1970, as well as the Masonic order at Ashlar Village, a senior-living community in Wallingford. Dick’s favorite pastimes included golf, bowling, and genealogical study. He was survived by Marge, his wife of 68 years; his children, Richard Osborne Jr. ’70, Kathleen D’Adio, Christine Ginter, and Marcia Santagata, and their spouses; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held on May 3, 2019, at the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home in Wallingford. Robert H. Sauer Jr., on April 24, 2019, peacefully in the care of his family. A two-year student from Enfield, Conn., Bob completed his studies and graduated from Springfield Technical High School. He served an apprenticeship with the Watertown Arsenal and received his certificate as a registered engineer. He served as staff sergeant with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict, was a member and past commander of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 114, and was associated with the American Legion in Natick, Mass. A longtime Framingham, Mass., resident, Bob enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a mechanical engineer in the field of diamond tool design, serving as supervisor of mechanical methods, chief tool designer, and manager of Machine Department operations with BLH Electronics in Waltham, Mass. Afterwards, he joined Crafts Precision In-

dustries of Canton, Mass., from which he retired as the engineering and quality control manager. In retirement, Bob continued to work with Alaska Diesel in Andover, Mass. He enjoyed deep-sea fishing, auto repairs, and home do-it-yourself projects. According to the family obituary, Bob was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed help, was a humble and kind man, and was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Bob was survived by his wife of 67 years, Valerie A. Vincent Sauer; his children, Valerie A. Hughes, Robert H. Sauer III, Peter D. Sauer, Ericha F. Stearns, and Christopher D. Sauer, and their spouses; eight grandchildren; and many extended family members. Funeral services were held on May 2, 2019, at the John C. Bryant Funeral Home in Wayland, Mass., and he was buried at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass.

1951 Richard Dyne Hardy, on January 13, 2019, in the state of Washington, where he was a resident at the time of his passing. A four-year student from Salisbury, Conn., Dick was involved with the Darwin Club, Barbell Club, Classical Music Club, Glee Club, Outing Club, and Halloween night patrol, and he was president of the Rifle Club. He was active in soccer, tennis, rifle team, and track.

1952 James Joseph Hartnett Jr., on June 24, 2019, in Walnut Creek, Calif. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Jim was involved in the Current Events

Club, Nautical Club, Stagehands Union, Press Club, and Senior Day Student Committee, and he served on the editorial board of Loomiscellany and as assistant business manager of the Business Board. He was active in soccer, basketball, track, and hockey. Jim earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and a master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania. He worked as a health services officer for the county of Alameda, Calif., until retirement. Preceded in death by his sister Grace Hartnett Leffel ’55, Jim was survived by his sister Joan Hartnett Ottaway ’62. Hull Platt Maynard Jr., on August 29, 2019, in Rutland, Vt. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Hull was involved in the Stagehands Union, the Ski Club, the Glee Club, the Barbell Club, and Junto, and he served as a medical aide, captain of the Pelicans, chairman of the Dance Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Endowment Fund. He was active in football, tennis, and riflery. His father, Hull P. Maynard, Class of 1919, was a Loomis faculty member, and the family lived on campus. Hull Jr. is described as an adventurer in his teenage years, with varied experiences working on farms in Colorado, as a ranch hand in Wyoming, as a medic on a hospital ship in Newfoundland, and as a bellhop in Cooperstown, N.Y. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College; served as an officer in the U.S. Army during the Korean War; and taught at Deerfield Academy. As a ski patroller at the Middlebury Snow Bowl, Hull met his future bride, Joanna “Taffy” Taft, whom he married upon returning from service abroad in 1960. The couple moved to Shrewsbury,

Vt., in 1962 and raised their four children. Hull became active in the Shrewsbury community by joining the volunteer fire department and serving as an overseer of the poor and as town moderator. In the 1970s he initiated Green Up Day, an early spring cleanup effort around town, and, according to the family obituary, he made roadside trash pick-up especially popular as he placed dollar bills under the litter. In 1978, Hull founded the Hull Maynard Insurance Agency in Rutland and served as president of the Vermont Insurance Agents Association as well as on the Board of Directors of the Vermont National Bank. He was a 56-year member of Grace Congregational United Church of Christ and a 50-year member and past president of the Rutland Rotary. He served as chairman of the Shrewsbury Town Republican Committee for many years and later expanded his political reach to Rutland County and the state. In 1996, Hull was elected Rutland County state senator, and went on to be re-elected to the state Senate six times. He served on various committees, including the Agriculture, Finance, Transportation, and Education committees, until 2010, and he recently retired from the Governor’s Appointed Veterans Council. As an avid bike rider who was committed to serving his fellow Vermonters, Hull rode his mountain bike to campaign in Rutland County’s 27 towns, stopping door to door, attending town suppers, and riding in parades. He enjoyed raising turkeys and sheep on his hobby farm, High Pastures, and was known for his award-winning Gilfeather turnips. A competitive tennis player, Hull was club champion at the Dorset Field Club in his earlier years, played in clubs across Vermont, and con-

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tinued to enjoy playing with his Rutland tennis group into his 80s. Hull is remembered for his gentle nature by his family, neighbors, and many friends. Preceded in death by his father, Hull P. Maynard ’19, and his brother, Peter Maynard ’55, he was survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Joanna “Taffy” Maynard; his children, Jill Nolan, Hull P. Maynard III, Todd T. Maynard, and Sarah M. Maynard, and their spouses; and five grandchildren. A celebration of life was held on September 28, 2019, at Grace Congregational United Church of Christ in Rutland.

1953 John Appleton Knowles III, on November 1, 2017, in Sellersville, Wash. A four-year student from Essex, Conn., John was involved in the Stamp Club, Puppeteers, Endowment Fund, and Nautical Club, and he was in the cast of a theater production of Our Town. He was active in football, baseball, hockey, and tennis. John was a veteran of the U.S. Army, and he earned a doctorate in chemistry from Arizona State University. He enjoyed a long career as a chemist for Wyeth Labs. In his free time John enjoyed sailing. He was survived by his wife, Martha Sommers Knowles; his children, Jared A. Knowles and Amanda Knowles; and his sister, Anne K. Wood.

1954 Norman Holmes Mandell, on September 12, 2017. A one-year student from Shaker Heights, Ohio, Norm was active in soccer, baseball, and cheerleading. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Heidelberg College in 1958 and

joined the U.S. Army, serving as a small arms specialist. In 1959, he served in a transportation battalion in Europe, primarily in France. Norm returned to Shaker Heights and joined Talkes Insurance Company, followed by Bouhall Partnership, as an insurance agent with his father. A lover of sports, Norm played tennis, managed softball teams with his friends, and refereed high school basketball for many years. Norm spent most of his life living in Greater Cleveland, where he joined in many social activities, including bridge, civic occasions and concerts, golf, and other sporting events. According to the family obituary, Norm never forgot to acknowledge a birthday or anniversary of his family members, and he is remembered for his loyalty and kindness to others. Norm was survived by his sister Carolyn Mandell Master, a nephew and niece, and many extended family members and friends. A memorial service was held on September 16, 2017, in the John Herr Chapel of Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights.

1955 John Robert Suisman, on September 9, 2019. A one-year Honor Roll student from West Hartford, Conn., John was involved in the Political Club, the Bridge Club, and theater productions, and he was a reporter for The Log. He was active in basketball and served as track team manager. John earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Yale University. A gifted amateur golfer, John was a two-year captain of the Yale golf team, competed in the 1960 U.S. Amateur Championship, and won numerous club championships. He enjoyed a career in the metals industry sector as a partner with

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Suisman Blumenthal, followed by a metals brokerage business that he founded. Later, John established a Hartford-area real estate business with his brother Richard. Committed to serving the community, John was president of Mount Sinai Hospital and chaired campaigns supporting the Hartford Jewish Federation and Renbrook School. He served on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Golf Association and on the boards of the Hartford Stage Company and First Tee of Connecticut. John’s life changed dramatically in 1993 when, as a result of a car accident, he lost both his legs. According to the family obituary, “John never let his accident define him. He learned to channel his energies in different directions, including working closely with an amputee support group helping others adjust to the changes in their lives at the Mount Sinai Rehab Hospital. … [N]othing brought more joy to John’s life than spending time with his family. He had a special relationship with each of his seven grandchildren, who deemed him all-time quarterback from his wheelchair.” In addition to golf, John’s favorite pastimes included reading literature and tackling The New York Times daily crossword puzzle. He was fiercely loyal to New York sports teams, and he especially enjoyed watching Yankees baseball games and Giants football games in the company of friends. John will be remembered for his resilience, generosity, dry wit, and warm smile. He was survived by his wife of 54 years, Kathryn Lehman Suisman; his four daughters, former Loomis Chaffee faculty member Lisa Parsons, Carolyn Shaughnessy, Stacey Suisman Keenan ’90, and Jennifer Suisman ’96, and their spouses, including sonin-law Ned Parsons, a former

Loomis Chaffee dean of faculty; his brother, Richard Parsons; and his seven grandchildren, including Will Parsons ’15 and Charlie Parsons ’16. Services were held on September 11, 2019, at Beth Israel Temple in West Hartford.

1960 Jane Tisher Powell Templeton, on July 9, 2019, peacefully in Cocoa, Fla. A four-year Chaffee student from New Britain, Conn., Jane was involved in the Library Committee and Glee Club. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Connecticut College. Jane’s experiences included working as a NASA consultant and serving as president of the Field Manor Foundation in Merritt Island, Fla. Golf was Jane’s favorite pastime, and she enjoyed playing and watching tournaments, including during her annual pilgrimage to the Masters Tournament in April. According to the family obituary, Jane was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Preceded in death by her husbands, Robert Powell, Phil Yon, and Jim Templeton, Jane was survived by her sons, Robb Powell, Jay Powell, and Dan Powell, and their spouses; stepson John Templeton; brother Paul Tisher; sister and brother-in-law Patsy Tisher Shea ’56 and Brendan Shea ’55; and many extended family members and friends. A memorial service was held on July 29, 2019, at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Cocoa, Fla.

1961 Robert Devlin Jr., on May 15, 2019, in Bonita Springs, Fla. A four-year student from Yonkers, N.Y., Rick, as he was known, was involved in the Loomis Athletic

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Association and the Intramural Athletic Association and was captain of cheerleaders. He served as president of the Political Club, chairman of the Executive Key Society, and manager of The Log. Rick was active in football, basketball, and baseball. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame University and a master’s in business administration from Dartmouth College.

1962 Joseph David Weissman, on March 2, 2019, in Middlebury, Vt., due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. A five-year student from Guilford and Block Island, Conn., David, who was sometimes known as “Dave” or “Butch,” was involved in the Biology Club, Key Society, Ski Club, Student Endowment Fund, Student Council, and Athletic Association, and he was vice president of the Darwin Club. A talented athlete, he earned two letters in football, two letters in hockey, and three letters in track, and as a teenager was an expert marksman cited for his skill by the National Rifle Association junior division. Dave earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Middlebury College, and while there, he voluntarily enrolled in the U.S. Army. His military service began with active duty in 1963, followed by the reserves and honorable discharge in 1970. With a proclivity for entrepreneurship, Dave opened the Block Island Surf Shop and Bellevue Garage when he was 17 and The Rural Retriever, a real estate-hunting business, when he was in college. After college, Dave established Mill Bridge Construction commercial and agricultural builders, known for its high-quality custom homes and

19th-century building preservation, and he worked closely alongside his employees. Committed to preserving and enhancing the architectural and agricultural beauty of Middlebury, Dave was instrumental in the purchase and restoration of the town’s Marble Works, pedestrian bridge, and converted warehouse, and the renovation of several Middlebury College buildings. Away from Middlebury for a time, Dave headed west to explore opportunities for integrated management of agriculture, forestry, habitat, hunting, and recreation. He purchased an island in Lake of the Woods, Ontario; ranches and smaller properties in Wyoming; and ventures in Argentina. In 2003, Dave returned to Middlebury to re-connect with lifelong friends and business associates and take on several meaningful construction and improvement projects. His passion for outdoor pursuits included duck hunting, surf casting, and deer hunting. According to the family obituary, “David was a visionary; a collector of ideas, experiences, stories and relationships. … Eager to share his wisdom, he put in extraordinary time helping those in which he took an interest. He preferred reading to idle chatter and a fireplace fire with a Labrador by his side. His legacy is the tapestry of all he encountered, inspired, and created. Quick with a greeting he is described by his most prominent features — twinkling blue eyes and smile.” Dave was formerly married to Susan Park Weissman ’63, and during their 42 years of marriage, they raised a family, celebrated many successes, and made many friends. He was survived by Susan; daughters Jeannine Anderson and Cara Boden and their spouses; and two grandchildren. He is also survived by his devoted compan-

ion of recent years, Judith Brown. A Celebration of Life was held on May 18, 2019, in East Middlebury, followed by private burial with military honors on Block Island in August 2019.

1971 Louis B. Birenbaum, on April 23, 2019. A four-year student from Haverhill, Mass., Louis was involved in the Radio Club, Admissions Committee, Student Council, Foreign Policy Association, and Faculty-Student Senate, and he served as senior class president and senior editor of Handbook. He was active in soccer, football, basketball, tennis, and baseball. Married to Sara Gens Birenbaum, the couple raised two children. Louis was survived by Sara, his wife of 36 years; his son, Norman, and his wife, Molly; his daughter, Rebecca Seid, and her husband, David; his sister, Randi Lapidus; three grandchildren; and many extended family members. Services were held on April 25, 2019, at Temple Emanuel in Newton, Mass., followed by burial at Sharon Memorial Park in Sharon, Mass. Daniel Joseph Connelly, on June 14, 2019, with his family by his side. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Dan was involved in the Senior Scholarship Committee, Student Council, Faculty-Student Senate, and Pirandellas, and he served as president of the Loomis Athletic Association, secretary/treasurer of the Foreign Policy Association, feature editor of The Log, and chairman of the Handbook Committee. He was active in basketball, lettered in football, and lettered in and captained baseball. Dan won the Trinity

Book Award at Commencement. He was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. Afterward, Dan embarked upon a long and successful international banking career, beginning with Citicorp in Atlanta, where he was assistant vice president of credit. He rose through the ranks and worked in several global locations before eventually retiring in 2015 as country officer for Citi East Africa and Citibank N.A. Kenya. According to the family obituary, “Dan and his wife, Julia Hatcher Connelly, cherished the experience of international travel, but always maintained their roots in North Carolina — the place where they met and started their lives together.” The family called Watauga County, N.C., their home base for more than 20 years, and upon his retirement, Dan and Julia settled in the community of Pinehurst, N.C., where they had many social connections, including at the Country Club of North Carolina and Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Southern Pines. His favorite pastimes included good conversation with family and friends and “a nice bottle of wine.” Dan was survived by his wife, Julia; his children, Jonathan Davis Connelly ’02, Gillian Hale Connelly, and Della Foley Connelly; his brother, Timothy Connelly; and his sister, Maureen Connelly Williams ’76.

1979 Bruce Livingston Clark, on September 7, 2019, in Avon, Conn., after a two-month battle with H.L.H., a rare and fatal immune system disorder. A three-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Bruce was involved in the Radio Club and Sailing Club and was

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Photo: Jessica Ravenelle

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active in football, wrestling, and lacrosse. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Alfred University, where he was a champion lacrosse player. Bruce became an expert cabinet-maker and designer, working first on a carpentry crew installing cabinets for Village Cabinets in Bristol, Conn., and eventually serving as chief executive officer of Belmont Corporation, a custom cabinetry business started by Bruce and his father. Belmont, a family-owned business for more than 50 years, was one of the largest custom cabinet manufacturers in New England, employing more than 70 people at one time. Bruce is remembered for his commitment to quality and integrity in the business. A natural athlete, Bruce’s favorite pastimes included golf, swimming, downhill skiing, target shooting, and especially sailing and power-boating. According to the family obituary, “He was happy anywhere there was water enough to float a boat, especially if it was in the vicinity of Old Kelsey Point in Westbrook, where he spent summers.” Bruce especially enjoyed spending time with his family. He was survived by his wife of 30 years, Marianne Landers Clark; his parents, David and Janet Butler Clark; his sister, Lauren Clark Hutton ’76; his children, James Thomas Leathem, Jarret Michael Leathem, and Samantha Gammie, and their spouses; three grandchildren; and many extended family members. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on September 21, 2019, at the Church of Saint Ann in Avon, followed by burial in Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford. Gregory Emmet Ratté, on October 25, 2019, at his home in Honolulu, Hawaii. A three-

year student, Greg served as co-president of the Outing Club, co-president of the Darwin Club, and vice president of Student Council. He was active in JV wrestling and was captain and lettered on both the boys varsity cross country and boys varsity track teams. Greg lived in Amherst, Mass., before attending Loomis Chaffee, where his father, John Ratté, was headmaster from 1976 to 1996, and his mother, Lou Ratté, taught history. Greg earned a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and completed a graduate business program at the Japan-America Institute of Management Sciences of Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. He enjoyed a successful career in asset management working with a variety of companies, including his own, G.E. Ratté Asset Management. In his role as an investment manager in Hartford, Conn., New York City, and Honolulu, Greg faithfully served the interests of his clients and their families, businesses, and philanthropic interests for more than 30 years. A lover of the opera, he served on the board of the Hawaii Opera Theatre and the Hawaii Symphony Foundation. An avid outdoorsman, Greg’s favorite pastimes included hiking, whitewater canoeing, kayaking in the Pacific, running up Diamond Head, and playing golf with his friends. Though he was born in Boston, he became a fan of the New York Yankees baseball team when he moved to New York City — which disheartened his family — but remained a New England Patriots fan throughout his life. In 1985, Greg married Junko Kaneda, with whom he had four children, and the family moved to Hawaii in 2001. The marriage ended in divorce in 2012. According to the family obituary, Greg was “a proud father, beloved son,

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brother, uncle, and friend.” He was survived by his parents, Lou and John Ratté; his former wife, Junko; his three siblings, Christopher Ratté, Catherine Ratté ’80, and Felicity B. Ratté ’81; and his four children, Alexander, Stephanie, Fred, and Emily.

1981 Richard A. Wilde, on May 24, 2019, at his family’s home in East Boothbay, Maine. A four-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Dick was a writer and sports editor for The Log and served as vice president of the Founders Society. He earned letters in both football and lacrosse and played hockey. Dick earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College, a juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and a master’s degree in international law from the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden in the Netherlands. After leading business development at a Boston-area tech startup, Dick practiced immigration law and helped settle refugees in New Hampshire. He later joined ABC News in New York, where he was director of news practices and then director of development and partnerships. While there, Dick continued to help immigrants seek asylum in the United States. In 2013, Dick served as senior vice president of business development at Pixel Corps, another tech start-up. While there, he produced livestream events with President Barack Obama in the White House and with Pope Francis in the Vatican. According to the family’s obituary, Dick’s proudest and most important professional work was serving veterans, their families, and their caregivers as a board member of the Bob Woodruff Foundation from 2012 until

the time of his death. In 1996, Dick met Steven D. Smith, and the two were married in Brookline, Mass., in 2004. They shared a joyful life and home in Salt Point, N.Y. Dick enjoyed good food and wine; his dogs, Loki and Blitz; travel; shooting sporting clays with friends in New York’s Hudson Valley; and the thrill of seeing the Boston Red Sox win the World Series four times in his lifetime. Preceded in death by his father, Wilson Wilde ’45, and his brother Stephen Wilde ’73, Dick was survived by his husband, Steven; his siblings Elisabeth L. Wilde and David W. Wilde ’76; and eight nieces and nephews, including Tucker Wilde ’07, Eben Wilde ’12, and Ryan Wilde ’14.

1987 Lena M. Chen, on July 21, 2019, unexpectedly of catastrophic illness. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Lena was president of the Asian Club, was inducted into the Cum Laude Society, and was on the cross country team. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and worked as a reporter for The Hartford Courant and then as a management consultant. Lena missed interacting with hospital patients as she had done during her studies, so she decided to pursue a medical degree at University of Pennsylvania. A commitment to establishing the highest quality standards of patient care motivated Lena’s notable career as physician, scientist, educator, and advisor to federal health policy leaders. After completing her medical residency at UPenn and working at Johns Hopkins University, where she became director of the Hospitalist Program, Lena returned to Harvard to earn a master’s degree

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

in health policy and management. She joined Michigan Medicine at University of Michigan in 2009, where she became known for her kindness and compassion in her care of hospital patients and in her mentoring of younger physicians and medical students. On the University of Michigan faculty, Lena was a clinical lecturer and became a member of the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, which is dedicated to bringing together health services researchers and public policy experts to collaborate on ways to improve healthcare delivery and public health. Because of her expertise in medicine and public policy, Lena was invited to work in Washington, D.C., as an advisor to the deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2015. At the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Lena’s work focused on understanding how changes in federal laws and programs affected the lives of individual patients. She became a national leader in health services research that informed health policy. With her ability to communicate with researchers from across diverse disciplines, including doctors, economists, scientists, and policy-makers, Lena played a key role in leading significant studies and launching important projects in her public service work. She was part of a team that in 2016 received the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Award for Meritorious Services. Lena returned to University of Michigan in 2018 and was named to the tenured position of associate professor of internal medicine. She continued in a consulting role at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Lena was a member of the health ser-

vices research professional society AcademyHealth, the Society of General Internal Medicine, and the Society of Hospital Medicine. She authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed research articles and spoke on her research at a range of conferences. According to the family obituary, Lena was happiest when she worked in Washington, D.C., because she “was able to combine her deep interests in both patient care and federal policy in the form of public service.” A beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, Lena was survived by her parents, Jong and Mei Chen; her sister, Pauline Chen Halsey ’82, who is a Loomis Chaffee Trustee, and brother-in-law, Woody Halsey; her brother, Michael Chen ’92, and sister-in-law, Grace Lee; her cousin Oliver Chen ’96; and her nieces and nephews, including Elinor, Meredith, and Lucas Chen and Loomis Chaffee seniors Isabelle Halsey and Natalie Halsey. A memorial service and celebration of Lena’s life was held at First Church of Windsor in Windsor, Conn., on July 21, 2019. The family requests that donations in Lena’s name may be made to: The Loomis Chaffee School for the Lena M. Chen, M.D. Faculty Prize for Mentoring.

1995 Andrew Norton Gray, on October 5, 2019, at his home in Wilmington, N.C., after a battle with cancer. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Andrew was active in wrestling, soccer, and Ultimate Frisbee, and he attended a semester school educational program at The Mountain School in Vershire, Vt., during his junior year. Andrew’s parents, Tom and Sylvia Gray, were on the Loomis Chaffee faculty, and throughout

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his life Andrew remained close to his childhood friend, Christopher Merrill ’95, son of Loomis math teacher Frank Merrill and foreign language teacher Alice Merrill. Andrew’s early days were documented by the two friends in a movie company they created as kids named Beastly Films. Andrew studied in the journalism program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. There, Andrew met his longtime love, Stewart Poisson. In 2008, Andrew received a master’s in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and was awarded the Norman Kaylor Outstanding MBA Student Award. With an aptitude for computer programming, technology, and entrepreneurship, Andrew started multiple companies while still at school in Chapel Hill, including a website design company called Code Blue Designs. He later turned his attention to developing technology to support the real estate businesses. With his friend Christian Francis, Andrew developed a real estate broker reciprocity platform called dotventures, and the two young entrepreneurs sought and received funding from angel investors to grow their start-up. A lover of music, Andrew promoted various musical acts in Chapel Hill, most notably his friends the Steep Canyon Rangers. He later promoted and DJ’d at the Library, a Chapel Hill bar opened by his friends in the mid-2000s. A regular attendee and music festival entrepreneur, he developed a line of festival wear to protect festival-goers from the sun. According to the family obituary, “Andrew’s parties were legendary … [He] always had good fun.” In 2009, Andrew partnered with Nathan Tayloe to form Tayloe/Gray, a web-marketing and digital design

company that served small businesses as well as large national clients. For many years Andrew wrote about the local tech scene for the Greater Wilmington Business Journal; served on the boards of WHQR public radio and Wilmington Downtown Incorporated; and taught classes on social media, e-commerce, and blogging for small businesses at local community colleges. He developed the payment platform Pay For Art, which made it easier for artists to sell their work. Intellectually curious and well-informed, Andrew welcomed a discussion on current political events and earned the respect of those with whom his opinions differed. Although he was committed to his work and his business colleagues, Andrew’s priorities remained with his family, his many friends, and the enjoyment of life to the fullest. He was survived by his parents, Tom and Sylvia Gray; his wife, Stewart; their two children, Alexander Poisson Gray and Elizabeth Cutlar Gray; his brother, Justin Prentiss Gray ’98; his grandfather, Timothy Downing; and many extended family members and friends. A celebration of Andrew’s life was held at the Brooklyn Arts Center in Wilmington, N.C., on October 16, 2019.

more than 20 years, and her roles included accounts payable clerk in the Business Office and secretary of Physical Plant. She also worked in the copy center and mailroom before retirement. Gayle loved horses and all animals. She was survived by her brother, Frederick Morgan Alford, with whom she made her home; her aunt Gayle Baldwin; and several extended family members. A memorial service was held on August 29, 2019, at the Carmon Poquonock Funeral Home followed by burial in Elm Grove Cemetery in Windsor.

More News The school has learned of the passing of Ruth Buchanan Ryzow ’42 on February 14, 2013; Elizabeth Robinson Higgins ’47 on November 3, 2019; George Brewer Thomas ’52 on October 20, 2019; Richard P. Netland ’55 on June 18, 2019; Serge Kozmin ’04 on September 8, 2019; former faculty member Walter Rabetz on November 4, 2019; former faculty member Marilyn Eliza Lincoln Spencer on November 5, 2019; and former staff member Raymond Frost on May 29, 2019. More information, as available, will be printed in future editions.

Former Staff Gayle Madeline Alford, on August 25, 2019, at her home in Windsor, Conn., where her family has lived for 11 generations. Born in Hartford, Conn., Gayle was the daughter of the late Alden Huntington and Jean Morgan Alford. Gayle graduated from Windsor High School and attended college in southern Maine. She was a dedicated Loomis Chaffee employee for loomischaffee.org

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Plans and Cartography

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Much has changed in the Island landscape since the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first architects drew up a plan of the campus more than a century ago. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footprint has expanded over the decades, of course. And even in the last few years, new and renovated buildings have altered the campus, as reflected in a recently updated map of Loomis Chaffee. Equally fascinating, however, is the enduring geometry of the campus layout, adjusted to fit the natural topography of the Island and the ever-evolving needs of the school.

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72 THEN (above): Murphy and Dana Architects drew the original General Plan for the campus in 1913, submitting it for the school's architectural competition. This 1918 version contains revisions of the original, reflecting the construction and naming of many of the buildings. Photo: Loomis Chaffee Archives NOW (opposite page): Current campus map, 2019

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ACADEMIC & ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES Alvord Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Chaffee Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Clark Center for Science & Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . .32 Founders Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Katharine Brush Library . . . .31 Kravis Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Hubbard Music Center . . . . .51 NEO Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Norton Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Pearse Hub for Innovation . .14 Scanlan Campus Center . . . .14 Sellers Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Richmond Art Center . . . . . .36 Writing Studio . . . . . . . . . . . .31 ATHLETIC FACILITIES & FIELDS Athletic Complex . . . . . . . . 6-10 Audrey Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D Erickson Gym . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Hedges Swimming Pool . . . .6 Kohn Squash Pavilion . . . . . .8 Meadows Fields . . . . . . . . K-M Olcott Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Pratt Field & Wilde Track . . . .G Savage/Johnson Rink . . . . .37 Sellers Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F Shimkus Gymnasium . . . . . .7 Shea Family Tennis Courts . . .H South Tennis Courts . . . . . . . . V Turf Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E RESIDENTIAL HALLS Ammidon Hall . . . . . . . . . . .24 Batchelder Hall . . . . . . . . . . .11 Carter Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Cutler Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Flagg Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Harman Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

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Howe Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Kravis Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Longman Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Palmer Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Richmond Hall . . . . . . . . . . .29 Taylor Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Warham Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 FACULTY HOMES Head’s House… . . . . . . . . . . .3 River Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Faculty Houses . . . . . . . . .38-43 OTHER FACILITIES Admission Office . . . . . . . . . .27 Alumni/Development Office .5 Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Bookstore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Business Office . . . . . . . . . . .17 Campus Safety . . . . . . . . . . .19 College Guidance Office . . .52 Communications Office . . . .21 Dining Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Founders Chapel . . . . . . . . . . .5 Grounds Building . . . . . . . . .48 Grubbs Quadrangle . . . . . . . . A Gwendolen Health Center . .29 Information Technology . . . .31 Hop Yard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J Loomis Family Homestead . .1 Mail Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Meadow Stairs . . . . . . . . . . .26 Mercy Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (0DEI) . . . . . . . . .52 Paint Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Physical Plant . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Ratté Quadrangle . . . . . . . . . .C Rockefeller Quadrangle . . . . .B

The Loomis Chaffee School 4 Batchelder Road Windsor, Connecticut 06095 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

WESTERNMOST A group of 12 Loomis Chaffee Model United Nations students and two faculty members traveled to Lisbon, Portugal, during Thanksgiving Break for the Yale Model Government Europe Conference, where the contingent won the Outstanding Small Delegation Award. During the nine-day journey, the travelers also took in some of the sights, history, and culture of Portugal, including a visit to Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Loomis Chaffee School

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2020

Articles inside

Obituary: Lena M. Chen ’87