Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019 by Loomis Chaffee

Winter 2019 VOLUME 81 |

NO. 1

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Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Heart

the

of the campus

The new Scanlan Campus Center opened on October 9, 2018. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

ON THE COVER: Kansas veterinarian Lauren Mack â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06 Photo: Brian Goodman

Contents Wi n t e r 2 0 19

Volum e 81

No. 1

F E AT U R E S

EDITORIAL & DESIGN TEAM

Wonders of Summer, Joys of Learning

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

Becky Purdy

The Loomis Chaffee Summer Program combines academically enriching experiences and classic summer fun with a signature curriculum focused on nurturing the best self and serving the common good.

Kansas Creatures Great and Small

Faculty Desks

Working the Land

Managing Editor

Jessica Hutchinson Graphic Designer

Christine Coyle Obituaries Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

Christine Coyle Tim Struthers ’85 John Cunningham Lisa Salinetti Ross Deidre Swords Heidi E.V. McCann ’93 Paige Abrams Karen Parsons

Veterinarian Lauren Mack ’06 has a busy and growing practice in rural Kansas, where cattle make up more than half of her business. “This place and work allow me to breathe, grow, and build freely,” she says.

In a new recurring feature, we take a look at the desks of faculty members, starting with the tidy, personal, curated workspace of science teacher Betsy Conger.

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

A year in the school’s Sustainable Agriculture Program unfurls in this photo essay.

facebook-square facebook.com/loomischaffee twitter-square twitter.com/loomischaffee instagram instagram.com/loomischaffee

D E PA R T M E N T S

4 From the Head 5 Island News 23 Faculty & Staff News 24 Pelican Sports 54 Object Lesson 56 Class Notes 60 Alumni Gatherings 62 Obituaries 72 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.

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

你好

Bonjour

‫مرحبا‬

Hola By Sheila Culbert

Don’t you wish you were fluent in another lang uage? That you could be transported into another country halfway across the world and be completely comfortable conversing with the people around you? That you could read great works of literature in their original language, appreciating fully their nuances and idioms? At Loomis Chaffee we believe that learning another language is an important element in becoming a liberally educated person and a critical component of becoming a global citizen. Hence, our students have to learn another language to graduate, and they may choose from Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Latin. The acquisition of a second or third language provides a host of benefits to students, from honing their memory and critical thinking skills to learning to empathize and understand different perspectives and cultures. We have many students who arrive already bilingual, either because they are international students or because they come from bilingual U.S. families. Even these students must continue their language studies. The spirit behind the requirement to develop new language proficiency is true for all our

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students no matter their background. Recent studies have suggested that bilingualism can convey a host of benefits to children and, indeed, to adults, for some evidence exists that speaking a second language helps to ward off dementia. W hile bilingual children may take longer to master

Teenagers have extremely flexible brains tailor-made for learning, and they too benefit from the code switching and mental rigor that language acquisition requires.

either language, the payoffs are huge. It turns out that as children learn two languages, their brains have to work harder to decode and to remember the different words, grammatical structures, idioms, and syntax. They have to constantly code switch, and that extra work pays long-term dividends that have an impact not only on language learning, but also on other kinds of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Learning a second or third language in high school does not work in quite the same way. The longer we wait to learn a second language, the harder it is, and our students are beyond the critical period of brain development for language learning. But teenagers have extremely flexible brains tailor-made for learning, and they too benefit from the code switching and mental rigor that language acquisition requires. We expect that by the time our students graduate, many of them will exceed our requirement for the third-level

language study. Indeed, more than 60 percent of our current seniors will have surpassed that requirement. We even have a number of talented students who study two languages at a very high level, including two students whose native language is English and who are currently at Level 6 in both French and Chinese. Through their language study, our students will have learned vocabulary and grammar; they also will have learned to appreciate a different culture and different ways of living and of thinking. They gain an important new perspective on the world. Indeed, the emphasis of our language program, ably led by Rachel Nisselson, is on oral proficiency (except, of course, in Latin!) and cross-cultural competence. This global competence is at least as important as the cognitive benefits that come from learning a new language. It is never enough to simply understand the vocabulary and grammatical structure of another language; true fluency also requires cultural immersion and an understanding of cultural norms and mores, which in turn leads to greater empathy and a deeper appreciation of the complexities of our world. Our language faculty work hard to integrate these cultural aspects into their classrooms right from the very beginning of their program, and many of our most advanced students also spend time in a country that speaks their target language. As a school we offer a range of programs that allow students to travel abroad. These include our own programs through the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies as well as School Year Abroad, and for those students learning Arabic, to King’s Academy in Jordan. This experience is often what enables our students to advance their class work through a total immersion experience. It’s never too late to learn another language or to brush up on the language that you learned in high school. You will be amazed at the doors a willingness to try a new language opens for you —and, you never know, it might just fend off dementia!

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Photo: Christine Coyle

SCANL AN CAMPUS CENTER

Grand Opening Like superfans, students crowded around the south end of Grubbs

Quadrangle on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 9, to await the Grand Opening of the Scanlan Campus Center. Continued next page

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After 16 months of construction, the much-anticipated moment had arrived when the school community could begin to enjoy the new campus center. The school declared a special half-day of classes for the event, and after a barbecue lunch on Grubbs Quad, the students counted down to the ribbon-cutting and cheered as the doors to the building were opened.

LEFT: With help from the Pelican, students representing each class year cut the ribbon. Photo: Anna Vdovenko. BELOW: In the Loomis Hall student center, seniors Nabeel Kemal and Michael Francalangia test out the foosball table. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson.

LEFT (clockwise from top left): Entering the Scanlan Campus Center for the first time, sophomore Matthew Ryckman receives his "passport" to the grand opening. Seniors Grace Lawrence, Jessica Schryver, and Kathleen Begley enjoy the "step and repeat" photo station, set up for the occasion. In the Pearse Hub for Innovation (PHI), students sign the whiteboard wall. Juniors Grace Keller and Tess Carty settle into the student center. RIGHT: The Pelican, sporting his Opening Day T-shirt, and Associate Director of Innovation Jennine Solomon greet visitors to the PHI. Photos: Jessica Hutchinson

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ROCKEFELLER QUAD

TISCH DINING HALL

ZHANG/MAO STUDENT ACTIVITIES SUITE

LOOMIS HALL

PEARSE HUB FOR INNOVATION

WILBUR FOOD COURT

Photos: Jessica Hutchinson

SILVERSTEIN FAMILY TERRACE

ALEXANDER BOOKSTORE

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School Celebrates Campaign Success

When Loomis Chaffee marked its 100th birthday in 2014, the school’s Board of Trustees set a goal of raising $1 million for every year of the school’s history, launching Our Time Is Now: The Campaign for Loomis Chaffee. By the time the campaign concluded on June 30, 2017, the school had far surpassed this goal.

Thus, there was much to celebrate on the evening of October 12, 2018, as the school community gathered to commemorate Our Time Is Now and dedicate the Scanlan Campus Center, one of the major achievements of the campaign. “How wonderful it is to be here tonight, celebrating the fact that we not only met the $100 million goal, but exceeded it and raised a remarkable $131 million,” said Joel B. Alvord ’56, chair of the Campaign Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. The overriding aim of the campaign was to secure the school’s ability to continue to deliver on the Founders’ vision of a transformative education for students now and into the future. The campaign focused on four key areas outlined in the school’s strategic plan: supporting and enhancing the school’s challenging academic programs and talented faculty; expanding, upgrading, and maintaining facilities to support academics, athletics, the arts, and added space for residential students and faculty; engaging

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community commitment to the Annual Fund; and increasing f inancia l aid to make a Loomis Chaffee education possible for more students. Our Time Is Now had a major impact on all four of these broad areas, Joel noted as he recounted the history of the campaign. Fittingly, the campaign celebration took place in the Scanlan Campus Center, with its new and re-imagined dining, gathering, and learning spaces. Dedications of the campus center and several spaces within the building kicked off the evening’s events. At the dedication ceremony, Chair of the Board of Trustees Duncan A.L. MacLean ’90 welcomed attendees then introduced Head of School Sheila Culbert, who acknowledged members of the Board; generous contributors to the Scanlan Campus Center and other priorities of Our Time Is Now; and students and faculty in attendance. She thanked the many people, including lead architect Sam Olshin, landscape architect Eric Kramer, Newfield Construction and its subcontractors, and members of the Loomis Chaffee administration and staff, who

developed and created the new and renovated spaces. The building “extend[s] the graciousness and elegance of the original design” of the campus and addresses the needs of the present and future learning community, Sheila said. She thanked donors Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan ’87 and her husband, Patrick; the Steve Tisch family; the Pearse family; Bruce Alexander ’61; the Maas family; the Silverstein family; and others for their philanthropy, which will benefit generations of students. Many of the donors and their families attended the dedication. Mary, who is vice chair of the Board of Trustees, offered brief remarks. She said she shared the community’s sense of pride in the beautiful new building, and added that she was “grateful to be a part of this project which will transform life on the Island.” Doug Lyons ’82, chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees, expressed his gratitude as an alumnus, parent, and Trustee. The Scanlan Campus Center is more than a building, he said. “It’s the realization of our aspiration to serve our community to the best of our ability,” he affirmed. Mr. Olshin, of Atkin, Olshin & Shade Architects, and Mr. Kramer, of Reed Hildebrand landscape architecture firm, both spoke of their respect for the architecture of the Grubbs and Rockefeller quadrangles and shared their vision for creating a space that complements the original design. Senior Lucy Shao, president of the Student Council, spoke on behalf of the students, thanking all who contributed to the project. The Scanlan Campus Center, with its dining halls, the

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Pearse Hub for Innovation, the student lounge and café, the Alexander Bookstore, and the Zhang/Mao Student Activities Suite, is where “life on the Island will happen,” Lucy said. Duncan and Sheila led an unveiling of the dedication plaques to John ’58 and Sally ’58 Pearse and their family for the Pearse Hub for Innovation (PHI); Bruce Alexander ’61 for the Alexander Bookstore; Steve Tisch, father of Elizabeth M. Tisch ’17, for the Tisch Dining Hall; Catherine and John Maas, parents of Omri ’13 and Nina ’19 Gildor, for the Maas Family Terrace; and Howie and Patricia Silverstein, parents of Kathryn ’98 and Carolyn ’17, for the Silverstein Family Terrace. After a reception and tours of the campus center, the party adjourned into the festively decorated dining hall for a dinner honoring the exceptional success of the Our Time is Now capital campaign. Duncan gave a toast to the campaign’s success and welcomed additional school community members who joined the gathering for dinner. He acknowledged Sheila’s strategic plan, which recognized the need for schools like Loomis Chaffee to adapt to the changing competitive landscape to compete for the best students, and he applauded her commitment to honoring the values upon which the Loomis family founded the institution in 1874. He also recognized the dedication of Associate Head of External Relations Nathan Follansbee and his team that rose to the challenge and exceeded their objectives

throughout the campaign. Sheila spoke about the effect of the community’s philanthropy on the lives of students, faculty, and staff every day. “It is both inspirational and humbling to walk around this lovely campus and to encounter your names and to see the impact you have had,” she said to the gathering. After dinner, Joel spoke about the history of the campaign, and Kathleen “Kitty” Johnson Peterson ’72, teacher in Loomis’ Modern and Classical Languages Department, shared her perspective as an alumna, a parent of two alumnae, and a longtime faculty member and former department head. “I look around and see former and present colleagues, former students, one former classmate, and many friends. What I also see is a Loomis Chaffee community deeply invested in transforming not only the lives of its members, but also its very self,” Kitty said. The Scanlan Campus Center, she said, will be a place for enhanced community interactions, the kind of shared Loomis Chaffee attribute of which all can be proud. The Loomis Chaffee Chamber Singers capped off the evening by serenading the gathering with upbeat performances of the doo-wop standard “Come Go With Me” and the whimsical “We All Live on an Island That Is Green” to the tune of the Beatles’s “Yellow Submarine.”

“I look around and see former and present colleagues, former students, one former classmate, and many friends. What I also see is a Loomis Chaffee community deeply invested in transforming not only the lives of its members, but also its very self.”

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT: Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan ’87 unveils the Scanlan Campus Center dedication plaque. BOTTOM RIGHT: Head of School Sheila Culbert addresses the crowd at the celebration dinner. TOP: A donor wall faces the campus center's west entrance. ABOVE: Language teacher Kathleen “Kitty” Peterson ’72 speaks at the celebration dinner. Photos: Defining Studios

— Kathleen "Kitty" Peterson ’72 loomischaffee.org

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Travis Roy: Challenges and Choices

“I believe in life there are times when we choose our challenges ... and other times when challenges simply choose us. It’s what we do in the face of those challenges that defines us,” Travis Roy said to the all-school audience gathered in September in the Olcott Center for the first convocation on this year’s theme, Mental Well-Being. Mr. Roy, who had worked from a young age to achieve his goal of playing ice hockey on a Division I college team, suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury during the first 11 seconds of his first game on the Boston University team in October 1995. The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. During his talk, Mr. Roy shared his experience of coming to terms with the challenges that have chosen him, including finding meaningful ways to contribute to society. Growing up in small-town Maine, where his dad managed an ice rink, Mr. Roy loved the ice, and hockey became his passion. He defined, and even wrote down, his goals in terms of hockey — he aspired to play Division I college hockey, to play professional hockey after college, and maybe even to make the U.S. Olympic team. In an unflinching retelling of his tragic accident — crashing into the boards at an awkward angle and finding himself face down on the ice, unable to feel his arms or legs — Mr. Roy said he sensed right away that something was very wrong. “I’m in big trouble,” he remembered telling his father as he was being attended to on the ice. “But Dad, I made it,” he added, meaning he had achieved his lifelong dream. Mr. Roy acknowledged that the 23-year journey since his accident has had many ups and downs, but with perseverance and the love and support of family and friends, “I’ve come further than I ever imagined.” After a long recovery, Mr. Roy returned to Boston University, where he earned a bachelor’s

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Varsity hockey players and coaches gather with Travis Roy after the convocation. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Mr. Roy said he has come to understand that the values that led to his success before his injury — love, pride, respect, effort — were the same values that compelled him to achieve his goals afterwards. degree. In 1997, he established the Travis Roy Foundation, which generates funding for research and provides support for individuals with spinal cord injuries and their families. Mr. Roy speaks to a variety of audiences in New England and across the country, and he wrote an autobiography, Eleven Seconds: a Story of Tragedy, Courage and Triumph, published in 1998. Mr. Roy encouraged students to find something that excites them and then to push themselves to find out how good they can be at that passion. Be accountable to yourself, he advised. He said he has learned through observation and life experience that people who know themselves and their own values are among the most successful. And he has come to understand that the values that led to his success before his injury — love, pride, respect, effort — were the same values that compelled him to achieve his goals afterwards. Mr. Roy also encouraged his listeners to regularly express their love for the important people in their lives. “Don’t save it for special occasions,” he said. Often asked what he would do first if he could get out of the wheelchair, Mr. Roy said his answer is always the same — he would hug his loved ones. A f ter answering questions from the

audience, Mr. Roy met with members of the girls and boys varsity hockey teams in the Burton Room. He acknowledged to them that he greatly misses playing hockey but uses the leadership skills he learned on the ice in his work helping others. “It’s not as exciting,” he admitted, “but it is important.” He encouraged the student athletes not to take for granted the wonderful experience of the game; to work hard, but not too hard, in practices; and above all, to have fun in the moment and enjoy playing with their teammates. Mr. Roy’s visit to Loomis was made possible with support from the Hubbard Speakers Series, a gift of Robert P. Hubbard ’47.

To learn more about Mr. Roy and the Travis Roy Foundation, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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Summer Reading Reimagined

One-third of American teenagers did not read a single book for pleasure in the last year, according to a study cited by Time magazine and published by the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture. The Loomis Chaffee summer reading program hoped to buck that trend this year with the introduction of Book Chats.

In addition to the usual grade-level reading requirements and the all-school read on the summer reading list, students were instructed to read at least one of 18 Book Chat titles on the list and arrive in the fall prepared to join group discussions based on that title. Designed to spark an interest in reading for enjoyment, the Book Chat titles were chosen by faculty members representing a variety of departments and interests. The school set aside a free period in September for the Book Chats, led by faculty members in locations across campus. The discussion groups ranged from 101 to two readers, and some of the larger groups broke into subsets to allow everyone to participate in the conversations. “I wasn’t sure how we were going to pull this off logistically,” admits Kathie Popadin, librarian and coordinator of the summer reading program and the Book Chats. “But I am encouraged by the positive feedback I’ve received from students and faculty. I’m especially pleased to hear that many students were eager to join in the conversations and willing to voice their opinions about what they’ve read.” Nearly 80 students chose to read History of Wolves, a genre-bending work of fiction by Emily Fridlund. Head of School Sheila Culbert led this Book Chat. During the lively interaction in Founders Chapel, Sheila posed questions about the characters, themes, mood, and setting

Seniors Michelle Fickett, Quincy Williams, and Benedict Laidlaw join the Book Chat in Founders Chapel. Photo: Christine Coyle

of the book, to which students responded with personal opinions, observations, and reflections. Sheila cited the study about American teenagers’ reading habits and acknowledged that students, especially during the school year, have many time-consuming activities and responsibilities. But she encouraged the group to make the time to read for enjoyment as a way to “explore the life of the mind.” Senior Michelle Fickett, who joined Sheila’s Book Chat, says it was a nice change to read a book without having to annotate it or be tested on it, and she enjoyed hearing the points of view of students she doesn’t encounter in her regular classes. In another Book Chat, 60 students who read the novel American Street, by Haitian-American Ibi Zoboi, gathered in the Nee Room. Led by deans Patricia Sasser and Nicholas Barker, the students broke into smaller groups and worked together to create “cross roads” posters depicting the intersection of ideas, themes, and emotions associated with the immigration experiences related in the novel. The groups presented the posters and shared their groups’ ideas with everyone in the room. Joe Cleary and Hudson Harper, teachers in the Math Department, led nearly 50 students in a discussion of How Not To Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking, by Jordan Ellenburg, a nonfiction book that explores the relationship of economic and social ideologies with basic math and statistics. Joe notes that the Book Chat forum was a welcome departure from a typical math class and posed “good questions

to contemplate going forward.” The Floating World by James Michener — about Japanese printmaking — was the Visual Arts Department Book Chat selection, and Mark Zunino, who teaches printmaking, took an unusual approach to the discussion with his group in the Richmond Art Center. He gave a printmaking demonstration to students and brought them into the Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery for a preview of some Japanese-style prints that were to be part of the 7th Annual Connecticut Printmakers Invitational exhibit. A Book Chat in the Hubbard Performance Hall related to The Queen of Bebop: the Musical Lives of Sarah Vaughn, by Elaine M. Hayes, a biography of the American jazz singer. Music Department faculty members Susan Chrzanowski, Kalena Bovell, and Kenneth Fischer led the discussion. “The students demonstrated significant thought and reflection on a large number of themes from the book — music, jazz, music industry, race, gender, civil rights,” Sue comments. “It was refreshing to hear so many takes on the same book,” remarks senior Becca Mucheru, who participated in the Queen of Bebop Book Chat. She says she appreciated the chance to connect with others through a common interest — a great summer read. For a complete list of the Book Chat titles and more information on the program, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine.

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A Lab Puppies Lab! Three Labrador retriever puppies romped in Erica Gerace’s CollegeLevel Genetics class one morning in September, and beyond the joy they produced, the snuggly guests served an academic purpose. As part of the course’s DNA sequencing and analysis curriculum, students swabbed the puppies’ cheeks to collect genetic material and later examined the puppies’ DNA to look at the gene sequences that correspond to coat color. The puppies, two golden and one black, came from the same litter, bred by longtime faculty members and breeders Maureen “Mimi” and Michael Donegan. According to Erica, the gene sequencing for coat color in the Labradors is somewhat complex, so analyzing their DNA using modern techniques makes for an interesting experiment for her students, all of whom had completed biology and chemistry prerequisites for the Genetics term course. A discussion with Mimi about establishing a pedigree for the Donegan labs gave Erica the idea of using the puppies as a laboratory exercise. The class later obtained DNA samples from six of the puppies’ relatives who also live on the Island, and each student was assigned a dog for gene analysis. The genes were “amplified” in order to single out the two genes that determine coat color in the breed. With the genetic information, the class created a pedigree to culminate the case study. To see video of the puppy lab, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Faculty members Mimi Donegan, Eric LaForest, and Fred Kuo in Founders Chapel. Photo: Christine Coyle

COMMON GOOD DIALOGUE

9/11 Remembrance Two Loomis Chaffee faculty members who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks on the United States participated in a special conversation and commemoration with students and other school community members on the 17th anniversary of the attacks this fall. Founders Chapel filled for the Common Good Discussion, where Maureen “Mimi” Donegan, a psychology teacher and dorm head of Cutler Hall, and Fred Kuo, senior associate director of the Annual Fund and dorm affiliate in Howe Hall, shared their personal stories to help build understanding with a generation of young people who were either infants or not yet born on the day of the attacks. Mimi lost her brother, Billy Kelly, who was 30 years old and in the World Trade Center in New York City for a professional conference that day. Fred lost his father, Fred J. Kuo Jr., who was at his workplace on the 91st floor of the South Tower. Both Mimi and Fred said they tell their stories to help the younger generation understand the impact of the September 11 attacks on the individuals involved, their families, and their communities. “The tears still come,” Mimi acknowledged, “but that’s OK.”

Fred and Mimi said they were grateful for the outpouring of compassion and support from their families, friends, colleagues, and communities, which has helped them endure and encouraged them to share their experience with others. Doing so, they agreed, helps them to “pass on the kindnesses” they received from many people in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, and in the weeks, months, and years of coming to terms with the grief. Fred also noted that everyone, even within close family units, experiences and expresses grief differently and in his or her own time. Eric LaForest, Kelly Family Director of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, who helped organize the discussion, spoke to the gathering about the collective responsibility of supporting each other in times of difficulty and tragedy, and he thanked Fred and Mimi for sharing their stories. Following the conversation, the audience adjourned to the Meadows, where two paper lanterns were lit and sent up into the night sky in a moving remembrance of Mimi’s and Fred’s loved ones and the thousands of other families affected by the events of 9/11.

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Leadership Lessons

Paul Mounds Jr. ’03, who has worked in public service for most of his career, returned to the Island in September to speak to juniors about citizenship and leadership. Paul is vice president of policy and communications for the Connecticut Health Foundation, the state’s largest independent health philanthropic organization, and he has worked on the staffs of U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, and Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy. In his current position, Paul seeks to inform and advise policy-makers about issues related to health equity. “When I get a call to come speak [at Loomis], I do it as a way to thank the individuals who took a chance on me and made a difference in my life,” Paul said to the nearly 180 juniors gathered in the Hubbard Performance Hall for the presentation. Paul touched on some defining moments from his time at Loomis Chaffee that helped prepare him for professional and volunteer leadership roles as an adult. Paul was senior class president, served as a resident assistant in Taylor Hall, and was a captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams at Loomis. Having a title doesn’t necessarily make one a good leader, he told the audience, recalling being asked to step in for a senior as quarterback

of the football team when Paul was a sophomore — before he was ready to lead. “I performed well as an individual,” Paul said, “but as a team, we didn’t win a game that season.” At the time, he lacked the maturity and self-confidence to inspire team unity or to ask anyone for help, he said. Once he was removed as quarterback, “we became a better team,” Paul said. He emphasized that a willingness to admit you don’t know everything and to ask for help is an essential attribute of a good leader. On the other hand, he added, students shouldn’t wait until they have been given a title before taking the lead when a situation warrants action. “Don’t let age be a factor as to when you should step up in life,” he said. His first day as a prefect in Kravis, he recounted, was September 11, 2001. The tragic events of that day meant he needed to provide support for the students in his dorm — helping to “pull the community back together” and providing reassurance as a young leader. That experience helped prepare him for his first day as director of government affairs for Governor Malloy, when Paul coordinated Connecticut’s emergency response to the school

“We need leaders, ... individuals willing to step up to drive change in our communities,” Paul said. A Loomis education helps prepare students to be good leaders and good citizens, he told his audience, so “be ready to step up.”

Paul Mounds Jr. ’03 in Grubbs Quadrangle. Photo: Christine Coyle

shooting in Newtown. Paul encouraged the students to look for role models in becoming good leaders and better people. He acknowledged several members of the school community, including Joe and Nancy Cleary, Adrian Stewart ’90, and Jeff Scanlon ’79, who have been inspirations to him since he was a student. When he was just 27, Paul was asked to serve on the Board of Trustees for his college alma mater, Trinity College. Without the age or experience of his colleagues on the board, Paul said he took the opportunity to “leech every bit of information” from the respected business and government leaders with whom he served. Concern for others and for the community motivated Paul to pursue a career in public service. Growing up in East Hartford, Paul said, his parents instilled in him the importance of good citizenship and of helping people as a way of giving back for the good you and your family have received from others. “We need leaders, ... individuals willing to step up to drive change in our communities,” Paul said. A Loomis education helps prepare students to be good leaders and good citizens, he told his audience, so “be ready to step up.” Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Trinity, where he participated in the Legislative Internship Program, led Trinity’s football team to three New England Small College Athletic Conference Championships, and was named an All-Conference player for all four years. He began his career in public service as the federal grants coordinator and press assistant for Representative Larson and later served as the congressman’s communications director and as interim communications director of the U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Caucus. Paul was named senior director of public policy and government relations for Governor Malloy and served as deputy state director for outreach for Senator Blumenthal. Paul’s commitment to the community includes service on the boards of several government commissions and nonprofit organizations. Paul and his wife, Samaia Hernandez Mounds, and their infant son recently returned to the Hartford area from Michigan to be closer to family. As this issue was going to press, Paul was named by Connecticut Governor-Elect Ned Lamont to the post of chief operating officer in his administration.

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Elqui Trio

JULIANA & JESSE

Guest musicians Elqui Trio, whose repertoire includes classical and folk music in the South American tradition, presented a chamber music masterclass and concert on September 24 as part of the school's celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The musicians also spoke with students in Spanish language classes.

Singer-songwriter Juliana Just Costa ’09 and her brother, Jesse Just Costa, were guest musicians and presented an evening concert of acoustic world music on the Island on November 6.

Italy. The duo won three People’s Choice Awards at the MUZ showcase in Montreal in 2017. Their debut album, In Time, All Things, is available on Spotify and other digital music-sharing sites.

Raised in a Canadian-Brazilian family, the siblings, who perform as the musical duo Juliana & Jesse, create a rich, blended sound that is rootsbased and infused with pop and world beat rhythms. Since performing as contestants on the Canadian talent show La Voix (The Voice) in 2016, Juliana & Jesse have been featured in numerous media outlets and have given more than 400 performances, including a 16-date tour of

In addition to an evening performance in the Hubbard Performance Hall, Juliana and her brother shared their experiences with several music ensemble classes and met with music students for individual coaching sessions. They also performed selections from their Spanish-language folk music repertoire for a Spanish class taught by Lilian Castillo de Hutchinson.

For more information about Juliana & Jesse and Elqui Trio and links to their websites, visit www. loomischaffee.org/magazine.

The visits of both Guest Musician groups were made possible with support from the Joseph Stookins Guest Musician & Lecture Fund.

Guest Musicians on the Island

ELQUI TRIO

Photos: Jessica Hutchinson

Juliana & Jesse

Comprised of woodwind player and flutist Gonzalo Cortés from Chile, charango and viola player Carlos Boltes from Chile, and Canadian guitarist Scott Hill, the trio met as graduate students at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School and have performed together for more than 15 years. All three enjoy professional careers as chamber musicians and soloists with choruses and orchestras throughout Europe as well as North, Central, and South America. The trio’s visit was sponsored by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, the Modern & Classical Languages Department, the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, and the Music Department.

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Innovation Begins as a Mindset, Speaker Says A 26-year-old social entrepreneur who co-founded a progressive soccer academy in Liberia spoke at a convocation in October about youthful innovation.

William H. Smith speaks at convocation in the Olcott Center. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

“Eight years ago I was sitting right there,” William H. Smith said to the students in the Olcott Center, emphasizing that even at a young age, his listeners could have an impact as innovators and entrepreneurs. In 2015, one year after he graduated from college, Mr. Smith and a partner founded the Monrovia Football Academy, a school that combines academic classes, professional soccer training, and life lessons to help prepare its students to lead positive change in Liberia. The academy’s success led to the establishment of LEAD, a network of academies replicating the Monrovia model in other parts of Africa. Mr. Smith urged Loomis Chaffee students to see problems as opportunities, take chances, and think creatively and empathetically about how they might contribute to their communities and the world in the near future. He also cautioned them to consider the ethics of solutions they

seek to employ to resolve issues in communities beyond their own. “We need local solutions for local problems,” he said. Although he has had an impact at a young age, Mr. Smith reassured his audience that he had “no clue” what he wanted to do when he graduated from high school in 2010. Even by the time he was a junior at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, where he played Division I soccer and golf and studied political science, he remained uncertain about his future. Inspired by a course he took on African politics, Mr. Smith secured an internship in the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia. Through pick-up soccer games in Monrovia, Mr. Smith was introduced to former professional soccer player George Weah, a Liberian who was the first FIFA World Player of the Year from Africa in 1995 and is now president of Liberia. Mr. Weah invited Mr. Smith to join his team in an

exhibition match against the Liberian national team to promote peace and reconciliation among Liberian citizens. The takeaway for Mr. Smith was an understanding of the transformative nature of soccer in places like Liberia and many other African nations. Through studying African politics and living and working in Liberia, Mr. Smith said he came to understand that the Liberian education system, which had been devastated by civil unrest in the 1990s, was failing the country’s young people. He decided to pursue a master’s degree in African studies at Oxford University in London in 2014. Around that same time, an outbreak of the Ebola virus spread fear across western Africa. Seeking to contribute to Liberia’s rebuilding process in the wake of the Ebola crisis, Mr. Smith and his friend Sekou Dgeorges Manubah leveraged their network of Liberian football connections to found the Monrovia Football Academy. The academy uses “the passion and energy that surrounds football” as an incentive to draw young people into the classroom and develop strong leaders for Liberia’s future, Mr. Smith explained. Enrolling both boys and girls in the academy also helps to break down traditional gender barriers, he added. The school enrolled 41 boys and 27 girls ages 8-14 for the 2017–18 school year. Its success led to the planned addition of two academies — one in Morocco and one in Zimbabwe — and the establishment of LEAD. Mr. Smith said he hopes to continue to build on the brand “Change the Game” to achieve the organization’s goal of creating 54 academies across Africa by 2050. While on campus, Mr. Smith met with students and faculty in the Pearse Hub for Innovation (PHI) as a visiting entrepreneur, answered student questions during and after the convocation, and joined the varsity boys soccer team on Helfrich Field during afternoon practice. Mr. Smith’s visit to Loomis was organized by the PHI and the Norton Family Center for the Common Good and was made possible with support from the Hubbard Speakers Series, a gift of Robert P. Hubbard ’47.

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Olivia (junior Grace Kulas) has her eye on Cesario (senior Marahyah Richardson).

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Twelfth Night, or

What You Will

A comic tale of love triangles, mistaken identities, disguises, and deceits PHOTOS: ANNA VDOVENKO

The Loomis Chaffee production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or What You Will, entertained audiences throughout its five-performance run in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater this fall. Set in ancient Illyria on the Balkan Peninsula, the production transformed the stage to look like Miami in the Art Deco period of the 1930s and completed the glamorous motif with costumes, props, and music from the era. Nearly two dozen student actors, some in rotating roles, took the stage in the ensemble production, supported by a 18-member student tech crew. Theater teacher David McCamish directed the play, with assistance from English teacher and Shakespeare scholar Will Eggers, and the producer was Candice Chirgotis, head of the Theater & Dance Department.

Malvolio (sophomore Julie Chung) indulges his vanity as a band of pranksters looks on.

ABOVE: Tended by her maids, Olivia (sophomore Simone Moales) receives shocking news. LEFT: Sir Andrew Aguecheek (junior Emma Goldfarb), Feste (sophomore John Howley), and Sir Toby Belch (senior Ryan Natcharian) hear, speak, and see no evil.

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THE PELICAN SCOOP PODCAST

Erica Gerace on Guided Research Projects Science teacher Erica Gerace discusses the Science Department's Guided Research Projects, one of Loomis Chaffee's distinctive programs for advanced science students.

Mathematics at Loomis: No Limits Joseph Cleary and Hudson Harper, the head and assistant head of the Mathematics Department, talk about opportunities for students with a passion for the subject.

LISTEN IN AT: www.loomischaffee.com/podcast

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Moody’s Upgrades Loomis Chaffee to A1, Outlook Stable In October 2018, Moody’s Investor Services upgraded Loomis Chaffee’s bond rating to A1 from A2. According to the Moody’s report, the upgrade acknowledges Loomis’ “growing total wealth, solid liquidity, and increasing student demand.” “This upgrade is a direct result of the great work our faculty and staff do every day to deliver an outstanding educational experience to all our students as well as our ability to attract talented and motivated prospective students, the prudent management of our finances, and the strong support of our loyal alumni,” said Head of School Sheila Culbert. In its analysis, Moody’s noted several credit strengths, including steady student demand for a Loomis education despite the highly competitive independent school market. Over the past five years, both admission applications and enrollment increased as did the school’s selectivity and its percentage of boarding students, which grew from 62 percent to approximately 72 percent. Donor support also added to the school’s credit strength. Loomis’ recently completed

centennial campaign, which surpassed the $100 million goal and raised $131 million, enabled the school to address several strategic priorities, including financial aid and the construction of Richmond and Cutler halls as well as the Scanlan Campus Center. Moody’s also pointed to Loomis’ “consistently healthy operating performance,” innovative academic programming, and strong governance with an increased focus on risk management. Looking ahead, Moody’s noted that growth in financial resources that outpace peer institutions (in other words, endowment growth) could lead to another upgrade in the future. The school’s bond rating will be reviewed again in three to four years. Reflecting on the school’s new A1 rating, Loomis Chief Financial Officer Richard Esposito shared, “The upgraded bond rating positions Loomis well for future planning and provides validation from an independent third party of all the wonderful work being done in the Loomis community.”

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What Is Gender?

Alex Myers, author, activist, and English teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy, shared his personal experiences as a transgender individual and discussed the importance of gender identity in the context of this year’s school theme, Mental Well-Being, at an all-school convocation in November. “Gender is at the core of who each and every as a boy — and that’s how gender works. It’s one of us is — it’s one of the primary ways we how people around you perceive and understand understand ourselves, and through that under- you,” he said. Realizing he felt more comfortable standing, one of the primary ways we see and living as a boy, he decided to tell his parents, understand the world,” Mr. Myers said. Yet even who took the news with some difficulty, as after speaking publicly for 25 years about issues he’d anticipated. His parents came to accept related to gender, he said, it is still challeng- and understand that because of his outward ing to succinctly answer the question “What is appearance, which reflected how he felt inside, gender?” other people perceived and accepted him as a “In addition to being at the core of who we boy; therefore, socially, he was a boy, he said. are, gender is also about language ... and how Gender matters, Mr. Myers said, because we communicate about ourselves,” he said. Born it is used to sort people. “We make rules and and raised in the small town of Paris, Maine, policies and facilities based on what we think Mr. Myers explained that although he was people’s genders are,” he said. Gender in many biologically female — and his parents named ways determines where you can go, what you can him Alice — he understood himself to be a do, and who your friends are going to be, he said, boy while everyone else thought he was a girl. especially in high school and college. Gender As he grew up, he said he first identified as a also affects an individual’s legal rights and poses “tomboy” and then as a lesbian as he was given some challenges when a person’s gender identity those labels. When he was in high school in doesn’t match the biological sex indicated on the the early 1990s, Mr. Myers came to identify as transgender, a newly-coined word at the time, as the stories of transgender individuals aligned with his experience of knowing he was a boy from an early age. He came out during the summer of his junior year, aided by having words like “trans“Gender is at the core gender” with which he could of who each and every adequately explain himself. one of us is — it’s More than terminolog y, gender is about “how we move one of the primary through the world,” he said, ways we understand and is ref lected in our hairourselves, and through styles, clothes, and what we call that understanding, ourselves. A boarding student at one of the primary Exeter, he returned to school for his senior year having changed ways we see and his name to Alex and cut his understand the world.” hair short, following the boys’ dress code, and using he/him/ his pronouns to refer to himself. “It was a social transition,” Mr. Myers explained, noting that he did not take hormones or have surgery at that time. “I began to live

person’s birth certificate. Mr. Myers answered questions from the audience related to gender and sexual orientation issues in high school, especially in athletics and campus life, and in society. After the convocation, several faculty members met with Mr. Myers to discuss making the Loomis Chaffee community more inclusive for transgender and other underrepresented students and faculty members, and students joined Mr. Myers for lunch and conversation in the Parton Room. Mr. Meyers’s visit to campus was organized by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.

Alex Myers addresses the school community. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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Election Day Insights into Immigration

Richard Wright, the Orvil Dryfoos Professor of Public Affairs at Dartmouth College, spoke about domestic and global immigration at an evening seminar for Global Studies students on November 6.

Richard Wright conducts a seminar with Global Studies students. Photo: Christine Coyle

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Richard’s expertise as a geography and public affairs scholar includes the topics of immigration, migration, and labor and housing markets, especially as they are influenced by race and racism. He was invited to speak on Election Day to give context to some of the political rhetoric and current public discourse about immigration — and in particular U.S. immigration history, data, and public perceptions. Beginning with a timeline from the 1820s to the present, Richard talked about the patterns, numbers, and origins of peoples coming to the United States and how those trends have dictated immigration policies and laws. Richard explained the ways that immigrants may apply for U.S. citizenship, including as family members of citizens, as refugees or asylum-seekers, through the diversity lottery, and through five employment-based visas. There are between 50 to 60 million displaced people around the world seeking asylum, creating a global humanitarian crisis, Richard noted. Since no nation is willing to accept them in large numbers, many of these people live long term in refugee camps — often in harsh conditions. Richard also discussed limits that U.S. lawmakers and government off icials have sought to impose on immigration throughout the nation’s history, including during the current administration, and some of the reasons behind the proposed limits. Laws and policies aimed at unauthorized immigrants, who number between 11 million and 12 million people, have become a major political battleground in recent years, he said, and these laws and policies have become more complicated and burdensome, especially for “mixed status” families, in which some members are entitled to U.S. citizenship and some are not. Among the policies he reviewed were Deferred Action for Childhood Immigrants (DACA) and the so-called DREAM Act (for the Development, Relief, and Education for

Alien Minors Act). Richard outlined policies proposed or enacted under the current administration that are aimed largely at limiting entrants from Mexico and South and Central America and have sparked divisive reactions, including the proposal to build a wall along the full length of the U.S.-Mexico border; aggressive targeting, detaining, and deporting of illegal immigrants; and separation of children from their families in detention to try to deter other families from seeking entry to the United States. Contrary to public perception, the United States has “net negative immigration with Mexico,” Richard said. He added that there is already a well-fortified “wall” or fence along large swaths of the border. In addition to making it difficult for those who rightfully deserve citizenship to come to this country, negative and inflammatory political speech regarding illegal immigration distorts public perception of reality and “drowns out the very real need we have for comprehensive immigration reform,” Richard said. Richard earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Indiana. His work has been published in numerous professional journals. As husband of Head of School Sheila Culbert, Richard is a resident of the Island, and he is himself an immigrant to the United States.

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A Remarkable 50 Years of Thai Students On November 16, 50 guests gathered at the Sukhothai Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Thai students at Loomis Chaffee. Prapas Uahwatanasakul ’85 hosted the event, and attendees included Head of School Sheila Culbert, Associate Head for External Relations Nathan Follansbee, Director of Development Timothy Struthers ’85, and Dean of Enrollment Amy Thompson on behalf of the school, as well as alumni, current parents, past parents, and prospective students and their parents. Honored guest Chulacheeb Chinwanno ’69, the first Thai student at Loomis, was among seven alumni who shared stories of their time on the Island. Chulacheeb, a professor of political science at Thammasat University, was one of five “King Scholars” to study in the United States in 1968–69, before he attended Swarthmore College and Stanford University. Regarding Loomis, he remarked, “In Thailand you listen to your teachers and then try to memorize. Loomis teaches that you have your own mind. You can have independent thoughts and can relate your experience with your interpretation of the world.

That’s something I learned at Loomis.” Prapas also offered lessons from his time at school. “In order to succeed, Loomis gives you a warm place, a safe place, a good place, but you really have to take your own initiative to be successful,” he said. “That is what Loomis taught me.” Kaned Suviwattanachai ’03, Joe Vasoontara ’04, Parin Sarasin ’07, Parint Lertdumrikarn ’11, and Arin Kulvanit ’11 also shared remarks. In addition, a wonderful retrospective video included interviews of Chulacheeb, Pete Thirangoon ’99, Guntawee Thipmanee ’05, and Arin Kulvanit ’11. Over the course of half a century, 65 Thai students have attended Loomis Chaffee. Thirty-one of these students have been Royal Thai Scholars, sponsored by the Thai government in advance of earning bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at prestigious American universities. Of special note, this school visit to Bangkok marked the 25th year that a representative from

Loomis Chaffee had visited Thailand. Today, 15 percent of Loomis’ student body is international students, with 11 students originating from Thailand. While in Asia in November, Sheila, Nat, Tim, and Amy also visited alumni, parents, and prospective students in Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

TOP: Alumni celebrating 50 years of Thai students included: Parint Lertdumrikarn ’11, Chaiyuth “Pete” Thirangoon ’99, Tim Struthers ’85, Arin Kulvanit ’11, Chanont “Joe” Vasoontara ’04, Apichart Chutrakul ’79, Chulacheeb Chinwanno ’69, Arun Chirachavala ’73, Jock Montgomery ’77 , Prapas Uahwatanasakul ’85, Kaned Suviwattanachai ’03, Guntawee Tiwapong ’05, and Parin Sarasin ’07. ABOVE: Chulacheeb Chinwanno ’69 offers lessons from his time at Loomis Chaffee.

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THAT’S ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! PROJECT GREEN WRITING COMPETITION The student environmental organization Project Green sponsored a student writing competition this fall challenging entrants to write a one-page creative essay about a special place outdoors on campus. Project Green student leaders and Writing Initiatives faculty judged the entries and announced four winners in November. Junior Julia Hoffman received a Gold Medal, juniors Eleanor Peters and Jean Shin received Silver Medals, and senior Fiza Malik received a Bronze Medal. To read the winning Project Green Goes Prose submissions, visit www. loomischaffee.org/magazine. DEBATE TEAM Loomis Chaffee debaters racked up nine wins and just one loss at the Vassar College Invitational Parliamentary Debate Tournament this fall. The duo of senior Jocelyn Chen and sophomore Victoria Che went 4-1 and placed fourth out of 32 teams in the Advanced Division, and the pairing of sophomore Matthew Weng and freshman Jenny Pan was undefeated in the Novice Division and placed second out of 16 teams.

in the delivery of pediatric healthcare. Each team worked to solve a challenge from a list of concerns that affect patients and their families during their hospital experience. Teams presented their solutions to a panel of judges, which scored them on impact, innovation, and sound investment. The Pelican team received the “Up & Coming” Award for its proposal for facilitating patient transfers. Closer to campus, another group of students participated in a Founders League Hackathon at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut, over a weekend later in October. Working in teams of students from different schools in the league, participants discussed problems related to education technology, attended project development workshops, and pitched their ideas to a panel of professionals. PELICAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION Members of the student-run Pelican Service Organization organized several successful events this fall, including a 3-vs.-3 soccer tournament on campus in support of the Travis Roy Foundation and a treat and activity table at the town of Windsor's "Nightmare on Broad Street" community Halloween celebration.

ART CLUB Student volunteers from the Art Club hosted a Healing Through Art event in November at Mary’s Place, a Windsor organization that supports bereaved children and families. Senior Ashley Chung began organizing the event last spring, and on November 7, the art aficionados from Loomis spent an evening painting and visiting with about a dozen local residents who are clients of Mary’s Place. HACKATHONS Two hackathons this fall attracted Loomis students eager to solve challenging real-world problems. On October 5–6, a team of three students took part in the Hackathon for Hope at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Loomis contingent was the only team of high school students among the more than 400 participants, the rest of whom were college students from across the United States. An intense 24-hour collaboration, the hackathon aimed to address important issues

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Scanlan Campus Center and Grubbs Quadrangle for the event, which was organized by the student multicultural group PRISM, the Hispanic student affinity group P’lalante, and Loomis’ Office of Diversity & Inclusion. To view a gallery of photos from LatinXfest, visit www. loomischaffee.org/magazine. FRESHMAN SERVICE DAY The Class of 2022 connected with community members and took part in local service and stewardship projects during Freshman Service Day on October 11. The students broke into groups and fanned out into the community with faculty leaders to clear debris along riverbanks, assist with food preparation for a soup kitchen and a food bank, join a “music and memory” project with senior citizens, help with activities at local elementary schools, create ceramic bowls for a local hunger awareness and fundraising effort, and engage in other service work. To browse photos from the day's activities, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine. GILCHRIST ENVIRONMENTAL FELLOWSHIPS

EMERGING WRITERS AND ARTISTS Loomis Chaffee celebrated literary and visual arts on the Island in September with concurrent Emerging Writers and Emerging Artists exhibits in the Richmond Art Center. The exhibits featured work from the summer portfolios of student writers in a range of styles and genres and student artists in a variety of media. To read excerpts from this year’s Emerging Writers’ work, visit www. loomischaffee.org/magazine. LATINXFEST 2018 Piñata making, face painting, a chili cook-off, a hot-pepper-eating contest, and a Zumba dance lesson led by Stephanie Sanabria ’06 were among the activities at LatinXfest 2018 on a Saturday in October. With a food truck offering Brazilian “Gula” specialties and a mariachi band providing energetic music, students and other school community members gathered in the

Recipients of Gilchrist Environmental Fellowships during the 2017–18 school year presented their projects this fall. Senior Kalina “Kiki” Szemraj established an environmentally-focused art exhibit, Gaia, in a hallway of the Clark Center for Science & Mathematics. Senior Nina Gildor planned and built a self-sustaining hydroponic garden and living wall in Clark. Seniors Molly Henderson and Adam Guillemette pursued individual explorations in the Galapagos Islands last March on a trip organized by the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies. A talented dancer, Molly is using her experience and what she learned about marine turtles to choreograph an interpretive dance to be performed later this year. Adam is using what he learned on the trip to inform his independent environmental research project aimed at reducing plastic waste. The Gilchrist Environmental Fellowship program was created in 2012 through a grant from the Wallace Research Foundation.

Facult y & S taf f Ne w s

teacher Courtney Jackson, French teacher Sterling Kouri, math and physics teacher Alex Lester, English teacher Miles Morgan, Director of College Guidance David Rion, French and Spanish teacher Andrea Rodas, Chinese teacher Henry Ruan, math teacher Anne Sher, and Gerard Ferrari, who taught in the Visual Arts Department and served as director of the Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery for the fall term while department head Jennifer McCandless was on sabbatical. In addition, math teacher Gillian Struthers, who previously taught at Loomis, rejoined the math faculty this fall.

NEW FACULTY MEMBERS (back) Daniel Dowe, Courtney Jackson, Henry Ruan, and Linda Hathorn; (middle) Anne Sher, Gillian Struthers, Andrea Rodas, and Sterling Kouri; and (front) Isabelle Fitzpatrick, David Rion, Michael Chung, Alex Lester, and Miles Morgan. Photo: Christine Coyle

Art teacher Mark Zunino curated the Seventh Annual Connecticut Printmakers Invitational exhibit in the fall, hosted this year by Loomis Chaffee in the Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery. The exhibition featured work by eight distinguished artists, including Loomis art teacher Chet Kempczynski, as well as works by Josef and Anni Albers and Sol LeWitt on loan from the artists’ foundations. Chet and Mark also exhibited their work as part of Open Studio Hartford in November. Chet’s work included oil and watercolor paintings and monotypes, and Mark exhibited oil paintings and prints of still life and interiors. Their work was on display at Kempczynski Studio & Gallery, one of 10 stops on the first of two Open Studio weekends. The Henry R. Kravis ’63 Center for Excellence in Teaching hosted more than 20 educators from 17 area independent schools for a first meeting of a professional teaching consortium in October. Kravis Center faculty members Sara Deveaux, Rachel Nisselson, and Harrison Shure organized the consortium to bring together teachers with a shared desire to advance teaching and learning at their schools. History teacher and school archivist Karen Parsons presented during a

panel discussion at the American Studies Association Meeting in Atlanta this fall. Joining three panelists from college and university faculty, Karen spoke about using material culture pedagogy and writing in the World History course at Loomis. Among the objects she discussed were a painting by Founder Osbert Loomis of an Asian scribe sitting before the Bay of Havana, Osbert’s panoramic photography of the Bay of Havana, and images of needlework and reverse painting on glass made during the Early Republic era (1790-1820). During meetings preceding the opening days of the school year, faculty members took part in small-group discussions about books they read last summer for professional development. The book selections, suggested by Head of School Sheila Culbert, covered a range of topics, including issues of race, identity, and privilege in the social and educational landscape and innovative trends in teaching and education. To see the list of books discussed, visit www.loomischaffee.org/ magazine.

New faculty on the Island this fall included computer science and math teacher Michael Chung, English teacher Daniel Dowe, math teacher Isabelle Fitzpatrick, Assistant Director of the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program Linda Hathorn, English

Among several administrative changes over the summer, Andrew Matlack became dean of faculty after several years as associate dean of faculty, and math teacher Adnan Rubai took over as associate dean of faculty. In addition, the Kravis Center for Excellence in Teaching added two assistant directors, history teacher Harrison Shure and head of the Modern and Classical Languages Department Rachel Nisselson, who join Director Sara Deveaux. Faculty members Erica Gerace and Scott MacClintic ’82 presented on trends in instructional innovation at the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools “The Future of Learning is Now!” professional development conference last summer. Erica, who teaches science and directs the school’s Guided Research Project in molecular biology, presented inventive ways that science teachers can provide students with research experiences outside of the traditional classroom. Scott, who teaches science and is the school’s director of innovation, spoke about Loomis Chaffee’s path to and plans for the Pearse Hub for Innovation. Faculty and staff shared artwork of their own creation in a Community Arts Exhibition this fall in the Richmond Art Center’s Barnes and Wilde Galleries. Exhibitors included Elizabeth Parada, Timothy Struthers ’85, Kathie Popadin, Kaitlyn Pratt, Mark Zunino, Chet Kempczynski, Gerard Ferrari, and Christian Ryan. Math teacher Hudson Harper and Ashleigh Harper, administrative assistant to the dean of enrollment, welcomed baby daughter Isla Harper on October 16, 2018.

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P el ic a n Sports

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Volleyball Wins New England Championship

The girls volleyball team defeated Phillips Exeter Academy in straight sets on November 18, 2018, to claim Loomis Chaffee's first Class A New England Prep School Athletic Conference title in the sport.

Photo: John Cunningham

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VARSITY RECORDS BOYS CROSS COUNTRY 6-2 Founders League Champion

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY 4-2 Founders League, 2nd Place

CO-ED EQUESTRIAN 3-1 FIELD HOCKEY 6-9-1 FOOTBALL 1-8 BOYS SOCCER 15-3-2 Founders League Champion New England Class A Semifinalist

GIRLS SOCCER 15-3-1 New England Class A Finalist

VOLLEYBALL 18-3 New England Class A Champion Founders League Champion

BOYS WATER POLO 16-6 New England Tournament Finalist

2 1 Senior Lauren Smida 2 Senior Matthew Remigino, sophomore Jake Lotreck, sophomore Alejandro Rincรณn, and junior Matthew Farrell

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

6 3 Boys soccer team huddle 4 Sophomore Haven Low 5 Senior C.J. Owen

6 Volleyball team with head coach Jeffrey Dyreson 7 Senior Jack Tishman

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

9 8 Junior Bailey Prete 9 Freshmen Julia Lantner, Kameron Collins, and Karishma Lawrence; and senior Marleigh Giliberto

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Where the wonders of summer meet the joys of learning

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

In the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program, more than 120 middle schoolers and high schoolers spend five weeks on the Island pursuing academically enriching experiences, nurturing their personal growth, and, most of all, having fun.

ummertime is synonymous with fun. Warm weather, long days, water sports, and watermelon are among the many pleasures of the season. In the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program, scholarly exploration and self-discovery augment the fun. At the relaxed pace of the season, in a supportive community of friends from near and far, and amidst the Island’s summer beauty, participants expand their self-perception, strive for deeper meaning in relationships and experiences, and find the joy in learning for learning’s sake. More than seven years ago, longtime English teacher Jeffrey Scanlon ’79 envisioned a summer program at Loomis with “an atmosphere that takes a student from the spark of an interest to the fire of a passion.” Jeff launched the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program in 2012 with an engaging curriculum that invited students to pursue, in-depth and with minimal assessment, topics related to writing, math, science, and history. The school has operated and hosted summer schools in the past, but this program sprung from a different idea of summer learning. Students’ deeper understanding of concepts was the goal — one that was, and still is, challenging to accomplish in a typical school year with a full course load. Summer allows the space and time for just such a broad exploration. Imaginative course offerings in that first year included Segregation in the 20th Century: Discrimination through Literature, Lyrics, and Film; The Marriage of Math & Sports; Dang, That’s Cool! Catapults, Catalysts, & Catastrophes; and Quill Power: Build Essential Reading & Writing Muscles. With the needs of young people in mind, and with a wistfulness for summers spent playing pickup games with the neighborhood kids, Jeff wanted to ensure that relaxation, recreation, and good old summertime fun were essential parts of the program’s mix. Fun for all — and in many forms — remains the most important objective of the Summer Program to this day, according to James O’Donnell, current program director, who took over the reins from Jeff in August 2015. Jim shares Jeff’s zeal for igniting students’ passion for learning. He is enthused when he sees young people come together as a community and experience personal growth — and have fun doing it — in the program’s five-week time frame. When the Summer Program’s seventh season began the last week of June 2018, the program welcomed more than 120 students in grades seven through 12 from across the United States and from 10 other countries, including Brazil, China, Japan, Kuwait, and the United Kingdom.

By CHRISTINE COYLE

Summer Program students gather on Pratt Field for an afternoon of friendly games. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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“

The summer invites a

playfulness in how we use words, so I like to create lessons around words that the students and I enjoy. S U M M E R FAC U LT Y M E M B E R

”

Lisa Kirsche

TOP: Summer faculty member Jake Smith teaches an English class. RIGHT: A student examines blood samples in a Forensic Science lab. OPPOSITE PAGE: Summer Program students engage in writing, robotics, ceramics, and public speaking activities. Photos: John Groo

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

“When you put students who love to learn with teachers who love to teach, good things happen,” Jim said at the summer’s opening assembly. Recruiting and mentoring teachers who love to teach as well as program interns who have an inclination for teaching, have been integral aspects of the program since its inception. Many returning summer faculty say they come back for the camaraderie, for a renewed sense of purpose, and to rediscover the fun of teaching students who are eager to learn. A teacher with more than 30 years of experience, Lisa Kirsche has taught English at East Catholic High School in Manchester, Connecticut, for 14 years, and she finished her third year of teaching in the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program in July. Lisa teaches Quill Power: The Forensics of Sentences, one of the program’s signature writing courses, which establishes foundational grammar elements for students to craft the right sentence for the right occasion in a variety of situations. With a small class size — typically 8-10 students — and without a rigid curriculum, tests, or other assessments, Lisa has freedom to customize her grammar, diction, rhythm, and syntax lessons to meet student needs. She looks for ways to appeal to student interests. In one lesson, students eagerly scanned through several copies of Harry Potter novels — books the students enjoyed because of their familiar characters and storylines — to find examples of sentences to use for an in-class grammar lesson. “The summer invites a playfulness in how we use words, so I like to create lessons around words that [the students] and I enjoy,” Lisa says. She adds that the unique and relaxed atmosphere of Loomis’ Summer Program is different from her everyday teaching experience, and “the change of pace keeps teaching fresh for me.” Quill Power is among several writing-intensive courses offered to both Upper School (grades 9-12) and Middle School (grades 7-8) students in the Summer Program’s signature five-week Enrichment Program, in which students enroll in one writing course and two elective courses. Participants choose from a menu of elective subjects that can establish a foundation for upcoming school subjects,

provide deeper exploration of a familiar subject, or open windows to topics of interest that are not included in standard, school-year course offerings. Public Speaking: Confidence & Competence; Forensic Science; Multi-Media Art; Robotics; Computer Science: Creative Problem Solving; Business & Economics: Beware of the Shark Tank; and Mythology: Adventures with Gods, Monsters & Heroes Across Cultures are on the menu of electives into which students may sink their teeth. Summer Program academic options also include three- or five-week Math Academy courses for students who wish to accelerate in geometry and calculus; five-week test prep courses, through Summit Educational Group, that prepare students to maximize their performance on standardized college and high school entrance exams; and Immersion Programs that offer two-week dives into specific advanced topics, such as a hands-on DNA manipulation and genetic engineering (a course whimsically titled Cloning Around) and Design Thinking, a collaborative effort to find innovative and creative ways to solve real-world problems. The four ambitious scientists in last summer’s Cloning Around microbiology module, taught by longtime Loomis science teacher Scott MacClintic ’82, maneuvered about the lab with the purpose, precision, and passion of chefs in a five-star kitchen. Employing the methods, materials, instruments, and safety measures found in a modern genetics laboratory, they used enzymes to “cut” a sample from one

strand of bacteria DNA to insert into another, different bacteria strand — making a new, more disease-resistant, strand of DNA. Robotics courses, offered as electives in both the Middle School and Upper School enrichment curricula, are perennially popular with summer students for hands-on learning and discovery, and have been taught for the last three years by Megan Farrell ’12. On any given day, Megan’s Robotics lab buzzes, clicks, and whirrs with motors running and cogs — both mental and physical — in motion and students working together to build and program their robots for operational challenges. A Common Good Leadership course, launched last summer, emulates Loomis Chaffee’s mission of encouraging in students a commitment to the best self and the common good. Eleven students enrolled in the new course, which was created by Jim and taught by Jake Smith, a faculty member since the Summer Program’s inception. The course, offered exclusively to Summer Program returners, introduced participants to the concepts and ideas of effective leadership and gave them opportunities to put their emerging skills into action among their peers and in the wider community. Common Good Leadership students, called summer proctors, serve as assistants to the dorm faculty and help in the planning, organization, and implementation of group activities for the whole Summer Program community. This summer they also engaged in a sustained exercise with students at the River Street School in Windsor, which serves adolescents and young adults on the autism spectrum. After

meeting regularly with River Street students, the summer proctors were challenged to plan and lead a group activity for the students as a capstone to the leadership course. Working in teams, the summer proctors led their River Street peer groups in several engaging activities, including a cartoon character drawing lesson, a game of basketball drills, a scavenger hunt, and a bookmark-making craft project. The summer proctors gained a deeper understanding of the importance of listening, of finding common ground, and of establishing relationships within a group of individuals in order to lead effectively. During one of their final class meetings, the summer proctors sat around a Harkness table and reflected on their interactions with the River Street students. Several of the summer proctors said they were humbled and rewarded by the River Street students’ gifts of trust, understanding, and friendship. “It changed my perspective in a positive way,” noted Caiden Stewart, a four-summer returner who is a sophomore at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford. When the program concluded, “It was hard to say goodbye,” he said. Loomis Chaffee Summer Program experiences are connected through its signature Best Self Curriculum, which promotes student self-discovery and character development and focuses on five themes: inclusion, identity, intelligence, integrity, and impact. All program participants, including the summer proctors, attend Best Self Seminar classes, participate in weekly activities focused on one of the five

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“

The path to making a favorable

impact on the common good starts with your understanding of

your best self.

”

S U M M E R P R O G R A M D I R EC TO R

Jim O’Donnell

RIGHT: The summer proctors present an original rap song during the Talent Show in the Hubbard Performance Hall. Photo: Christine Coyle. OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Loomis Chaffee freshman and Summer Program student Kennedy Anderson delivers a speech in Founders Chapel. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

themes, and take time for personal reflection of goals, values, and achievements. A Best Self Journal is given to each participant at the beginning of the session to use as a planner as well as a place to record goals and write journal entries about their thoughts and experiences. “The path to making a favorable impact on the common good starts with your understanding of your best self,” Jim states in an introduction to the journal. In both academic pursuits and other activities, good things abound during an Island summer. Many participants say they enjoy dorm life for the short-term educational immersion it offers — a window into what residential life is like at boarding school or college. The casual atmosphere and community feel of the Summer Program also foster connections among faculty, interns, and students across age groups and broad ranges of experiences. Participants who attend as day students join in all of the fun, including games, movie-viewing, off-campus excursions, and roasting marshmallows by campfire, among other recreational activities. On Talent Show night, near the end of the five weeks, the campus hummed as groups of students gathered in the hallways of the Hubbard Music Center and on brightly hued Adirondack chairs on the lawn outside to make final edits and rehearse their acts before the curtain’s rise. The Talent Show serves as a culmination of the Summer Program and a

celebration of individual achievements and the community. It has become a highlight of the summer for many. Presented on the Hubbard Performance Hall stage, the show features students and faculty in a variety of acts, both as individuals and in groups. A festive atmosphere and enthusiastic encouragement from the audience abound as each performance unfolds. Cheers greet student presentations about academic and personal discoveries, step- and tap-dancing routines, martial arts demonstrations, musical performances, and collaborations of the faculty interns and the summer proctors. For Linda Hathorn, who joined Jim this year as assistant director of the Summer Program, the Talent Show stood out as the most memorable event of her first summer at Loomis. She says she enjoyed seeing the participants come together to support one another, and after the show she observed many leaving the performance hall arm in arm, giggling with delight over the evening’s entertainment and their parts in it. Moments like these, experienced among people who have fun learning together, characterize the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program. Cheering on friends as they find the nerve to take the stage; exploring new places like New York City or Boston together; developing camaraderie while learning new skills and uncovering unknown talents; shooting the breeze while shooting baskets; sharing hopes and dreams while gathering in common spaces; or

hanging out on a grassy quad in the shadows of a summer evening: It is these ubiquitous moments and the easy rapport and esprit de corps that bring students and faculty back to the Island summer after summer. Kennedy Anderson, now a member of the Loomis Chaffee freshman class, chose a public speaking elective course taught by Loomis history and economics teacher Mat DeNunzio as one of her courses last summer. At the end of the five-week session, students in the class prepared speeches about their summer at Loomis and presented them in Founders Chapel. In her speech, Kennedy spoke about her initial apprehensions and about the friendships she had forged and the many learning experiences she had enjoyed in the fellowship of Summer Program participants. “Before coming here, I’m sure we all had mixed emotions. I know I did,” Kennedy said. “More than anything, I’m sure a lot of us were nervous about making new friends. Luckily for me, I found my people.” She beamed at her friends in the chapel pews. A round of high-fives greeted her as she took her seat after her speech.

“

More than anything, I'm sure a lot of us were nervous about

making new friends. Lucky for me,

I found my people.

”

SUMMER PROGRAM STUDENT

Kennedy Anderson

For more information about the 2019 Loomis Chaffee Summer Program as well as more photos and videos from past summers, visit www.loomischaffee.org/summer.

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STO RY BY BECKY P U R DY PH OTOS BY BRIAN G OOD M A N

t’s 8:53 a.m., and Lauren Mack ’06 is running late. She shifts her Chevy Silverado into drive and pulls out from the gravel lot at her office, taking a left at the only traffic light in Plainville, Kansas, and accelerating west on Highway 18. Twenty miles away in the starkly picturesque town of Damar, two ranchers and their herd of 80 cattle are waiting for Dr. Mack, a veterinarian with a busy practice on the windswept prairie of central Kansas. When she arrives, Bryan and Shay Simoneau, father and son owners of the farm, amble out to

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meet Lauren next to the corral of cattle, brought in from pasture for the occasion. You’d never guess Lauren had been pressed for time. With a Kansas twang in her vowels, she shoots the breeze with the farmer and his workers as she and her assistant set up a work table near the pen of cattle. “The calves look good,” she says after eyeing about a dozen gangly adolescent cows jostling each other among the larger herd. “How’s the feed?” She listens to Bryan’s report on the harvest and the grain’s nutritional content as she adjusts her black coveralls and slips latex gloves onto her hands.

Lauren is in her element. Since riding horses competitively before her high school days at Loomis Chaffee, Lauren has wanted to be a large-animal vet. Today, cattle make up 55 percent of her growing practice, which also includes household pets as well as goats, alpacas, and other farm animals. It’s a country practice reminiscent of James Herriot, the British veterinary surgeon and author who wrote a still-popular series of books about the animals and people he encountered in his rural Yorkshire practice. (Herriot was his pen name; his real name was James Alfred Wight.)

KANSAS

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CREATURES GREAT ß SMALL Veterinarian Lauren Mack ’06 has a busy and growing practice in rural Kansas, where cattle make up more than half of her business.

It’s a sunny morning in Damar, but the temperature is slow to rise out of the 40s. The scene is a tableau of rugged textures in a striking range of browns, from the last pale stalks of unharvested grain fluttering in the fields to the auburn fur of the waiting cattle and the russet boots and jackets that are the sensible attire of choice for the humans. With the work table set up and makeshift paperweights on anything the wind might catch, the process of examining and vaccinating the Simoneaus’ cattle commences. Ranch hands separate about 10 cows at a time from the larger group and direct them into a fenced alley

leading through a series of gates. At the far end, Shay and Lauren coax and prod one cow at a time into a hydraulic chute that holds the patient in place. Lauren takes a look at each cow and calls out a number; her assistant, Julie Rogers, marks it down in a log. This number, Lauren explains later, signifies the animal’s condition, ranging from one (starvation) to nine (obese). The Simoneau cows all rate from 4 to 6, which is good for late October. Then Lauren does an internal exam of each cow. With a thin plastic obstetric sleeve covering her

left arm from her hand to her shoulder, Lauren checks each cow for pregnancy. She calls out another number, indicating the months into the pregnancy, or “open,” meaning no pregnancy. Then she readies a syringe with a booster vaccine and administers the medication while her assistant applies a topical de-worming treatment to the length of each cow’s back. The cow is released from the chute and is shooed to the nearby pasture, where her herd mates munch on grass and seem already to have forgotten the veterinary procedure.

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BELOW: Lauren discusses electronic record-keeping with rancher Shay Simoneau in Damar, Kansas. BOTTOM: Lauren prepares a syringe with a booster vaccine for the cows. BELOW RIGHT: With her exam and vaccination complete, a cow is released from the chute and heads back to the pasture with the rest of her herd. OPPOSITE PAGE: Lauren operates a gate in the chute that brings in one cow at a time for examination and treatment on the Simoneaus’ farm.

All but nine of these 70 cows are pregnant, a good percentage for a cattle farm whose primary goal is producing and raising calves. Most are four to five months pregnant, which fits the 90day span during which bulls were mixed in with the cows during the summer. The Simoneaus are pleased.

then they don’t know which cows breed quickly, have a good temperament, raise hefty calves, and breed again consistently. Identifying the best breeding cows is essential to the ranchers’ livelihood, and tracking each cow’s condition, vaccinations, and other health data also helps owners and vets to keep them healthy.

After the “pregging,” as the pregnancy testing is called, Lauren assesses and vaccinates three bulls, 10 calves, and the 10 cows who bore the calves. The calves are gathered in a rambunctious clump for the vaccinations. Stray hooves deliver a couple of painful blows to one of the ranch hands, who winces and keeps working. Weighing several hundred pounds each, the calves can pack a hard kick.

Shay says he is interested but his dad is lowtech.

During a break in the work, Lauren shows Shay a program on her iPad. “Do you keep records?” she asks. Shay says they do.

“Do you have an iPhone?” Yes. “Do you want a record manager?” Hesitation from Shay. “If it was easy?” Lauren explains that her veterinary practice would use the program to enter information about all of the farm’s cattle into an electronic database, which the Simoneaus could access remotely with their phones. The idea, she says, is to make the farmers’ record-keeping fast and easy. Farmers who keep paper records often misplace them; they toss them on their truck dashboard and forget about them, or the paper logs are battered by the weather, and

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

“There’s a reason I asked you, not him,” Lauren says with a nod. Lauren forges a partnership with her clients, and with their animals. She wants what the owners want, she explains, namely, animals that are healthy, well cared-for, and in the case of cattle and other livestock, productive. She understands her role in the larger system, and it is the nature of the system particular to beef cattle that attracted her to Kansas.

Lauren forges a partnership with her clients, and with their animals. She wants what the owners want, she explains, namely, animals that are healthy, well cared-for, and in the case of cattle and other livestock, productive.

your compassion on the day we said goodbye to my sweet Kiwi!” said one client note addressed to “Dr. Mack and staff.” Lauren also reaches beyond her immediate environs to the larger community of veterinary professionals. She recently was an invited guest speaker at the Washington State University vet school, where she earned her degree, on the subject of business practices.

“In vet school I was planning on being a dairy vet,” she says. “I got a little sidetracked and ended up in beef country. I wouldn’t trade it.” “In vet school I was planning on being a dairy vet,” she says. “I got a little sidetracked and ended up in beef country. I wouldn’t trade it.” The goals of dairy farmers and beef-cattle farmers are different, she explains, although both kinds of farmers love their cows. Simply put, animal nutrition and milk production are central to the dairy farming business, and breeding and raising cows is the focus of beef cattle farming, especially in the “cow/calf country” where Lauren works. Most of Lauren’s rancher clients breed their herds and raise the calves until they are about six months old and weigh roughly 500 pounds. They keep a few heifers to maintain their herd size, but they sell most of the sixmonth-old calves to farms that raise the animals as meat. Ranchers like the Simoneaus need cows that can be bred easily, are good mothers to their calves, and can do it again. That aspect of the animals’ health and lives fascinates Lauren. Lauren earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2010 from the University of Maine at Orono, where work with sheep, dairy cattle, and horses is part of the curriculum. She earned her doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Washington State University’s vet school in 2014. A few months later, she and a partner bought the veterinary practice in Plainville from a retiring vet who had owned it for 38 years. Lauren bought out her partner in 2015. Since acquiring the practice, she has renovated and expanded the buildings, modernized the equipment, and expanded the staff. She brought in a digital x-ray

Strong business skills are a crucial but less obvious imperative of owning a successful veterinary practice, as Lauren can attest. She understands not only the economics of cattle farming, but also the minutiae of running and growing a business, from marketing to billing to hiring and retaining excellent employees. The pace can be head-spinning. machine; added in-house blood work capabilities, a urinalysis machine, and laser therapy; and renovated the treatment room, surgical suite, examination room, and lobby. In 2016, the practice purchased adjacent property and the following year built and opened a barn with a large-animal treatment facility. Lauren’s outreach to the community extends to everyone from pet owners to cattlemen and from high school kids to veterinary students. The Animal Hospital holds annual Dog Wash Days to raise money for a charity and this year launched a seasonal pet food pantry for people who can’t afford food and supplies for their pets during the holiday season. The practice offers low-cost spaying and neutering clinics for farm cats, which keep mice away but can proliferate to the point of being a nuisance for the farms where they live. Lauren regularly brings in college and veterinary students for externships, work experience opportunities for course credit. And the practice organizes Cattleman’s Round Tables every couple of months at the local Knights of Columbus Hall with dinner and guest speakers on such topics as “What really matters when weaning calves and why” and “Increasing production efficiency.” A recent Animal Hospital newsletter offered practical advice for farmers planning their fall herd work, including tips on fostering and enhancing the health of their calves. The community, in turn, appreciates the Animal Hospital’s contributions. Thank you notes from vet interns, county fairs, livestock sales, and local pet owners crowd out each other on an office bulletin board. “Thank you so much for

After returning from the herd work out in the field, Lauren and her staff hold an impromptu standup meeting around the reception counter while the office is closed for lunch. In all, the Animal Hospital staff includes Lauren and a second vet, Amanda Balinski, who joined the team last summer; three full-time staff members; several part-time staffers and interns; and a team of four high-schoolers who help in the kennel. Between bites of takeout from the Mexican restaurant across the street, the staff updates Lauren on patients, clients, supplies, bills, work schedules, and applicants for a job opening, among other topics. Several dogs that had been seized by the police during an arrest and brought to the practice for impoundment the night before have been released to their owner, who came by to pay for the impoundment, Lauren’s staff tells her. The team discusses the office’s inventory of medications and plans to place an order that afternoon. They review a prospective employee’s recent interview and the resumes of other applicants for the job. Lauren and an assistant look at the design of a flyer that Lauren is making for an upcoming event, discussing the color scheme, the content, and the number of flyers to order. And then they go over billing issues, including clients who are keeping up with payment plans and some whose bills are in arrears. Meanwhile, a goat bleats mildly from a room in the back, from which occasional meows and barks also emanate. Maynard, the office orange tabby cat, saunters through the reception area. The meeting wraps up when a trailer pulls into the gravel lot between the office and the barn loomischaffee.org

and backs up to a pen. Two Charolais bulls, each weighing more than a ton, emerge from the trailer, and the rancher and one of Lauren’s interns marshal them into the attached barn. The bulls are here for semen testing. One at a time, they enter a chute, where hydraulic controls are adjusted to hold the bull in place. After conducting an exam and collecting a semen sample, Lauren immediately takes the sample to an attached lab room and looks at it under a microscope as the farmer looks on. Lauren reports that both bulls have healthy samples, good news for the rancher. Another client with four Black Angus bulls arrives a short while later for the same testing, also with good results. Working with such large animals, unsurprisingly, requires safety precautions. Diagnosing and treating lame cattle can be particularly dangerous, Lauren says, because their kick can be deadly. Equipment that was installed in the barn about a year ago has helped tremendously, both in protecting the vet, staff, and animals from injury and in reducing the stress on the cattle. After the animal is secured in the chute, the hydraulic system can lift and tilt the animal, and Lauren can open a gate to examine and treat the injured leg or foot. “Without our chute, I would either have to sedate and lay the animal down under anesthesia — dangerous for the animal and a bit for us — or use a pulley system of ropes attached to their leg or foot, lift that leg up, and work on the foot. Much more dangerous,” Lauren says.

With the bulls on their trailer and headed back to their farm, Lauren returns to the office, where Dr. Balinski has just finished examining a black lab with a history of ear infections from the amount of time he likes to spend in the water. Lauren chats with the owner in the reception area and asks the dog how he enjoyed the week-

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end of duck hunting. Tongue lolling, the dog indicates the weekend was delightful. The owner of the goat comes through, carrying his charge. Lauren and her husband, Joshua Tanguay, own a house in Plainville, which they share with their cat and three dogs. Josh is a clinical psychologist and an instructor in psychology at Fort Hays State University, about 25 miles from Plainville. Lauren and Josh met online although their paths had crossed before and were likely to cross again. Both attended University of Maine, though on different campuses, for the same four years as undergraduates, and they had mutual friends in college but never met each other. Josh moved to Kansas in 2010 when he enrolled in a master’s degree program at Fort Hays State. Lauren was about to move to PlainvillePOPULATION in 2014 1,840 when they connected online.

Plainville, KS

Lauren and Josh are both a long way from where they grew up, she in Enfield, Connecticut, he in Gorham, Maine. But Lauren is at ease in Plainville. She wasn’t always comfortable in her skin.

“I really enjoy the place we live, the people I work with, and the work we do. It all feels purposeful and has definitely shaped my life and myself. This place and work allow me to breathe, grow, and build freely.” High school was challenging for her socially, she says, at least in part because her interest in agriculture and her ambitions to be a large-animal vet pointed in a different direction from those of many of her peers. Her classmates were surprised when she told them she wanted to go to University of Maine, where she could major in

animal science. The academic preparation and work ethic she developed at Loomis served her very well, she adds. Her freshman roommate at college was shocked when Lauren got up on Saturday mornings to do school work. “It was just what I was used to doing,” Lauren says with a chuckle. And Lauren knew that vet schools place enormous weight on applicants’ undergraduate grades, especially from out of state. Lauren earned a 3.74 overall grade-point average, and a 4.0 in animal science, in college. The work paid off with an acceptance at the highly-regarded Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine, located in Pullman, Washington, near the Idaho border. With a population around 30,000, perhaps Pullman was a good interim location between the East Coast and Plainville, Kansas, population 1,840. Although she jokes about the remote location, Lauren clearly feels at home here and has found both mentors and friends. “I really enjoy the place we live, the people I work with, and the work we do,” she reflects. “It all feels purposeful and has definitely shaped my life and myself. This place and work allow me to breathe, grow, and build freely.” Where Lauren’s career will ultimately lead her remains a thought project at this point. She could eventually sell the practice to someone she has mentored and move into teaching and a broader role in veterinary medicine. “Our profession needs progressive leadership, and I would like to be a part of that,” she says. She also could stay in Plainville and continue to expand her practice. “Veterinary medicine provides so many opportunities, and I have many ‘missions’ within my profession,” she says, “but I love growing my business.”

n this issue we introduce a new recurring feature: Faculty Desks. Up first, we take a look at the desk of longtime science teacher Betsy Conger. Like everything on and around it, her desk has a story behind it. Betsy acquired the desk when she worked as associate

One of Betsy’s favorite artists, David Scheirer, painted these watercolors. The Science Department commissioned him to paint the puffins, pelican, and terns triptypch when she stepped down as department head last year.

dean of faculty with an office in Founders Hall, and she liked it so much that she got to keep it when she returned full-time to the Science Department and her office in the Clark Center for Science & Mathematics.

Faculty Desks BETSY CONGER

The yardstick box originally belonged to Betsy’s mom.

Betsy got the stone inukshuk in Northern Canada while accompanying students on an environmental research trip to the Arctic Circle in 2014. The pelican figurine is one of many allusions to Loomis Chaffee’s beloved mascot in Betsy’s office.

Jennifer McCandless, head of the Visual Arts Department, made this pottery cup.

Mementos on the bulletin board include a snapshot of the softball team, which Betsy coaches, after winning the final game of the season last spring.

photographs by

J E S S I C A H U T C H I N S O N

The Science Department uses these Tangle toys to help biology students visualize proteins and the way a chain of amino acids coils into a threedimensional shape.

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p h oto g r a p h s b y J E S S I CA H U TC H I N S O N

Working the

Land A Year in Loomis Chaffeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sustainable Agriculture Program

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Senior Keven Cosgel and Director of Sustainable Agriculture Gratia Lee harvest squash in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agriculture plot, a lush acre of crops in the fields west of Faculty Row.

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The annual cycle of Loomis Chaffee's Sustainable Agriculture Program begins in the spring with seeds and soil, explodes in the summer with blossoms and berries (and weeds), ripens in the autumn with a cornucopia of crops, and recedes into dormancy for the winter. Run by Director of Sustainable Agriculture Gratia Lee, a member of the science faculty, the "ag program" flourishes in the hands of about 35 students during the school year as well as summer work job students and participants in the Loomis Chaffee Summer Program. Echoing the school's agricultural roots, the program and its rows of crops, flock of laying hens, beehives, herb garden, greenhouse, and community plots follow the rhythms of the seasons.

Fruits ^ Veggies BE E TS BL AC KBE R R IES BLUE BE R R IES CABBAG E CANTALOUP E CAR ROTS COR N CUCUMBE RS EG G P L ANT GAR LIC G R E E N BE ANS K ALE LE T TUC E ONIONS PAT T Y PAN SQUAS H P OTATOES PUMP KINS RADIS H ES R E D CUR RANTS S P INAC H STRAW BE R R IES SW E E T P E AS SW ISS C H AR D TOMATOES WATE R ME LON W INTE R SQUAS H ZUCC H INI

Herbs BAS IL BORAG E EC H INAC E A L AVE NDE R LE MON BALM OR EGANO ROS E MARY TH YME

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Students in the after-school agriculture program help with composting and prepare garden beds. Fruit and vegetable scraps carted from the dining hall and sawdust collected from the Physical Plant are mixed in the compost, which enriches the garden soil.

In the greenhouse, students plant seeds in trays in the early spring, and once the seedlings are strong, the threat of frost is gone, and the soil is prepared, the students transfer the plants to garden plots. The school's flock of 12 chickens roost in their custom-made coop and spend their days pecking in the soil and compost. In return, they naturally reduce pests and produce a daily supply of eggs, enjoyed by faculty and staff who subscribe to the community-supported agriculture program.

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Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Faculty and staff members worked 14 community garden plots last summer, producing bounties of tomatoes, zucchini, beets, watermelons, basil, sunflowers, and much more. In addition to growing delicious produce for their summer dinner tables, the community gardeners enjoyed the opportunity to compare notes, swap produce, and share recipes while they tended their plots.

RIGHT: Rows of onions burst from the compost-enriched soil. FAR RIGHT: A geranium repels pests from a neighboring cabbage plant. With the right combination of plants, neighboring crops can help each other thrive, in what is known as "companion planting."

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The ag program harvested approximately 800 pounds of food this year, according to Gratia. Most of the produce goes to the community-supported agriculture members, the Windsor Food Bank, and the dining hall.

The community-supported agriculture program quickly filled this year with 20 faculty and staff subscribers. Participants receive a selection of freshly harvested produce each week and a supply of fresh eggs periodically. Blackberries, beets, green and yellow beans, carrots, patty pan squash, cucumbers, summer squash, and zucchini were the selections during the week the photograph at right was taken.

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The main plot west of Faculty Row produces most of the ag program's crops â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and plenty of weeds. All of the food is grown organically, without pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals, so weeding is a necessary chore. Some students choose to satisfy their school-year work program requirements by helping with the weeding during the summer.

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Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Four bee colonies are thriving in the lower fields, where the bees find abundant pollen in the surrounding meadows. This year, the school's bees produced about 60 pounds of honey, which is distributed to CSA subscribers and sold in the school's Bookstore. ABOVE: Seniors Maddy Hoffman and Elena Anderson and Gratia check the hives to make sure the colonies are healthy. They look for the queen and assess how many eggs and young bees (brood) are in the hive.

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ABOVE: Students made jam from red currants harvested from the ag program's bushes. UPPER RIGHT: Gratia and student helpers senior Burke Perrotta, junior Benjamin Lawrence, seniorJulianna Lee, freshman Viraj Dcunha, senior Sharon Zhou, sophomore Pun Sangruji, and junior Madison Redmond pose outside the greenhouse on a rainy day. A golf cart comes in handy for transporting produce, and tired student workers, from the fields to the center of campus. RIGHT: A view of the RattĂŠ Quadrangle from the community gardens at the height of summer.

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

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Students fired up the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apple cider press in October and pressed more than 18 quarts of cider for school community members to enjoy.Â The program will use apples from on-campus trees once the trees are mature enough to produce ample fruit, but last year and this year, students pressed applies donated by Rogers Orchards of Southington, Connecticut, which is owned and operated by a family with many Loomis Chaffee connections.

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The gardens are resting after a bountiful season. Until next year!

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O bject Le sson

Origins of “Loomis’s Panorama of Cuba” Sketches made by Osbert Loomis for this artistic undertaking reside in the Loomis Chaffee Archives. By Karen Parsons

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

On October 19, 1850, “Loomis’s Panorama of Cuba,” designed by artist and Loomis Institute Founder Osbert Burr Loomis, made its debut at the Minerva Rooms on Broadway in New York City. Described in a New York Daily Tribune advertisement as “a most splendid work of art, exhibiting most beautifully and faithfully the cities, countries, mountains, and luxurious tropical vegetation,” it offered nightly audience members the opportunity to “travel” to a place that would perhaps otherwise live only in their imaginations. For a ticket price of 25 cents — the equivalent of about $8 in today’s money — viewers took in the 700-foot-long, 7-foot-wide panorama from their theater seats. Held at either end by two large spools, the painted canvas scrolled horizontally across a frame set upon the stage. Spoken narration probably accompanied the moving image, providing cultural, historical, and geographical information. After six weeks in New

York, the panorama journeyed to showings over the next year in Savannah and Macon, Georgia; Montgomery, Alabama; New Orleans; Natchez, Mississippi; and Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. A letter written in 1850 by P.T. Barnum to merchants in Sacramento suggests that Osbert also considered bringing his canvas to California. Panoramas were big business in mid-19th-century America. Osbert’s was but one of many touring the United States. Popular as entertainment and educational, they presented a variety of themes. Just a handful of the documented panoramas from 1846–1851 demonstrate this range: scenes from a whaling vessel’s journey around the world; a voyage to Europe; a trade ship’s sail around Cape Horn to California; a river boat’s trip up the Mississippi River; John Bunyan’s 17th-century novel Pilgrim’s Progress. A series of pencil sketches drawn on thin strips of white paper — labeled with section letters and

numbers — and glued together to form continuous views from the waters surrounding Cuba reside in the school’s Archives collection. Osbert created these drawings as he designed the panorama, recording details of his adopted home’s natural landscape, the built environment, and aspects of the Cuban economy. Recent research by Nalleli Guillen of the Brooklyn Historical Society uncovered Osbert’s hiring of New York-based theater painter John Evers for five weeks during the fall of 1850. Evers assisted in painting the sketched landscapes onto the long canvas, earning $25 per week. The project was completed just a week before its opening at the Minerva Rooms. The painted Panorama of Cuba does not survive. Like most of its moving panorama counterparts from the mid-19th century, it was created mostly as a business venture, taking advantage of American curiosity and improved transportation routes, which made it easier to reach more paying

audiences. Osbert never intended this to be lasting art. When he returned to his home in Cuba after the panorama’s American tour, he wasn’t finished making large-scale images. Less than a decade later, and this time through the lens of his camera, Osbert created a series of early panoramic photographs of Havana. These images can now be viewed in the 2013 publication of La Habana: Imagen De Una Cuidad Colonial, by authors Zola Lapique Becali and Julio A. Larramendi Joa. Karen Parsons is the school archivist and teaches history. ABOVE: The artist's sketches and notations reveal the detail and precision that went into the finished panorama. BELOW: A picturesque view of the Cuban landscape from the water suggest the appeal of the panorama to paying audiences. Photos: Loomis Chaffee Archives.

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Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Cl a ss No tes

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Cl ass Not e s

1958

’61

’70

Tony Clementino reports that he’s “trying to learn how to retire, but having a nicely balanced life as a neuropsychologist and running a home remodeling company.”

1962 E. Terence Bradunas is partially retired after 26 years of providing management consulting to customers in North America and Europe. He reports that he’s now “only working 40 hours per week.”

“We have been playing together once a year at different courses for many, many years” writes Tony Kissling ’61, (second from right) of his yearly golf outing with classmates Ned Babbitt, Sam Havens, and John Daniels (not pictured). This year they played at Silver Spring Country Club in Ridgefield, Conn., with friend Carl Warren (far right).

Laurence Baer ’70 performed at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival in Hebron, Conn.

1970 Laurence Baer recently performed at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival in Hebron, Conn., as one of three finalists in their songwriting competition. “On the way back to Bradley, we stopped off in Windsor, where I enjoyed visiting campus for the first time since graduation.”

CHAFFEE BOOK CLUB

1974 John Ritter is edging toward retirement 30 years after co-founding First New England Capital and Balance Point Capital Partners. He continues to enjoy being a trustee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

1985 Susan Horn Angelides was recently appointed as head of school at The Cobb School in Simsbury, Conn. Prior to her appointment, Susan was the head of school at Oak Grove Montessori, where she served for seven years. She is also the vice president of the board of the Montessori Schools of Connecticut.

The October gathering of the Chaffee Book Club featured the award-winning novel and all-school summer reading selection Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Head of School Sheila Culbert facilitated a robust discussion and exploration of the story of a teenage boy stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. Attendees included: (front) Jane Torrey ’67, Sally Crowther Pearse ’58, Sheila’s dog Gracie, Katie Cox Reynolds ’45, Gretchen Schafer Skelley ’45, and Betsy Mallory MacDermid ’66; and (back) Beverley Earle ’68, Sheila, Anne Schneider McNulty ’72, and Priscilla Ransom Marks ’66. Missing from the photograph is Flo Ransom Schroeter ’71.

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’91

2000

’97

Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson was recently named to the Hartford Business Journal ’s “40 Under Forty” list for 2018. Britt-Marie is a partner in the Hartford office of Robinson+Cole, where she specializes in employment law. Andrew Vernon ’91 and his wife, Adrianne, welcomed daughter Hannah Sofia on July 9, 2018. The proud parents and Hannah are pictured with Andrew’s parents, former staff member Jamie Vernon and Loomis coach and former faculty member Chuck Vernon. Andrew notes that the photo was taken from the back deck of his new home, located in West Seattle, Wash., overlooking Puget Sound.

’00

David Achterhof ’97 (middle) graduated from Yale School of Management with a masters in business administration in May 2018, along with Jenny Chan ’93 (left) and Liz Byrne ’03 (right). David notes that “out of a small class of 72 students from around the world, three Pelicans graduated together.”

’01

Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson ’00 holds her "40 Under Forty" certificate.

2001

Machining and entrepreneurial expert John Saunders ’01, owner of Saunders Machine Works, Zanesville, Ohio.

Elizabeth “Liz” Byrne ’03 (front middle) and Patrick Stadelhofer (front right) were married on August 4, 2018, at St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Liz also graduated with an MBA from the Yale School of Management in May. Many Pelicans joined the wedding ceremony and reception, which was held at The Yale Club in New York City, including (front) Isabel Yordan ’03; (back) Eva Scofield ’03, Anya Zander ’03, Liana Gorman ’03, Mason Thalheimer ’03, Preston Byrne ’02 (brother of the bride), Tyler Rosenlicht ’03, Katy Cheng ’03, and Brendan Sullivan ’03.

’03

Emily Moos Hultquist was recently appointed as the director of policy and planning for the Capitol Region Council of Governments in Hartford, an organization she has been with for 11 years. Emily also was named to the Hartford Business Journal ’s “40 Under Forty” list for 2018.

John Saunders shared that he was featured in The New York Times article “For Manufacturers, a Complex Mix Can Determine Location.” John started a machine shop in New York City before moving back to his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, where he runs Saunders Machine Works. He has documented his machining and entrepreneurial endeavors through the popular YouTube channel “NYC CNC” and has “enjoyed becoming a recognized figure in manufacturing industry.” Nitin Sacheti was interviewed in Forbes Magazine in June on the U.S. cable industry and its predicted financial recovery. Nitin was interviewed after he submitted a report to SumZero, an online community for professional investors, after extensive due diligence on the cable industry. The publication of his report was also covered by Bloomberg.

2003 Chris Vola is excited to announce that his first book of cocktail recipes, Pour One Out, has been sold to HarperCollins and will be published in October 2019. After spending a decade mostly focused on writing fiction (a short story

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

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collection and two novels), he decided to use his experience as head bartender at one of New York’s oldest neo-speakeasies to branch out into the world of spirits writing. His book pays “homage to beloved deceased TV characters by pairing them with classic drinks” and he invites all Pelicans “to drop by and help me ‘research’ the sequel!” He can be found behind the bar at Little Branch in Manhattan’s West Village.

2014 Three Loomis alumni, junior captain Matthew O’Donnell ’14, sophomore Alex Esposito ’15, and freshman Joey Cipollone ’18, have reunited as members of the University of Vermont men’s ice hockey team. Matthew and Alex were Pelican teammates on the 2014 Martin/ Earl Large School championship team.

Kendra Staley Riordan ’04 married Patrick Riordan in August on Hilton Head, S.C. In attendance were fellow Pelicans David Meo ’02, Elizabeth Spear Jacobson ’04, Megan Fanning Rapone ’04, Tara Staley Hanlon ’01, Micaela Melley Chiaramonte ’04, Nicole Meo King ’04, and Jessica Intravia ’04.

’04

Courtney Ackeifi ’06 (back row, center) successfully defended her dissertation in September 2018, earning her doctorate in biophysics and systems pharmacology from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Fellow Pelicans joined her in celebration, including John Elliott ’81, her advisor Andrew Stewart (son of John Stewart ’29), Elisa Cameron ’06, Bridget Ackeifi ’07 (Courtney's sister), Erica Mace ’06, and Ariel Williams ’06. Present but not pictured were Lindsay Hoffman ’06 and Evan Rhoda ’06.

’06

2018 Andrew Lucas, who is playing in the Alberta, Canada, Junior Hockey League this year, will join the University of Vermont men’s ice hockey team during the 2019–20 season.

Introducing our new Annual Fund Co-Chairs All four of these alumni have served as class agents, key volunteers who strengthen the bond that alumni have with one another and the school. They look forward to sharing their passion for the school with you and hope that you will join them with your continued support.

Bryant Tolles ’57

Anne Schneider McNulty ’72

Jennifer Podurgiel ’96

Tyler Earle ’09

To learn more about being a class agent, email deidre_swords@loomis.org or visit www.loomischaffee.org/class-agents. loomischaffee.org

Alumni Baseball Outings 1

Richard Crutchfield ’53 “All my life I’ve heard my father’s stories of Loomis. He considered his experience there to be among the most valuable and defining of his life, and he spoke often of the teachers and mentors there who started him out on what became a journey of lifelong Richard ’53 and John Crutchfield with learning, intellectual curiosity, and John's daughter Everette civic engagement. Over the course of my own education, I was continually astonished to find the books I was studying — works of philosophy, literature, and the social sciences — already on his bookshelves and full of his marginalia from classes he’d taken at Loomis. Clearly, he received an excellent education there in the humanistic tradition. He knew this as well, and his feelings of gratitude toward the school and toward his parents for sending him there continued to grow, even to the very end of his life.

“It was my great honor to accompany him to Loomis about 15 years ago for his 50th Reunion. We stayed in one of the dormitories and took many opportunities to wander around the campus together. It moved Dad deeply to be there again and to see that, while much had changed, much had remained the same. It was still very much the school that had nurtured him intellectually as a young man. And for me, too, it was moving to see the place I’d heard so much about. At the memorial celebration we held after Dad died, I said a few words about what a truly wonderful life he’d had, and I know that, for him, Loomis was an indelible part of it. I hope Dad’s gift will in some small way help Loomis continue to be for future generations of young people what it was for him.”

—John Crutchfield, son of Richard Crutchfield ’53

Richard, who passed away in the summer of 2018, gifted Loomis Chaffee a percentage of his charitable remainder trust, from which the school will benefit tremendously.

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 2019

1 Loomis Chaffee fans at Fenway Park, July 15, 2018 2 Pelicans at Yankee Stadium, July 28, 2018 3 Julia Vacek Wilde ’93 and Dan Vacek ’96 with family at the Hartford Yard Goats, August 4, 2018 4 Erin Champlin Barringer ’96 and family at the Yard Goats, August 4, 2018

STAY ENGAGED

Alumni Gatherings

N O I N R EU Save the date!

June 14-16, 2019

Boston Reception September 27, 2018 at Ropes & Gray

5 David Olio ’13, Dan Wade ’13, and Grace Denny ’13 6 Jill Hai, Lucy Elmer Townsend ’46, Jennifer Sidell Ellis ’81, and Stacey Katz Bourns ’81

REUNION 2019 Classes ending in 4s and 9s, it’s your year! Mark your calendar 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.

Boston Reception

Washington, D.C. Reception September 25, 2018 at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Washington, D.C. Reception

UPCOMING RECEPTIONS Head's Holiday NYC Thursday, January 31 at PS 450 450 Park Avenue South New York City 6:30–8:30 p.m. Hartford Area Reception Thursday, January 31 in the new Scanlan Campus Center Loomis Chaffee 6–8 p.m.

7 Associate Head for External Relations Nat Follansbee; Stevie Gillespie P ’93; Head of School Sheila Culbert; Gardner Gillespie ’63, P ’93; and Director of Development Tim Struthers ’85 8 Paul Lee ’13, Sheila Culbert, Henry Chong ’16, Eugene Cho ’11, Josh Singh ’16, Cece Coffey ’11, Caroline Russell ’09, Rachel Walsh ’17, Bryce Loomis ’16, and Carolyn Balk ’09

SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE

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

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Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Obit ua r ies

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

O bi tuar i e s

1936 Anne Haviland Taylor, on March 16, 2018, in West Hartford, Conn., 11 days short of her 100th birthday. A four-year student from West Hartford, Anne earned a bachelor’s degree at Wellesley College and a master’s degree at Trinity College. During World War II, Anne served as a nurses’ aide while her husband, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Benjamin T. Taylor, served in Europe and Africa. Anne taught English at Hall High School and Oxford School during the late 1950s and 1960s. Anne loved music and enjoyed singing well into her 80s. She and her husband participated in the Simsbury Light Opera and, in their later years, belonged to musical organizations at their places of residence. Passionate about women’s rights and related concerns, Anne was active in the Planned Parenthood organization. She wrote and published informational pamphlets for women including “24 Hour Help: Emergency Resources for Connecticut Women” in the 1960s. In 1978, Anne received a special commendation from the Commission on the Status of Women for her five years of exemplary service. In 1983, Planned Parenthood presented Anne with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Preceded in death by Benjamin, her husband of 67 years, and her brother Girard S. Haviland, Anne was survived by her two sisters, Faith Haviland Duffy ’37 and Phyllis Haviland Hildebrandt; and her two daughters, Elizabeth Haviland Taylor and Carolyn Stone Taylor.

1941 John Thomson Dobbin, on May 17, 2018, peacefully in Ponte

Vedra Beach, Fla. A three-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Jack, as he was known, was involved in the Stamp Club, Ping Pong Club, Junior French Club, Debating Club, Student Council, and Glee Club, and he served on the Business Board of The Log. He was active in Wolcott senior football, basketball, and baseball; wrestling; and track. After Loomis, Jack earned a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for more than three years. Earning the rank of first lieutenant, Jack was a meteorologist for the Air Transport Command. He joined the Traveler’s Insurance Company in 1946 and later became an agent for the company in Hartford. He earned the professional insurance designations from Chartered Life Underwriters (CLU) and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, and in retirement, was president of the Connecticut Chapter of CLU. Jack retired as president of Dobbin, Austin & Berry Inc. He married Beverly Vanderbilt, and they and their family lived in West Hartford for many years, spending summers on Mason’s Island beginning in 1962. Jack and Bev moved to Mystic in 1991, where they stayed until relocating to Vicar’s Landing in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., in 2001. Jack is remembered as being bright and kind, with a calm demeanor. He enjoyed jokes, telling stories, Dixieland Jazz, and wearing bow ties, and he was an avid golfer into his 90s. According to the family obituary, Jack loved his family and proudly spoke of all the family’s activities. He was a lifetime member of Old Saint Andrews Church and a longtime member of the Hampstead Hill Club, West Hartford Golf Club, Mason’s Island Yacht Club, Mystic Seaport Pilots, and Ponte

Vedra Club, and he was a charter member of Stonington Country Club. He remained connected to Loomis through his membership in the Common Good Society and the John Metcalf Taylor Society. Jack was survived by his wife of 66 years, Beverly; his three children, Tom Dobbin, Benson Dobbin ’73, and Susan Dobbin, and their spouses; his three granddaughters; and his two great-granddaughters. A memorial service was planned for a later date at Old Saint Andrews Church in Bloomfield, Conn. Martin Byron Singer, on March 4, 2018, in Los Angeles, Calif. A three-year student from New York, N.Y., Martin was involved in the French Club, Political Club, and Press Club and was involved in debate and theater productions. He was on the Editorial and Business boards of The Log and served as the publication’s advertising manager. Martin was active in football, basketball, golf, fencing, and track. He was survived by his four children, Suzanne Singer, Michele Reiner, Martine Singer, and Bryan Singer; and his seven grandchildren.

1943 Joseph A. Kilbourn II, a resident of New Canaan, Conn., on July 21, 2018. A one-year student from South Norwalk, Conn., Joe was a 1942 graduate of Norwalk High School and was a post-graduate student at Loomis. He was involved in the Rifle Club, Ping Pong Club, Military Drill, and Library Committee, and he was active in football, ice hockey, and tennis. Joe served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946, exiting the service from Camp Croft in South Carolina with the rank of staff sergeant. He was survived by

his son, Andrew Kilbourn ’93. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on July 27, 2018, at St. John Church, in Darien, Conn., followed by interment at St. John’s Cemetery in Springdale, Conn.

1944 Winthrop Palmer Eldredge, on July 16, 2018. A four-year student from New York, N.Y., Win was involved in the Music Club, French Club, Debating Club, Student Council, and Military Drill, and he served as president of his junior and senior classes. He served on the Senior Advisory Committee and the Executive Committee of the Log Board and was chairman of the Ludlow Club. He was active in football, hockey, baseball, tennis, and track. Win earned a bachelor’s degree at Yale University, where he was as a member of the Fence Club and the Torch Honor Society. With lifelong friends from his years at both Loomis Chaffee and Yale, Win remained connected to his alma maters as an active alumnus — helping with fundraising and attending reunions at the two schools. He was a member of Loomis’ John Metcalf Taylor Society. Win served in the 3rd Army Infantry Division during the Korean War. He was decorated with the Silver Star for bravery on the battlefield from 1951 to 1952. He also received the Korean Service Medal, the Bronze Service Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the United Nations Service Medal. After his service, Win earned a master’s in business administration from New York University and enjoyed a long and successful career as a stock broker — retiring as vice president of A.G. Edwards in Farmington, Conn. Committed to helping young people in the community, loomischaffee.org

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and the American Red Cross, among many community leadership roles. She was a corporator for Hartford Hospital and served as head of the Grandparents Committee at Renbrook School. In addition, Joan served on the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee, and as chair of the Collections Committee at the Wadsworth Atheneum, where she was awarded the Goodwin Medal for her service in 1991 and was named an honorary trustee in 1992. An accomplished golfer, Joan earned numerous awards at amateur and club championships and was runner-up in the Connecticut Women’s Golf Association seniors championships. Throughout her life, Joan remained connected to Loomis Chaffee, serving on the Board of Trustees for 24 years, including as a member of the Committee on Trustees, the Development Committee, and the Buildings & Grounds Committee. “During her Board service, [Joan] was sharp, strong, insightful, and generous,” recalls Associate Head for External Relations Nathan Follansbee. “She cared deeply about Loomis Chaffee, understood how to increase its visibility and to strengthen its reputation, and was proud of the progress her school achieved.”

1943 Joan Joseloff Kohn, alumna, benefactor, and former Loomis Chaffee Trustee, died on October 4, 2018. Born in 1925 in New York City, Joan was the daughter of civic leaders and philanthropists Morris and Lillian Leiterman Joseloff. A four-year Chaffee School student from West Hartford, Joan served as president of her sophomore and junior classes and as president of Student Council. A talented athlete, Joan was captain of the soccer and basketball teams and competed in tennis. She wrote for The Chiel, acted in joint Loomis and Chaffee theater productions, and graduated with academic honors. Joan married Bernhard Lyon Kohn, a staff sergeant in the Marines, in 1944 and served as a nurse’s aide, receiving state recognition for her service while the two were stationed in Virginia. At the conclusion of World War II, Joan and Bern returned to West Hartford, where she became involved in many civic and philanthropic organizations. In 1947, Joan earned a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College, which was for women only at that time. After the death of her father, Joan took the reins of the Sycamore Corporation, a real estate development company, and the Morris Joseloff Foundation, a philanthropic organization. She was a founding board member of the Hartford Stage Company, and she served on the boards of the Bushnell Memorial, the Hartford Art School,

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

Joan was awarded the School’s Distinguished Service Award in 2007, and she was a member of the Common Good Society. Joan and the Kohn family have made substantial gifts to the school through the Kohn-Joseloff Foundation, which has given generous support to a number of projects on campus, including Sellers Hall and the Kohn Squash Pavilion. Joan “was one of the leading architects of today’s flourishing Loomis Chaffee,” former Head of School John Ratté says, noting the aptness of the architectural metaphor. “Joan had a flair for design, inside and out, and a strong sense of the unifying power of the neo-colonial tradition; but this talent was in service of the larger vision she shared with others: to undertake a re-conceptualization of the merged schools, a project which began 60 years ago and is now complete.” Joan’s intelligence and grace left a strong impression on all who knew her, from heads of school to Trustees to family and friends. John describes her as “quietly eloquent, persistent, persuasive, and possessed, to paraphrase Ernest Hemingway, of a ‘built-in falsehood detector.’” Her counsel was wise and welcome. “Joan played an instrumental role in both my experience as head and in the life of the school,” reflects former Head of School Russell Weigel. “She was an elegant and respected presence, always well-informed, decisive, and sharp-witted. She was thoroughly modern while simultaneously celebrating the most important elements of her Chaffee education, always insisting that today’s co-educational school prepare its girls to step into the future reimagining what they could do and who they could be.” Former Trustee Peter M. Seigle ’65 worked closely with Joan for many years on the Board’s Buildings & Grounds Committee, of which Peter was chair. “Joan was a friend, mentor, and role model to me and many Trustees,” Peter says. “She had high standards and led by example and intellect, always with grace and style. Joan was one for whom the Greatest Generation was so aptly named.” Her presence instilled an unintended awe among her peers and younger generations, but she was always warm and welcoming. “I had the pleasure of knowing ‘Mrs. Kohn’ my entire life as she was a friend of my parents,”

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recalls former Chair of the Board of Trustees Blanche Savin Goldenberg ’70. “I was well into my 30s and sitting next to her at a board meeting when she uttered, ‘You know, Blanche, it really is time you called me Joan.’ I will admit it took me a while to adjust to that — having been brought up as a proper Chaffee girl — but soon I came to know Joan in a very different way and to appreciate all that she had to offer. … She knew how to listen to the opinions of others and also how to make her own opinion known in the most tactful of ways.” Nicholas Fox Weber ’65 knew Joan from his early childhood and always found her personality remarkable. “My parents were great friends of Joan and Bernhard Kohn, … sharing passions for art, sports, education, and life itself,” Nick says. “At Loomis, Mr. Grubbs [head of school at that time] had often told us, in chapel sermons, to be welcoming to outsiders on the campus, to treat the Island as our home and to put visitors at ease. This was one of the strongest elements of education at the school; it emphasized kindness and human interaction. Joan exemplified those qualities in spades. This was true for the rest of her life; she outlived my parents by decades, and until the end provided warm counsel about matters personal and professional, had stunning insights, and connected totally.” A wonderful colleague, mentor, and friend to many in the Loomis Chaffee community, Joan will be greatly missed and will be remembered for her enduring commitment to advancing the school. Nat voices the sentiments of many at Loomis Chaffee whose lives were touched by Joan. “Joan Kohn was an incredibly rare individual. I was fortunate to know her and will carry her with me always,” he says. Preceded in death by her husband, Bernhard; her sister Carol Joseloff Taub ’45; her brother-in-law Jerome C. Kohn ’43; and her nephew Andrew Kohn ’72, Joan was survived by her daughter Kathryn Rieger and her husband, Charles; her son Bernhard L. “Buz” Kohn Jr. and his wife, Carol; her four grandchildren, Bernard L. Kohn III, Elizabeth Kohn ’93, Kimberly M. Frezados, and Michael B. Masius Jr.; her four great-grandchildren; and her extended family members, including her cousins and cousins by marriage Mary Kohn Lazarus ’46, Jerome Kohn Jr. ’48, Gina Arons ’73, Lisa Arons Aldridge ’76, Andrea Arons Huseman ’78, Michael Joseloff ’91, Candice Naboicheck Dolan ’99, Alexander Huseman ’11, and Nicholas Aldridge ’14. According to the family obituary, donations in Joan’s memory may be made to Loomis Chaffee and to the Wadsworth Atheneum. A celebration of her life was held at the Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford on November 16, 2018.

To read more extended tributes to Joan, visit www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.

Win served as president and was a lifelong trustee of the Boys and Girls Club of Hartford. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford, Conn., and the Pensacola Yacht Club in Florida. An avid sportsman and musician, Win excelled in squash and tennis; played the piano, ukulele, and harmonica; and enjoyed singing. According to the family obituary, Win maintained an optimistic outlook and possessed “a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh.” Preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth Lou Eldredge, and his brother Harrison Eldredge ’43, Win was survived by his wife, Patricia Montgomery Eldredge; his three sons, Chris, Jeff, and Peter, and their spouses; his brother David Eldredge; his four grandchildren; and many extended family members. A private graveside service with military honors was planned in Mystic, Conn., and friends attended a memorial celebration of his life on September 22, 2018, at Evergreen Woods in North Branford, Conn.

1945 Philip Emerson Hoskins, on August 4, 2018. A four-year student from Hartford, Conn., Phil was active in the Stamp Club, Photography Club, Rifle Club, and Badminton Club, and he served on the Advisory Committee. He was active in soccer, fencing, tennis, and track. Phil was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Hoskins ’39, and was survived by his nephews Walter Hoskins ’71 and Frank Hoskins ’73. John B. Kittredge, on August 28, 2018, at his home, surrounded by his family. A two-year

student from Dayton, Ohio, John was involved in the Glee Club, Military Drill, and Library Committee and was cast in a theater production of Of Thee I Sing. He was active in football, basketball, and track. As a teenager in 1941, before attending Loomis, John worked at the Kay and Ess Company in the varnish development lab. He attended Cornell University and earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Dayton in 1951. John joined the Duriron Company and later moved to Minnesota and was employed by 3M for 10 years. John married Mary E. Keyser in 1955, and together they raised three children. In 1970, the family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., where John worked for Roto-Finish and later worked as a consultant to organizations that used vibratory and other mass finishing techniques. He remained connected to Loomis as a member of the Common Good Society. Preceded in death by his three siblings, John was survived by his wife, Mary E. Keyser Kittredge; his three children, John L. Kittredge ’74, Jeannette Amrine, and David Kittredge, and their spouses; his granddaughter; and several extended family members. A memorial service was held on September 22, 2018, at Friendship Village in Kalamazoo. Mich.

1948 Jay Sanford Albert, on July 18, 2018, in Boca Raton, Fla., surrounded by his family. A four-year student from Waterbury, Conn., Jay was involved in the Glee Club, Rifle Club, Ping Pong Club, Jazz Club, Ski Club, Spanish Club, and Orchestra. He served on the Log Business Board, was a volunteer medical aide, was cast in theater produc-

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tions, and was an Honor Roll student. Jay was active in football, basketball, baseball, and bowling. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1953 from Boston University, married Catherine “Cas” Long, and worked in the family furniture business, Plainville Wayside, in Plainville, Conn. In 1961, Jay started Pilgrim Furniture in Bristol, Conn., from which he retired in 1986. Jay and his wife then moved to Lighthouse Point, Fla., where they enjoyed travel, boating, and playing cards. The couple was known to toast to “another day off the bottom,” each evening in retirement. He will be remembered as a great family man and loving father by those who knew him well. Preceded in death by his first wife, Cas; his second wife, Susan Nemeroff; and his brother Paul Albert, Jay was survived by his brothers Carl M. Albert ’51 (who passed away shortly afterwards — see 1951) and Len Albert and their spouses; his four children, Michael, David, Suzi, and Betsy, and their spouses; his 10 grandchildren; his eight great-grandchildren; and many extended family members. A memorial service was held on August 24, 2018, at the Weinstein Mortuary in West Hartford, Conn.

1949 Kenneth C. Barnett, on March 22, 2018. A four-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Ken was involved in the Sportsmen’s Club, Union Settlement, Founders Committee, and Dining Hall Committee. He was active in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Preceded in death by his wife, Martha Bell White Barnett, Ken was survived by his twin brother, Theodore Arnold

“Ted” Barnett; his four children, Debra Arnold, Gail O’Neill, Martha Stephens, and Ken Barnett Jr., and their spouses; his 10 grandchildren; and his seven great-grandchildren.

1950 Frederick Butler Wightman, on May 1, 2018. A two-year student from Ithaca, N.Y., Fred was involved in the Student Endowment Fund, Halloween Night Patrol, Athletic Council, and Bridge Club, and was an Honor Roll student. He was active in football, basketball, and track. In 1954, Fred earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College, and after earning a master’s in business administration from Cornell University in 1958, he enjoyed a long and successful career in banking and finance. Fred retired from Duff & Phelps, a Chicago investment banking firm. He enjoyed golf and his 21 grandchildren. Preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Ellen Schott, Fred was survived by his wife Kay Pierson Manion, whom he married in 2000. Fred was also survived by his two siblings, Win Webster and Henry Wightman; his two daughters, Barbara Huffman and Sandra Wallin, and their spouses; his four step-children, John Manion, Su Wynne, Ginny Bryan, and Michael Manion, and their spouses; and his 21 grandchildren.

1951 Carl M. Albert, on July 28, 2018, in Cathedral City, Calif. A fouryear student from Waterbury, Conn., Carl was involved in the Glee Club, Ping Pong Club, Photography Club, Jazz Club, and Bridge Club. He was active in

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football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling. In 1955, Carl earned degrees in math and economics from Brown University, where he also played football. He traveled to Japan, Korea, and China during his service in the U.S Army from 1956 to 1958, and he received a military commendation in 1958 for his outstanding achievement in the successful initiation of the Army Command Management Reporting System. Carl and his brothers, Leonard and Paul, owned and operated Plainville Wayside, their family furniture business, for 30 years. Carl married Carol Grossman in 1960, and together they enjoyed traveling, skiing, tennis, golf, and other adventures. Carl, Carol, and their family spent many summers sailing in New England waters and skiing at Haystack Mountain in Vermont, where Carl volunteered as a ski patrolman. When Carl retired in 1993, he and Carol went on a seven-year sailing adventure from the East Coast through the Panama Canal to the West Coast. They retired in Palm Springs, Calif., where Carl taught computer classes and volunteered at the Indian Wells tennis tournament for the past 18 years. According to the family obituary, Carl had a unique sense of humor and was a “man of few words and a quick wit; when he spoke, everyone listened.” Carl was preceded in death by his brother Paul Albert and his brother Jay S. Albert ’48, who passed away 10 days before Carl (see 1948.) He was survived by his wife, Carol; his three children, Peter, Nancy, and Jon, and their spouses; and his five grandchildren. A celebration of life and a memorial were held on October 6, 2018, in Cathedral City at the Desert Sands Clubhouse.

1952 Doug Bleiler, on June 2, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. A four-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Doug was involved in the Photography Club, Ski Club, Jazz Club, Political Club, Sports Committee, Chess Club, Bridge Club, and Concert Orchestra, and he was in the cast of several theatrical productions. He was active in soccer, baseball, rifle team, and basketball, and he was captain of the golf team. After Loomis, Doug earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 1956, and enjoyed a long and successful career operating Major Machinery, a heavy-duty construction equipment company begun by his father in 1938. He retired from the business in 1996. A longtime member of the Connecticut Construction Industry Association, Doug served on its board of directors from 1983 to 1996. An avid golfer, Doug maintained a single-digit handicap from a very early age and for most of his golfing life, and he was a member of the of Wampanoag Country Club in Connecticut, Roaring Fork Club in Colorado, and Desert Mountain Club in Arizona. He was a member of the Sphinx Shriners and Elks fraternal organizations and remained connected to Loomis Chaffee as a member of the John Metcalf Taylor Society. Doug especially enjoyed travel, and parties with the many friends he made throughout his life. According to the family obituary, Doug “left a lasting impression on everyone he met,” and is remembered by those closest to him as a “caring good-hearted man.” Doug was survived by his three children, Geoff Bleiler, Heather Frost, and Diane Steele, and their spouses; his former wife, Judy Bleiler; and his three grand-

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children. A memorial service in Connecticut was planned at a later date. Craig Swinton Stone, on May 31, 2018, in Tucson, Ariz. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Craig was involved in the Glee Club, Rifle Club, Darwin Club, and French Club, and was an Honor Roll student. He was active in soccer, basketball, and tennis. Craig earned a bachelor’s degree in 1956 from Wesleyan University, where was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He met Ann Katherine Schermerhorn while pursuing a graduate degree at University of Arizona in Tucson, and the two were married in 1964. Craig’s lifelong career was as a computer programmer, first at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company in Connecitcut; then at IBM in San Jose, Calif.; and in Tucson until retirement. He was an avid cyclist and participated in the El Tour de Tucson road bicycling event. Craig and Ann enjoyed traveling in their RV and spending summers at their cabin in Pinetop, Ariz. Craig’s pastimes included bird watching and sailing, and he spent several weeks as a crewmember of the sailing ship “The Zodiac” in the San Juan Islands of Washington state. A bluegrass music enthusiast, Craig played the banjo, harp, and dulcimer. He supported many charitable organizations out of concern for those in need. According to the family obituary, Craig is remembered for his “affable personality, warm smile and engaging laughter.” He was survived by Ann, his wife of 54 years; his three children, Scott, Andrew, and Sue, and their spouses; his sister, Sandra Stone Long ’54; his four grandchildren; and many extended family members. Funeral services were held in

June 2018 at Episcopal Church of the Apostles, in Oro Valley, Ariz.

1953 Richard Crutchfield, on August 15, 2018, in Asheville, N.C. A three-year student from Charlotte, N.C., Richard was involved in Junto, the Ski Club, Student Council, and the Endowment Fund, and he was president of the Darwin Club. He was active in football, hockey, and tennis. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University, a master’s degree from Indiana University, and a doctorate in Spanish language and literature from the University of Texas in Austin. Richard served as a U.S. Army specialist stationed in Herzogen-Aurach and Coburg, Germany, from 1957 to 1960. He married Malinda Lobdell in 1966, and the couple raised two children during their 20-year marriage. Richard moved to Asheville in 1986 and developed a passionate interest in “dowsing,” a ceremonial and spiritual healing ritual. He served as president of the Appalachian Chapter of the American Dowsers Association, where he was respected as a scholar, teacher, and mentor. He devoted his life to serving others through his work as well as through teaching and charitable giving. According to the family obituary, Richard was “a self-proclaimed ‘nature boy,’” with “an innocent heart, a curious, open mind, and a gentle, generous spirit.” He enjoyed hiking, bird-watching, and socializing in several Asheville-area coffeehouses. Richard was survived by his two children, John Crutchfield and Lilian Childress, and their spouses; his sister, Leslie Thompkins; his five grandchildren; and

many extended family members and friends. A gathering in celebration of Richard’s life was held on August 25, 2018, in Asheville.

1954 Ralph Carter Elwood, on September 22, 2018, in Ottawa, Canada. A two-year student from Rochester, N.Y., Carter, as he was known, was involved in the Photography Club, Nautical Club, Bridge Club, and Model U.N. Assembly, and he was president of the Political Club and the Stagehands Union. He was active in soccer, basketball, and baseball. Carter remembered his days at Loomis with affection, according to his wife, Jill St. Germaine. He studied at Dartmouth College and the University of Edinburgh before earning a doctorate in Russian history from Columbia University in 1969. He joined the faculty at Carleton University in Ottawa in 1968 and taught Russian history until 2017. He held visiting research appointments at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, England; Fribourg University, Switzerland; the London School of Economics; and Harvard University. During the course of this research he published or edited nine books, including The Non-Geometric Lenin in 2011. His biography of Inessa Armand in 1992 and 2002 won the Heldt Prize for the best work on an aspect of Russian women’s history. Carter spent a decade as the editor or associate editor of the Canadian Slavonic Papers and was general editor of papers from the 1985 III Congress of Soviet and East European Studies. He received many awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching, including the Capital Educators Award

in 2013. Fully committed to his university teaching vocation, Carter supervised numerous graduate students’ writing theses, served as chair of the History Department for more than a decade, and in 1993 served as coordinator of the Learned Societies Conference, which brought more than 8,000 scholars to Carleton. After a sabbatical year near Fribourg, Carter developed an affection for the land, people, and culture of Switzerland and returned often for research and to hike in the Alps. At home in Canada, he enjoyed skiing, snow-shoeing, and hiking in the Gatineau Hills. At various times in his life, he collected postage stamps, bicycled in Europe, cheered for the Ottawa Roughriders Canadian football team, and enjoyed wine, opera, gardening, and maintaining a century-old house along the Rideau Canal. According to the family obituary, Carter “… lived in the present and accepted and relished it for what it was. He was that most enviable of things, a contented man.” Preceded in death by his sister, Holly Whiting; and his first wife, Sandra Wieland, Carter was survived by Jill, his wife of 28 years; his three children, Bruce, Marjorie, and Ken, and their spouses; and his two grandsons.

1960 William Hammersley Cory, on August 26, 2018, peacefully at home in Clinton, Mass., following a period of illness. A two-year student from Canajoharie, N.Y., Bill was involved in the Assembly Committee and Stagehands Union and was active in tennis and baseball. He also served as manager of first team basketball and club football. Bill attended

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Boston University and University of California at Los Angeles, where he studied business education. In Boston in 1968, Bill met and married Cheryl “Sherry” Elliott, and they celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2018. A 30-year resident of Harvard, Mass., Bill began his working life at a young age and encompassed many and varied occupations, including working as a movie projectionist at age 12; managing an L.A. movie cinema in college; managing an automobile showroom; serving as sales vice president for Saab Motors; owning and managing two Roundup Western Family Steakhouse restaurants, the Cornucopia Furniture Company, and Bushels Deli; working in the development of Harvard’s AppleWorks mixed-use commercial real estate property; making voice-over recordings for TV; writing restaurant reviews for The Worcester Telegram & Gazette; and consulting for Sundance Publishing of Littleton, Mass. Dedicated to the community, Bill was a bell-ringing Santa Claus, collecting holiday donations for the Salvation Army, and he participated in the Harvard tradition of delivering presents from Santa to children around town on Christmas Eve. He served on the town’s Land Use Committee, was on the Finance Committee of Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, was involved in CMED Life Flight programs, and cochaired the parade for Harvard’s 250th Celebration in 1982. According to the family obituary, Bill’s interests included “his five favorite ‘F’ words: family, friends, film, food, and furniture.” Bill was survived by his wife, Sherry; his two children, Mike Cory and Mandy Glover Lamb, and their spouses; his sister, Faith Griffiths; and many extended family

members and friends. A memorial for Bill was held at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church on September 9, 2018.

1961 Edward F. Boyd III, on August 6, 2018. A four-year student from Monroe, Conn., Buzz, as he was known at Loomis, was involved in the Darwin Club, Stagehands Union, and Elections Committee and served as a prefect. An allaround athlete, Buzz was active in cross country, basketball, baseball, wrestling, and track, and he was a steadfast defensive end on Loomis’ football team, which went undefeated in his senior year. He continued his academic and athletic pursuits at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where he studied business administration, lettered in varsity football, played rugby, was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and became a lifelong Tar Heel sports fan. Afterwards, Buzz proudly served as a reservist in the U.S. Marine Corps and drilled at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and Parris Island, S.C. For the majority of his professional career, he worked with Girard L. Palmer Inc., a private firm representing Parker White Metal Company. Buzz and his wife, Lynne, raised their three children in Gladstone, N.J., and Avon, Conn. While living in Gladstone, Buzz was an active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. In addition to church and family, Buzz’s interests and passions included health and fitness, cars, motorcycles, and bicycling. Throughout his lifetime, Buzz took part in motocross races; ran in road races, including a marathon; competed in triathlons and biathlons; and was a competitive road and track

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bike racer for team Schwinn in New Jersey. He also eventually sold and serviced cars for the Crown Automotive Group in North Carolina. His favorite vehicles included his Porsche Speedster, BSA Lightning Rocket motorcycle, and the Colnago Super bike that he custom built to fit his 6’4” frame. According to the family obituary, Buzz was “kind, thoughtful, and always a helpful gentleman.” Preceded in death by his father, Edward F. Boyd Jr. ’32, Buzz was survived by Lynne, his wife of 27 years; his three children, James Boyd, Emily Boyd Hanlon ’91, and Matthew Boyd, and their spouses; his three siblings, Catharine Lloyd, Charles Boyd, and Cricket Taylor; his six grandchildren; and many extended family members and friends. A memorial service was planned at Christ Church in Easton, Conn., for October 2018.

1963 Gene Florrie Armstrong, on April 18, 2018, peacefully in Providence, R.I. A four-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Gene served as Political Club program chair. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 1967, and her professional career included varied roles in the business, technology, and human services sectors. Gene lived in a number of interesting and idyllic places, including Mexico, Laguna Beach, Cape Cod, and Key West, and she eventually settled in Pawtucket, R.I. A yoga and meditation enthusiast, Gene also enjoyed daily walks with her dog, Georgia. She was survived by her brother J. Neil Armstrong ’62, and by Georgia, her beloved pet companion. A memorial service was held

at Lincoln Woods, Lincoln, R.I., on May 20, 2018.

1964 Hollis W. Huston Jr., on August 2, 2018, peacefully at home in New York City. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Hollis was involved in Humanitas, the Senior School Committee, the 50th Anniversary Committee, and the Log Editorial Board, and he took part in theatrical productions. An Honor Roll student, Hollis was a graduate with distinction and earned the Eric W. Barnes Prize in Humanities, Norris Ely Orchard Prize in English, and Jennie Loomis Prize for Highest Scholarship in the Senior Class at Commencement. He was active in soccer, wrestling, and track. Hollis earned a bachelor’s degree with honors from Oberlin College, and he spent his junior year in Edinburgh, Scotland. He earned a master’s degree in theater from Tufts University and a doctorate from Ohio State University. According to the family obituary, Hollis lived a “peripatetic existence” as a child, moving with his family to several domestic and overseas locales for his father’s academic and ministerial career. The day before his college graduation in 1968, Hollis and his wife, Carol, were married, and the two embarked upon their own nomadic lifestyle. They lived in various places, including Ohio, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Delaware, Missouri, Michigan, and New York, and raised two children along the way. In addition to teaching acting and theater courses at Tugaloo College in Mississippi, Ohio Northern University, University of Delaware, and Washington University in Missouri, Hollis’s

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professional career included work as a theater, film, and video producer, director, and performer, including in plays, musicals, commercial and industrial films, and as a spokesperson for John Deere tractors at farm shows throughout the western and midwestern United States. He produced and recorded radio programs featuring historical writings and music for St. Louis Public Radio Station KWMU that were broadcast on National Public Radio. While living in the New York City metro area and inspired by the ministerial work of his father and his wife, Hollis earned a master’s degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2006. He preached at area Unitarian Universalist Churches, maintained a blog focused on his ministry, and served as a hospice chaplain for 13 years. Originally treated for prostate cancer in 2007, the disease reappeared in spring of 2018, and, around the same time, Hollis suffered a fractured hip, which led to a precipitous decline in his health. Hollis was survived by Carol, his wife of 50 years; his two daughters, Vanessa and Linnea; his mother, Annie Laura Cotton; and many extended family members, colleagues, and friends. A memorial service was planned for September 30, 2018, in New York City.

1966 Julie Ann Boczar Story, on August 23, 2018. A four-year student from Windsor, Conn., Julie was involved in the Chaffee Current Affairs Club, Foreign Policy Association, Glee Club, and Student Council. She worked on scenery for theatrical productions and was on the typing staff for The Cheil. Julie was active in tennis, soccer, and field hockey

and was an Honor Roll student. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College for Women in 1970 and began working with Aetna and then Travelers insurance companies. She married David A. Story, and the two settled in Bloomfield and raised their daughter. Julie worked for 10 years for the law firm of Berman, Bourns, Aaron, and Dembo of Hartford before retirement. Julie enjoyed gardening, cooking for her family, and reading, and she was a fan of the Red Sox and the UCONN women’s basketball team. She especially loved family vacations on Cape Cod and Nantucket, and she was a communicant of the Church of Saint Timothy in West Hartford, Conn., for many years. Julie was survived by David, her husband of 45 years; her daughter, Juliana C. Story; her sister, Joan Delphia; and many extended family members. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on August 27, 2018, at Church of Saint Timothy followed by burial in Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield, Conn.

1974 Victor L. Fortin III, on June 29, 2018. A four-year student from Bloomfield, Conn., Victor earned a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross College and a master’s degree in accounting from Northeastern University. Victor spent his professional career in the field of accounting and finance. He enjoyed boating and golf, and he was a devoted fan of the New York Giants football team and the Boston Red Sox. Victor was survived by his three children; his brother and sister-in-law; his three grandchildren; and his extended family.

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1980 John R. Hope, on April 19, 2018. The family shares with great sadness that John took his own life and states in the obituary, “We hope to erase the stigma of suicide and are committed to suicide prevention, and we ask that you join us. … John always introduced himself with his big smile and led with his compassionate heart, and we want him to be remembered for the joy and comfort he brought to the world.” A oneyear post-graduate student from Center Sandwich, N.H., John later graduated with honors from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a bachelor’s degree in business and applied mathematics. After working as a quantitative analyst for a time at PaineWebber in New York, John went on to earn a juris doctorate at Boston College Law School. He served as judicial clerk to the justices of the Superior Court of Massachusetts and later founded Hope Elder Law in 2003, an estate and special-needs planning law firm in Boston. John was a member of the Massachusetts Bar and an active member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, and he was a vital part of the Boston suburb community of Watertown, Mass., where he had lived since 1995. An LGBTQ ally, John served clients of various ages and backgrounds and made a personal commitment to diversity and inclusion a part of his law practice. John is remembered for providing legal services in a friendly, knowledgeable, and supportive manner, and offering practical legal solutions to his clients and their families in an accessible, effective, and understandable way. John loved the outdoors and was a talented photographer. He was preceded in death by his brother,

Stephen Hope, and was survived by his sweetheart, Debbie Smith; his parents, Starr Hope and Peter Hope; his stepmother, Caroline MacDougall; his siblings Annie Hope, Catherine Broderick, Charity Hope, and Mary Starr Hope and their spouses; and many extended family members and friends. A celebration of his life was held on April 21, 2018, in Watertown.

1993 Damon Burke Clemow, on August 3, 2018. A four-year student from West Hartford, Conn., Damon was an exceptional student, earning a Founders Prize in 1992 and induction into the Cum Laude Society in 1993. He was involved in Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and theater productions, and he was active in tennis and soccer. Damon earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania, and completed a master’s in business administration at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He began his professional career as a management and technology strategy consultant for Accenture in 1997. From there, he went on to enjoy a long and successful career at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York, where he spent 19 years as a committed and dedicated adviser to clients from across the financial services industry. At the time of his death, Damon was a managing director in investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. When he wasn’t working, Damon enjoyed spending time with his wife and children, and he welcomed taking on new adventures and challenges. His favorite pastimes included cooking, traveling, running, playing paddle tennis, hiking, skiing, and spending time with his family

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at their lakeside cottage in the Berkshires. Damon was appreciated by his professional colleagues and clients for his sound judgment and thoughtful advice. His family and extensive network of friends remember him fondly for his love and generosity. Damon was survived by his parents, Brian Clemow ’61 and Susan Burke Clemow; his wife of 11 years, Jennifer Clemow, whom he met first in kindergarten; his two children, Caroline and Tyler; his siblings, Katherine Barrett and Justin Clemow ’98, and their spouses; and many extended family members, friends, and colleagues. A private funeral service was held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Darien, Conn., and a celebration of life for family, friends, and colleagues was planned for fall of 2018.

1995 Matthew Jared Strouch, on June 28, 2018, in Raleigh, N.C. A four-year student from Avon, Conn., Matt co-captained the tennis team and was an excellent student. He was inducted into the Cum Laude Society in 1995. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Matt attended Tufts University Medical School and did his medical residency training at Northwestern University in Chicago, where he also devoted two years to cancer research. He completed his fellowship at Washington University Hospital in St. Louis and then moved with his family to Raleigh, where he worked as a colorectal surgeon at Rex Hospital. Growing up, Matt spent many enjoyable summers at his grandparents’ home at Crescent Beach in Niantic, Conn., and he had many and varied interests, including a fondness for music.

He is remembered by the family as a loving son and husband and as a dedicated father who enjoyed spending time with his two children. According to the family obituary, Matt “had an energy for life, a vibrant and funny personality, and was very sweet, loving, empathetic, and kind to all.” Matt was survived by his wife, Zaneta Strouch; his two children, Emmett and Avery; his parents, Susan and Martin Strouch; his sister, Julie MacDonald; and many extended family members and friends. A memorial service was held on July 6, 2018, at Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh.

More News

’50 on June 3, 2014; Alexander Irvine ’52 on February 19, 2016; Chisholm Gentry ’54 on June 16, 2018; William Cowles Brainard ’55 on March 26, 2016; Everett Clark Jr. ’56 on April 5, 2015; Norman Clark Reynolds Jr. ’59 on January 6, 2018; Benjamin I. Burt ’60 on May 16, 2011; Emmy Norris ’68 on November 22, 2018; William Willard Graulty Jr. ’69 on October 24, 2018; adjunct faculty member Eric Dahlin on October 12, 2018; former faculty member Robert W. Hartman on November 15, 2018; and former staff member Warren A. Hunt on October 15, 2018. More information, as available, will be printed in future editions.

The Alumni Office has learned of the passing of Edwin Butler Crittenden ’34 on January 10, 2015; Dorothy Bidwell Molt ’39 on December 11, 2014; Carl Stern ’40 on January 17, 2015; Betty Gwyn Messenger Morcom ’42 on July 28, 2016; Jacquelyn Goodrich Rockefeller ’42 on March 4, 2018; John Means Thompson ’42 on March 6, 2017; James L. Wilson ’42 on November 19, 2014; William Mitchell Breed ’43 on September 1, 2018; Stuart P. Greene ’43 on April 3, 2005; Robert Lee Kinner ’43 on March 26, 2014; Omar Bailey ’44 on June 14, 2015; Alice S. Templeton Custer ’45 on September 12, 2018; Charles Edward Greene Jr. ’46 on October 2, 2014; Emma Stokes Kyle Kimpel ’46 on November 19, 2012; George Palmer Rice ’46 on January 9, 2017; Arthur R. Friedenheit ’47 on May 18, 2016; John Kunz ’49 on March 16, 2015; Judith Herrick Stevenson ’49 on April 21, 2016; Richard Burns ’50 on August 29, 2013; Robert G. Klemtner ’50 on April 30, 2017; Charles L. Terry III loomischaffee.org

R ef l ect ions

Welcome to the Garden

The arched gateway to the Head’s House garden offers a picturesque welcome in all seasons. In winter, snowfall settles on its latticework in delicate patterns. In summer, eager rose bushes frame the gate in vibrant splendor. Steve Rosenthal ’58 captured the wintry night view in the 1950s, when he was a student photographer for The Log. He went on to a career in photography and is especially well-known for his New England architectural photography. For a link to his professional website, visit www.loomischaffee. org/magazine. THEN: A winter night. Photo: Steve Rosenthal ’58/ Loomis Chaffee Archives

NOW: A summer afternoon. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

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R ef l ect ions

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

BALANCING ACT Sophomore Retreat fun at Camp Becket, Massachusetts. Photo: Jessica Hutchinson

Loomis Chaffee Magazine Winter 2019

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