Milton Magazine, Fall 2009 by Milton Academy

Milton Magazine

Fall 2009

Being New Whether we take risks eagerly or not, we are all new at certain points in time: new at a job, new at a school, new in a community, new in confronting a challenge, new to a life circumstance.

Head of School Todd Bland and his family arrive at Milton.

Milton Academy Board of Trustees, 2009–2010 David Abrams Brookline, Massachusetts

John B. Fitzgibbons ’87 Bronxville, New York

George Alex Cohasset, Massachusetts

Austan D. Goolsbee ’87 Chicago, Illinois

Julia W. Bennett ’79 Norwell, Massachusetts

Catherine Gordan New York, New York

Bradley Bloom President Wellesley, Massachusetts

Victoria Hall Graham ’81 New York, New York

Bob Cunha ’83 Milton, Massachusetts

Margaret Jewett Greer ’47 Emerita Chevy Chase, Maryland

Elizabeth Donohue ’83 New York, New York

Antonia Monroe Grumbach ’61 New York, New York

James M. Fitzgibbons ’52 Emeritus Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Kerry Murphy Healey Beverly, Massachusetts

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Franklin W. Hobbs IV ’65 Emeritus New York, New York

Ogden M. Hunnewell ’70 Vice President Brookline, Massachusetts Harold W. Janeway ’54 Emeritus Webster, New Hampshire Lisa A. Jones ’84 Newton, Massachusetts

Kevin Reilly, Jr. ’73 Baton Rouge, Louisiana H. Marshall Schwarz ’54 Emeritus New York, New York Karan Sheldon ’74 Blue Hills Falls, Maine

F. Warren McFarlan ’55 Belmont, Massachusetts

Frederick G. Sykes ’65 Secretary Rye, New York

Carol Smith Miller Boston, Massachusetts

V-Nee Yeh ’77 Hong Kong

Erika Mobley ’86 Brisbane, California

Jide J. Zeitlin ’81 Treasurer New York, New York

John P. Reardon ’56 Vice President Cohasset, Massachusetts

Contents

Features: Being New 4 Analysis and Action While the Clock Ticks A key economic advisor to President Obama, Austan Goolsbee ’87 is busy in the nation’s engine room. On leave from teaching at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Austan finds that research, analysis and projection still define his days; however, his new role contrasts strikingly with the familiar rhythms and rituals of academic life. Cathleen Everett

7 The New Part Is the Ofﬁce in the White House Tommy Vietor ’98 claims that the new thing about his job as assistant press secretary in President Barack Obama’s press office is really the location of the office itself. “When you take a left to go to your office and the Oval Office is to the right, you don’t ever get used to that,” he says. Cathleen Everett

Front Cover: The Bland family, pictured from left to right: Nancy, Maggie ’14, Todd, Nick ’13, Emily ’14 Photograph by John Gillooly

9 The New Special Representative to Muslim Communities for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Charting a new course for our nation’s engagement with Muslims around the world means using a new frame of “mutual interest and mutual respect.” Secretary Clinton is leveraging the might of the U.S. Department of State to build partnerships with these diverse communities.

Farah Pandith ’86 11 On the Global Frontiers of the High-Tech Industry Our twentieth century idiom linked the health of General Motors with the health of the nation. Idiom of the 21st century would likely connect the robustness of our high-tech companies with the status of the country, as well as our position in the world. Dean Garfield ’86 leads the council of high-tech industries at the epicenter of the cultural, scientific and economic sectors of the United States, and arguably, the world. Cathleen Everett

13 A Novel First Novel: Nothing Routine About It Reif Larsen ’98 describes his debut novel as a traditional coming-of-age tale; yet defying the convention of his genre, Reif introduces his characters not only through text, but also through the book’s rich and revealing marginalia. His is unlike any book you’ve read before. Erin Hoodlet

16 Her Violin Plugged In A classically-trained violinist, Anna Bulbrook ’00 has a new gig. Adapting her training to the rock-and-roll stage, Anna is the sole female member of The Airborne Toxic Event, one of the year’s most talked about new bands. Erin Hoodlet

18 Skewering the Headlines of the Day on The Onion News Network “Growing Ranks of Nouveau Poor Facing Discrimination From Old Poor.” With headlines like this, Will Graham ’98 delivers satires and parodies to more than four million viewers through the The Onion News Network, an offshoot of the popular eponymous tabloid. Erin Hoodlet

20 Father and Son Align as New Entrepreneurs on Treasured Family Land Bill MacLaren ’63 and Ian MacLaren ’93 considered a number of questions about shaping and maintaining a new identity for Tyrone Farm, contrasting their current efforts with experiences in the Navy and teaching, respectively. Bill MacLaren ’63 Ian MacLaren ’93

24 A Physicist Migrates to Genealogy Margie Weiler ’59 calls retirement the nearly universal “new” experience for her age group. Many retirees expand a hobby into a full-time occupation when the opportunity arrives. Few work from home on a NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory instrument, while also researching Swiss and German ancestral roots in European archives. Cathleen Everett

26 The Class IV Odyssey at Milton Unfamiliarity, a scarcity of reference points, a quivering mix of excitement and fear: these are the feelings of Class IV students as the school year begins. The adults supporting Milton’s new students help them to navigate and to discover the tools of success. Cathleen Everett

35 Todd Bland Begins as Milton Academy’s Twelfth Head of School Living next to the emerging Pritzker Science Center is only one entry on a list of “new” for Todd and Nancy Bland, and their children—Nick, Maggie and Emily. Cathleen Everett

39 Newest of the New: Kindergarteners Join the Ranks Nervous, excited and eager when they come into his room in September, Brendan Farmer’s kindergarteners leave for the first grade as accomplished, capable and confident individuals. What happens in between? Cathleen Everett

42 Commencement and Prizes, 2009 46 Graduates’ Weekend, 2009

Departments 50 Faculty Perspective The Annual Gift of a New Start Rosalie Tashjian

51 Classroom The New, New Thing in the Math Classroom: Rising Technology and Reshaping the Curriculum Erin Hoodlet

52 Post Script Guy Hughes, Milton Academy Faculty, 1968–1997: A Son’s Remembrance Evan Hughes ’94

54 Sports Swinging for the Fences: Milton’s girls’ softball squad excels, and has fun doing it Monique Walker

56 In•Sight 58 On Centre News and notes from the campus and beyond

70 Class Notes

Editor Cathleen Everett Associate Editor Erin Hoodlet Photography Michael Dwyer, John Gillooly, Elliott Holt, Erin Hoodlet, Nicki Pardo, Mike Ritter, Greg White Design Moore & Associates Milton Magazine is published twice a year by Milton Academy. Editorial and business offices are located at Milton Academy where change-of-address notifications should be sent. As an institution committed to diversity, Milton Academy welcomes the oppor tunity to admit academically qualified students of any gender, race, color, handicapped status, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally available to its students. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, handicapped status, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, and athletic or other school-administered activities. Printed on Recycled Paper

Being New: A Great Equalizer No GPS system is in place guiding your turns, or stops and starts. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re new. The ground under your feet is unfamiliar. Willingly or unwillingly, you are navigating a personal environment that has changed, and change both demands and creates growth. The dynamics of growth are high-intensity forces: courage, imagination, perhaps some vigilance and loneliness, sharp analysis, openness, self-forgiveness, a drive to learn and a dose of humor. You call upon the life skills in your quiver, and you add to your supply as you go. Whether we take risks eagerly or not, we are all new at certain points in time: new at a job, new at a school, new in a community, new in confronting a challenge, new to a life circumstance. What is the learning curve? What are the risks and challenges? What skills and attributes must you draw upon? What support do you need? What pathways led to this place in your life? What is your hope? Whether you are new to Class IV, a new head of school, new to the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inner circle, or a new rock musician, your stories resonate with each of us.

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Austan Goolsbee ’87

Analysis and action while the clock ticks

uring this intense and agonizing economic “moment,” Austan Goolsbee ’87 is busy in the nation’s engine room. On leave from his post as the Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Austan finds that economic research, analysis and projection still define his days. However, life in the Executive Office of the President contrasts strikingly with the familiar rhythms and rituals of academic life. Austan’s trajectory as Barack Obama’s economic advisor began in the senatorial race in 2004. It culminated with multiple appointments by President Obama prior to his inauguration in January 2009. Austan is one of three economists on the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), as well as chief economist and staff director of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. What’s new about these new jobs? What Austan does today, and has been doing for the two years leading up to that, is “still largely content-based,” as he says. Economic issues—their vast interconnected network—are the substance of each day. There the similarities may end.

The presidential campaign represented its own set of circumstances. Barack Obama’s team as a unit was analyzing everything from housing to health care to taxation, defining policy, and then responding day by day to the precipitous unraveling of the global economy. Austan appeared at hundreds of podiums, on panels of experts, and behind mics all over the country. Cable news debates quickly became a new specialty for him. Post-inauguration, things hardly settled down. Austan’s roles changed and multiplied; the intensity only increased; the degree of specialization and the need for detail on myriad discrete issues grew; the demand for integrated actions on frontier terrain was inescapable. The Council of Economic Advisers is an agency inside the government—“not as political as the National Economic Council (NEC) or Treasury,” Austan explains, but involved with the policy process on a daily basis. As Austan describes it, the three members of the Council of Economic Advisers form a kind of “idea shop and analyzer” tied to policy development. For example, as the auto industry crisis called for action, an interagency meeting deliberating about what the administration’s role ought to be might look to the CEA for a report on the state of manufacturing nationwide—what has worked, or not worked, in that sector.

In contrast, the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (known as PERAB) is outside of government. Led by former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker, it was formed to provide the president with an independent, outside perspective, a rare and valuable commodity in Washington. How do the members of the board view what has happened, or is happening at the moment? What do they think is important that hasn’t been talked about? How does the outside world view what’s happening in Washington? Board members—roughly 15, including CEOs, former national public officials, union leaders, financial, legal and academic figures—make recommendations to the president; they need not be unanimous in their findings. Austan serves as a conduit and organizer of this board, and also directs PERAB’s staff, whose research and analysis supports the board’s debates and discussions. “They were charged, for instance, to come up with options for tax reform by December,” Austan explains “and the background work by our staff will play a major role in making the board’s tax reform discussion productive.” Austan’s immersion into government comes as multiple, complex and urgent problems converge. What is “new” for him—in this place at this time—ranges

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“There’s an incessant demand for administration comment on policy, and things happen every day that set up a call for reaction. The administration needs to explain what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. I’m one of the folks filling that role—and I don’t really mind that.”

from the predictable to the unprecedented and unimaginable. As you would expect, work in the government is more bureaucratic than work in academia; everything is an interagency process. Stakeholders are numerous, and their interests often conflict. Extensive detail is crucial: All stakeholders are invested in assessing explicit outcomes for their own groups. The time frame for Austan’s work might be his most extraordinary challenge. Within the first 60 days of the Obama presidency, the administration had to decide whether and how to act on numerous, discrete issues. In uncharted territory, with fluid data, they made projections and plans intended to deliver crucial outcomes, quickly. This time pressure may have more to do with our point in history than the nature of the work itself. Government, which had enjoyed a reputation of moving much more slowly, has had to act boldly and quickly in unforeseen ways. “No one could have imagined themselves contemplating ‘how can we make sure we don’t fall into the next

great depression,’” Austan says. Every Washington veteran will tell you that these are absolutely unprecedented times. At a briefing last December that involved reports from new appointees— like Christina Romer, CEA chair—the news was devastating on all fronts: labor, housing, the financial sector, the stock market, the GDP. Austan recalls, “When I mentioned to Mr. Obama that the briefing must have been one of the worst ever heard by a president-elect, he said, ‘That wasn’t even my worst meeting this week.’ “During the first two months the executive branch did—had to do—a whole lot; it was a whirlwind. Everything is still in motion. Compared to those first weeks, the needs have leveled off a bit, but things are still happening, and it will be interesting to see what the adrenalin level is six months from now.” Austan’s Milton roots in the Speech Team connect with one aspect of his daily life. “Back in the day,” as Austan says, improvisation was his competitive specialty. If you haven’t heard him recently on Fox News, National Public Radio, MSNBC or CNN, you may not be tuning in. Perhaps you saw the encounter last June between Austan

and Stephen Colbert on Colbert Nation.* In August, he and Jon Stewart clarified our economic status on “The Daily Show.” What might qualify as lunch time or break time at another job translates into rapid response time for Austan. “There’s an incessant demand for administration comment on policy,” he says, “and things happen every day that set up a call for reaction. The administration needs to explain what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. I’m one of the folks filling that role—and I don’t really mind that.” Austan’s days are long, perhaps even longer than they were in the campaign. The fact that he is in Washington, rather than on the road, and that his family moved from Chicago with him, is a big plus. The work is intense and exciting; it wouldn’t be called fun. “But if there was ever a time to serve,” Austan says, “this is the time.” Cathleen D. Everett

* http://www.colbertnation.com/ the-colbert-report-videos/230578/ june-15-2009/austan-goolsbee 6

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Tommy Vietor ’98

The new part is the ofﬁce in the White House

ommy Vietor ’98 claims that the new thing about his job as assistant press secretary in President Barack Obama’s press office is really the location of the office itself. “When you take a left to go to your office and the Oval Office is to the right, you don’t ever get used to that,” he says. “President Obama, his ideals, his approach to communication and to engagement with people, are remarkably consistent,” Tommy says. “You can see all of that in his book of more than a decade ago.

care, Tommy determined that politics was his field of choice. He transitioned to John Edwards’ presidential primary campaign for the 2004 election, and went to Raleigh, North Carolina, then Iowa, then New Hampshire. After John Edwards lost to John Kerry, Tommy turned down a job at the Kerry campaign, or as he puts it, “held out” for a job with the Obama campaign for the

“I am working with teammates from the campaign, a great group of people who have known one another and worked closely together for a very long time. Therefore we have great working relationships; we complement each other, work very hard, and have fun while we work.” Tommy’s path to the White House press office includes some Tommy Vietor’s ofﬁce is right down the hall from President Obama’s: “You don’t ever get used to that,” Tommy says. coincidence and lucky timing, but those elements were not the Senate. He was deputy press secretary shapers of his arc. Tommy was “transfi xed” by Barack Obama in 2004, and he during Obama’s Senate campaign, then acknowledges a relentless determination was promoted to press secretary for the to work on the Obama team at that time. new senator. Tommy was onboard, in other words, for Obama’s pivotal speech Starting after college as an intern in at the 2004 Democratic Convention. Senator Edward Kennedy’s office, concentrating in labor policy and health

The next stop was Iowa, the crucible state for Obama’s strategy of engagement, and the foundation for the long trek to the presidency. Tommy was Obama’s press secretary in Iowa. “That year in Iowa, the opportunity to spend that time with close friends working so hard and watching a movement swell up from nothing to an army of volunteers that went all the way to the White House—to have a front-row seat at history—was an extraordinary experience.” After the win in Iowa, it was back to Chicago, and Tommy worked on rapid response through the primaries and until the general election. Political work has plenty of niches for different skill sets. What made communications the right match? “It was probably my willingness for, and enjoyment of, argument,” Tommy ventures. “There’s also something to be said about the kind of education Milton provides, and about liberal arts more broadly. I was a philosophy major in college—not a major that prepares you to make big bucks—but I did develop an ability to figure out what the salient points are.” The White House press office is not like the campaign press office, despite the consistency of the players. The

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“We need to make sure that the American people know, every day, what the president is doing to improve their lives.”

administration’s press office includes several spokespersons and each manages a number of areas. Tommy’s are the departments of state, defense, labor and education. Full staffs and divisions within these departments are charged with managing communication related to their own issues. Tommy goes “out of office” to these staffs when the need arises. He says that much of what he does is “work with these folks closely to make sure Robert Gibbs [the president’s press secretary] gets the benefit of their experience and expertise before he goes out to that podium each day.” Has the overarching communication strategy shifted now that the presidency is in full swing? “A campaign is about a choice. In a campaign you convey the ways that your candidate is a better choice for the country—how his plans contrast with his opponent’s plans: not inherently a negative thing,” Tommy says. Now, in the White House, the communication strategy is deceptively simple: “We need to make sure that the American people know, every day, what the president is doing to improve their lives. A lot of the focus now is on the economy; that’s what people are most worried about. They have a right to know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it; we want to give them

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the information they deserve. It’s their government. I also help to make sure that underreported items get out front, so that people understand them, like the dire situation in Sri Lanka this spring; they’re not going to see that on the newscasts.” The new folks on the Obama communication team capitalized on the newest of new things. They took advantage of major shifts in the way people seek information, form bonds, and make judgments. Their groundbreaking initiatives to permeate new media with outreach of all kinds continues to bear fruit; those venues are attended by a whole team within the office. They develop all kinds of electronic interactivity, from text messages to blog discussions about policy (IT Dashboard), Facebook discussions and YouTube broadcasts of speeches or town meetings. Communication by and about President Obama have connected with a worldwide audience, providing context for complex issues that need public understanding. “Perhaps there are more eyeballs on newscasts than on any single outlet in a given day,” Tommy says, “but people go online to get their news, and they compose it from many sources.” President Obama’s New Year’s (Nowruz) message to the Iranian people is available to the world on YouTube, as are his town hall meetings in Turkey

and France. “He is using a uniquely American style and event format to engage with Americans and the world,“ Tommy says. “Mr. Obama’s point of view has been remarkably consistent over many years, regardless of the audience. That is, we’re all better served by conversations about our points of agreement and disagreement, building on our agreements and working through our disagreements. That process of conversation takes on various forms, but it’s very important to the president.” Tommy says that his job, at the center of a critical enterprise for the Obama presidency, has “evolved.” He is not unhappy with his front-row seat on history. The “extraordinary” experiences are mounting up: from his year in Iowa; to traveling with the president to France, the Czech Republic, Turkey and London; to being present as the president gave a speech about nuclear nonproliferation before an audience of 20,000. “I am working with lots of friends and very smart people, 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day, giving each other lots of support,” he says. “I’m learning. I’m learning every single day. It’s exciting, and I’m having fun.” CDE

Farah Pandith ’86

The New Special Representative to Muslim Communities for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

uring my Milton years, a great debate raged on both sides of Centre Street. Breaking from traditions of the past, Milton’s leaders made the decision to—for the first time in School history—graduate the Boys’ School and the Girls’ School together on the same day, at the same time, at an integrated event. The question everyone asked was, “Why now?” School officials explained it was time to set a new course, to move forward, and to redefine a framework, expectations and interests. Thus, in June 1985, boys and girls graduated in the same ceremony, and at my graduation in 1986, we actually processed into that ceremony together— the white dresses marching side by side with the navy blue jackets—and stepped forward together, beginning a new chapter in Milton’s history. More than two decades later, such a controversy is hard to imagine; when my friend and classmate Erika Mobley ’86 spoke to graduating seniors this spring, she looked out to a class for whom walking together was absolutely normal. In charting a new course for our nation in its engagement with Muslims around the world, getting to normal means using a new frame of “mutual interest and mutual respect” (President Obama at Cairo University on June 4, 2009). With nearly 1.3 billion Muslims around the world—from San Francisco to Seville, from Sana’a to Farah Pandith ’86

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“At Milton I learned the power of local efforts. I learned firsthand the obligation we all have, with such a privileged education, to look beyond the expected and seek to impact a greater goal. I also learned that diversity brings strength, and true respect for each other seeds promise.”

Surabaya—Secretary Clinton is leveraging the might of the U.S. Department of State to build partnerships with these diverse communities. Going beyond states and focusing on a people-topeople approach, she envisions creating opportunities for nonstate actors and individuals to contribute to finding solutions to the major problems facing communities. This new attention on communities, this new moment in time, and this new national framework is unprecedented. For me, this is also personal. In June 2009 Secretary Clinton asked me to lead this effort as her special representative to Muslim communities. My role and the office that I lead is a “first.” As the special representative to Muslim communities, I report to Secretary Clinton. I am charged with engaging directly with Muslims around the globe, listening to voices inside these communities, learning from them, brainstorming with them, and taking collective action to create and grow sustainable, organic and scalable solutions to the greatest challenges we face. By uniting people around common concerns, and acting as a convener, facilitator and intellectual partner, the United States will cultivate and expand ideas from unlikely places and bring new voices to the table. By reaching out to the next generation, building networks

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of like-minded thinkers, and providing connectivity to diverse groups of partners, we will build productive partnerships between people, together setting a new course for our nation and offering a new beginning to those who have not yet engaged. This assignment comes with serious challenges, but also with great opportunity. I left Massachusetts for Washington on the heels of the attacks of 9/11. I remember looking out of the 41st floor of my office building, One Financial Center, at Logan Airport on that clear morning thinking about the road ahead for our nation and the world. In the time that has passed since then, I have worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Security Council, and the Department of State, most recently on challenges facing Muslim communities in Western Europe. The context of two wars and mistrust of our nation made engagement extremely hard. While we are not starting anew in this effort, the context, the leadership, and the vision for engagement has recalibrated the course and thus the opportunities for successful partnerships. There remains a reservoir of untapped potential for excellence in these communities—ideas and initiatives that have yet to blossom. The secretary of state has made it clear that building these new relationships is

necessary not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because we have an interest in strong partners. We know that the people we engage with today will become some of our strongest and most important allies in the future. At Milton I learned the power of local efforts. I learned firsthand the obligation we all have, with such a privileged education, to look beyond the expected and seek to impact a greater goal. I also learned that diversity brings strength, and true respect for each other seeds promise. As special representative to Muslim communities, I feel honored to have the opportunity to step forward into a new chapter—to partner with and engage Muslim communities to achieve common good, and to work together to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Why now? Because this is a key issue of our time. How we choose to engage will determine the future course for decades to come. Farah Pandith ’86

Dean Garfield ’86

On the global frontiers of the high-tech industry

“What’s also new,” Dean believes, “is a shared collective spirit in making sure that we make it out of this challenge while preserving our fundamentals. I’m pleased by the commitment, from both the Democrats and the Republicans among the companies I work with, to seeing the success of the country writ large, and the global economy back on track. We shouldn’t let this spirit dissipate.”

ur twentieth century idiom linked the health of General Motors with the health of the nation. Idiom of the 21st century would likely connect the robustness of our high-tech companies with the status of the country, as well as our position in the world. Dean Garfield leads the council of high-tech industries at the epicenter of the cultural, scientific and economic sectors of the United States, and arguably, the world. Dean was elected president of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) in October 2008. Imagining someone better prepared to assume this role is hard; still, this job represents vast new terrain for Dean. Years in the leadership of the Motion Picture Association of America, and before that the Recording Industry Association of America, demanded skills in developing domestic and international policy and strategy, managing complex legal issues, marshaling diverse players to action, and balancing the wants and needs of disparate stakeholders. ITI is a different organization, however, and these are unprecedented times. Forty-two companies are members of ITI—from Intel to Oracle, Apple to EMC. Dean agreed to envision and shape the advocacy role of this group

Dean Garﬁeld ’86

just as the global economy collapsed and the country elected a new, activist president. For this industry, at this time, old-style lobbying aimed at securing a laundry list of desirable policies is irrelevant, if not impossible, according to Dean. “What’s new is how we intend to approach our advocacy. We want to identify the most significant challenges that our country, and the interrelated world, faces and see what solutions we can offer. It’s less straight advocacy and more the interactive notion of a partnership aimed at solving problems,” he says.

The high-tech industry’s priorities are sweeping in breadth; they’re interdependent and all seem equally important. How does Dean construct a pathway through these related issues, and prioritize the many concerns that affect high-tech business growth? “Our priorities are drawn by a long-term, broad vision, as well as what’s happening in Washington and in capitals around the world. That vision centers on global competitiveness.” ITI “problem solving” centers on issues crucial to both the health of the industry and to economic growth in general. They are familiar topics: capital flow; tax policy; and skilled labor. The U.S. represents only five percent of the world’s population, and accounts for 25 percent of the world’s consumer base. If 95 percent of the world’s people and 75 percent of the consumer market is outside the country, growth in the industry

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“What’s new is how we intend to approach our advocacy. We want to identify the most significant challenges that our country, and the interrelated world, faces and see what solutions we can offer. It’s less straight advocacy and more the interactive notion of a partnership aimed at solving problems.”

will be international. Increasing the presence of U.S. companies near consumers around the world, breaking into new markets, is critical. ITI argues that revenue growth in international markets directly builds U.S. economic health. It benefits and expands U.S. operations (especially R&D); fuels one of the robust sectors of the American economy; and supports American jobs.

global positioning, he argues, which is tied to economic growth at home. “We believe in reform of the corporate tax code,” Dean says, “that would bring it down at the top rate, but close loopholes and broaden the base. That would lead to a revenue-neutral policy that would be simpler, more balanced and more fair. It would also be more attractive to foreign direct investment in the U.S.”

It makes sense, ITI argues, to ensure the flow of capital; to make sure tax policy doesn’t disadvantage American firms competing to break into and establish strength in new markets; to invest in the American labor force to make sure we develop the workforce to take advantage of the imminent growth.

Even though Dean has developed and advocated policy in prior roles, today’s dynamics in Washington on these high stakes surprise him. “I’m so amazed at how much the perspectives people bring to the table influence the positions that they take. Whether they’re Democrats or Republicans, labor-based or corporate, whatever identity they start with determines the solutions they will consider. You read about it, and hear about it, but being in the middle of it is something else. We have to break people out of entrenched positions to focus on real problems and come up with rational, pragmatic solutions.”

President Obama’s administration is working on developing new tax policy: Austan Goolsbee ’87 is at the center of that effort. Dean Garfield urges the administration to look closely at “certain best practices” that Western Europe, a number of developing countries, and most recently the U.K. have incorporated in their revised tax codes. Dean asserts ITI’s position that U.S. firms are disadvantaged by the “second-highest tax rate in the world.” He would like to see “tax policies that reflect the reality that investors expect growth where companies can limit costs and maximize revenue.” That’s important for our

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Certain skills, inherent or learned, have helped Dean successfully manage new challenges in the past, and he relies on them today. “Trying to be strategic, and disciplined, and take the long view has been key,” he says. “I’ve also always tried to learn the lessons of leadership: to learn from those who have preceded

me, and from those who have written about what styles are most effective, and why. Staying focused on excellence, also, helps you approach each new challenge.” The high profile of this new role calls for sharpening at least one skill: “I have to be conscious of being really direct with people,” Dean says, “so there is no misunderstanding. Particularly in this environment, people are listening to your words. I need to be explicit, so they can hear what I said, rather than what they want to hear.” A graduate of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public Administration and NYU School of Law after Middlebury College, Dean reaches back to Milton when he thinks about learning certain life skills. “What jumps to mind,” he said, “is the heavy emphasis Milton placed on being analytical— thinking things through and developing your own analysis. Also, the heavy emphasis on knowing yourself helped me, perhaps more than anything else. It forced me to understand my own strengths and weaknesses, and to learn from others. Milton set up that productive, continuous self-evaluation that has been in motion ever since.” CDE

Reif Larsen ’98

A Novel First Novel: Nothing Routine About It The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet

eif Larsen ’98 will tell you that his tale is not new. It’s a traditional coming-of-age story, he’ll say, whose prose is not even rooted in the present. Then you’ll open The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, and see the young Spivet’s detailed, hand-drawn map comparing the components of a locomotive’s sound to the parts of a pork chop sandwich. You’ll realize this is unlike any tale you’ve read before. Reif’s debut novel chronicles the crosscountry adventure of Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet, a twelve-year-old cartographer growing up on a Montana cattle ranch. Of the same ilk as John Irving’s Owen Meany, T.S. is astounding in his sophistication and endearing in his innocence.

What makes his story different from most is that the reader comes to know T.S. not only through the text, but also through the rich and revealing marginalia. A story in text that requires visual engagement as well, Reif weaves T.S.’s maps, diagrams and illustrations throughout his book. Fascinated by maps from a young age, Reif recalls pulling out his parents’ oversized, dated National Geographic atlas, finding places that may or may not still exist, and making up stories about these far-off lands. “There’s something about a map,” Reif says. “It gives you just enough information, but that’s it. It leaves room for you to create the rest. A good map is like a good story in that

way. It’s a very selective document that gives you just enough and leaves the rest up to your imagination.” Writing stories is not new to Reif, who teaches creative writing at Columbia, where he is working on his M.F.A.; the novel form, however, was new. “That daunting doubt of ‘Can I write a novel? Can I sustain it?’ lasts through the whole process,” he says. “However, I think my writing is more attuned to the novelistic; as soon as I realized I didn’t have to wrap it up in ten pages, it was as if a corset had come off and I could breathe. My writing is naturally digressive, and here I could follow this little thread or that tangent. Milton Magazine

Although not a trained artist, Reif felt it was important to draw T.S.’s illustrations himself. With art in his blood—both of Reif’s parents are visual artists—this task wasn’t such a stretch. He collaborated with Ben Gibson,

who, Reif says, “whipped the drawings into shape,” and made them feel more textured.

Photo credit: Elliott Holt

“People will ask, ‘Did you set out to create a book with pictures and break the boundaries of novels?’ and the answer is no. The character informed all the illustrations. I knew the book would take on a weird, field guide feel, but I didn’t know how it would look. I was nearly at the end of a full draft before I realized that in order to understand this kid, we needed to see his maps. His maps are where he’s most comfortable, and most vulnerable.”

Reif Larsen ’98

The pictorial magic of T.S. Spivet means that it doesn’t translate well to Kindle or audiobook. Reif and his publishers at Penguin knew, however, that T.S. Spivet would need its own new-media format. T.S. Spivet’s Web site, which Reif describes as a sort of Joseph Cornell cabinet, is brimming with extra content that opens up new details of each character’s life. “Web sites are a new feature of publishing that we’ll begin to see more. Books will start talking to media in new ways; we’ll begin to see rich dialogue between a book and its Web site, or a book and its

“Web sites are a new feature of publishing that we’ll begin to see more. Books will start talking to media in new ways; we’ll begin to see rich dialogue between a book and its Web site, or a book and its trailer. And while there’s a lot of room for innovation there, the Web offers a challenge for storytellers because it’s 40,000 miles wide and an inch deep.”

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trailer. And while there’s a lot of room for innovation there, the Web offers a challenge for storytellers because it’s 40,000 miles wide and an inch deep.” Reif’s next novel—which is based in Norway and the Balkans, and deals with telegraph technology—will be very different. No pictures this time. And rather than hunkering down with cowboys in Texas, Reif’s research will take him to the streets of Berlin and Amsterdam. Publishing one acclaimed novel doesn’t make Reif complacent about the task ahead; he laughs, “Now I have to figure out how to write a novel. Again.” Erin E. Hoodlet

Milton Magazine

Anna Bulbrook ’00

Her Violin Plugged In Anna Bulbrook Rocks with The Airborne Toxic Event

classically-trained violinist, Anna Bulbrook ’00 never imagined that she would be the musical guest on the Late Show with David Letterman, or that she would sign two record deals in one year, or that she would spend a year and a half on a world tour, including a stop in Boston performing for 30,000 people in Government Center. As the sole female member of The Airborne Toxic Event (T.A.T.E.), one of this year’s most talkedabout rock bands, that’s all part of her job description.

opportunity to be somewhere exciting. I had no intention of joining a band,” Anna says. “The city is known for Hollywood, but that’s not the real L.A.— that’s just the part that’s exported. East L.A. is home to a whole, warm community of successful artists and musicians.” This growing community, coupled with the opening of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, now home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the rise of local powerhouse musical artists like Beck and the Silversun Pickups, proved Anna’s hunch to be correct.

The Airborne Toxic Event—named for a phrase from Don DeLillo’s novel White Noise—is a Los Angeles-based quintet whose music has been likened to that of U2, The Killers and Leonard Cohen.

In 2007, Anna was recruited by T.A.T.E.’s singer/songwriter Mikel Jollett. “I had quit playing classical violin and was working in an office,” Anna says. “Then in one week, I got a gig playing backup violin for Kanye West; ran into Mikel at a late-night taco stand, where he first told me about the band; and played chamber music with my eight-year-old cousin. Suddenly, I remembered how much fun music could be.

After graduating from Columbia University, Anna moved to Los Angeles on what she calls a 21-year-old’s hunch. “I had this sense that L.A.’s art scene was on the rise, and I saw an

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“Playing with Kanye West changed my perspective. Standing behind him on stage, looking out at 16,000 people who had come together to have a good time, I realized that entertainment is a huge public service. While I didn’t think I could write a song like Kanye, what he was doing on stage didn’t seem that hard to me. I thought, ‘I’m no Kanye West, but I think I can do this.’” Used to her classical violin, Anna quickly learned that playing rock-androll music was an entirely new venture. “There’s a freedom to rock music,” she says. “The music isn’t just about playing notes perfectly; it’s about the tone of the song, how you move on stage, how you emphasize the feeling of the song with your body. There’s a pageantry to rockand-roll that I enjoy. “When we started, I had no idea how much gear was involved. Where it used to be just me with my violin, I now have

Anna Bulbrook ’00 adapts her classical training to the rock-and-roll stage as a member of The Airborne Toxic Event.

an amplifier, a D.I. [direct input box], and a pedal board with octave, reverb and distortion pedals, which are all part of my instrument. When you play acoustic, you have to achieve every sound effect yourself. In rock-and-roll, you hit a pedal and boom, you get an entirely new sound.” Anna didn’t grow up listening to rock music; she didn’t know of any female string players in rock bands that she

could idolize. She was shy in the jazz combos at New England Conservatory and didn’t like to solo. Since then, she has come into her own in terms of trusting her ear, understanding song structure, and improvising. This path was an accident for Anna, but a happy one. “I don’t have a good perspective on what a band’s trajectory is supposed to be,” she says, “so I’m coming into this as a tabula rasa. One day you’re working a day job and playing local clubs, and a year later your daily routine becomes

radio, TV appearance, sound check, interview, meet and greet, signing, show, photos—and then you climb into your bunk on the bus and go to sleep.” Amidst the publicity, the appearances, the online reviews, Anna and her bandmates try to maintain a healthy perspective: “There’s always so much noise; you’re just lucky if the noise grows in volume.” EEH

“This year has been like going for a nature walk and ending up on a rocket ship headed toward space.… I don’t have a good perspective on what a band’s trajectory is supposed to be, so I’m coming into this as a tabula rasa.”

Milton Magazine

Will Graham ’98

Skewering the Headlines of the Day on

The Onion News Network

“U.S. To Trade Gold Reserves For Cash Through Cash4Gold.com” “Nation’s Girlfriends Unveil New Economic Plan: ‘Let’s Move In Together’” “Taco Bell’s New Green Menu Takes No Ingredients From Nature”

hey are video headlines—as new as the shifting political and social scene. Will Graham ’98 delivers these satires and parodies to more than four million viewers. Will is executive producer and director of The Onion News Network. An offshoot of the popular eponymous tabloid,

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The Onion News Network satirizes the spectacle of 24-hour television news conglomerates—CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, FOX—with quality writing and acting that, despite hilarious and absurd headlines, is sometimes confused with straight news. Will began at The Onion three years ago, when The Onion News Network (ONN) was only a concept. Two and a half years after its launch, ONN has produced over 200 videos. In a typical week, viewers send Will and his staff 600 to 700 ideas. Five staff writers and about 35 freelancers—comedy writers, college students, journalists—help narrow those submissions to about 10 “news” pieces for which they will write scripts.

Will began his work without any creative model for what he and his team planned to do. They began with The Onion News, which has been around for just over 20 years, and tried to build that tone and comedy sensibility into an entirely new medium. “Web video as an industry barely existed three years ago,” Will says, “so there were no rules. Whereas in television you have to create 22 minutes of content, no more and no less, with video we can do anything we want, which is incredibly exciting and entirely overwhelming. That first year wasn’t so much learning the ropes as it was inventing the ropes.” Before producing current-day satire, Will was in film school at Columbia;

prior to that he was directing for a theater company in Japan. “Creatively, I am always looking for the new thing, the next challenge,” Will says. “This organization is conducive to that mentality because it’s creatively charged, and we’re reacting to the constantly changing world; we’re always shifting what we’re doing, so it’s never old, never stale.” Will’s direction helped the organization earn a prestigious Peabody Award in 2008, which recognizes “distinguished achievement and meritorious service by broadcasters, cable and Webcasters, producing organizations, and individuals.” The Onion News Network is a source of entertainment, not a reliable news source, Will is quick to point out. While often compared to “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report,” Will says that rather than reacting to the headlines and events of the day, The Onion satirizes the culture of the time, and quite simply, “makes things up.” Because the Internet is infinitely linkable—people pass along links to

articles, blogs and videos—viewers unfamiliar with The Onion don’t always know that they are watching satire. For instance, this headline caused problems: “Make-A-Wish Foundation Bankrupted by Child Who Wishes for Unlimited Wishes.” The head of the Make-A-Wish Foundation notified Will that the organization had received thousands of letters from a concerned public. The foundation had to post a notice on its Web site explaining that the situation was not real and citing their strict policy of one wish per child. “People say that fake news is getting closer to real news,” Will says, “but it’s also true that real news is getting closer to fake news. Television news, especially, is trying to keep itself relevant and popular; I don’t think it commands the same respect that it once did. Ads for news shows look like movie trailers— the music, the graphics, the beautiful anchors and reporters. Television news today has a lot of the qualities of blockbuster entertainment, which blurs the lines between the two.”

A self-proclaimed news and commentary junkie, Will reads the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Newsweek and The Economist. He also tries to read several contrasting political blogs a day: “Every news event gets pushed into this chamber of commentary, processed by different groups and different individuals.” To do his job well, Will has to stay tapped into what’s going on in the world, what’s relevant and what’s popular. “I’m lucky to work for an organization where the expectation is that the quality will not be good, but that it will be great,” Will says. “We’re discriminating when it comes to the ideas that we move forward, which makes for a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it every day.” EEH

Will Graham ’98 Milton Magazine

Bill MacLaren â&#x20AC;&#x2122;63 Ian MacLaren â&#x20AC;&#x2122;93

Father and son align as new entrepreneurs on treasured family land 20

Milton Magazine

William (Bill) MacLaren ’63 was a career Navy officer until his retirement in 1995. Ian MacLaren ’93 immersed himself in special-needs education after he graduated from college. Both now live and work at Tyrone Farm, a 175-acre agricultural estate located in northeastern Connecticut, formerly Bill’s mother’s home. They are engaged in an entrepreneurial venture: sustaining the legacy of Tyrone Farm, making it a revenue-producing enterprise. The MacLarens manage a variety of operations here. They include special events (such as weddings and concerts), equine events, small-scale natural farming (vegetables and flowers predominantly), renewable energy generation, lodging and education. The farm will host the 25th annual Pomfret Hunter Pace this year, its largest equine event. Bill and Ian considered a number of questions about shaping and maintaining a new identity for Tyrone Farm, contrasting their current efforts with experiences in the Navy and teaching, respectively. Their responses follow.

Bill MacLaren ’63 I was a naval officer from commissioning at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, in 1969 until my retirement at Joint Interagency Task Force West, Oakland, California, in 1995. My mother, Elizabeth Love-Brockway ’31, asked if I was interested in returning to the farm as a possible prelude to taking control. As most of us do when we don’t have a clue about what the future holds, we call on our emotions to make serious decisions. Tyrone Farm was not a real farm, nor a business. It was an estate funded by Mother’s portfolio. But she knew of my emotional attachment to the place and that, at least temporarily, I had no other place to go. My wife and I lived at the farm as son and daughter-in-law until my mother’s death in 1999. I figured out how to run equipment, especially lawnmowers, and came to grips with the vagaries of

payroll, worker’s compensation, and duties as co-personal representative in settling my mother’s estate. The bulk of work was on-the-job training, a far different atmosphere from the military structure of operation orders, directives and mission statements. As events played out, my scale of influence simply deflated from a world vision to 175 acres, and priorities became far more personal. Preserving cash flow requires imagination about equal to figuring out how to evacuate Americans from Saigon (1975) and defending U.S. assets in the Arabian Gulf in 1979. Making the estate pay for itself is similar to my early 1990s efforts in reducing the flow of narcotics from Asia to the western U.S. Neither is easy. Problem solving, in bite-sized chunks, is the name of the game. The differences between military settings and one’s backyard are depth of field and budget. We had many naval personnel who jumped at the chance to innovate; all we had to do was ask the right questions. Closer to home, my effort to make the “farm” self-sustaining became a search for the talent of those who had some vision of how to proceed. We experimented with a bed-and-breakfast, leasing out an on-site greenhouse, planning a housing development, turning a barn into a restaurant, and many things in between. It wasn’t until our children became involved that the business began to flourish. Tyrone Farm is now an agricultural estate. The challenge of developing this location into a premier agritourism destination is that there are few precedents and no script. The opportunity to experiment is always present, and there is great satisfaction when the public likes what you do. We now have complementary segments in our event, equestrian and agricultural settings. Among many lessons learned in the military was that not all people approach problem solving in the same way. So, it’s an effective practice to “give some

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Bill MacClaren ’63

rope” or leeway in setting performance standards. Delegating responsibility is a necessity, just as being the big cheese means my vote is the deciding factor when required. I miss the port visits in foreign lands, the excitement of burrowing into the details of a crisis (example: how to remove Americans safely from Beijing during the riots of 1989), and the satisfaction of counseling smart young sailors. But the turnaround of careers means that the world now comes to us. Our legacy consists of positive memories and an attention to detail (a familiar military concept) that visitors appreciate. The farm’s biggest challenges are time, weather and cash flow. As I discovered before and experience now, some things never change. Bill MacClaren ’63

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Ian MacLaren ’93

Ian MacLaren ’93 What were you doing prior to what you’re doing now, and what brought you to your current commitment? Before returning to the farm, I worked with special-needs children. For two years, I was a residential counselor at a school for boys with severe emotional disabilities. For another two years I was a special-education teacher at a rural public high school in Virginia. I am now the event coordinator at Tyrone Farm and spend the majority of my time interacting with clients who will be celebrating occasions here, mostly weddings. I have always considered Tyrone Farm to be my home. I spent most of my summers as a child here with my grandmother, siblings, and mother, as well as various cousins. As a military family, we moved frequently. Knowing the farm was here, regardless of our primary location of the moment, was always reassuring. As I grew older and traveled, I came to realize how special a

place Tyrone Farm is. When the opportunity appeared to move back and help to maintain it, I jumped at the option. I feel a strong commitment to steward this property. Farms and farmland have been disappearing from Connecticut at a fast pace over the last few decades. When I think that this farm has existed for more than 250 years, I consider the generations of individuals who have come before us and am honored to be a part of their legacy.

How is this particular role different from your previous role? Help us understand what is “new” about it for you. Because we are entrepreneurs, a certain freedom of choice and personal decision making are part of my business life; that was not the case in public education. As a public school teacher in a small rural community, I was required to follow a variety of guidelines, which limited my choices as an educator. In addition, I am working with people who are genuinely excited to be planning and working on creating a celebration. As a high school teacher, you encounter the inevitable

“Problem solving, in bite-sized chunks, is the name of the game…my effort to make the ‘farm’ selfsustaining became a search for the talent of those who had some vision of how to proceed.”

time when your students are less than excited to be in the classroom. Sharing the excitement and anticipation involved in a special event is refreshing.

experience live music, as most concerts happen in bars and clubs. Offering these concerts to people is incredibly rewarding.

What are the opportunities and challenges of doing something you’ve never done before?

What skills and personal characteristics are proving valuable to you?

Taking on a new career is daunting in a variety of ways. As it does with most people, self-doubt and second-guessing crop up from time to time. In this situation, we are sharing our home with others; that means we grapple with a sense of vulnerability. Creating new relationships with family members, based on the needs of a business, can be challenging. One of the wonderful opportunities is getting to pursue things that may not seem important from a strictly financial perspective, but that are personally important. As an example, we host concerts that bring talented musicians to the farm to perform for people of all ages in a relaxed and convivial setting. I strongly believe that music has profound importance, and that children, in particular, have few opportunities to

Lots of the things that my grandmother taught me when I was young, which I resented terribly at the time, have proven to be invaluable. One thing she always said was, “Anticipate.” She certainly expected her grandchildren to do this and after a time it became hardwired. In the special-event industry this attribute is critical to hosting successful celebrations.

What’s been helpful in your own background and attributes; and what have you had to add to your “toolbox”?

are an attribute that serve me well in interacting with the public. My days at Milton helped me to approach an issue from a variety of perspectives before making a final decision. Participating in City Year, an urban youth public service organization, after Milton cemented my belief in my ability to affect positive change in the world around me.

Any big surprises—either about the work, or yourselves? It is possible to work with your family. Most of the time.

What is your favorite part of this work? Being able to represent something in which I believe so wholeheartedly is a tremendous luxury.

Spending a year abroad as an exchange student during high school, as well as traveling widely in my youth, has helped me to be adaptable and to maintain my composure in situations. Having “good manners” is highly underrated and they

Milton Magazine

Margaret Weiler ’59

A Physicist Migrates to Genealogy: The Skills Aren’t That Different, Margaret Weiler ’59 Claims

Margie has been interested in genealogy for at least 35 years. She describes beginning on her Cape Cod Horton family, then on her other New England colonial ancestors. Retirement allowed her to “open up a whole new area,” she says, searching for ancestors of her grandmother and her husband’s father—both of Swiss and German descent. During her 18 years at MIT and then 19 years in industry, Margie limited her Germanic genealogy exploration to “joining organizations and getting periodicals,” but during the last five years she has “had a wonderful time going places and doing new ‘stuff.’” Among the welcome challenges in the “new stuff” category was learning to read old Germanic records written by pastors at small parish churches—both printed and handwritten. Recorders who wrote by hand attempted to replicate the printed Gothic script. The puzzle intensifies in that each region had slight variations of forming letters: an “h” often looks like a “g,” for instance. At

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NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center: Scientific Visualization Studio

argie Weiler calls retirement the nearly universal “new” experience for her age group. Many retirees expand a hobby into a full-time occupation when the opportunity arrives. Few work from home on a NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory instrument, while also researching Swiss and German ancestral roots in European archives.

Water vapor near southern California. This visualization shows 3D volumetric water vapor data from the Aqua/Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument.

the time of the Reformation, pastors initiated the keeping of records (from roughly 1525 forward), recording life events for “regular” people, Margie says. “That was largely because Catholics and Protestants (Lutheran and Reformed) wanted to count their people,” she explains. Because of wars and other catastrophic events, beginning in the 1600s many records were destroyed or lost. Whole villages were wiped out and had to be rebuilt and repopulated. Some of Margie’s research did reach back as far as the 1500s; the records don’t hold many given names during

that era. Villagers had ways of distinguishing each “Hans” or “Carl” by age (“Klein Hans”), occupation, or land, or family lineage. “This work is my window to history,” Margie says. “I can’t learn history without entering from the point of view of my ancestors. I need the personal detail to get started and I move from the particular to the general—from the individual trees to the woods. This work is also an excuse to visit exquisite villages in great weather and see beautiful farmland. It’s really a selfish endeavor,” she

“The skills I need are not that different from those I depended on as a physicist. I loved working in the lab, working on problems, manipulating equations and data. It was about exploration. So is genealogy.…It’s following a pathway. I always liked what the scientist Richard Feynman called ‘the pleasure of finding things out.’”

asserts. “My husband and I are interested, but not necessarily our children, at least not now.” Ferreting out the identities and lives of generations who lived in past centuries would seem to call for a new toolbox of skills. Not entirely so, says Margie. “The skills I need are not that different from those I depended on as a physicist. I loved working in the lab, working on problems, manipulating equations and data. It was about exploration. So is genealogy. It’s about information management, really: solving problems to find things out. You have to develop hypotheses or assumptions, track down clues and follow them. You must apply certain standard tests (for instance, if someone is thought to be someone else’s child, do the dates work out?). It’s following a pathway. I always liked what the scientist Richard Feynman called “the pleasure of finding things out.” While in her mind pursuing genealogy does not require dramatically different work patterns, Margie did change jobs over the course of her career and has given thought to that kind of challenge. “You must approach a new job with positive expectations and confidence. You must also have the humility to drop further back into the learning mode. You’re no longer the big cheese, perhaps, and must listen, learn, and find out what’s going on. The skill of changing is something you can actually develop.”

Perhaps developing that skill was the key asset to Margie’s successful retirement. “What has surprised me is how well all this has worked out,” Margie says. “I very much liked the structure of working full time, working in the lab—I loved going to work.” Margie’s focus areas are semiconductor physics, device physics and development, and long-wavelength infrared systems. She “went to work” first at MIT, earned her Ph.D., taught, and “found things out” in the laboratories there, and then moved to the laboratories of industry. She worked first on GaAs microwave devices (for cell phones), then on HgCdTe detectors (HgCdTe is a semiconductor material sensitive to infrared radiation), and on infrared optical systems including a NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory instrument called AIRS. AIRS stands for Atmospheric Infrared Sounder. It “sounds the atmosphere,” Margie explains, “while orbiting the earth about 15 times each day, reporting data which can then be manipulated to provide an atmospheric profile. It develops a daily view of atmospheric gases, including greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane.” Leaving this absorbing, fulfilling daily structure was the transition that most concerned Margie, much more than moving from metropolitan Boston to a farm and a new community in New Hampshire. Continuing her work at

Margie Weiler ’59 with her grandson

a quarter-time level from the Weilers’ farmhouse has been a big factor in how well this retirement experiment has gone, Margie feels. “I’ve had a blast working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,” Margie says. “I love playing tennis, swimming and growing vegetables, and I’ve really enjoyed ‘the pleasure of finding things out’ in my many ancestral villages.” CDE

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At Milton

The Class IV Odyssey at Milton: Taking courageous risks, building skill, resilience, and an appetite for more

onths ago, each of these boys and girls made the choice— said “yes,” took up the opportunity. Now, however, reality looms large. Unfamiliarity, a scarcity of reference points, a quivering mix of excitement and fear: these are the feelings. Will I measure up? How will I fit in? What will it take to do this? These broader questions hover behind the imminent ones: Where do I need to be? What should I wear? Where should I sit? Class Deans Larry Fitzpatrick (Athletics) and Mickey Steimle (English) help these boys and girls find their footing throughout this Class IV expedition. Long experience with teenagers and a keen sense of what Milton asks of students enables them to adjust the scaffolding that supports the “new guys.” In September, what they see in their students, Larry and Mickey say, is potential—a certain mystery about the talents they bring, the great diversity of their personalities. They see the palpable excitement, the anticipation, the energy. Much later—in June—they celebrate, with their no-longer novices, certain vivid and shared experiences, growth and burgeoning confidence.

Sorting things out Larry and Mickey appreciate the students’ first challenges: figuring out how to negotiate each day and make their early choices. Armed with a schedule (but each day is different), a Milton freshman finds his or her classes all over campus, meets classmates and teachers, and hears what is expected. Many freshmen, away from their families for the first time, must situate themselves in new houses, start to figure out house faculty, roommates, housemates and how to live in a community. All freshmen are inundated with entreaties from other students to join this club, start this fun activity, try out for this team or this play, bring your guitar to this freelance band, find a little time for community service, or just “do something you’ve never done before.” All of it is “so much fun.” Nearly every class day starts with Larry and Mickey talking pragmatics, calmly and straightforwardly. The two deans work with faculty who are already sensitive to the newness of their students, and who move forward compassionately in a stepwise fashion, building the groundwork for what typically is an unaccustomed level of intellectual work.

“It’s so important for these new guys to feel connected,” Mickey says. “The social challenge is their greatest one and that’s where students put in a lot of effort early on. It’s fine to get an ‘A’ in an essay, but sitting down alone at lunch isn’t.” “We check in constantly,” Larry says. For instance, faculty who teach the required Health course begin every class by asking each boy and girl, within the comfort of a small and familiar group, for a barometer reading of where he or she is right now. “You can see all the shoulders come down in the room,” Larry says. “The ‘up-and-downness’ they feel is normal, and that roller coaster is universally shared. It helps so much for them to know that; both these truths are surprises to them.” “The older students, particularly seniors in dorms, are amazing at mentoring the new ones,” Mickey says. Houses are close-knit; the family-like structure there is supportive and comforting; and the seniors in leadership positions remember their own experiences and feelings as newbies at Milton. The houses’ techniques for welcoming new members and cultivating the house culture are often some of the strongest traditions in each dorm.

“It’s so important for these new guys to feel connected. The social challenge is their greatest one and that’s where students put in a lot of effort early on. It’s fine to get an ‘A’ in an essay, but sitting down alone at lunch isn’t.” 26

Milton Magazine

Getting involved, in and outside of class, is best, Larry and Mickey agree. Third team sports typically do not cut players; everyone gets to play. All activities groups solicit and welcome freshmen. Because the sense of connectedness is so important, the few boys and girls who decide not to participate are at a real disadvantage in gaining comfort and confidence. Most, though, are joiners (or starters) by nature.

What do you mean, what do I think? Intense discussions around Harkness tables are the experiences Milton graduates remember and reference frequently. Their first encounters with this classroom dynamic, however, were likely baffling or intimidating. “Some students have had no experience with this kind of reflective thinking and expression,” Mickey says. “They’re used to raising their hands when they know they’re right. At Milton, they see that both adults and their peers value what they think, whether they’re right or wrong. In fact, that’s the currency of exchange in the Milton classrooms. They’re impressed with their classmates, and they arrive at the first awareness of learning from each other. The faculty are warm and encouraging; they reach out, and students are so appreciative of this unfamiliar relationship with an adult, this chance to talk about things seriously.” Fourteen- and 15-year-olds, regardless of acumen and talent, acclimate faster to a new, demanding academic environment when they can find some consistency across the curriculum. Along with Julie Badynee, academic skills director, Larry and Mickey have worked with department chairs and introduced a binder system (see box) that organizes expectations and collects materials, one binder per subject. An obvious, practical technique it might be, but both Julie and the class deans have found that it adds significant clarity and direction at a crucial time. Along with required study halls, willing extra help from faculty, and Julie’s study skills package, students adjust well.

Class IV Deans Larry Fitzpatrick and Mickey Steimle

Nevertheless, the first grades sometimes catch students by surprise, and they often need a boost from the deans and, as always, the faculty advisors for Class IV. “Class IV advisors play a huge role and those advisors need a special tool kit,” Larry explains. They need to be available not only for students, but for their parents, to contextualize the progress students are making, the ups and downs. “Our job at this point,” Mickey says, “is to help students understand what did and what didn’t work about their approaches to their academics—to begin identifying with them the adjustments that will serve them well in the long run.”

Deﬁning a persona; becoming known During January, the class begins a second round of elections. The freshmen know one another more deeply now. Leaders are emerging. And while students weigh different issues in these elections than they were able to consider last fall, Larry and Mickey explain that regardless of who gains positions, individuals can be leaders in other ways —people who affect the community formally or informally. That’s not a foreign concept, because among the freshmen, spokespersons, writers, activists and people willing to share special talents

are now surfacing. They are taking key roles in performances, community service projects (like the Special Olympics), sports teams, and numerous activity groups like Onyx and French Club. Through assemblies, freshmen first get a sense of the various passions and commitments of their classmates. Vehicles for messages about values, attitudes, styles, events, humor du jour and talent, assemblies thrive as cultural agents when students coming up through the years get explicit training. Like persistent parents, the class deans ask (and ask again) that students introduce themselves, come up front, speak up, use good taste, show respect, and know when to wrap up their public moment. By asking students to think about how they express themselves, the deans empower them to speak for themselves, to talk about what’s happening here, with real impact. The Class IV deans apply a particular skill for teaching explicitly the behaviors and attitudes that underlie the most positive Milton experiences. Calling something out for what it truly is; insisting on kindness, empathy and respect; understanding fatigue and immaturity; asking difficult questions; and publicly celebrating successes all figure in Milton Magazine

building the foundation that equips Milton students to excel, in our own environment and beyond. Through their academic experiences, their Class IV talks, the Class IV play, the wins and losses of third team sports, the day-to-day connecting, “there’s so much they’ve shared, by the end of the year,” says Mickey. “We name that: ‘We

succeeded and let’s celebrate,’ we say.” Larry notes that celebrating their success affirms the idea that if you listen to us and to your teachers, advisors, house parents and coaches, the whole system works. Mickey and Larry’s consensus about their Class IVs as they leave for Class III: They are courageous, talented,

generous and compassionate. They always have so much to share with the community. Their tremendous energy fuels us, and we enjoy working on making their first year at Milton the best possible learning experience, emotionally and intellectually. That foundation year is very important. CDE

Academics at Milton: A “new world” for many. What navigational tools would help?

ulie Badynee directs the academic skills center. She has turned her head toward systemic approaches for new students as they undertake Milton course work. “New students certainly don’t lack ability or motivation,” she says, “so how can we ease their transition and strengthen their sense of control, when it comes to managing their academic life?” Why not try a plan that would benefit everybody, from the first days of classes throughout the year.

Class IV student schedules include mandatory study hall during the class day, and Julie does work with some students one-on-one. Julie’s favorite program to cultivate and manage, however, is the peer tutoring. Faculty willingly give extra help, but in many situations, student tutors can be extremely effective. On a survey compiled by the class deans for Class IV, 95 percent of students who used peer tutors found them very helpful.

“Last year we piloted a binder approach to each subject area,” Julie explains. “We asked each faculty member to consider how he or she would want a student to organize his or her course, and set up a corresponding binder. What progression of subject matter, what materials, what tabs, what testing or paper schedule would make sense for a given course? Most Class IV teachers did respond, and we found from students that this organizational tool really helped them. The binder system was designed to stay organized and relevant throughout the year. So when tests and exams arrived, the material was already set up for logical study.”

At Milton, the roundtable concept of participation in course work is new to most teenagers. Students are more

Binders were one of a number of successful strategies. Julie meets with each section of the Health course to talk about exam preparation. She offers students a “seven-day countdown” study template for exams. Many students flesh out a plan for each course and find the preplanning beneficial.

Milton Magazine

Julie Badynee, Director of the Academic Skills Center

familiar with the idea that you need the right answer to speak up. At Milton, good ideas are what matter, and your expression of ideas is an important way of showing mastery of the subject matter. The expected relationships with Milton teachers are often new to Class IV students, as well. At Milton, faculty expect students to share their points of view, or to set up meetings to discuss work. That connection with faculty is a core element of the Milton experience, but it happens over time, and with encouragement.

The Risk-Reward Equation What’s in Store When You Move from Home to School

uring the first days at School, the phone calls home may be poignant. In fact, the challenges that students may talk about in adjusting to life at School are ultimately woven into the successes that they themselves describe.

A community needs structure Life at home is flexible and yields to the family’s style, the ebb and flow of a limited number of people as they meet their own needs. At School, life is organized to support a community—to cultivate awareness, responsibility, and a sense of connection to others. Routines like the blue card system that tracks whereabouts, and sit-down dinner at 6 p.m., and study hall, are not “take it or leave it” options. The rules of this new road are unfamiliar. Dorm faculty and older students provide plenty of help in getting used to life in a big house with lots of friends. Once the routines are a part of daily life, students like the predictability, the consistency, even the security that a well-known structure can provide. Limiting the number of questions you need to deal with in a single day allows a certain comfort.

The connection with adults is intense Living at Milton means developing close relationships with a number of adults. For most teenagers, these close and mutually respectful associations with adults outside of their families are not part of their past experience. We expect students to sit at the dinner table with faculty, to express

Dean of Students Bridget Johnson and Associate Dean André Heard ’93 keep tabs on the transition of new boarding students.

themselves thoughtfully and honestly, to respect people different from themselves, to consider others’ feelings. These are challenging expectations; they can feel overwhelming at first. Upperclassmen, though, point to the many close adult friends and mentors they have, vastly different people who care about them and intersect with their lives in different ways, as one of the most compelling aspects of their Milton education.

With so much to share, friendships are deep and enduring

new members to understand what makes the house work. The older students in particular are focused on bringing the new students under the umbrella, communicating the values—spoken and unspoken. They’re actively involved—running study hall and managing lights out. From the top down they send messages that lead, and that perpetuate a culture they honor. When you live in a single house for all your Milton years, a lot of growth can happen. Students love their dorms. When new students become older students, and then graduates, they love their houses, too.

Houses are steeped in their own culture. Both the adults in a house and the boys or girls who have “grown up” at Milton in that house, are eager for

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At Milton

In Their Own Words

Candid Reﬂections on the Class IV Journey

Fitting In Milton was the only school I applied to—which says a lot about the School—and I didn’t know quite how I would get here, but I could visualize myself here so clearly. Milton is so welcoming. You can be yourself here, whoever you are. One of the most valuable things about Milton is what you learn outside of class: how to build relationships, how to get along, how to persevere. These are the important skills to learn in life, and you learn them here. —Jennifer Pham, Dorchester, Massachusetts In my first days, time wouldn’t pass, food was unfamiliar to me, and I felt isolated from my class. Then I said, “This can’t be about just me and my homework; this isn’t me.” I realized that I was stuck in the past and that I had to move on. I started introducing myself to people, taking risks, sounding stupid. But that’s the point: you laugh at yourself, everyone laughs at each other. Now I feel really comfortable. —Senka Joti, Millet House, Tirana, Albania Coming to Milton was the scariest and best decision I ever made. I didn’t feel like I would have any friends at the beginning, but that changed so quickly. Before we got here, the upperclassmen in our dorms mailed us handwritten letters about what to expect, what to pack. I didn’t believe them when they said that a pair of sparkly spandex pants would come in handy, but it’s true—you do need them! This year I’ve learned that I can handle a lot more than I thought I could. I’ve learned to be my own advocate and to assert myself more. There are no gender issues; no one thinks, “Oh, well, she’s a girl, so…” —Molly Gilmore, Hathaway House, Milford, Massachusetts

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Everyone was welcoming. It was so funny, those first days. Everyone was shaking hands. We wouldn’t ever do that at my old school. It feels like one big group—not little groups or cliques. It’s the same with upperclassmen and faculty. There’s no bold line between Class IV and upperclassmen, between the teachers and us. Everyone is different; they come from different backgrounds and very different places. Then everyone interacts. Milton makes it so that you have to meet other people. — Carly Cummings, Sudbury, Massachusetts Making connections with upperclassmen is important. I have tons of friends who are juniors, whom I met through activities and managing the basketball team, and they’re my mentors. They know the School so well, and they helped me become adjusted to life here. —Martin Page, Kingston, Massachusetts

Meeting Challenges I was surprised by how well I was able to adjust to the class size here. I came from a public school, where there would have been 2,400 students in high school with me, and now I am in a Chinese class with eight others. In my old classes you could hide in the back of a room of 35, but here we’re all sitting around the table, face-toface. We have no choice but to say what we think, and to listen to what everyone else has to say. I never raised my hand in English class before I came here; I never thought my answers or ideas were sufficient. But the teachers here make it safe and comfortable for us to voice our thoughts. —Kiyon Hahm, Robbins House, Irvine, California Figuring out what my group was going to do for our Physics DYO (Design Your Own) experiment was hard because we had to pick only one idea out of all the ideas that we were so excited about. We had to create our own project, design the experiment, test, record our data, and then write up our results. What was challenging in the beginning turned out to be so rewarding because we were doing something that we wanted, that we were in charge of, that we had designed ourselves. —Petra Imouokhome, Hallowell House, San Ramon, California

The essays that we had to write this year were a lot more analytical than I was used to. I had to present a much stronger argument than I had in the past. Figuring it out was trial and error: making adjustments, talking with the teacher, reviewing the essay again. It was helpful being able to go back to the teacher again and again. —Maggie Walsh, Milton, Massachusetts I used to get all As. What I learned was that I had to adjust. I’m still working on it. It takes diligence and resilience. What’s different isn’t just the amount of work. What’s different is the way it’s graded and how much you have to step up your thinking. Participation around the table is very important. —Deema Dahleh, Cambridge, Massachusetts At my old school I was the only one in my grade who took French—it was basically a private class—and now I’m in class with 13 others who are so good at French, and we learn so much from each other. It’s good to have that challenge, to have people around you who push you a little. —Arty Berman, Forbes House, Riverside, Connecticut

Relying on Support Ms. Badynee is my advisor. She helps me figure out what I’m doing well at, what I need to work at, and how. She keeps it real with me, and she’s a good person. You can talk to her. And she has lots of connections. —Bright Osajie, Hyde Park, Massachusetts English was my favorite subject, but I was behind where I should have been. My English teacher gave me the time and the help to learn how to write a proper five-point essay. He understands that we all come from different backgrounds. And he didn’t mind talking about and explaining things going on outside the classroom. That felt good. —Lina Neidhardt, Canton, Massachusetts

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Ms. Alsbach was my field hockey coach, and she was so patient with us. If you wanted to stay after practice for extra help, she would always work with you. It helps to have a coach you can talk with. I was a goalie this year, and I had five shutouts, which was a highlight for me. I improved so much from Ms. Alsbach’s coaching. —Sophie Janeway, Robbins House, Stuyvesant, New York The faculty made the transition easy. One of the hard things was organization. You need a lot of it here, because there’s a lot of work. Teachers were tuned in to where we were and what we needed. — Carly Cummings, Sudbury, Massachusetts

Feeling Proud I’m proud of my Class IV talk. I have major stage fright and this was a big bump in the road for me. Everyone was so supportive and I got through it without too many hitches. Afterward, about ten people came up to me in the hallway to tell me that I had done a great job. — Carly Cummings, Sudbury, Massachusetts I’ve changed in a good way. I’m proudest that while I had a high standard for myself, in terms of grades, and I was nervous about a competitive environment, I’ve grown to understand that I am learning things more fully, more completely. As opposed to memorizing and reporting back, this is much more fulfilling. And I’m still doing well. —Lina Neidhardt, Canton, Massachusetts

Owning the Culture The students at Milton are all very aware: aware of what they have to do, aware that they’re capable, aware of the world around them. Milton students seem to have a broader knowledge, in general, than most kids our age. — Cydney Grannan, West Newton, Massachusetts

Milton Magazine

Everyone’s really nice at Milton, and everyone’s really different. I didn’t meet the same person over and over like you do in some schools. —Deema Dahleh, Cambridge, Massachusetts Milton maintains this interesting balance: you’re encouraged to be independent, but you’re not alone. You’re thrown into things to figure them out, but you’re supported. —Maggie Walsh, Milton, Massachusetts What I like best is the way Milton does things. It’s a trust-based environment. We have free periods and the idea is “we trust you to do your work.” That was a huge switch for me. Before, people expected us to do the worst we could do, so they made the policies and rules with that expectation. Here they expect the best person to come out, so it does. —Lina Neidhardt, Canton, Massachusetts Being around peers who are excited to learn, ready to learn, love to learn, really pumps you up and makes you excited to come to school every day. —Martin Page, Kingston, Massachusetts

Senior Leaders in the Dorms Carry on a Legacy of Care

David Lee

Mary Lopez

House Monitor, Forbes House San Marino, California

House Monitor, Robbins House Severna Park, Maryland

The upperclassmen in Forbes want to instill a sense of brotherhood in the new students. The seniors in the dorm lead things off at the beginning of the year by holding a big dorm meeting. The Class IV guys don’t typically ask a lot of questions; they just absorb what we’re telling them. The new students usually need the most help with learning how to study in the dorm, knowing that they have to set aside certain time to do their work.

It’s important that the seniors do what they say, or practice what they preach. Respect is huge in the houses, and we stress the fact that this is our home, this is our family while we’re at school.

• Coming in as a new student is scary. The first night seniors came to our rooms, though, and they talked with us about what it means to be in Robbins, so you’re scared but you’re also excited. In our dorm we stress the idea of making people feel welcome; we assign big sisters, so every younger girl in the dorm has someone special to check in with and to ask questions of. It’s also important to anticipate what questions new students are going to ask, because they don’t even know what to ask. Filling them in on the details of simple things—like doing laundry—is important.

I’m a lot more open now than I was when I first came to Milton, and a lot of that comes from things that your friends in the dorm are involved in. Your eyes become open to a lot by living with all these different people. In middle school I ran track and crosscountry, which I thought I would do here, but I became more interested in wrestling—which I had never done before I moved into Forbes—and playing the drums. Milton Magazine

Azza Bakkar House Monitor, Hallowell House Jamaica, New York This is the first time away from home for a lot of the new students, and some of them are homesick. We try to get to know them and find out what their interests are and help them find their way around Milton. In Hallowell we have “families,” so in your “family” there’s one person in each grade; the Class I girl looks out for the Class IIIs and the Class II girl looks out for the Class IVs.

Andrew Dowton House Monitor, Norris House Canton, Massachusetts

The amount of time it takes to get used to living at Milton depends on the person, and it also depends on how much attention someone needs and gets. New students need the most help with balancing life here—work, sports, activities, friends, sleep.

When I came into the dorm in my Class III year, I remember the upperclassmen stressing that Norris is a really classy dorm, and they passed that legacy on to us. We know that Class IV, in a couple of years, are going to be the upperclassmen, so I see myself subconsciously generating that notion with the younger guys in the dorm. In Norris we do a dorm trip into Fire and Ice one of the first weekends, and every group has an upperclassman in it, which gives the younger guys a chance to ask questions in a smaller group. It also helps to solidify a bond in the house right away.

• At the end of the year you wouldn’t know that some of the Class IV boys are the same people they were in the beginning. They’re so intimidated to be in such a new environment—like I was. Part of being a dorm monitor is being outgoing and getting them to talk to you. A lot of the younger guys are waiting for someone to reach out, make that effort and get involved.

• One of the hardest parts of being an upperclassman in the dorm is seeing a younger student doing something that he shouldn’t be doing. Figuring out where to draw the line between talking to him yourself versus bringing a faculty member into it is tough, because you don’t want to lose the trust of the younger guy, but you also don’t want him to go down a bad path.

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At Milton

Todd Bland Begins as Milton Academy’s Twelfth Head of School

ight outside the Bland family’s windows, a burgeoning steel structure steadily acquires its walls, windows and roofs. The Pritzker Science Center, taking shape by the day, sidles up to the head of school’s house. The view is new—for the Academy and the Blands. Living next to the emerging Pritzker Center is only one entry on a list of “new” for Todd and Nancy Bland, and their children—Nick, Maggie and Emily. As Nancy says, “We’re new on campus; new Upper School parents and new K–8 parents; new to the head of school’s job at Milton, to our home, our neighbors and our community.” Last June, the family moved into 127 Centre Street. Over the summer, Todd took the helm as Milton Academy’s twelfth head of school. Nancy Bland, a career teacher, coach and advisor, looks forward to an active role on campus this fall. Nick joins Class IV; Emily and Maggie join Grade 8. Todd and Nancy Bland have been educators since they graduated from college. In some ways, Todd’s role at Milton is more an evolution than a major change. Referring to his serving, over the years, as teacher, coach and administrator simultaneously, Todd says, “I enjoy being part of the rhythms of different parts of a school: working with a bigger picture of the school to help set its course for the future, while still vitally connecting with students.” Most recently Todd fulfilled that mix of roles at the Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and prior to that at the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, Massachusetts. “I have to be connected, day to day, with the heart of the school, the students and faculty. At the same time, I find the

Nancy and Todd Bland

challenge of helping a school evolve, and working with lots of people to do that, very rewarding. I like being busy.”

of excitement and eagerly anticipate making new friends, starting at a new school, shaping a new home.”

Nancy describes their transition: “It’s true that Milton is very new, but in many senses we’re coming home. We have a foundation of experience, family and friends that surround us. We are thrilled and excited.” Leaving the Boston area for Cincinnati eight years ago can be seen now as a preparatory leap of faith, Nancy explains. “We did not know the school nor anyone in the community. The whole experience was excellent: it was broadening, strengthening and enriching for our family.

“There’s a certain reality that comes with living in the community where you work,” Todd says. “We’ll find ways to be part of the community authentically. We’ll also need to settle into what’s comfortable for us and for our family. That will take time. Both Nancy and I have had such strong, positive, personal experiences in boarding schools; we are still connected to our institutions. My family lived at Lawrenceville for a time, also. So the concept of living within a boarding school community is certainly not novel to us. That excitement that you’re hearing in our voices is genuine. The community has expressed a desire to be very supportive of us as a family, too. That message has been consistent since my first connection with Milton.”

“Our children have learned what we have learned,” says Nancy. “We can all experience, and be comfortable with, totally opposite, intense sets of emotion at once. By that I mean, the sadness of saying goodbye to people in a community whom we love, and who loved us, at the same time that we are full

Milton Magazine

Moving In: A New Family in the Head of School’s House

“We’ve been so warmly welcomed,” Nancy says. “People have been generous, friendly and kind, and at the same time respectful of our privacy. We can sense a palpable desire in the Milton community for this experience of living and working at Milton to be good for us.” “Having the support and care of the community is important,” Todd says. “Without that, heads cannot be as effective as they might be. Leaders ought to acknowledge their need for support, and that support should be reciprocal.” Once the moving truck arrived, local families wasted no time welcoming Nick, Emily and Maggie, who quickly joined in the summer activity. All three started School in September, having spent time and had fun with some classmates. They’re getting their first insights about the community from the right sources. Nick, Emily and Maggie all participated in the normal admission process. Their parents wanted to assure matches all around: from Milton’s point of view, and from Nick’s, Emily’s and Maggie’s points of view. “We have been blessed in that our previous school was every bit as wonderful a match for the children as students as it was for me as an educational leader,” says Todd. “We expect the same will be the case at Milton. We all look forward to this new beginning.” Few people envy the complexity and challenge involved in being a head of school. Many try to imagine what kind of person finds this kind of commitment compelling. “Nancy and I are both completely energized by engaging with people. Add to that the fact that we’ve dedicated our lives to education, and that Milton is an extraordinary school— this is my parents’ School—with a 36

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centuries-long tradition of academic excellence within a supportive environment. Engaging with all those people who love Milton, to help shape Milton’s future, is simply a great opportunity. This year, we will get to know one another very well, experience by experience. I know that we will gain energy, and enrichment, and gratification from those interactions.” Todd will need to rely on other skills as well to navigate the leadership of Milton’s K–12, boarding and day school vitality successfully. He points to several skills in his own toolbox as essential, such as being highly organized and comfortable with multitasking, as well as enjoying a fast pace of life. “I strive for balance,” Todd says. “That takes attention, and you have to work at it.” “Perhaps most importantly, you have to be comfortable in your own skin. I want people—over time—to know me. To know who I am, how I work. Ultimately, they should find me predictable. That is, my values ought to be clear enough so that words, actions and decisions all make sense to people. “Nancy and I have a passion for education; it’s our calling—something that we are meant to do, that really matters. We feel fortunate that at Milton we will be deeply engaged in doing what we love to do. It’s worth every minute of investment—of time and focus. We’re ready for high levels of mutual respect, affection and expectation; and we know we will be fulfilled.” CDE

Milton Magazine

A Welcome for the Head of School September 14, 2009

“Milton recognizes a new leader with a strong handshake and a smile. Our congratulations, Todd, our warmest welcome, and our commitment to support you as you lead.” —Bradley Bloom, President of the Board of Trustees

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At Milton

Newest of the new: Kindergarteners join the ranks

wo months after 24 accomplished, confident children head off to first grade, Brendan Farmer resets his expectations. During their first moments at Milton Academy, his 12 new kindergarteners quickly push Brendan’s restart button, even if he forgets. Nervous, excited and eager, they’re on unfamiliar terrain surrounded by unknown people. Getting along with the new personalities and figuring out the teacher are the first mysteries; and then they need to interpret Milton’s culture. This can all be overwhelming, even for siblings who tend to think they know a lot about the School. The students adjust, test what’s acceptable, and see how far they can push things. They don’t know where they are, physically, and have no reference points yet: hallways, bathrooms, other classrooms, where the older children have gone; it’s all frontier territory. “While they’re figuring out expectations, we begin right away to develop what it means to be in a community— the Milton Academy Kindergarten community,” Brendan explains. The messaging and practicing begins at morning meetings. “We practice allowing someone to have the floor, figuring out how to get access to the floor, and how to ask questions or make comments. We spend plenty of time on tone, taking turns at talking and listening.” At the start, the “child of the day” process is particularly challenging. One child sits quietly in the middle of the group. Other children, by turn, each give that child a compliment. This

activity is a microcosm for the developmental progress of the children over time. While early compliments rely on something physical (I like Jenny’s pink headband), the compliments evolve. Next often come thank-yous for actions that benefit the speaker (Jenny shared her eraser with me); eventually compliments migrate to solid comments about a child’s person, irrespective of what he or she is able to do for the speaker. The two Kindergarten teachers use times when their groups combine to discuss rules and guidelines, about recess or turn taking, for example. Predictably, children respond well to firm rules, as long as teachers are both consistent and fair.

Getting to know the new people in their lives continues for kindergarteners when they meet their fifth-grade buddies. The first meeting is “like a Middle School dance,” Brendan says, “with two groups on opposite sides of the room staring one another down until the first child has the courage to cross the floor. The pairings all work out organically, and the children frequently end up in a pair that you could predict. In a kind of ‘speed dating,’ they walk and talk and find a comfortable match. After three weeks of meetings, the fifth-grade teachers ask their children who their Kindergarten buddies are. We do the same in our classrooms. Invariably, the right people have found one another.”

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Every year at Milton, each K–8 grade reads a newly chosen summer book. The summer reading book stimulates new curriculum each fall, as the book is woven into the work and the activities at the start of school. Developing this curriculum each summer is something Brendan enjoys; this year it will be a joint project with Brendan’s new partner, Martha Lee Slocum. The book and related activities are valuable conduits for seeding Milton’s social and intellectual culture. Among the opportunities available through this year’s book, The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers, is experience with a key element of Milton culture: the open-ended problem. Milton classroom work is based on open-ended problems, that is, challenges without prescribed routes to solution or single answers.

Children must often shift from the pattern they bring—that there’s one way to get to a correct answer—to the idea that they need to think about different ways to approach this problem, and the various outcomes they might reach. In addition to all the thinking they are doing and the skills they’re building, Kindergarten children must find the stamina and focus to thrive in a fastpaced environment. They are busy. “Their skill development, month by month, is astonishing,” Brendan says. Children put together a “year book” of monthly contributions; comparing their writing in the early months to their final months’ work is always impressive. Brendan’s hope is that they come out of the year not only with these new skills, but as poised little individuals who

“While [the students] are ﬁguring out expectations, we begin right away to develop what it means to be in a community,” says Kindergarten teacher Brendan Farmer. 40

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understand themselves as far more than “cute.” “They have strengths, they have opinions, they know how to problem solve, they’ve proven themselves capable of learning so much,” Brendan says. “They leave with a genuine sense of community; we work hard to establish the habit of thinking about other people, not just themselves. If they leave still excited about school, that makes me happy. Most of the time, they are not happy that school has ended.” As a teacher who purposefully wears mismatched Converse sneakers every day, he might add that each year he creates a small army of children who insist upon wearing mismatched footgear. CDE

Martha Lee Slocum: The new member of Milton’s Kindergarten team

hough new to Milton, Martha Lee Slocum is well versed in educating young learners. Joining Brendan Farmer as the other half of the School’s Kindergarten team, Martha has been teaching elementary-aged children for nearly 25 years, most recently as a kindergarten teacher at Dedham Country Day School.

Echoing many of Brendan’s observations and goals, Martha says the young people who walk into her classroom in September are excited, “giddy, even.” For many of them, this is their first school experience. Despite that, Martha says the children “don’t come in tabula rasa; they have so many skills already. They also have the ‘all about me’ mentality typical of their age, but we work with them on that, establishing the expectations, rules and fun involved in being part of a learning community. Working with kindergarteners is rewarding because they’re so willing, and they’re grateful for what you give them. “Children at this age are also in the ‘joke phase’; they’re telling lots of knock-knock jokes and laughing all

day long—everything is funny to them. I use that. I think one of my best tools in the classroom is humor. We also play a lot of games, which facilitates group interaction, shared thinking and problem solving. As the students go through the year, they become more independent, and they begin to ask one another questions rather than asking me right away.”

can be part of their own process; they can help guide their own learning and bring their personality and style to it. They’re each such unique individuals, and I try to teach them that they don’t have to fit into a mold of what we think a student should be. To me, that’s one of the most valuable lessons of all.”

Several aspects of the Milton culture will be new to Martha, namely the thematic approach to curriculum; the access to SMART Boards in every classroom; working independently with a group of 12 students versus being a co-teacher in a room of 24; and being part of a K–12 community, with the resources and longitudinal experience that creates. “This year will be a brand-new learning experience for me, so I’ll be going through a lot of Milton ‘firsts’ with my students. At the end of this year, I will have learned as many new things as they have.” One of the most important things she hopes her students leave with in June is a love and ownership of their learning: “I hope they understand that they

Milton Magazine

Commencement 2009 Commencement Speaker

Milton Academy 2009 Awards and Prizes

Erika Mobley ’86 began her career within the digital and music industry, working for the Recording Industry Association of America, Palm, RealNetworks and Amazon. com in roles that expanded her expertise into global business strategy and marketing as well as anti-piracy law. With a background in international copyright law, Erika now leads business development and licensing for Apple’s App Store, the online location for new applications—from books and business through entertainment, games, finance and fitness—that are being developed for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Applications in the worlds of television, music and movies are Erika’s responsibility. The App Store has been open for just over a year and is now available in 77 countries; at its seven-month mark, downloads of applications, free and purchased, numbered 800 million. Over all areas, 75,000 applications are available for download. Prior to her current role, Erika developed global business initiatives in Australia and New Zealand as senior product marketing manager for iTunes.

Cum Laude

Erika works with major properties such as NBC Universal and MTV; Sony and Warner Bros.; DreamWorks and Lucasfilm—along with all the major content providers that are developing new applications for the iTunes store. She provides developers with

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Erika Mobley ’86

review and counsel, considering how to maximize the technological capabilities of the iPhone and iPod Touch, indicators of user interest, and global perspective. She partners with the iTunes editorial team to determine the best placement and category strategy for how and where the new apps will be located on the App Store (paid placement and advertising are not used on iTunes). A major aspect of her work focuses on global media brands; iTunes just launched in 17 new countries. A loyal Milton Academy alumna, Erika was elected to the board of trustees in October 2008. She was a class agent, a member of the Head of School’s Council, and served as a panelist at Milton’s bicentennial celebration in 1998. Erika did her undergraduate work at Yale and earned her JD at the Georgetown University School of Law. She is keenly interested in the life and future of our students.

Class I Noah Benjamin Berman Samara Rachel Bliss Abigail Vickery Bok Charles Codman Cabot Chloe Brisbaine Cole Casey Seymour Cortes Kelsey Michaela Creegan Drew Shayla Douglas-Steele Eliza Van Vechten Dryer Lauren Elisabeth Edmundson Cara Scarlett Guenther James Chalmers Hayes Jacob Lars Jolis Inji Jung BoRa Kim Sarah Elizabeth Konowitz Caroline Olivia Lester Alex Lim Catherine Delap Littlefield Sarah Elizabeth Loucks Melissa Alexandra Mittelman Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey John Laurence Nimmo Mary Caroline Palmer Spencer Michael Parsons Samuel Sherburne Pearce Jasmine Whitney Reid Emily Andrea Mejatti Roberts* Lee Hamilton Rodman Michael Munroe Saltzman Julie Amanda Shapiro Julia Grace Solomon Gabrielle Jaye Starfield Lyndsey Helen Starks* Jordan Herbert Windmueller Class II Timothy James Barry-Heffernan *Elected to Cum Laude in 2008

The Head of School Award The Head of School Award is presented each year to honor and celebrate certain members of Class I for their demonstrated spirit of self-sacrifice, community concern, leadership, integrity, fairness, kindliness, and respect for others. Samara Rachel Bliss Christopher George Côté Kelsey Michaela Creegan Ryan Thomas Edwards Jonah Michael Francese Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey Jasmine Whitney Reid

The James S. Willis Memorial Award To the Headmonitors. Sarah Elizabeth Diamond Samuel Edersheim Rosen

William Bacon Lovering Award To a boy and a girl, chosen by their classmates, who have helped most by their sense of duty to perpetuate the memory of a gallant gentleman and officer. Sophia Rachel Rabb Douglon Tse

The Louis Andrews Memorial Scholarship Award To a student in Class II who has best fulfilled his or her potential in the areas of intelligence, self-discipline, physical ability, concern for others and integrity. Nash Kofi Simpson

The Korean War Memorial Scholarship Award Created in 1956 in memory of Frederick Sprague Barbour ’46, Thomas Amory Hubbard ’47, George Cabot Lee, Jr. ’47, and Sherrod Emerson Skinner, Jr. ’47, who gave their lives for their country and the United Nations. Awarded to a boy or girl from a developing region to further his or her education at Milton Academy, while enriching the School by his or her presence. Kayrus Maneck Unwala (India)

The Leo Maza Award Awarded to a student or students in Classes I–IV, who, in working within one of the culture or identity groups at the School, has made an outstanding contribution to the community by promoting the appreciation of that group throughout the rest of the School. Genevieve Daisy Chow Taylor Danielle Parker

The H. Adams Carter Prize Awarded to the student or students who, in their years at Milton, have shown a dedication to the pursuit of outdoor skills, demonstrated strong leadership, and reached high levels of personal achievement in one or more outdoor activities. Abbott Evans Cowen Katherine Elisabeth Elkind

The A. Howard Abell Prize Established by Dr. and Mrs. Eric Oldberg for students deemed exceptionally proficient or talented in instrumental or vocal music or in composition. Christopher George Côté Derek Borjun Huang Samara Rose Oster

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Elected by their classmates to be the Class of 2009 valedictorian speakers, Chloe Cole and Matthew Trammell

Harrison Otis Apthorp Music Prize Awarded in recognition of helpful activity in furthering in the School an interest and joy in music. Sarah Elizabeth Konowitz Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey Douglon Tse

The George Sloan Oldberg Memorial Prize Awarded in memory of George Oldberg â&#x20AC;&#x2122;54 to members of the School who have been a unique influence in the field of music.

The Wales Prize Awarded in honor of Donald Wales, who taught Class IV science for more than 36 years. It recognizes students in Class IV who have consistently demonstrated interest and excitement in science. Cydney Rose Grannan Kiyon Hahm Juwon Kim Martin David Kelley Page Benjamin Asher Scharfstein

The Robert Saltonstall Medal

Kimberlee Wen-Hsin Chang Samuel Sherburne Pearce

For pre-eminence in physical efficiency and observance of the code of the true sportsman.

The Science Prize

Joshua Donald Scott

Awarded to students who have demonstrated genuine enthusiasm, as well as outstanding scientific ability, in physics, chemistry and biology.

The A. O. Smith Prize

Angela Shamlian Baglione Anthony James DeVito John Parker Hayden Alexander Scott Moffett Lyndsey Helen Starks

Awarded by the English Department to students who display unusual talent in expository writing. Caroline Olivia Lester Armide de Saulles Storey

The Markham and Pierpont Stackpole Prize Awarded in honor of two English teachers, father and son, to authors of unusual talent in creative writing. Jacob Lars Jolis Dylan Rhys Williams

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The Dorothy J. Sullivan Award To senior girls who have demonstrated good sportsmanship, leadership, dedication and commitment to athletics at Milton. Through their spirit, selflessness and concern for the team, they served as an incentive and a model for others. Samantha Marie Barkowski

The Donald Cameron Duncan Prize for Mathematics Awarded to students in Class I who have achieved excellence in the study of mathematics while demonstrating the kind of love of the subject and joy in promoting its understanding that will be the lasting legacy of Donald Duncan’s extraordinary contributions to the teaching of mathematics at Milton. Eliza Van Vechten Dryer Derek Borjun Huang

The Performing Arts Award Presented by the performing arts department for outstanding contributions in production work, acting, speech, audiovisuals, and dance throughout his or her Milton career. Noah Benjamin Berman John Parker Hayden Daniel Poor Reynolds Lee Hamilton Rodman Lyndsey Helen Starks Dylan James Tedaldi

The Kiki Rice-Gray Prize Awarded for outstanding contributions to Milton performing arts throughout his or her career in both performance and production. Kate Cameron Davidson Lyndsey Helen Starks

The Priscilla Bailey Award To a senior girl who has been a most valuable asset to Milton Academy athletics and to the Milton Academy community— an athlete who has demonstrated exceptional individual skills and teamwork, as well as true sportsmanship. Hillary Elise McNamara

The Henry Warder Carey Prize To members of Class I, who, in public speaking and oral interpretation, have shown consistent effort, thoroughness of preparation, and concern for others. Chloe Brisbaine Cole Gabrielle Jaye Starfield

The Robert L. Daley Prize Created by his students of 1984 in his memory and honor, this prize in Classics is awarded to the student from Latin 4 or beyond who best exemplifies Mr. Daley’s love of languages. Charles Codman Cabot

The Richard Lawrence Derby Memorial Award To an outstanding student of Class III in mathematics, astronomy or physics. Timothy James Barry-Heffernan Joshua Barry Cohen Luke Jen O’Connor Ethan Kelley Schneider

The Alfred Elliott Memorial Trophy

The Modern Languages Prizes

For self-sacrifice and devotion to the best interests of his teams, regardless of skill.

Awarded to those students who, in the opinion of the department, most exhibit the qualities of academic excellence, enthusiastic participation, and support of fellow students, both in and out of class.

Jonah Michael Francese

The Gorham Palfrey Faucon Prize Established in 1911 and awarded to members of Class I for demonstrated interest and outstanding achievement in history and social science.

Abigail Vickery Bok Eliza Van Vechten Dryer James Gerald Hiles John Laurence Nimmo Spencer Michael Parsons Evan Paris Zarowitz

Abigail Vickery Bok Kelsey Michaela Creegan Jürg William Arnold Haller Jr.

The Milton Academy Art Prizes

The Benjamin Fosdick Harding Latin Prizes Awarded on the basis of a separate test at each prize level. Level 5: Timothy James Barry-Heffernan Level 4: Elias Ibrahim Dagher Lauren Elisabeth Edmundson

Awarded for imagination and technical excellence in his or her art and for independent and creative spirit of endeavor. Alexandra Weyerhaeuser Carr Abbot Evans Cowen Sarah Elizabeth Diamond Dougan Khim William Ogden Hunnewell

Jasmine Whitney Reid

Level 3: Catharine Passavant Parker Milton Magazine

Graduates’ Weekend 2009 46

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1. Pengwynne Blevins, Faith Williams, Mary Procter—all Class of 1959

2. Class of 1934 representative, Sam Payson 3. Science Department Chair Michael Edgar informs grads about science today 4. The best seat in the house 5. Christopher Lehman ’59 6. Brad Bloom, president of the board of trustees

1. Josh Sommers and Helen McCarthy from the Class of ’04 2. Wendy Cutter Maynard ’59 3. Michelle Dandridge Dixon ’84 and Pamela Crigler ’84 agree that it’s been too long

4. Play ball! Front row (left to right): Billy Donahue ’07, Brendan Byrne ’03, Andrew de Stadler ’05, Colby Tucker ’05, Coach Flaherty, Matt Burke ’04, Dan Harlow ’02; back row (left to right): Andrew O’Connor ’03, Mike Carthas ’02, Josh Krieger ’04, David Fitz ’69, Bob Cunha ’83, Spencer Platt ’05, Steve Buckley ’01, Doug Sibor ’05, Charles DeLorme ’64, Joe Lyons ’99, Varsity Coach Matt Petherick, Pat Donovan ’99

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1. Susan Evans Bohan â&#x20AC;&#x2122;84

2. Don Raftery â&#x20AC;&#x2122;84 and family 3. Students and grads, making music together 4. The ladies from the 25th reunion class have too much catching up to do to pose for a photo. 5. A warm welcome for our new head of school 6. From the Class of 1999, Kiran Singh, Kara Sweeney and Sarah White

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1. “Go long, Dad!”

2. Madeline Hurst, Natalie Curtis, Ilana Sclar and Deirdre Byrne— all Class of 2004 3. Peter Runton and John Hewett, Class of 1949 4. Kwaku Asare ’94, Ian Zilla ’94, Milton wannabe Greg Mone (husband of Nika Thayer Mone ’94) and Charlie Everett ’94 5. Thacher: A full house for the Glee Club Sing with Jean McCawley

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Faculty Perspective The Annual Gift of a New Start

or educators, the beginning of a new school year is a gift that other professionals may not receive. A new school year brings together students and teachers, refreshed and invigorated, eager for new interactions, personalities and challenges. It provides the opportunity to apply or to test fresh ideas—from self-evaluation or from research. For some faculty and students, the culture and tradition at Milton Academy will itself be new.

New to Milton, I am—but not new to education. A member of Milton’s learning community for the past year, I am new by most standards, especially those of the Academy. Many teachers believe their own teaching and learning experience started at age five, when they entered kindergarten. Mine, I believe, began at age two, when my brother was born, the first of my six younger siblings. By age five, I saw myself as my kindergarten teacher’s assistant, and I am still convinced that she welcomed my help. True, to be an effective teacher in and around the classroom, I had to give up some of the big-sister traits that work with siblings, like bossiness and using a demanding, “first-born” voice. What can be new to an educator who has been learning about children and their social, emotional, physical and academic needs for more than half a century? Plenty has happened over those many years. My excitement comes from the realization that there is still so much more to learn and to apply. My years as a teacher and an administrator in both public and independent schools give me the wisdom of experience.

* Hardiman, M. (2003). Connecting Brain Research with Effective Teaching: The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model. Landam, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education.

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consequences, do not fully develop until well after adolescence. So, I guess my children weren’t thinking. This research and its potential impact is an example of why I can get excited at the start of each school year.

Rosalie Tashjian

My years teaching all grades—from kindergarten through the sixth grade— include within that wisdom the recognition of children’s developmental needs, from the early years through adolescence. This knowledge is important and useful: I know what works with children. Until recently, I did not have the benefit of a research base that tells me why children demonstrate these developmental needs. Scientists are using technology—positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—to peer into the workings of the brain. I am not a scientist. I am a practitioner. My interest is in how this new knowledge can support and enhance learning. I realize that I am less patient as a parent than I am as an educator. In raising four children to adulthood, I cannot count how often, during their adolescent years, that I asked, “What were you thinking?” We now know that good judgment is not a strength of adolescence. Brain research demonstrates that the areas of the brain that deal with choice (frontal lobes), the perception that actions are directly connected with

Dr. Mariale Hardiman brings brain research to the classroom through “The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model.” She interprets research on the brain to support change or refinement in teaching practice. New knowledge, new applications, new understanding and new practices have much promise.* Brain research shows that we learn by making connections and establishing patterns. Several times a week I work with kindergarteners, watching them make connections to a story they are hearing. Their connections relate most often to their own prior experiences (they are inherently egocentric). Later, they make connections between pieces of literature. As we look at the cover of a book that shows B.B. Wolf (Big Bad) going into a library, their prior knowledge helps them project, “Uh oh, there is going to be trouble.” I ask, “Why do you say that?” The connections come tumbling out. As one of the “new kids,” I am enjoying what I have learned at Milton Academy in the past year. This year I will have the opportunity to savor the tradition. I am also excited to bring what I have learned in many years past. I am equally as eager to learn about new research and applications. How do I continue to be excited as each new year begins? Who doesn’t love a gift? Rosalie Tashjian Assistant Principal, K–8

Classroom The New, New Thing in the Math Classroom: Rising Technology and Reshaping the Curriculum

MART Boards were the first new thing: For the past year, members of Milton’s mathematics department have been working with SMART Board technology in their classrooms, a tool that combines the simple display feature of a whiteboard with computer connectivity and touch technology, making greater interaction between students and teacher possible. The newest tool, however, in teaching and learning mathematics is the TI-Nspire CAS [Computer Algebra System], the recent development from Texas Instruments. It not only calculates arithmetic and graphs functions, but also facilitates symbolic mathematics and algebraic computations, a capability that will change the way high school mathematics is taught. Before advanced calculators, the math classroom tended to be constrained to problems using what department chair Gregg Reilly calls “nice numbers.” “The graphing calculator allowed us to expand the types of graphs that we could reasonably consider,” he says. “Still, the types of algebraic expressions that we could handle tended to be ‘nice expressions.’ Creating an accurate mathematical model of a realworld phenomenon often requires the use of expressions and relationships that are beyond the scope of traditional high school mathematics courses; the TI-Nspire will allow our students to work with more complicated mathematical constructions.”

Gregg Reilly, Mathematics Department Chair

This year, Milton’s faculty will introduce the Nspire to Algebra II students, and over the next three years the tool will be phased into the rest of the Academy’s mathematics curriculum. This prospect is exciting; it demands planning, testing and creativity from Milton’s math faculty. They are ready and willing. Milton’s math faculty members already create the majority of materials their students use in the classroom—a department hallmark. Problem sets and lesson plans are constantly evolving to best accommodate the needs and interests of the students. Considering how the capabilities of the Nspire will affect students’ learning, several members of the math department spent the summer revising the Algebra II curriculum. The Nspire challenges teachers to think in comprehensively different ways about all that they teach and have taught over the years—deciding which tools and techniques belong in the drawer and which will continue to promote

understanding of underlying mathematical concepts. Faculty must challenge their assumptions, consider their experience, and honestly confront how student learning in the future will differ from what students have learned in the past. Members of the department have been working on this project for over a year, and they view the Nspire as an opportunity, a welcome career challenge. The math department is preparing students to live and work successfully in a technological world. Faculty want to build students’ confidence and competence when the task is analyzing data and recognizing patterns, or formulating an algebraic or graphical solution to a problem. A powerful tool, the Nspire encourages exploration and expands the range of problems our students can solve. EEH

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Post Script Guy Hughes Milton Academy Faculty, 1968–1997 A Son’s Remembrance

ad was a great enjoyer of life, as a friend recently put it, but I think what mattered to him most was not, strictly speaking, enjoying life, but making meaning of it. Jackie Robinson, a legend of my father’s chosen sport and a man he admired, once said, “A life is not important... except in the impact it has on other lives.” The first half of that statement seems so bleak, but the second represents a real and moving redemption. George Eliot, far removed from Robinson, wrote something similar, and it could easily apply to my father: “[Dorothea’s] effect… on those around her was incalculably diffuse, for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts, and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life.” Unhistoric though Dad’s acts may have been, you should see the letters and remarks that have come from everywhere since his death in April. My mother keeps saying that it’s a real pity you have to die before people say all these wonderful things about you. I think this outpouring speaks to the power of a dedicated teacher, and there are many of them who have given their best at this School. I keep thinking about the countless lives my father touched through his teaching. He came to Milton in the fall of 1968, when no one had ever heard of Woodstock and no man had walked on the moon. As a condition of taking the job as chairman of the English department, he insisted on being given the authority to hire the faculty he worked with, which previously had been the headmaster’s prerogative. In this and other, less visible ways, he helped

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Guy Hughes, Milton Academy Faculty 1968–1997

“He took great pride in the fact that so many novelists and editors and playwrights and screenwriters…drew their first inspiration from the English and creative writing departments he built. But he could also be proud at the touch he demonstrated with kids who were more gifted at misbehaving than behaving.”

pave the way to a less autocratic School, more responsive not only to new and better approaches to education, but also to students themselves. In nearly 30 years in the classroom, he touched young people not through moral or political instruction, not by showmanship or didacticism, but by example, and through the calm instantiation of the values he held dear. For that and for parenting in the same way, he didn’t ask for credit or thanks—he really didn’t, not once that I can remember. In his retirement, Dad took an interest in feeding birds. He bought a pocket Audubon guide to help him name the ones who came to his basic feeder. The problem came when the squirrels arrived. No matter where he hung the feeder, the squirrels could leap to the base of it, knocking half the feed out, and then they would eat the rest in an afternoon. So he bought a better feeder, with an airborne squirrel-defense system. The squirrels cracked that one, too, and there followed a kind of arms race, with ever more advanced feeders penetrated by ever more clever squirrels. Eventually, my father decided to just keep all the feeders going at once. Some lovely birds would find their way to a meal, and, well, he would feed the squirrels, too. Who’s to say they deserve it less? And so it was in my father’s career and life. He took great pride in the fact that so many novelists and editors and playwrights and screenwriters, so many rare and wondrous birds, drew their first inspiration from the English and creative writing departments he built. But

he could also be proud at the touch he demonstrated with kids who were more gifted at misbehaving than behaving. A number of these boys and girls, now men and women, have come forward since he died to say, in essence, “I was a squirrel, and Guy Hughes changed my life.” Also of huge importance to him was to bring what Milton had to offer to unprivileged kids who had much to offer the School. It was in Dad’s nature to feed us all. Before hearing what people have expressed about him recently, I never really stood in awe of him, perhaps because I was not a student of his, not someone he coached or mentored, not a fellow Marine. He was just Dad, and he didn’t make himself imposing. For me he was a constant and even nearer presence, but also more subtle. But just two weeks before he died, his calming way with us kids showed itself more openly. He and my mother came down to visit New York, where I live, to celebrate his 75th birthday. And my sister Claire flew in from California on the redeye just to surprise him by showing up for dinner. A couple of days later, Dad sent my girlfriend and me a note. He wasn’t always one to express the deeper reservoirs within him, but I must say, we might all hope to get one letter like this in a lifetime. I want to share a bit of it, a passage in which, coincidentally, he lavishes Adelle and me with over-the-top praise. But I’m only quoting it because I think it says something about some of the things he cared about, and his students and colleagues will not be surprised.

so proud of you two. You are doing what I spent a lot of good years fighting for—love of the word, the image, and the makers of truth. And a heart for those who have too few champions. A calling worth living for. Excuse the soapbox pretension that is probably an attribute of aging. And not necessarily wisdom at all. Just hope.” What so moved me in that letter was of course partly that he was saying he believed in what I was doing. But most powerful of all was the sensitivity it showed to simply say it. He knew that I, like all of us, sometimes need to hear a few well-chosen words, and to feel on my back the hand of someone I love. All of us who knew him felt his hand on our backs. We can feel it still. Evan Hughes ’94

Guy Hughes died April 15, 2009. He was 75. Post Script is a department that opens windows into the lives and experiences of your fellow Milton alumni. Graduates may author the pieces, or they may react to our interview questions. Opinions, memories, explorations, reactions to political or educational issues are all fair game. We believe you will find your Milton peers informative, provocative and entertaining. Please email us with your reactions and your ideas at cathy_everett@ milton.edu.

My girlfriend and I are both freelance writers, and as many of you know, it can be a tough row to hoe. Dad writes, “I am

Milton Magazine

Sports Swinging for the Fences: Milton’s girls’ softball squad excels, and has fun doing it

This was a good year for Milton’s softball squad. The girls started their season with four straight wins—the team’s best start in over 10 years—and they beat a team that hasn’t fallen to the ’Stangs since most of the players were in diapers. Throughout the season they maintained a strong and consistent presence in the Independent School League (ISL), besting a line of tough competitors— Rivers, Brooks, Lawrence and Thayer—and finishing their season with a solid 11–3 record. Head Coach Amy Hickey attributes the team’s success to the Mustangs’ steady defense, consistency of pitchers, and patience at the plate. The success of the squad and its strong standing in the ISL even caught the attention of the Boston Globe this spring.

Fun-loving spirit buoys team: Milton Academy softball off to 5–1 start this season The rain spoiled any chance for the Milton Academy softball team to get in a game one day last week. Coach Amy Hickey used the break to squeeze in a brief practice in a light drizzle. Satisfied with the team’s effort, Hickey gathered the girls in a huddle and sent them home for the day. But they didn’t leave. Still dressed in their uniforms, they carried their belongings into the gym, munched on snacks, and listened to music. They danced to their favorite tunes and playfully ran around the gym. Hickey didn’t object. She is used to this fun-loving bunch. On a trip to Florida during spring break, they sang karaoke and played board games, all while getting ready for the season. Milton Academy is

Caitlin Hickey ’09, First Base 54

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off to a 5–1 start, its best in 10 years. The team is made up of 12 players from as far away as Florida and Canada. “I really think where we’re from isn’t the biggest part of who we are,” said senior pitcher Isa Gell-Levey of Florida. “I think we as a team just love each other, and in order to win, we just have to have fun. It’s the kind of people that we are that really makes us special.” A few of the higher-profile sports at Milton Academy may have success with recruiting, but with the softball team, Hickey tends to get athletes with raw talent. She has been with the program for nine years, the last six as head coach. In the early years, Hickey said, she would have to turn athletes into pitchers. “For us it’s tough to get kids away from places like Braintree, Milton or Taunton when those programs are so strong,” said Hickey, a Stoughton native who pitched at Holy Cross, graduating in 1990. Now she is finding that her athletes are not only coming into the program with experience but also are finding the time to play softball in the summer, helping with the overall skill of the team. Gell-Levey, a four-year varsity player, leads the team with a .619 batting average and also has 14 RBIs and two homers. On the mound, she has a 2.89 ERA with 23 strikeouts. When she isn’t pitching, she plays shortstop. In the years that Milton Academy may have struggled to find a pitcher, the team focused more on defense and that has paid off, according to Hickey’s daughter.

“We all have little things we yell when people are at the plate. I don’t know if other people think we’re crazy, but it’s fun. If we’re behind, some may think we should be upset and I think it gets into their heads.”

Isa Gell-Levey ’09, Pitcher

“I know a lot of schools rely on a great pitcher, and we have a great pitcher, but we don’t rely on her,” said Caitlin Hickey, who is a first baseman. “We pick each other up. Isa will strike a player out and that picks us up. That’s what happens for us all the time, and I think that’s a big reason for our success.” The spring trip served as a bonding experience and helped the players get to know some of the first-year players. Catcher Madison Gallagher, of Montreal, was recruited to play hockey at Milton Academy. She said it didn’t take long to feel a part of the softball team, and it wasn’t long before she and others were given nicknames. The team even developed a little cheer every time she has been at the plate, singing the first line of Canada’s national anthem. They admit they don’t know much more than, “O Canada…,” but they sing it anyway. “Everybody has something, so it’s funny,” Gallagher said. Outfielder Sophia Rabb of Weston said there are cheers for each player and they enjoy coming up with something quirky or creative.

The results are showing up for Milton Academy. Among the highlights this season was defeating Brooks, 8–5, on April 20. It was the program’s first win against the school in about 13 years. “We usually get blown away by them,” said sophomore third baseman Alana Dovner, of Middleborough. “We all wanted it a lot and after the first inning we just kept going and everything built up.” Throughout the season, Milton Academy has been able to rely on its consistent defense and timely hitting. Caitlin Hickey, who will play field hockey at Georgetown, is the team’s leadoff batter, hitting .500 with six RBIs. Other players chipping in include left fielder Alex Jaeger of Dover, who is hitting .381 with nine RBIs and two homers. She has a strong arm and several assists. Freshman shortstop Jane Ghublikian of Milton is hitting .417 with four RBIs. Rabb, Gell-Levey, Hickey, and Holly Mawn of Milton are the four seniors this year and have made an impact. “A big part of it is the confidence in my seniors,” Hickey said. “It trickles down. We picked up a couple of kids that were pretty good softball players…. We have had a strong incoming group of athletes and it’s made a difference.” Monique Walker Originally appeared in the Boston Globe South, April 26, 2009 ©2009 Globe Newspaper Company Milton Magazine

Inâ&#x20AC;˘Sight Student art around every corner

Milton Magazine

OnCentre Campus Alive with provocative, accomplished guests this spring Gratwick, a cellist and graduate of the Girls’ School, Class of 1924. Fostered through the present by family members, it has continued as an unbroken tradition for 79 years.

Bingham Visiting Reader Takes Students on Inaugural Voyage of Here and Gone

Internationally Renowned Takács Quartet Performs at Milton One of the world’s premier string quartets, the Takács Quartet, performed on campus on February 22 at the 79th Annual Gratwick Concert in Straus Library. The Takács Quartet performs 90 concerts a year worldwide, performing throughout Europe as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea. The quartet’s multi-award-winning recordings include the late quartets by Beethoven, which in 2005 won Disc of the Year and Chamber Award from BBC Music Magazine, a Gramophone Award and a Japanese Record Academy

Award. Their recordings of the early and middle Beethoven quartets collected a Grammy, another Gramophone Award, a Chamber Music of America Award, and two further awards from the Japanese Recording Academy (www.takacsquartet. com).

Dr. Donald Johnson—English professor and poet in residence at East Tennessee State University—was this spring’s Bingham Visiting Reader. Meeting with students in Class I and II, he read several pieces from his newly published collection of poetry titled Here and Gone. As he told the students, this reading was the “inaugural voyage” of the collection. Dr. Johnson describes Here and Gone as having an “elegiac feel to it”; the poems focus around “holding on to things, living in the moment, and how we try to keep things from slipping away.” Students were trans-

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Dr. Johnson has been a faculty member at East Tennessee State University for 25 years, where he served as English department chair for six years and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for seven. An avid sports fan and accomplished sportswriter, Dr. Johnson served for 16 years as general editor of Aethlon: the Journal of Sport Literature; he is now the publication’s poetry editor. He has published many articles on literature and sport in American culture and is the author of The Sporting Muse: A Critical Study of Poetry about Athletes and Athletics and the editor of Hummers, Knucklers, and Slow Curves: Contemporary Baseball Poems.

David Van Vactor, Ph.D., Milton Class of 1981, Visits Milton Science Classes “How Nerve Cells Find Their Destination” was Dr. David Van Vactor’s subject when he spoke to Milton science students this spring. According to Dr. Van Vactor, “The cues that guide neuronal processes to their ultimate sites of synaptic contact are crucial for establishing the complex architecture of the nervous system, yet are one of the oldest, most challenging issues in developmental neurobiology.” Dr. Van Vactor’s laboratory at Harvard Medical School is interested in finding the key molecules that control axon guidance

“Designed primarily to give students the rare opportunity to hear world-class artists in an intimate setting,” said Don Dregalla, music department chair, “the Gratwick concert is held in Straus Library, a beautiful room with unparalleled acoustics.” The Gratwick performance series was established by former Milton Academy faculty member Dr. Mitchell Gratwick as a gift to the School in memory of his wife, Katharine Perkins Dr. Donald Johnson

ported from the banks of the Tennessee River to Dr. Johnson’s mother’s kitchen as he read half a dozen selected poems from the collection.

and has volunteered with programs like the Camillus House Homeless Initiative in Miami, the Health through Walls International Health Outreach, and the Brookside Community Health Center in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Throughout her community volunteer projects, she has been an advocate for disadvantaged individuals and minority communities. She has written several articles in the

Dr. David Van Vactor ’81

and target recognition and, ultimately, in determining how they act in concert to specify the direction of axonal outgrowth. A member of the Harvard Medical School faculty, David Van Vactor was appointed assistant professor in cell biology in 1995, after completing his postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley. He received his undergraduate degree in behavioral biology from The Johns Hopkins University in 1985 and earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1991.

areas of mental health, radiology and family health, in addition to lecturing at numerous health care symposia (www.doh.state. fl.us). The Margo Johnson Lecture, named for Margo Johnson, headmistress of the Milton Academy Girls’ School from 1949–1982, brings accomplished women to the Milton campus.

Dedication of Elliott Commons Governor Charlie Crist appointed Dr. Viamonte Ros as secretary of the Florida Department of Health. Later that same year, under new legislation, she officially became Florida’s first state surgeon general—a woman and a Cuban-American in this new position. Surgeon General Viamonte Ros is committed to advancing health-care delivery systems in public health settings

avid Elliott Place ’39 celebrated his 70th Milton reunion—with family members, classmates and friends—by dedicating a well-loved campus gathering place to his grandfather, Josiah Richardson Elliott. The West Campus dining hall, now known as Elliott Commons, serves students living in Norris and Millet houses. David chose

to name this space for his grandfather, who inspired his spirit of supporting educational opportunities for others. David is honored to have a tangible memorial to his grandfather at his beloved School and hopes the naming reinforces in his children and others the importance and joy of philanthropy.

Florida’s First State Surgeon General Is Margo Johnson Endowed Speaker Ana M. Viamonte Ros P’02 ’04, state surgeon general of the Florida Department of Health, visited Milton this spring as the 2009 Margo Johnson Endowed Speaker. In January 2007, Ana M. Viamonte Ros P’02 ’04

D. Elliott Place ’72, Alexander Place ’07, Louise Place ’04, David ’39 and Josiah Richardson Place ’80. Milton Magazine

Unveiling a Gift for the Ages: John Wilson Etching of Dr. Martin Luther King

ilton Academy’s recently mounted etching of Martin Luther King is expressive, complex, intense and striking. The drawing of Dr. King is the work of artist John Wilson, born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1922. Mr. Wilson was selected in 1985 as the winning artist in a national contest to sculpt a bust of Martin Luther King for the U.S. Capitol Building. Mr. Wilson’s drawing—a study for the sculpture—was recalled by its original lending institution from a traveling exhibition sponsored by the Smithsonian celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and message. Artist, printmaker and Milton parent Jim Stroud suggested to Mr. Wilson that together they immortalize his drawing by rendering it as a copperplate etching. The marriage of drawing and copperplate was a challenging one. The two worked for months and developed successive, but less than satisfactory, results before the final image. In fact, 20 state proofs pulled from the copper-

plate witnessing the painstaking effort are now owned by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Jim Stroud and Janine Wong, parents of Ryder Stroud ’09, made the decision last month to give the Wilson etching to Milton. Milton was especially fortunate that John Wilson was able to join Jim, Janine, students and faculty as the work on the wall of the Cox Library was unveiled and admired. The renowned painter, sculptor and printmaker John Wilson graduated from Tufts University in 1947 and studied in Paris and Mexico City. He served as professor of art at Boston University from 1964 to 1986. Between 1951 and 1969 he won numerous awards in national exhibitions. His work is in the collections of the DeCordova Museum, the Smith College Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the University of Wisconsin. His most notable work, “Eternal Presence,” is at the Museum of the National Center of AfroAmerican Artists in Boston.

Artist John Wilson with donors and Milton parents Jim Stroud and Janine Wong

Classroom Dedicated to English Faculty Member Jim Connolly

he sunlit classroom well known to students and alumni, located in “the new” Warren Hall (formerly in the Link), is now officially dedicated to the teacher at the center of its table: Jim Connolly. Dottie Altman Weber ’60 and Steve Weber, parents of Meredith Weber ’04, made a generous gift to support Milton’s needs, and chose to honor Jim and recognize his work motivating and inspiring students to write, and

write well. Meredith, who began writing intensively at Milton, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008 and now works with the New Victory Theatre, a nonprofit theater for children and families in New York City.

salute from a valued mentor. Graduates of several decades can (and do) visit and find a past poem. Many of those early poets are novelists, playwrights, journalists, nonfiction writers and fi lmmakers today. Others simply write well and appreciate the power of the written word in their diverse lives every day.

Jim’s classroom walls have long been known as a gallery of poetry. The spreading collage of short works leaves little bare space; the honor of seeing your work on the wall is a thrilling

Jim Connolly, English Department 60

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Green Collars: Ian Cheney ’98 Meets Aspiring Ironworkers as They Meet His Film, The New Yorker Observes

spiring ironworkers in New York City must complete a three-year apprenticeship. They take classes two evenings a week and on occasional Saturdays, and they spend most of the third year practicing things like arc-welding single-V butt joints and slicing through inch-thick steel plates with oxyacetylene torches. One recent Wednesday evening, approximately two hundred of them arrived at the training center of Locals 40 and 361, on Thirty-sixth Street in Astoria, and encountered a scene of a type that has gladdened students’ hearts since the time of Thomas Edison: a classroom furnished with a screen and a movie projector. It was Earth Day, and in its observance the apprentices were going to be shown “The Greening of Southie,” a documentary about the construction of an environmentally friendly luxury apartment building in an old working-class neighborhood in Boston. Some of the third-year students were feeling nervous—the city’s licensing exam for welders was a week away, leaving them little time

for last-minute practice in the center’s welding booths, which resemble oversized shower stalls—but few could have been as nervous as Ian Cheney, who had directed the fi lm and agreed to introduce it. Making a movie about green construction is one thing; screening it for actual construction workers is another. Cheney wasn’t wearing steeltoed boots, a do-rag, or a split cowhide welding jacket, and his arms and neck were neither bulging with muscles nor heavily tattooed, and he had to warn the ironworkers that they might see people in the film wearing Boston Red Sox insignia. “If that’s shocking to you,” he said, “just close your eyes.” In one of the movie’s opening sequences, a foreman explains to a roomful of workers that, for environmental reasons, smoking will be prohibited, even during construction—and, as he says this, the workers look less like workers than like third-year acting apprentices who have mastered a variety of techniques for conveying bemused incredulity. As the project proceeds,

however, many of them become converts, or semi-converts—“I believe that shit is organic,” a roofer says as he spreads hot black glop. An ironworker named Bob Gottlich, who has so many earrings in his left ear that its rim looks like a riveting exercise, says that, before the project began, “I never heard about a green building,” but that turning junked cars into steel beams makes obvious sense. A dreadlocked laborer named Wayne Phillips—“It never really come across my mind to give the environment a good deep study”— brings his teen-aged daughter to the building so that she can see the water-saving dual-flush toilets. Carrie Mowbray, a woman who works for the company that hauls construction waste from the site, says she once thought that trying to be green was “dorky,” but that she has come around, and she has now had an image of a roll-out truck tattooed on her rear end—which she proves by pulling down the waistband of her jeans, earning appreciative applause from the apprentices. When the movie ended, Cheney asked for comments, and (he explained later) was pleasantly surprised. “I noticed there are a lot of imports,” one apprentice

said, referring to the fact that the project’s architect, despite a supposed preference for local materials, had specified bamboo flooring from China, hardwood decking from Bolivia, and plumbing fi xtures from Australia. Another apprentice said, “I didn’t see any passive solar on that building.” A third wondered whether there were any moisture-related issues involved in replacing fibreglass insulation with recycled cotton. A fourth asked about the comparative environmental impact of steel versus concrete, giving Cheney an opportunity to describe steel, which is easy to remelt and reuse, as “a quintessential green material.” Several ironworkers hung around afterward. Joseph Glynn, a secondyear apprentice—“I learned to weld in the Navy, and I joined the union through a program called Helmets to Hardhats”— followed up on the discussion of imports by describing the black exhaust smoke that is emitted by oceangoing vessels, most of which are powered by a form of petroleum called residual fuel oil. Cheney had brought a pile of stickers printed with the title of his fi lm and the slogan “Green and Proud,” and he invited the ironworkers to affi x them to their hard hats. Within ten minutes, all the stickers were gone. An instructor explained that ironworkers are enthusiastic collectors not only of stickers but of pins. Bryan Brady II, the director of training for Locals 40 and 361, said, “The future is going to be a lot different than it is now.” David Owen Copyright ©2009 Condé Nast Publications. All rights reserved. Originally published in The New Yorker. Reprinted by permission.

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Alumni Authors Recently published works

The Snakehead By Patrick Radden Keefe ’94 When a rusting old freighter called the Golden Venture crashed on a sandbar outside New York Harbor one moonless night in June 1993, many of the 300 Chinese passengers hidden inside came out on deck and began leaping into the churning surf, desperate to swim to dry land and win asylum. Park police patrolling a nearby beach heard screams coming from the ocean. A Coast Guard helicopter soon circled overhead, followed by TV crews, with spotlights capturing men and women on deck, some jumping and some scared to try. To the officers on site and to viewers watching on TV, it was equally stunning and mysteri-

ous: Who were these people? Who brought them here? How vast was this Asian migration? The gripping feel of this opening scene in The Snakehead, a brilliant account of illegal immigration by Patrick Radden Keefe, is just a first taste. What emerged that dark night was really the latest iteration of a classic American story: Passage from a distant homeland to this place of promise, replete with a harrowing journey across the sea, life-and-death risks, gritty determination and acts of desperation. The story endures, even if the circumstances change. In Keefe’s telling, the Chinese ordeal of immigration has many fresh dynamics. Powerful smugglers who arrange passage and violent street gangs that manage

the chattel split a lucrative take of $35,000 a head. There are edgy immigration agents, like the pugnacious Jerry Stuchiner, and savvy Chinese mob informants, like “The Fat Man.” There are idiotic immigration procedures, allowing felons to walk free while the vulnerable remain locked up. Keefe grasps many complex themes and weaves them into a compelling narrative. At the heart of his story lies a crafty woman known as Sister Ping (though she, and this book, might have been called “The Godmother”). An immigrant from Fujian province, she opened a small shop in New York’s Chinatown in 1982. Dressed like a shabby grandmother, with a hangdog expression, she hardly looked like a criminal mastermind. Yet she became adept, and then unmatched, as a “snakehead,” or smuggler of her compatriots. Using fake passports, cheap flights, blow-up rafts to cross rivers, and underground connections throughout Asia and Central America, she created an extensive assembly of operators who shepherded thousands of Chinese to America. Sister Ping achieved mythic status in Chinatown by granting favors and lending cash, convincing the helpless that she was a compassionate mobster. In her store, she also concocted a sideline money-transfer business, enabling immigrants to remit U.S. dollars to China without the annoying forms or restrictions of the Bank of China (whose branch sat across the street). From those laboring hard to send money home, she earned millions more.

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China’s economic bonanza, among other things, fueled a mania in Fujian for spending newfound money on elaborate ways to sneak into America. Demand for passage grew so fast that in the early ’90s Sister Ping began contracting out logistics. Middlemen packed people inside old freighters like the Golden Venture, with conditions akin to a slave ship. Keefe writes perceptively about how Sister Ping and other Asian gangsters differed from the Sicilian model that the FBI was used to following. Asian organized crime “did not adhere to any fi xed hierarchies or organizational structures,” Keefe notes. “Alliances and coalitions were fluid, ever-evolving.” Sister Ping reeled through a series of partners, none more fateful than a ruthless thug named Ah Kay. Ah Kay began as a common hood and had even robbed Sister Ping. When they met again in 1992 to coordinate a smuggling operation, Ah Kay apologized for his previous misdoing. “That happened in the past,” she said. “We’re talking business now.” Business aplenty. Eventually, the cash flowed too fast. Rivalries within Ah Kay’s gang led to shootings. Ah Kay had to go hide in China. Two of his brothers were killed outside a safe house in Teaneck, New Jersey, ruining Ah Kay’s plans to off-load a ship that was about to land, which turned out to be the Golden Venture, which is why it went awry and reached our TV screens. As a reporter who covered the Golden Venture and its aftermath, I was mystified by its many unanswerable riddles. The early rumor that smugglers had ordered the ship’s crew to deliberately run it aground, for

instance, made no sense. But now, with Keefe’s painstaking reconstruction of the sequence of mishaps that led to that night, the crash-landing and other aspects of human trade become clear. As it turned out, 10 people died fleeing the ship, a handful escaped, some won asylum after years in detention and many others were sent back to China. Ah Kay was arrested in Hong Kong in August 1993, instantly dissolving his alliance with Sister Ping. Now it was her turn to hide in China. It took the feds several years to track her down and finally nab her in a sting operation at Hong Kong’s airport, which Keefe describes with brio. In custody, Sister Ping was no match for Ah Kay. Facing charges related to human smuggling and many lesser counts, she claimed innocence. Ah Kay, who confessed to multiple murders and became a master informant about unsolved crimes, was the star witness at her trial in 2005. Sister Ping was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years. Ah Kay was set free. Keefe’s mastery of this chapter of our ongoing immigration saga is impressive. He muses thoughtfully about its many conundrums and highlights how our ethos of welcoming the persecuted gets soured by bad policy and the pervasive exploitation of the helpless. There will be more chapters, no doubt, but this one was pretty riveting. Seth Faison Originally appeared in The Los Angeles Times August 14, 2009

The Web of Empire: English Cosmopolitans in an Age of Expansion, 1560–1660 By Alison Games ’81 While there is no orthodox method for teaching in history and the social sciences at Milton, everyone in our department insists that students engage critically and actively with challenging questions every day in our classes. In her new book, The Web of Empire: English Cosmopolitans in an Age of Expansion, 1560–1660, Alison Games models this approach to the study of history brilliantly. She seeks to explain how, in little more than 100 years, England went from being on the metaphorical and physical fringe of European economic and political expansion to becoming an imperial power of undisputed magnitude. This challenging question has been approached in many ways; intriguingly, Alison seeks out the social, political and intellectual underpinnings that made such a shift both conceivable and possible. Alison, the Dorothy M. Brown Professor of History at Georgetown University, sifts through the private and public accounts of English (and some Scottish) cosmopolitans of the 16th and 17th centuries. She shows how they collectively created a climate of opinion and a reservoir of experience in which the seeds of empire could germinate, paving the way for the more statedriven, nationalistic expansion of the British Empire of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

These cosmopolitans, as Professor Games illustrates, were a diverse collection of men and (a few) women, who, for an equally diverse gamut of motivations, traveled the globalizing world of the 16th and 17th centuries. While most pursued trade, first in the Mediterranean and later in the Far East and the Americas, many of these cosmopolitans journeyed the world to propagate their religion. Some sought education; and many served as sailors or mercenaries. In each case, they gained valuable insights about the increasingly interconnected world and learned how to navigate it. Alison contends that these cosmopolitans’ enterprises fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, and that we can appreciate the richness and impact of their experiences by viewing their endeavors from a global vantage point.

today. Alison Games’s engaging book is a fine example of how this can be done. Her examination of the cosmopolitans’ published travel guides; formal communications to the merchant corporations they served; and their letters to churches, family and, occasionally, to the Crown, not only support the case she makes, but also put a human face on this formative moment. The Web of Empire is successful on many fronts. It adds greatly to the existing scholarship on the subject, promotes a global approach to the study of history, and offers the reader an enjoyable and engaging account of a fascinating collection of individuals. James Mills History Department

Connecting seemingly unrelated happenings and ideas to explain the causes of major events, and approaching questions from a global perspective, are both critical components of history and social science teaching at Milton

Milton Magazine

Swimming With Crocodiles By Will Chaffey ’86 From Boston to the Kimberley is a long way. In fact, the Kimberley Ranges are a long way from anywhere. In 1988, a thirst for freedom and adventure brought a young Bostonian named Will Chaffey to one of the most remote and rugged places on the planet— a wilderness twice the size of Victoria, on the north-west corner of the Australian continent.

Unnatural Deaths By Robert G. Fuller, Jr. ’57 Milton in the 1950s provided an excellent grounding in the English language. Robert G. Fuller, Jr., Esq. ’57 has built on that foundation, as well as his experiences since Milton, to craft his first mystery novel, Unnatural Deaths. Robert lived and practiced law in Maine for over 35 years; thus, rural Maine provides a natural setting for much of his novel. The New England state is a fortuitous setting in that it underscores a major theme of the work: the contrast between the honest, hard-working, generous people of Maine (and particularly the state’s law-enforcement community) and the harsh, selfish, brutal culture of the mob that violates those ideals. Robert’s tale illustrates a clash of these cultures, rife with danger and mystery, and keeps the reader turning pages while rooting for the “good guys” through a plot with many twists and turns. The author has developed a keen eye and a sensitive ear for Maine’s culture and its people; he demonstrates a similar understanding of the tough and unsavory characters of the criminal mob. Often presented

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with a wry wit, Robert’s characters quickly materialize for the reader. Even the most minor character is clearly drawn in a few brief lines. Who could not visualize, and with a chuckle, the Mafia wife who “came out of the kitchen still in her sea foam green bathrobe and matching slippers. Her immense hair curler rolls gave her the appearance of some sort of green-clad alien creature. She marched to the door and glowered at the [federal] marshals”? While much of the characterization and witty description likely came naturally to Robert, he has clearly done a good deal of research in order to master, and cogently present, the difficult, and often tedious, lawenforcement work that solves crimes. While the book is fiction, the vivid detail and realistic descriptions could easily convince the reader that he’s following a lively account of actual events. Unnatural Deaths will have you turning its pages and resenting anything that intrudes on your time with the book. I commend Robert Fuller for such an entertaining first endeavor into the field. I hope it will not be his last. David Lewis ’61

For Chaffey and his companion Geoff Cunningham, a mysterious fellow American he met in the outback, an attempt to be the first white people to explore the wild Prince Regent River region—and be the first to photograph Australia’s rarest snake, the rough-scaled python— became a desperate struggle for survival. Yet while the Kimberley almost claimed his life, Chaffey fell in love with the country and his affection remains undiminished. He has written a book about his experiences in the Kimberley, Swimming With Crocodiles, and he goes there often in his dreams. Today, Chaffey lives in San Francisco. He’s 39, married with two children, and has a successful career with Apple Inc.

In 1988, aged 18, he had graduated from Milton Academy, a prestigious Boston private school, but had not been accepted into university and considered himself a failure. Aimless and despondent, he decided he needed a change of scenery—somewhere a world away from frosty, straight-laced New England. Somewhere like Australia. He worked as a farm labourer to save the air fare, then, with a backpack, a duffel bag and $US1000 in travellers’ cheques, much to his parents’ distress he set off alone for the great southern continent. Why Australia? From his San Francisco home, Chaffey explains: “Everybody had seen Crocodile Dundee, but mainly what motivated me was that I wanted to go where there weren’t a whole lot of people.” Travelling solo didn’t trouble him. “I went to boarding school, so I was used to fending for myself,” Chaffey says. “I’d travelled all over Manhattan as a teenager, on my own, and had seen all sorts of things there that you probably shouldn’t see when you’re a kid.” Touchdown Cairns. Chaffey found himself in a strange land with no plans, no contacts, no place to stay. Hitchhiking for

the first time in his life, headed for nowhere in particular, he discovered the deafening silence of the outback, realising he had spent his entire life within earshot of busy highways and the hum of the city. He marvelled at the clear night sky where the stars were upside down, tasted his first Australian beer, encountered kangaroos, crocodiles, snakes and assorted colourful characters, notably a 30-something, softly spoken, bearded drifter named Geoff Cunningham. The enigmatic Cunningham— who pretended to be Canadian but was actually American, and whose name wasn’t really Geoff—had been wandering the back blocks of Australia since the early 1980s. He was wellread, opinionated and an expert on reptiles. The pair clicked, and together hatched a bold plan. They would hitch a ride on a mail plane to the Kimberley region of Western Australia, then walk from the headwaters of the Prince Regent River to King Cascade Falls on the coast. Along the way they hoped to capture on fi lm the rare rough-scaled python, never before photographed alive. Then they would simply flag down a passing luxury cruiser and return to civilisation in style, having notched up a first for science and the credit of being the first white people to explore the area. But it didn’t work out that way. In two expeditions, totalling 90 days, they picked their way through the rugged Prince Regent River country. On the second expedition, in the wet season of 1989, after walking for 42 days to the coast, amid stifling heat and continual violent thunderstorms, the boat they expected to collect them did not arrive due to a cyclone. After waiting 10 days, with nothing left to eat but grasshoppers and wild figs, the pair had no choice but to trek 270-kilometres to the nearest cattle station—a gruelling journey

through a harsh landscape of steep gorges, dense rainforest, endless escarpments and crocodile-infested waters. And nary a sign of the rough-scaled python. At last, hollow-eyed and starving, they staggered into Mount Elizabeth Station. Chaffey, a fit 77 kilograms at the start of the journey, was 16 kilograms lighter. Still, they had lived to tell the tale, and parted company vowing to keep in touch. Chaffey would regain his health, return to America and get on with life, but something within him had changed forever. In his memoir of the adventure, Chaffey writes: “Australia had changed my perception of the world in a way I had not thought possible when setting out.” Says Chaffey: “It freed my mind in so many ways. It started out being about the python and about being the first to traverse the headwaters of the Prince Regent, but in the end it was about freedom. I felt a lot freer in Australia.” He admits to many fearful moments. They heard strange noises in the night. Had they disturbed Aboriginal spirits by sheltering in caves adorned with Wandjina figures and totem spirits? “You have that sixth sense [of being watched] after you’ve been out in the bush for a couple of weeks,” Chaffey says. “And you really were scared for your life when the dark clouds rolled over and the lightning came bap, bap, bap, bap, like a giant bug zapper.” However, it was the living, not spirits, who were more worrying—serial killer Joseph Schwab was on the loose. Dubbed the Kimberley Killer, Schwab murdered five people before being cornered and gunned down by police. Cunningham’s advice was to avoid other people, Chaffey says. “Geoff would always say ‘If they can’t see you they can’t

kill you.’ That’s pretty good advice in the outback. But the scariest moment for sure was when I dropped my pack into the water at the base of the King Cascade and realised I either had to climb down there and get it or starve to death.” His pack had fallen into the water at the very spot where, in 1987, an American tourist named Ginger Meadows was taken by a crocodile. “I had seen the crocodiles’ marks in the mud and that was the moment when I thought ‘Oh God, this could be it!”’ Chaffey says. It wasn’t, luckily, but crocs still haunt Chaffey’s dreams. “One dream I had, just before I got married, was that I was standing beside a billabong when a crocodile all of a sudden leapt out and bit me on the hand, right on the ring finger,” he says. “It was pulling me in when I woke up.” He’s not sure what a psychoanalyst would make of that. Or this: “I have other dreams where I have to run across their backs.” As for the elusive rough-scaled python, Australian Reptile Park herpetologist John Weigel found and photographed it in 2001. “He took a helicopter out there to find it,” Chaffey chuckles. Chaffey says he would love to return to the Kimberley, but “I’d bring a little more rice and a little more muesli this time.”

Independent and Self-Published Books The Mental Environment by Bob Gebelein ’52 My Late Mother as a Ruffed Grouse, poems by Will Nixon ’75 World Voyagers: A True Story of a Veterinarian, a Renaissance Man, and Stewart the Cat by Dr. Amy Wood ’76 and Philip J. Shelton Language is Music: Over 70 Fun and Easy Tips to Learn Foreign Languages by Susanna Zaraysky ’94 Travel Happy, Budget Low: 200 Money Saving Tips to See the World by Susanna Zaraysky ’94

When his children, now aged seven and eight, turn 18, would he let them wander off adventuring as he had done at that age? He ponders the question a while, then says, “If it was to a place like the outback of Australia I would say yes. If it was a place like Manhattan I would say no.” Terry Smyth Originally printed in The Sun Herald (Sydney, Australia) May 4, 2008

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examining poetry, and her pleasure in reading and academic discovery is clear. Her lyricism in her critical perspective is consistent throughout the text. “The poem unrolls, for the most part, in a moral twilight only stabbingly illuminated by the glare of sacrificial flames, pyres, torches, and—more rarely—the radiance cast by a goddess.” Her analysis reflects her own poetic voice and point of view.

Fables of the Self By Rosanna Warren ’71 Exploring poetry and prose often leads to uncovering the notion of self hood. In Fables of the Self, Rosanna Warren provides nuanced literary interpretation that acknowledges and examines the relationship between words on a page and the self hood of the writer and the reader. She offers an eloquent and elegant literary perspective. Rosanna opens her book by asking, “What is the self imagined, tested, symbolized, and performed in literature? What does it look like, sound like, feel like?” Rosanna is acutely aware of the implications of these questions in contemporary culture and the way that notions of self hood evolve, writing “I take these questions to be all the more urgent in the climate of aggressive literalism and therapeutic self-proclamation in the United States in the early twenty-first century. Furthermore, the imagined self behaves and means differently from one era and

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one literary culture to another.” Rosanna’s nuanced understanding of these different cultures and eras serves as an organizing principle of her analysis. The first of three sections in her text is devoted to antiquity, titled “Antiquity at Present.” Before Rosanna turns her analytical lens outward toward the themes prevalent in antiquity, examining poets as seemingly diverse and chronologically separate as Sappho and Louise Gluck, she reminds the reader that her own voice is the primary “self” in her analysis. The first chapter (“Midi”) paints a scene of a young Rosanna Warren living on the Mediterranean coast of France. Rosanna acknowledges the way that these early experiences, such as those presented in “Midi,” helped to shape her encounters with literature. In fact, she is careful to note that her “readings are literary and subjective rather than academic, though scholarship and criticism have helped to shape them.” Rosanna’s criticism reflects her technical mastery in

In Part II, Rosanna turns her lens toward France, examining the idea of “I as another” through the works of Mallarmé, Max Jacob and Gérard de Nerval. Mallarmé serves to shape many of Rosanna’s ideas, and she acknowledges Mallarmé as a “shadow master” who “preside[s] over the book.” Rosanna explores the relationship between Picasso and Jacob, noting the connection between the radical evolution in visual arts and the similar kinds of creative maneuvers executed by poets like Jacob. “Jacob used (and invented) disorienting avant-garde techniques to dissolve the social and psychological ‘ego’ and to open the spirit to revelations beyond conventions of self hood that his rational and materialistic culture provided.” Rosanna provides her reader with concrete connections between Jacob’s life and his poetry. In Part III, Rosanna shifts her lens from France, turning toward “Poetry and Conscience: ‘I’ at Work.” Rosanna focuses closely on the second “shadow master” of the text, Thomas Hardy. This section, which includes writings on Dante, Melville and Hardy, concretely acknowledges her father, former poet laureate Robert Penn Warren. “The nearest I come to acknowledging ‘Americanness’ in this book is in the chapter on Melville, which is also an homage to my father.” Rosanna seems aware that in exploring the self in her literary criticism, her family emerges. “I should say a word more about the idea

of home. I grew up in a literary family; by what I think of as an accident of biology, my parents were well-known writers. As a young person in love with stories and poems from an early age, I came to struggle with the self-consciousness induced by a growing sense of literature as the parental preserve….So my parents are lightly present in this book, and I hope it will be felt that they are there so I can properly acknowledge genuine debts.” Although Rosanna presents the chapter on Melville as an “homage to her father,” the tone remains focused on the idea of “self hood” in the writing, particularly in the arena of conscience. Rosanna concludes her text with a “Coda” that returns her work to a palpably personal place, providing excerpts from her own “notebook recording [her] absorption of the death of [her] father.” “Coda” reasserts for the reader Rosanna’s primary theme of self, particularly the self hood of the reader, through whose lens the writing comes to life. The contents of Parts I through III, produced by Rosanna over a quarter of a century, demonstrate the breadth of her analytical and creative work. Rosanna’s criticism is fresh and technical, reflecting her genuine joy in reading and writing poetry. Through this joy Rosanna truly reveals herself. Nicole Colson English Department

Richard Perry ’73 Milton Academy Board of Trustees, 1996–2009

Tracy Pun Palandjian ’89 Milton Academy Board of Trustees, 2001–2009

ichard Perry ’73 will tell you that he sees himself as a contrarian. He has asked his fair share of tough questions, that’s true. He likes questions that provoke real thinking, that surface real answers. “Why?” and “How?” are frequent rejoinders. But if Richard hadn’t asked some of those questions, Milton would not be the Milton we know today. In fact, his most important question of 1996 was “Why not?” That’s when his real identity emerged: he is a catalyst. One January night he “catalyzed” the Athletic and Convocation Center. With the building still a plan on paper, in a room full of trustees struggling with a go or no-go decision, Richard made the case. He loosed the wheels, made the vision palpable, made the achievement seem possible. While many trustees brought the building to life, Richard’s zeal fueled the decision to put the spade in the ground. Richard’s honesty, it turns out, works for Milton in many ways. As chair of the Student Life Committee, he was determined to learn what students thought. Did Chapel make sense? Were weekend activities what people needed and wanted? We could count on Richard, also, on the External Relations Committee and on the Enrollment Committee, to slice through the data and the text and get to the key issues about decisions, direction and outcome. He was rigorous on Milton’s behalf, and he served Milton well. Sensitive to the challenges and the opportunities involved in cultivating a truly diverse community, Richard wanted students to tell him how it felt to be here. He, in turn, spoke from his heart on trustee panels

racy’s optimism and her eagerness to engage on any and all things Milton makes her a top candidate for committees, projects and plans of all kinds. Add to that Tracy’s store of versatile intellectual and organizational talents, and you simply don’t want to do anything without her. She has seen the inside of many a meeting room during her eight years as a trustee.

Richard Perry ’73

at alumni weekend, and in his home, where he has graciously shared his art and himself with potential Milton students for many years. He stoked the camaraderie among trustees as well, hosting dinners that helped them know one another and enjoy their work for Milton. Richard’s generosity extends in many directions; over the years it has supported the intangible essentials of a Milton education and has taken visible form as well. Few gifts are as dramatic or memorable as the remarkable sculpture created by Milton’s own Sarah Sze ’87 in the Schwarz Student Center. Sarah’s work is praised on several continents, Richard thought; it should be a presence at her alma mater. Not only is Richard a generous lead donor, he has served a number of our heads of school for 16 years as a thought-provoking and wise advisor, ready and willing to weigh in and add his respected voice. We are grateful to Richard for his vigorous and effective advocacy for Milton, and we know we can count on that connection to Milton for years to come.

Keenly aware of Milton’s presentation to the world beyond campus, Tracy was tapped to co-chair the External Relations Committee. She had already proven her insight in advancing Milton’s strength by being one of the first alumni to set up the Young Graduates Endowment Fund for scholarship support. Tracy did this in 1999, on the occasion of her 10th reunion, and urged her classmates to follow suit. As a trustee, she graciously hosted alumni at an early campaign consultation event, and later, welcomed alumni and parents to a gathering in Hong Kong. Tracy’s life as a student at Milton resonates with many of her activities on the board. She tracked the quality of students’ Milton experience on the Student Life Committee, and she consistently championed diversity and efforts to build and sustain a community where students who represented great differences could thrive together. She always loved art, and Milton students will forever be thankful for that. One of Tracy’s many great ideas was suggesting that her board colleague, Richard Perry ’73, might commission the renowned artist from Tracy’s years, Sarah Sze ’87, to create a sculpture for the Schwarz Student Center. Richard Perry lost no time in making that sculpture a reality

Tracy Pun Palandjian ’89

and the plaque dedicating “The Edge of One of Many Circles” honors Tracy’s transformative idea. The Investment Committee is yet another working group at Milton whose crucial strategic effort over the last several years benefited from Tracy’s resourcefulness. As trustees carefully reallocated Milton’s endowment and recruited new investment managers, Tracy’s awareness and insight proved valuable to her colleagues and to Milton. In fact, Tracy will continue to work with Milton’s investment team after her term concludes. When Tracy joined the board in 2001, she was the youngest trustee on the board by a good measure. She represented a new generation of Milton alumni prepared to dedicate themselves to sustaining Milton’s identity and experience into the future. We are most grateful for Tracy’s consistent spirit, energy and focus on Milton.

Milton Magazine

Retiring Faculty

Kerry Murphy Healey Joins the Board

Marie-Annick Schram Milton Academy Faculty 1990–2009

erry Murphy Healey, mother of Alex ’11 and Averill ’13, was elected to the Milton Academy Board of Trustees on April 24, 2009. Kerry Healey has been active in the life of the School, building her awareness about Milton and helping further Milton’s institutional goals in numerous ways. Last fall, the Healeys hosted an admission reception in their home, welcoming Boston-area prospective families for an evening program. This winter, at the students’ request, Kerry Healey spoke about Afghanistan at an Upper School Public Issues Board dessert. Dr. Healey has been involved in training and providing expertise to female judges, lawyers and public officials in Afghanistan through the Public Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, founded by Condoleezza Rice. Its goal is “[connecting] judges, lawyers, and academics in Afghanistan to judges, lawyers, and academics in the U.S.” Dr. Healey is a member of the Head of School’s Council. This spring, she attended the Boston “Ad Council Lunch Series” that brings donors and administrators together for insight into Milton’s operation and direction. Kerry and her husband, Sean, have been generous supporters of Milton’s priorities. Dr. Healey is the former lieutenant governor of Massachusetts and was a gubernatorial candidate in 2006. She is a graduate of Harvard University, earned her Ph.D. from Trinity College in Dublin, and has participated in the Fellows Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Milton Magazine

arie-Annick has been what in French is known as the animatrice, or the soul, of the French department at Milton for nearly 20 years. Since 1990 she has made her daily trek from Cambridge, arriving before most of us, leaving her classroom door open, as if to signal a welcome to every student willing to embrace her own passion, energy and high expectations. Marie-Annick is a master teacher. If a Milton teacher needs to “light a fire under the students,” Marie-Annick sets her students ablaze. She inspires the best, as well as the less talented and less motivated students. She not only gives them a sound foundation, she gives them momentum, a hunger for learning, the feeling that the best of their French studies lies ahead. They do not complete a language requirement with her, they start it. Students find irresistible her rigorous training coupled with that perennial delight in the glories of French culture. A stalwart department member, Marie-Annick has often kept our rudder true, standing firm as a defender of teaching the classics and upholding standards that must be maintained in a language program such as Milton’s. She complements that role with a wonderfully patient and affirming style that nurtures her students and draws them in. Marie-Annick’s mission to share with students an authentic experience of the language has always extended beyond the classroom. The Haitian students of the Berea Academy in Mattapan will long remember her involvement with them. Her booth at the springtime

than any high school student.” Her colleagues say, “MarieAnnick oozes charm, and with her Gallic wit, she can say anything to anyone.” “Who has not adored her bons mots, thrilled to her high spirits, or felt somehow graced by her presence at Milton. She could be the champagne at any gathering, and many of her colleagues will never forget her organizing a cancan or a serenade of ‘La vie en rose’ at their going-away parties.”

Maire-Annick Schram

CultureFest has proven indispensable to gourmandizing participants. With her wildly popular French Club, she has turned out a generation of crepe flippers and cultivated some of the most devoted members of any club on campus. With student Francophiles spilling out into the hall from Ware 523, she still pulls in anyone else walking down the corridor to take part in the festivities. What’s more, she has made the French Exchange not only an enormous success, but a vital part of French studies at Milton. In the words of one of her students, “Madame Schram played a lead role in defining my Milton experience. She has this remarkable ability to nurture and stimulate students of all ages. She created a world in class that was so separate from the humdrum of grades and assignments, and she infused her classes with so much personality that her students not only improved their French, but developed a personal connection to and adoration of Madame. I think this ability to inspire students is the ultimate skill of a tremendous teacher. Madame also has more energy

Another colleague, musing about Marie-Annick, remarks, “She is everything the words ‘a French woman’ conjure up in one’s imagination—wise in affairs of the heart, in affairs of the world, and an incorrigible flirt. I see her at 90, sitting on a banquette in a chic bistro where she has come to console a younger woman treated shabbily by a handsome cad. As the younger woman weeps, Marie-Annick offers her a handkerchief, shaking her head knowingly and whispering, ‘Ah, l’amour, l’amour...’ Move over Jeanne Moreau.” We will long revel in the wonderful memories that she has created for us. We will miss her terribly and wish her au revoir et bonne chance! James Ryan, chair, Department of Modern Languages (in collaboration with Bernard Planchon, Ana Colbert, George Fernald, Bill Moore and John Charles Smith) June 9, 2009

Rick Hardy Long of Milton Academy, New Head of School at Concord Academy English Department, 1983–2007; Chair, 1999–2000 and 2001–2005 Upper School Principal, 2000–2001 and 2005–2007; Head of School, 2007–2009

here are not many of us left who can remember Rick Hardy’s first day at Milton, but I am one of them. He arrived for his interview one spring morning in 1983 and showed up to observe my freshman English class, which was reciting memorized passages from Shakespeare. The play was Henry IV, Part One. Rick and I sat in one corner and most of the performers cowered in the other, peeping their lines with the sole intention of being inaudible and quick. Then a boy got up to do the speech in which Hotspur indignantly denies that he has withheld prisoners of war belonging to the king. He marched across the room, gesticulating, and got right in our faces, as Hotspur gets in Henry’s. He broke the fourth wall into rubble. Rick loved it. He had an interest in theater—of which, more later. But as we talked after class, I realized that he had an even greater interest in seeing kids discover new roles for themselves. One freshman boy knew he could do something that he hadn’t known he could do before, and watching that breakthrough take place had pleased, amused and warmed Rick. By the time I handed him on to his next appointment, I had no doubt that he was going to be a Milton Academy teacher and a colleague with whom I could share all the pleasures of the profession—and probably the trials as well. Rick did become a Milton teacher, and a supremely accomplished and flexible one. What the department needed, he did and did well. He subscribed completely to the principle that you teach the kids in front of you and don’t waste time wishing they were smarter, better motivated, or more cooperative. He had no elitist notions about the prestige of teaching older kids,

Rick Hardy, Milton Academy faculty for over 25 years

and got just as much enjoyment from mud wrestling with middle schoolers as he did from helping a party of juniors scale the cerebral heights of Henry James. His last teaching assignment—selfimposed—was the Persuading course for sophomores, a haven for struggling writers whom he met head-on with exactly the kind of patient, insistent structure they needed. Figuring out what kids needed was the art of teaching for Rick. He did it with both my sons, who needed very different things, and he did it just as sensitively with any number of others. I remember another freshman boy whose efforts to deal with a demanding, difficult and sick father left him almost completely unable to do academic work. The kid was a mess and many would have thrown up their hands, but Rick nudged him gently along until he could sustain himself. Naturally, Rick knew when to be tough, too, often upping the ante with a touch of sharp humor. When seniors in the Non-Fiction Writing course, of which he was one of the original designers, were gathering information for their feature articles, he regularly roasted them for what he called “Barcalounger reporting,”

pointing out that anything you can reach from your recliner is what readers already know. He once had an advisee who had transgressed 99 times but was promising a total reformation that would surely prevent the hundredth. As ready as anyone to believe that the next leaf will really be a new one, Rick nevertheless urged the faculty to be both skeptical and vigilant. He read us a portion of his advisor report, addressed to the kid. In it, he recalled slyly that he, Rick Hardy, had cut his teeth as a teacher in Missouri, the “Show Me” state. The report went on to suggest that the time for empty resolutions had now passed, then rose to a stinging crescendo: “Show me, T. J., show me.” Of course, teaching was the main event, but Rick quickly made his presence felt in all areas of Milton life. He coached soccer, baseball and softball enthusiastically, mixed it up with colleagues on the basketball court, and was an opponent of formidable reach and power in tennis and squash. As they were starting their own family, he and Del served for six years as the heads of Goodwin and Faulkner houses; I remember the congratulatory banners that the girls put up when Aidan was born. Then there was the theatrical career, which ranged from assembly skits with Bill Moore to faculty renditions of such classics as The Zoo Story, The Rivals and Long Day’s Journey into Night. Carlotta Zilliax, who helpfully traced this part of Rick’s C.V. for me, comments that “in light of the future role he was to play in the school administration, I especially remember his playing the Solomon-like judge Azdak in Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle. Unconventional to say the least—he thought the best use of law books was to sit on them— Azdak ultimately made common-

sense judgments and of course awarded the disputed child to the woman who loved it best.” Rick did move on to exchange the almost unnoticeable, minuteby-minute decision-making of the classroom for the weightier and more public version that administrators are required to practice. He served two tours of duty as English department head and two as Upper School principal. Then, when heaven seemed to be falling and earth’s foundations about to abscond, he bravely stepped in as head of school to hold the pieces together. School leadership has become geometrically more complex since the days when Frank Boyden could decide unilaterally everything about Deerfield’s present and future and still find time to coach three varsity sports, work the plugs on the switchboard, and ride around in his golf cart picking up trash. Running any school is hard enough, and running a school in which most of the faculty are your former colleagues must occasionally seem like a special kind of torment. The disputed children are many, and at various times over the past two years, not all of us have been happy with the disposition of one or another of them. But even at the most heated moments, I noticed one constant: Rick came to lunch every day. When the temptation to make do with a snack in the office must have been greatest, he cheerfully traversed the minefield of Forbes, seizing another opportunity to keep necessary connections alive. Thank you, Rick—for shouldering the burden of office, for holding on steadfastly through turbulent times, and for everything you have given to Milton over the past 26 years. David Smith English Department Chair Milton Magazine

Class Notes 1939 Evan Calkins reports, “Although I am semi-retired, I still practice medicine (rheumatology) three days a week. Virginia and I still live on our 18-acre farm with horses, chickens and sheep, assisted from time to time by delegations of our nine children and 30 grandchildren.” George S. Richardson, MD, was re-elected for a third term as a trustee of the Nahant Library. He belonged to a poetry workshop for more than ten years at Lesley University, where he has about 200 poems on fi le. George is a bass in his church’s 12-person choir, and also sings in the Marblehead Festival Chorus.

1942 John Carey produces a weekly report called “United Nations Week: News and Views” distributed via email, which is also presented on local television channels in Rye, New York; Greenwich, Connecticut; White Plains, New York; and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Drawing on John’s experience as an alternate U.S. member of

the U.N. Human Rights SubCommission, the reports comment on coverage of the U.N. by national media. John can be reached at j_pcarey@verizon.net.

1944 Bill Childs’s wife of 57 years, Jean Mallory Childs, died of pneumonia in January 2009. Bill’s hope of coming to Milton for reunion was shelved due to a trip to the Pacific Northwest this past June. Fiona Munro Stockwell has moved to a retirement community in Walpole, Massachusetts, after 51 years in Dover. She celebrates 57 years of marriage, three children, seven grandchildren and no complaints.

1945 Bill Carey, MD, has been in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for over 50 years focusing his research on understanding the nature, origins, clinical significance, and appropriate management of differences in children’s temperament. His book for parents on this subject is Understanding Your

Class of 1944, seated (left to right): Franny Weeks, Elsie Apthorpe, Virginia Bourne; standing (left to right): Tom Wales, Stan Bourne, Sam Adams, Bill Weeks, Ted Reynolds

Child’s Temperament. Bill is the senior editor of the fourth edition of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, the original textbook in the new subspecialty. Elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1984, Bill believes he is the only WWII veteran still on active staff at the hospital.

1948 The Captain Forbes House Museum in Milton honored past trustee Bradley Richardson on May 28, 2009, for his longstanding membership on the board and his chairmanship of the Lincoln Committee, which oversees the museum’s presidential collection. Among those present were Milton classmates Robert White and Peter Lawson.

1949

Class of 1939, seated (left to right): Bill Apthorpe, Henry Walcott, Henry Mixter, Dudley Lamson; standing (left to right): David Place, George Richardson, Evan Calkins, Galen Stone 70

Milton Magazine

Michael Henderson reports, “Erica and I were married in 1966. We have one daughter, Juliet, who teaches at Hotchkiss School, and two granddaughters, Lola (5) and Lucy (3). My last two books (of 10) are See You after

the Duration, which includes a lot about the Academy, and No Enemy to Conquer: Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World, published in 2009 (foreword by the Dalai Lama).” Bayard Henry writes, “Sixty years [since Milton] and three offspring—ages 50, 48 and 44, daughter and two sons in that order—have presented us with three grandsons and five granddaughters in same order. Grandchildren are easier than children.” John B. Hewett reports, “Of particular interest and focus for me these past 15 years has been our local chamber orchestra, the Williamsburg Symphonia. Seeing it grow from a local affair to an orchestra with a sold-out season and great regional reputation has been very satisfying.” Kate (Katharine) More writes, “My paintings are out there. Occasionally someone buys one; occasionally I get a commission. I paint mostly in oils, but also in watercolors. I am illustrating a story I’ve written, of which there is prospect of publication.”

The Stone family gathered at Great Hill in Marion, Massachusetts, last summer in honor of the 100th anniversary of Galen L. Stone ’39 and David Stone’s ’45 grandfather buying this picturesque property. Pictured from left to right are Sam B. Stone ’05, Jacquie B. Stone ’02, Margaret Trumbull Nash ’71, David B. Stone ’45, Lea B. Trumbull Ferris ’68, Anne Brewer Stone ’42, Henry A. Stone ’54 and Daniel D. Stone ’01.

Peter Runton retired last year and moved to Canada, where he can live an “outdoor life.” He’s fishing, hunting, hiking, sailing and has joined a curling club and a shooting club.

1951 Unfortunately, arthritis has kept Josephine Saltonstall DuBois from participating in the sports she loves, but she still sings in several groups and loves teaching sailing. She also serves as co-head of her church’s new

Members of the Girls’ School Class of 1954 got together on June 12, 2009, for a pot-luck dinner at John and Jean Childs’s house in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Pictured in the back row from left to right are Sally Sprout Lovett, Cynthia Hallowell, Cynthia Kennedy Sam, Marie Iselin Doebler, Kadie Maclaurin Staples and Duffy Royce Schade. From left to right in the front row are Martha Fuller Chatterjee, Lilla Lyon, Liz Biddle Barrett and Jean Worthington Childs.

Pastoral Care Group and trustee of the New Bedford Symphony. Josephine’s six grandchildren live farther away than she would like, but living in Marion, on the way to the Cape, she would love to see her classmates from Milton and invites them to “come visit anytime.” Joanna Koehler Fischer writes, “Many of you already know that Fay Frenning Windle died in June after a short, cataclysmic battle with cancer. She tackled this ultimate challenge with the same upbeat courage and strength as she has all other challenges. Cancer may have taken her physically but her incredible, vibrant spirit lives on as a constant reminder to us all to fi ll each day to the brim with love, gusto, determination and a grateful joy of life.”

1949 Edgar Crocker formed Worldwise Education four years ago for the purpose of aiding the education of children. With school funding being cut across the board, particularly affected is art education. Worldwise Education creates greeting cards from children’s artwork

to financially support our schools, while also encouraging creativity, self-esteem and ownership in young children. Whole Foods and Borders both retail greeting cards from Worldwise Education. Find out more about this program at www.worldwiseeducation.com.

Peggy Whiting Redding also reports about Fay Frenning Windle. She writes, “Fay wrote eloquently about her life with Bill for all those 30 years. They traveled the world constantly, but when at home she was still playing competitive golf and tennis. She had amazing sewing talent, often making dust ruffles, bedspreads, draperies, upholstering headboards and the like. She could sew an outfit for the next weekend’s party and love the challenge of it all.”

1952 John Eliot is pleased to report that the American Psychological Association has put online the materials he donated in 1999 to the Archive of the History of American Psychology in Akron, Ohio. These materials include a large collection of figural spatial tests, a monograph titled The Nature and Measurement of Spatial Intelligence, and a spatial research database that is a reference tool that provides bibliographic information about spatial intelligence. These materials are now available at http:// drc.ohiolink.edu/handle/2374. OX/19835.

1954 Lawrence K. Altman, MD, received the Rhoads Medal from the American Philosophical Association, which was cofounded by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. The medal is awarded for distinguished achievement in medicine. Dr. Altman has been medical correspondent and “The Doctor’s World” columnist for the New York Times since 1969. John Ames writes, “This year is turning out to be a very busy one for us. At long last, Sarah and I are leaving the art and antiques business we had established in Milton Magazine

Class of 1949, front row (left to right): Paul Revere, Cary Revere, Janet WakeďŹ eld, Nell Halstead Moore, Barbara Pennypacker Worcester, June Nordblum Robinson, Madeline Lee Gregory, Greta Howard, Rex Smithwick; second row (left to right): Juliet Henderson, Scott WakeďŹ eld, Peggy Byers Wood, Jack Robinson, Peter Runton, Linda Squires, Micheline Florin; third row (left to right): Debbie Greenwood, Erica Henderson, Michael Henderson, Tony Greenwood, John Hewett, Hank Swigert, Bernard Florin, David Jenkins, Dell Gilmore Simonds, Whitey Willauer; back row (left to right): Katharine Biddle More, Coleman Norris, Betsy Crosby Johnston, Bill Thorndike, Liz Thorndike, John Nash, Polly Nash, Julie Henry, Bayard Henry, Myles Richmond, Joan Richmond

Class of 1954, front row (left to right): Lilla Lyon, Liz Barrett, Martha Chatterjee, Marie Doebler, Duffy Schade; middle row (left to right): John Wylde, Ben Williams, Sally Sprout Lovett, Ed Ofgant, Kit Bingham, Tom Gregg, David Ehrlich, Ted Raymond; back row (left to right): James Perkins, Ross Sherbrooke, Larry Altman, Ned Crosby, Bill Hartmann

Milton Magazine

Class of 1959, front row (left to right): Nat Green, Martha Woodworth Honeywell, Thomas Williams, Mary Procter, Christopher Lehman, Wendy L. Maynard, Erica Labouisse; second row (left to right): Brin Ford, Tom Claflin, Pengwynne P. Blevins, Lydia Butler Goetze, Sissel FalckJorgensen, Faith Morrow Williams, Phil Kinnicutt, Dave Brown; third row (left to right): Bill Thaxter, T. S. Jones, Mary M. Monahon, Ann Sheffield, Jenny May Bland, Pam Fingleton, Helen R. Haddad, Jane Chatfield, Wendy Brewer Paddock, John Coburn; back row (left to right): Arthur Weed, Henry Davisson, Michael BentinckSmith, Betsy Barker Abbott, William Nick Bancroft, “Mrs. Shea” (former faculty), Debby Webster Rogers, Jean McCawley (former faculty), Chris Converse Jackson, Harry Holcomb, Marv Maynard, Spencer Borden, Stephen Parker

Class of 1964: front row (left to right): Franny Sykes Moyer, Jessica Goodyear, Lindley Greenough Thomasset, Peter Holmes; back row (left to right): Meg Estabrook Cooper, Peter Hagerty, Jannie Williams Haynes, Bob MacKay, Charles DeLorme

Milton Magazine

Class of 1969, front row (left to right): Will Perkins, Bill Nesto; second row (left to right): Taddy Dickersin, Emily Andrews, Mary Eliza Kimball, Nancy Roberts, Catherine Sayers, Sarah Geer, Linny Saxton-White, Vicky Vincent MacKay, Laura Robinson Roberts; third row (left to right): Gwen Kinkead, Glenn Spear, Posie Cochrane Maize, Barbara Curley, Lisa Lloyd Hobson, Hanne Blom-Bakke, Chris Mussells, Margy Pierpont, Joanne Carey Pender, Ruth Appleyard, Betsy Auchincloss, Kip Perkins; back row (left to right):, David Dudley, Skip Francis, Kirk Emerson, Steve Newman, Alex Felton, David Fitz, Emmy Fuller, Sam Harrington, John Barnes

Class of 1974, front row (left to right): Jesse Abbott, David Moir, Deirdre Dempsey-Rush, Mary Anne Sgarlat Baumgartner, Cassandra Perry, Tatsy Guild, Anna Smith Fowler, Sarah Smith Ferguson; second row (left to right): John Beichman, Pamela Crowley, Mark Evans, Susan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara Riley, Sarah Lincoln, Pam Frothingham, Anna Waring, Robin Lynch, Sarah Turner, Richard Hawkins; third row (left to right): Linda Rice, Becky Minard, Jan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell, Felicity Myers; back row (left to right): Jody Locke, John Moot, Deborah Albury, John Hemenway, Mary Carton Gregory, Michael Bleakie, David Skinner, Dan Gregory

Milton Magazine

Class of 1979, front row (left to right): Peter Nawrocki, Heidi M. Wurzel, Kathy Raymond Elkind, Julie Bennett, Bunny Mauran Merrill, Hugh ChatďŹ eld; second row (left to right): Jon Pratt, Geff Reilly, Todd Saunders, Paula Goodrich, Gilly Rogers Sisson, Susan Vappi; third row (left to right): Son of Malcolm MacDougall, Jack Myer, Malcolm MacDougall, Ella Ermilova Saunders, Anne Marie Longobucco; back row (left to right): Mike Preston, Bennet Harvey, Barry Hynes, Bill Weeks, Tedd Saunders, Yee Ling Weeks, Charlie Henry, Russ Haddleton

Class of 1984, front row (left to right): Sue Mahanor, Lucie Greer, Ligia Brickus, Xander Shapiro, Gordon Burnes; second row (left to right): Jennifer Brewster Jordan, Doug Morse, Neil Mooney, Charlie Slotnik, Katherine Andrews, Michelle Dandridge Dixon, Sheila Gallagher, Susan Evans Bohan; back row (left to right): Melissa Glen, Todd Wyett, Ed Foley, Don Raftery, John Koltun, Maureen Doherty Towle, Stephen McCarthy, Kathleen Ix, Pamela Crigler, Holly Gates Russell, Mark Denneen, Owen Lamont, Colm Sweeney, Frank Quinn, Sally Wright Waxman, Rhea Zervas Brubaker, Kim Doulos, Sam Hobbs

Milton Magazine

Class of 1989, front row (left to right): Eric Taylor, Matt Kane, Martin Zinny, George Papageorge, Bill Hanson, Jonathan Bracken; second row (left to right): Amy Dine, Peter Barrett, Jenny Barrett, Chris Zilla, Emily Moore, Ethan Fenn, Rob Rosenthal, Greg Quinn, Rich Corcoran; third row (left to right): Damon Horowitz, Rachel Decker, Kevin Henderson, Jonathan Travers, Lygeia Ricciardi, Norman Roye, Meredith Talbot, Jay Sullivan; back row (left to right): Josh Everdell, Anna Wislocki, Justin Campbell, Jason Downey, Peter Robinson

Class of 1994, front row (left to right): Ariane Gauchat, Coleman Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Toole, Susanna Zaraysky, Amy Dickie; second row (left to right): Leslie Garrett, Jesse Robinson, Liz Blair, Samantha Drohan Betti, Anna Rosefsky, Heidi Wiemeyer Felago, Dune Thorne, Mollie Nelson, Nika Thayer Mone, Hilary Lombard, Sarah Schecter; third row (left to right): Jessica Manchester, Leslie Eckel, Ginna Smith, Vera Zieman Garibaldi, Ashley Fouts, Kwaku Asare, Gabe HeaďŹ tz, Kathryn McCarthy Maguire; back row (left to right): Jon Kohler, Nat Hennigar, Dan Sarles, Ian Zilla, Will Coleman, Martin Ouimet, Charlie Everett, Jesse Baer, Zach Dodes

Milton Magazine

Class of 1999, front row (left to right): Katherine Millonzi, Kiran Singh, Leanne McManama, Kristin Ostrem, Beth Pierson, Joanna Ostrem, Beth Ford, Courtney O’Connor; second row (left to right): Kara Sweeney, Julie Kirkman, Caroline Churchill, Terrence Burek, Amelia Shillingford, Sarah Schram, Jamie Perkins, Tonia Davis, Adele Burns, Lydia Smith, Dan Krupp; third row (left to right): Pernell Reid, Brandon Wall, Kelly Sullivan, Brooke Harris, Rob Higgins, Rachel Reichard, Sarah White, Shira Millikowsky, Danny Schlozman, Nika Seideman, Lily Johansen, Jed Miller; fourth row (left to right): Greg Rubin, Chris Chao, Rob Schmidt, Joe Lyons, Seth Korman, Andy Lapham, Armen Sarkis, Justin Walsh, Ladd Thorne, Than Clark, Chris Pitino, Mikey Salem, Matt Verrochi, Jose Ortiz, Carla Brown, Otis Berkin, Pat Donovan, Mike O’Neil

Class of 2004, front row (left to right): Megan Bailey, Allie Wisbach, Natalie Curtis, Caroline Hostetter, Hannah Larkin, Jelena Dejordjevic, Colin Colby, Joanna Chow, Saloni Malik, Olivia Kim, Lenny Mazzone, Sophie Suberman, Edie Davis, Tom Myers, Corey Bergen, Josh Krieger, D.J. Mauch, Andrew Baird, Josh Sommers; second row (left to right): Ben Bullitt, Elizabeth Berylson, Armeen Poor, Ilana Sclar, Scott Chaloff, Emily Ebert, Madeline Hurst, Emily Tsanotelis, Sami Kriegstein, Taila Dipanﬁlo, Amanda Duncan, John Pope, Laurel Pantin, Celeste Hughey, Louise Place, Emily Phelps, Sarah Patrick, Omar Longus, Rob Hawkins; third row (left to right): John Keefe, Julia Rosenthal, Abby Wright, Ilana Klarman, Deirdre Byrne, Jackie Kelly, Nick Lazares, Stephanie Shui, Colleen Leth, Emily Oatis, Jenny Miller, Fred Lien, Tatiana De German Ribon, Matt Burke, J.F. Boucher, Lindsey Dashielle, Will Loomis, Sam Wheeler; back row (left to right): George Gregory, Caitlin Taylor, Jon Brestoff, Jared Dubin, Brooks Diehl, Josh Bone, Nick Werner, John Donahue, Pete Kruskall, Helen McCarthy, Rachel Newman, Colin Baker, Mally Smith, Albert Kwon, Teddy Talbot, Alfred Chan, Jeff Marr, Justin Mcintosh, Jon Smith, Nick Danforth, Bennet Hayes, Hayden Williams, Antin Giandomenico, William Cowles, Matt Aibel, Bob Frantz, Jordan Raphel, Sam Dudley, George Van Metzsch, Sam Berry, Andrew Smith Milton Magazine

1964 Sarah Adams Aldrich celebrates 27 years of marriage, four children and seven grandchildren. She was sorry to miss the reunion and reports that on October 18, 2008, she and her family attended her father’s funeral in Boston exactly eight days after her seventh grandchild was born. Sarah and her family also came back for the memorial on May 9, 2009. They stayed with Frannie and visited Judy, but missed Lindley and Rachel. Sylvie Péron ’71 loves her work in aviation media that allows her to ﬂy in style to all kinds of exciting locations.

Camden, Maine. It’s time for it, yet it’s still something of an emotional wrench. So be it—photography, travel and fish await.” Jeremy Gowing reports, “During the last five years, my younger daughter, Juliet, got married and had a son, Gage McGinnis. I now have five grandchildren—three boys and two girls. I continue to work part-time for Wiley-Blackwell in the marketing department.” Ben Williams writes, “My granddaughter, Maggie Williams ’08, a fourth-generation Milton student in our family, recently graduated. My son David B. Williams ’80 just had his first child, Oliver Jackson Williams, born February 2009. My other son, Ralph B. Williams II, also had a baby boy, born March 2009, named Ralph Blake Williams III.”

1955 Harry Gratwick’s book, Penobscot Bay: People, Ports and Pastimes, was recently published by History Press.

1956 Katrina Carter Cameron’s opera, The First Word, was performed in New York City this past April. Roman Macaya, son of Roberta Hayes Macaya Ortiz and Ernesto Macaya Ortiz is an official candidate for the presidency of Costa Rica. 78

Milton Magazine

Lucy Wendell-Thorpe took four trips to the Amazon region of Ecuador to study and photograph how the Achuar Indians make their utensils, crafts, houses and gardens, as well as to learn about their culture. Ellie Wendell ’98 accompanied her on her third visit. Lucy wrote a book based on this experience called Into the Rain Forest, which has been published and accepted by the Library of Congress; she is now working on a revision for a second edition. Of interest to Milties, Lucy remembered halfway through the project that this particular tribe was the subject of her Third Class Talk to the Girls’ School: “Somehow, life goes round circle.”

1958 Victor Miller, our celebrated varsity soccer goalie, continues his career as keeper for the Silicon Valley Aftershocks Segway Polo Team. The Aftershocks, with Victor in goal, captured second place in the World Championships of Segway Polo (The Woz Cup named for teammate Steve Wozniak) held in Cologne, Germany, in July 2009. Victor swears they might have taken first from the Flying Fish of Barbados had he been fronted by Cortesi, Scholz, Sloan, Warner and Wendell.

Lindley Greenough Thomasset was ill in 2008 with cancer, but has since recovered and is now cancer free. She retired from speech pathology in 2008 and is planning a trip to Italy this fall. She also reports that her granddaughter was accepted into college.

1967 John Sussewell writes, “I had the most surreal experience of late: Kenneth Horak ’61 phoned me at my desk. He sounded just like John Hagerty. The rest, you can only imagine—it was great!” Anne Bennett Udy—beloved daughter, sister, mother and grandmother—passed away on March 22, 2009, after a two-year battle with lung cancer. After Milton, Anne completed degrees at Cambridge University (Girton College) and The Open University in England. During her life she worked a variety of jobs, including positions at OXFAM, HM Revenue and Customs, and SIFT International. She had great gusto and many talents, including motorbike riding, cooking, knitting, gardening and hiking. Her real passion, however, was her children—twins Caroline and Elizabeth—and she was pleased to have been able to survive long enough to be part of her young grandchildren’s lives.

1969 Sarah Geer retired from practicing law after 25 years and is now teaching English as a second language.

Emily Fuller Hawkins attended her 40th Milton Reunion and is living life the way it should be in Deer Isle, Maine. Carolyn Austin Keddell writes, “I married David Keddell on December 23, 2007. We are parents of six, ages ten through 27. I work at MetLife as a financial service representative based in Exeter, New Hampshire. Dave is a project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers. Our family enjoys hiking, canoeing and fly-fishing all around Maine and New Hampshire. We spend time in Montana as well.” Rosina Cochrane Maize, also known as Posie Cochrane, continues to teach public elementary school in Glendale, California. She also supports new teachers as they meet requirements for their credentials. David White’s book, Bitter Ocean: The Battle of the Atlantic, 1939–1945, was recently published.

1971 On a visit to the East Coast earlier this year, Sylvie Péron visited with Mary Penniman Moran and her family in Greenwich, Connecticut. They enjoyed seeing one another and look forward to Mary’s visit to France next spring. Sylvie also stays in touch with Margaret Trumbull Nash and Tish O’Connor. Sylvie writes, “I’d like to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to any member of the Class of 1971 visiting the South of France to drop me an email, as I have changed address and now reside in a small village perched on the hills on the French Riviera.”

1973 Canadian alumni Ian Molson and Bill Cottingham ’74 skied Val d’Isère, France, with former faculty member David Eastburn (1966–2004) and visual arts faculty member Paul Menneg in March 2009. They first skied the resort in 1968 with Eastburn and a group of Milties, and they plan to make the trip a regular event.

New Friends, Old Friends A Chance to Reconnect with Milton Throughout the month of April, at gatherings hosted across the country—in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C.—Milton alumni gathered to eat, drink and enjoy the company of fellow grads living in their city.

Los Angeles on April 14: Josh Sommers ’04

Los Angeles on April 14: Nancy Lainer ’93, Mary Lisio ’94 and Sarah Schechter ’94

Los Angeles on April 14: Ken Nakamura ’02, Andrew Goldstein ’01 and Peter Bentley ’00

San Francisco on April 15: Jeff Cooper ’97, Brook Wallace ’98, Matt Ford ’99, Brandon Wall ’99 and Jason Chan ’97

San Francisco on April 15: Emily Thurber, Paul Toulmin ’55 and Jim Thurber ’46

Washington, D.C. on April 29: Anne Keefer ’73, Phil Tegeler ’73 and John Ruser ’73 Milton Magazine

small architecture practice and specializes in residential work. Ian writes, “Greetings to all my classmates and a special hello to my Robbins House dorm mates.” Bunny Mauran Merrill reports, “A few years ago I started making goat milk soap, and what started as a hobby has turned into a full-time business. Between raising two goats, dogs, bees and our two boys (ages 15 and 13), we keep pretty busy!”

Carolina Schweizer Hiebl ’89 and Mathias Hiebl welcomed their son, Jonathan, on June 25, 2009. They are pictured here with big sisters Rosely and Clara.

1974

1979

Sarah Lincoln Trafidlo reports, “I’m still hanging on in banking at Citizens in Boston. Jim and I have two boys; Sam is at Northeastern and is living the good life, and Ben just completed the third grade and is singularly focused on sports. Jim and I are fine and with good friends, family and health to be thankful for.”

Jack Myer works for USAID in the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) helping to manage U.S. government humanitarian responses to disasters overseas. He recently left the east and central Africa office, which he ran as principal regional advisor for five years, and will be doing the same thing in a new office based in Budapest, covering central Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Ian McCutcheon is living in Chicago with his wife, Hilary, and son, Felix (7). He has a

Sharon Sears ’92 and her husband, Cody Schaff, are proud to announce the birth of their ﬁrst child, Cypress Diana Schaff, born on January 31, 2009. Cypress weighed ﬁve pounds, seven ounces and was 18.5 inches long. 80

Milton Magazine

Ray Chan’s ’93 baby boy, Theodore Grant Mahle Chan, was born on April 11, 2009. They are calling him Theo, sometimes Teddy, but mostly Little Guy.

Linda Terhune writes, “Sorry to miss the 30th! With two boys involved, Little League baseball consumed my spring and travel time. My daughter is about to turn 16 and all that brings. I’m managing editor for Purdue University’s publications within the Office of Marketing & Media. Directly, I write and edit magazines for the College of Engineering and College of Science, and I oversee production of others. I still miss the East Coast. If you’re ever in Chicago or Indiana, the door is open.”

1982 Michael Kinnealey writes, “I hope all are healthy and well. I am continuing my trek around the ISL and am the director of admission at The Governor’s

Academy. My son Mike is a freshman in college, which may be a bit startling, especially to those who knew him as a redheaded toddler in Hallowell and Forbes House a long time ago. I would be happy to hear from Milton classmates and former students alike.”

1984 Ligia Brickus reports, “After an 18-year career in the fashion industry, I kicked off my stilettos for a new career in motherhood. With marriage and motherhood also came a move from New York City to Fairfield, Connecticut, where I now live with my husband, Rafael Ferrer, and my daughter, Rima, who turned three in June.” Desmond Curran lived in New York City for ten years. He was an actor, a personal trainer, a counselor, and is now a specialeducation teacher. He recently moved to Buffalo, New York, where he is happily married to his wife, Ali. They have two children, Hazel (1) and Gideon (3). Lucie Greer lives in California but still spends summers in Woods Hole on the Cape. Visitors welcome!

Jessica Haynes McDaniel ’93 and Evan McDaniel are the proud parents of big sister Annie, pictured with Sarah “Sadie” Parkman McDaniel.

development and delivery, excellence in student advising and mentoring, and creative, innovative endeavors or initiatives in instruction. Awards are selected by a committee of professors with supporting evidence from students. Sharon and her husband, Cody Schaff, also wish to announce the birth of their first child, Cypress Diana Schaff, born on January 31, 2009.

1993 Caroline Hazen writes, “My husband, Frank, and I are delighted to announce the arrival of our first child, Alexander Yeong-jun Faubert! Our son was born in South Korea in August 2008 and joined our family in May 2009. We’re exhausted but thrilled by this bright, energetic, happy little boy, and we just don’t know how those of you with multiple children manage to keep your eyes open during the day. Lots of caffeine?”

Dawn Meehan Pologruto ’95 and Thomas Pologruto were married on May 16, 2009, in Long Island, New York. Following the wedding, the couple honeymooned in Bermuda.

Sue Mahanor has been in Philadelphia for 17 years and considers it home. She is a zonal vice president at ACE USA and works in the umbrella and excess liability product line.

Audra Smith James gave birth to Christa Akilah James on July 3, 2009. Christa weighed 5.4 pounds and was 17 inches long: “Mommy and daughter are doing well.”

1989

1992

Carolina Schweizer Hiebl and Mathias Hiebl are happy to announce the birth of their son, Jonathan, on June 25, 2009.

Gerald S. Ohn has established a litigation practice in Beverly Hills. He can be reached at gerald@ohnlaw.com.

1991

Sharon Sears was the recipient of the New Faculty Teaching Award for 2008–2009 at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. This college-wide award is given annually to one pre-tenure faculty member who exemplifies excellence in course

Kate Leness and her husband, Tony, welcomed Ogden Gibbs Leness into the world on August 19, 2009. He joins sister Lucy (5) and brother George (3).

Jessica Haynes McDaniel announces the birth of her second daughter, Sarah (Sadie) Parkman McDaniel, born May 3, 2009. Big sister Annie (3) is proud of her little sister. Jess is still working full time as a baby photographer in Boston and living with her family in Milton.

1994 Victoria Davis writes, “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to attend this year’s reunion; however, I was still in meetings for my school and could not make the trip. Hopefully, in another five years, I will be there celebrating the remarkable institution and community that is Milton Academy.” Amy Dickie reports, “I moved back to the Bay Area a few years ago for graduate school at the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley. I’m enjoying living in San Francisco, taking trips to the mountains (I ran into Ashley Fouts skiing this winter), and working at California Environmental Associates.” Patrick Keefe’s new book, The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream, was published by Knopf/Doubleday in July.

1995 Dawn Meehan Pologruto married Thomas Pologruto on May 16, 2009, in Long Island, New York. Dawn is a 1999 graduate of Wellesley College and is the director of admissions and student affairs at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Watson School of Biological Sciences. Thomas received his bachelor’s

Will Lyons ’96 and his wife, Melissa, were married on April 19, 2008, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Miltonians in attendance, pictured from left to right, were Pete Johannsen ’88, Phil Lintz ’95, Paul Costello ’95, Melissa Goodrich Lyons (Nobles ’97), Will Lyons ’96, Dave Brooks ’96 and Jeremy Smith ’96.

Milton Magazine

Peter Curran ’97, his wife Sarah, and their twins Toby and Grace were visiting the East Coast in June 2009 and dropped by to say “hi” to FDM.

and master’s from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and received his Ph.D. in biophysics from Harvard University in 2005. He works in finance in New York City, and the couple resides in Huntington, New York.

1997

1998

Peter Curran and his wife, Sarah, welcomed twins, Toby Finn and Grace Addison, on November 15, 2008. Peter is the dean of students and teaches in the English department of the Fountain Valley School of Colorado Springs. He would love to reconnect with any Milton alumni who happen to be hanging out in the Rockies.

Rachel Nance writes, “My dad, Jim Nance, was a celebrated running back for the New England Patriots, and I am elated to report that he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in August. I had trouble keeping my composure when Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft called to

Josh Frank ’97 and Victoria Huang Frank were married in New York City on January 31, 2009. Many Milton friends helped them celebrate the big day: (pictured from left to right) Peter Curran ’97, Erin Clancy, Jack Donahue ’97, Victoria Huang Frank, Josh Frank ’97, Jessica London-Rand, David Rand ’97, Rebecca Kurzweil, Ethan Kurzweil ’97, Jennifer Frank Lustbader ’93 and Michael Lustbader.

Milton Magazine

Congratulations to Katherine Cochrane ’98 and wife Jennifer Koch Augusta, whose daughter, Jane Koch-Cochrane, was born on Christmas Day of 2008. Jane was born in Morristown, New Jersey, where the family now lives.

David Simmons ’02 ran into Paloma Herman ’02 while hiking a desolate part of the Great Wall of China.

deliver the news. This honor was the missing piece in my dad’s legacy and I was so proud to have the opportunity to speak on his behalf at his induction. Thank you to everyone who voted and helped make this possible. I am honored, humbled and so very proud of him and his career. This is the best way to celebrate his love of the Patriots organization and the game of football.”

Caroline Churchill Page ’99 and Creighton Page were married in 2008. The Reverend Thomas Cleveland ’45 ofﬁciated the ceremony at Milton Academy’s Apthorp Chapel. Milton alumni in attendance included maids of honor Kristin Ostrem ’99 and Kara Sweeney ’99, Joanna Ostrem ’99, Beth Pierson ’99, Lydia Smith ’99, groomsman Tim Churchill ’01, Sarah Churchill Silberman ’81, Chris Churchill ’85, Alison Churchill Flaggert ’85, Eric Churchill ’84, Kelly Sullivan ’99, Sarah White ’99, Alison Gass ’94, Margaret Churchill Lyne ’83, Andrew Churchill ’88, Ellen Murray ’63, Tom Cleveland ’45, Fred Churchill ’59, Leanne McManama ’99, Kiran Singh ’99, Andy Gass ’97 and (not pictured) Jonathan Hexner ’86.

“Lessons of the Classroom Still Echo in My Ears”

“I’ve been fortunate to have attended many fine educational organizations since graduating from Milton. However, as I look back, it was at Milton that I received the very best of my education.”

ike many new parents, after our daughter Eva was born, my wife and I felt it was important to make formal estate plans. Aside from providing for Eva’s needs, we also believed it was important to give back as much as possible to those institutions and organizations that had been critical in our formation. For me that meant Milton Academy. I’ve been fortunate to have attended many fine educational organizations since graduating from Milton. However, as I look back, it was at Milton that I received the very best of my education.

The mentoring I received from my teachers and the fellowship of classmates inculcated in me a love for learning and delight in intellectual exploration. Many of the lessons of the classroom still echo in my ears as I face the challenges of my career. My wife and I are not wealthy people. However, making a bequest to Milton is a small way that I can express my thankfulness and try to ensure that future generations of young men and women can benefit as I did from the education available at Milton Academy. Rob Radtke ’82

Milton Magazine

1999

2002

2004

Caroline Churchill Page and Creighton Page were married on August 16, 2008. Caroline and Creighton live in Cambridge, where she is in her second year at Harvard Business School and he is an attorney with Foley Hoag.

David Simons reports, “I recently returned from a twomonth trip through Asia where I caught up with Karla Ch’ien and Clarissa Wang in Hong Kong. Later, while hiking a desolate part of the Great Wall of China, I crossed paths with Paloma Herman—a truly surreal encounter! Sadly, my travels have wound down as I’m starting Yale Law School in the fall.”

Jonathan Brestoff is in his first year of the M.D./Ph.D. Combined Degree Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He will spend the 2009–2010 academic year studying for an M.P.H. in Ireland as a George J. Mitchell Scholar.

Tau Sigma while earning a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. He is pursuing his master’s at Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering. Will is a former resident of America’s two great surf states (Hawaii and Rhode Island). While he’s happy about the move to Hanover, Will notes that his surf board gently weeps.

Colin Colby writes, “I love Milton!”

2005

Will Whitman was elected president of Engineering Honor Society Tau Beta Pi and vice president of Mechanical Engineering Honor Society Pi

Ariel Bibby graduated from Columbia University on May 20, 2009.

On February 6, 2009, Andy Houston and his wife, Kate, welcomed Lucy Rose Houston into the world. Coming off of a summer in Chicago, Andy is juggling family life, work, and a part-time MBA program.

Deaths 1931 Sarah R. Swift 1932 Laura Dodge Brown Alfred Pope Joseph F. Robbins, Sr. 1934 William W. Wolbach 1936 Rosamond Whitney Kelsey 1937 Nancy Goodwin Cobb 1938 Phyllis Draper Fraser O.W. Haussermann, Jr. 1939 Barbara Gates Burwell David A. Poole 1940 Alfred Bedford Edward S. Fitzgibbons Frances Byers Hatch 1942 Gordon Allen, Jr. Jonathan O. Cole 1943 Samuel R. Campbell, Jr. Weston Howland, Jr. Russell Murray II 1944 W.F. Ingersoll, Jr. 1945 Frank G. Allen, Jr. 1946 Frances Stearns Kennett 1947 R.W. Leith, Jr. Thomas J. Spang 1948 Charles H. Jones III 1950 Barbara Rice Kashanski Edward M. Kennedy 1951 Foster J. Allison Addison W. Closson, Jr. Fabia Frenning Windle 1956 John H. Wylde 1966 Elisabeth Whiteside 1967 Anne Bennett Udy 1974 Deborah L. Clasquin Friends Mary Older Shattuck

Milton Magazine

Edward S. Fitzgibbons, Class of 1940 Edward Spence Fitzgibbons, known as Ned, died August 11, 2009, eight days shy of his 88th birthday. Ned was a resident of Naples, Florida, and New London, New Hampshire. Born August 19, 1921, to Harold Edward Fitzgibbons and Angeline Spence Fitzgibbons in Brockton, Massachusetts, Ned grew up in the towns of Whitman and Duxbury on the South Shore. An outstanding baseball player and student, Ned attended Milton Academy, where he was the captain of the baseball team. He graduated from Harvard in 1944 with a B.A. in Romance Languages and was awarded the Barrett Wendell Jr. Bat for the most effective man at bat in 1942. Ned was signed by the Boston

Red Sox and played AAA in Scranton before being called up for active duty in WWII. He served as an officer in the 11th Airborne Division of the U.S. Army Parachute Troops, rising to the level of captain in 1946. During his tour of Japan after V Day, he organized the first baseball game between the U.S. and the Japanese. After the war, Ned began his career in the shoe and leather business at the family firm, E.P. Fitzgibbons, in Whitman, Massachusetts. Staying in the tannery business, he became president of Blanchard Brothers & Lane in 1956 and also served as the chairman of the Upholstery Leather Group of the Tanners Council—the beginning of a long and successful career in the footwear manufacturing industry.

A devoted Miltonian and a generous supporter of the Academy, Ned’s most visible contribution to campus is the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center, dedicated in 1998 in honor of Angeleine and Harold Fitzgibbons by their children—Ned, Ann ’41, Jim ’52 and Harry ’53. Ned was also a supporter of the H. Reginald and Rebecca Lord Nash Scholarship, awarded each year to a “motivated boy with academic and athletic promise.” Ned is survived by his devoted wife of 53 years, Patricia May Fitzgibbons, his four children Spence, Lisa, Caroline and Stephen, and his eight grandchildren.

In Memoriam

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Milton Class of 1950 1932–2009

enator Edward M. Kennedy, Milton Academy Class of 1950, was first elected to the Senate in 1962. A senator for 46 years, he was the third longest serving member of the United States Senate in American history. As President Barack Obama noted, “For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.” Over 300 bills enacted into law were authored by Kennedy and his staff. Colleagues of every political persuasion, along with national and international dignitaries, individuals whose lives he had touched, and Massachusetts constituents testified to the quality and consistency of Ted Kennedy’s years of public

service. We learned from his sons and daughter, nieces and nephews, particulars of his courageous, enduring efforts to center and sustain the family in the face of tragedy and heartbreak that few of us could imagine surviving. In the Milton tradition, Ted Kennedy was a life-long learner; he expressed his beliefs cogently and acted on them tirelessly over the course of his career. He understood and valued differences; he successfully gathered individuals of diverse backgrounds and points of view together, as friends and as compatriots. Of all the eloquent tributes offered at Ted Kennedy’s death, perhaps the words of Senator John McCain capture most completely the essentials of the senator’s life: “My friend Ted Kennedy was famous before he was accomplished. But by the end of his life he had become irreplaceable in the institution he loved and in the affections of its members. He grew up in the long shadow of his broth-

ers, but found a way to be useful to his country in ways that will outlast their accomplishments. “Many of his fellow senators, Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, will note today that Ted was sincerely intent on finding enough common ground among us to make progress on the issues of our day, and toward that end he would work as hard and as modestly as any staffer. Many will recall his convivial nature, his humor, his thoughtfulness. We will praise as his greatest strength the integrity of his word. When he made a promise to you, he kept it, no matter what.”

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