Mercersburg Magazine - Fall 2012

Mercersburg A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

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A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

Mercersburg

21st-Century Skills

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1,030 Words

Here comes the sun. Page 8

Commencement 2012

See the sights and quotes from Mercersburg’s 119th commencement exercises, which featured former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright as invited speaker.

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The 21st-Century Box

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It’s a tablet… and a textbook. How Mercersburg students (and teachers) are using the iPad in the classroom and for the future. Page 14

Mercersburg Profiles

Meet alumni, faculty, and members of the student body who embody Mercersburg’s 21st-century skills for success.

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My Say

Confronting America—in South Africa. Page 61

You Should Know

Hurricane Sandy blew part of the roof off South Cottage dormitory and knocked down more than 50 trees on the Mercersburg campus when it rolled through in late October—including this White Pine that fell through the outfield fence of the baseball field.

It is believed that this particular pine was planted by Dr. William Mann Irvine around the time of Nolde Gymnasium’s initial construction approximately 100 years ago.

Photo credits: p. 2 Chris Crisman; p. 3 Bruce Weller; p. 4 (Collins) Steven Kovich, (Stephens) Kevin Gilbert; p. 5 (France) courtesy Julie Maurer, (new faculty) Gilbert; p. 6 (Wyoming) Derry Mason, (Edgin) New York Mets, (Rey) Cincinnati Bengals; p. 7 courtesy Katie LaRue; p. 10–13 (all photos) Bill Green; p. 14–15 Bill Denison; p. 16–18 (all photos) Jillian Kesner; p. 21 (Medina) John Keatley; p. 23–25 (all photos) Kesner; p. 29 (top) John McKeith, (bottom) Jason Turner; p. 31 courtesy Missy Ryan; p. 33 courtesy Xanthe Hilton; p. 35 courtesy Chuck Roberts; p. 36 (left) Juny Kim ’14, (right) Debra Collins; p. 37 Kim; p. 38 (baseball) Lee Owen, (lacrosse) Hayley Griffin ’12; p. 39 Wendy Peterson; p. 40 Sharon Rankin; p. 41 (Chorale) Gilbert, (Stony Batter) Green; p. 42–45 (all photos) Green; p. 60 Weller; p. 61 (top) courtesy Frank Betkowski, (headshot) Stacey Talbot Grasa.

Cover illustration: Justin Gabbard

From the Head of School Via Mercersburg Athletics Arts Reunion Weekend Class Notes Mercersburg magazine is published three times annually by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

Mercersburg Academy 300 East Seminary Street Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236 Magazine correspondence: Lee_Owen@mercersburg.edu Class Notes correspondence: classnotes@mercersburg.edu Alumni correspondence/ change of address: Leslie_Miller@mercersburg.edu Read us online: www.mercersburg.edu/magazine

2 3 36 41 42 46 Editor: Lee Owen Class Notes Editor: Tyler Miller Contributors: Frank Betkowski, Marshall Carroll, Shelton Clark, Jillian Kesner, Zally Price, Wallace Whitworth Art Direction: Aldrich Design Head of School: Douglas Hale Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications: Wallace Whitworth Assistant Head for Enrollment: Tommy Adams Assistant Head for Advancement: Brian Hargrove

© Copyright 2012 Mercersburg Academy. All rights reserved. No content from this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in any form without the express written consent of Mercersburg Academy.

Mercersburg Academy abides by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all its employment and admission policies. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

From the Head of School

How Firm A Foundation

As

everyone knows, the new iPhone 5 arrived in stores in September. The phone that changed everything for the present generation continues to evolve and amaze. But the phone that truly changed everything was the original by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. If handed a new iPhone today, Bell would likely not immediately recognize his invention. I have to believe, though, he would be amazed and thrilled to see that his original phone has served as the foundation for so much subsequent innovation over the years. For all its bells and whistles, the iPhone remains a phone, and Bell’s landmark idea—the idea that spawned an entire field of telecommunications— is still as relevant today as it was the day Bell created it.

But we must still give the iPhone its due, since it was the first phone for 21st-century consumers who were yearning for the integration of wireless and Internet technologies. Steve Jobs’s genius has been in his adaptation of that original phone and his ability to answer the current market cravings with the right tools. No one pines for the days of the telegraph since Bell invented the telephone, and certainly not many continue to crave the rotary dial telephone since the advent of cell phones.

And even the newest iPhone is true to its foundation; for all the changes packed inside, it is still unmistakably an iPhone. This is smart change, because today as never before, people—especially young people— expect technological evolution on a scale and at a pace that will allow them to adapt accordingly in our highly connected world.

Positive, proactive, natural adaptability is a trademark of great schools as well, but great schools do not suddenly decide to remake themselves wholesale.

Instead, they set in motion a habit and a culture of wise and ongoing strategic planning, staying in step with the times while staying true to their missions, their ethos, their own foundations. The most visible clues about a school’s ability to adapt wisely over the years can be seen in its buildings and grounds and educational spaces. Buildings must change and evolve, because the programs delivered in those spaces also change and evolve. As I walk around campus and take in the stunning renovations of some of our older buildings and note our wonderful new buildings, I see clear and ample evidence of Mercersburg’s longstanding culture of strategic adaptability. Those buildings support the programmatical initiatives the school embraces right now—initiatives that keep Mercersburg relevant and innovative and current. So it has been at Mercersburg since the beginning of the school.

Dr. William Mann Irvine founded Mercersburg only 17 years after Bell invented the telephone. If Dr. Irvine were to visit campus today, he might not immediately recognize it in its entirety. But once he got his bearings, he would be happy to see some familiar landmarks, happier still to see the smart and intentional transformations over the decades, and happiest of all to know that in concert with all that, the core values held dear are the same ones he established in 1893. For all that is new and different today, the most important things remain the same. Mercersburg is still Mercersburg—a great school built on a firm foundation with sufficient confidence to honor our past and sufficient courage to prepare smartly for our future.

Douglas Hale Head of School

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D at es to Rem em b er

Mercersburg A roundup of what’s news, what’s new, and what Mercersburg people are talking about.

Dec 16

Candlelight Service 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Irvine Memorial Chapel

Dec 19–Jan 6

Winter Break for students

Jan 25–26

Board of Regents Winter Meetings Palm Beach, Florida

Feb 24–28

Irving-Marshall Week (Declamation: Feb 28, Simon Theatre)

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Remembering a Mercersburg Legend John Lewis “Jay” Quinn: 1932–2012 John Lewis “Jay” Quinn, faculty emeritus and a fixture at Mercersburg Academy for more than 50 years, passed away September 15 at his home in Mercersburg. He was 79 and served as the school archivist from 2002 until his death.

“We are all deeply saddened by the loss of this great friend, colleague, and servant of Mercersburg,” Head of School Douglas Hale said. “Jay’s love of Mercersburg was keenly evident right down to his last days, which he lived out with impressive composure and grace.”

The funeral Mass for Quinn was celebrated September 22 at St. Luke the Evangelist Mission in Mercersburg, and the school held an on-campus service honoring Quinn’s memory November 10 in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.

Born November 24, 1932, in Boston, Quinn graduated from Boston University and engaged in graduate study there and at Harvard University. He joined the science faculty at Mercersburg in 1961 as a chemistry teacher and served in that capacity until 1989. He was also a director of Stony Batter Players (from 1962 to 1989 and 1991 to 1998), alumni secretary from 1980 to 1988, and editor of Mercersburg magazine from 1982 to 1989. Quinn was also awarded honorary alumni status in the Mercersburg Class of 1947.

Quinn entered his first “retirement” from the Academy in 1989 to run an antique store, The Flying Cloud, on Main Street in downtown Mercersburg. He returned to Mercersburg to serve as director of development and alumni affairs from 1991 to 1998, when he entered his second retirement. In 2002, Quinn was coaxed back to Mercersburg on a part-time basis as the school archivist.

In 2009, a generous gift by Robert Lehrman ’69 established the Quinn-Ferguson Honors Seminar, named for two faculty who influenced Lehrman indelibly during his time as a student here—Quinn and John Ferguson, who taught at Mercersburg from 1964 to 1970. Ferguson was also greatly admired by Quinn, who commented in a 2010 Mercersburg magazine article about the new seminar that “I am greatly pleased that his name and mine are placed together.”

Quinn was honored in 1993 by f o u r M e r c e r s b u r g a l u m ni — W i l l i a m Zimmerman ’67, Philip Yates ’66, David Millstein ’63, and John Volwieder ’67—who founded the John L. “Jay” Quinn Scholarship Fund. The fund provides financial aid each year to select students.

Quinn and his late wife, Joan, had four children, all of whom survive him and are also Mercersburg alumni: Ruth Quinn ’79, Judi Quinn Sullivan ’80, John Quinn ’81,

and Ann Quinn ’84 (who is president of the Alumni Council). He is also survived by 10 grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the QuinnFerguson Honors Seminar or the Jay Quinn Scholarship Fund at Mercersburg Academy, Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, 300 East Seminary Street, Mercersburg, PA 17236.

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’Burg’s Eye View

campus notes

Former United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins delivered the Ammerman Family Lecture in October to open Mercersburg’s 2012–2013 Monday Evening Lecture Series.

He also hosted a poetry workshop for several English classes during his visit.

Collins served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003 and New York State Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. He is the author of nine separate collections of poetry; one of his best-known collections, The Trouble with Poetry, was one of this year’s Mercersburg summer-reading selections.

Collins has received fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Foundation. He has also been awarded the Oscar Blumenthal Prize, the Bess Hokin Prize, the Frederick Bock Prize, the Levinson Prize, and the Poetry Foundation’s Mark Twain Prize for Humor in Poetry. Collins is a distinguished professor of English at Lehman College of the City University of New York.

Collins

Mercersburg’s 2012–2013 academic year—the 120th in school history—began with Opening Convocation in the Irvine Memorial Chapel. Allison Stephens, who just completed her 25th year on the Mercersburg faculty, was the featured speaker.

Stephens teaches history and American studies, is a former head of the history department, and holds the John H. (1907) and Florence Rumbaugh Chair for excellence in teaching. She and her husband, fellow longtime faculty member Dave Holzwarth ’78, have two children, Wynn Holzwarth ’11 and Zack Holzwarth ’13.

This year’s Mercersburg student body includes 432 students representing 29 American states and 37 nations, as well as three members of the senior class participating in the School Year Abroad program in China, Italy, and Spain.

Stephens

A rendering of 1893 House

Hard-Hat Update:

Work Underway on Ford Hall, 1893 House Projects Two major construction projects are moving forward on campus.

Work began this summer on renovations to Ford Hall in preparation for the anticipated opening of the new Simon Student Center at Ford Hall in fall 2013, and groundbreaking took place in September for the new head of school’s residence, which will be called 1893 House and located across McFarland Road from North Cottage.

While the entire Ford Hall complex was closed for construction during the summer (relocating dining services temporarily to the Edwards Room of Keil Hall), the upper level of the building reopened in time for the return of the student body in August. New upper-level restrooms and improvements to the building’s heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems were completed in the summer.

The Edwards Room first served as the school’s dining room from 1900 until Ford Hall was completed in 1965. During the 2012–2013 academic year, the venerable space will house a temporary student lounge as well as the post office and school store.

The planned 1893 House is a multifunctional facility designed to handle the expanded social and organizational demands of a head of school today, featuring separate spaces for residential needs and meetings or events for small and large groups alike—including current students, parents, prospective families, and alumni.

After 1893 House’s scheduled completion in fall 2013, North Cottage (which was built in 1838 when the campus was part of Marshall College) will be renovated and retrofitted to serve as a welcome center for alumni and parents. A rear expansion will be added to provide office space for the offices of strategic marketing & communications and advancement & alumni relations. Construction on North Cottage will not begin until 1893 House is completed.

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From left: Mercersburg faculty members Julia Stojak Maurer ’90, Will Willis, and Katherine Thompson stand in front of Lake Annecy with Pascal Vaast (second from right) of Collège-Lycée Saint-Joseph.

In Any Language, A Great Partnership Mercersburg and Collège-Lycée SaintJoseph of Thônes, France, have established a formal relationship that will include an annual exchange of students and faculty between the schools. The agreement means Mercersburg students of all four spoken tongues offered by the school’s Classical & Modern Languages Department (Chinese, French, German, and Spanish) now have an opportunity to immerse themselves in meaningful, real-world exchanges in their target language.

Collège-Lycée Saint-Joseph is located in Thônes, a bucolic village of 6,100 nestled in the French Alps. The town is approximately 35 miles south of Geneva, Switzerland, and roughly 350 miles southeast of Paris.

The school serves 700 students, including a small boarding population. It joins the Gauss Gymnasium (Worms, Germany), Colegio Alemán de San Felipe (San Felipe, Chile), and the Nanjing Foreign Language School (Nanjing, China) as Mercersburg’s ongoing exchange partners.

Faculty member and French teacher Jon Hathorn first visited Thônes in 2011 to lay the groundwork for a potential agreement.

In September, a three-person Mercersburg faculty contingent that included Julia Stojak

Maurer ’90 (academic dean), Will Willis (director of environmental initiatives and point person for most on-campus exchanges this year), and Katherine Thompson (assistant director of admission & financial aid) visited Saint-Joseph to finalize and formalize the plans.

“We are thrilled to be able to officially announce our exchange partnership with

Collège-Lycée Saint-Joseph,” Maurer says. “I am excited that our students will be able to participate in a true immersion experience in a lovely setting in France at a wonderful school with caring faculty.”

The first group of students and faculty from Collège-Lycée Saint-Joseph is scheduled to spend about two weeks at Mercersburg in April 2013, with the Mercersburg group traveling to Thônes in June. (Classes at Collège-Lycée Saint-Joseph run until July.)

While France is already a frequent destination for Mercersburg students taking part in various school programs (including the John H. Montgomery Award program, which covers costs for selected intermediate- and advanced-level students of French to participate in immersion and field-study experiences), the agreement with Collège-Lycée Saint-Joseph gives Mercersburg a presence in a different region of the country—one where English is spoken far less frequently than in major French cities or areas more frequently visited by tourists.

Say Hi to New Faculty

Ten new faculty members were appointed for the 2012–2013 academic year. Front row (L–R): Lauren Echko (English), Katherine Thompson (admission), Grace Abel (Chinese), Amy Donnelly (English), Sandra Tritt (summer & extended programs). Back row: Carey Kopeikin (mathematics), Jeffrey Stettler (mathematics), Greg Lynch (English/Latin), Brian Hargrove (advancement & alumni relations). Not pictured: Seth Fries ’08 (Spanish teaching intern).

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Back to Nature

Steve Koning ’90, owner/operator of Snake River Tours in Jackson, Wyoming, joined four students for a portion of a two-week Mercersburg Outdoor Education excursion to his neck of the woods this summer. Pictured here (L–R) are Koning, Kelly Hamilton ’13, Melanie Rankin ’14, Max Fink ’12, and Eli Woodworth ’13. Fellow Jackson residents Trent Hultman ’90 (general manager of Wilderness Adventures) and Taylor Phillips ’98 (owner of Eco-Tour Adventures) also worked with the students on the trip.

Major Leaguers

2012 has been a red-letter year for a pair of former Mercersburg teammates and professional athletes who have reached their respective sports’ highest levels.

Vincent Rey ’06 is in his third year as a linebacker with the National Football League’s Cincinnati Bengals. While he saw action in all 16 games for the Bengals a season ago, most of that time came on special teams. In 2012, he cemented himself as a regular in the team’s linebacking corps, making his first-career pro start in Cincinnati’s 34–27 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. Rey posted a career-best seven total tackles and his first pro sack in the victory.

Not to be outdone, Rey’s former Blue Storm football (and wrestling) teammate Josh Edgin ’06 completed a stunning rise through the New York Mets’ minor-league system and made his Major League Baseball debut for the Mets July 13. Edgin, a left-handed pitcher, struck out former All-Stars Michael Bourn and Martin Prado of the Atlanta Braves in his first appearance out of the bullpen. All told, he appeared in 34 games for the Mets, posting a 1–2 record with a 4.56 earned-run

Edgin

Rey

average and striking out 30 hitters in 25 2/3 innings of work.

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Katie M

To see LaRue’s segment, scan this QR code with your mobile device or visit www. mercersburg.edu/katieshow

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Faculty member among Katie Couric’s first guests on new TV show

aired in September, LaRue traveled to ercersburg assistant athletic direcNew York City for shooting with Couric in tor and head girls’ varsity basketthe Katie studio. One of the guests on the ball coach Katie LaRue was profiled episode featuring LaRue was supermodel September 12 on one of the first episodes of Heidi Klum.

Katie, the new syndicated daytime talk show “Everyone there was terrific,” LaRue says. hosted by Katie Couric. The show is syndicated “And Katie Couric herself was awesome. We on stations across the U.S. and Canada. did a couple of different takes of the interLaRue came to Mercersburg in 2011 from view, we had a good conversation during the the Asheville School in her home state of North commercial breaks, and she even welcomed Carolina, where she coached basketball and us into her dressing room for a photo.” served as assistant athletic director. She played As a singer-songwriter, LaRue has Division I college basketball at Charleston recorded two albums (both of which are Southern University and later was a graduate assistant coach at Winthrop University while pursuing a master’s degree there.

In summer 1999, LaRue had just finished her freshman season at Charleston Southern when she broke her neck in a mountain-biking accident. She had a metal plate and two screws placed in her neck during emergency surgery—without which doctors believe LaRue might never have walked again.

The accident left her with almost no use of her right arm, so along with tradiFrom right: Faculty member Katie LaRue, Katie Couric, and tional physical therapy, LaRue picked up LaRue’s partner Rachelle Rios on the Katie set a guitar for the first time and eventually available on iTunes) and has opened for such taught herself to play. She returned to the court artists as Garrison Starr, Adrianne Gonzalez and played her final three seasons at Charleston of The Rescues, and Leila Broussard. Her Southern, and later began writing songs on part-folk, part-rock sound is often compared the side. “By the time I graduated, I realized I to Ingrid Michaelson and Brandi Carlile. wasn’t going to have basketball anymore and so LaRue’s third record, On the Bright I put a lot of that energy into playing guitar,” Side, is being recorded with (among others) LaRue says. fellow Mercersburg faculty member Dave Researchers for Katie, which is hosted by Holzwarth ’78 on bass. She hopes the album Couric, the former Today and CBS Evening will be released sometime this year.

News anchor, discovered LaRue’s story while Her older brother, Rusty, is well known combing the Internet for all things “Katie” to longtime sports fans; he played basket(LaRue’s Twitter handle is @katie). In May, ball, football, and baseball for Wake Forest a camera crew visited Mercersburg to shoot University before earning an NBA champifootage for the show that included a Blue Storm onship ring with the Chicago Bulls. Rusty basketball practice and interviews with LaRue, LaRue is in his fourth season as an assistant her parents (Bob and Linda), and now-senior men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest.

Melody Gomez ’13. The week before the show

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1,030 Words This shot by Johnny Mancini ’14

of the sun breaking through between Main Hall and Swank Hall earned recognition in Mercersburg’s secondannual “Beat the Pros” student photo contest this fall.

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119th COMMENCEMENT MERCERSBURG’S May 26, 2012

“It makes sense to pick your friends based on common interests, but I urge you to go forth and pick friends who will push you to be more than you are. Pick people who will subconsciously improve you.

You never know what you could learn from them. And if for no other reason, keep friends who will push you so that one day they might push you forward to the front of the line, so that instead of seeing shoulder blades before you, you see the path you’re about to forge.”

—Kathy Clarke ’12, Class Orator

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Class of 2012 Legacy Graduates 1. Michael Pashuck, grandson of the late William Wirth ’45. 2. Aric DiLalla, son of Richard DiLalla ’81 and stepson of Ann Marks DiLalla ’82. 3. Sarah Allen, daughter of Bill Allen ’79. 4. Laura Rahauser, daughter of Tom Rahauser ’74. 5. Katherine Pierce, daughter of Gretchen Decker Jones ’79. 6. Abby Ryland, daughter of John Ryland ’82. 7. Alex Kelly, grandson of Daniel Kelly ’42. 8. Max Strauss, son of Marc Strauss ’78. 9. Will Appleman, son of Lynne Roberts Appleman ’79 and great-grandson of the late C. Hayward Roberts ’27. 10. Ariel Garofalo, daughter of Jim Garofalo ’72. 11. Ben Dupont, son of Dave Dupont ’80. 12. Burke Helzel, son of Rich Helzel ’68. 13. Nick Vögele, son of Terry Peters ’75, grandson of E.E. “Tim” Peters ’44, and great-grandson of the late Robert Parkins ’22.

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Just the facts 127 graduates, representing 21 states (plus the District of Columbia) and 14 nations Members of the class matriculated at 88 different institutions Most-popular college choices: United States Naval Academy (seven matriculations), Dickinson College (five), George Washington University (five), Johns Hopkins University (four) Some other institutions represented: University of Arizona, Bucknell University, Columbia University, Georgetown University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Tufts University, Vassar College Valedictorian: Kexin “Cathy” Wang, Shenzhen, China

“By stepping out of our comfort zone at Mercersburg, we all embraced vulnerability. That is what has made our highschool lives here different and unique. Take a moment to think about who you were when you arrived at Mercersburg and who you have become.”

—Cathy Wang ’12, valedictorian

Cathy Wang ’12

Salutatorian: Jin Yong Shin, Busan, South Korea Schaff Orator: Aric DiLalla, Raleigh, North Carolina Class Orator: Kathy Clarke, Arden, North Carolina Class Marshals: Sarah Allen, Mount Vernon, New York; David Bowes, Washington, D.C. Commencement speaker: Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. secretary of state Baccalaureate speaker: Jeff Cohen, Mercersburg faculty member since 2004

Madeleine Albright

“Truth has many dimensions—and the way to understand more is not by talking or even by listening to those with whom you already agree, but by making the effort and taking the risk of reaching out to the unfamiliar. That kind of education does not end on graduation day, but can—if you let it—become an integral part of how you live your lives.”

—Madeleine Albright, invited speaker and former U.S. secretary of state

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119th COMMENCEMENT MERCERSBURG’S

May 26, 2012

CLASS OF 2012 PRIZES FOR DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE Cum Laude Society Sarah Allen Vanessa Anyanso Kathy Clarke Aric DiLalla Ted Fitzmaurice Gerverus Flagg Ariel Garofalo Frances Gong Harrison Helm Rosie Hough Sally Kim Nerissa Lam Val Langlois Jason Lee Min Hee Lee Winnie Lu Ryan Mahaffey Mikaela Orbon John Pribyl Abby Ryland John San Filippo Jin Yong Shin Michelle Skuba Gray Linh Vu Cathy Wang Amber Yu

President’s Education Award for Educational Excellence Sarah Allen Vanessa Anyanso Peter Benjathatchaporn Max Brownawell Melanie Brydger Cindy Chung Kathy Clarke Aric DiLalla Max Fink Ted Fitzmaurice Gerverus Flagg Ariel Garofalo Frances Gong Harrison Helm Rosie Hough Stefan Johansson Sasha Karbach Mari Kato Sally Kim Nerissa Lam Val Langlois Han Lee Jason Lee Min Hee Lee Winnie Lu

Ryan Mahaffey John Olszweski Mikaela Orbon John Pribyl Abby Ryland John San Filippo Jin Yong Shin Gavin Song Rick Stettler Hannah Tsai Nick Vögele Scott von Jouanne Linh Vu Cathy Wang Amber Yu John Zawarski Tom Zhang

English

The Harry F. Smith Prize Michelle Skuba Gray The William C. Heilman (1896) Prize Kathy Clarke The Pratt L. Tobey Prize Harrison Helm The Gordon M. Macartney Prize Mari Kato The Dr. Julius Shamansky Prize Morgan Hopkins

Fine Arts

The Head of School’s Purchase Prize Sally Kim and Laura Rahauser The Austin V. McClain ’26 Prize in Fine Arts Max Brownawell The Blue Review Award Peter Benjathatchaporn The Music Director’s Prize Cole Rataezyk The Paul M. Suerken Prize Robin Jo The Senior Instrumental Music Prize Robin Jo

The Dance Director’s Award Abby Ryland The Excellence in Dance Award Min Hee Lee The Stony Batter Prize Kathy Clarke and Kaleigh Myers

History

The AP Comparative Government Prize Thomas Hall The AP European History Prize Kathy Clarke

The Elective Studies in History Prize Allen Irving The Human Geography Prize Mac Malone The Colonel Wills Prize Nerissa Lam (first prize) Cathy Wang (second prize)

Foreign Language

The John H. Montgomery Prize in Advanced Level French Cindy Chung The Advanced Level German Prize Alex Cantone The Advanced Level Latin Prize Vanessa Anyanso The H. Eugene Davis Prize in Spanish Harrison Helm

Mathematics

The Statistics Prize Amber Yu

Science

The Wilmarth I. Jacobs AP Physics Prize Cathy Wang The Chemistry Prize Cathy Wang The William O. Allen AP Biology Prize Rosie Hough

The Brent Gift AP Environmental Science Prize Max Fink

Athletics/Outdoor Education

The Leonard Plantz Award John San Filippo The Darrell Ecker Award Kiersten Sydnor The Persis F. Ross Award Michelle Skuba Gray

Special Awards

U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis Certificate Hunter Harrell Patrick Lien Patricia Neno Maddi Thompson Meredith Wallace Timothy Wu John Zawarski U.S. Military Academy at West Point Certificate Rick Stettler Scott von Jouanne Community Service Award Peter Benjathatchaporn The Yale University Aurelian Prize Kathy Clarke The Francis Shunk Downs (1902) Prize Brendan McClintick The Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award Brendan McClintick The William C. Fowle Award Sarah Allen The Mary Jane Berger Prize David Bowes The Tim O. Rockwell Award Thomas Hall The Carol Amorocho ’81 Prize Max Strauss The Head of School’s Prize John San Filippo

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“Live each day with the knowledge that your actions and choices truly do count, and that every challenge surmounted by your energy, every problem solved by your wisdom, every soul awakened by your passion, and every barrier to justice brought down by your courage will inspire others and enrich your own journey on this earth.”

—Madeleine Albright, invited speaker and former U.S. secretary of state

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All in

One

By Lee Owen

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Mercersburg students and teachers are using the iPad to take notes, review class discussions, and even to create textbooks

In

a Lenfest Hall classroom that until this year housed a traditional computer lab, small groups of students in a Human Geography course taught by faculty member Emily Howley are debating the best location for a new supermarket in the city of Detroit, Michigan, more than 400 miles away.

None of the 10 students in the class has ever been to the corner of Dexter Avenue and West Boston Boulevard, northwest of Detroit’s downtown core. (One student has relatives in a suburb of the city, though the connections end there.) But by using their iPads to consult a variety of U.S. Census maps and an app called ArcGIS to measure and compare income levels, percentages of obesity and diabetes among local residents, and access to fresh produce (through supermarkets and other stores), the groups mark the intersection as a spot convenient to a large segment of the population that has limited access to existing grocery stores.

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The same project could be done without technology, of course—though it wouldn’t be as interactive and, in some ways, as immediately relevant to a generation of students raised on electronic devices, Google, and instant access to information. And while all of Mercersburg’s class spaces are “wired,” the newly redesigned Lenfest classroom is tailor-made for the collaborative nature of the iPad and challenge-based, experiential learning. (For more details on the classroom, see the story by Marshall Carroll on page 22 of this issue.)

For the first time this fall, Mercersburg required all its students to have an iPad for use inside and outside the classroom. Several Academy teachers have created their own digital textbooks (also called “eBooks”) for the iPad, which are customized specifically for their individual courses. And with all courses continually being reevaluated and refined by teachers each year, it makes sense for teachers to take a long look at utilizing the iPad as a textbook.

“There are numerous benefits for everyone having an

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iPad and for creating textbooks for it,” says Ryan Bennett, Mercersburg’s director of information technology who also teaches mathematics. “There are pragmatic things like lighter backpacks, lower costs for textbooks, and organizational tools in the hands of each student. And then there are the more educational issues such as giving all students the same access to technology and the ability to immediately share information with each other and their teacher—as well as the ability to immediately research any topic at nearly any time.”

Teachers and students are employing iPads across all academic disciplines on campus. In addition to their use as textbooks, the devices also serve as how-to manuals for services in Lenfest Library and for different exercise routines and fitness equipment as part of physical-education curriculum in Nolde Gymnasium. Faculty member Matt Geeza replaced a large textbook for his United States History course with an eBook—both figuratively and

literally lightening his students’ load. Science teacher Dave Holzwarth ’78 consolidated a 100-page physics lab manual and course syllabus (with photos, videos, outlines of material, homework problems, and solutions) into a virtual course binder available exclusively to his students through iTunes U. Howley was one of three teachers that took part in a pilot project at Mercersburg during the 2010–2011 academic year (along with mathematics teacher Jennifer Miller Smith ’97 and English teacher John David Bennett). The project outfitted all students in one class rotation for each teacher with a school-owned iPad, and the school studied how the students used the device both inside and outside of the classroom.

“I volunteered for the pilot project because I thought it would be a great opportunity for the students to instantly access information in class, right where they sat, instead of having to go to a computer lab,” Howley says.

“And this year, for all three of the courses I teach [Human Geography, U.S. History, and American Studies], I use iTunes U to organize and disseminate information to the students.”

Howley spent much of the summer using the Apple program iBooks Author to create an eBook that now serves as the primary textbook for her American Studies course. One of the reasons for this is that she had trouble finding a text that truly encapsulated the material she wanted to cover in the course, which is billed as an alternative to the traditional U.S. History survey course.

Thirteen upper-level students representing five countries are enrolled in the class.

“The American Studies guidebook is specifically tailored to the needs of the course—which is something that isn’t possible with a regular textbook,” she says.

“American Studies is a different kind of course, so the traditional textbooks never really worked for us. The eBook follows the day-by-day progression of the course; I really tried to make it user-friendly and student-centered.”

At the same time that Howley was creating her eBook for a class more outside the traditional structure, Smith and fellow mathematics teacher Amy Kelley were collaborating on the production of an eBook for the Algebra II courses they teach. “Algebra II is not a class where there’s a shortage of available textbooks, but there is a shortage of textbooks we liked,” says Smith, who was the valedictorian of her Mercersburg class and returned to teach at the school in 2008.

Smith and Kelley are making individual chapters of their book available as their students progress in the course. This cuts down on the file size of each document (which can be distributed to students via iTunes U

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“The American Studies guidebook is specifically tailored to the needs of the course—which is something that isn’t possible with a regular textbook.”

or a third-party service like Dropbox or YouSendIt) and allows the teachers to make last-minute adjustments to the content of each chapter. Most chapters are about 100 pages.

On a typical day in Kelley’s Irvine Hall classroom, students set up their iPads alongside the traditional paper notebooks. Kelley can give students instant feedback on a quiz they take using their iPads.

Students use the iPad’s camera to photograph their work and send it to the teacher for feedback, or even to film portions of lectures or discussions for playback on the iPad later, whether during an evening study hall or even in places where wireless Internet access is not available— such as on buses heading to or from athletic contests

Emily Howley

or, in the case of day students, while traveling between campus and their homes.

“We’re teaching the exact same things we’ve always taught in this course,” Kelley says. “It’s just that sometimes students are learning those concepts in a different way. Our eBook looks a lot like a regular textbook, but it’s more interactive. There are videos and interactive graphs interspersed to make the material more readable.

And we can even include a place for student feedback at the end of each chapter, so we can learn how long

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“In many ways, the iPad is what classicists have been waiting for all along.” each student spent working on the problems and how we could improve the format [of the chapter] to help them.”

As a teacher of Latin, Tom Thorne was interested in creating a new kind of textbook aimed specifically at increasing reading speed in his advanced-level courses.

He is encouraged by the results so far.

“In many ways, the iPad is what classicists have been waiting for all along,” says Thorne, who holds the David F. Chapman Chair at Mercersburg. “In a field so replete with references to a world that no longer exists, it only makes sense to read Latin on a device that permits instant access to the information necessary to understand it.”

The definition of each word in the eBook version of Vergil’s Aeneid used by students in Thorne’s class is available literally at the touch of a finger. “As the student progresses through the book, words that have been glossed a number of times are no longer defined, giving the student incentive to retain vocabulary,” Thorne says. “Similarly, every passage has a certain number of commonly occurring words; once the word has appeared a few times, it also appears in the vocabulary list to be learned, with a web-based quiz [Quizlet] for practice. Students can thus

quiz themselves as often as they like before they take the actual graded quiz in class.”

Thorne arranged his eBook in a format influenced by Understanding by Design, which is a set of materials on curriculum design utilized by Mercersburg to structure courses with an ultimate focus on student outcomes.

“It’s designed to make homework less tedious and more directed toward actual thought,” he says. “The included vocabulary and notes take care of the busywork of thumbing through dictionaries and references, leaving the student free to concentrate on the more complex business of actually reading the Latin.”

One of the first faculty members to bring the iPad into the Mercersburg classroom was Academic Dean Julia Stojak Maurer ’90, who developed an eBook for her robotics course. She says that the device’s adaptability—as well as its portability—is already benefitting Mercersburg’s 21st-century students and teachers.

“The iPad gives teachers a lot of flexibility when they know that every student has access to the same device and a common set of apps,” Maurer says. “Students can have their books, planners, classroom notes, videos and pictures of classroom demonstrations, and a research tool all in one package. Great teachers and great teaching are still a hallmark of Mercersburg; that hasn’t changed. But, it is neat to visit classes and see how much more efficient, student-centered, and collaborative our classrooms are becoming as a result of this new technology.”

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An Investment in Mercersburg’s Future M ercersburg parents are some of the school’s most enthusiastic and dedicated supporters. For Josephine Ammerman, the celebration of her 100th birthday earlier this year is a reminder that the passage of time has only strengthened and enriched her love for Mercersburg.

J osep hi ne a nd her l a t e husban d, Max, enrolled their son, Andrew ’68, at Mercersburg in 1965, attracted by the school’s rigorous curriculum, vibrant campus atmosphere, and engaging faculty.

A Mercersburg education proved to be the perfect springboard for Andrew to embark on a career as a jeweler, teacher, businessman, and investor.

Gratitude for the school’s role in preparing her son for college and for professional successes led Josephine to invest in the Mercersburg experience. Her passion has been for programs and activities that expose students to new perspectives—programs such as the Ammerman Family Lecture Series, which she and Andrew established and endowed to bring nationally renowned speakers to Mercersburg. (Past Ammerman lecturers have included Robert Sapolsky, a scientist and MacArthur Fellow; Nicole Krauss, a best-selling author; and this year’s guest, former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, who spoke in the Burgin Center for the Arts in October.)

“The Ammerman Lecture Series is a chance for our students to hear from and even work with some remarkable speakers on relevant issues,” says Academic Dean continued on page 20

Josephine Ammerman and son Andrew ’68

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Q&A:

Inside the Brain Julia Stojak Maurer ’90. “Having spent time with Josephine, I’ve seen firsthand how much she cares about Mercersburg.

She is committed to enhancing our students’ education and providing exceptional opportunities for them.”

Josephine has partnered with Andrew to give toward construction of the Burgin Center for the Arts, to support scholarship aid, to establish the Ammerman Distinguished Teaching Award for Religious and Interdisciplinary Studies, and most recently to fund student trips to the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. As the parent of an alum, she embraces the idea of continuing to make Mercersburg a philanthropic priority.

“When we took Andrew to begin his studies at Mercersburg, we never imagined that it would be the beginning of a decades-long relationship with the school,” she shares.

For Josephine, who was inducted into Mercersburg’s McDowell Society in 2011, philanthropy is both a family value and a religious value. “Philanthropy serves as an inspiration to the community,” she says. “If you honor thy neighbor as yourself, that includes institutions in your midst.”

—Tyler Miller

Dr. John Medina, author of the New York Times bestseller Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School, addressed the Mercersburg faculty at the start of the 2012–2013 academic year. (Brain Rules was one of the school’s summer-reading selections in 2012.) Medina is director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research at Seattle Pacific University, and an affiliate professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Following are excerpts from a brief interview that followed his Mercersburg visit.

MERCERSBURG magazine: So much of what you talk about in Brain Rules (sleep or lack thereof, stress, how we learn) profoundly affects residential schools like Mercersburg. What can today’s schools do to create optimal learning conditions for the greatest number of our students?

MEDINA: It’s very clear that the brain does a fair amount of offline processing when you go to sleep. You actually repeat the things that you’ve been learning all day long over and over again and even attempt to solve problems using those repetitions as a kind of marker. If that’s the case, you could make a strong recommendation that all-night studying should be a thing of past.

And you can embrace that at a school like Mercersburg because you can control the timing; you can’t do that at home.

MM: Many experts say that one of the best ways to learn a behavior is to make a mistake. How do we as teachers and parents give our students enough space to make their own mistakes even though our natural inclination—not to mention our job—is to protect those in our care from harm?

MEDINA: From an evolutionary perspective, we did not jump out of the trees down into the Serengeti and have someone give us a nice, safe lecture for 15 years about how to survive there.

Instead, our natural bent is to say, “Here’s the red snake with

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the white stripe; it bit me yesterday and I almost died.” Then you can hypothesize what might happen if you get bitten again. So we have the ability to learn from our mistakes in a very powerful way, and being able to, in a controlled environment, give kids the space to make mistakes that lead to an increasingly corrective series of ideas, is an optimal system.

From a cognitive neuroscience perspective, human learning is really easy to understand. You have to create a database, and then the brain wants to improvise off that database almost as soon as it can—almost as soon as it learns [new] information. So allowing kids to “fail” in a controlled situation where there really is no “failure”—you’re just teaching—and at the same time providing a terrarium where they can make the mistakes that would cause them to revisit the database over and over again is optimal. And certain types of exploratory learning have that in spades.

John Medina

MM: In the book, you offer the example of a teaching hospital as an example of one of the most successful educational models—with its realworld exposure, on-the-job “training,” and research. How could we as a society set up our primary/secondary schools and even our workplaces to benefit from this?

JM: I would aim it at colleges of education in our universities. We could create some good old-fashioned 1930s-era lab schools, but with a vengeance. They could be set up like a series of Russian dolls. You have the school in the center, and over-imposed on that is a college of education, and on top of that is a brain research unit. All three of those professions—the college of education folks, the brain-science professionals, and the people who are actually teaching, ought to be in constant communication, designing and doing real-world experiments [on learning and the brain] just like we do in medical school. And the colleges of education would have partnerships with their local school districts.

At some point, this country is going to have to shift its priorities to what has made us great in the first place: our ability to innovate. We still win more Nobel Prizes than anybody else and have the best college systems in the world and arguably the best research units in the world too. Making it a priority to create laboratory conditions where we can test how education works is at least as deserving as the next anti-psychotic drug we’re going to fund or the next bomber we’re going to build.

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

By (Not Just) the Book Information literacy in the 21st century

by Marshall Carroll, Director of Library Services

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

Close to two years ago, I was discussing the implications of Mercersburg becoming an “iPad school” with Matt Geeza, the associate director of library services. We were both confident that things were going to be different in a new and exciting way, but we were not yet sure how.

ME: “You know, the computer lab will lose most of its purpose once we have iPads.”

MATT: “I know. The iPad will take the place of most of what the lab is used for in the evenings.”

ME: “Exactly, between checking email and a few kids writing papers, that space will be underutilized if it is left as is.”

MATT: “What do you think should replace it?”

ME: “I don’t know. Whatever it is, though, needs to be more versatile. Otherwise, we might as well leave it as is.”

Leaving the space alone, however, was not an option. The space had to evolve.

The format and nature of information is now different than it was decades (or even years) ago, especially from an educational standpoint. Information is immediate and aggressive. Information is invasive and thrust upon us, whether in the form of an email, SMS text, or RSS feed. Nowadays, one has to try hard to avoid information—just ask anyone who has ever tried to avoid the score of a game he plans to watch later on DVR.

This deluge of information is why teaching information literacy to our students is of paramount importance.

Information literacy can be defined as the ability to navigate and gauge the quality of information, and to then apply it toward an information need. In layman’s terms, it’s the ability to find something, figure out if it is good enough to answer the question, and put it to use. This definition is not much different than it ever has been, but the importance of the skill has changed drastically.

The Internet changed everything. People no longer go to libraries with simple questions—when was the last time, if ever, you asked a librarian the ZIP code in a certain part of the country? The Internet democratized everything from area codes to the Arab Spring.

People are more self-reliant; libraries are no longer the repositories of old with librarians serving as gatekeepers. Libraries have been redefined, and sometimes, rebranded—as is evident by some school libraries now being called “media centers.”

Libraries are now dynamic access points to higher-quality information. While a world of information is available for free, the highest-quality information still has a price tag associated with it. Access to this premium information is some of what I like to call the value-added service that libraries offer.

I often stress to my students that there is “good” information and there is “goodenough” information. In library jargon,

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Scan this QR code with your mobile device to read more about the new collaboration classroom in Lenfest Hall.

Marshall Carroll in Lenfest Hall’s collaboration classroom

depending on the type of information need you have, various resources can help you bridge that information gap. For example, if you are writing an academic research paper, you benefit more from accessing library databases and books that have been vetted by publishers and often peer-reviewed

than if you simply perform a basic Google search—you need “good” information. On the other hand, if you are interested in information about current events, sports scores, celebrity gossip (in other words, information where the credibility of the source is not as paramount), you need “good-enough” infor-

mation. Creating a distinction between different qualities of information, depending upon the source, is an important aspect of teaching information literacy.

Over the past five years at Mercersburg, access to the number of online databases has tripled. These databases are crucial to

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

our current students, as the students will be expected to use these resources at the university level. Everything from reference material to the periodicals previously found only in print and microfilm are now digital and accessible through online databases.

(Lenfest Library does still own a microfilm machine—but that is only until I get around to calling the recycling man to come pick it up!) It has been more than five years since a student has used microfilm here, because a digital format provides more resources—and is much faster—than the outdated medium.

We highlight our online databases by integrating them into the physical space of the library through QR codes (the square barcodes that serve as hyperlinks when scanned with a mobile device). To help students visually see the connection between our print and digital collections, we display QR codes that link to the online databases in our print reference collection, in the same location where the databases would physically reside if they were in book form.

This allows students to scan the code and access the databases on their iPads, as well as compare other reference materials we have that are similar to those databases.

Since I became director of the library five years ago, we have been early adopters. Our actions in creating student-centered changes have been research-driven. Many spaces in the library have been physically redesigned; whether it’s the conversion of office space to a silent reading room or the reorganization of the reference floor, all of the changes have been made in line with the goal of creating spaces for students—which leads us back to the conversation that started this article: “what do we do about the computer lab?”

If every student has an iPad, a traditional computer lab is an outmoded use of space.

As a result of many conversations and the support of Academic Dean Julia Stojak Maurer ’90, our solution was to create of a new type of classroom—a classroom whose design embodies experiential learning and information literacy. The room includes four

workstations, each equipped with a custom whiteboard table (for dry-erase markers) and a flat-screen television with hookups so students can project their iPads for others to see. The front wall of the room is covered with IdeaPaint, making the whole height and width of the wall a functioning whiteboard.

By itself, what does a space like this do for information literacy? Nothing—just as putting a book on a table does not automatically increase literacy or reading comprehension. Instead, the space creates an opportunity for classes to become information-literate in a real and practical way.

Experiential learning is an important focus of the Mercersburg Plan, and this space allows students to work with information in a very open, dynamic, and collaborative way. Since information has become ubiquitous in our culture, our curriculum must focus more on the processing of information, rather than the physical task of finding information.

Information literacy is a process. As an institution, we are adapting our definition of what it means for our students to be considered information literate, and doing everything in our power to design and promote that skill set.

Just as one does not claim fluency in a foreign language because one can order off the menu, one is not information literate because he/she can successfully find a piece of information. Information literacy is not tangible; it is a way of viewing the world. It is the way in which one interacts with new knowledge, as well as false professions. It is an important skill. That’s why Mercersburg’s Program Review Committee defined it as one of the pillars of a 21st-century education, and that is why it is an essential component of the Mercersburg Plan.

Carroll holds the Marjorie McCrae McCulloh Chair for the Library Director and has served on the Mercersburg faculty since 2007. He also teaches history and is a graduate of The Lawrenceville School and Rutgers University.

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NOW APPEARING ON STAGE Inside Caitlin Cremins’ summer of arts study in an elite pre-college program

by JILLIAN KESNER

Caitlin Cremins (center) at Carnegie Mellon

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Raised on the catalogue of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Caitlin Cremins ’14 started performing and taking lessons at a young age—which was a surprise to her parents, who are both more athletic than artistic.

In summer 2012, she attended the PreCollege Drama Program at Carnegie Mellon University. Cremins’ private voice teacher, Melanie Zayas Regan, encouraged her to apply so she would have the opportunity to meet other people in the business and focus on what she needed to learn to pursue musical theatre as a career.

Cremins isn’t the only performer in her family. Her older brother, Sean, is in the marching band as a sophomore at Boston

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

College and plays the clarinet, saxophone, mellophone, and guitar; her eighth-grade brother, Tom, is also a singer.

Cremins, who plans on majoring in vocal theatre in college, took classes at Carnegie Mellon in jazz, improv, drama literature, ballet, singing, acting, and auditioning as part of the six-week program, which familiarizes students with the business side of theatre. She was accepted at three of the four summer programs she applied to, but ultimately chose the school in Pittsburgh.

“It’s one of the most prestigious undergraduate bachelor of fine arts musical theatre programs in the country, so getting the chance to go, even just for the summer, was a dream come true,” says Cremins, who is from nearby Hagerstown, Maryland. “The opportunity to work with such amazing teachers in a place where so many great actors have been before me is just incredible.

I’m passionate about performing and music and theatre. I’m so excited that I was able to spend the summer doing that every day.”

The program concentrates on audition readiness. At its conclusion, students audition for Carnegie Mellon’s undergraduate program, and rising seniors are eligible for admission. Though she is only an 11th grader, Cremins says that the experience was amazing and that she enjoyed taking part in the conservatory-style residency.

“I learned so much—my teachers were great,” she adds. “I really liked it because it’s focused on performance and dance, singing, and acting—the tools I would need to pursue a career in this.”

At Mercersburg, Cremins has been involved in Chorale and Magalia (the school’s female a cappella vocal ensemble), Stony Batter Players (theatre), dance, and last winter landed one of the lead roles in the musical Bye Bye Birdie. She performed in The Sound of Music and the straight-play The Dining Room as a ninth grader and says she enjoys doing a little bit of everything. “I love to sing, I love to dance, I love to act,” says

Cremins, who also appeared in the opening Stony Batter production of the 2012–2013 academic year, Antigone: An Apocalypse. “So I get to do all of that with musical theatre.”

In addition to her artistic pursuits, Cremins serves as editor-in-chief of the Blue Review literary magazine and second vice president of the Marshall Society, and is also a Blue Key tour guide.

Cremins selected two songs for her Carnegie Mellon audition: “Live Out Loud” from the musical A Little Princess and “My Ship” from the musical Lady in the Dark, along with two monologues—one comedic and one dramatic—and says the dance classes helped her hone her technique.

“I learned so much—I got to work with great teachers and some fantastically talented students my age,” Cremins says. “I think one of the most important skills I gained was how to audition well. In theatre and acting, even if you are the best actor in the world, if you can’t audition well, you won’t go anywhere.”

She also learned how to engage the faculty for whom she auditioned and how to choose material that fits her. “I learned how to market myself in the best way I can,” she says. “With the opportunity to audition for the Carnegie Mellon theatre program, I gained experience that not many young actors my age have.”

Cremins’ practice-run audition resulted in written feedback from faculty and prepared her for when she auditions during her senior year; she now knows what to expect.

“One thing I learned that I wasn’t expecting to is that in theatre you can’t just be talented, you have to find the thing that makes you different—the thing that makes you stand out,” Cremins said. “But one of my teachers also said that someone out there will like you, they may not be a Broadway director or film producer, they might not even live in the United States. But someone will like you so keep at it. You’ll find where you are meant to be.

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“The training I received this summer helped me immensely when performing on campus this fall. I approach my work in a much more professional and methodical way.”

One comment she received was that she needed to be more invested in the scene, which helped her prepare for a comedic turn in Stony Batter’s Antigone.

“It was different from anything I’ve

ever done and it gave me the opportunity to stretch myself and create those higher stakes,” Cremins said. “Applying the notes I got from my teacher made my entire performance much fuller and more comical than it would have been before I went to Carnegie.”

Next summer, she hopes to attend another summer program, and has started looking at schools including New York University, S y r a c u s e U ni v e r s i t y, N o r t h w e s t e r n

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University, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Cremins said she is also considering auditioning in the Washington, D.C. area.

“I am very interested in different more experimental kinds of theatre and maybe even film,” Cremins said. “It would be so cool if I could find something new and different in D.C.”

POWER COUPLE Faculty members Derry and Sarah Mason are parents, coaches, and advisers—and that’s just inside the dormitory

by LEE OWEN There are places in the world where teamwork, leadership, and taking responsibility for one’s own actions happens naturally.

Military maneuvers. Athletic fields.

Wilderness excursions. Assembly lines.

Hospital operating rooms.

And when schools like Mercersburg truly succeed at helping boys and girls develop into prepared, accountable, confident, and educated young men and women, it’s due in large part to some of these same skills found in the most decorated soldiers, teamsport athletes, medical personnel, and business professionals—not to mention parents, coaches, and mentors of every kind.

The husband-and-wife team of faculty members Derry and Sarah Mason oversees Tippetts Hall, which is the largest boys’ dor-

mitory on campus and home to 82 students ranging in age from 13 to 19 years old— and from 20 countries on six continents.

Developmentally, culturally, and socially, there is enormous variety in the residents of the dorm’s three floors, but the Masons and their counterparts in the school’s six other residences have the same goals for each student: to help them become self-sufficient and responsible citizens of the community at Mercersburg and beyond.

“To be a good citizen, you have to recognize your own role within a community,” says Derry, who is director of Mercersburg Outdoor Education (MOE) and has also taught English since coming to the Academy in 2004. “You have the power to influence your community to make it better, whether it’s on a tiny level like saying hello to a

person or picking up trash or in a much bigger role.”

Though neither of the Masons attended boarding school, they both came to Mercersburg with significant hands-on experience in boarding-school settings and character development. Derry, a graduate of Middlebury College, joined The Lawrenceville School’s faculty in 1997, and founded that school’s outdoor-education initiative (known as LOP, or Lawrenceville Outdoor Programs) in addition to teaching in the interdisciplinary-studies department and serving as a housemaster, which is the Lawrenceville equivalent of the Mercersburg dormitory dean position he and Sarah now hold.

In 2002, Derry moved to Boston (near his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts)

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

to work for MetroLacrosse, a program that teaches character development, life skills, and teamwork to inner-city middle-school children while introducing them to the sport of lacrosse. It was there that Derry met Sarah (née Reigner), a former NCAA Division III lacrosse All-American at Franklin & Marshall College who was then working as a MetroLacrosse program director.

“I had always liked working with kids as a babysitter, tutor, or teacher, but MetroLacrosse was the first time I could combine that with lacrosse, which had been a big part of my life,” says Sarah, who will enter her fourth season as Mercersburg’s head girls’ varsity lacrosse coach next spring. (She and Derry married in 2005 in Mercersburg’s Irvine Memorial Chapel.) “And working in an urban setting was amazing. The publicschool system in Boston didn’t provide many opportunities for boys or girls in interscholastic athletics, other than the typical sports like basketball. So it was great to give them an athletic experience that they otherwise wouldn’t have, for free, and with curriculum focusing on respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and communication. All of the things you learn from athletics—and what Derry teaches the kids he works with in MOE—we were doing intentionally and deliberately alongside the lacrosse.”

M e r c e r s b u r g ’s l o c a t i o n n e a r t h e Appalachian Trail, Potomac River, and various state and national parks and recreation areas make it a natural destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Records of formal and informal outdoor excursions by Academy faculty and students date back at least to the 1930s, when a group called the Mercersburg Mastless Marine and Marching Society (which went by the unwieldy acronym “M.M.M.M.S.”) began hiking, spelunking, and sailing the entire length of nearby Conococheague Creek.

The venerable TREK program, which began in the mid-1970s, introduced almost three full decades of students to experien-

tial outdoor-education at the school before a lead gift from Board of Regents President Emeritus Edgar Masinter ’48 and his wife, Margery, created the Mercersburg Outdoor Education of today. Derry was hired as MOE’s first director in 2004.

“Our programs are fun, challenging, and touch upon students in physical, emotional, and intellectual ways,” he says. “ A student may be learning a new skill that is physical in nature, but it also includes this intensive emotional evolution as well as intellectual capacity. And it happens in this really supportive environment where everyone participating is going through the exact same process.

“Everyone, for example, knows what it feels like to get frustrated. When you’re on a trip and things go wrong, everyone knows what it’s like when it’s 40-below-zero because you’re all in it together. It’s about breaking down those emotional barriers and learning the commonalities of everybody. When you get past the daily distractions and our quirky nuances, you see the things that make us all the same.”

A native of Palm, Pennsylvania (near Allentown), Sarah spent a year after college living and working at Malvern College, a boarding school in northwest England. She earned a master’s from the University of Pennsylvania before teaching history and coaching lacrosse at North Hagerstown High School in Maryland for three years. Sarah assumed the head coaching duties at Mercersburg in spring 2009 and she and Derry moved into Tippetts Hall when it converted from a girls’ dorm to a boys’ residence that fall.

(The Masons’ two small children are among the youngest—but are not the very youngest—residents of the dorm.)

“We always start the year off talking about community,” she says.

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Derry (above) and Sarah Mason

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“That might sound cheesy to a group of guys, but it’s important. Our dorm faculty—who are fantastic—try to set the tone, but a lot of the morale really has to come from the upperclassmen who live here. A lot of our prefects have lived here for several years.

They want to be four-year Tippetts guys.

They’ve gone through the progression of being the younger guy and growing up in the dorm, so they have that experience to relate back to as they get older.

“There are some prefects that even request to live with ninth graders; they remember their own ninth-grade prefect and they want that opportunity. I think they realize the task at hand will be challenging, but they’re up for it. The leadership we have from our older students really helps a lot.”

In addition to managing a myriad of outdoor programs (including the outdoorleadership group known as Endeavor, kayaking, rock climbing, and break trips in locales from Peru to Wyoming), Derry and his MOE colleague, assistant director Pete Gunkelman, spend a significant amount of time working formally and informally with prefects and other student leaders on communication and leadership skills that apply directly to situations the students will encounter not just in boarding school and college, but for the rest of their lives.

“We tell the students that one of the most powerful and important things they can do is follow the rules themselves,” Derry says.

“Living by example and sharing your passions with those around you inspires and encourages others to get excited about their own passions, whether they’re the same as yours or different.

“A benefit we get from living in the dorm is to see the boys grow up, become young men, and understand that they have a role here at school to contribute to our community and make it a better place. Seeing those changes—sometimes on a day-to-day basis— is exciting for both Sarah and I. People helped us when we were younger, and that’s really what it’s all about.”

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

ON THE STORY Missy Ryan’s dispatches have come in from around the globe—and now, some are from the White House

by SHELTON CLARK It is perhaps not surprising that Missy Ryan ’93 might end up working in her hometown of Washington, D.C. But her journey—and it has been a journey— fulfills the cliché of taking the long way home.

Ryan, a reporter with Thomson Reuters and a recent recipient of a prestigious White House Fellowship, has come a long way since her days on the staff of the Mercersburg News. “In those days we cut and paste the dummy texts by hand—no production software!” she says. But the gathering and disseminating of information remains as relevant today as ever.

“I really enjoyed not only the writing and production of the paper, but also the community that formed among my fellow student journalists,” Ryan says.

“One evening a week, the newspaper staff, guided by our faculty mentors, gathered in Boone Hall at dinnertime to put together the week’s paper. We discussed our lives, the week’s events, and the craft of newspaper production as we put together the week’s edition. The experience paved the way for my later work at my college newspaper, and as a professional journalist.”

After attending Georgetown University, where she served as features editor of The Hoya student newspaper, Ryan pursued a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

While studying at Harvard, Ryan worked as a freelancer for Reuters in Boston, then later wrote for National Journal during a graduate internship in Afghanistan.

“Being a Washington native, I do believe I was somewhat primed to take an interest in issues at the intersection of U.S. policy and the world beyond our borders,” Ryan says.

“That interest expanded greatly after college when I moved to South America. I was living in Buenos Aires after being awarded a fellowship from the Inter-American Press Association, studying Argentine politics and working at a local English-language newspaper. I began working part-time at Reuters, writing about the Argentine stock market, but was soon offered a staff job in Lima, Peru.

“Moving to Lima, and plunging myself into the world of 24-hours-a-day wire service journalism, was quite a shock at first. It was also a tremendous education; I learned about subjects as diverse as sovereign debt issues,

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archeological digs and political scandals. Working in a small bureau, I had to shoulder greater responsibility early in my career than I might have in New York or Washington. It was a pivotal experience.”

Ryan, whose older brother, Tom ’91, is also a graduate of both Mercersburg and Georgetown, says that every one of her international postings has truly been transformational.

“My five years in Latin America following college, working for an NGO [nongovernmental organization] in Chile, then as a reporter in Argentina and Peru, opened my eyes to the realities of the developing world and instructed me about the mechanics of economics, developing world politics, and foreign aid,” she says.

“Following graduate school, my work in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Middle East exposed me to new languages and cultures. My 20-month posting in Iraq taught me about how journalists operate in combat zones, as did covering the Libyan war in 2011.”

During the conflict in Libya, she was one of 35 foreign journalists detained and essentially held captive for five days

at a hotel in Tripoli by government soldiers loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. The International Red Cross evacuated the journalists after the soldiers granted the group’s release.

“The media industry has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, and continues to change, due to the advent of online journalism and the media organizations’ struggle to find sustainable means of financing what we do,” says Ryan, the recipient of a 2012 New York Press Club award for political coverage for her work on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and that region’s military conflicts. “For someone like me, who has

spent much of her career abroad, this has meant more competition for the dwindling number of foreign correspondent jobs and, often, fewer staff and resources to cover big stories. A sustainable solution to journalism’s financing problem is needed, in part because supplying U.S. readers with reliable information about the rest of the world—a task which falls to our foreign correspondents—is too important to let slip away.”

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

POLITICAL ACtION Inside the 2012 presidential campaign with two Mercersburg classmates on both sides of the aisle

by LEE OWEN

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

Xanthe Hilton and Chuck Roberts, both natives of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, graduated from Mercersburg as four-year seniors on the same day in June 2007. A year later, and then again this fall, they faced off (though not directly) as foot soldiers working behind the scenes on opposite sides of U.S. presidential campaigns—all the while using the 21st-century skills they honed as students at Mercersburg. These are their stories.

XANTHE HILTON ’07 Organizing for America Oakland County, Michigan The state of New Hampshire— small in size, tucked away in the upper righthand corner of the map, but fiercely proud of its status as the official birthplace of many a presidential campaign—officially hooked Xanthe Hilton ’07 soon after she arrived at Colby-Sawyer College in the fall of 2007.

It’s not a huge surprise that Hilton embraced what she calls the “contagious” political culture of the state, given her personal history. As a 9-year-old crossing the street in her hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania (10 miles east of Mercersburg), she was struck by a car and lapsed into a coma. Though she made a full recovery, Hilton fought through lingering issues with memory that affected how she processed

information, to say nothing of the physical challenges after suffering a fractured skull, a broken collarbone, ribs, and leg, and injuries to her liver and spleen.

“The injuries really changed how I thought and how I worked,” says Hilton, who played numerous musical instruments and was learning French. After the accident, all of her memory of those subjects vanished, as did her ability to swallow (which she regained through therapy). “I am now an auditory processor and I have to talk through everything, whereas before I was sort of quiet.”

At Mercersburg, Hilton took three history courses from Philip Kantaros (now chair of the department) and says she developed a passion for political issues that led her to Colby-Sawyer, a small, private college in New London, New Hampshire, where she majored in history, society, and culture with a double minor in philosophy and women’s studies.

“I think politics was an outlet for me to discover myself and create an identity in the new community of my college,” Hilton says. “Mr. Kantaros suggested that I get involved with the political process in New Hampshire because it was going to be a big year.” That September, a field organizer from the fledgling campaign of then Senator Barack Obama came to Colby-Sawyer and

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asked Hilton to organize the campus. “I said, ‘That must be a joke—I’ve been here for about two weeks,’” Hilton remembers.

“But that’s what I ended up doing through the general election.”

Obama, of course, was elected—and Hilton was successful in her foray into elected office as well, though (obviously) at a different level. She served as a senator and vice president of her class at Colby-Sawyer.

“I think when I went off to college I was really able to create an identity as far as declaring what I stood for and what my values were,” Hilton says. “And I moved nine hours away from home to go to college because of the things I learned at Mercersburg with Mr. [Derry] Mason: writing a paper called ‘The American Scholar,’ studying transcendentalism, and really opening my mind.

“My underpinnings in women’s studies pushed my political thinking—the personal is political, and my identity is tied to a global identity and I need to stand up for myself if I expect certain things because they’re not just going to happen.”

Between the accident and her work at Mercersburg in the classroom with Kantaros and with Amnesty International, Hilton developed a deep interest in issues and how they affect humanity when she met an Icelandic exchange student, Kjartan Mogensen, who lived with her grandparents while he studied at Syracuse University.

(Hilton’s older brother, Zac ’04, actually traveled to Iceland to do research for his Mercersburg senior project and stayed with Kjartan’s family.)

“Greencastle is a pretty conservative area and I had really only been exposed to one political view,” she says. “Talking to Kjartan and his experiences and how he understood global politics really expanded how I thought.

And that continued at Mercersburg.”

After her freshman year in college, Hilton spent the summer before the 2008 election between Obama and John McCain in Toledo, Ohio, working to recruit volunteers

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Hilton (in vest) with volunteers and Barack Obama

for the Obama campaign, register voters, distribute literature, and host political functions. Ultimately, Obama flipped the important battleground state and its 20 electoral votes into the Democratic column, paving the way to victory. No Republican candidate has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.

Many organizers from the victorious Obama campaign went on to different states to work on various other contests, while Hilton, as a college sophomore, was preoccupied with other matters. “In a way, it was hard to stay in school while so many of the people I worked with picked up and went to work on other primaries and races,” she said. “But I really wanted to make it a priority to finish my education.” Hilton ramped up her involvement with College Democrats of America and became vice president of its New Hampshire chapter, and spent the following two summers interning for U.S. Congressman Dale Kildee of Michigan and

working as a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute Summer Academy in Washington.

She graduated from Colby-Sawyer in December 2011 and went to work as a fellow for the Obama campaign on a volunteer basis. In March 2012, a position opened up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee that promotes Obama’s accomplishments and platform. This summer, Hilton moved across the state to the vote-rich metropolitan Detroit region, and for the final months of the campaign was based in Oakland County, which is Mitt Romney’s home county north of the city of Detroit.

“Michigan is a really interesting place to work in politics,” Hilton says. “The state has gone blue [Democratic] in every presidential election since George H.W. Bush in 1988. So there has been a lot of pressure to make sure it stays blue. That said, it’s not Massachusetts, and it’s not Vermont.

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21st-Century Skills

information literacy

creativity, curiosity, and imagination

collaboration

personal responsibility and accountability

effective communication

critical thinking and problem solving

And everything that’s gone on with the auto industry has had a huge impact on the people of the state.

“Going door to door is the best organizing tool. You’re talking to people face to face about the president and politics and life in general. The most powerful tools we have are our personal stories and why we support certain initiatives. That has been very powerful for me. My car accident and my identity have completely shaped my work as an organizer. And we have people on our staff who have survived throat cancer or are paralyzed from the shoulders down. They are inspirations to us each day.”

CHUCK ROBERTS ’07 Romney for President Boston, Massachusetts Had there been a “Most Likely to Work in Politics” award doled out in the 2007 edition of Mercersburg’s KARUX yearbook, there’s a strong possibility Chuck Roberts ’07 would have finished first.

And that’s exactly where Roberts finds himself, after stops at Columbia University and even the United Nations. Roberts, who was executive director of Columbia’s College Republicans organization, was chosen in 2009 as the first intern for the New York City office of Free and Strong America, a political-action committee supporting Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

Three years later, on the day after he graduated from Columbia in May 2012, Roberts gave a speech introducing UN SecretaryGeneral Ban-ki Moon before an assembly of 2,500 high-school students attending an international Model UN conference at UN Headquarters on the east side of Manhattan.

The next week, he was in Boston to begin his new full-time position as the Romney campaign’s deputy regional director of finance. (So much for easing into the job market.)

Of course, when you’ve driven a presidential candidate’s family to and from events around New York on multiple occasions, you tend to get reasonably comfortable with high-profile work. This was among Roberts’ duties as an intern for the campaign.

“Before they got Secret Service protection, they liked to have someone who was with the campaign and knew the events drive them rather than a professional driver,” Roberts says. “I was involved in planning a number of events and knew the list of attendees, so I was often the point of contact when Mrs. Romney came in for events.”

During the final six months of the former Massachusetts governor’s 2012 presidential campaign, Roberts was one of four aides charged with managing fundraising goals and events for a wide swath of 21 states.

“Every single day is different and every week can be different, which I love,” Roberts said in an interview prior to the election. “They told me to bring my experience running events in New York, and we’d put it to use running events all across the country, from Wyoming to West Virginia.”

The states in Roberts’ group of 21 were determined not by geography, but by fundraising goals. This is how Alaska, Iowa, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wyoming end up in the same portfolio. “You think of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina as extremely important states politically,” he says. “And they are—and all three are in this big group.”

Like his Mercersburg classmate Xanthe Hilton ’07 [previous story], Roberts had a short trip to get to the Academy. He grew up mostly in Waynesboro, 20 miles east of Mercersburg; his mother, Deborah Hoff, is an attorney, and his father (also named Chuck Roberts) is president of Wonder Book, a popular used bookstore with locations in Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland. And like Hilton, Roberts is one of two siblings to attend Mercersburg. His younger brother, Joey ’11, followed in Chuck’s footsteps as a

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Roberts with Mitt Romney

Blue Storm soccer player and is a sophomore forward at Muhlenberg College.

“I’ve always enjoyed watching the news and hearing what’s going on in the world and wanted to have an impact,” Roberts says.

“And then at Mercersburg and at Columbia, it’s been important to me to get involved and help organize efforts to change minds.”

As a Mercersburg student, Roberts worked with the administration on recommendations for the school’s Accreditation for Growth Initiative, which included plenty of discussion about the six 21st-century skills that Mercersburg focuses on imparting to all its graduates—including problem solving and collaboration, two skills he uses every day in politics. “Taking my experience and making sure it was there and improved for a future generation of Mercersburg students was a big part of my senior year,” he says. (He also returned to campus to address

Mercersburg students on the topic of civic engagement in November, immediately before the presidential election.)

Roberts mentions his work with Mercersburg’s Model UN Club and the guidance of the organization’s faculty adviser, former assistant head of school Christopher Tompkins (now headmaster at Perkiomen School near Philadelphia), as crucial parts of his Mercersburg experience and his development as a person. “Model UN is an opportunity to put yourself in the shoes of decision makers and see what they go through,” Roberts says. “It’s a tremendous exercise in public speaking, debate, writing, collaboration, and diplomacy. All of those things are on exhibition any time you put a bunch of smart people in a room and give them roles and agendas to pursue and conflicts to resolve. It’s an invaluable learning experience.”

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Before starting his college career, Roberts took a gap year to live and study at Oswestry School in England as an English-Speaking Union scholar. “It was a really terrific opportunity—I was actually the only person there from the Western Hemisphere,” he says. “It was toward the end of the George W. Bush presidency, and being not only an American but a conservative American put me out there in a lot of ways. It was really fun to be a sort of ambassador, and that’s what the ESU likes to think of us as when we go over as secondary-school exchange scholars.”

Roberts spent one summer in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and another in Washington as an intern for Pat Toomey, a Republican and former U.S. congressman who has represented Pennsylvania in the Senate since 2011. While completing requirements for his bachelor’s in political science at Columbia, he worked for Romney’s aforementioned Free and Strong America PAC and the candidate’s exploratory committee. As a Columbia senior, he was a finance intern for the campaign, handling donor outreach and fundraising events in the New York metro area (including Connecticut and New Jersey).

Among his many destinations during the final campaign push were trips to the Republican National Convention in Tampa and the vice-presidential debate between Paul Ryan and Joe Biden in Danville, Kentucky. (All told, he estimates he traveled more than 30,000 miles for the campaign between May and November.) And as the dust settles from the election, Roberts points to the final day of his Mercersburg tenure as a harbinger of his future plans.

“My address as salutatorian at [Mercersburg’s] commencement was about public service,” he says. “That’s really where I see myself. And in this work for the campaign I think I’m doing a kind of public service. I’m not sure exactly what that will mean, but I’m inspired to keep working for my country in whatever way I can.”

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Athletics D ates to Re me mb e r

Feb 8–10

Feb 16

Boys’/girls’ basketball at MAPL Tournament (at Hightstown, New Jersey) MAPL Winter Track & Field Championships (at Lawrenceville, New Jersey)

Feb 22–23 Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming Championships

(at La Salle University, Philadelphia)

National Prep Wrestling Championships (at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Winter & Spring 2012 Varsity Athletics Roundup

wi nter SEASON

Boys’ Basketball

Captains: Mike Collins ’14, Patrick Ryan ’13 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Will Walter ’14 John Prevost ’54 Basketball Award: Enrico Vincenzini ’12 Head coach: Mark Cubit (13th season) Record: 4–19 (0–5 MAPL) Highlights: Ryan was an honorable-mention AllMid-Atlantic Prep League selection and a first-team [Chambersburg] Public Opinion All-Star and AllIPSL choice; he averaged 12.2 points per game and scored 28 points against St. John’s Catholic Prep and 27 against Washington High; he played for the elite DC Assault AAU team over the summer… the team beat Solebury School to advance to the finals of the Mercersburg Classic before falling to

Academy of the New Church… other victories came against St. James, the Maryland School for the Deaf, and Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy…

Trustin Riley ’14 earned Academic All-MAPL honors…

Tim Crouch, who had served as an assistant coach since the 2009–2010 season, has been named head coach for the 2012–2013 campaign.

Girls’ Basketball

Captains: Sarah Firestone ’13, Hanna Warfield ’13 Girls’ Basketball Award (most outstanding player): Melody Gomez ’13 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Firestone Head coach: Katie LaRue (1st season) Record: 6–14 (0–5 MAPL) Highlights: The team earned the MAPL Sportsmanship Award and put together a fourgame winning streak in December that included

victories over Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy, Foxcroft, Middleburg Academy, and McConnellsburg… Gomez, the team’s leading scorer (8.2 points per game) earned All-IPSL honors and was an honorable-mention All-MAPL selection; she also represented the squad on the Academic All-MAPL team… Firestone led the team in rebounding (8.0 rebounds per contest)… all five starters and eight of the team’s 10 players from last season will return for 2012–2013.

Diving

Diving Award (most outstanding diver): Patricia Neno ’12 Coaches’ Award (most improved diver): Bridget Filipe ’14 Head coach: Jennifer Miller Smith ’97 (4th season) Highlights: Neno and Filipe advanced to the

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Girls’ Squash

Captains: Sarah Allen ’12, Nikki Rhyne ’12, Laura Rahauser ’12 Thomas Flanagan ’38 Girls’ Squash Award (most outstanding player): Allen Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Rahauser Head coach: Wells Gray (9th season) Record: 13–9 Highlights: The team won the Mid-Atlantic Squash Tournament for the first time with wins over Episcopal and top-seeded Potomac… the Storm finished second at the MAPL Championships, defeating Blair and Hill before losing in the finals to Lawrenceville… the team posted a 3–1 mark in the Division III draw at Nationals, falling to Westover School in the semifinals before besting Greenwich Academy’s B team in the third-place match… Vale Quan Miranda ’12 posted the team’s top individual mark (17–2) from her No. 4 position, which is the best individual record for a Storm player in the past nine seasons… Allen (who was an All-MAPL and Academic All-MAPL honoree) will play at George Washington and Rahauser will continue her playing career at Drexel.

Boys’ Swimming

semifinals at the Eastern Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships… Neno, who will dive at Navy (alongside fellow Mercersburg alumna Jordyn Nicholl ’09), captured the girls’ one-meter event in a dual meet against Loyola Blakefield… Neno, Filipe, and Jordan Shihadeh ’14 finished in the top four in the dual meet with Peddie… three of the team’s top four divers are back for the 2012-2013 season.

Boys’ Squash

Captains: Ahmed Abdel Latif ’12, Brendan McClintick ’12 Thomas Flanagan ’38 Boys’ Squash Award (most outstanding player): Abdel Latif Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Otto Bunjapamai ’13 Head coach: Chip Vink ’73 (12th season) Record: 17–5

Highlights: Abdel Latif finished his Blue Storm career with a 72–2 overall mark and a 23–0 record as a senior; he was the individual MAPL champion all three of his years at Mercersburg…

Abdel Latif will continue his career at George Washington, while McClintick will play at Connecticut College… the team placed second at the MAPL Championships, second at the Flanagan Tournament, third at the Mid-Atlantic Squash Tournament, and fourth in the Division III draw of the National High School Team Championships in Connecticut, where Abdel Latif and John-Eric Bell ’12 both went undefeated playing four matches in three days… Slater Fuchs ’13 recorded a perfect individual record (15–0) at No. 9, giving the Storm two players with undefeated seasons… Jason Lee ’12 was an Academic All-MAPL selection.

Captains: Eric Brown ’12, Harrison Helm ’12 Harry Glancy ’24 Award (most outstanding swimmer): Scott von Jouanne ’12 Tom Wolfe ’85 Award (most improved swimmer): Carson Owlett ’13 Head coach: Pete Williams (24th season) Easterns finish: 8th Highlights: von Jouanne, who attended Mercersburg as a postgraduate on his way to West Point, posted the two best individual finishes for the team at Easterns (50 free/2nd and 100 free/3rd)… the 200 free relay quartet of von Jouanne, Owlett, Brown, and Kevin Shivers ’13 also made the finals at Easterns… the team took second place at the MAPL Invitational… Tom Zhang ’12 (Amherst) joins von Jouanne as Storm swimmers bound for college programs… Brown and Helm represented the squad on the Academic All-MAPL team.

Girls’ Swimming

Captains: Hannah Lutz ’12, Leah Selznick ’12, Maddi Thompson ’12 Neidhoefer Swimming Award (most outstanding swimmer): Thompson John Preston ’47 Award (most improved swimmer): Catherine Levins ’13 Finlay Vanderveer ’29 Award (greatest influence): Selznick Thomas Hartz ’72 Award (perseverance): Kelly Hamilton ’13 Head coach: Pete Williams (24th season) Easterns finish: 4th Highlights: The team finished fourth out of 27 teams at Easterns, behind Germantown Academy, Episcopal Academy, and Peddie… leading the way at Easterns was the 400 freestyle relay

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team of Thompson, Danielle Parowski ’12, Megan Kearley ’12, and Hamilton, which finished second, and Levins’ individual performance in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.67), which warranted All-America consideration… other Easterns finalists included Hamilton (100 back/3rd), Parowski (200 free/5th), Thompson (50 free/6th), and the 200 medley relay (Levins, Alex Royal-Eatmon ’14, Christina Hyrkas ’13, Katerina Parowski ’15) and 200 free relay (Thompson, D. Parowski, K. Parowski, Hamilton) teams… the Storm defeated Peddie in a dual meet for the first time since 2003 and placed second at the MAPL Invitational… Selznick earned a varsity letter all four years… college swimmers next year include Lutz (Bates), Danielle Parowski (Pittsburgh), Selznick (Trinity University), and Thompson (Navy)…

Hamilton and Emily Sanders ’13 were Academic AllMAPL selections.

Boys’ Winter Track & Field

Boys’ Winter Track & Field Award (most outstanding athlete): Marcus Allen ’12 Coaches’ Award (most improved athlete): Austin Hess ’13 Head coach: David Grady (8th season) MAPL finish: 4th Highlights: Allen set a school record in the 300m (41.99) at the Episcopal Early Bird Meet… three Mercersburg athletes placed in the pole vault at the MAPL Indoor Championships, which is the first time that has happened in school history: Hess (tied for 3rd), Zack Holzwarth ’13 (5th), and Nathan Marincic ’15 (6th)… other top-six MAPL finishers included Taku Yamane ’12 (55m/5th, 200m/6th) and Timi Tijani ’14 (high jump/4th)…

Holzwarth posted the second-highest indoor pole-vault mark in school history (11’6”) at the Dickinson Invitational… Yamane was a four-year letterwinner and joined Allen as an Academic AllMAPL selection.

Girls’ Winter Track & Field

Girls’ Winter Track & Field Award (most outstanding athlete): Brittany Burg ’13 Coaches’ Award (most improved athlete): Meg Peterson ’14 Head coach: David Grady (8th season) MAPL finish: 3rd Highlights: The team finished behind only Peddie and Blair at the MAPL Championships… Burg set school records in the 55m (9.08), 60m hurdles (9.93), and 300m (45.23), while Ashley Heisey ’12 claimed the record in the pole vault (8’6”)… top-six MAPL finishers included Burg (55m/2nd, 200m/6th), Abby Colby ’12 (3200m/2nd, 1600m/3rd), Heisey

(pole vault/4th, high jump/6th), Lola Tijani ’13 (high jump/5th), and Rose Pennington ’14 (triple jump/5th)… Kiersten Sydnor ’12 earned a varsity letter all four years… Colby and Tijani both garnered Academic All-MAPL honors… Colby is running at Dickinson College.

Wrestling

Captains: Will Appleman ’12, Alex Kelly ’12, John San Filippo ’12 Fred Kuhn Award (most outstanding wrestler): San Filippo Coaches’ Award (most improved wrestler): Vini Nobrega ’12

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Ronald D. Tebben Endowed Coaches’ Leadership Award: Kelly Head coach: Nate Jacklin ’96 (4th season) MAPL finish: 4th Highlights: San Filippo gave Mercersburg a National Prep placewinner for the sixth straight year when he placed sixth at 220 pounds… Gerverus Flagg ’12 (285), Brooks Lucier ’15 (138), and Nobrega (113) also wrestled at National Preps after joining San Filippo as state placewinners in their respective weight classes… Flagg and Nobrega became the first two Mercersburg first-year wrestlers in nearly 20 years to advance to National Preps… Kelly, Lucier, San Filippo, and Will Appleman ’12 were All-IPSL selections… Appleman earned a varsity letter all four years… Flagg and San Filippo were named Academic All-MAPL.

SPRING SEASON

Baseball

Captains: Matt MacMahon ’12, John Olszewski ’12 Baseball Award (most outstanding player): Pat Lien ’12 Brent Gift Baseball Award (most improved player): Chris Thomas ’14 Swoope Baseball Trophy (sportsmanship/good fellowship): Olszewski Coaches’ Award (outstanding contributions): MacMahon Head coach: Karl Reisner (21st season) Record: 23–6 (8–2 MAPL); MAPL co-champions Highlights: After tying for first place in the MAPL (with Peddie), the Blue Storm has won or shared the MAPL championship in seven of its 12 years in

the league… the Storm also captured the inaugural Independent-Parochial School League baseball crown and reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament… MacMahon, Lien, George Molner ’12, and Lorenzo Vazquez ’13 all earned All-MAPL honors… MacMahon and Vazquez were also named first-team all-area by the Public Opinion; Thomas (second team) and Olszewski and Mike Collins ’14 (honorable mention) were also recognized… Lien hit .706 for the season and blasted three homers in a doubleheader sweep of Hill that gave Mercersburg the MAPL co-championship… three of the team’s graduating seniors will play college ball (Lien/Navy, MacMahon/Eckerd College, Molner/Fairfield University)… Thomas and Ryan Mahaffey ’12 were named Academic All-MAPL.

Boys’ Lacrosse

Captains: David Bowes ’12, Burke Helzel ’12, Brendan Supple ’12 Boys’ Lacrosse Award (most outstanding player): Supple Lacrosse Alumni Award (most improved player): Alex Stoner ’15 Nelson T. Shields ’70 Lacrosse Award (spirit/ teamwork/sportsmanship): Alex Kelly ’12 Head coach: Mark Schindler (1st season) Record: 6–12 (0–5 MAPL) Highlights: The team improved its win total by two victories from 2011… Supple saved 68 percent of the shots he faced (making a total of 218 saves) and was a first-team All-MAPL selection… the Storm played in the inaugural IPSL championship game, falling to St. James… Will Walter ’14 led the team in goals (26), assists (four), and shots (79)… other leading goal scorers were Jack Flanagan ’14 (13),

39

Nathan Marincic ’15 (12), and Ben Dupont ’12 (11)…

Flanagan (42) and Alex Kelly ’12 (37) were tops on the team on ground balls… Bowes earned varsity letters all four years… Flanagan and Chris Hackett ’13 represented the squad on the Academic All-MAPL team… Bowes (Bowdoin) and Supple (Le Moyne) will play at the college level.

Girls’ Lacrosse

Captains: Meredith Wallace ’12, Phoebe Moore ’13 Girls’ Lacrosse Award (most outstanding player): Shelley LaMotte ’12 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Maddy Shearer ’13 Head coach: Sarah Mason (3rd season) Record: 7–9 (0–5 MAPL) Highlights: The team posted its highest win total since 2008… LaMotte, who will play at Chapman University in California and lettered all four years, was a unanimous first-team All-MAPL selection…

LaMotte was joined by Shearer, Jordan Shihadeh ’14, and Hanna Warfield ’13 as All-IPSL honorees…

Shihadeh and Shearer earned Academic All-MAPL honors, and were also the team’s top two scorers (with 73 goals and 57 goals, respectively)…

Warfield was the team leader in groundballs (67) and draw controls (51)… victories came against University High [Morgantown], St. Maria Goretti (twice), Madeira, Perkiomen, Foxcroft, and Middleburg Academy.

Softball

Captains: Val Langlois ’12, Emma Cranston ’13, Misa Ikenaga ’13 Softball Award (most outstanding player): Sydney Reath ’15

40

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Cranston Head coach: John David Bennett (3rd season) Record: 16–7 (4–6 MAPL); PAISAA state champions Highlights: The team captured Mercersburg’s first state championship in any sport since 2007 (baseball), and the first in a girls’ sport since 2005 (track & field)… in addition to the PAISAA state title, the Storm also won the inaugural IPSL softball crown (which is the first league championship in program history)… Reath hit .676 (including .719 in MAPL play) and compiled a 14–3 record on the mound with a 1.62 earned-run average while striking out 156 hitters and walking just 15 in 108 innings of work… she was a first-team Public Opinion area All-Star and joined by Cranston (second team) and Paige Richardson ’14 (honorable mention)… Reath and Cranston were first-team AllMAPL while Shelby Smith ’14 was an honorablemention choice… Nikki Rhyne ’12 was a four-year letterwinner… Langlois and Abby Hopple ’14 earned Academic All-MAPL honors.

Boys’ Tennis

Boys’ Tennis Award (most outstanding player): Pearce Bloom ’14 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Gun Ho Ro ’14 Head coach: Eric Hicks (18th season) Dual match record: 6–9 (0–5 MAPL) MAPL/IPSL finish: 6th/1st Highlights: The team defeated St. Maria Goretti

and St. James to capture the season-ending IPSL championship… Bloom (singles) and the team of Jason Cui ’13 and Jason Lee ’12 (doubles) earned AllIPSL honors… Ro won the most single matches of any player, compiling a 9–6 mark (mostly at No. 5); Cui and Lee had the most wins as a doubles team (7–7)… Oliver Zoeller ’13 was undefeated in singles (5–0) and ended the year at No. 9… in head-to-head matches, the Blue Storm defeated Chambersburg, St. James (twice), St. Paul’s, Middleburg Academy, and Goretti… Albert Lam ’14 represented the Storm on the Academic All-MAPL squad.

Boys’ Track & Field

Boys’ Track & Field Award (most outstanding athlete): Zack Holzwarth ’13 Robert Fager Black ’07/’45 Trophy (sportsmanship/ loyalty): Taku Yamane ’12 Edward J. Powers ’37 Award (most improved athlete): Theo Mordecai ’14 Head coach: Frank Rutherford ’70 (12th season) MAPL/IPSL finish: 5th/1st Highlights: Holzwarth became the first pole vaulter to win both the MAPL and PAISAA state titles in the same season; his personal best of 13’0” tied for the state meet record… Keane Sanders ’13 also won the state crown in the discus and finished third in the shot put… the team won 10 events en route to first place at the inaugural IPSL Championships; in addition to Holzwarth (pole vault/high jump) and Sanders (discus/shot put), other individual

event winners were Max Furigay ’15 (3200m), Boaz Pogue ’14 ( javelin), Theo Mordecai ’14 (long jump), and Yamane (triple jump)... the 4x200m and 4x400m relay teams also won IPSL titles… Yamane was a four-year letterwinner… Furigay and Pogue earned Academic All-MAPL honors.

Girls’ Track & Field

Girls’ Track & Field Award (most outstanding athlete): Sarah Firestone ’13 Robert Fager Black ’07/’45 Trophy (sportsmanship/ loyalty): Abby Colby ’12 Edward J. Powers ’37 Award (most improved athlete): Teal Tasker ’15 Head coach: Nikki Walker (3rd season) MAPL/IPSL finish: 2nd/1st Highlights: The team placed second at the PAISAA Championships, led by individual event titles from Firestone ( javelin, discus) and Ashley Heisey ’12 (pole vault, new state meet record of 9’9”) and a fourth-straight state placewinning performance from Colby (3200m/5th)… Firestone ( javelin, 128’4”) and Brittany Burg ’13 (400m hurdles, 1:05.28) set MAPL records in their events… the 4x400m relay team of Burg, Melanie Rankin ’14, Katie Miller ’15, and Hollister Rolls ’15 also won the MAPL title in its event… the team swept all 19 track & field events at the IPSL Championships and was undefeated in dual meets… Heisey will compete in track & field at Valparaiso University… Miller and Melody Gomez ’13 were Academic All-MAPL selections.

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e s u mm e r 2 0 1 2

Arts

Dat e s to Re m e m be r

Jan 28

Feb 8–10

Hendrickson Organ Recital: John Scott (7 p.m.)

Irvine Memorial Chapel

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Feb 24

Winter Student Music Recital (2 p.m.)

Boone Recital Hall, Burgin Center for the Arts

Stony Batter Players Winter Musical: The Boy Friend Simon Theatre, Burgin Center for the Arts

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Vocal Music directors: Richard Rotz, Jim Brinson The Chorale performing at Opening Convocation 2012

Stony Batter Players directors: Laurie Mufson, Matt Maurer, Steve Crick

(above) Logan Trask ’13, Sarah Vorsheck ’13, Stefany Pham ’13, and Susannah Keane ’13 in Antigone: An Apocalypse (left) Spencer Trask ’13 in Antigone: An Apocalypse

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M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

Class Notes (left) Charles Moore ’47 and Edgar Masinter ’48 enjoying beach volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Charlie won a gold and a silver medal for the U.S. at the 1952 Summer Olympics in track & field. Edgar is a former president of Mercersburg’s Board of Regents; both Edgar and Charlie are Regents emeriti.

Submit class notes via email to classnotes@mercersburg.edu or by contacting your class agent directly. Submissions may appear online or in print.

Mercersburg reserves the right to edit submissions for space or content, and is not responsible for more than reasonable editing or fact-checking.

When sending or uploading photos, please submit images of the highest quality possible; some images captured by cell phones or other cameras may not be suitable for print.

Class notes are also available online at www.mercersburg. edu/classnotes.

(below) A number of 1970s classmates gathered for a houseboat weekend on Raystown Lake in central Pennsylvania this past July. (Plans are already being made for summer 2013.) L–R: Laura Dupré ’77, Tom DeYoung ’76, Bill Whitaker ’75, Jennifer Russell Rose ’76, Greg Morris ’75, Tony Tito ’75, and David Ryan ’76.

Mac Butts macsear@aol.com Jack Guttman jack@guttman.com Jere Keefer jsklrk@embarqmail.com

’42

’52

Richard Schellhase delivered the sermon “The Jesus of History, the History of Jesus, and Some Meanings of Jesus for the 21st Century” at Reunion Weekend 2012 in June. Anyone who wishes to receive a copy of the sermon may email him at rtandkk@gmail.com.

’43

Louis Miller began researching malaria when he was in the Army in 1965 in Thailand and Vietnam. He has continued to study the basic mechanisms of the parasite at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland, in the hopes of producing vaccines and drugs to combat it. The institute’s goal is to eliminate malaria or at least reduce its mortality rate among African children.

Margaret Ann Sawhill, wife of Robert Sawhill, passed away August 17, 2011.

’57

’49 Stephen Black has published his first novel, Berlin and Beyond, which is a work of historical fiction.

H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest and several fellow investors purchased the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News in April.

Stanley Silverblatt’s wife, Maxine, died March 6, 2012.

Bert McGann thmcgann@aol.com Joe Silverman jsspks@atlanticbb.net

’51

Frank Pogan writes, “Still hangin’ in; playing golf and working as a Realtor in San Marcos, California.”

Alex Burgin burgin-enterprises@sbcglobal.net Bob Walton waltonrr@comcast.net

Bob Hoover celebrated the 48th anniversary of his ordination as a Presbyterian minister on June 28. He was unable to attend his class reunion in June because of a fair number of preaching assignments and weddings.

’58 Alan Wein received the Keyes Medal from the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons for his contributions to the field of urology.

’65

Christina E. Naething, wife of Robert Naething and mother of Richard Naething ’01, died November 26, 2011.

Harold M. Smith, father of former faculty member Greg Smith and grandfather of Aaron Smith ’95 (and wife Kimberlee Elder ’94) and Ben Smith ’99, passed away April 22, 2012.

Allan Rose angelrose152000@yahoo.com Ed Russell martnwod@bellsouth.net

’67

Laura Barlow Anthony, sister of David Anthony, mother of Joshua Leland ’97, and daughter of the late David Anthony ’38, died December 8, 2011.

’68 Doug Bressler has left Continental Airlines after 15 years, most recently as the director of food service operations for the Asia/Pacific region based in Guam. Doug now lives in California.

Ann May Connery, wife of Hud Connery and daughter of the late Jack May ’46, passed away December 14, 2011.

Richard P. Helzel, father of Rich Helzel and grandfather of Barrett Helzel ’11 and Burke Helzel ’12, died March 16, 2012.

Joe Rendina jjrendina@gmail.com

’74

’71

Paul Spears’ father, Paul E. Spears, passed away August 11, 2012.

Dave Matthews info@goprimetours.com

’76

Judy Rakowsky married Sam Mendales May 10, 2012. “So happy and enjoying his three sons—ages 18, 21, and 27,” Judy says. “My work also has shifted to crisis communications, and it’s great to apply my media experience to helping clients that have included independent schools.”

Thomas M. Ryan, father of David Ryan and grandfather of Adam Ryan ’07, passed away March 13, 2012.

Harold Goodemote hgoodemote @colemangoodemote.com Bruce Leighty bruce.leighty@verizon.net Lisa Lewandowski Straface lisastraface@aol.com Tom Lindquist toml@ballardcos.com Lindley Peterson Fleury lindley285@yahoo.com

’77

Dede LaFollette Arbogast writes that she was unable to attend her 35th reunion in June after tearing a ligament in her ankle playing tennis. “I hate to miss such a fun weekend, and I was actually looking forward to staying in the dorm,” she says. “Please give my warmest regards to all my friends at Mercersburg!”

’78 Ceci Depman Bennett caught up and reminisced with classmate Walter “Ernie” McGhee while he was in Boise,

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

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’91 Janelle Denny Cwik and her husband, Chris, have moved to Sarasota, Florida.

Janelle is a certified life coach and is publishing her first book, Dream Until Your Dreams Come True, that will include stories about Mercersburg and about her travel adventures to more than two dozen countries. The book is scheduled to be available on Amazon.com this fall.

Janelle’s daughter, Christin, is 12, and son, Aidan, is 7.

Shani O’Neil Calhoun resigned from her job as account executive at Fidelity Investments in March 2011 and has since been learning to entertain herself without working. “It’s been great spending lots of time with my son Jacob, going to yoga, and gardening,” Shani says. “My stress level is so much lower now!”

Peggy Burns peggy@drawnandquarterly.com Pia Catton piacatton@gmail.com Emily Gilmer Caldwell emily.g.caldwell@gmail.com Meghan Myers Labot meghan@rjlabot.com Chip Nuttall cliffnuttall1@comcast.net Eileen Sheffler Prugh eileen@prughrealestate.com

(above) Enjoying the annual Fourth of July parade in Orford, New Hampshire (L–R): Mary DiLalla, James DiLalla, Alex DiLalla, Aric DiLalla ’12, Richard DiLalla ’81, Ann Marks DiLalla ’82, Emma DiLalla, Robert Caldwell with Laren Caldwell, Emily Gilmer Caldwell ’92 with Montgomery Caldwell, David Gilmer ’62, Jacquie Gilmer, and the Caldwells’ labrador, George. (right) Janelle Denny Cwik ’91 and her husband, Chris, celebrated their third anniversary July 4, 2012.

Idaho, on business in May. “The good class agent that he is, he got me excited to head back east for our 35th reunion and see more ‘old faces,’” Ceci says.

Gretchen Decker Jones grdnfrk@gmail.com Carol Furnary Casparian furnaryc@mercersburg.edu Molly Jones Mancini cibomm12@gmail.com

’79

Sam Jones, a professor of equine medicine at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named the first recipient of the Herbert Benjamin Distinguished Professorship.

Josh Turner jbt4@comcast.net Dave Wagner wags1262@sbcglobal.net Jay Yarid jryaridjr@yahoo.com

’81

Jill Bowling Thompson’s father, Sam Bowling, passed away April 8, 2012.

Jill works with her family’s foundation, One Life Missions Foundation.

’84

Tom Hornbaker tshornbaker@yahoo.com Betsy Rider-Williams brider-williams@goberkscounty.com

Brian Wagner and his wife, Aleksandra, welcomed a daughter, Natalia Rose, June 11, 2012. Natalia joins sister Anastasia; uncles Gregory Wagner ’79 and David Wagner ’81 share in their family joy.

’85 Michael Davies was one of two keynote interviewees at the 2012 NBC Universal Social TV Symposium in New York City in April.

Julie Gilmer Schaner julschaner@gmail.com Laura Morsman Thorsen laura.thorsen@gmail.com Lou Najera lnajera@davincigrp.com Adam Viener adam@imwave.com Audrey Webber Esposito awesposito@yahoo.com

’87

Lawrence Angle received a resolution of appreciation from the City Council of Hagerstown for his military service in Afghanistan.

’88 John Brubaker hosts the radio show “Maximum Success: The Coach Bru Show” on WWZN (1510 AM) in Boston. The show, which is archived on iTunes and also available at www. maximumsuccessradio.com, features in-depth interviews with executives, athletes, coaches, and authors.

Mel Stewart and his wife, Tiffany, have launched www.swimswam.com, a website showcasing the latest news and commentary from the world of swimming as well as features about training, nutrition, and other topics.

Ames Prentiss aprentiss@ivghospitals.com

’89

Paul Moody and his wife, Jill, welcomed a baby boy, Henry, on April 3. Henry joins siblings Heidi (5 years old), Paul (3 years old), and Elizabeth (1 year old).

’92

Pia Catton has been contributing to The Wall Street Journal’s sports pages this year. She attended the Summer Olympics in London and covered equestrian, beach volleyball, and tennis.

She’s also been writing about horse racing, and in 2012 she covered the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Preakness Stakes. With the possibility of a Triple Crown, she was sad to miss her 20th reunion, adding new meaning to “I’ll Have Another.”

August Goodman was excited to bring his family back to the ’Burg for his 20th reunion and had a great time.

After living everywhere from Alaska to Hawaii and working as everything from a forensic anthropologist to an attorney, August moved to Chicago in 2010. He lives in Oak Park and works for the Department of Justice. He keeps in touch with former Mercersburgers Pat Pestorius ’91, Jon Einsig ’91, and Jeremy Williams.

Carl E. Miller, father of Scott Miller, passed away March 16, 2012.

Diana Morgan moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Henderson, Nevada, where her 5-year-old, Fiona, started kindergarten this fall. Since October 2011, Diana has been the director of development for the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, working on a $4 million capital campaign to build a new community

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Marriages M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

The wedding of Lucy Northrop ’80 and Douglas Corwin ’79, June 16, 2012, in Washington, Pennsylvania (L–R): Colin Fitch ’79, Peggy Northrop ’72, Katy Northrop Glass ’77, Tom Northrop ’74, Lucy and Doug, Nancy Corwin Sanders ’81, Susan Corwin Moreau ’85, Emily Sanders ’13, and Murray Johnson ’77.

Judy Rakowsky ’76 and Sam Mendales, May 10, 2012.

Cat Supernavage ’97 and Christian Olson, August 25, 2012.

Joshua Gallon ’00 and Elena McIntosh, June 11, 2011.

Adele Flail ’01 and Pax Rasmussen, June 23, 2012.

Hunter Wade ’04 and Jolie Devoto, September 8, 2002.

Emily Peterson ’97 and Salvador Karottki on their wedding day, June 23, 2012, in Mercersburg.

Curtis Feigt ’09 and Katelyn Williams, September 8, 2012.

center in downtown Las Vegas. She regrets missing her 20th reunion and looks forward to her 25th.

Lakshmi Sarma Ramani was thrilled to attend her 20th reunion with her husband, Deepak. For the past five years, Lakshmi has been a senior attorney for the Nature Conservancy, which recently won the Direct Mail Association’s 2012 Nonprofit Organization of the Year Award. Her daughters, Meenakshi and Kamala, are 5 and 2 years old.

After living in New York City for more than a decade, Maureen Sheffler Hurst moved to Portland, Oregon, and is adjusting to the West Coast lifestyle.

She was unable to make the class reunion in June, but was happy to be able to take her family to camp out with fellow classmate Bert Murray and his family at the High Sierra Music Festival in Northern California.

Matt Shockey was happy to attend his 20th reunion, as luckily the reunion lined up with a business trip back to the United States. For the past 18 months,

Matt has lived in Yorkshire, England, where he directs operations for the Cinetic Landis Corporation.

’93 Amer Al-Nimr spent three weeks in Lebanon and Jordan at the Zaatari Refugee Camp in August and September.

Tim Gocke tim.gocke@gmail.com Rob Jefferson rmcjefferson@gmail.com Ivan Quijano ivanquijano@gmail.com

’94

Crystal Hatfield Miller graduated from nursing school in September 2011 and works as an RN unit manager for Kindred Healthcare at their Crosslands facility in Sandy, Utah. Crystal is a single mother to seven kids with the help of her amazing oldest daughter, Ciana.

’95 Shawn Patten earned a master’s degree in military law from the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School on the University of Virginia campus.

Shawn begins his next assignment as the brigade judge advocate for the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas. Shawn has served in the U.S. Army for more than eight years and is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan.

Lori Esposit Miller lorimiller234@gmail.com

Patrick Tansor accepted a position as a theater faculty member at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

His wife, Allison, and their 5-yearold daughter, Maggie, are incredibly excited to join the community there.

Patrick stays in touch with his old Main Hall roommate Haven Barnes as Haven works and travels throughout the western U.S. Wes Wrightson is heading to Niger, where he’ll be working as a country director for an NGO known as Search for Common Ground.

’96

Laura McNear Morey is working as a physical therapist at Mountainside Physical Therapy in Washington, Virginia.

Matthew Russell joined the faculty of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of California-San Francisco. He completed his residency training there in June 2011.

Immy Byrd immybyrd@yahoo.com Nick Jenkins nicholas.s.jenkins@gmail.com Emily Peterson Karottki emilyadairpeterson@gmail.com Chris Senker chrissenker@yahoo.com

’97

Leah Long earned a Ph.D. from the interdepartmental program in classical art and archaeology at the University of

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

49

(below) Alicia Furnary ’09 on the cover of the Greek magazine Runner in November 2011. The picture was taken at Olympic Stadium just after she completed the Athens Classic Marathon from Marathon to Athens. Alicia is a senior at Colby College in Maine.

(above) Pictured left to right are Blue Storm assistant baseball coach Brent Gift; former varsity baseball player Cord Heine ’07, who went on to play four years of Division III baseball for Penn State Altoona; head coach Karl Reisner; and former Blue Storm varsity pitcher Matt Timoney ’11, who pitches for Harvard. Cord and Matt, who are both from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, stopped by to cheer on their former team during a game at the Hill School in May.

Irene Papoutsis Mulkerin is living in China with her husband Andy and has traveled to a few Far Eastern countries, including the Philippines and Cambodia.

(left) Daniel Snyder ’05, shown here with Woody Harrelson at The Atlantic’s annual First Amendment Party, has been working as a postgraduate fellow at The Atlantic, producing the entertainment and culture page for TheAtlantic.com.

Jasen Wright works at Warner Music Group as director of consumer products and brand licensing developing new product lines and collaborations for Warner’s roster of music artists. He lives with his wife, Mia, and son, Brayden, in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Eddie Brown is a postdoctoral resident and research fellow at Harvard University Dental School. He lives in Brighton, Massachusetts, and meets up regularly with classmate Jasen Wright.

Michigan and has accepted a visiting assistant professorship in classics and archaeology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Emily Peterson married Salvador Karottki June 23, 2012, in the Irvine Memorial Chapel. Mercersburg faculty member Paul Galey officiated. Other Mercersburg alums in attendance included Emily’s grandfather, Alexander Beattie ’41; brother, Timothy Peterson, and cousin, Matthew Toddes ’05; as well as Larissa Chace Smith, Jonathan Palmer ’99, and Brechyn Chace ’03.

Bobby Puckett and his wife, Julie, welcomed a daughter, Maudie Joy, March 24, 2012. Bobby graduated from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary with a master of divinity degree; the family is moving to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where he will join the pastoral staff at Parkside Church.

Cat Supernavage works for Tiger Global Management in New York City. She married Christian Olson August 25, 2012.

’98 Jay Lee was promoted to income auditor of the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia.

Ildiko Szekely moved to Massachusetts from California, where she had taught high-school English for the past four years. Ildiko has been busy as a swimming coach; she also published her first novel, Lilith, a fictionalized memoir.

Matt Danziger mddanziger@gmail.com

’99

Matt Danziger made the transition from the world of finance to Silicon Valley corporate life by taking an investor-relations job at LinkedIn. He reunited with classmates Meg D’Amelio and Emilie Chatelain 13 years after graduation to celebrate Emilie’s birthday with some local wine and cheese in San Francisco.

Jenn Flanagan Bradley has been named director of the Mercersburg Annual Fund by the Office of Advancement & Alumni Relations.

Lauren Molen Adams lives in Alabama with her husband, Jimmy, and stays in touch with many classmates including Denah Marano D’Annunzio, Cassie Hubbard Hill, Sabina Martinko Bragg, and Sylvia Saracino Koodrich.

Ugonna Oneykwe has moved to New York City after a successful professional basketball career overseas.

Ben Smith lives in New York with his wife, Samantha Glazer, and works at iNDELIBLE, a media and advertising agency, as a digital producer developing online and TV ad campaigns for clients in the fashion and beauty industry.

Andrew Miller amiller@pioneeringprojects.org

’00

Andrew Miller is a member of the Class of 2014 at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Ann Marie Bliley abliley@gmail.com Jamie Hughes hughesjc@lafayette.edu

’01

Adele Flail is a freelance writer, artist, and rogue biologist living in Salt Lake City, Utah, with dogs, chickens, a cat, a hedgehog, and husband Pax Rasmussen, whom she married June 23, 2012. Adele recently completed 150 illustrations for A Nature Lover’s Almanac: Kinky Bugs, Stealthy Critters, Prosperous Plants & Celestial Wonders

by Diane Olson.

Nigel Sussman works at digital publishing company SAY Media and designed the background art for the

50

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

After visiting India their senior year at Mercersburg, Jordan Krutek ’10 and Aimee Chase ’10 returned to Delhi, India, to study and travel for six months. Jordan is enrolled at the College of Charleston and Aimee at Sewanee (the University of the South).

Hillary Wade is proud to have followed in the footsteps of her mother and grandfather by joining the family practice, Wade Family Dentistry, in Hagerstown, Maryland, in June 2009. Hillary earned a doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Maryland Dental School. She is planning a spring wedding in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.

Nikki Barbuzanes nichole.barbuzanes@gmail.com Alison Llewelyn alison.llewelyn@gmail.com David Posner posner.david@gmail.com Amy Shaffer Post aespost@gmail.com

’02

Asia Castillio completed the Fellows MBA Program at Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School. She was one of 19 students in the program, which focuses on entrepreneurial, executive, and management studies and gives students the opportunity to consult with leading companies at home and abroad.

’03 Debora Adjibaba ’11 earned NCAA Division III All-America honors in the spring as a member of Emory University’s 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams. She was also named the University Athletic Association’s Most Outstanding Performer and Rookie of the Year.

newly launched websites dogster. com and catster.com. He also designed story headers for the websites’ regular weekly columns.

Lauren Coates graduated from Washington College in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in clinical/counseling psychology and from Loyola University Maryland in 2011 with a master’s in school counseling. She lives in National Harbor, Maryland, and works as a resource coordinator with the Division of Disability Services at the Charles County Department of Health.

Nate Fochtman moved to York, Pennsylvania, in June 2011 to work as director of craft & specialty for Ace Distributing, a beverage wholesaler.

“If anyone is in the York area or just

Mercersburg classmates Ketty Zawarski ’12 and Bucknell field hockey player Kiersten Sydnor ’12 after Kiersten’s first college scrimmage in August.

passing through, feel free to reach out: ntf@acebeer.com,” Nate says. “Looking forward to catching up with classmates at the 10th reunion on campus in June 2013!”

Romone Penny organized a March charity basketball tournament in Washington, D.C., in support of Capital Partners for Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students of lesser economic backgrounds achieve their goals. The tournament also included an art event that highlighted artistic achievements of the community’s youth.

Vanessa Youngs left her job as a senior analyst at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget to serve as an intern at the White House. In February 2012, she joined Moody’s Investors Service in the Public Finance Group in New York as an associate analyst. “It has been a great year, and I look forward to seeing and catching up with everyone at next year’s reunion!” she says.

’04 Mohsun Riaz is a licensed practicing architect for the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners.

’06 Rahde Franke lives in Schenectady, New York, and works in alumni relations at his collegiate alma mater, Union College.

Casey Oliver is in his first year as a physics teacher and assistant girls’ basketball coach at the Hill School.

Mary O’Malley has launched her first business, Mary O’Malley Chocolatier,

in Annapolis, Maryland. After taking an online chocolate class last winter, she decided to pursue her passion for chocolate. Mary planned to travel to Italy for a week this fall to work with chocolatiers there, and she writes that she’s having great fun going to small business networking events.

Ryan Colby w.ryan.colby@gmail.com Bada Kang badakang@gmail.com Tim Rahauser rahausert@gmail.com Chuck Roberts cetroberts@gmail.com Matt Von Lunen mercersburg07@yahoo.com

’07

Cord Heine was named to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference first team for the third time in his four seasons as a baseball player at Penn State Altoona. Cord’s .391 batting average was good for sixth in the conference.

Xanthe Hilton [page 32] graduated from Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire in December 2011. She missed her five-year reunion in June but sends her regards to her classmates and looks forward to seeing everyone again.

Megan Sweeney works as a communications associate in the office of external affairs at the White Mountain School in Bethlehem, New Hampshire.

After leaving Mercersburg, Sayumi Terao returned to Tokyo to finish her senior year. She then entered Waseda University, spending her third year abroad at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris. After graduation, she began her career in investment banking

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

NEW ON THE board of regents Steven M. Wagshal ’90 New York, New York

Steven is the chief operating officer of Samlyn Capital LLC, a New York-based hedge fund. Prior to joining Samlyn, Steven spent more than 12 years with Goldman Sachs & Co. Steven received a B.S. in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude. Steven is a member of the Penn Fund Executive Board, serving as the co-chair of the Stewardship Committee. Steven is on the Membership Committee of the Managed Funds Association. While at Mercersburg, Steven was a member of the soccer, squash, and baseball teams and was the sports editor of the Mercersburg News; he has served as a fundraising volunteer and member of the Alumni Council. His sisters, Julie Wagshal ’91 and Amy Wagshal Brennan ’00, and brother-in-law, David Brennan ’00, are also Mercersburg alumni. Steven and his wife, Emily, have two daughters and live in New York City.

NEW ON THE ALUMNI COUNCIL Helen S. Barfield Prichett ’91

Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania Helen received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree in library science from Rutgers University. She serves as the assistant lower school librarian at the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia.

Helen was a dorm prefect at Mercersburg and was on the swim team. She is a former class agent and reunion committee member. Helen and her husband, Reid, have two sons and a daughter.

Eugene W. Homicki ’63 Nyack, New York

Richard C. Helzel ’68 Westlake, Ohio

Rich is a member of the sales team at Team Promotions in Cleveland, Ohio.

He graduated from West Virginia University and received an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

He was previously the owner of the marketing firm RH Factor. Rich is a reunion volunteer and a former class agent and fundraising volunteer. He and his wife, Victoria, are the parents of two Mercersburg alumni, Barrett ’11 and Burke ’12.

Gene is a retired professor of mathematics, having taught for more than 25 years at Rockland Community College, a college of the State University of New York. He was a “working boy” at Mercersburg for three years and was on the wrestling and track teams. Gene is a reunion volunteer, phonathon volunteer, and class agent. He and his wife, Ann Marie, are the parents of one son.

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Births/Adoptions M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

To Jasen Wright ’99 and his wife, Mia: a son, Brayden Thomas, May 4, 2012.

Patrick Koch ’99 and his wife, Kelly, welcomed a son, Ronan Crane, June 2, 2012. Ronan joins big sister McKenna, who has been surprisingly accepting of her new brother. Patrick and Kelly are excited if not a little apprehensive since they are now evenly matched—2 vs. 2!

Children of Heather Koontz ’93 and her husband, Todd Spitzer ’93: 6-year-old Tess and her new baby sister, Bennet Elizabeth Spitzer Koontz (born January 18, 2012).

To Pierce Lord ’98 and his wife, Nina: a daughter, Stella Marine, June 21, 2012.

and has worked in the Tokyo office of UBS since last year.

motorsports races. They advanced to an international competition in the fall.

’08

Remy Wheat is pursuing a master’s in commerce with a concentration in marketing and management at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce this fall.

In May, Destinee Hays graduated from Wilson College, where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She intends to pursue a master’s in psychological sciences at Shippensburg University. Destinee and Brett Friskey were engaged February 13, 2012, and are planning a May 2013 wedding.

John Marshall, a senior at Virginia Tech, is leading a 15-person team as part of the school’s BOLT (Battery Operated Land Transportation) program. Together they’ve built a battery-powered motorbike for competition in electric

Ariel Imler animler@edisto.cofc.edu Robby Kurtz robert.kmarsh@gmail.com Rachael Porter rmp413@lehigh.edu Andrew Reynolds reynola@purdue.edu Bond Stockdale b.stockdale@sbb.com

’09

To Brian Wagner ’84 and his wife, Aleksandra: a daughter, Natalia Rose, June 11, 2012.

Stephanie Seibert was named most valuable player of the women’s lacrosse team at Washington College.

Steph, a goalie, was an All-Centennial Conference selection as well.

Paige Harry lpharry2010@gmail.com

’10

Maureen Murray completed a semester abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during which she met up with classmates Robert Forbes and Ignacio Maiz Vilches in Segovia, Spain. Maureen was on campus at Mercersburg this summer working as a teaching assistant for the ESL+ camp.

She looks forward to her junior year at Swarthmore, where she regularly sees Sarah Duda and David Hill ’09.

Jack Taylor transferred from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to Grinnell College in Iowa, where he is playing basketball and majoring in biochemistry.

Georgia Baker bakerg1993@gmail.com Nathaniel Bachtell blackburn.rovers.12@gmail.com Anne Carrasco carrascoanne@gmail.com Kevin Carroll kvcarrol@usc.edu Matt Cook matthewcook333@gmail.com Peter Flanagan cuserocks1315@yahoo.com Jill Griswold jillgriswold@hotmail.com

’11

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To Christopher Preston ’95 and his wife, Angela: a daughter, Lauren Helene Wong Preston, April 11, 2012.

To Nate Fochtman ’03 and his wife, Gina: a son, Jack Edward, November 18, 2011.

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To Dean Hosgood ’98 and his wife, Sara: a daughter, Finnleigh Acadia, July 8, 2012.

To Paul Moody ’89 and his wife, Jill: a son, Henry, April 3, 2012.

To Dana Gryniuk ’92 and her husband, Mahesh Pattabhiraman: a daughter, Maya Aahana Pattabhiraman, February 1, 2012.

To Bobby Puckett ’97 and his wife, Julie: a daughter, Maudie Joy, March 24, 2012.

To Jennifer Barr Weiss ’99 and her husband, Adam: a son, Charles Bernard, July 5, 2012.

To Rachel Kagan ’00 and her husband, Michael Galey ’00: a daughter, Quinn Kagan, July 23, 2012.

To Sarah Epstein Sutton ’04 and her husband, Andrew: a daughter, Madelyn Rose, February 5, 2012.

To faculty member Jon Hathorn and his wife, Helen: a daughter, Lucy Margaret, August 1, 2012.

To faculty members Abby and Mark Schindler: a daughter, Elizabeth Maeve “Liddy” Schindler, August 4, 2012.

To former faculty members Tom Dugan ’99 and Heather Reichhart Dugan: a daughter, Kaitlyn Morgan, May 8, 2012.

Annette Hull netters4855@yahoo.com Kayleigh Kiser dancequeen282@aol.com Susie Klein susie.e.klein@gmail.com Mackenzie Kyner xo.mackenzie.xo@hotmail.com Eli Littlefield elidupre@gmail.com Shayna Rice shaynarice2@gmail.com Mackenzie Riford bobster21701@aol.com Liza Rizzo lizadupre@gmail.com Paige Summers psumme02@rams.shepherd.edu Foster Wattles wattlesf@gmail.com Steven Zhang steven911221@hotmail.com

To Kelley Keeler Short ’91 and her husband, Austin: a son, Henry Lewis, November 18, 2011.

Christian

Binford won his first professional baseball game in August for the Burlington Royals, a rookie league affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. He started two playoff games and helped Burlington to the Appalachian League finals, and compiled a 1.80 earned-run average in 50 innings of work, posting 44 strikeouts and just 11 walks.

Annette Hull is a member of the Class of

2015 at the University of Richmond and is a double major in sociology and dance.

She is a member of University Dancers, the school’s dance company.

Conor Monaghan swims at Berry College

in Georgia and set school and conference records in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.22) and 200-yard butterfly (1:51.67) at the 2012 Appalachian Swimming Conference Championships.

Mackenzie Riford successfully completed

basic training at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she is a member of the class of 2016. She previously attended Shippensburg University, where she was named a scholar-athlete by the NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association as a member of the cross country team. Mackenzie will run for the Army Black Knights.

Foster Wattles, a freshman at the Maryland Institute College of Art, had his work posted on the cyber culture webzine boingboing.net earlier this year. Foster says he couldn’t be happier being in art school and planned to study game design in France this summer.

Former Faculty From her home in Connecticut, Rosamund Bell writes, “My best wishes and greetings

to any who remember my husband Frank and me. Frank and I were both members of the Mercersburg faculty for a number of years. Frank was a math teacher and I was dean of girls early in the transition to coeducation, then later as alumni secretary.

We were very happy during the 37 years we called Mercersburg home, retiring there after our Academy days were over.”

Joel Chace published a new book of poetry, Red Power. For more information, visit quarterafter.org.

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Reunion Weekend • June 6-9, 2013

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

Announcing the 2013 reunion committees for 3s and 8s!

If you’re interested in joining your reunion committee, please contact the Office of Advancement & Alumni Relations at 800-588-2550 or reunions@mercersburg.edu.

Class of 1963 Barrett Burns Charlie Coates Gene Homicki David Millstein Paul Sommerville

Class of 1983 Todd Friedman Steve Morris Joe Noel Guido Porcarelli Shawn Rodrigues

Class of 1998 (Cont.)

Leslie Magraw Laura Mullett Beth Pniewski Bell Owen Rice Abby Russell

Class of 1968 Dennis Forney Michael Gery Rich Helzel Doug Miller Bruce Newman Platt Safford

Class of 1988 Steve Cohn Paul Giannaris Kim Hill Kidd Natalie Kostelni McGrory Susie Lyles-Reed Steve Pessagno

Class of 1973 George Davis Jeff Gingrich Jennifer Highley Eardley John Jones Don Lee Bob McClure Dave Peace Jim Resh Bruce Thompson Chip Vink

Class of 1993 Amer Al-Nimr Danielle Dahlstrom Ali Foster Fortmann Bobby Malone Alyson McKee Humphreys Jamil Myrie Rob Pitts Paul Royer Sarah Smith

Class of 2003 Joe Ambrose Tony Balzebre Vincent Bove Nate Fochtman Jenn Hendrickson Gabrielle Joffie Shelby Keefer Meredith Knott Sam Miller Romone Penny Matt Rutherford Wynn Thane Vanessa Youngs

Class of 1978 Dave Holzwarth Heidi Kaul Krutek Walt McGhee Patty Seltzer-Wagoner John Swing

Class of 1998 Jeff Adair Liz Curry Watkins Dean Hosgood Amy Jones Satrom Kyle Logan Pierce Lord

Class of 2008 Chris Freeland Luke Griffin Anna Hunka Mary Lancaster Andrew Reichardt Gussie Reilly Hannah Starr Ethan Strickler Dave Strider

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

Obituaries ’24

J. Donald Everitt, March 23, 2012. (Irving, orchestra) Don graduated from Princeton University and received a master’s from Bucknell University. He taught English and Latin at Kiski School, West Nottingham Academy, and Woodbury High School in New Jersey. In 1937, he moved to Tucson, Arizona, to work at the Southern Arizona School for Boys (known today as Fenster School).

He retired in 1972 after serving as an academic adviser, registrar, assistant headmaster, and “unofficial Saturday hiking coach and trail-building boss,” and later worked in the registrar’s office at the University of Arizona. Don was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Laning Everitt. Survivors include his second wife, Erla McCracken Everitt; a son, daughter, stepson, and stepdaughter; and several grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

’30

Ralph L. Pierce, May 24, 2008. (’Eighty-eight, basketball, track) Ralph graduated from the University of North Dakota, where he was a star football and track athlete; he was later inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame. Ralph played four seasons for the Regina Roughriders (known today as the Saskatchewan Roughriders) in what eventually became the Canadian Football League. He retired in 1977 after a career in management with Gillette and lived in Delray Beach, Florida.

’31

Jackson H. Frederick, August 29, 2007. (Marshall, football) Jack graduated from Dickinson College and was a career officer in the U.S. Navy, serving as commander of the World War II minesweeper YMS-73 in the South Pacific. His wife, Ann, preceded him in death.

’32

James W. Lash, February 20, 2012. (Marshall) Jim served as chief auditor for the War Department’s Manpower Board and as an inspector general for the Department of the Army. He served tours in Korea and with NATO forces, retiring from the Army with the rank of colonel. Jim later worked for the Army Corps of Engineers and as a senior accountant for Ford Motor Company. He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Alice Bisbee Lash; survivors include two daughters, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Thomas C. Parsons, April 7, 2007. (Marshall, tennis) Tom graduated from Duke University, where he was president of his class. He retired after 42 years as a partner in the Parsons Agency (insurance and real estate) of Altoona, Pennsylvania. Tom was a former president of the Altoona Area Chamber of Commerce, national director emeritus of the Navy League of the United States, and former state director of the Pennsylvania Easter Seals Society.

He was also a Mercersburg class agent for several years. He was

preceded in death by his wife, Sara Louise Brumbaugh Parsons; survivors include two sons, two daughters, a brother and a sister, two grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Beverley E. Powell, July 5, 2011. (Marshall, Higbee Orator, Glee Club, wrestling) A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he led a field-artillery battalion into North Africa and then Italy during World War II. Following the war, he became secretary of the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before working with the NATO Standing Group at the Pentagon and serving as military attaché to King George VI. Among numerous other assignments was a return to the NATO Standing Group at the Pentagon, as commander of the 1st Guided Missile Brigade at Fort Sill, and as secretary to the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, where he was promoted to his third star as a lieutenant general. Among his many citations and decorations are the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Silver Star, and the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster. Gen. Powell received Mercersburg’s Alumni Council Achievement Award in 2007. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth “Missie” Powell; four children; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

’35

John P. Leibold, January 7, 2009. (Irving, News, track, football manager) Jack graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Dental School and the University of Michigan and was a first lieutenant in the Army. He was the first dentist in the state of Arizona to hold a formal degree in pediatric dentistry, where he operated his practice for 39 years. Survivors include his wife, Markie Smith Leibold; a son and daughter; three grandchildren and four-great grandchildren; a sister; and his nephew, David ’59. His brother, Bob ’33, died in 2007.

’38

Willard E. Dotter, May 28, 2012. (Irving, tennis, baseball manager) A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Bill served in the Navy and was an orthopedic surgeon for 30 years at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in the Boston suburb of Burlington, Massachusetts, after working in Sayre, Pennsylvania, and Great Falls, Montana.

He retired in 1987. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Lois Apgar Dotter; five daughters; eight grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren. His brother, Herman ’40, preceded him in death.

William E. Hooper, April 16, 2011. (Marshall, swimming, baseball) Bill attended Villanova University and the Temple University School of Medicine. Survivors include his wife, Joan Haughey Hooper, as well as six children, three stepchildren, 19 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Gilbert H. Johnson, May 23, 2012. (Main, Irving, Chemistry Club, Les Copains, tennis) Gil graduated from Cornell University and served as a naval aviator in World War II. He spent most of his

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career working in the heavy machinery industry. Gil was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Juanita, and a brother, Bradley ’39.

He is survived by three nieces and two nephews.

Robert H. Sill, August 23, 2005. (Keil, Irving, baseball, wrestling, Chemistry Club, Camera Club) Bob retired in 1989 as a stockbroker with the New York City firm of Gruntal and Company. He changed his last name from “Silberstein” in the 1940s.

’39

Robert E. Joslin, August 20, 2012. (Main, Irving, Les Copains, Press Club, track, Chapel usher, Stamp Club, Memorial Committee) Bob attended Lehigh University and entered the U.S. Army. He served for five years, including positions in the Transportation Corps in Louisiana, Alaska, and New York City, and achieved the rank of captain before being discharged in 1946. He worked for the Security Storage Company, where he retired as president in 1986.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth.

’40

Karl E. Hofammann, January 15, 2012. (Main, Marshall, swimming, Gun Club) Karl graduated from Princeton University and Johns Hopkins Medical School and was a U.S. Army veteran. He was the retired chairman of the obstetrics/gynecology department at Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, and was also a retired associate professor of gynecological surgery at the University of Alabama. He served hospitals in Texas, Ohio, New York, and Maryland in addition to Alabama. His wife, Eugenia Dabney Hofammann, preceded him in death; survivors include three children, four grandchildren, and five step-grandchildren.

Matthew S. Rae Jr., August 3, 2010. (Marshall debater, The Fifteen, News Board, Les Copains, Latin Club, Press Club, KARUX) A graduate of the Duke University School of Law, “Sandy” served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a successful California probate attorney who served as director of the Los Angeles County Bar Foundation and first vice president of the South Bay Bar Association. He co-founded the California Republican League and was a field representative for the law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta.

His wife of nearly 52 years, Janet Hettman Rae, preceded him in death; survivors include three daughters and three grandchildren.

’41

Joseph R. Riden Jr., December 18, 2011. (Main, Marshall, soccer) Joe earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Pennsylvania State University and served as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II. He began his professional career with a four-year A.E.C. Research Associateship at Johns Hopkins University. After 25 years at Gulf Oil as a research specialist, he retired as manager of biochemicals. He garnered six U.S. patents and approximately 60 attendant foreign patents. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Sarah Jane Schmidt Riden, and his father, Joseph R. Riden Sr. (1911). Survivors include four daughters, a son, and 13 grandchildren.

’42 Robert G. Pope, December 25, 2010. Bob graduated from Lehigh University after serving in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. He owned W.S. Pope & Sons Cheese Company in Philadelphia.

He was active in his church, raised funds for the YMCA, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. He and his wife, Ann, retired to Southern Pines, North Carolina. In addition to his wife.

Survivors include two sons, seven grandchildren, one greatgrandson, and a sister.

William M. Stout Jr., May 31, 2009. (South Cottage, Marshall, football, wrestling, Chemistry Club) William served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and worked in the steel industry his entire professional life, retiring as sales manager at LTV Steel Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio. Survivors include two daughters, a son, and five grandchildren.

’43

Dean K. Minick, October 10, 2011. (Main, Irving, basketball) Dean, who served with the Army Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II, studied engineering at the California Institute of Technology and Cornell University before graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in industrial design. He was an inventor and designer with several patents to his name, and worked at AMP Inc. and Capital Products, where he served as vice president.

Dean switched careers and became a stockbroker, retiring from Morgan Stanley in 2000 as an executive vice president. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Sylvia Red Minick; four daughters; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

’44

Byron M. Kellam, August 17, 2012. (Marshall, Senate, track, cross country, football) Byron served in the U.S. Navy. He attended the State University of New York at Oneonta and graduated from Colgate University, and was president of B.M. Kellam Brokers and past director of the Henry’s Fork Foundation. His wife, Hilde, and brother, Austin ’40, preceded him in death. Among his survivors is a nephew, Reid ’71.

Loren W. Swensen, December 27, 2011. (Main, Marshall, tennis, swimming, Stony Batter) Loren earned a World War II Victory Medal for his wartime service in the Army Air Force. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Tennessee Technological University and spent his entire career in the trucking industry with Mack Trucks, Roadway Express, and P.I.E. Nationwide. His wife, Nancy, preceded him in death; survivors include two sons, a daughter, and four grandchildren.

Oscar L. Thomas, January 22, 2012. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, swimming) “Tommy” joined the Navy after graduating from Mercersburg and later graduated from Ohio State University, where he was a four-year varsity letterwinner in swimming. He was the swimming coach at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, from 1950 until 1954, and then joined his father in the realestate business. He was active in many community groups in Columbus, Ohio. His wife of 61 years, Alice, died in 2011.

Survivors include a son and daughter, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

’45

Frederick M. Diehl, November 6, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall president, Senate vice president, Stony Batter, Les Copains, YMCA, football, basketball, track, class secretary, class president) Fred graduated from Brown University, where he served as an admission officer for the school. He also served 18 months in the U.S. military. He worked for the State Department and CIA, graduating from the Foreign Service Institute. Three of his cousins (Michael Stoner ’59, Susan Stoner Leithauser ’86, and Matthew Stoner ’87) also attended Mercersburg. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Paula Jespersen Diehl; two daughters and a son; five grandchildren and a great-grandchild; and a sister.

’46

Joseph W. Calby, September 5, 2011. (South Cottage, Marshall, Cum Laude, The Fifteen, Schaff Oration, football, wrestling, head cheerleader, Stony Batter) Joe earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an MBA from Seton Hall University. He spent most of his career in the textile business as president of the DM Company and as vice president and director of the American Thread Company. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Diana Heywood Calby; a daughter and a son; and four grandchildren.

Michael E. DeArmond, May 18, 2012. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Chemistry Club, Radio Club, Camera Club, Chess Club, Caducean Club, Marshal of the Field, track) Mike graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and received a commission in the U.S. Air Force. Following combat crew training, he served in Korea, where he was captured after taking enemy fire while flying on his 46th combat mission in 1952. He spent 17 months in solitary confinement in a Chinese P.O.W. camp in North Korea. After two escape attempts and recapture, Mike was finally repatriated in 1953 and reunited with his family. A distinguished service career followed, with Mike seeing duty at several bases throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. He was an honor graduate of Squadron Officer School, the Air Command and Staff College, and the Industrial College, and also received an MBA from George Washington University. He rose through the ranks to receive a promotion to brigadier general. Mike’s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with Oak Leaf Clusters, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. He flew 268 combat missions and 4,500 hours.

Following retirement from the Air Force, Mike became president and vice chairman of Intertek Services International. After his second retirement, he worked on a biography project of his West Point classmates who served in the Air Force. He is survived by five daughters (including Anna DeArmond Boykin ’76 and Theresa DeArmond Wittenschlaeger ’78) and six grandchildren.

George A. Leavitt Jr., October 7, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Irving, Chapel Choir, Glee Club, Laticlavii, wrestling) A graduate of George Washington University, George was an Army veteran and worked for the National Security Agency during the Korean War. He was later employed by IBM, RCA, and the Atlantic Underwater Testing and Evaluation Center before retiring as an IT systems manager at Good Samaritan Hospital. Survivors include his wife, Betty Yerry Leavitt; a son and daughter; and two grandchildren.

’47

Charles F. Felton Jr., March 10, 2012. (’Eighty-eight, Irving, Camera Club, Gun Club, Concert/Football Band, track) Chuck graduated from Bucknell University and also attended the Dickinson School of Law. He was an Army veteran who served as a radio operator in occupied Germany. Chuck co-owned a Chevrolet dealership in Titusville, Pennsylvania, and later worked as an accountant for Bethlehem Steel in Michigan City, Indiana. Survivors include his wife, Anne Kostenbader Felton; three sons; and seven grandchildren.

Robert C. Kelley, July 24, 2012. (Marshall, soccer) Bob, the son of the late James A. Kelley (1910), graduated from Pennsylvania State University and began work at Alfred University in New York state as director of dormitories and dining halls in 1951; he retired as the school’s business manager in 1985 and later became an antiques dealer. Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Dolores Congelli Kelley.

’48

Samuel P. Bates, July 20, 2012. (Main, Marshall, swimming, baseball manager) Sam graduated from Allegheny College, served in the Army, and worked as director of the news bureau at Hamline College in Minnesota before a 36-year career at 3M, including the last 16 years before his retirement as director of public relations for 3M International. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter and sister and is survived by his wife of 56 years, Shirlee Ruttger Bates, as well as two daughters, three grandchildren, and three alumni cousins (Walter ’50, Jack ’52, and Ted ’56).

Richard P. Eadie, January 13, 2012. (South Cottage, Marshall, football, swimming, News) A graduate of Columbia University, Dick was a successful business executive and broker and an avid sailor; he was a former Atlantic Class U.S. national champion. He lived in Westport, Connecticut, for more than 35 years. His wife, Johanna Sawyer Gallagher Eadie, preceded him in death. Among his survivors are two siblings, five children, five grandchildren, and a cousin, Charles Grenzbach ’43.

’49

William J. Alexander III, August 4, 2012. (Colonial Cottage/Main, Dance Committee, Yacht Club, soccer, wrestling, baseball) Bill graduated from the College of Steubenville (now Franciscan University of Steubenville), enlisted in the Navy, and served stateside during the Korean War. He then went to work at Alexander Lumber, which was founded by his great-grandfather.

Bill was an active community and church volunteer and served as a Mercersburg class agent. He was predeceased by his father, William Jr. ’20, and his brother, Paul ’50. Survivors include his longtime partner Ruth Koran, four sons, and their families.

Samuel R. Hoff, April 16, 2012. (Irving) Sam graduated from Bucknell University and spent 40 years in the wholesale distribution business as president and owner of Hoff Supply Company (later Keeler-Hoff Supply Company) in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He earned a Realtor license in 1993 and sold real estate in the Williamsport area for a decade, and also served as comptroller for Calypso Media Group. He won a primary election

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for Lycoming County commissioner in 1995 but lost the general election. Survivors include his wife, Mattie Schultz Hoff; two sons and a daughter; three grandchildren; and a sister.

’51

Jack E. Krips Sr., April 4, 2011. A graduate of Lehigh University, Jack was an electrical engineer for the Martin Company in Orlando, Florida, before moving to Lockheed Martin, where he retired as director of electrical engineering after 35 years. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, June Krips; two daughters; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

Roland R. Leonard, March 4, 2011. (Marshall) Rollie graduated from Wilkes University and Harvard Business School. He was an executive for Joy Manufacturing Company and Ingersoll Rand before spending the last 25 years as owner and CEO of Numa Tool Company in Thompson, Connecticut. Survivors include his wife, Darlene; three sons and two daughters; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

John H. Lutz, March 9, 2010. (Marshall) John owned and operated the Industrial Safety Company of Sellersville, Pennsylvania, for 30 years, and later retired after 15 years with Claremont Industries in Connecticut. He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ann Royer Lutz, and a brother, William ’56; survivors include two sons, a daughter, and four grandchildren.

Ronald K. Mowrey, January 29, 2012. (South Cottage, Irving, Honor Oration, Cum Laude, Les Copains, Jurisprudence Society, baseball, track) Ron graduated from Cornell University, where he majored in geology. He worked in retail for McAlpin’s Department Stores in Cincinnati for more than 40 years, retiring as a vice president.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Mildred; three sons; seven grandchildren; and two brothers.

’52

Jose F. Suarez Jr., August 4, 2011. (Main, Irving, soccer, baseball, track, Laticlavii, El Circulo Espanol president, Chemistry Club, stage manager) A graduate of Georgetown University, Jose helped introduce Coca-Cola to mainland China before starting his own export business, and also worked in Manila, Rome, and Hong Kong during his business career. Among his survivors are sons Jose III ’87 and Francesco ’89.

’53

N. Donald Lund, April 8, 2012. Don attended Pennsylvania State University and began as a salesman for L.B. Smith Ford in 1955.

He retired in 2001 as president of L.B. Smith Auto Group and as vice president of Smith Land & Improvement Corporation and L.B. Smith Inc. A son, David, preceded him in death; survivors include his wife, Mary Maxwell Lund, two daughters, and four grandchildren.

Newton K.A. von Sander, February 6, 2012. (South Cottage, Irving debater, Marshal of the Field, Honor Oration, football, cross country, wrestling, track) Newton began at Princeton University as an engineering student before graduating with a degree in fine art. He earned a master’s and a doctorate in psychology from Boston University. He taught at Fay School in

Southborough, Massachusetts, before serving as an administrator for Wellesley Public Schools. In 1982, he began practicing as a licensed psychologist in Salem and Beverly, Massachusetts. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucia, and son, Adam. Survivors include a cousin, Warren Kegerreis ’48.

’55

Robert W. Plank Jr., May 11, 2012. Bob attended the University of Akron and spent 35 years with Chemical Leaman Tank Lines.

After retirement, he went to work for Multi-Chem of Boucherville, Ontario, Canada. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Ellen; a son and daughter; and three grandsons. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Sr. ’32.

’56

William E. Lutz, December 12, 2008. (Marshall) Bill attended Ferris Institute (known today as Ferris State University) in Michigan. He worked for his family’s businesses, Industrial Safety Specialties Co. and Orbit Manufacturing, before moving into realty with Kenneth Kratz Real Estate and REMAX/440 in Perkasie, Pennsylvania.

Survivors include his wife, Ethel Bossert Lutz, two daughters, and two grandchildren. His brother, John ’51, died in 2010.

’58

Thomas B. Heflin, June 4, 2012. (South Cottage, Marshall, Caducean Club, Chemistry Club, Rauchrunde, Glee Club, Varsity Club, cheerleader, basketball, golf) Tom graduated from Washington & Jefferson College and New York Medical College. He became a major in the Air Force, serving as a base pediatrician at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After the military, he practiced medicine in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and maintained a thriving practice until retiring in 2009. Survivors include his wife, Susan; two sons, a daughter, and two stepchildren; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Linda, and a granddaughter.

Ben M. McMakin, April 27, 2012. (Main, football, tennis) Ben received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California and a master’s from San Jose State University. During his professional career, he served in the city and county governments of Foster City, Mountain View, and Mendocino County and as city manager of Willits and Coachella, California, as well as the Oregon cities of Bandon and Powers. Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Judy, as well as three children, eight grandchildren, and a sister.

Frederick D. Vastine, February 15, 2012. Rick graduated from Ursinus College and earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He spent most of his professional life as a registered patent agent for Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt in Alexandria, Virginia. In his spare time, Rick loved spending time on woodworking projects and reading about the Civil War and military history. He was an active church volunteer. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Marcia; two children; four grandchildren; and three sisters.

A. Miles Weaver III, January 7, 2012. (’Eighty-eight, Student Council, football, Caducean Club ) Miles earned a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and master’s degrees from Wesleyan University and Pace University. He spent 35 years teaching in

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e fa l l 2 0 1 2

Bellwood, Pennsylvania, and Greenwich, Connecticut, where he became an administrator before his retirement in 1996. Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Betty Yetter Weaver; two daughters and four grandchildren; and a brother, Jon ’62. His brother, Charlie ’53, died in 2009.

Duke Wellington, October 21, 2011. (Marshall, Senate, Student Council, football, baseball, wrestling) Duke attended Cornell University and Fairleigh Dickinson University and was the retired owner of Wellington Roofing Company in Wyckoff, New Jersey.

He also served as recreation commissioner for the Township of Wyckoff, was active in the area soccer scene as a coach and player, and was an excellent bridge player. Duke spent many summers after retirement working on the family property in Claryville, New York. In 2001, he and his wife, Pat, moved to Venice, Florida. In addition to his wife, survivors include three sons and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his father-in-law, G. Newton Padgitt ’31.

’59

Lee W. Erdman, June 8, 2012. (Main, Marshall, Class Day Committee, Caducean Club, The Fifteen, Les Copains, News Board, Press Club, Glee Club, Cum Laude) Lee graduated from Dartmouth College and received an MBA from Columbia University. He worked for many years as a commercial property inspector in the construction industry and was an active volunteer in his church.

He was preceded in death by his father, Carl ’33, as well as great uncles Carl Nolde 1909, George Nolde 1912, and Hans Nolde 1914, and cousin John Nolde ’37. Survivors include his wife, Diane; a son, Christopher ’84, and daughter, Melissa Erdman Holsun ’87; five grandchildren; a niece, Kelley Keeler Short ’91, and nephew, Timothy Keeler ’94; and a sister.

Jeffrey T. Nicholls, June 1, 2012. (Marshall, basketball, soccer, track) Jeff graduated from Denison University and later earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

He moved his family west to Vail, Colorado, in 1970 to start Images Unlimited, Vail’s first on-mountain photography company, which he ran for 25 years. Jeff then owned and operated Nick’s Quick Oil & Lube. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Judy. Survivors include his wife, Peggy, two sons, and a stepdaughter.

Richard L. Sullivan, August 13, 2012. (Marshall, football, basketball, baseball, class president) Richard earned bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. He was a partner in the Columbia law firms Glenn, Porter and Sullivan and the McNair Law Firm, where he specialized in municipal securities. Richard was a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

He is survived by a son, Richard ’82; two daughters, including Marion ’84; and several grandchildren.

Jay H. Wilkinson, December 30, 2011. (South Cottage, Irving, Chemistry Club, Caducean Club, Glee Club, Band, football) Jay earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s from George Washington University. He spent 26 years in the U.S. Navy, graduating from the Naval Officers Cadet School at Newport, Rhode Island. He worked with the Naval Security Group and was commanding officer of the Naval Security Station in Washington, D.C., before retiring with the rank of commander.

Jay later worked for the city and county of Honolulu, Hawaii, as

director of enterprise services. He and his wife, Karen, retired to Biltmore Lake, North Carolina (near Asheville). In addition to his wife, survivors include two sons, John ’85 and Drew ’89; two grandchildren; and three stepsons and three step-grandchildren.

Jay’s father-in-law was the late Carl Fisher ’27.

’60

John P. Corderman, July 31, 2012. (Marshall, track, cross country) Jack earned bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Maryland. He joined the Hagerstown law firm of Wagaman, Wagaman and Meyers, where he later became a partner, and also served as deputy state’s attorney for Washington County and spent three years as a Maryland state senator during that time.

Jack then served 16 years as associate judge of the Circuit Court of Washington County. In 1989, a package containing pipe bombs exploded in his Hagerstown apartment, and Jack suffered shrapnel wounds and partial hearing loss in the explosion. Authorities never apprehended those responsible. Jack returned to the bench and served until 1993, when he returned to the practice of law in Hagerstown until 2010—with the exception of a one-year stint as attorney general of the former U.S. territory of Palau in the South Pacific. Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Ann; two sons and a daughter; and three grandchildren.

Richard A. Evans, June 12, 2010. Richard graduated from West Virginia University. In 2005 he retired from Weyerhauser, where he was regional sales manager for many years. Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Nancy; two sons; and two brothers.

Daniel O. Martin, August 10, 2010. Dan graduated from West Virginia University and the National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University. He worked for Travelers Insurance and One Valley Bank (now BB&T) and was co-owner of Smith Sawmill & Equipment Company. He moved from Charleston to Parkersburg, West Virginia, in 1986 to become associated with Mullen Motors, and retired in 2007. Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Catherine Breckenridge; a daughter and son; and five grandchildren. His brother, Garry ’52, preceded him in death.

’67

James F. LeSar, April 18, 2012. (Marshall) Jim graduated from Ohio State University and Hahnemann Medical College. He specialized in the practice of internal medicine for more than 35 years, the majority of those in Lancaster, Ohio. He served as director of several nursing homes and most recently as a physician in Elko, Nevada. He was a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Specialists. Jim is survived by his wife Julie, four sons, five grandchildren, and two brothers.

’69

Frederick W. Diehl, June 15, 2012. (Marshall, Honor Committee, Senate, Blue Key, The Fifteen, Jurisprudence Society, German Club, Gun Club, Stony Batter, News Board, cross country, wrestling, track) Fred graduated from Colgate University. He managed several car dealerships and was owner of Fred Diehl’s Chevrolet Buick of Philipsburg. Survivors include his wife, Brenda, as well as two children and two grandchildren.

59

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’73

Mark P. Orth, May 31, 2011. (Stony Batter, Caducean Club, swimming, water polo, track) Mark graduated from the School of Dentistry at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. He served 15 years in the Navy and was a fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Mark had a practice in Abilene, Texas. Survivors include his father and brother.

’75

Frederick B. Purdy, June 28, 2011. (Octet, Glee Club, soccer, basketball, golf, Blue Key, Film Club) Fred graduated from Gettysburg College and was the longtime head golf professional at Sandy Run Country Club in the Philadelphia suburb of Oreland. He went through Professional Golfers Association (PGA) qualifying school and became a PGA member; he was honored in 2010 as a quarter-century member. Survivors include his wife, Diane Jenkins Purdy; his mother, brother, and sister; several nieces and nephews; and an uncle, Mike ’79.

’82

James C. Eliason, March 10, 2012. (Marshall, Blue Review, WMER, White Key, golf, cross country, track, fencing, Ski Club) “Jace” graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He had worked as a computer programmer for the past 24 years with Automated Graphics Systems and was also a Boy Scout leader.

Survivors include his wife, Roberta Jeanne “Robbie” Eliason, and

daughter; his father, Walker ’46; three stepsons, a half-brother, and three half-sisters; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins (including his uncle John ’39).

’90

Jonathan H. Bursk, June 7, 2012. (Marshall, soccer, wrestling, track, cross country) Jonathan, the son of former Mercersburg faculty member John H. “Jack” Bursk, graduated from the University of Maine and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He worked for Sikorsky Aircraft, where he played a significant role in the design and development of aircraft for the Turkish Navy as well as other aircraft and Hawk derivatives. He had recently been appointed to the leadership of his Avionics Group in Human Factors Engineering. Survivors include his father, mother, sister, and brother-in-law.

Former faculty/staff

Russell H. Lord Jr., August 15, 2008. Russell taught English at Mercersburg from 1954 to 1964, and later taught at Plymouth State College in New Hampshire.

John L. “Jay” Quinn, faculty emeritus, September 15, 2012. [page 3] Lynda Viverette, security officer (2005–2012), August 27, 2012.

Friends

Connie Smith, mother of faculty member Doug Smith and mother-inlaw of faculty member Jennifer Miller Smith ’97, August 13, 2012.

M y Say

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61

In all honesty, I was less than thrilled last spring when I learned that we

would be reading Kathryn Stockett’s The Help over the summer. What was I going to learn from Stockett that writers such as DuBois, Ellison, Hughes, Baldwin, Morrison, or Baraka hadn’t already taught me in a much more authentic way? Similarly, I was skeptical (and still am) of reviews that compared The Help to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

by Frank Betkowski Besides, while the book within the book would have been revolutionary had it indeed been published, Stockett’s novel seemed about 50 years too late. That said, perhaps many of the themes and events in the novel were new to the student body, and I was heartened by the keen observations I read in the summerreading essay contest submissions.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the novel immensely. More importantly, however, it struck a deep chord in me. One reason for this was the subject matter. You see, my own mother learned to set a table working as a domestic. I grew up on the proverbial wrong side of the tracks in a blue-collar town. I was the first in my family to go to college and I attended on a Pell Grant. My parents still work: my mom is a secretary and my dad drives a forklift. My mother is the daughter of Irish immigrants and she worked in the kitchen of a family of physicians. Her experience had many of the trappings of the novel excepting race: the class paradigm in the Northeast saw working-class Irish serving Anglo-Saxon patricians, and my mother’s family was no exception. The relationship between my mother and her sisters and their well-to-do employers paralleled that of Miss Skeeter and Aibileen—a relationship of mutual respect and generosity and kindness and compassion. That family of doctors took great care of my many aunts and cousins and me—and, it occurred to me years later, probably for free.

The other reason the novel resonated with me was where and when I read it. I had the good fortune of winning a faculty travel grant sponsored by Board of Regents member Pierce Lord ’98 and his mother, Stephanie. My wife and I chose to travel with our children to South Africa. The three-week-long trip included bush walks and a safari as well as volunteering at an orphanage and a township school. And while we were there, we rented a house— and with the house came a maid and a groundskeeper, Numsa and Cedric.

My wife and I were rather uncomfortable having a maid and a groundskeeper. We are, by nature, do-it-yourselfers, and the notion of another person being expected to do our laundry and wash our dishes made us profoundly uneasy. Then again, isn’t this the way the South African economy works, at least for now? If we insisted on doing things for ourselves, weren’t we in essence depriving these two good people of their means of support? And we certainly weren’t going to change South African society in just the three weeks we were there (it was quite apparent that while black South Africans hold much of the political power, they control very little of the economic power). Even deciding whether and how to leave a tip or a gift was confusing and troublesome.

American history and South African history are remarkably similar, and of course both are tinged with race. I remember watching the end of apartheid from afar with joy and awe, but my

Cedric and Numsa

trip to South Africa quickly reminded me that Nelson Mandela’s being freed and then elected president occurred less than 20 years ago; and while I was there, I kept trying to find a parallel to a period in American history. It seemed, though, the best approximation depended on which aspect of South African society I considered.

Was it Reconstruction? “Separate but equal”? The Civil Rights era?

All of these?

I recall former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright pointing out to our students that, in their lifetimes, they have essentially known only secretaries of state that have been female, black, or both. I also recall, after President Obama’s first historic election, headlines asking whether we had achieved a ‘post-racial’ society. I am not so naïve as to think we have succeeded.

But even if we one day realize Dr. King’s dream, we may never live in a ‘post-class’ society. Our economy, even when it hummed along, added more jobs in the service sector—the sector of Aibileen and Minny, Numsa and Cedric, and formerly my mom—than in any other. I think back now to reading The Help last summer. Even if Stockett’s novel taught me nothing new, it reminded me of many profound truths.

Frank Betkowski of Bayonne, New Jersey, has served on the Mercersburg faculty since 2006.

He is a graduate of Georgetown University and Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. At Mercersburg, he is an associate director of college counseling and teaches English. Frank and his wife, fellow faculty member and Director of Learning Services Margaret Maciulla, have four children.

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