PDS Spring Journal 2022 by Princeton Day School

JOURNAL PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL

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Retiring Faculty and Staff Pack Up Years of Treasured Memories Before the Final Bell Plus: Celebrating Rebecca W. Bushnell ’70

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Paul J. Stellato

HEAD OF SCHOOL

While each edition of the Journal aspires to capture the feel of our campus and the sheer vigor of our School, the developments of the last six months have stretched even this most treasured, trusted publication. Although I have come to believe that things just happen more quickly—and in greater numbers—at Princeton Day School, even I have been surprised at the pace of growth, change and opportunity; and the breadth of insight and reflection that has accompanied each and every step we have taken.

Stronger

Together

Within these pages you will read stories of alumni success, as those whom we will celebrate during Alumni Weekend have distinguished themselves in remarkable ways. It is also worth mentioning that, for the first time since May, 2019, Alumni Weekend is on-campus and in-person. We happily welcome home so many whom circumstances have kept so distant for so long. As alumni return, others among us prepare to depart, as a host of veteran faculty and a gifted, gracious board chair leaves the stage… again. As the year has worn on, several faculty have come to share the news that they, too, would close the books on their strikingly successful careers. Having nurtured thousands of students, created essential programs, provided mentorship and guidance to students and faculty alike, each will step away in June, walking from the Colross lawn on a beautiful June morning into a world all have prepared for themselves. Although the breadth and scope of their work will remain vital and impactful for years to come, with my School colleagues, I will miss them terribly and wonder even how we will get along without them. My guess is that they have prepared us well to say goodbye and are confident in our capacity to carry on. My colleague and partner, Rebecca Bushnell ’70, will yield the Board Chair’s gavel to her successor, as she, too, bids us farewell from the small rise on the broad Colross Lawn. Ending her second successful stint as a member of the Board of Trustees, she will have witnessed the tumult of the last few years, even as she guided our School to transformational success during that very same period. Our School’s march to social justice, its weathering of the financial crisis of 2020, the terrible tremors of COVID, and the brilliant close of the Thrive! Campaign: all happened on her watch. How fortunate we are that she was watching out for all of us. I will miss her terribly, too. And the Thrive! Campaign, the largest, most successful effort in our School’s long history. Its 4,000+ donors have reshaped and reimagined our School, adding programs and facilities to strengthen its impact and provide new opportunities for students across divisions to realize the talents and aspirations that lie within them.

Gifts to the Princeton Day School Annual Fund support the people and programs that make Princeton Day School exceptional, providing resources that advance curriculum development, attract and retain our outstanding teachers, maintain and improve our expansive campus and facilities, and so much more. Every gift, every year makes a tremendous difference in the lives of our students and teachers.

At the close of one very busy day or another, I will be given to wonder how the day passed so quickly and how its few hours could possibly contain so many, many things. The answer to that simple matter is at the very heart of our School: the world is a big, beautiful place, offering anything we might imagine and create. Princeton Day School has always welcomed and accepted that offer. That habit has not changed in the last six months. It never will. With deep respect,

Your support of Princeton Day School is why we are Stronger Together. Our fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th

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Make your gift today at pds.org/support-pds.

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JOURNAL PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL

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Great schools never stand still Cover features:

Retiring Faculty and Staff Pack Up Years of Treasured Memories Before the Final Bell Plus: Celebrating Rebecca W. Bushnell ’70

The bond that develops between Princeton Day School students and the faculty and staff who guide them is deep and lasting. Long after graduation, alumni return to campus to seek them out, to reconnect, get advice, share stories and successes. This June, nine long-time members of our faculty and staff retired. Pictured on the cover with Head of School Paul Stellato, they are: (standing, left to right) Sonia Flores-Khan, Susan Ferguson, Paul Stellato, Mitch Smith, Maureen Gargione; (seated, left to right) Krista Atkeson, Howie Powers ’80, Jill Thomas, Paul Epply-Schmidt, Liz Cutler. In addition, Rebecca Bushnell ’70, Chair of the Board of Trustees, will step down after 12 years of dedicated service. Just 13 years after graduating from PDS, she began her first term as a trustee, serving from 1983-1986, then 17 years later, she returned to the Board where her academic experience and thorough knowledge of PDS was influential in shaping the school’s path from 2013 to 2022.

The PDS Girls Varsity Ice Hockey team and coaches enjoy their Prep Championship team moment on the ice with the tournament hardware.

FEATURES 4 12

PHOTO GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS

20 FACULTY AND STAFF REFLECTIONS ON THRIVE! 24

WELCOMING THE PDS ATHLETIC CENTER

26 COMPLETING THE COURSE Retiring Faculty and Staff Pack Up Years of Treasured Memories Before the Final Bell 38 CELEBRATING THE LEADERSHIP OF BOARD CHAIR REBECCA W. BUSHNELL ’70 Designer: Kelly Koching Contributing Designers: Maria Kauzmann and Eunice Kim Contributing Writers: Melanie Shaw, Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62, Ashley Stenger Class Notes and In Memoriam Editor: Ann Wiley ’70 Proofreader: Terri Epstein p ’05, ’08 Photography: Marjorie Barlet, Michael Branscom, David Bremer P ’18, Nancy Erickson P ’15, Eunice Kim, Kelly Koching, Andrew Lee, Monica McInnes P ’23, ’24, and Melanie Shaw

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IN THIS ISSUE 1

Letter from the Head of School

Board of Trustees News

Alumni Council News

45 Class Notes & Alumni Spotlights including: ▪ Sarah Fort ’02 ▪ Brad Dickerson ’04 ▪ Chris Baker ’06 ▪ Rachel Maddox ’12 70

Former Faculty & Staff Notes

In Memoriam

Get All the Latest PDS News

Stay up-to-date about PDS! See page 76. Sign up for homepage news alerts on pds.org and follow PDS on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Spring 2022 Journal Volume 60 Number 1 SPRING 2022

PHOTO GALLERIES EVENTS

(From top, left to right) Athletic Center Dedication, 2021 Alumni Games, 9th Grade Peer Group Retreat, Admissions Open Campus Day, Hour of Code, Thanksgiving Assembly, Student Gathering with BHM speaker, Naima Green, Lunar New Year Celebration

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(From top, left to right) “Photography is also an act of love” exhibit reception at the Anne Reid ’72 Gallery, Girls Advancing in STEM Conference, 5th Grade Mini-Week at Shawnee Mountain, 8th Grade Mini-Week at the Philadelphia Rock Gym, 8th Grade Women’s Rights Movement Walk on the Boulevard, Senior 100 Day Lunch, Student Voted Teacher Awards, Literature Club’s Book Drive organizers, 5th and 6th Grade ice skating party at the Lisa McGraw ’44 Skating Rink

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SCHOOL LIFE

(Clockwise from top left) Howie Powers ’80 teaches history in Colross, a student experiments in the US science lab, MS Mock Trial (from left to right) Tara Quigley’s Arabian Tales Feast, Eric Rempe teaches a lesson to 2nd graders in Isaac’s Greenhouse, 7th Grade Latin class Gladiator project, US students travel to Greece, 4th graders share their immigration projects

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(From top, left to right) 3rd graders sell seeds they packaged, a cappella fundraiser bake sale, LS art and music Class decorate heart cookies in the Cook Teaching Kitchen, 9th graders visit Issac’s Greenhouse, 6th graders work on projects in The Johnston Steam Center, US students in robotics class, US French Honors students during the La Chandeleur celebration, 6th Grade Barbarian Debates

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PERFORMING AND FINE ARTS, DESIGN

SPECIAL GUESTS

Nicole Auerbach ’07, senior writer for The Athletic, discusses her journey Part of the Return to the Great Road Alumni Speaker Series.

Katie Gibson ’11 and her therapy dog Ogden read to students during Read Across America Day. Part of the Return to the Great Road Alumni Speaker Series.

Anthony McKinley, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, reads to 3rd graders during Read Across Dr. Brad Dickerson ’04 discusses his career in STEM. Part of the Return to the Great America Day Road Alumni Speaker Series.

Humanitarian aid worker Carl Wilkens reflects on his time in Rwanda during the genocide

Dr. Rajiv Gandhi, Associate Professor of Computer Science at the Rutgers Manhattan Assistant D.A. Sophie Robart University-Camden discusses and PDS students explore the meaning of theoretical computer sciences social justice effort

Broadway playwright Keenan Scott II discusses his experience in theater

(Clockwise from top left) MS Choir Concert, US furniture design, LS Winter Concert, US Winter Concert strings, US students show off their creations in ceramics class, Gallery Club Open Mic, LS art class, 2022 Dance Recital, US Winter Concert orchestra, “Photography is also an act of love” student opening, 4th Grade Operetta JOURNAL

Naima Green discussed community and identity through portraiture, sculpture, installation and text.

ITP sponsored author Christina Soontornvat at her on-campus book signing

Allen Frame speaks about his photography

ITP presented author Kate Messner ITP presented author Carmen Agra Deedy

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ATHLETICS

Upper School Boys JV Squash (right) (left to right) Boys JV Basketball 1,

Middle School and Upper School

Boys JV Basketball 2, Girls JV Basketball, Girls Varsity Basketball, Boys

MS Hockey Team Blue (right), (left to right) MS Hockey Team White,

Squash, Girls Varsity Squash, Boys Varsity Fencing, Girls Varsity Fencing

Varsity Basketball, Boys Varsity Hockey, Girls Varsity Hockey, Boys Varsity

MS Girls Basketball Team Blue, MS Girls Basketball Team White, MS White Squash, MS Blue Squash, MS Boys Basketball Team Blue, MS Boys Basketball Team White, MS Fencing, Boys JV Hockey, Girls JV Hockey

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Outstanding Young Alumni Award

NICOLE AUERBACH ’07

Enjoying a New Game Every Day Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62

Nicole Auerbach discovered dreams can come true, you just have to be ready to grab them when they materialize in unexpected places. She arrived at the University of Michigan as a freshman planning to major in business or economics. But before classes even started, a chance meeting outside her dorm room, a stunning upset on the football field and a glimpse into the production of the school paper conspired to change her focus and propel her into an incredibly successful sports writing career. It began in the hallway of her dorm during a random discussion with a sophomore about dream jobs when Auerbach admitted she would love to write for Sports Illustrated. Her new friend suggested she join the staff of the student newspaper. That Saturday, Michigan’s football team, a favorite to win the Big Ten Conference, was humbled by Appalachian State in what has been called “the greatest upset in college football history.” The next day, Auerbach went to her first meeting at The Michigan Daily and watched the staff tear up a full section of the proposed first issue and replace it with coverage of the game. She was hooked—even more so when the game became the cover story for Sports Illustrated. “I thought it was cool that The Daily’s four writers covering the football team were seniors and they were experts,” she says. “They got to analyze this historic loss and write about it, and they knew what they were talking about.” She joined The Daily’s staff and eventually covered all the university’s sports. “For somebody who loves sports and wasn’t playing sports in college, it was great to be around the teams and the coaches. That first year I covered gymnastics, soccer and football and it was so nice to kind of form your own team with the staff of the student newspaper.”

as a contributor for The Detroit Free Press and as a freelance reporter writing for The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and ESPN.com, all while in college. “I was working every day and nights and weekends and seeing what it would actually be like in real life,” she says. “I liked the idea of just showing up to a game every day and not knowing where the story was going to take me.” Throughout college, she won several sports writing awards and after graduating from Michigan with a degree in public policy, she interned at The Boston Globe primarily covering the Red Sox. Athletic and Academic Teamwork Although Auerbach describes herself as “math and science-y” at Princeton Day School, she had a strong background in sports as an athlete and fan. She played varsity tennis, basketball and softball at PDS and both of her parents coached her recreational softball team. She often played tennis with her mother; she and her father watched sports together and read Sports Illustrated cover to cover. Former PDS History Chair George Sanderson, now Head of School of Doane Academy, says, “Nicole was the star pitcher on our very successful softball team, which she led to the state prep championship in her junior year. More than just a great athlete and student, she was a cheerful advocate for her teams, a loyal teammate and a leader in the classroom. She was a true scholar-athlete. In class, she was always asking probing, insightful questions. I was so impressed with her passion, maturity, work ethic and intellectual curiosity that I recruited her for the Mock Trial team and she was a standout witness on our undefeated team.”

Since there was no journalism school at Michigan, the students mentored each other. “We were very proud of learning by the seat of our pants,” Auerbach says.

“Nicole was passionate about sports whether it was playing softball or leading our Powderpuff team to victory as quarterback,” says Meaghan Phipps Beard ’07. “She was always one of the hardest-working and most driven people and still is.”

She augmented that experience with summer internships at The Trentonian, Cape Cod Times and USA TODAY as well as a stint

While Auerbach was known in high school for her fiercely competitive drive on and off the playing field, classmate David

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Coghlan ’07 saw attributes that were equally, if not more, valuable: “Nicole understood that winning isn’t just about individual excellence; that most things in life are ‘team sports,’ which require leadership and collaboration. That made her a great person to have in your corner as a friend or teammate. I think it’s also why she relates so well to some of the most successful athletes in the world.” From TV to Radio and Podcasts In a decade as a professional sports writer, Auerbach has won numerous awards. In 2020, she was named National Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association, the youngest recipient of that honor in the organization’s 61-year history. She has also been recognized by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the Football Writers Association of America.

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When people who trusted me to tell the story tell me I nailed it and I develop a relationship that lasts over time, that’s really rewarding.” —Nicole Auerbach

She spent six years as a national college reporter for USA TODAY Sports. She headed its swimming coverage at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics in London and Rio de Janeiro, respectively, where superstars Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte generated non-stop excitement. “The Olympics were unbelievable life experiences. It was so cool to cover the thing that the whole world was watching,” she says. “Record-setting swimming every single night, incredible story lines, being around international journalists; it was just awesome.”

of information and says, “You have to prove you know what you’re talking about because it’s assumed you don’t. Today, with the 24/7 news cycle, you not only have to know your subject but you have to be able to connect quickly. You have to build a relationship. A lot of people are guarded about the information they share and it’s my job to get them to talk to me. To be able to capture someone in a moment in time or over the course of their life or career is really hard. When people who trusted me to tell the story, tell me I nailed it and I develop a relationship that lasts over time, that’s really rewarding.” “Nicole’s love for writing goes back to our PDS days,” says Phipps Beard. “I don’t think rising to the top in a largely maledominated field has been easy, but Nicole has persevered.” “I think if I didn’t go to Michigan at the right time and hadn’t met the right person at the right time, I might not have ended up in this field,” Auerbach muses. Fortunately, all the pieces fell into place and she not only fulfilled her dream—yes, she has written for Sports Illustrated—she has found success in a career she loves. “When we didn’t have sports in the pandemic, I think we really missed that shared experience. I realized this is subject matter I really enjoy, it keeps me going. I’m really happy with what I’m doing.”

For the last four years she has covered college basketball and football on the national level as a senior writer for The Athletic, a popular subscription-based sports website recently acquired by The New York Times. “College sports are really exciting in that we get a new freshman class every single year so there’s always something fresh to write about,” she says. In recent years, Auerbach has also branched out into other media. She lives in Chicago and, during the football season, appears weekly as a television studio analyst for the Big Ten Network, one of very few women in that role on any platform. In addition, she hosts a weekly podcast for The Athletic called “Power Auer” and cohosts one-to-two radio shows a week on SiriusXM. She has also appeared on MSNBC, CNN and the CBS Sports Network. “My schedule is all over the place but it’s fun to have different mediums,” Auerbach says. “You may do the same stuff, but you have different ways to communicate it. The radio, podcasts and TV help create new challenges and keep the creative juices flowing. It’s a really nice balance.”

Auerbach (center) in the Big Ten Network studio with colleagues Dave Revsine (left) and Howard Griffith

Starting out, Auerbach encountered discrimination because of both her gender and her youth. She feels the challenges spurred her to work even harder to become a trusted source SPRING 2022

Setting Precedent and Improving Lives

John D. Wallace ’48 Alumni Service Award

CHANDRA S. BHATNAGAR ’92

Securing a Pathway for Equal Rights

Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62

Chandra Bhatnagar has enjoyed a remarkable career in law, government and education. While the work has been varied, he has been motivated by a single guiding principle: his unwavering commitment to civil and human rights. In January 2021, he was named the first-ever Assistant Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Being the first in this new position is an opportunity to build something that serves the interests of the entire UCLA community,” he says. “UCLA is the fourth-largest employer in LA with 33,000 staff, nearly 8,000 faculty members and 45,000 students, so this is an opportunity to make a difference on behalf of a large community of people. My position was created to oversee all the university’s efforts at civil rights compliance. We’re working to create a place where everyone is treated with respect and feels good about coming to work or to class.” Bhatnagar oversees the Civil Rights Office, created in 2020 to serve UCLA’s campus and the UCLA Health System. Part of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, it coordinates investigations involving students, staff and academic personnel and ensures compliance with federal and state laws and UCLA policies pertaining to affirmative action, equal opportunity and nondiscrimination. The ever-changing restrictions of the pandemic add more complexity to the task. “It’s a challenging time and also a time to demonstrate leadership,” Bhatnagar says. Building a Foundation of Respect and Inclusion Bhatnagar entered PDS in Fourth Grade. In Upper School, he played varsity football, ice hockey and baseball and was a Peer Leader. “I really benefited from having the guidance of Gwen Reed as my English teacher,” he says. “Ms. Reed [who was also Diversity Coordinator] really made a point to enable us to learn about the Civil Rights Movement and other movements for equality that have shaped our country and how that history shaped the events of our day.”

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Bhatnagar’s advisor and history teacher Scott Spence, now Associate Head of George School, says, “I remember Chandra well, and fondly, as a student who brought a tremendous inquisitive energy to class. He impressed me as a serious student but also as one who found great joy, fun and wonder in academics and at PDS in general. I also recall his strong sense of justice. He loved to debate with others, yet always wanted to keep the dialogue positive and respectful; he challenged others’ ideas while respecting them as people.” David Wise ’92 agrees. “I once had the misfortune of drawing Chandra as my opponent in Gail Jackson’s debate class,” he recalls. “The topic was whether or not college athletes should be paid. I remember three things from that day. The first was the impressive reams of printer paper Chandra brought to the lectern, which he seemed to reference often, and which I later learned were blank, purely for effect. The second was how passionately and persuasively he spoke about the cycle of inequality embedded in our country’s collegiate athletic system; how student athletes, many of whom were from disadvantaged economic backgrounds, brought pride, spirit and significant economic benefit to their universities without getting to share in it directly. It was, he and his partner argued, the very definition of inequality. Third, I remember that after the class voted, my partner and I got shut out 12-0. (Yes, the debaters got a vote and even we had to give them ours!) I left that day knowing what many others would soon learn: Chandra is someone who takes on the fight he believes in, who will argue the point with passion and conviction, and who will probably win.” At Vassar College, Bhatnagar designed an independent major that combined political science, American history and ethnic studies. He went on to the University of Pennsylvania Law School, which has since honored him with its Young Alumni Award for professional achievement. He then pursued a Master of Laws degree at Columbia University focused on international human rights law and its intersection with the U.S. Constitution and domestic law.

From 2002 to 2004, Bhatnagar was a staff attorney and Skadden Fellow with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. While there, he led a community-based project to provide legal services to low-wage South Asian immigrants in New Jersey and New York City in the post-9/11 environment.

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Chandra is someone who takes on the fight he believes in, who will argue the point with passion and conviction and who will probably win.” — David Wise ’92

During the next decade, he continued to advocate for the rights of immigrants and racial, ethnic and religious minorities as a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union in its Human Rights Program. He was the principal author of The Persistence of Racial and Ethnic Profiling in the United States, a 2009 report submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. One of his most rewarding cases involved a Nepalese domestic worker who had been psychologically abused and paid only a few hundred dollars for five years of service. Bhatnagar and his co-counsel won the case and his client used the settlement money to bring her family to the U.S. She then became a volunteer at a community organization that helps other Nepalese victims of workplace abuse. “She’s among the most inspiring people I’ve ever met,” Bhatnagar says. “It has been just awesome seeing her grow from someone who was so traumatized and abused and believed so little in her own self-worth, to a confident, independent grandmother who is part of this wonderful human rights organization.” Bhatnagar also served as ACLU co-counsel in the precedentsetting David v. Signal case, one of the largest labor trafficking cases in U.S. history. It involved Indian immigrants who were brought to the U.S. under the government’s guest worker program by a marine services company to work in a Mississippi shipyard after Hurricane Katrina. Workers were given false promises of permanent U.S. residency and were charged exorbitant fees for recruitment, travel and sub-standard housing in over-crowded labor camps. Their passports and wages were withheld and they were threatened with deportation if they complained. In 2015, after a four-week trial, the jury found the defendants guilty and awarded the five plaintiffs $14 million in damages, the largest settlement ever awarded in a federal labor trafficking case. Bhatnagar and his co-counsel were honored for their trial work with the 2015 Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year Award.

“It was so gratifying to see the case progress and then see clients who had been so abused and so disempowered feel pride and satisfaction in their struggle for justice. It was really one of the highlights of my career,” he says. Soon after the Signal case, Bhatnagar joined the Obama administration as senior legal advisor to the chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “That was terrific work, but I also thought I could have an impact helping to shape regulations and policies at the leading federal government agency that combats employment discrimination,” he says. In 2017, Bhatnagar joined UCLA as Director of Staff Diversity and Affirmative Action Compliance before being named to his current position. Different Paths Advance Goal Bhatnagar has an inclusive world view deepened by ties to India, where he was born and still has extended family. As a summer law clerk, he partnered with an Indian NGO to help combat child labor and bonded labor. He has also been a longtime supporter of another NGO that provides free medical care to Indians with forms of curable blindness. He has served on the board of the African-American Policy Forum for more than 20 years. Previously, he contributed as a board member of the Center for Constitutional Rights, a member of the Council of Advisors of South Asian Americans Leading Together and as a member of the Civil Rights Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. “Part of the reason I have a passion for the work I do is my gratitude for those who have come before me, whose efforts have enabled the opportunities that I have,” Bhatnagar says. “I feel like I’m paying it forward. I’m working to advance equality so that future generations will have a fairer and more just society. It isn’t a straight path, but I believe there are enough people committed to justice that the march toward progress and equality will continue to advance. That’s my hope for sure.”

Bhatnagar with the PDS Varsity Baseball Team 1992 championship Baseball Game

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Alumni Achievement Award

KIKI WOLFKILL ’87

Steering a Course for Success–Really Fast

Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62

Kiki Wolfkill may be the only person Microsoft has hired because of her skill behind the wheel of a sports car, and it turned out to be a good move. Her journey from the back roads of Bucks County to the executive offices at 343 Industries in Redmond, WA has been as exciting and impressive as any of her professional racing championships.

nerdy, I loved the structure and level of learning at Princeton Day School. I spent a lot of time in the art studio and I felt like it really fed my creativity. At the same time, I was able to get the traditional academics I also loved. One of the things I’ve learned about myself is that I have really different interests and I like to go deep on all these things. I felt that PDS let me do that.”

Wolfkill started driving at age 13 near her home in New Hope, PA. During college, she enrolled in a high-performance driving school at the insistence of her parents who were competitive racers themselves. She started competing in autocross then advanced to road racing her used Porsche on weekends. She branched into national competitions after graduation and taught at Seattle International Raceway’s racing school as a side gig. Microsoft discovered her there when they called the school to find a racing expert who could add realism to their video games. The call launched Wolfkill’s steady rise through the company; today she is head of transmedia and entertainment at 343 Industries, a division of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios, which manages Halo, one of the highest grossing media franchises of all time. Concurrently, Wolfkill is an executive producer of season 1 of Halo, a new television series developed in conjunction with Amblin Entertainment, Showtime and Paramount+.

“Kiki found space in the margins of high school life to customize the experience, often with an irreverent mischief,” says classmate Craig Stuart ’87. “She loved to drive. She and her constant co-conspirator Sofia Xethalis ’87 once insisted we go out on a snowy Friday night and drive around simply to enjoy the Star Wars hyperspace visual effect of snowflakes streaming toward the windshield! She was a high-achieving student who had a high standard for herself. This was also apparent in her work in fine art classes and photography, where it was clear she had vision and talent. She has a knack for looking well beyond her immediate environment for what might be new and interesting.”

“Games have become such a huge piece of the entertainment industry and I love that they’re now considered a viable art form,” Wolfkill says. “I think the thing that people are recognizing, especially as we get more into virtual worlds and the concept of the metaverse, is it’s such a unique type of engagement. Video games have always been innovative, whether in graphics technology or how you tell a story—they’ve really pushed the boundaries.” In addition to her racing expertise, Wolfkill’s artistic talent, technical skills and love of storytelling have all influenced her career as a video game developer. She credits her four years of high school at PDS with building her confidence. “I was super

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“Everything about her has always been interesting and exciting,” Xethalis adds. “Everyone wanted to hang out with her.” “Even at PDS, there were two traits that foreshadowed where she’d end up: precision and artistry,” says Tracy Hofmann ’87. “Kiki seemed to exist in the technicolor dreamscape part of The Wizard of Oz, never the dull black and white reality.” Trusting Her Instincts After graduation from PDS, Wolfkill spent the summer living with her grandfather in Seattle while taking summer classes at the University of Washington. She had planned to pursue international studies at Cornell that fall but says, “I just fell in love with it out here. I felt it opened up culturally different possibilities and was going to take me on a different path. I was really intrigued by it.” So, two weeks before classes started, she gave up her spot at Cornell and enrolled at UW. Inspired by her father’s career in journalism and her mother’s

Chinese heritage, she majored in Chinese history and broadcast journalism with a minor in art. After college, Wolfkill developed multimedia for Encarta, Microsoft’s digital encyclopedia, before her racing prowess led to her move to Microsoft Game Studios in 1998. Growing up, she had found it difficult to reconcile her love of art with her interest in math and science. “It wasn’t until I found my way into gaming, which is really a mix of both, and started getting into the digital tools that created art that I realized I had this happy capability for both,” she says.

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Even at PDS, there were two traits that foreshadowed where she’d end up: precision and artistry.” —Tracy Hofmann ’87

To create authentic sound for the racing series Midtown Madness, Wolfkill fitted her car with a microphone and recorded the roar of her engine as she sped around a race track. As art director, she was involved with the Project Gotham Racing and Forza Motorsport franchises and games such as Fable, Crackdown, Gears of War and Mass Effect. In 2008, she moved to 343 Industries where she was the executive producer on Halo 4 before assuming her current responsibilities. “Kiki was always such a firecracker—courageous, fun, optimistic and super smart,” says Andrew Blechman ’87. “It comes as little surprise that she’s brought that bountiful and thoughtful energy to her gaming gig at Microsoft.” Finding Success and New Frontiers to Conquer Wolfkill was named one of the “10 Most Powerful Women in Gaming” by Fortune in 2013, one of the year’s most creative people in business by Fast Company in 2017 and one of the “50 Most Influential Women in Seattle” by Seattle MET magazine in 2018. She was a member of the Advisory Board for the 2021 inaugural Tribeca Games Award as part of the Tribeca Film Festival.

really benefitted me and that I continue to develop is being able to stay calm, being able to feel fear and not have that be debilitating but letting that drive me a little bit more. You learn to be very adaptable; it helps you with everything.” Hofmann recalls, “I learned to drive in large part by riding shotgun in Kiki’s truck and watching her maneuver fast on winding New Jersey roads—really fast. There was no fear, no hesitation, just total control, all done with flair.” Her success did not come without some obstacles, however. Often the only woman in meetings or on the race track, Wolfkill has encountered bias but was able to ignore it and concentrate on her immediate goals. “In some ways that came across as confidence when it was really just focus,” she says. “It’s only in the last few years I’ve started to recognize that ignoring all that noise didn’t do anything to make it better for other people. I didn’t call people on their non-inclusive behavior.” Since then, Wolfkill and 343 Studio Head Bonnie Ross have spoken out against sexist comments in games and threatened permanent bans from the Xbox Live service for offenders. Although a newcomer to Hollywood, Wolfkill has been involved with all facets of Halo's production as an executive producer. She gathered a creative team, has collaborated with writers, costume designers and production designers and has spent hours on the set during shooting. “I’m definitely a tenacious person,” she laughs. “I’ve been trying to get this TV series off the ground for probably 10 years. I feel so fortunate I’ve had the opportunity to learn a whole new skill set and gain a whole new set of experiences, especially this late in my career.” In many ways, TV production seems to be a road well taken for Wolfkill. “Television is more fast-paced than games,” she explains. “You have to make decisions while shooting and live with them. It’s very definitive and I love that about it.” Season 1 of Halo premiered on Paramount+ in March 2022. With Wolfkill in the driver’s seat, it promises to be a fast ride.

She also found success in racing. “I love driving fast,” says Wolfkill, who was an amateur racer for six years and a professional for six. In 1993, she placed second in her rookie year in Sports Car Club of America club racing and won its Northwest Region ITS Championship the following year. In 1996, she advanced to professional road racing competitions in the SCCA and Porsche Club Racing circles. She also participated in multiple seasons of the Women’s Global GT professional series as well as the Motorola Cup endurance series. Off the track she has driven in the Gumball and Cannonball OLOA events. “Being a skilled driver requires so many different things,” Wolfkill explains. “One is physical motor skill, spatial awareness and being able to sense the car, so there is an innate part of it. There is also a ton of learning. One of the things that

Wolfkill (left) on the set of Halo in Budapest

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sportsmanship. Due to her high school accomplishments, she was later named to the Trentonian’s All-Decade Girls Lacrosse Team for 2000-2010.

Athletic Hall of Fame

KEELY LANGDON ’07

Drawing on Confidence to Accomplish Her Goals Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62

Keely Langdon played soccer growing up and set her sights on competing in the Ivy League after watching the Princeton University women’s soccer teams win games and championships. She fulfilled that dream; but in lacrosse, not soccer as she had envisioned. “I had no intention of playing lacrosse,” Langdon says, “until I was urged to try it in Middle School.” She excelled and embraced the game wholeheartedly, which came as no surprise to anyone who knew Keely at PDS. A 12-letter athlete, she co-captained the varsity soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams and won the highest athletic honors possible during her Princeton Day School career. She capped that off with four seasons on the nationally-ranked University of Pennsylvania Division I lacrosse team. “I think I’m just a naturally competitive person,” Langdon laughs. While competitiveness matters, her success is due more to a combination of speed, agility and intuitive game sense coupled with an exemplary work ethic, a large dose of determination and an infectious sense of fun. Her soccer co-captain, Alicia Siani ’07, says, “Regardless of the sport, Keely was often the best player on the field. But she brought much more to the team than her technical skills and athletic ability. She was a terrific leader and great friend to her teammates.” Katie Briody ’07, Langdon’s lacrosse co-captain adds, “Keely is a tenacious, determined and incredibly strong athlete. Not only is her physical ability incredible, but her mental focus and toughness were huge assets on the field. She could be counted on to get possession of the ball in critical moments and to never stop fighting.” “Keely was always a fierce competitor and she elevated everyone’s game,” says basketball and lacrosse teammate Hannah Epstein ’08. “Whether it was a mundane ground ball drill or overtime in the state championship, Keely always gave 110 percent. I can remember bus rides to away games and she JOURNAL

would be running me through our offensive plays with pencil to paper, just to be sure we were all ready to do our part.” For all her success on the field, Langdon admits, “I always felt like a bit of an underdog in lacrosse because I hadn’t played it as long as most. Coach [ Jill] Thomas had confidence in me before I had confidence in myself.” Before she took the draw to start her first varsity game, Thomas took the new midfielder aside for some advice that has resonated ever since. “Coach Thomas said, ‘Fake it ’til you make it. Fake the confidence until you earn it and prove it to yourself.’ I always come back to that and remind myself that it’s okay to feel nervous about new challenges; they can present a new opportunity. I think about it when stretching into new roles or taking on responsibilities at work,” Langdon says. The Crouse twins were classmates and played lacrosse with her for six years. “She literally ran on her toes,” remembers Allie. “She was quick, nimble and a strong runner. She had a pure kindness and care for others that her teammates always felt. She was there as much to have a good time as she was to win and that’s what made her a great player.” Nina adds, “She was aggressive yet played with such finesse it was hard not to stare when she had possession of the ball. She had a way of consistently being ‘in the zone,’ ready to execute plays, check an opponent’s stick or sprint down the field. Positivity just poured out of her: in her smile, her excitement, her determination. She inspired other players to be the best they could possibly be.” Thomas smiles at the memories and simply says, “She was a standout member of a standout team.” It was a team that for 17 games charged undefeated through a roster of tough “A” League opponents only to lose by one goal to Oak Knoll in the Prep A Tournament finals and, again by one, to Hopewell Valley in overtime of the Mercer County finals. In her senior year, Langdon was a High School All-America First Team selection, was voted the 2007 Player of the Year by both the Trentonian and Princeton Packet, and received the Gold “P”, the School’s highest award for athletic skill and

Langdon was recruited to play lacrosse for Penn and in her freshman year the team advanced to the NCAA tournament finals and was ranked number one in the country. In addition, they were Ivy League champions for all four years she played with them. Although she admits it was tough to compete at that level, she felt PDS had prepared her to take on the challenge. Langdon during a PDS Girls Varsity Lacrosse game.

By junior year at Penn, Langdon had hit her stride; she appeared in 16 games, started in 12 and looked forward to a stellar senior season. Then, during pre-season conditioning, she slipped three disks in her back. Through relentless rehab and epidural injections, she was able to contribute in nine games that spring, but not at the level she had hoped.

“

Positivity just poured out of her: in her smile, her excitement, her determination. She inspired other players to be the best they could possibly be.” — Nina Crouse ’07

She graduated in 2011 with a B.A. in Health and Societies. Her back injury forced her to reevaluate her athletic goals and branch out into individual efforts. Since then, she has finished several marathons, summitted Mt. Kilimanjaro and hiked 40 of New Hampshire’s over-4,000-foot mountains. In 2019, she completed an MBA in General Management at Harvard. Today she lives in Denver, CO and is director of commercial marketing at Integrated DNA Technologies, a life sciences company that manufactures genomics reagents for research and diagnosis of many forms of cancer, inherited disease, and infectious disease such as COVID-19. Langdon is responsible for commercial strategy, campaign execution and new product launches. “It’s an exciting field to be in right now,” she says. “Sports definitely had an impact on my career and PDS gave me a very good foundation. I learned a lot of resiliency and accountability.” Her style of leadership is the same today as it was as a team captain. “I believe in setting a good work ethic and being one of the hardest workers on the team,” she says. “This is something I’ve brought to my early professional career. I try to lead by example, set ambitious targets and support my team in achieving their ambitions. I’m thankful for the confidence sports has given me to stretch into new roles, manage through ambiguity and reach for even higher goals.”

KEELY LANGDON ’07 ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL VARSITY SOCCER – 4 YEARS 2005 2006

Trentonian All-Prep Second Team Co-Captain; Coaches’ Award

VARSITY BASKETBALL – 4 YEARS 2004-2005 PDS Hot Hand Award; Coaches’ Award 2006-2007 Co-Captain; Varsity Award VARSITY LACROSSE – 4 YEARS 2005 2006

2007

All-Bedesem Second Team; Panther Award Mid-Atlantic National Lacrosse Team; Prep A State Tournament Finalists; All-Bedesem First Team; Coaches’ Award Co-Captain; Bedesem Team Award; Prep A State Tournament Finalists; Mercer County Tournament Finalists; U.S. High School All-America First Team; Trentonian & Princeton Packet Player of the Year

Gold “P” Trentonian All-Decade Girls Lacrosse Team (2000-2010)

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA VARSITY LACROSSE – 4 YEARS 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Ivy League Champions 2008 Team ranked #1 in country; NCAA Division I Finalists TOURNAMENT FINALISTS 2009 NCAA Division I Tournament Final Four 2010

NCAA Division I Tournament Elite Eight

POST-COLLEGE Boston recreational lacrosse teams Coach at Charlestown (MA) Lacrosse and Learning Summited Mt. Kilimanjaro Hiked 40 of the +4,000-foot mountains in New Hampshire Completed the Boston, Chicago, Marine Corps and Philadelphia marathons SPRING 2022

Faculty and Staff Reflections on

“ Isaac’s Greenhouse has impacted all three divisions with a variety of programming where experiential learning opportunities deepen student learning and connections across disciplines, as well as helping faculty broaden their curricular opportunities. Scores of faculty, staff and students report that the greenhouse is their favorite place to visit because they always leave feeling better.” —Eric Rempe, Ceramics Teacher and Greenhouse Manager

THRIVE! The Campaign for Student Experience at Princeton Day School Ashley Stenger

The THRIVE! Campaign for Student Experience at Princeton Day School has officially ended, but its impact will ensure a future of student and faculty success for generations to come. At the Campaign’s close in June 2021, it surpassed the goal of $55 million, raising a total of $58.6 million and making it the largest campaign in the School’s history. Head of School Paul Stellato shares, “In the THRIVE! Campaign Impact Report that was recently sent to the 4,450 donors to the Campaign, we heard from the students on how the Campaign impacted their experience. Now, hear from my faculty colleagues who see the programs in action everyday and work in these stunning new spaces. It is their innovative work and partnership that brings to life the work of the THRIVE! Campaign.” “ The THRIVE! Campaign has provided our community with the spectacular state-of-the-art Princeton Day School Athletic Center. The recent winter season of indoor sports was transformative for the students as it brought everyone together across all sports for the first time. The sense of community was extraordinary even on practice days and certainly on game days when fans joined in to cheer on their Panthers. With the addition of the Athletic Center to the already existing Lisa McGraw ’44 Skating Rink, the facility has become a vital gathering area for not only athletics and physical education classes, but also school-wide happenings and milestones, including open houses, evening events, award ceremonies, and even graduations.” —Mike Rich, Director of Athletic Center Facilities and Services

“ Having the Johnston STEAM Center in the Middle School has allowed us teachers to experiment, too! We’ve introduced new projects to students and have learned a lot along the way about how to improve programs, projects and prototypes going forward. The only way you can create new things is to try new things, and the STEAM Center has given us the materials, the space and the opportunity to engage excitedly in that exploration.” — Jessica Clingman, Middle School Science Teacher (Middle School Science Teacher and, beginning in Fall '22, Director of Sustainability and Environmental Education)

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“The renovations and new construction made possible by the THRIVE! Campaign with implementation of new technology has given our team expanded abilities to maintain a healthy and safe environment for our community. I enjoy watching our community utilize these spaces to expand their educational experience and build stronger community ties.” — Robert Clemens, Director of Facility Operations

“ The Bartlett STEAM Center and renovated library are centrally located, making them the hub of the Lower School. The kid-friendly furniture allows for flexible student groupings, which is so important for collaborative learning and teaching. The best feature is the openness between the rooms, allowing for a flow of learning between the Library and the STEAM Center.” —Danielle Redd, Lower School Librarian and STEAM Coordinator

“ With the funding of the Miss Fine’s Center at the start of the THRIVE! Campaign, Princeton Day School has been able to provide a great number of opportunities for its faculty to learn, experiment and innovate the ways in which they work with students. A wide variety of resources have been provided over the years, such as peer school visits, faculty summer reading books, in-house workshops and funding for teacher attendance at workshops and for curriculum development. Through these experiences, the Miss Fine’s Center has driven changes in the ways our faculty approach pedagogy and guide students.” —Tara Quigley, Director of Miss Fine’s Center

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“In Lower School science, the new space has allowed for a much more flexible approach to doing science. The 3D printers and Glowforge have allowed us to demonstrate and utilize technology that students will use later in the Middle and Upper Schools as they journey along the STEAM pathway.”

“Every day the Wellemeyer STEAM Center hosts countless students as they explore their creativity and curiosity working on class assignments or personal projects. Introducing students to the various tools and technologies available in the space has always been a satisfying experience because you can almost see the various ideas flowing through their minds in real time.” —Matt Tramontana, Upper School STEAM Coordinator, Engineering Teacher

—Aaron Schomburg, Lower School Science Teacher

“ During the Spring of 2021, we were able to utilize the open space in the Athletic Center for our awards ceremony so all of our seniors could be together. This allowed us to have plenty of space to safely gather together in that important moment and milestone. There were so many sacrifices that the seniors had to make last year, and having a facility large enough on campus to keep this tradition alive was a way for us to celebrate them in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without the Athletic Center.”

“ The Cook Teaching Kitchen has opened up so many opportunities for extending lessons and deepening content. In the Lower School, our cooking lessons have included math, literacy, science and seasonality. Middle School DaVinci cooking classes are underway. The Upper School Chinese language class celebrated the Lunar New Year by making dumplings and Upper School French classes have also made use of the kitchen and made some delicious French tarts. This normally quiet lower-level LS hallway has been filled with delicious smells and joyous laughter and excitement. And it’s just the beginning!”

—Chris Rhodes, Acting Head of the Upper School

“THRIVE! has allowed for new technology to be available to our youngest students. It’s been thrilling to see the excitement around the new LS Art Studio, kiln and the Glowforge.”

—Pam Flory, Garden Coordinator and Faculty Member

—Jennifer Gallagher, Lower School Art Teacher

“The impact that the THRIVE! Campaign has had on Financial Aid is tremendous. There is a strong correlation between Financial Aid and the ability to create a more socially diverse student population. Visiting families understand what we mean when we say opportunities of a lifetime every day; our commitment to that is very clear!” —Teddy Brown ’ 08, Assistant Director of Admissions

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“Shepherd Commons is the absolute best shared space in the Upper School. When I speak to prospective families, I often refer to this space as the “9th Grade Living Room”—and it truly is. It’s a comfortable space for our kids to reconnect, enjoy each other’s company, get some work done or just lounge for a few minutes. Shepherd’s makeover has been transformative for our 9th Grade students.”

—Stefanie Santangelo, Dean of the Class of 2025 and Upper School History Faculty Member

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WELCOMING THE PDS ATHLETIC CENTER Thirteen months after its official opening, the Princeton Day School Athletic Center was unveiled to the PDS community during an in-person celebration on Friday evening, November 5, 2021. The energy was electric as hundreds of parents, alumni, trustees, faculty and staff toured the 30,000-plussquare-foot LEED-certified building. Before entering through the Ron Tola lobby, guests were greeted by members of the Advancement team and given PDS-branded masks to wear while indoors. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages circulated the rooms as new and old friends admired the beautifully illuminated Field House, as well as the sleek Lisa McGraw ’44 Ice Rink and four glass-enclosed squash courts from the Linville Lobby. For those who chose to enjoy the expansive view of the exterior, outdoor heaters and the famous Tapt Truck were waiting to warm guests. Head of School Paul J. Stellato greeted guests as they arrived, then addressed the crowd directly, praising the power of the PDS community through the Covid-19 pandemic, the THRIVE! Campaign and more. Reflecting on the success of the event, Mr. Stellato stated, “While Friday night’s gathering brought us together to toast the opening of the Princeton Day School Athletic Center, it also afforded a rich opportunity to celebrate our community’s collective success and strength. We are a stronger school for both the addition of this beautiful facility and for having met and overcome the many trials and challenges of the last 20 months. In every way, our school community’s immense pride was the star of the evening.”

“

We are a stronger school for both the addition of this beautiful facility and for having met and overcome the many trials and challenges of the last 20 months. —Paul

”

J. Stellato, Head of School

Completing the Course

on age-appropriate teaching and expectations, is not only spot-on but a guiding light for her colleagues.” “Krista is petite and soft-spoken but a powerful presence in the classroom,” adds First Grade teacher Emily Gallagher. “Her students not only receive a rich academic experience, but a learning environment filled with hands-on projects and crafts. Her classroom is a sea of color and texture from painting and art work to yarns and fiber projects. Clothed in exquisite sweaters and shawls she’s hand knitted, Krista has shared her knowledge of knitting and rug hooking with students of all ages in her after-school classes. We’ll miss her even-keeled nature and her strong advocacy for the needs of young children.”

Retiring Faculty and Staff Pack Up Years of Treasured Memories Before the Final Bell The close of every school year is rich and complex. We gather to celebrate the successes we have enjoyed together, knowing that we will meet the next school without many of those with whom we have shared this beautiful campus for so many years. So it will be this coming September, as the brilliant colleagues whose portraits follow this brief introduction will trade their Great Road labors for those more personal and leisurely. Having had the pleasure to come to know them all, I will miss each one. Having watched their decades of work, I know their influence on our school will endure.

From Head of School Paul J. Stellato

Krista Atkeson Love is what brought Krista Atkeson to PDS and it is what has kept her teaching Lower School children for close to 30 years. She started her career teaching kindergarten in Norwalk, CT in 1986. Then, three years later, she married Jamie Atkeson who had just been hired as a PDS Middle School teacher and the newlyweds moved to the Princeton area. Ms. Atkeson soon joined him on the PDS faculty and taught first, second and third grades for several years before taking a hiatus to earn a Master of Early and Elementary Education and start a family. Since returning to PDS in 2004, she has taught what she terms her “first love,” Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten.

Thompson agrees, “Krista’s deep listening, being truly present and advocating for our littlest ones, will be missed. Her laughter and kindness will be irreplaceable. Yet, if we charge ourselves with slowing down a bit, listening with intent and fairness, reveling in the purity of the mind and its wonders, we will be carrying on Krista’s vision: keeping the child in the child and allowing them to develop age-appropriately while giving them the tools to be their best for others and for society at large.”

“As a career kindergarten teacher, I’ve enjoyed teaching children to read,” Ms. Atkeson says. “I’ve had the honor of watching young children discover their interests and passions while becoming young adults.” The Atkesons’ three daughters, Meade ’11, Mary ’13 and Abigail ’17, are PDS Lifers and Ms. Atkeson says, “My memories over the years are intertwined with proud and poignant moments as both a teacher and parent. A particular highlight was teaching Kindergarten during the 2020-2021 school year alongside my daughter Mary who was an assistant teacher here. I’m thankful to all the children I’ve taught and the families I’ve met.” Kindergarten colleague Sarah Griffin Thompson ’84 admires Atkeson’s deeply human approach to life and education and says, “Krista’s inclusivity, laughter and kindness seep into our Lower School classrooms and we are all better people and teachers because of her. The tone she sets, to be our best at all times while keeping a clear perspective

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“I came to understand that teaching is about helping students become their best selves, about encouraging them to reach for a bar above their heads that they may not have known was there; about moving them past grades to caring about thinking, feeling, learning, and about gaining the confidence to take risks.”

find him at your shoulder, leaning in to test out a pun or share an intriguing quote, eclectic observation or profound question about life.” Music teacher Ryan Brechmacher recalled his partnership with Paul, fashioning a musical theater course for Middle School Mini-Course Week. “The gist of the situation: we would teach a gaggle of Middle Schoolers an entire adapted musical over three days and perform on the fourth day. Those were formative years of teaching music, adapting productions (Little Orphan Android was my personal favorite), writing the shows, collaborating to create a few surprisingly catchy show tunes and embracing the insanity of such a compacted schedule. We’ve continued to lean on each other for support and encouragement, be it academically, artistically or emotionally.”

Pam Flory started working with Cutler in 2007 in the PDS Summer Programs and became Garden Coordinator in 2009. “Liz has been a force of nature, teaching our students about our role as stewards of the land and our deep connection to it,” she says. “This is evident from the parade of former students who visit her, many of whom pursue sustainability as their life’s work. Many years ago, I asked Liz what she saw as the most important goal for the Garden Program. I have carried her response with me ever since: ‘To make students fall in love with nature, because we save what we love.’”

Liz Cutler English teacher Liz Cutler’s PDS career has been a 36-year journey of discovery and transformation for her, her students and the school. Her 1986 Nature and Literature elective led to her founding of the EnAct Club in 1990 and a full sustainability program starting in 2006. From there, she became involved in environmental and climate change education. “It changed me as much as it changed the School,” she says. She was the driving force behind the creation of the PDS Garden which brings sustainability home to students in a very direct way and the food they grow there is prepared, cooked and often eaten in the Cook Teaching Kitchen which is used by students in all grades. Cutler and her husband, Tom Kreutz, are the parents of Sam ’08, David ’10 and Isaac, in whose memory the beautiful new PDS greenhouse is named. “When I arrived at PDS in 1993,” says former English Department Chair David LaMotte, “Anne Shepherd was still teaching, Steve Lawrence was English Department Chair and Liz had been teaching at the School for a decade. I was blessed to be mentored by all three of them and as I look back now, it is Liz who stands out as the keeper and steward of the English Department’s excellence and as a tireless innovator both in the department and beyond. She created challenging and engaging English electives; she founded and advised the EnAct Club. And it was her vision and passion that led to the creation of the School’s Sustainability Program which is now considered one of the best in the country. I know that I am a better teacher and a better person because of Liz’s example, support and friendship.” “Working with great literature allowed me to learn, alongside my students, what it means to be human,” Cutler says. JOURNAL

“Liz was an inspiration and terrific role model for my daughter, supporting her keen interest in the environment and providing counsel, encouragement and suggestions,” says Bev. Gallagher, a former third grade teacher and current Director of Imagine the Possibilities (ITP) of the John D. Wallace, Jr. ’78 Memorial Guest Artist Series. “Her mentorship and fierce determination to advocate for sustainability helped set the course for my daughter’s career. In Liz’s classrooms, visiting ITP guest artists always commented on the brilliant discussions, engaged students and remarkable instruction.” Cutler has a unique perspective on PDS and says, “What has never changed at PDS is what matters most: the close relationships between students and faculty, and the ability for teachers to reinvent themselves. PDS allowed me to follow my passion, leading to a most amazing professional journey.”

Paul Epply-Schmidt The perpetual energy of Middle Schoolers can be exhausting to anyone over the age of 14 but even the most boisterous have been known to falter trying to keep up with Paul Epply-Schmidt. For 33 years he has enlivened the hallways, his classrooms, the theater and the gym with his quirky sense of humor, his upbeat outlook and his enviable talents. During his 33-year PDS career, he has taught Middle School French, history and English. He was a star fencer at Princeton University and has passed on his love of the sport by establishing a fencing program at PDS. He now coaches Middle and Upper School teams that compete interscholastically. In addition, he often acts as a piano accompanist for PDS productions.

“I’ve come to know Paul as a colleague, a parent, an advisor,” adds French teacher Edem Afemeku. “When his son Aidan ’10 was in Upper School, I was his French teacher. A few years later, it was Paul’s turn to teach my daughter. Coaching for Paul is about building relationships, and when I became his assistant Middle School fencing coach, we became more than colleagues—we became friends.” “It has been a privilege and pleasure working among dedicated colleagues and friends who were always ready to lend a hand, offer advice or provide insight and wisdom,” Epply-Schmidt says. “I feel that same sense of thanks for the students I have taught, many of whom have been an inspiration. I have endless memories of gratitude.”

“Paul’s favorite literary hero, Cyrano de Bergerac, embodies his many talents: eloquence, humor and courage to outwit his opponent,” says English teacher Katy Radice. “Yet Cyrano is not all brains and showmanship; he is sensitive, supportive, and above all, generous to those he loves. Paul is a devoted teacher, friend, counselor, husband and father, who often finds himself reconnected with former students. When he had lunch not long ago with a former student, she vividly recalled the Mozart duet they performed together 25 years ago and the coaching that led her to continue fencing at Yale. Like Cyrano, Paul has led his classrooms and teams with mastery, wit and knowledge, but it is his heart, his authenticity and his generosity that have lasting effects on his students.” “When I met Paul in 2013, he made it his mission to find out who I was, how I was and if I, too, loved Cyrano de Bergerac,” says humanities colleague Joe Reilly. “When you pass him in a hallway, he suddenly swings around and you

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connection to her logical, creative approach as a teacher and communicator who insists that her students nurture their curiosity of the language in order to learn and have fun with it. Sonia’s expectations for her students are high because she knows they are capable of meeting them. However, the fun, energetic and thoughtful way she teaches leaves students excited about returning for more. She is a woman who loves children and people. Her smiles are intentional and her hope is to inspire everyone with whom she comes in contact. Her goal is to send a message to all that says, no matter where you are in your life or how your day is going, you can always see and choose joy. Her heart-to-heart hugs are warm, generous and genuine.”

immersive experiences for our students to learn together. A gift of teaching at a PreK-12 school is the opportunity to develop a spiraling, interconnected curriculum and learn professionally together.”

Susan Ferguson Susan Ferguson enjoys three generations of PDS connections: her mother, Marge Claghorn, worked in the front office in the early days of the School and her brothers, John ’68 and David ’71, and her daughter, Maddie ’07, are all alumni. Ferguson came to PDS as a speech pathologist but the late Sara Schwiebert, then Head of Lower School, encouraged her to consider a teaching position. “Sara had faith in me,” Ferguson recalls. “She hired me in 1989 and I will be forever grateful to her.” Schwiebert’s faith was well placed. Ferguson has spent 33 years at PDS, 13 teaching third grade and then another 20 with the second grade. “Second and third grade—that’s been my jam,” she laughs. “I’ve never really wanted to be anywhere else.” Irene Mortensen, currently Dean of Faculty at Gill St. Bernard’s School, was a PDS Middle School English teacher and Dean of Students from 1991 to 2001 and says, “In Susan’s classroom and in her life, there has always been joy, kindness, vitality and friendship. She reveals a sense of wonder to her students, as well as a mutual respect for their wonder. Her appreciation and esteem for each person’s gifts frame her teaching style as well as her approach to all relationships. Our professional and personal lives connected and resonated. We joined our classes for cross-divisional lessons on poetry, writing and sustainability.” “Professional development at PDS has been transformative,” Ferguson says. “I went to some amazing programs with Lower and Middle School colleagues and it really made for incredible camaraderie. Irene and I became the best of friends through such experiences and developed integrated, JOURNAL

“Susan embraced opportunities to enhance the teaching of reading, math, spelling and social studies,” says former Lower School teacher Laurie Curtis. “As Lower School Math Chair for many years, she was instrumental in bringing exciting math curricula to the faculty, doing the research, attending conferences, presenting new ideas and plans for peer review, and working above and beyond to help support teachers during curricular transition. She loves to work collaboratively and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for the students. One winter night, I called Susan and Sara to plot a rendezvous to collect several refrigerator-sized boxes I’d found in a dumpster behind McCaffrey’s that we needed to create kapok trees, saguaro cacti and polar bear caves for our social studies units. With snow falling fast, Susan plunged head first into the dumpster. I held her by the feet so she could grab the huge boxes and hand them out to Sara!” “Susan works earnestly with energy and passion and plays gleefully,” Mortensen adds. “Her unique blend of grounded sensibility and gutsy enthusiasm have made her a wonderful colleague, loyal friend, devoted parent and accomplished educator.” Reflecting back, Ferguson muses, “I look at the 33 years of class photos on my wall, about 540 students, and I love seeing the growth and diversity of the school, which has also provided wonderful opportunities for us to learn and grow as educators. This particular age group of learners has sustained me over the years. They are right on the cusp of so much knowledge and are amazingly hungry to learn more. Pretty much every day at PDS made me very happy.”

Sonia Flores-Khan Lower School Spanish teacher Sonia Flores-Khan brims with positive energy that infects all around her. A native of Honduras, she holds degrees from New York Institute of Technology and Rider University and has been teaching at PDS since 2000 with one year away on leave. She and her husband, Mahmood, have three sons, Daniel ’10, Sohail and David ’22.

“I will miss the connections that I have made with all the students that I have taught,” Flores-Khan says. “I have enjoyed sharing my culture with them through food, dancing and singing in Spanish. My favorite memory is of a fourth grade student who, during an all-school sharing assembly for Thanksgiving, said she was thankful for Señora Khan’s teaching and kindness and for helping her to love Spanish. I leave PDS with the memories that I’ve created with my students.”

“Sonia is devoted, caring and a bright light in the Lower School,” says veteran Kindergarten teacher Jim Laughlin ’80. “She seemingly never has a bad day. I often hear her laughing as she goes by my room and that joy is translated into her classroom. Her students are engaged and happy while learning Spanish. Sonia believes in helping others. This spring, she returned to Honduras to help set up a food bank. Whenever anyone is sick or in need in the Lower School, she is the first to organize and support that person and their family.” Flores-Khan welcomes students into her classroom each day with anticipation and enthusiasm and delights in watching the excitement with which her young charges acquire new skills. She carefully and patiently cultivates relationships as she encourages children to explore a language and culture that is likely to be completely unfamiliar. For many students, she is an ambassador to a new way of thinking and learning. “Sonia’s professional background is in industrial engineering,” says PreK Teacher Shonell Best. “If you think about the qualities associated with the profession, you can make the

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schedule. “Maureen keeps me grounded and organized by anticipating what the team needs before we even realize we need it,” she says. “She is brilliantly creative, though she is too humble to admit it, and she is a friend just as much as she is a colleague. I wish Maureen well in retirement when she will finally have the time to take up new artistic endeavors (her macramé and calligraphy are unbelievable!) and plan trips with her family.”

Maureen Gargione As an assistant second grade teacher for the last eight years, Maureen Gargione has brightened classrooms and lightened the load of teachers. She captivates young students with her storytelling skills and artistic flair and has a way of listening and understanding that encourages trust. Fellow 2022 retiree and second grade team member Susan Ferguson recalls, “The minute I met Maureen for her interview, I knew she would be an amazing addition to the team. Her greatest strength is her connection with the children. They feel immediately at ease with her and comfortable sharing their strengths and weaknesses. She knows them as students but, more importantly, as humans. Maureen is also one of the most creative and artistic people I know. Her passion came into play constantly—creating an inviting bulletin board, helping students design books and posters and coming up with art projects to extend our curriculum.”

“Kids at this age are so funny and perceptive and there’s tremendous growth through the year,” says Gargione. “They’re like sponges, soaking up so much new material. They’re enthusiastic and proud to move up to classrooms on the second floor next to older students but they still have a sense of wonder about the world around them. For instance, when we decorated Susan’s classroom for our rain forest study and they walked in and saw the transformation, it was like magic to them. Yet they’re old enough that you can really talk to them and hold interesting conversations. They’ve taught me to slow down and be patient because each child learns at his or her own speed and I’ve learned to appreciate their individual learning styles. I love second graders, I’m really going to miss them.”

Lauren Ledley. “With Howie’s imminent retirement I only now see the many ways that he has touched my life. At the helm of the History Department, Howie’s care has made me a better teacher and inspired my own journey as a school leader. And I will forever appreciate the community that Howie has cultivated in our department by celebrating our milestones and accomplishments, supporting our annual desire to confound with esoteric Halloween costumes and ensuring no one is left behind during trying times. To work on Howie’s team is to know you are important and respected, and through his daily actions, it has been clear that he wants the very best for us, our students and the School.”

Howie Powers ’80 There are not many roles that Howie Powers ’80 has not filled at PDS. He began his affiliation as an eighth-grade student and since then has been an Upper School history teacher, a department chair, an advisor, a soccer and ice hockey coach for 18 seasons, a member of the Alumni Council and the board’s Finance and Buildings and Grounds committees, a PDS parent and an alumnus. Powers worked for JP Morgan after graduating from Bowdoin and moved back to the Princeton area in 1990. He gained another perspective on the school after enrolling his sons, Will ’11, Peter ’12 and Eric ’12. His wife, Alex, was also involved as a frequent volunteer and substitute teacher. In 2001, the family went to London for a year where Powers earned a master’s degree in history at Kings College, London.

Colleague Caroline Erdman Hare ’75 echoes that, saying, “Maureen is one of the most organized people I know. She has kept our team on track by publishing the second grade newsletter, arranging bulletin boards, creating countless posters and handling the prep for our new math program, to name just a few of her many contributions. She has shared her love of travel with students and many seek her out to discuss upcoming journeys and the hope they will run into her at the airport! Maureen is also a great storyteller, often bringing the gift of laughter to our team. In addition to being a terrific colleague, Maureen is a friend, and she will be missed!”

“When we came back, I wanted a change and started coaching and subbing at PDS. In 2003, I joined the History Department full-time,” Powers says. “The joy of being a teacher or coach is your ability to impact lives,” he adds, citing the impact of his career shift. “Your standing with kids is different and richer in a very positive way. As a banker, I could be paid a bonus, but as a teacher and coach my bonus comes when I get notes and calls from past students, parents, advisees. When people tell you that you have made a positive difference in their lives, those are pretty priceless rewards. The other amazing gift is the quality and support of my PDS colleagues. It’s been my honor to lead such an amazingly successful and mutually supportive team.”

Beth Hatem is another second grade teacher who appreciates Gargione’s organizational skills and knowledge of the

“Howie has been an exceptional colleague, department chair, mentor and friend,” says Director of Academic Technology

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Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Strategic Priorities Kathy Schulte observes, “Howie has always been fiercely loyal and devoted to PDS and has been an active member of our community since he started here as a student in 1975. His love of PDS runs through his veins. I truly believe that Howie bleeds ‘blue’ because of his deep, abiding devotion to PDS. He has the unique quality of being referred to as Howie by faculty and students alike. We are a better school because of his care and it is reassuring that he has a lifetime membership to PDS.” “The School’s changed since I went here,” Powers reflects. “But I think what is the same is that faculty still deeply care about the kids and the kids still strongly support each other. In the theater, in athletics, in all of the clubs and activities, their level of care and devotion is exceptional. They have a genuine desire to connect, despite all the challenges, whether it’s Covid or social media platforms. On campus and off, they thrive on the community connections they make here.”

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team,” he says. “In 1990, I brought a new outlook and vision of how the grounds should look to help bring the campus into a ‘new century’ but the school was only 25 years old and there was little money for equipment or contractors to help. So, [the late] Alberto Petrella and I carried all the leaves that fell in the front of the school on our backs into the woods, bundled in burlap—both of us like a Santa Claus of leaves.

Mitch Smith Mitch Smith has worked tirelessly for 32 years to ensure that the PDS campus and school buildings are in top condition, attractive and ready for the multitude of events that take place throughout the year. As a member of the groundskeeping and custodial crews, much of his work takes place behind the scenes, but with his genial and gregarious nature and his readiness to help wherever needed, he has forged friendships among the entire school community. “Mitch is a likable, gentle giant of a man with a smile and a beard,” says former Director of Maintenance Steve Storey. “He was in charge of a small crew that took care of the entire campus grounds as well as the ice rink which was his second home. You would always find Mitch on a mower, a tractor or the rink’s Zamboni. He seeded, watered and cut the grass—again and again—and he was in charge of the program to make sure fertilizers and pesticides were properly applied. He plowed and shoveled snow, applied sand and salt for winter storm after winter storm.” “One of my favorite memories is of learning to drive the old hand-clutch Zamboni on the old outdoor rink,” Smith says. “When it snowed, we had to shovel it out by hand, then we swept the boards just ahead of cutting the ice. Since then I have driven every Zamboni model here for 32 years. Other great memories include the construction of the Lower School building, the bus loop, the loop road by the circle, the Arts Wing.” Smith worked on the new multi-field underground irrigation systems and the first artificial turf field and has been involved with many campus improvement projects. “We were all dedicated to our own jobs and also worked as a JOURNAL

“My life at PDS has been wonderful,” he says. “It certainly was hard work, but it was rewarding. The students themselves are the stars at PDS, including great kids who helped us and were ‘techies’ before we had an IT team and the students who played at the old outdoor rink and their families and coaches. What stays with me are the memories of all who were friendly to me. Every ‘good morning’, ‘how are you doing?’, ‘thank you’, and ‘have a nice day’ that I received means a lot. My life at Princeton Day School became more than a job. I am very proud to have contributed, in a small way, to the success of PDS and its marvelous students.” “Mitch has worn many hats during his tenure and worn them well,” Storey says. “He has always been a team player and is appreciated and recognized for being such an important part of the PDS Buildings and Grounds team.”

These character traits have been beacons that have guided her journey here at PDS. What motivates and drives her to succeed? Perhaps when it comes to athletics it is her knowledge of the game. As for her success with advisees and Peer Group, it might be her ability to lead and to move young people in ways they did not know they could be moved. But having known Jill many years, I wish to propose something else. She embodies the phrase, ‘There is no I in team.’ It transcends everything she does, both at the personal and professional level. It is who she is; it is what people feel in her presence. We know Jill will be there for us.”

Jill Thomas Coach and Physical Education teacher Jill Thomas is one of the few PDS teachers who interacts with students from all divisions. That takes a wide array of interpersonal skills (and a good memory for names!) but Thomas relates to pre-kindergartners taking their first-ever gym class with the same respect, sense of fun and insight that she uses to motivate top Upper School athletes to win championships on the playing fields. During her 34-year PDS career, she has been Chair of the Physical Education Department for 18 years,and head coach of Girls Varsity Field Hockey (21 years), Girls Varsity Basketball (15 years) and Girls Varsity Lacrosse (26 years)! She has coached over 100 teams and amassed well over 700 career wins. Thomas was inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2017 and has been honored as Coach of the Year in field hockey, basketball and lacrosse many times. Her teams have garnered championships in Patriot League, Mercer County and Prep B state tournaments and many of her players have gone on to compete at Division I schools.

Lower School science teacher Aaron Schomburg has known Thomas for more than three decades and says, “Jill’s ability to empower those who worked alongside her or who were part of a team or group was key to her success. She championed amazing student-centered programs focused on team- and relationship-building. Her ropes course program has helped countless students, faculty and facilitators push themselves beyond their comfort zones, overcome doubts and fears, and gain a sense of accomplishment, responsibility and resiliency. Her leadership of Blue and White Day has brought joy and built Panther Pride year after year. As an advisor and faculty leader for Peer Group, she has encouraged hundreds of students toward greater self-awareness and leadership. Her unique team-building Mini-Course trips are permanently etched in the minds of Middle Schoolers.” “One of my favorite quotes is, ‘It’s all about the journey and the friends you make along the way,” Thomas says. “It’s the people who have made this outstanding experience so special. The friendships forged and the successes celebrated at PDS. Teaching, engaging and watching students grow into young adults who are committed to excellence makes me incredibly proud to have worn the Panther Blue and White all these years.”

“Jill promotes the game through fair play, respect and class,” says Liz Bylin Cook ’90 who played for, and later coached with, Thomas. “Jill is a competitor and loves to win. At her core, she believes in teaching fundamentals, creating a sense of team and camaraderie, and growth from the life lessons learned by playing sports. Her passion for excellence is unmatchable.” Upper School science teacher and coach Carlos Cara agrees: “Her friendships are built on bonds that are strengthened by understanding, respect and commitment. SPRING 2022

Chair of the Board of Trustees

REBECCA W. BUSHNELL ’70

Board of Trustees Rebecca W. Bushnell ’70, Chair Marc C. Brahaney, Vice Chair Jacob L. Silverman ’89, Treasurer Cynthia O. Linville, Secretary/Parliamentarian

This academic year has brought me to reflect on both the past and future, as Princeton Day School has prepared for two transitions: bringing on a new Head of School in July 2023 and a new Chair of the Board of Trustees when I step down at the end of June 2022. Mostly I have been looking back at Paul Stellato’s extraordinary accomplishments during his long tenure as Head of School. In my ten years of board service, I have witnessed how the School has grown and prospered under Paul’s firm and wise leadership. In the upcoming year we will have many opportunities to celebrate his achievements, so I will name just a few of them here. Paul was the primary mover of our record-breaking Thrive! Capital Campaign, which has brought so many new benefits for our students and teachers, including exceptional new facilities and programs, as well as increased funding for financial aid and faculty development. With the help of faculty, staff and trustees, Paul forged plans to build our stunning new Athletic Center and innovative STEAM Centers, among other important projects: all of these vibrant spaces are now teeming with student activity. Of course, fundraising and facilities are only one part of the Head of School’s work. Doing that job well involves being present every school day, connecting personally with students, faculty and staff, and responding to their concerns, and Paul is always there for them. His highest priority has been the quality of the student experience, where he has catalyzed innovation in curriculum and school culture while sustaining the most treasured values of our community.

Ashley Aitken-Davies

Sanford Bing h’87

Christopher Bobbitt

Michael T. Bracken ’98

Marc C. Brahaney

Rebecca W. Bushnell ’70

Carol Chiang-Li

Galina Flider (Kriloff)

William P. Burks, Trustee Emeritus Barbara Griffin Cole ’78, Trustee Emerita Marilyn W. Grounds, Trustee Emerita John P. Hall, Jr., Trustee Emeritus Herb Kendall, Trustee Emeritus Samuel W. Lambert III, Trustee Emeritus Edward E. Matthews, Trustee Emeritus C. Treby McLaughlin Williams ’80, Trustee Emerita Andrew M. Okun, Trustee Emeritus John D. Wallace ’48 PCD, Trustee Emeritus

The past several years have been challenging ones for PDS, as they have been for every school in the country. Paul and his team have weathered the storms well, making sure that in those difficult times the School was always meeting our students’ and faculty’s needs. During the pandemic he strove to maintain the highest standards of teaching and learning while keeping everyone safe. At the same time, he thoughtfully guided the School in doing the hard work of finding out what it means to be a truly inclusive community. When he steps down at the end of the next academic year, Paul will leave a School that is so much stronger, more diverse and more forward-looking than it has ever been. It has been an honor to serve as Board Chair and his partner during his tenure. As I prepare to step down from leading the Board, I see how fortunate the School has been to have a multi-talented and committed group of trustees as well as such a fine Head of School. I inherited from Barbie Cole ’78, veteran trustees who proved to be wise advisors over the years: in particular, I would like to thank Tom Harvey, Cindy Linville, David Scott, John Wellemeyer ’52 and Marc Brahaney. In the past five years we have recruited several classes of dedicated new members representing a wide range of our community, and they have brought fresh perspectives to our work. Over the years, no one ever turned me down when I asked for help, and for that I am very grateful. Above all, I want to thank Marc Brahaney for agreeing to serve as the Board Chair in 2022-2023, in his seventeenth and final year as a trustee. Marc has deep experience of Princeton Day School, and has distinguished himself in so many capacities on the Board, most significantly in his leadership of the Core Committee that oversaw the facilities projects funded by the Thrive! Campaign. He is the perfect person to lead the Board through next year’s time of transition. It has been a privilege to serve as both a trustee and Board Chair of my beloved alma mater, Princeton Day School. As I wrote when I began my service as Chair, I was happy to do so because I felt that I owe this school so much for the ways in which, so many years ago, it welcomed me into a warm community and shaped my love of learning. Now I can look back with pride on how, thanks to Paul Stellato’s strong and inspired leadership, this School has accomplished so much, even during challenging times. I can also anticipate a bright future because of the ongoing support and dedication of our extraordinary faculty, parents, students and alumni who are the School’s heart and soul.

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Ashley Aitken-Davies Sanford Bing h’87 Christopher Bobbitt Michael T. Bracken ’98, ex officio Carol Chiang-Li Galina Flider (Kriloff), ex officio Beth Geter-Douglass ’82 Georgia (Robin) B. Gosnell Anna Horner Dylan Leith ’04 Joanne Liu, ex officio Amanda Maher Wesley Markham Lee Maschler Lorraine Sciarra David R. Scott Paul J. Stellato Amrit Walla Zaidi John C. Wellemeyer ’52 Robert C. Whitlock ’78

Beth Geter-Douglass ’82

Georgia (Robin) B. Gosnell

Anna Horner

Dylan Leith ’04

Cynthia O. Linville

Joanne Liu

Amanda Maher

Wesley Markham

Lee Maschler

Lorraine Sciarra

David R. Scott

Jacob L. Silverman ’89

Paul J. Stellato

Amrit Walla Zaidi

John C. Wellemeyer ’52

Robert C. Whitlock ’78

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Celebrating the Leadership of Board Chair Rebecca W. Bushnell ’70

After 12 years of service on the Princeton Day School Board of Trustees, from 1983-1986 and from 2013-2022, Board Chair and alumna Rebecca W. Bushnell ’70 will step down at the end of June. As did her predecessor, Barbie Griffin Cole ’78, Dr. Bushnell chaired the Board through five years of transformational advancement for the School. She also navigated unprecedented challenges. The following reflections from Board colleagues and Dr. Bushnell herself, underscore the School’s unique accomplishments and hurdles during her tenure as Board Chair. Paul J. Stellato, Head of School How does one measure devotion? In hours spent, miles traveled, meetings organized and run, events attended, speeches given, dollars raised or challenges met and resolved? By any measure (and all of these), my dear colleague, Rebecca Bushnell ’70, has generously devoted her time and talent to Princeton Day School. Although she may have craved a little peace and quiet at the close of her long, successful tenure as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, she enthusiastically accepted the offer thenChair Barbie Cole ’78 and I extended to her during lunch at a little café on the edge of the Penn campus: to serve our School as its next Chair. I think of the hundreds of trips (and thousands of miles) Rebecca has logged in her green Subaru, traveling to Princeton Day School from her home in Bucks County to chair meetings, attend gatherings, speak at College Night, co-teach an English class with her Princeton graduate school classmate Liz Cutler, strategize with the THRIVE! Capital Campaign Leadership Committee and, every two weeks, without fail, meet with me in my office. And though this Shakespeare scholar might have gracefully exited the stage in 2020, she re-upped for two more years, JOURNAL

seeing the School through triple challenges—an economic crisis, a search for social justice and equity, and a worldwide pandemic; completing THRIVE!, the most successful campaign in our School’s history; and preparing the Board and our community to welcome a new Head of School. As is her habit and preference, my friend Rebecca has championed and stewarded our School from offstage, reluctantly stepping into the limelight as the occasion has demanded. It will take all of us to convince her to take a bow before she and her Subaru head down the Great Road one last time. We may have to take her keys.

Marc C. Brahaney, Trustee It has been a great pleasure serving on the Princeton Day School Board under Rebecca’s thoughtful leadership over the past several years. Rebecca took on the chairperson role when our ambitious THRIVE! Campaign was midstream and our recent capital projects were still being formalized. All these undertakings were far from finished and the outcomes were not guaranteed. Rebecca was tremendously effective and capable in leading us to the very successful conclusion of all this truly transformational work.

Rebecca’s time at PDS and her familiarity with its history predated my roles as a parent and board member. It was clear that her long and varied experience with PDS gave her insights into its institutional life that allowed her to be a thoroughly effective leader. That effectiveness has shown brightly as we have realized the importance of undertaking significant new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Her leadership has also been pivotal in helping the Board, Head of School Paul Stellato and the PDS community find our way through the many Covid pandemic challenges of the past two years.

Her intelligence, tempered by her professional experience at Penn, made her uniquely well suited for addressing these challenges. Rebecca was always available to hear, and more important to listen. She pays attention. She encourages people to come forward and is receptive to other points of view. These qualities not only led to great results with the aforementioned challenges, but made working with Rebecca a great pleasure for me personally, and for all who interacted with her during her tenure at PDS.

On a more personal note, whenever Rebecca made a request—whether it was to take on a committee assignment or to make a financial contribution or simply to request time to consider a PDS business matter—I knew I would say ‘yes’ even before she finished making her case. Her reasoning, care and passion were always so compelling.

Rebecca has the leadership, intellect and decision making skills that encourage engagement and forward advancement. With dignity and grace, as Board Chair, she shepherded Princeton Day School through a record-breaking capital campaign in the midst of a global pandemic. Further, she guided the response to cries of racial injustice by partnering with our students, faculty and staff, alumni and parents to engage in dialogue surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion which was aimed at prioritizing connection and community. On a personal note, I have deep respect and fondness for her. We have all benefited greatly from her deep connection and service to PDS.

Georgia (Robin) Gosnell, Trustee It has been my privilege and pleasure to serve on the Board with Rebecca. She works tirelessly on behalf of Princeton Day School, because she loves the school and wants to preserve its best features, while simultaneously striving to make it even better—more responsive, more inclusive, more vibrant. Rebecca leads by example: she knows what has to be done and has a plan to accomplish it. She welcomes diverse opinions, but invariably forges consensus. Her wisdom, grace and good will inform everything she does.

Marilyn Grounds, Trustee Emerita It is noteworthy that Rebecca and my colleague and friend Betty Johnson had great admiration for each other. Yes, they were related. Betty married Rebecca’s father, and she and Rebecca had a strong relationship. They shared their love for Princeton Day School and served the School for many years with outstanding service and generosity. How fortunate the School has been to have both of them as guiding lights!

Cindy Linville, Trustee

David Scott, Trustee I have had the pleasure of serving with Rebecca throughout her current nine-year tenure on the PDS Board of Trustees. During this time, she has been an exceptionally effective leader in helping PDS achieve its many successes and survive its many challenges. Since her appointment as Board Chair in 2017, she has spent literally thousands of hours accomplishing this most difficult and demanding of volunteer positions at PDS.

Tom Harvey, Trustee During Rebecca’s tenure as Board Chair, in addition to the usual day-to-day issues arising in an independent school such as PDS, she faced three unique challenges. First, she led us in planning and implementing our Capital Campaign, the most successful in PDS history, in which we raised $58.6 million. Second, she guided us skillfully through the myriad challenges of teaching and learning during the global pandemic, which continues to impact our students, faculty and staff, families and community. Third, she led us in developing a framework for diversity, equity and inclusion in education that will serve as a model for PDS as it moves forward in the 21st century.

Paul Stellato, Betty Wold Johnson and Rebecca Bushnell ’70 in September 2019

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Her dedication, organization, knowledge, grit and passion for the School’s mission are evident in everything she does for PDS. She knows how the School should function as a first-rate academic institution from her extensive experience as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Pennsylvania and from being a former PDS student and long-term Board member. She used this background to help formulate virtually every Board decision affecting the faculty and administration. Her organizational skills and knowledge made her an opinion leader in the myriad Board committee meetings that she regularly attended-from matters dealing with academic policies, physical facilities and finance to legal, athletic and DEI issues. She formed a partnership with Head of School Paul Stellato that was so necessary in having the Board work in tandem with the administration. This collaboration brought the biggest successes to Princeton Day School over the last five years in particular-exceeding the THRIVE! Capital Campaign goal of $55 million, the many facilities upgrades and navigating through the daunting Covid-19 pandemic challenges. What a talented leader Rebecca has been for PDS. I can only say, bravo Rebecca. Well done!

John C. Wellemeyer ’52, Trustee It has been a real pleasure serving on the PDS Board of Trustees chaired by Rebecca Bushnell. (It had also been a pleasure serving on the Board when it was chaired by Barbie Cole.) Given all of Rebecca’s many accomplishments, you might expect her to be an overbearing “know it all” person. She is not like that at all! Quite the contrary! She is very friendly and easy to talk with. She is open to ideas and suggestions. She is a good delegator and lets the committee chairs get on with doing their jobs without continuous interference. In my opinion, Rebecca has done a brilliant job as Board Chair. She runs very efficient meetings without curtailing discussion and debate. This may well be because she had ironed out any potential problems before the meetings occurred. I recall receiving emails from her asking when I would be available to talk with her about a particular subject, which led to detailed discussions of the relevant subjects. Other members undoubtedly received similar calls. The result was that the actual meeting of the Executive Committee or the Board went very smoothly. The past two years have been a real challenge for everyone in education. Covid-19 resulted in some schools closing, but PDS remained open during 2020-2021 with a hybrid system under which students could either attend classes in person JOURNAL

Marc C. Brahaney Board Chair Rebecca Bushnell ’70 and the Board of Trustees are pleased to announce the election of Marc C. Brahaney P ’11,’15, as Chair of the Board for the 2022-2023 school year. A graduate of Brunswick School and Princeton University’s School of Architecture, Marc has served Princeton Day School in various capacities for 16 years. He began his tenure as member of the 2007-2008 Search Committee whose efforts led to the appointment of Head of School Paul Stellato, while also playing a key role in the School’s annual giving initiatives. He has chaired the Buildings and Grounds Committee for a dozen years and has been a member of the Audit and Executive Committees. Bushnell (above second from right) with former Trustees Win Manning, Yuki Moore Laurenti ’75 and Mort Collins in an undated photo. Bushnell (sixth from left) with the 1969 PDS Social Service Committee.

In 2010, as the School prepared for a capital campaign, Marc oversaw two Princeton Day School firsts: a comprehensive program study, completed by Brailsford and Dunleavy; and a campus landscape master plan, completed by Andropogon Associates. When the Board of Trustees endorsed what would become the largest capital campaign in the School’s history-the THRIVE! Campaign-it tapped Marc to chair the Core Committee, the responsibilities of which were to interview architectural firms and recommend one to design a range of facilities. With Board endorsement of the recommendation to retain the services of Architectural Resources of Cambridge, the Core Committee and its chair, Marc Brahaney, oversaw more than a dozen capital building projects across all three divisions. At the close of the THRIVE! Campaign in June, 2021, the Brahaney-led committee (Barbie Cole ’78, Rebecca Bushnell ’70, Ron Tola, Dulany Gibson, Rob Whitlock ’78, Cindy Linville, Kathy Schulte and Paul Stellato) had added 106,000 square feet of new and enhanced facilities to the School’s physical plant. Marc and his late wife, Janet Lasley, founded the Princeton-based architecture firm, Lasley/Brahaney Architects. The father of two Panthers, Caylin ’11 and Charlie ’15, Marc resides in Princeton with his wife, Sue.

or from a remote location via an electronic hook up with the classroom. Rebecca, Head of School Paul Stellato, the PDS faculty and staff deserve a humongous “thank you” from the students, their parents and the trustees for this outstanding achievement.

Rebecca Bushnell ’70 When I entered Princeton Day School in 10th Grade, my family had recently returned to the United States after living in Brussels, Belgium, where my father ran the American Express office. My three years at PDS were very important years for me. I remember vividly that I was so warmly welcomed by students and faculty and immediately felt that I was a part of the school. The School’s high expectations of me as a student were also appreciated. A dedicated student and reader, I was eager to grow, and here was this school that said, ‘we love you; we’re going to work you as hard as you want to work.’ Being a poet, a writer, and a high academic achiever was something that was celebrated at PDS. And so I truly bloomed here and it made a huge influence in my life. I do not think I would have gone on to be what I was later as an academic and a teacher if it wasn’t for PDS.

Rebecca and Paul also led the School’s effort in dealing with the reckoning of diversity, equity and inclusion challenges, which arose in 2020. This is not a problem which could be “fixed” with a single course of action. It required an immediate response but also a continuous follow-up, which will go on forever. Rebecca and Paul met the challenge and are continuing to implement steps to improve the School’s performance in this area. In addition to meeting these challenges, Rebecca led the School’s successful efforts in the THRIVE! Capital Campaign, which enhanced funding for financial aid and professional development and permitted the construction of the new PDS Athletic Center and the renovation and modernization of many of the existing campus spaces.

Bushnell attends the 2018 PDS graduation

My first Board tenure of 1983 to 1986 was my first foray back to PDS after attending graduate school at Princeton and getting my Ph.D. there. By this time my family had a further tie with the school because my father had married Betty Wold Johnson in 1978. Betty had a very strong connection to the School through her children. The connection with Betty was

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test run of my potential to become a board chair. It was an interesting task because I could bring my experience from higher education into investigating this question of metrics. At the School of Arts and Sciences we developed a strategic plan which was informed by extensive study of metrics in higher education, including which metrics are more effective for institutional assessment than others. Chairing the Mission Fulfillment Committee, serving on the Executive Committee, and serving on the Campaign Committee for the capital campaign prior to THRIVE! were instrumental in my preparation for being Board Chair.

Bushnell (kneeling, first from right) in her 1970 class photo

an important part of what drew me back to the School. I loved the school and was willing to serve, even though we were living in Pennsylvania and it was a busy time in my life. I was in my first assistant professorship position at the University of Pennsylvania and had my first child in 1985. I stepped off the Board in 1986 to focus on my family and my work at Penn, which culminated in becoming Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences from 2005-2014. The timing was right when Paul reached out to me about joining the Board again in 2013. I was interested in bringing to Board service my experience and perspective as an administrator in higher education. I always think with nonprofit service you should find something that matches your intellectual interests and passions and board service at PDS certainly fit that for me. I believed I could bring to the table not only my administrative experience, but also my knowledge and perspective of what happens at the other end with a K-12 education. I also recognized that my attributes as an organizer and ‘poker’ of people, and a forward thinker, would be important for board service. Then-Board Chair Barbie Cole asked me relatively early on to chair the ad hoc Committee on Mission Fulfillment, which essentially was a committee that was formed to consider how to develop metrics for the school. I think the most significant early responsibility I had was chairing this committee, which I now know from Barbie was a JOURNAL

remote and in person learning at the same time, and that it’s not a sustainable model. But the question always was, what is the most important thing we can do for kids and families? People’s needs were different at that time and the fact that the School stepped up and did what it was able to do is quite extraordinary. The Board is composed of the best combination of deeply experienced Trustees and newer Trustees, including alumni, parents and non-affiliated members, who really have their finger on the pulse of what’s going on at the School. The dedication of the Board members to doing their job has been impressive. Another quite remarkable attribute of the PDS Board in the 10 years I’ve seen it is their extraordinary collegiality. I always have said when recruiting new members, “you’ll like being on the Board at this School.” Everyone is there for the same reason: they really care about this School. They want to see the School prosper. They are a very hardworking group that never says no to a request. I think PDS is very lucky to have a Board like that. It says something about the culture of the School itself. I have enjoyed getting to know, and count as my friends, the Board

members whom I really didn’t know before coming onto the Board. And the fact that they like each other and work well with each other bodes very well for the future. As a final point, I want to reiterate the importance of working with Head of School Paul Stellato, which I spoke of extensively in my letter in this issue of the Journal. The partnership that the Board Chair has with the Head of School is critical. The relationships of necessity must run deep and are also an essential part of the experience of the Board Chair. It’s an interesting relationship between a Board Chair and the Head of School because on the one hand the chair is the person’s boss, but on the other hand it’s so important that the relationship be based on the ability to have trust, respect and candid conversations. One of the things I truly valued was the quality of the relationship with the Head of School and the mutual trust we cultivated during my years as Board Chair. I appreciated the ways he continued to work through things and handle so many difficult issues, particularly in recent years. The degree of the challenges and unknowns, while daunting, were growth experiences for both of us.

The multi-year THRIVE! Campaign, which concluded last year with a total of $58.6 million raised, was transformative for the School. The facilities, professional development and financial aid impact of the THRIVE! Campaign for Student Experience have been well-documented; I am forever grateful for the immense generosity of the PDS community and the dedication of the Campaign Committee co-leaders, Barbie Cole and Cindy Linville, who were instrumental to the Campaign’s success. Of course, my time as Chair since 2017 has been one of enormous operational and societal changes and challenges, especially in the last few years. The Covid pandemic starting in the spring of 2020 was followed by the racial reckoning of the summer of 2020. The Board and the School have continued to grapple with both of these challenges these past two years. Obviously, the greatest burden has been for Paul and his team to carry that. Their efforts have been heroic during this period of such tremendous uncertainty, anxiety and passions running very high. As I always remind people, the Board doesn’t run the operations of the School. The Board leaves the operations of the School to the Head of School and his leadership team. Obviously though, the Board has ridden this through with Paul and his team. I give Paul a whole lot of credit that in the fall of 2020 he said the School was going to ‘meet each student where they are.’ And I give the faculty a great deal of credit for that, because I know how difficult it was to conduct

Bushnell (second row standing, seventh from left) and the graduating class of 1970

SPRING 2022

GREETINGS FROM THE

Alumni Council Executive Board We love hearing from you.

2021-2022 Alumni Council Executive Board

Michael T. Bracken ’98 Alumni Council Executive Board President

To my fellow Alumni, Throughout my tenure as Alumni Association President I hope that I have been able to convey my sincere belief in the boundless potential of our School. I have encouraged each and every one of you to get involved, be proud and make an effort to ensure that our School’s unique culture, traditions and ethos are preserved for future generations. To that end, and in conjunction with the Alumni Office, we have made significant structural changes aimed at increasing Alumni communication, connectivity and engagement as well as established new channels through which Alumni stakeholders can share their thoughts regarding the state of our School. Now, as my time as Alumni Association President comes to a close, I am hopeful that the work we’ve done to create a “stakeholder” culture within our alumni community continues. Take your role seriously, recognize its importance and know that you’ve earned it through the investment of your formative childhood years and many accomplishments that have followed. Together, let’s increase the value of our collective investment by vigorously sharing our broad talents and experiences with PDS and reaffirm our belief in the importance of heterodoxy in our School’s culture of excellence. To our newest Alumni, the Class of 2022, my message is simple… be a winner. Work hard, don’t quit and be passionate about the things you love. There has never been, nor will there ever be, anyone like you, so ask questions, speak up and relentlessly pursue your dreams. The future is yours.

If your class is without a correspondent, and you would like to volunteer, please contact Ann Wiley ’70, editor of Class Notes, at classnotes@pds.org. Please know that the Journal, including Class Notes, also will appear online in our digital archives of the Journal at pds.org.

Miss Fine’s school 1940

Phyllis Vandewater Clement pvanclement@gmail.com

1949

Lucy Law Webster lucylawwebster@gmail.com

1950

Marc A. Collins ’88 Lynch W. Hunt ’85

1952

Sincerely,

Mike Paris McLean ’00 Vice President

Taylor K. Hwong ’88 Secretary

Neal Bakshi ’10 Joanna L. Bowen ’03 Zaneta Chambers ’95

Paris McLean ’00

Taylor K. Hwong ’88

Neal Bakshi ’10

Joanna L. Bowen ’03

classnotes@pds.org

Livia Wong McCarthy ’77 Peter Powers ’12 Kaylie Keesling Director of Alumni Programs & Giving

Zaneta Chambers ’95

Marc A. Collins ’88

Lynch W. Hunt ’85

Livia Wong McCarthy ’77

Peter Powers ’12

grandmother, and a truly wonderful human being. This is a great loss for her family; we will miss her very much.

1953

1955

Hope Thompson Kerr Sporthope33@gmail.com

Merriol Baring-Gould Almond: “Hello, classmates! I’m writing as we may be emerging from the pandemic but at a critical moment for our history as Putin has ordered the invasion of Ukraine and there are realistic concerns of whether he will use nuclear weapons if we stand up to him and he doesn’t get his way. We may be at last nearing the end of the pandemic, but the rest of the world may be in more danger than we’ve seen since the Cuban missile crisis…

Hilary Thompson Kenyon artsportbend@gmail.com

Many thanks to Hilary and Hope for volunteering as class correspondents for MFS 1953. Classmates, please send them your updates for the fall Journal.

1954

Joan E. Kennan joankennan@gmail.com

I am pleased to report that some members of the Class of 1954 have not been standing still in the past year as we had two classmate moves: Louise Mason Bachelder and Agnes Fulper. Louise only moved about a mile away from her home of 47 years to a condo in Constitution Hill on Rosedale Road in Princeton. Aggie, on the other hand, made the big move from Albuquerque, NM to a senior living facility in Langhorne, PA. This was done so that she would be much closer to her family.

Donata “Doe” Coletti Mechem doe@mechem.org

Wendy McAneny Bradburn, Jean Milholland Shriver and I, Doe Coletti Mechem are all alive but with nothing spectacular to report. We are all dealing with oldage infirmities, nothing life threatening but annoying and sometimes limiting. Jeanie still writes a column for a local newspaper where she lives in Palos Verdes Estates, CA. Wendy and her husband live in a retirement community but semi-independently in Arlington, VA, and I live in the same house in SF that we have lived in since 1963. I’m the oldest, having just turned 90 on February 6. My sister, Mimi Coletti Dow ’55, came out with her husband to celebrate my birthday. Wendy and I are very fortunate to still have our husbands. Jeanie lost hers a few years ago. My husband, Kirke, used the pandemic to write a one-act opera for small orchestra, chorus, four soloists and children’s chorus based on the Italian folk legend “Befana.” It had its piano accompaniment premiere in Monterey, CA on November 14, 2021, and its orchestra premiere on February 24-27, 2022 at Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA.

In closing, it has truly been a privilege to be your representative and I look forward to engaging with as many of you as possible at Alumni Weekend and anywhere else that our paths may cross.

JOURNAL

Please send your news to your class correspondent; if no correspondent, please send your news to classnotes@ pds.org or you may submit them via pds.searchwavelength.com. If using USPS, mail your Class Notes submissions to Alumni Office, Princeton Day School, PO Box 75, Princeton, NJ 08542.

editor, at classnotes@pds.org if you are interested in becoming the new class correspondent for MFS 1952.

We were so sorry to learn of the passing of Marcia Goetze Nappi in March 2021. We are grateful for her service as class correspondent. Please contact Ann Wiley ’70, Class Notes

L. Chloe King lchloek@comcast.net

“Otherwise, for codgers in our mid-80s, my husband, Doug, and I are doing well, still living in the house that has been our home for 57 years. Our four children are well also and in touch with us frequently. May we emerge from this danger and may there be peace on our planet! Love to all.”

Jo Coke wrote: “Sister Julia ’61 and I took off for a year (or so) in London, where she is producing a play! Two-bedroom flat very near a Tube station, beautiful weather all summer……and then my knee gave out! Had to come home for a total knee replacement; still recovering. But I am going back in May. Covid has delayed everything, so we are at a standstill on the play. But London is fantastic, and I can’t wait to get back to the museums, plays, parks, restaurants, the Queen’s 70th Jubilee. We also have tickets to the 150th British Open (golf) in St. Andrews, Scotland, which displays one of Julia’s husband’s huge sculptures. I am psyched! Love to all.”

Jeanie Crawford wrote that she is going to visit her brother, Steve ’57, in Maryland and later her daughter, Karen, in the White Mountains. “Hello to everyone! Love across the miles!”

Anna Rosenblad ’54 on the cover of a calendar with her paintings During the Christmas holiday, I received a delightful 2022 calendar from Anna Rosenblad with one of her paintings for every month. On the cover is a picture of Anna, who looks terrific for a plus-85-year-old; it must be those Swedish genes. I have sad personal news. My youngest and beloved sister, Wendy Kennan, died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on February 3. Wendy lived with her Cornish husband near Penzance, England. She was a yoga instructor, sailor, hiker, photographer, mother,

Lucy Busselle Myers: “Of course, grandchildren are the joy of my life. I continue to facilitate several writing groups, including one at a minimum-security women’s prison. I’ve been doing this for ten years or so, and I truly love it. In another vein, exercise seems to be really important in this decade! Luckily, we have two cockapoos who need walks and provide inspiration to get out. And swimming, at the Y or in the ocean, is a great blessing. These ‘Golden Years’ seem to have their share of tarnish, but they do often shine.” Mary Tyson Goodridge wrote: “My suggestion: do not slip on a grape. Ten months ago, I had a hip and femur fracture, and am still on a cane. Getting better, however. Buy a PowerPlate and let it bring you back to life. We are all getting old—and it is joyful!”

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Alice Marie Nelson: “I had carpal tunnel ‘trigger finger’ surgery last month and am having lots of physio to get my hand back and functioning. Ironic that the heart valve replacement surgery last year had no after affects—two days later I wouldn’t have known anything happened—but this hand surgery takes weeks (if not months) of recovery time! Such are the marvels of modern medicine! “One thing—I have been contacted by Ellen Jamieson Franck who wants to put me in touch with one of her granddaughters who is thinking of becoming an opera singer. She thinks I could give her some tips. I’d be delighted. We’ll see just how serious this young woman is.

Fred and Laura Travers Pardee, enjoyed dinner outdoors! They are busy and happy in Sarasota and reported that they had a most enjoyable evening at the Manasota Beach Club with Hobey Alsop Hinchman ’56 and her husband, Dave. “She looks terrific and is as full of energy as ever.”

1956

Charlotte Harding Cook, Ph.D. ccook@csus.edu

“Other than that, Ann and I have just been chugging along, going to the theater, museums and opera. Looking forward to our next one—Rodelinda! AND, like everyone else, looking forward to spring!”

Barbara Kohlsaat Von Oehsen wrote: “I had decided to take up tai chi and actually attended several classes. My friends were so encouraging and kind, but I was simply terrible. I joined in the middle of the year, knowing nothing about tai chi. I stopped with only two sessions left. Now, I am going to try reading a tai chi book and watching a DVD, and see if there is any hope for me, or if I am really a klutz. I know the exercise would be good for me, but I look dreadful! The weather is still cold, but I am back to walking my dogs, my yellow Lab and miniature dachshund. It is such fun and no leashes. I love it. Nice to be able to get out again. I had a very light case of Covid, and I assume that was because I had had all the shots.”

Laura Travers Pardee ’55 and Chloe King ’55 enjoyed dinner together this past winter in Florida. L. Chloe King: The move to North Hill, Needham was the best ever! Life there is busy, happy, and healthy. We continue to enjoy our New Hampshire cottage in the summer and fall, but miss playing golf as our shoulders said, “no more!” As I write this, we are on Anna Maria Island, FL enjoying warm sunny weather, and hoping spring will arrive in New England soon after we return home next month. We had a lovely time with JOURNAL

a passion for musical theater, even writing an original show, performed by our entire class.

“What memories!” wrote Helen Wilmerding. “I will always remember the show she improvised, where I was one of a trio belting out ‘We are the ladies of Brooklyn Heights. You pay the money, we show the sights...’ The teachers must have been deaf. Kinsa wasn’t naughty, just spirited.”

Kinsa often included her sister, Camilla Turnbull ’59, in our weekend and summer adventures. Helen remembered that “Camilla, younger sister of a star, smiled and eschewed jealousy. The whole family had smiles to die for! Kinsa’s classmates, friends and at least three little white dogs hope she has found the peace and love she deserves.”

55th Reunion of the Class of 1957, May 2012. Left to right: Susie Smith Baldwin, Nancy Miller, Helen Wilmerding, Alissa Kramer Sutphin, Kinsa Turnbull, Molly Menand, Ros Webster Perry, Anne Gildar Kaufman

1957

Rosalind Webster Perry rosperry@impulse.net

Can you believe we graduated from MFS 65 years ago? Enjoy this photo sent by Anne Gildar Kaufman, of classmates who attended our 55th reunion dinner 10 years ago at Helen Wilmerding’s Princeton home. I dearly wish we could gather in person again this year! Anne also sent news of her family: “My oldest grandson, Owen, was married in September in Michigan. His wife is lovely. Andrew, one of Owen’s brothers, just earned his master’s degree in Israel. His field is water purification. While he was there, he became an Israeli citizen and now has dual citizenship. Their youngest brother, Tyler, is taking his junior semester abroad in Belgium. His major is the supply chain. Soon Griffin, another of my grandsons, will be graduating from the University of Michigan. I really don’t know how the time went so quickly!” I was heartbroken to hear that Kinsa Turnbull passed away in September 2021. My many vivid memories of Kinsa stretch all the way back to kindergarten at Miss Fine’s. Outgoing and bold, she was incredibly inventive and charismatic, with a great sense of humor. She had

Upon learning the news about Kinsa, Anne Gildar Kaufman said, “When I think of her, I think of a young woman with amazing energy and talent. I always picture her with a smile on her face.”

Susie Smith Baldwin emailed me: “Kinsa was always a natural teacher. She excelled in everything academic, athletic, social and artistic, with contagious enthusiasm and a warm inclusive team spirit. Her creative genius combined with her vivacious person-

Below left: Kinsa Turnbull ’57 with her mother, Helen Turnbull. Below right: Kinsa Turnbull ‘57, hockey enthusiast, fall 1956. Bottom left: Kinsa Turnbull ’57 in her garden. Bottom right: Betsy Baker Carter ’57 and Kinsa Turnbull ’57 in their stylish gym uniforms, fall 1956.

ality and leadership skills made Kinsa our natural class leader. She inspired team spirit far beyond the playing field, as class president, head of student government, on stage, at the piano, writing musical lyrics and directing performances. Her lyrics could be hysterically funny and so clever.” Susie continued, “It was such a joy to see Kinsa again in 2012 at our 55th reunion dinner at Helen Wilmerding’s Princeton home. At the gathering, we commemorated our late classmate, Betsy Baker Carter (1939-2009), whose husband and daughter accepted our invitation. I do wish we were all joining in person to commemorate Kinsa.”

Kinsa’s sister, Camilla, emailed me that Kinsa “died peacefully at her home in Hainesport, NJ, on a fine burnished early fall afternoon; she would have approved... She felt strongly about things. Her opinions were firm, exuberant. She was generous and wholehearted with her friends and her students. Her classrooms popped with life—you can imagine. For its peace, for its restorative power, she treasured her home, its quiet and sustaining room for personal pursuits, film, piano, books, rose catalogs, journals, pets, garden and writing. It is probably true she was never happier than when working a fresh mountain of compost into her soil. She could work deep into the night doing this!” Camilla added, “You probably recall she was the exemplary Big Sister, always welcoming me into her orbit... Though we lived far apart, she and I shared two special loves, poetry and gardening. Our conversations were dense with these twin preoccupations—and a third increasingly, the perilous state of the nation. Her children—Helen, Judd, John—were her treasure and were with her in her last days. They are a joy, remarkable in their own lives, and they inherit their mother’s priceless gift for imaginative fun and laughter.”

I would like to include additional memories in the Fall 2022 issue of the PDS Journal. Please email or phone me with your own family news!

1958

Nancy Hudler Keuffel acornnhk@aol.com

1959

Ann Kinczel Clapp AnnClapp@hotmail.com

Classmates are envious of Abby Pollak in a balloon over the Nile after traveling through Jordan; more adventurous since she was the next to the last of us to reach 80. Many of us are playing WORDLE.

Susie Stevenson Badder just returned from a jazz jaunt to Cuba. Dana Conroy Aymond lives with Bill, “my cute, energetic man,” and his white Lab in

Florida in the winter and in Montana in the summer where they bike, kayak, and fish for trout. They are contemplating senior living in Florida.

Cecilia Aall Mathews is recovering from joint replacement surgery. Her son, Alex ’99, was forced by Covid to leave exotic sites to live with them but is now working on renewable energy in Denver. Hoping for another class Zoom soon.

1960

Penelope Hart Bragonier, Ph.D. Pbragon@gmail.com

1961

Mahala Busselle Bishop mahalabishop@gmail.com Julia Cornforth Holofcener holofcenerltd@comcast.net

Tibby Chase Dennis: “During the spring and summer of 2021, I spent the tail end of ‘pandemic alone time’ reworking some writing I had started a couple of decades earlier, and the resulting book, My Neighbor, My Self: Beginning Reflections on a Spirituality of Service, was just published by Resource Publications. Written under my maiden name Elise Chase, it shares both my own journey working with the homeless, and other folks’ stories about ‘loving their neighbors’ in various settings. A key take-away is how these caring relationships can deepen our sense of self.” Lucia Norton Woodruff: “Paul and I got to spend a whole week over Christmas with one of our daughters and her family in Big Bend National Park staying in one of the coveted CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) era cottages I had reserved on 1/1/20! FDR hired people to help them get work in the Depression. There are three small stone cottages they built away from the usual motel and dining area in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park, which everyone wants. Our New England granddaughters got to wade across the Rio Grande for tamales and music in Mexico and were thrilled. Then we spent New Year’s at home with all 12 of us together, the first time in two-and-a-half years. And the weather even cooperated! Heaven.”

Fiona Morgan Fein: “We have survived the pandemic so far without getting Covid, for which we are grateful. We are still largely based in the northwestern corner of NJ. I make trips into the City for music-theaterballet as often as possible, and to remind a few dear friends that I am still around. I continue on the board of Wells College, working with a wonderful group of colleagues to make the adjustments needed in order to thrive in these changing times. I have not yet abandoned the study of classical guitar and see little improvements from time to time. I figure it’s contrib-

uting to my brain function, if not to the world of music—LOL. I am grateful, as always, for the ties that bind the Class of ’61 after all these years—something that makes me the envy of my more recently-made friends.” Nancy Smoyer: I had a lovely couple of hours with Fiona who visited me at my nephew’s house in Brooklyn. We always pick up right where we left off some years ago. It was great to catch up with her in person and to discuss future gatherings of our class. I’m about to leave for a few weeks to Portugal and Spain, my first overseas trip since Covid.”

Sheila Long: “While age, health challenges, the pandemic, the climate, and state of the nation can remind us of life’s fragility, we rejoice in the many blessings of each day, not the least of which are our beautiful surroundings and the many friends who enable the monastery to continue. While Zoom is a great way to connect, it also heightens one’s appreciation for in-person, flesh-and-blood encounters. At the end of July, I made the challenging drive to Little Compton, RI, for a long weekend visit with Nick and Abigail. It was a joy to be able to hug again, unmasked, and the perfect weather allowed a sail with Nick, as well as a couple of trips to the beach. I had forgotten how much I love the exhilaration of diving into the surf and being swept back onto the shore. At the end of September, I again drove east for a long weekend, this time to Cambridge for the wedding of my godson Topher, to Nicoletta, at the Greek Orthodox Church in Central Square. It was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with old friends and to meet my new grandniece, Ursula Louise, who lives with her parents in Providence.”

Cherry Raymond: “I moved to the Connecticut River valley in MA amidst the pandemic 18 months ago. Settled in a lovely place with patio and apple tree; my social circle remains mostly online. I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with Tibby and Trudi who live nearby. I retired in June ’20, and am busy staying healthy while engaging in photography, writing, gardening and tracking the pace of change in our wide, wide world. Amazing, huh, that in our lifetimes we have seen the rise, peak and decline of a great nation? Grueling or agonizing, if not simply sad, to see so much suffering and travail, and hard-won gains seemingly lost as our society’s systems strain and come apart. I try to stay upbeat/sane by tracking positive developments that are budding all over even as humanity slides perilously closer to extinction. The transition to EVs is one of my favorites. I’m learning to embrace opposites, seeing two-eyed, or even three-eyed, yet always prone to the Cyclops condition. I’m so grateful for our time together as youths and continuing connection.” Cynthia Weinrich: “I’ve done more writing, which cheers me. Even though interrupted by periods of Covid-depression lethargy (which

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are mainly characterized by getting very little done and watching a guilty amount of escapist TV), I do have more in my writing file. I’ve decided my next task is to work on finding somewhere to ‘place’ my essays; a daunting task, but I try to give myself ‘one step one day at a time’ pep talks. Tibby and Elise and others keep encouraging me, for which I am thankful. Other than that, I continue to do ‘sub’ music work, organize (and even get rid of!) years of papers, and keep in mostly nonin-person touch with friends. I spent much of last summer in the country, which was great. “I’ve also been feeling more ‘old’ in the past year or so—though I am somewhat heartened to find others I talk with feel the same way. I hope that some of it is due to the stresses and diminished exercise of these Covid times, but I fear some of it may actually be age! ‘And it’s great to feel we’re finally coming out of the nightmare’ is another phrase from my earlier submission that may be coming true again regarding Covid. Not disappearance, which I think some of us had hoped for, but manageable. And thankfully spring is coming, which will free us cautious ones for more interaction with friends, family and the wonderful world around us.”

Polly Busselle Bishop: “After years of backand-forthing between the Cape and Maine, I’ve bitten the bullet and am now a full-time Maine resident. Don and I stay busy with various workshops, constant reading and keeping up with the often-disastrous news of the day. A pottery shop and gathering place are in the cards for the summer.”

Julia Cornforth Holofcener: Life is good… very good in fact! I’m really enjoying living in London, although I haven’t ventured out much except for business meetings and food shopping. I am having great fun playing “Angel” to a number of plays besides the one about Churchill’s visit to the White House right after Pearl Harbor. It looks as if that play won’t open until spring 2023. I’ve also invested in a new play from the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; tickets are already selling, although its tour doesn’t start until August. I now have a great-granddaughter named Ellie Ermel, my eldest daughter, Lisa’s, first grandchild. Over the holidays, the entire family gathered except for one grandson who is working on a Ph.D. in Hawaii. WhatsApp is a gift, as I was able to view them all and see little Ellie. I am truly blessed!

1962

Susan Shea McPherson suebear3@gmail.com

Wendy Coppedge Sanford wrote: “In a time when school boards in many states are prohibiting honest teaching about racism in U.S. history, I am glad to have added my voice to the truth-telling. In These Walls Between Us: A Memoir of Friendship Across Race and Class, I portray my own training in racial and class JOURNAL

Wendy Coppedge Sanford ’62 and the cover of her book, These Walls Between Us: A Memoir of Friendship Across Race and Class dominance and the sixty-five-year friendship between Mary Norman and myself that grew and deepened as I began to leave that training behind.”

These Walls Between Us: A Memoir of Friendship Across Race and Class special honors: • Notable Indie, Indie Best Awards 2021

• First Prize in Multicultural Nonfiction, Firebird Book Awards 2021

• Finalist in Multicultural Nonfiction, Best Book Awards 2021

candles and singing Silent Night in the dark behind the curtain, going on a social service weekend in the slums of Philadelphia—quite an awakening, half day of school on Fridays, walking to Marquand Park to play sports in the afternoon, painting the driveway curb to cancel demerits, the friendships, the laughing, the Blue and Gray. “It was a safe and happy time. We were lucky.”

Sally Campbell Haas shared memories of making Christmas wreaths, marching into the gym singing Adeste Fidelis, the Maypole dance, celebrations after a field hockey game, and the eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C.

Turid Helland shared that she has enough good memories of her year at MFS to fill pages.

Laura Rogers shared memories of the Christmas pageant, making Christmas wreaths with Mrs. Shepherd, the wonderful old Princeton Inn building with its creaking floors and grand staircase that was home to MFS, card games in the coat closet, leaving hockey practice to run over to Marvin to see Senator John F. Kennedy, walking to Marquand Park for hockey and lacrosse games, Mrs. Cicero and Mrs. Culette (sp?), senior thesis (ugh!), and the day a bird flew into Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62 managed to the window of French class and Mrs. corral all her grandchildren (ages 10-30) at Wade exclaiming, “Oh, pauvre petit Christmas: (L to R, top) Summer, Max, Hayley, oiseau!” She also wonders if more of the (bottom) Piper, Fiona, Isabella. class would share thoughts on other stuff (not politics!) like dealing with aging 1963 parents, ailing siblings or partners, activities appropriate for our current state of health, Virginia Elmer Stafford what subjects stimulate our minds, etc. Maybe vesalb@aol.com next issue? As Pamela Sidford Schaeffer said: “It’s hard Liza Maugham said that although the panto come up with news when the news is ‘stay demic has put a damper on some things, isolated.’ I could describe all the knitting projects I have done, all the books I have read, Zoom has been a blessing to allow her to take classes through UMass/Lowell and to keep up and all the people I have missed but none of with friends on committees back in Maynard, these is very interesting, and everyone has the MA. She has retired to a house she has owned same report.” for 30 years in Boothbay Harbor, ME. She So, I suggested sharing some favorite memois blessed to have amazing nature trails that ries of our time at MFS, and hope that some she explores several times a week, the Botanic of these trigger yours and add a smile to Gardens up the road, and sees her children your day. Pam’s are: playing bridge in the and grandchildren often. She ended with coat room at morning break, the magic of “Come and visit!” the Christmas program—marching with our

1943

Peter E.B. Erdman PErdman700@comcast.net

1947

David C.D. Rogers drassoc53@comcast.net

Polly Miller shared a memory of science class when Miss Collins first brought out a human figure. Wylie (O’Hara Doughty) asked Miss Collins a question that embarrassed her so much that she quickly covered the figure and that was the end of that for a bit. Does anyone remember what she asked?

Another wistful memory was of plucking off the honeysuckle flowers and sucking out the nectar as we waited in line to file into the gymnasium. She reported that she and Nick are well and heading to Princeton for one of their only trips off island since the pandemic to celebrate their grandson’s 20th birthday. She regrets having to give up a “too young and frisky” pony but is looking forward to trying two baby mini-Nubian goats coming from North Carolina in early March. She also teaches primitive rag wool hooking.

PRinceTon coUnTRY DAY school

1948

John D. Wallace njnb1@aol.com

1950

Michael P. Erdman mperdman57@gmail.com

1951 Kathy Sittig Dunlop ’63 and Kathy Kilgore ’63 together in 2004 Kathleen Sittig Dunlop feels that the pandemic has taught her how much friends matter. She shared that Bonnie Grad Levy has been wonderful about keeping in touch. She recently heard from Kathryn Kilgore after sending her a picture of an airstream trailer, and says that Kathy sounded great and is living in Monterey, CA. She keeps busy with water aerobics, golf, lunch with friends, Bible study, a book group, her puppies and taking pictures. She sent a photo of white pelicans that arrived a month early this year.

I, Virginia Elmer Stafford, remember being obsessed with bridge, putting the scarlet letter on the bust of Miss Fine in the front hall, our gym outfits that my cousin thought were hilarious even then (wonder what today’s students would think!!), Patience Outerbridge fainting on top of me at the Christmas pageant, that eye-opening trip to the slums of Philadelphia where I spent the day painting the apartment of an elderly woman, trips to the deli on Palmer Square on Fridays, my introduction to reading the NYT Week in Review for history class on Mondays (this interest in current events has stuck with me!!), and the fight over what color flowers to carry for graduation. Although it is hard to make new connections during the pandemic, I am enjoying exploring my new home in the Pacific Northwest and also would welcome visitors. Hope you are all finding peace and health during these challenging times.

1964

Barbara Rose barbarabrose@me.com

1965

Margaret Woodbridge Dennis hotyakker@gmail.com

Edwin H. Metcalf ehmet@comcast.net

1952

Philip Kopper PosPress@AOL.com

Let me leaven the report of another classmate’s death with the small comfort of how I learned the news.

I had been in touch with Sherry Smith increasingly in recent years as he managed a secondhand bookstore in New England and often had a volume I wanted, which he would send quickly and at a fair price. Last year, I couldn’t reach him or the store. Remembering that one benefit of rural living is the closeknitted-ness of small-town life, I found a town roster on the internet and dashed off a snail mail note to the clerk of Dummerston, VT. Days later, Laurie Frechette wrote back: “Dear Mr. Kopper, I am so sorry to be the bearer of sad news. Sherwood passed away last November at his sister’s home in Dummerston. Sherwood was a lovely man. He added a great deal to our community. I’m forwarding your note along to Jane Smith, Sherwood’s sister. I imagine that she will be in touch with you.”

Indeed, Jane ’61 called me soon after and shared more information. She and Sherry had roots in Southern Vermont; their parents had honeymooned there, later bought land and made a home. Jane had owned the Basket’s Books emporium, which Sherry managed. She expressed pride in their joint accomplishment: serving their adopted community by selling good reads at modest cost. She said, “He was very knowledgeable about used books and paperbacks, very helpful to customers”—facts I could confirm. A local periodical reported that he passed “peacefully,” attended by family and caregivers, then detailed his vital stats and offered a thumbnail eulogy that neighbors would recognize: “Sherwood’s passion for reading and

poetry was shared through a reading group and a number of close friends who considered him a literary mentor. He was a trustee with the West Dummerston library for many years and received recognition for his long service. Sherwood loved to be outside with his dogs, going fly fishing, hiking, or gardening, all of which he did with zest and studious intensity. A sometimes crusty and cynical personality hid a human with a great heart who was willing to help anyone and loved to do so.

“In the spring, he would be buried in a family plot in the cemetery nearby, and memorial donations would be welcome at local institutions: the Lydia Taft Pratt Library, the Volunteer Fire Department, and Bayada Hospice.” The report continued: “Sherwood is survived by his sisters, Cynthia [MFS ’52] of Anderson, SC, and Jane of Dummerston, his brother, Edgar Lee Smith of Flemington, NJ, and a special friend, Carol Young, as well as a community of loving friends.” Rest in Peace.

Sorry to say I had no success locating another “lost” classmate, Peter Bauer, who years ago also settled in Vermont—within walking distance of Canada but he, too, has moved from a known abode leaving no forwarding address.

1953

classnotes@pds.org

We were so sorry to learn of the passing of Ken Scasserra on December 3, 2021. We are grateful for his many years as class correspondent. Please contact Ann Wiley ’70, Class Notes editor, at classnotes@pds.org if you are interested in becoming the new class correspondent for PCD 1953.

1954

Fred M. Blaicher, Jr. fritzblaicher@yahoo.com

1956

Robert E. Dorf dorf b@outlook.com

1957

James Carey, Jr. tim_carey@nobles.edu

I decided to let my loyal and dependable classmates off from what is a twice-yearly dunning for information. They can rest assured that I will be back at them in another few months. Winter is passing slowly with the temps in Boston tomorrow set for the low sixties, but a snowstorm is in the offing. Such is life in New England. I hope everyone associated with PDS is feeling hopeful about the possibility of a more open and enjoyable spring and summer. Best to everyone!

1958

Toby Knox Tknox3593@gmail.com sPRING 2022

50 50

of Covid. [Mary and I] have broken the monotony only a few times, most recently with a November sea kayaking excursion from Loreto to La Paz in the Sea of Cortez. Baja California Sur was spectacularly aware and careful with respect to Covid, unlike a sizeable number of our states and fellow countrypersons.

1959

Stephen S. Cook stevecook566@gmail.com

1960

Karl D. Pettit III karl.pettit@comcast.net

1961

Peter H. Raymond peterh.raymond@protonmail.com

Many of the Class of 1961 may have returned to burrow with Punxsutawney Phil after the ‘Tooth of Feberrrrary’, and who blames them? Atop the Omicron variant’s grim dance through the winter, the foreboding increases in sea level and temperature with concomitant unnatural disasters, and threats to national democracy, just now [not] dear friend Vladimir invades Ukraine as if Stalin’s Holodomor’s murder of 3.5 million Ukrainians needs a Russian postscript. Who knows what will be the state of things by the Journal ’s publication? In the meantime, we buy Ukrainian flags.

Randy Hobler ’61 and Peter Raymond ’61 at a PDS reunion Randy offered this critical archaeological information regarding the assault of time (as if we needed it): “At the intersection of Springdale and College Road, the Eisenhart Arch straddling the road is named after Luther Eisenhart, a president of the Princeton Grad College back in the day. You know how Roman roads and aqueducts are still around because their engineers intended that they last for thousands of years? Well, whoever planned that arch didn’t bother to make it strong enough. In my last few visits to P’ton, sadly, parts of it were visibly crumbling.” Ozymandias, take note. Only Richard Reynolds responded to my personal prompt to the class to share its knowledge fund: “Here is some of my learning from bitter, bitter experience: • Do not stand on rope, wire or laundry you try to lift from the floor or deck.

Peter Morse ’61’s birthday party in 1953 Randy Hobler, without provocation, sent a photograph and wrote: “I got this shot from Peter Morse’s widow, Melissa, the other day, of Peter’s 1953 birthday, which was two years before Peter and I were at PCD together. It is striking that I don’t remember knowing him before PCD at all. Three guys in the photo were from my Valley Road School class, so I must have known Peter from there. That’s me peeking out from the back left side with Peter second from the right. Note how every one of us has a crew cut!”

Randy, trying to identify two of the boys, sent the photo to classmates, which unearthed the following scholastic histories:

Father John Sheehan explained, “Of course, I was a Miss Fine’s kid for grades 1 to 3 so, no help. When I first saw the pic I thought that might have been me in the front but when I read your note, obviously not.” Regan Kerney: “Nassau Street School here. With [Robert] French, [Peter] Kirkpatrick (I think) and a few others. Ed Warren? So, I know nobody in that shot.” JOURNAL

• Do not congratulate a woman on her pregnancy before a different woman has confirmed that the first is, indeed, pregnant. • Do not shave off a beard unless so directed by a medical expert; in my case, this revealed two frightening jowls and a newly parrotbeaked upper lip.

“Like perhaps everyone in ’61, having lived long enough and so having been often enough in the wrong places at the right times (or could that be ‘in the right places at the wrong times?’) I’ve been humbled by the many times I’ve been mistaken in assumptions about how the world works. Or humbled by finally making observations of things that I’ve not appreciated such as during the recent Marshall Fire, seeing large embers sailing at eye-level across fields covering 100 meters in two-to-three seconds. It was horrific to watch these embers torch homes in their paths within a few more seconds. Mary and I evacuated on our own judgment and were fortunate, but it was not so for thousands of others, including friends, who lost homes nearby. Heart-wrenching is an understatement. It makes us realize our vulnerabilities. There are other episodes of having been at the edge of disaster, with small margins of safety, most of which have occurred within the past decade. Some degree of the regional damage can be traced to climatic change and its role in extreme conditions, and some degree can be placed directly on human infrastructure transformed instantly and surprisingly from useful to destructive. Thankfully, we don’t live in hurricane alleys. All of which is to say, please stay safe.”

For those with a historical bent to match Hobler’s, there is a link to the 1961 Spring Junior Journal on the PDS website https://www.digifind-it.com/princetonday/ data/jr-journals/1961-06.pdf with photos and all sorts of remarkable features about the class. To whet your appetite of your memory banks, here is our senior photograph from that publication

1962

John F. McCarthy III jack@mccarthyllc.com

Unfortunately, for a number of reasons we had to cancel plans for a 60th reunion during the weekend of May 13-14. We are still having regular class Zoom sessions. If you would like to join, please contact Rick Delano at rdelano@fordngi.com.

1963

John A. Ritchie jhnritchie@yahoo.com

1964

William E. Ring mwmaverick@gmail.com Donald E. Woodbridge maderacito@yahoo.com

PRinceTon DAY school 1966

Deborah V. Hobler dvhobler@cox.net

When I last wrote this column, I said that maybe when the spring 2022 PDS Journal came out, we could be mask-free. Holy Cleopatra, it’s amazing to me that we almost are. Although here in March 2022, I am still wearing my N95s inside for some time to come. I feel naked without them! I also asked you to share your pandemic stories with me but alas, none were received. I know you all love me, really. It’s just that you avoid me, why is that? Like many people who had to stay at home during the pandemic, Andrea Hicks decided

PCD Class of 1961

• Perform today any exercises you can because tomorrow maybe you can’t.”

The determinedly half-glass-full Richard replied,

“A ROPE on the DECK (as in the game Clue). She wasn’t.

At least you didn’t cut yourself.

You can still do some exercises.”

To my second, panic-laced solicitation letter, he added, “Perhaps we’re news-drained by the days

Debbie Hobler ’66 and Mary Hobler ’68 seated with their mom, Randy Hobler with Andrea Hicks ’66 and her mom, Joanie, Sally Harries Gauldie ’66 and Patty Morgan-Irigoyen ’66.

that being at home really was the way to live. And so after many, many years with a career in the legal profession, she retired!! Bravo! I was about ready to have her nominated for the Supreme Court justice position, but she checked out too soon. Congratulations!

reported that she loves it and feels it’s much safer than skiing. I agree. I find walking can be dangerous these days! I am sad to report that Christine’s sister, Abigail Clark Ford ’67, passed away on November 3, 2021, after a long battle with cancer. An advocate of education, Abi was a cornerstone of the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District and community for over 25 years. We send our deepest condolences to Chris, her family, and Abi’s husband, James, and their family.

he finally died while seeking shelter in the house on Edgehill, a site that has been Margery Cuyler Perkins haunted ever ’66 at Book Fair since. I remember in elementary school spending the night at the Cuyler’s and feeling his presence!

My brother, Randy Hobler ’61, is now writing another book, this time on Einstein, entitled Princeton Through Einstein’s Eyes; it is about Princeton residents’ stories about Einstein. If you had any personal contact with Dr. Einstein, or know stories about him, please contact Randy at rwhobe@gmail.com.

On a sad note, Andrea’s mother, Joanie Stewart Hicks, 94, who so many of us in the Class of ’66 adored and considered our second mom, passed away on September 12, 2021. She was surrounded by her family, in her Stonebridge apartment where she had lived Sally Harris Gauldie is very happy to for 18 years. Joanie lived a full life with music, announce that her son Steve, his wife, Sam, language, and art; she even flew planes to aid and granddaughters Maddie and Charlotte, war efforts in WWII and was passionately decided to leave the States after 14 years and devoted to her family and her friends. Always move to Oakville, Ontario this past summer. engaged, quick-witted, curious, and, most of This is just 30 minutes from Sally and Jack’s all fun, she was always the life of the party. house in Hamilton, so many more family getShe was also everyone’s best friend, includtogethers are happening. Her son David, and ing my mom’s, Randy Hobler’s. At the same time, Joanie was deeply committed to social justice and community service, and devoted years of her time to her favorite nonprofits in Princeton. I miss her so much, as I know many of you do. Our class sends their deepest sympathies to the Hicks sisters; Andrea ’66, Lindsey ’70, Daren ’73 and Libby ’77—the best daughters a mom could ever have asked for—and to Joanie’s entire extended family. We hold you all in our hearts. Sally Harries Gauldie ’66 and Jack with son, Margery Cuyler Perkins has a new Steve, and family in August website, www.margerycuyler.net, where you can check out her latest projects. She recently took time to work with her family on a ghost-writing project. As many of you know, Margery grew up in a stone house at 32 Edgehill Road that housed a ghost from the Revolutionary War. He was a young Hessian mercenary who had fled with his contingent from Trenton to Princeton, running away from Washington and his troops. After Sally Harries Gauldie ’66 and Jack with a day’s long fight son, Dave, and his family in July. in Princeton, which in the his family are already living in Toronto, so words of one the whole family is back in Canada. Jack and witness left Sally enjoyed a lovely week in July at a cot“the college tage with Dave and his family, and a week in and church in August with Steve and his family. heaps of ruins,”

Christine Clark Kerr, always the athlete, has taken up a new sport, outdoor paddle tennis, and plays two to three times a week. She

Hannah Blakeman wrote in our 1966 yearbook: “I burn my candle at both ends. Don’t ask me to stop because I’ll stop when I am ready. And then you will know the reason why. If I thought you could understand, I’d ask you to tea—we have it every day you know.” sPRING 2022

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Top: Hannah Blakeman ’66 yearbook photo Below: a recent photo of Hannah provided by her family I am so sad to share the news of Hannah Blakeman’s death from cancer on January 22, 2022, surrounded by her family. I was able to talk with her while she was in hospice, and it was as if we were still talking outside on the front steps of Miss Fine’s years ago. Despite the painkilling drugs she was taking, Hannah was as spirited and funny as always. “Dying sucks,” she said, and we both laughed. And at the same time, she was serious about her life and what she had overcome and accomplished. After graduating from PDS, she fought to find her place in the world; first by attending Skidmore College and NYU, then receiving her AA degree at Thomas Edison. In 1984 she earned a BA in Fine Arts at Mason Gross Arts Program at Rutgers. She found her joy and calling in art, writing and photography.

Hannah always had a visceral sense of social justice and spoke out about it. She deeply appreciated a number of our teachers for their encouragement and kindness: George Packard and Moyne Smith because of their gift of teaching her and encouraging her to write. Arlene Smith fostered her creativity, George Warren brought her historical reality and raised her social consciousness, and she always spoke with great fondness of Mrs. Roberts as a person with true moral rectitude. Mrs. Brophy, nurse to all, always warmly welcomed Hannah to her office when needed. I think Mrs. Brophy made us all feel safe. Hannah’s last years were spent creating art, and being with those she loved best, her two children, John and Virginia, and her grandchildren.

Artwork by Hannah Blakeman ’66 JOURNAL

I have always loved Hannah’s “God Box” (see photo of her art on this page). I’d like to think now she’s with her God and in peace. Our class sends our deepest sympathies to Hannah’s family, daughter, Virginia Blakeman, and son, John Giles, her grandchildren, and her extended family. We will always remember her and admire her for her resilience overcoming challenges and for her artistry.

Polly Smock ’67 and her grandson, who just recently turned 18, stand in front of her house in September 2021.

I’ve been luxuriating, watching TV and reading. Speaking of reading, I finally saw Franny Gorman the other day when she dropped by and let me borrow a few of her books. We had a nice lunch outside and caught up on many things.”

Hope Rose Angier ’66 with Fred and their dog. “Life is good in Maine!”

Julia Lockwood wrote that her daughter Rachel is still out in Boise, ID, teaching American history at the College of Idaho, which is in nearby Caldwell. “She just bought a house in Boise,” Julia said, “which is very exciting—and difficult to do in this market. Her college teaching schedule allows her to come back to Maine for part of the summer, and we enjoy an excuse to make a trip out West. Shradha continues as quality control manager at the Pineland Meats production here in Maine, and Priyanka began a job she likes a lot this fall as an ed tech in our local elementary school. She and her friend took a school vacation week break in Miami in February. Our planned trip to Japan this spring was canceled, as the country remains closed to tourists. Instead, Marc and I now plan to go to Spain in May to hike the last portion of the Camino and hope to see Mary Young Bragado in Valladolid.” Mary Woodbridge Lott wrote: “Princeton, too, has been cold this February, and I’m definitely looking forward to spring, especially since we’ve been teased with 60-degree weather followed the next day by snow. The best thing that happened to me since I last wrote was the birth of my second granddaughter, Harriet, on February 1, 2021 to my daughter, Sara Lott Springer ’96. I’ve been avoiding the variants of Covid from October to May in Princeton and May to October in Maine. I see my granddaughters on the holidays, I play paddle tennis once a week, and

Hope to get more news from classmates for the Fall 2022 issue!

1968 Sophia Godfrey Bauer sbauer2086@gmail.com Mary Hobler Hyson bassett7750@cox.net

1967

Susan Fritsch Hunter ares543@comcast.net

two cancellations. It was great, but so short I wasn’t sure it had happened after we returned. We were lucky to leave just before another Covid spike hit Germany and the Netherlands. In late December, we made a five-day visit to Brazil to visit daughter, Joycie, who’s been teaching in São Paulo for the past few years. It was my first visit to South America, an interesting part of the world. Again, we left just before Omicron hit the country. We spent two weeks in Florida in January, with no ill effects except for another plane cancellation and lost luggage. Flying is not fun these days!

Mary Woodbridge Lott ’67’s daughter, Sara Lott Springer ’96, and family celebrated Harriet’s first birthday. Pam Erickson MacConnell sent her thoughts about spring over the years. “Spring isn’t specifically a season in Florida, maybe a random day here and there and then— bam—it’s summer and hot! I do miss the wonderful spring season at Miss Fine’s and PDS. Spring was the time to get ready for lacrosse season. I loved playing lacrosse, and the highlight was the Blue and White game each year. I usually played center forward but got commandeered into the goalie position when the goalie was sick. I’ll never forget the sight of Patty Morgan ’66 heading straight for me like a train coming down the tracks! My guards fled as I tried to field the ‘rocket shot’ she fired at me. Next thing I knew I was on my back near the net with the coach trying to remove my face mask. As I was trying to field/dodge her throw, the ball hit me square in the middle of my mask! Thank goodness my lacrosse goalie career ended right then! “I miss the flowers of spring that we don’t get in Florida. The early crocuses and the tulips were followed by the forsythia and pussy willows. The flowers I miss the most are the big violets and lilacs. If you have some lilacs, please do me a favor. Sit down next to them, close your eyes, take a deep breath of that heavenly scent, and think of me. Wishing you all a joyful spring!” News from the Hunters: Bill and I finally took a Rhine River cruise in October after

Susan Koch Slimmon LaTulippe and I visited on the phone in February. She loves living in Vermont (since the 1980s). She and her husband, Steve, enjoy their modern-style home, which is tucked away in a quiet place in the woods, yet only a few miles from the main highway. Reading books has been a lifetime passion for Susan. She told me how they traveled extensively during the 1990s after the kids had emptied the nest. Estonia, the Azores and the Caribbean were some of their favorite destinations. Susan now says they only do armchair traveling!” Joan Wadelton said, “Why don’t we do a class Zoom? I do them all the time for work and pleasure. I am connecting now with people in Africa for work. And with old friends I haven’t seen in years. I’ve also been doing them for my college 50th reunion. People will love it.” (With Joan’s assistance, by the time you are reading this, we may have already had our class Zoom session!)

“It’s been cold in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains here in Santa Fe, NM, but not much snow,” reported Lisa Lawrence. “It is good to be back in town after about 15 years elsewhere in the state (mostly in Las Vegas, NM) and briefly back in New Jersey. I am loving living in a ‘treehouse’—a living/ workspace with a loft for office and bedroom. There are down sides to the industrial style, but it’s been a fun change from living in a Victorian house. I wonder how long I shall be enjoying my playpen until it’s time to move on. I have just launched a newsletter, too. So, anyone who is curious can subscribe on my website at www.lisaporterlawrencellc.com.”

Bob Ramsey sent me this quick update: “First, thanks for driving me home in 1967 from school one day when I was sick. I liked your VW Bug and I am happy I did not throw up in it!” (Me, too.)

“I continue to practice law in NJ, teach for Garden State CLE and write law books. Last year, I was accepted into the doctoral program at Rider University, and I am now working toward an Ed.D., which I hope to receive in May 2024. The curriculum is not nearly as challenging as what we were exposed to at PDS so many years ago.

Covid. Had a visit with Sally Lane Graff ’66 as we live not far away. That’s been the extent of our travel during the ‘lockdown times,’ but plans are afoot for farther shores. Do we really have a 55th reunion in 2023?” (YES! Let’s make it happen.)

“On a sad note, our 19-year-old son, Patrick, passed away last year. Many classmates sent condolences at the time.” (On behalf of the rest of our class, our most sincere caring thoughts to you, Bob and Kelley. Patrick was a gifted actor, musician, composer and lyricist.)

“One final word... I am an inveterate jogger. I am at a point where I can jog three to six miles with no problem. With this in mind, I remember a day in 1965 when Mr. Coombs, as coach of the PDS wrestling team, told me that I would be running six miles before practice that day. At age 15, it nearly killed me. Now at age 72, I could do it—no problem!” (Way to go, Bob!)

John Taylor shared the following news: “At Christmas, 2020, Diane and I launched a book that we had been working on for several years: Stardust - The Work and Life of Jeweler Extraordinaire, Frédéric Zaavy. Through 2021, I took advantage of the pandemic to finish work on a few other —already photographed—book projects. The start of 2021 was a great winter for snowshoeing in Black Rock Forest, just up the road from our house near West Point. At the height of spring, in April, we went down to Virginia to visit the three presidential ‘chateaux.’ Fascinating. Ten days in British Columbia in September and 10 more in Maine in October, rounded out the fun stuff for the year. Did more cooking than I thought I would ever do in my life! But, most importantly, stayed healthy through it all.” Connie Sayen Ban and Vladimir were able to get to Croatia this past summer, after nearly two years. Family and friends there are also well and have weathered Covid. “Whenever we have been together at a reunion, once in a blue moon... I always reflect and appreciate what a truly wonderful group of people our classmates are! Everyone, in their own way, endeavors to make the world better. I thank you all, friends! Be well!”

Anne Fulper has numerous personal and family (Fulper Pottery) stories to share, and you can hear them in her own voice at https:// annefulper.com/. Enjoy Anne’s creativity and humor. Presently many of us who live in the Northeast would love to be with Rick Ross right now… in Florida. “We are in the shadow of the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse for a couple of months to escape the cold, hit the beach and play lots of golf. Christmas was in Boston with dozens, loads of merry making. Perhaps too much, as we both contracted

Mary Hobler Hyson ’68 with her husband, Eric Your devoted scribe, Mary Hobler Hyson, is hoping to do more traveling this year, now that Covid seems to be receding a bit, and since husband, Eric, retired last summer. Our priority trips will be to see family, especially Mary Hobler because we are expecting Hyson ’68 our sixth grandchild on February 28. Hope to see class members soon on a Zoom session, and perhaps in person in Princeton for our 55th reunion in May next year. My brother, Randy Hobler ’61, is writing a book about Albert Einstein based on Princeton residents’ personal remembrances during Einstein’s time in Princeton. If you or friends/family have a story to share, please let me know.

1969

Susan Denise Harris susandeniseharris@gmail.com

Karen Hoffman Friedlander: “Gardner and I moved from Milwaukee to Philadelphia about two years ago, just in time for the pandemic. We now have two wonderful grandsons who keep us on our toes. We’ve got lots of family time with our daughter and son-in-law, too. Someday we’ll get out to get to know Philadelphia, but until we can get our grandsons vaccinated, we’re keeping close to home.” Blair Lee: “I got engaged last summer to Scott, my partner of six years. 2023 seems like a good target date for the wedding to let Covid fade away.”

sPRING 2022

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Above left: Brita and Lucian, Blair Lee ’69’s children who “will be obliged” to walk Blair down the aisle at her wedding next year. Above right: Blair Lee ’69 and her fiance, Scott Skip (Jerry) King: “I sell handmade split cane bamboo fly rods. www.kingflyrods.com. I live on a 26-acre farm in Floyd County, VA with my partner, Elisheba, in an insulated concrete form home and studio I built. Life is vast.”

Skip (Jerry) King ’69 at a Renaissance Faire Dave Vomacka sent his sons, John and Evan, and John’s wife, Carrie, and their three children, Leo, Reese and little Ryan, t-shirts to celebrate the Bengals getting into the Super Bowl. Dave reported: “Things are good here, spring is on its way, and wishing my fellow classmates a healthy 2022. My son John and his family live in Darien, CT, where he loves sailing his newly acquired sailboat.”

Tony Blair: “I recently had a really nice visit with Larry Tan and his wonderful wife, Genevieve, at their home in San Anselmo, CA. We shared memories of PCD and PDS and updated each other on our lives. We went to Muir Woods Redwood Grove and the beach. I watched him tending his bees. It was great to see him again and to meet Genevieve. I’m in the process of moving to Santa Fe, NM and hoping to see Bill Chalverus soon.”

Janet Masterton sent: “All is well with me. I am still consulting in the pharmaceutical industry.

Meg Brinster Michael ’70 and Freddi Cagan Doeringer ’70 together last October

“My biggest news is that Alexis, who lives in NYC, is engaged. I expect they will be married before the end of 2022.” Bob Peck is “looking to retire this year and take up the ukulele full time!”

Beverly Bevis Jones wrote: “To celebrate my 70th birthday in August, I traveled with a friend to the Galapagos Islands. We booked with National Geographic for a five-day expedition cruise with two nights in Guayaquil, Ecuador where we stayed in a beautiful, renovated hotel. We flew from Guayaquil to Baltra Island and then journeyed by Zodiac boat to our ship. It was an exciting trip, and the islands are very different than you might imagine. They are formed by volcanic lava and have different tropiscapes and animals. We hiked, swam, walked along the beaches, snorkeled and kayaked. The dining service was superb and the passengers and crew were all quite young, which made it fun.”

Ann M. Wiley awileyemail@gmail.com

Meg Brinster Michael and Freddi Cagan Doeringer spent “a beautiful October 2021 weekend together.”

Meg reported: In September, her daughter, Caroline, moved to Capitol Hill in Seattle to work at the Starbucks Roastery. She lives

Last fall, I consulted for three months straight virtually. I have decided that I am more of a virtuous person, rather than a virtual person. Therefore, I am winding down my consulting slowly…… It may be really time to retire, I never know! “I spent the past Christmas holidays in Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota visiting my family. “In 2022, I am scheduled to visit: Nebraska, Florida, Wyoming and Canada. “I enjoy seeing my good friends Ann Wiser Fries and Meg Brinster Michael, who both still live in Princeton.

“Covid has somewhat sapped my artistic muse, but I am finally getting energized in that area again.”

Hilary Martin sent cheers and greetings to our class. She wrote that she finally has big news to report. “Our daughter, Amanda, will bring our first grandchild, a boy, into our family! Her due date is April 8. In fact, husband and excited-grandpa-to-be Kevin and I are driving down to D.C. right now (2/18/22). Tomorrow, we’re celebrating the impending arrival with a baby shower! “That’s all the great news we really have. The damn ol’ pandemic has quashed just about everything else, hasn’t it? Although, Amanda did manage to arrange a wonderful 70th birthday party for me in late January. It was at a restaurant with a heated outdoor tent, of course, but we did it! It was as fun as marking the completion of seven decades could be…. ha! Yikes. How did we forever young ’uns get so old????”

“I hear from time to time from the Huson Gregory family. They are doing well!

“I certainly hope that our PDS Class of 1970 Alumni Reunion will finally happen this year! “All the best to everyone!”

Bob Peck ’70 and family at Christmas In response to my request for news including best books read or programs watched:

Margaret Meigs wrote: “You suggested some great topics! But first, I do have to report on grandchild stuff: our fourth—Isla Mireille Melis—was born last year on what would have been my father’s 100th birthday! And on January 9 this year, we welcomed #five— Hazel Grace Sheridan.

“Books: a most fun thing I am doing is taking a class via Zoom with the English writer-musician Wesley Stace (he performed for many years under the name John Wesley Harding). He now lives in Philly and is teaching the 12-novel series, A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell. I had read it a couple of times but never studied it. So satisfying and Wes is an amazing teacher. “Streaming: Yellowstone (horses and cowboys, yes!) but mainly many British detective and police procedurals—Line of Duty, Broadchurch, Giri/Haji—and the international hits—Lupin, Call My Agent, Babylon Berlin. Guilty as charged of rarely watching anything uplifting. “Travel: we went to Portugal in October. Key West and rowing camp in west Florida next

Diane Erickson reported: “I am still teaching at Stetson University, two classes, two days a week. I love it, but as it is an intensive writing class, the time spent grading is crazy. This year, teaching freshmen whose education has been stunted by Covid, has been challenging. Communication for them has been limited to text messages and SnapChat. So… we go back to, ‘Sentences start with a capital letter, end with a period, and the personal pronoun, I, is always capitalized (unless you are e.e. cummings).’ I tell them to fasten their seatbelts and hang on so that they will be ready for the rest of their university career, as well as life. With a lot of work and effort, it does work.

“On the fun part of life, my granddaughter, who is now four, enjoys outdoor adventures and I hope to take her hiking with me this summer.

Diane Erickson ’70’s granddaughter getting ready to zip line in North Carolina

“The timber farming is moving along with new efforts to manage on a long-term basis for future income to sustain the farm forever, we hope! Prices have finally gone up recently, so that is a big help with the bottom line. Most of the profits tend to be realized by the mills and end-retailers, but we are happy to be a part of the supply chain. “Our family has all contracted one form or another of Covid. It will be quite a happy day when we can get a grip on our lives and not have to worry endlessly about transmission or getting infected. Who thought that this was the way life would be as we embrace the older phase in life?”

I (Ann Wiley) keep very busy with church work, needlepoint, Journal Class Notes and lunches out (and in) with friends. I hope to take two riverboat cruises this year—both rescheduled because of Covid. The first will be to Portugal, the week after our 50+2 reunion (Hope to see you there!) and the second in December to the Christmas Markets on the Danube. Please send me your news for the Fall Journal!

“I must admit, I am watching the series Yellowstone on television. And I am never going to the ‘Train Station’…………

Larry Tan ’69 and Tony Blair ’69 reconnected this year

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“Love to you and everyone in our class. I hope we are together live very soon.”

only a few blocks from her brother, Spencer, who is a designer in a landscape architecture firm there.

Bev Bevis Jones ’69 celebrated her 70th birthday in the Galapagos Islands

Dave Vomacka ’69’s sons, John and Evan, and John’s wife, Carrie, and their three children, Leo, Reese and little Ryan in their Cincinnati Bengal t-shirts

week. But, sadly, not much more planned or possible right now.

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Thomas C. Worthington worthington_tom@yahoo.com

Natalie Huston Wiles wrote: “Ellis and I have weathered the winter so far without any problems. We look forward to traveling more freely in 2022. Our children and their families also have been Eve Robinson ’70 with her daughter, Sophia healthy, thank goodness. We did travel Fraioli (the bride), Eve’s husband, Tom Fraioli, to Lake Champlain last summer and and her other daughter, Olivia Fraioli spent several weeks with my brother, Aubrey ’64, and sister, Marion ’73, and Eve Robinson’s daughter, Sophia Fraioli, was various parts of our families. Aubrey’s daughmarried to Bobby Daniels on 11/13/2021 in ter was married in Virginia Beach in May Bushwick, Brooklyn, where they live. Eve and that was a wonderful outdoor celebration reported that they “had a wonderful time and after lockdown. We did get to see our son were able to safely celebrate before Omicron Nathaniel and his family for two weeks last hit our lives! June. They have enjoyed trips to Morocco and “I have not retired, nor will I, and continue all the Canary Islands when Covid permitted my work in education. I am back teaching my since living in Mauritania. We see Geoffrey university classes in person but do most every- and his family here in Fairfax, frequently, thing else remotely.” having endured several closures of daycare over the months! Wendy Lawson-Johnston McNeil wrote: “Board work at the Guggenheim Museum has “I have started baking bread and continue included a deep focus on DEAI topics, comtrying to walk as exercise. I am slowly putting munication and leadership models. It is gratisketching back on my ‘to-do’ list. Cleaning fying but time consuming and adds a positive out closets is still on that list!!” intellectual element to my day. Lisa Warren wrote that she is still a volunteer (co)coaching the PDS mock trial team. “It’s a lot of fun. The team won two rounds in the county competition and lost in the semifinals to Lawrenceville. We’ll get ’em next year!

Artwork in progress by Diane Erickson ’70

“I am also still doing volunteer work for NJLEEP, Visions and Pathways, and SAVE, our local animal shelter.

“Due to Covid, (which I have so far managed to avoid getting) we did not get to travel much sPRING 2022

Mr. McCord (left) and Monsieur Pierre Mali

Alumni Remember Two Modern and Classical Language Masters: Monsieur Mali and Mr. McCord

Steve Sinaiko ’85: Although I think M. Mali usually taught in the Upper School, he was my French teacher in Sixth Grade. I remember his enthusiasm for teaching, and also remember that he had a terrific sense of humor. His class (and Madame Echeverria’s class the year before), set me on a path of studying French language, literature and culture that lasted into my college years. I still enjoy speaking French today. He was an important part of my experience at PDS.

Remembering Monsieur Pierre Mali

Monsieur Pierre Mali taught French, headed the Languages Department and coached at Princeton Day School for 22 years from 1969, when the school was in its early years, to 1981. M. Mali passed away on July 3, 2021 and is remembered here by some of his PDS students. The son of the Belgian consul to New York City, he grew up speaking French at home, as did his own children. After attending the Hill School in Pennsylvania, he received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University, followed later by a master’s degree from Middlebury College in his beloved Vermont. His love affair with Vermont started in his teenage years during World War II, when it was common for teens to be sent to work on farms to replace the able-bodied farm hands who had gone off to fight the war; he loved the farm he worked on in Vermont and eventually came to have his own farm near the same location. His son David ’77 spent his Senior Project doing the preparation work for the house that he and his father built there. John Ager ’79: Monsieur Mali was an engaging and entertaining teacher who liked to share stories! Ted Dowey ’74: I did not have M. Mali in class, but he was my JV soccer coach in 10th Grade. At some point during practice the erudite M. Mali blew the whistle and announced that a student was benched for insubordination! Only problem was, we did not know what insubordination was, but could not admit it, so we were all just looking at each other trying to figure out what just happened. Don Gray ’85: My fondest memory of M. Mali is when a student would be spelling out a word with a circumflex, like “ancêtre.” When the student forgot the circumflex, he would say “ahem” and with great panache put the text book opened over his head (in the shape of a circumflex) and do a deep squat while emphatically and slowly exhaling “circumflex” to everyone’s delight! Celia Schulz ’77: “Tiens!” I said to myself, “I want to write a reminiscence about Monsieur Mali!” M. Mali was an excellent teacher of French; always well prepared, and leading interesting class discussions of French literature en français. To this day, I am amazed at the number and quality of works we read with him as teenagers. M. Mali often shared with us wise sayings, which I remember to this JOURNAL

day: “Tout lasse, toute casse, tout passe” and “When all is said and done, more is said than done.” If he is reading this from the afterlife, I hope I am still in his good graces and he has no need to say “Aie!” about anything he might remember that I said in class.

Sherri Benson Small ’83: I had Monsieur Mali as a French teacher. He was one of my favorite teachers and I was very disappointed when he left the School. I’ve thought about him over the years and am sorry to hear of his passing.

Emily Schulz ’80: Monsieur Mali was kind. Had a sense of humor. He took his teaching responsibilities seriously and did his best to guide his pupils on a positive path. Very perceptive, he understood us better than we understood ourselves. I feel fortunate to have had him as my teacher. A brief anecdote: We were tasked with an assignment to write a story in French. I did my best but had some writer’s block, so the story was not complete. M. Mali took me aside after reading my story. He started drawing on the chalkboard the side profile of a dog—possibly a terrier, all the while humming humorously. The head and first part of the body of the dog were well-drawn, but the hind quarters and tail were not complete. He explained in a very kind way to me that my story was like the drawing, a strong start but an incomplete end. He gently suggested that I work on handing in written work that is completed. I took his words to heart in future classes and have passed on the importance of thoroughness in completing assignments to my own students. As a teacher, you never know the impact one will have on one’s students, nor how far that influence will spread. This is an example of a small student-teacher interaction that had a positive impact on my learning and that of my own students. I feel gratitude, respect and sincere affection for Monsieur Mali.

W. Andrew Wolfe ’82: J’ai eu M. Mali comme prof de 1981 à 1982. J’etais vraiment un mauvais élève, de loin le pire dans la classe. J’ai toujours été nul pour mémorisation, et lespoints fins de grammaire m’ont bien échappé. M. Mali était plutôt sévère, et il était parfois frustré par mon manque de capacit. Cependant, j’ai compris qu’il a eu envie sincère de m’aider. À sa suggestion, et avec l’approbation de mes parents, j’ai voyagé à la France pendant l’été 1981, et travaillé dans les monuments historiques (comme a fait son fils plusieurs ans avant). Franchement, je n’ai pas trop réussi à pratiquer mon français, car les jeunes qui j’ai rencontré ont eu également envie de pratiquer leur anglaise—parmi eux, notamment, la fille du seigneur d’un château dans le Berry. On est tombé gravement amoureux. Nous avons perdu contact pendant les années d’universitaires, mais, brefon est marié en 2010, et je vis en France depuis 2011, très content. Je me souviens aussi qu’il a adoré la Normandie et son camembert. On habite dans banlieue proche de Paris, mais nous avons aussi une residence ans la Manche. J’aime bien le camembert mais je préfère le neufchâtel bien affiné.

Caroline Sherman ’77: I remember sitting in a small, windowless room with about 10 other students. M. Mali would straddle his desk as he dictated to us. When we weren’t taking dictation, somehow, I recall using a tiny exacto knife to carve up the desk I was sitting in. He completely ignored this vandalization. I was never disciplined for it. In all fairness, the desk was already pretty scarred, but I still marvel at his leniency. I enjoyed his joie de vivre and enthusiasm for the language. He taught me well—I can still speak it today!

Remembering Mr. Quinn R. McCord

McCord with students in Pompeii

Mr. McCord was a beloved Classics teacher who taught Greek, Latin and Ancient History at Princeton Day School from 1973-1993. He came to the School from Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo, OH. He was instrumental in creating global travel opportunities, including many excursions to Italy fondly recalled by his students. Quinn and his wife, Pat, a Lower School teacher who devoted two decades to PDS as well, also enjoyed having their three children at PDS: Quinn, Jr. ’77, David ’79 and Lindsay ’82. The family also enthusias-

tically hosted many exchange students back in the days when the School participated in international student exchange programs. After retirement from PDS, the couple returned to Pat’s roots and purchased a home in Savannah, GA. Mr. McCord passed away in 1999 and his wife, Pat, who also devoted herself to PDS, passed away in February 2022. Recently, some of Mr. McCord’s students provided fond recollections about their classic Classics teacher. Hope Blackburn ’77: I went on Mr. McCord’s first trip to Italy at PDS. He had an amazing way of turning everything into a fun learning experience even for me as the only non-Latin or Greek language student in the group. We learned history and current events; went to museums, cathedrals and the Colosseum; and dealt with a series of public transportation strikes that made us walk all over Rome. We had the added bonus of getting bumped off of Sabena during a stop-over on the way home and wound up in Amsterdam for an additional day. He took it all in stride. Delia Smith Gardiner ’79: I really enjoyed having Mr. McCord for ancient history. He foiled my attempt to have a perfect final exam with one question. I don’t remember too many other details, but the question I got wrong was “who cleared the sea of pirates?”. After all these years I can tell you that Pompey cleared the sea of pirates. In any case, he was a great teacher, and I really enjoyed him. He really engaged us as learners. I wanted to learn everything he taught us. Morgan Hite ’78: Becoming a student of Mr. McCord was just one of those great pieces of luck, and I appreciate the opportunity to write something about him. I knew no grammar when I took his Greek class in 8th Grade, and he set me off on the right path for learning languages by patiently schooling me, in that cold Colross basement, in the most basic things, like nominatives and accusatives. To this day I confuse people when I try to explain English grammar by using the Greek terms. At the end of the year I had to pick an academic advisor, so I asked him if he would do it. He said he didn’t generally get to know his students well enough—he’d be delighted. When I was in my last year, I recall him particularly recommending I NOT go to Princeton University. “I see too many kids,” he said, “who grow up in Princeton, go to Princeton and then settle in Princeton, and they have no idea what the rest of the world is like.” The trips to Italy I took with him were highlights for me: I was with Hope, Allegra, Elizabeth, Jim and Harold on the first one (1974?) and went again two years later. The first piece of Italian Mr. McCord taught us was the phrase “Ottantanove, Via Boncompagni:” the address

of our hotel, so we could get home if lost. Against all odds, Google Street view suggests that the Hotel Oxford is still there. I remember the pillow fight, and his breaking up the pillow fight, and how brave he was to take a bunch of 13- and 14-year-olds to Italy on his own. Mr. McCord said he’d learned most of his Italian by applying language change rules to Latin, or listening to Mozart operas whose librettos were in Italian. As a result, he had some very strange vocabulary that, occasionally, caused him to make some spectacular language gaffes—not that he was put off by this. Italians who saw him leading us down a street would call him ‘Il Professore,’ which he rather liked. PDS was awash in those days with ditto sheets teachers would type up, run off and hand out, each printed in that characteristic purply-blue ink. (Great smell!) But Mr. McCord’s were different. His typewriter did not

produce Courier or Pica: he had a fancy ball head that typed in some cursive font! You could spot these a mile away. Having excessive pack-rat tendencies, I have a sample! I wish he could see me when, once in a blue moon, I haul the Greek lexicon off the shelf and try to decode some piece of ancient text. David Mali ’77: I remember him fondly. My father enjoyed working with him, and I enjoyed playing ‘D’ with Quinn junior on the soccer team. Jim Mayer ’77: The trip Mr. McCord ran to Italy was one of the highlights of my time at PDS. From the bumpy start (Alitalia was on strike), and through stops in Rome, southern Italy and Capri, he made that trip work. I don’t think there is a better way to feel time than to stand in the middle of a Roman amphitheater. I loved the little lizards that were everywhere in the south. Another thing that stuck with me from that trip was that, although I don’t think Mr. McCord spoke Italian fluently, he knew Latin, and that was enough to navigate in a time long before GPS. On a completely personal note, he was always kind and patient with this entirely inept Latin student. Celia Schulz ’77: Mr. McCord was a good Latin teacher! I really learned my Latin roots well at PDS.

Harold Tanner ’77: I took first-year Latin from Mr. McCord. I was, unfortunately, one of his less talented students. I remember sitting in the basement classroom in Colross struggling to wrap my mind around declensions and conjugations. Somehow, they just didn’t make sense to me. Mr. McCord was very patient with my inability to learn. For me, the greatest learning experience with Mr. McCord was the spring break trip to Italy. I may have been completely inept at Latin, but I loved the traveling, the museums, the historic sites, the restaurants. Rome, Pompeii, Capri, stopping at an outdoor restaurant, high on a hilltop somewhere, eating pizza and enjoying a fantastic view—Mr. McCord was a wonderful guide. Somewhere I have a photo of Mr. McCord posing in a temple in Italy, raising his arms as if summoning the gods down to earth. A few years back I scanned the photo and sent it to Quinn—maybe he still has it. Anyhow, the trip to Italy was great, but when I got back to the reality of the classroom at PDS, I was still a horrible student. I missed my final exam (I was confused about which room it was supposed to be in). Mr. McCord arranged a make-up exam, which I proceeded to fail, spectacularly. Result: at Mr. McCord’s recommendation, I was sent off to a summer school camp in Maine, where, by dint of intense oneon-one teaching, Mr. McCord managed to hammer enough Latin into my head to justify passing me on to take second year Latin with Mrs. Fine in the fall. Of course, I also remember Mr. McCord’s hospitality—he had a bunch of us over to his house at some point—and, naturally, I remember his kids. I particularly remember Quinn, who was my classmate—a classmate who would stand up for me when I was bullied by certain others in what, for me, was a stressful school environment at PDS (perhaps that stressful environment had something to do with my sometimes spectacularly horrible academic career?). Quinn’s character, I think, reflected the character of his father who, though he failed to get very much Latin into my head, was always a caring, good-humored, patient and inspiring teacher. Later in life I learned to speak (though not read) Nepalese, and to read, speak and write Chinese. Both were way easier than Latin! Jennifer Weiss ’77: I loved Mr. McCord. We dedicated the yearbook to him senior year. Such a droll sense of humor—a very calm, kind man! And a good teacher. Reminded me a little bit of Donald Sutherland. George Zoukee ’77: My memories of Mr. McCord are all very pleasant. He was jovial and always upbeat, a truly nice man with an equally nice wife and sons. ss PP R R II N NG G 22 00 22 22

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT After graduating from Brown, Fort moved to New York City to work for a city agency called Partnerships for Parks. She explains, “I worked there for three years as an outreach coordinator in Harlem, which was fascinating in its exposure to diverse stakeholders trying to figure out how to share space, how to organize and the dynamics of working in coalitions. But I was really frustrated by the pace of change. And I just felt like I didn’t have the tools to make the change. So, I went back to law school with the idea that I wanted the whole toolkit of being a lawyer and having that diversity of tools to bring to the work.” Fort then attended Harvard Law School and earned her Juris Doctorate.

Environmental Activism at PDS Became Life’s Work for Sarah Fort ’02 The Beginning When Sarah Fort ’02 entered high school at Princeton Day School, she was eager to continue fostering her interest in the environment. “PDS is where I developed my environmental advocacy. Sustainability Coordinator Liz Cutler was a mentor and a personal hero of mine,” she explains. “As a member of EnAct, I got really involved in some of the local and global environmental issues that were happening. That exposure and experience led me to pursue environmental preservation and advocacy even more in college, which is where I developed a real interest in environmental health and justice issues.” Attending Brown University for her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, Fort was given an opportunity to work directly with a sociology professor who was advocating for a small town in Rhode Island that was dealing with coal gasification contamination on their properties. Fort witnessed in real-time what it meant for this community to grapple with the contamination and how it impacted their lives, home values and health. “Learning that your home is, in fact, not a safe place and is a place that’s contaminated, is a huge revelation for a lot of people. I did research and advocacy with them to fundraise and lobby before the legislature to get some relief for these communities. I think that’s also probably the first place where I had first-hand experience with the legal side of environmental issues.” JOURNAL JOURNAL

Fort says, “I went to law school knowing I wanted to do environmental work but not knowing exactly how. I took a bunch of environmental coursework at law school and I worked for a federal judge for a year. That was just an amazing experience and an incredible peek behind the curtain of how the law can be used.” That peek gave Fort an introduction to the world of litigation, which she would come to love.

The Now After years as a fellow and staff attorney at the National Resources Defense Council, Fort is now one of the Managing Litigators in the D.C. office and a senior attorney on NRDC’s litigation team. When it comes to progress on the environmental activism front, “It is still the case that the pace of change and a lot of the issues that I’m working on are really slow,” Fort explains. “Litigation can often move slowly, and even when you win a case, particularly if you win a case where you’re suing the federal government, that may not be the last chapter. There may be more chapters to come and so it still feels frustrating, but I have more tools at my disposal to try to figure out the best way to move an issue forward.” Fort also underscores the importance of her partnerships in litigating cases. “I have an incredible group of colleagues who have very different skill sets, including policy experts, scientists and communications colleagues, and campaign colleagues or federal lobbying colleagues. We can all sit together in a room with a shared policy goal and figure out which tool is the best one for a problem, and that is an incredible asset.”

On the power of partnerships, Fort says the youngest advocates for the environment offer perspectives that can help move public opinion forward on issues of the environment. “I think movements need a ton of different voices and different perspectives. People telling their own personal stories is always going to be incredibly compelling and I don’t want to just win this issue in court, I want to win this issue in the court of public opinion. Ultimately, that is the best and most effective way for us to protect clean water and fight climate change in a way that will last. The voices we need include young people, frontline communities, experts, lawyers. We need everybody,” she explains.

Time at PDS Although she was a young teenager when she started attending PDS, she recalls the intentionality with which she approached her high school journey. “I had to commute 45 minutes each way to get to PDS,” she says, “so I understood that my time in high school was a commitment. It was a commitment of my time and my energy, but there was never a day when it didn’t feel worth it,” she reflects. Her parents made a commitment to PDS, too. Her mother was a former PDS teacher in the Lower School and remained an ardent fan, making the drive for every one of Fort’s sports games. She explains, “I played softball, basketball, tennis… I remember the preseason for tennis started before the school year, so the first time I showed up for practice, I didn’t know anyone. I ended up playing doubles a lot, and the person I was partnered with for doubles became a very good friend. She was actually who I lived with when I moved to New York!” Fort says that her time at Princeton Day School in the sports program and sustainability clubs underscored the wealth of opportunities the School fostered for many of its students. “My time at PDS was an incredibly rich experience. I feel so lucky to have shared that space with such caring and nurturing teachers and coaches. It’s a place that attracts really interesting, creative, intelligent people,” she concludes.

in 2021. I snuck in a friends’ trip to Nantucket this past fall, and have been to Atlanta several times to visit my daughter who works in marketing for Coca-Cola and attends Emory biz school part-time at night in pursuit of her MBA. Over the holidays, we spent some time in Arizona (Phoenix), then drove via Joshua Tree National Park in California to visit relatives in the LA area. Hoping and planning for more exciting travel in 2022. “Our virtual 50th reunion in May 2021 was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun (at least I thought so). I am hoping we will have a well-attended, successful do-over this year in person, for which planning is just beginning. I hope to see everyone there!”

Rick Kramer wrote: “After 45 years in New Hampshire, near Dartmouth, my wife and I have decided to hang up the snow shovel and sell the snow blower. We’ve recently bought a home in Tennessee where the annual snow fall is 11 inches instead of 101 inches, as is so often the case. Waking up some mornings to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of minus 35 degrees has become too much for our old bones and it’s time to give my tired old back a break, as well. So, we’re trading in Daniel Webster (whom my wife is distantly related to) for Daniel Boone. I hope I can make it to this year’s 50+1 reunion, Covid permitting, but the move to Tennessee may interfere. Hope not! Hard to believe this much time has gone by. Other than that, we’ve been well (No Covid, thank goodness.) Hope to see everyone at the 50th.” Elizabeth Mills Hardie wrote: “Hoping to see folks in person this spring! I finally decided my kids were not coming back East, so I retired and moved West to join them. Living in Bellingham, WA, doing lots of grandkid adventures, canine nosework (scent detection training), hiking and house fixing. Taking the Master Gardener class this spring and looking forward to spring.” Willie Remsen wrote: “Covid has made this year a challenge for all of us. Luckily, I have been able to spend a lot of quality time with my wife, Jane, children, Sara, Allie and Peter, and grandson, Jamie. I visited Princeton for a memorial service for my cousin Nick Hare ’59. I was also able to have a very pleasant dinner with Bill Flemer and catch up. “I continue to work on historic preservation projects, including an art museum at Brown University, the old cemetery of Stockbridge, MA, and a 500-year-old mosque in Uzbekistan. I am also an instructor in Uzbekistan for a new training program led by the University of Chicago for cultural heritage site managers from the five Central Asian countries. We selected for a case study site an interesting Buddhist monastery complex from c. 400-500 A.D., which is on the Amu Darya River (the great Oxus of antiquity), which flows into what’s left of the Aral

Sea. The monastery looks across the river at Afghanistan. This site is part of Old Termez, which may have been founded by Alexander the Great as Alexandria-on-the-Oxus in 329 B.C. Needless to say, this is a most interesting part of the world, and an enormous amount remains to be discovered.” Rick Bryant sent a brief note that he is still working at Carnegie Mellon University but will retire “one of these days.”

Vicki Willock noted that she is enjoying the mild climate of La Quinta, CA and sends her best to all our classmates. Tim Smith continues his filmmaking and media production with two fascinating projects in development: a film on the Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, and a podcast for ESPN on Princeton’s own Hobey Baker.

Nina Shafran wrote: “I continue to work full-time for the Federal Communications Commission. We have been on mandatory telework until now, as I write this in late February 2022. We are finally permitted to go to our new HQ offices on a voluntary basis. It is mighty strange with so few people around. There are huge spaces—beautiful new, modern conference rooms with gigantic TV/computer screens, break rooms (you could practically hold a wedding reception in a few of them)—as well as huddle areas, offices and cubicles—all empty. I’m not sure all those spaces will ever be used as intended. Will there ever be large in-person meetings again? Will there ever be a time when even 50% of the workforce is in the office on any given day, rather than teleworking?

“I haven’t done any touring (maybe this year?), but I make frequent trips to see my parents and sister/her family in NJ. We’ve had some really lovely family gatherings, especially in the past 12 months. I now have two greatnephews and one great-niece. (Yup, time marches on.) It’s surreal to remember wiping down all the groceries, wiping utensils, wearing masks even with family members unless you were outside. Wow. Classmates in D.C., we should organize lunch! I hope everyone is surviving, if not thriving.” Dede Pickering wrote: “It feels great to be coming out of the past two years of Covid lockdown. I’m back on the road….camera in hand! I’ve really missed my global family and travel adventures. I have just returned from a winter expedition in Iceland and am on my way back to Cuba and so it goes! But I am most excited about coming to Princeton to celebrate our postponed 50th reunion with classmates. I have spent the last two years editing photographs, writing, reflecting and redoing my website www.dedepickering.com.” Tom Worthington, your class correspondent, is enjoying retirement. Melissa and I are busy with grandchildren (in D.C. and here in Minneapolis). I am playing lots of tennis; we

sail in the summer and try to do at least one canoe camping trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area each year. Looking forward to seeing you all in Princeton this spring.

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John L. Moore III johnlmoore3@gmail.com

Looking forward to as many classmates as possible returning to PDS this May for our 50th reunion!

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Cassandra L. Oxley cassandra.oxley@gmail.com

1974

Polly Hunter White pwhite2224@gmail.com

Edward “Ted” Thomas wrote: “Nearly six years ago we sold our home in Mill Valley (CA) and moved ‘temporarily’ across the freeway to Tiburon, renting a small place near the water with spectacular views of Angel Island and Berkeley. The move coincided with Paige and me becoming empty-nesters when Bradley went off to Colorado College.

“I am beginning my tenth year with Ripon Law, helping to bring new clients into the firm. I joined when it was still a start-up, and now it is one of the fastest growing mid-sized law firms with dozens of domestic and international locations. How I ended up in a law firm is a long story, but it has been a great experience. We have a work-from-anywhere culture, which allowed Paige and me to spend a lot of time in Sun Valley during the pandemic. “Our oldest, Lauren, just turned 29, is managing an online advertising group in Los Angeles, loves her dogs and hiking the hills above LA. Bradley, our son, is a solar energy developer in Denver and an avid A-Basin and back-country skier.

“If anyone comes to the Bay Area, please look us up. (tplandb@comcast.net)”

Terry Ward wrote: “We’ve had an eventful couple of months. The day before Christmas, my partner, Gary, got socked with a nasty flu bug (not Covid) with which he was bedridden for five days. He came out of that only to find his vision was blurred. Each eye worked fine, but his eyes did not coordinate, so he had dizziness and double vision. He could not drive and could not work. Apparently the virus attacked an optic nerve. A CT scan proved that there were no other issues. So, for much of January, I stayed with him and telecommuted via voice mail, Zoom, et al. while he slowly improved. Everything’s fine now, but it was quite a scare. It just goes to show that Covid is omnipresent, but it does not mean other viruses have taken a holiday!” Anne Williams reported: “My husband died, pre-Covid, in 2020. I had a brief month to

sPRING 2022

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recover before four of my family and friends came to stay for ‘two weeks’ when New York looked like it was closing down in March 2020. They left at the end of February 2021! After that, I became adjusted to a life with lots of supportive friends but lots of my own space as well, which I have to say, I enjoy immensely. I’m still living on the farm in Ringoes with four horses, two dogs and two cats, and plan to continue that. It certainly keeps me busy. As does golf, bridge and dog agility. Hoping to get back to some serious artwork, as well.

1975

Yuki Moore Laurenti ymlaurenti@gmail.com Mary Sword McDonough mollyswordmcdonough@yahoo.com

News of time spent with family during what has been another challenging year is on tap.

Davis Sherman reported on a recent babysitting stint with his grandsons in Brooklyn. “Turns out I still have an aptitude for Brio train layouts and block building. But I bombed at the Brooklyn Museum—forgot to visit the mummies. So far, no one in my family has gotten Covid, so we are feeling very lucky.”

Grayson Ferrante sent cheers to classmates and shared an update on his family and the Ferrante clan, which “is very thankful for having weathered the pandemic smoothly—so far at least, knock wood, and thanks to vaccination.

“Life has moved forward despite the disruptions:

“Our youngest son, Nick, and Kim got engaged in December at the start of the pandemic. Their 14-person Covid wedding, which was streamed that June, was lots of fun. We have two granddaughters now: Elizabeth and Josephine are 17 months and three months (that happened fast!). “Our oldest son, Adam, got engaged to Kelly in the first pandemic summer. Despite trying to wait out the pandemic, life intervened and they had a December wedding, outdoors, with her ailing mom, Rita, in fine fettle cheering them on, while the streaming included the clans again. Small weddings became our thing!

“Dee has switched focus away from teaching fourth graders and loves her Intercultural Developmental Inventory coaching. I have (finally) found a nearby fun occupation at BMS in Lawrenceville and am enjoying the heck out of it, trying to reinvent clinical trials.

“We spend many weekends at Wanaksink Lake, two hours north in the Catskills. Dee remembers sleeping in the sleeping loft of the cabin that we won at a blind auction 10 years ago. That was the BEST full circle moment: her great-grandparents built the cabin for JOURNAL

her grandparents when her mom was a toddler. We pontoon and sail the summers away with kids and, soon, grandkids. Silver lining: two wonderful Covid summers with three nieces and nephews stuck there with all their friends. Winters bring curling and ice boating. ( Jeff Streed—I remember breaking your dad’s ice boat—ah, the memories of life are not all ideal). “My mom is very well at 89 and sharp as a tack. I am so thankful. My brothers and sisters ALL came to the cabin months before the pandemic, sans spouses, for a first ever event complete with uovo battuto. (Chris Miller—apparently you have insight into this Ferrante breakfast tradition.) “By the end of a wonderful three days, we had a new shed, and Virginia had a few new paintings, too.” What a delight to hear from Nancy Paine Gauch-Searcy, who wrote “I have somehow managed to miss the deadline for our Class Notes for a consecutive forty-seven years but promised myself that I would commit to contributing something before our 50th. With that in mind, it looks like I am actually three years ahead of schedule! The Sunshine State has been home to our family for the last 35 years and, while our state politics remain a constant source of irritation, we never tire of the beautiful year-round climate. We live a simple life near the water, and most mornings you can find us combing the beach at sunrise. When we initially relocated here, I held a 50-ton USCG Master Captain’s license and operated corporate charters out of a marina in Miami for many years. During that time, we lived on a sailboat and spent a lot of time exploring the Bahama Islands and the Florida Keys. More recently, I stepped back from a lengthy career as a registered nurse in a busy Florida ER to enjoy the sweeter things in life, namely our son, Liam (13), daughter, Sarah (33), and our five beautiful grandchildren. A slower pace has also afforded me the time to pursue my lifelong love of portrait photography (nancysearcyphotography.com). Please reach out if you are living in Florida or just passing through. It would be great fun to reconnect! gauchsearcy@aol.com”

On a somber note, another parent has left us. Kathy Burks Hackett’s mother passed away in December. Our condolences to Kathy, and to all our classmates who have lost parents, family and friends during the past year.

1976

Kathy Kehoe kgkath@verizon.net

Howdy from the frozen tundra that is North Texas!

As I write this, businesses are closed in the wake of the second ice storm this month, but at least this year our power grid is still up and running. People always seem shocked when they learn that winter visits us in the Dallas

area. We get all four seasons here, just more summer and less of the others. And sun— we have waaay more sunny days than the Northeast.

It was lovely to see old friends at our Zoom 45th Reunion last fall. Julie Stabler Hull, Gwyneth Hamel Iredale, Cintra Eglin Willcox, Creigh Duncan, Jonathan Stein, E.J. Barnes, Caren Ludmer, Amos Harris, Bill von Oehsen, Sheila Newsome Maddox, Ann Wittke Morrissey, Ann Minot, Sandy Shaw, (Carl Spataro tried calling in but unfortunately wasn’t able to connect) and I caught up a bit and shared laughs, good memories and some classic photos. When I say classic, I’m talking shots of Casilda Huber, Leslie Ring Burns, Ellie Barlow Loats, Alyssa Oxley, Susie Pratt Clark, Cory Fischer Sertl, Ann McClure Noel, Eleanor Kuser, Tom Moore, Jeb Burns, Rhoda Jaffin Murphy, Laurie LaPlaca Holladay, Janet Flemer, Jennifer Walsh, Kim Cunningham, Ed McGonagle, Molly Murdoch Finnell, John Meredith, Greg Matthews, Ann Joyce Delano, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jill Shaffer, Sinclair Berdan Clarke, Mark Blaxill, David O’Conner, Steve Judge, Jay Trubee, Murray Wilmerding, Carl Erdman, Bill Baggitt, Jan Baker, Nan Giancola Walsh, Mitchell Barry, Stu Wilson and more, plus all the rest of us at graduation! The photos are all posted in a link on our Class of ’76 Facebook page. My thanks again to those who helped make it happen—and let’s do it again! News is sparse this time around as I guess everyone is busy. Jonathan Stein got some travel in between Covid waves: “Back in November, I flew to Prague just because I wanted to see it. After two days there, I joined wife Beki, and daughter Remy, in Budapest on an AMA Waterways river cruise. They had been on the first leg of the cruise since Bucharest. We meandered along the Danube, which is not blue at all. Remy and I took a few hiking and biking side trips, and Beki and Remy went to see Salzburg, which I had visited some years ago. We enjoyed the food, the scenery, and the people. We explored Munich, visited a traditional beer hall, and also got our same day Covid test required by the airline and U.S. immigration in order to return home. What was interesting is that you couldn’t enter Western European countries without proof of vaccination and boosters. You even needed to show them in shops and restaurants and hotels. “For anyone who remembers, I have always had an old car or two, and though I still have the MG I’ve owned since 1977, over the summer I bought a newly restored 1962 Volvo P1800 like the one my dad had when I was growing up. I’m having it properly repainted so it should look very nice come spring. At the moment, Remy and I are planning a cycling trip in Europe and are leaning toward

Portugal. A few years ago, we had a great time doing a cycling trip and thought we’d try another together.” Amos Harris shared: “Living in Del Mar, SoCal… Would love to connect if anyone finds themselves in SoCal.” He also offered his contact info, which I’ll pass along, if requested.

From Joanne Kind Hinton: “Into my next career, working for my son in the real estate investment and development business. It’s kept me busy during Covid, and I feel lucky to learn and work in a fascinating industry! About to go on a long-awaited trip to the Galapagos Islands. We booked our trip for March 2020, and hope to really be going, at last. Best news is being a grandparent to Charlie and Anabelle.”

Murray Wilmerding expressed what I think we all are feeling about the passage of time: “My mother, Adela, died at 86+ almost two years ago— very sudden to me and all that knew her. My kids, Lucia, Kelsey and Silas, navigate life. Lucia is two, aka, my grandkids are navigating the challenges of Covidian school. Cara is six and Carter 11. How did we become the elders? The days of pond hockey, present yet so distant….” It was nice to hear from Clarissa Bullitt, who brought us up to date on life since PDS with this: “I wound up moving to HK late 70s-early 80s, opened a few clubs in East Asia, design and creative, and was the DJ! Came back and did my undergrad at Columbia, graduated ’84 in East Asian studies, went to work at the Asia Society for a few years, moved to London trying to do some translating (Japanese). I moved back to NY ~’88, then entered grad school in clinical psychology at CU’s Teachers College. Got married (divorced after ~12 years), have two beautiful daughters, now 25 and 23. (Emmy teaches at a private elementary school in NYC; Claire is in Albany, trying to get out of the college/Covid cycle so many young adults got stuck in during lockdown.) Worked clinically and ran training programs for psychiatry residents and psychology grad students in NYC and Stony Brook, LI. Retired to Saratoga Springs, NY, 2019, just before Covid. Happy.” Like Amos, she offered her phone number and I am happy to pass that along to anyone interested. And Gwyneth Hamel Iredale provided this update: “I’ve been able to keep my sanity during Covid by doing a LOT of hiking in our nearby mountains and coastline, and social dancing. I’m lucky to have these group activities to stay connected to friends, enjoy the outdoors and keep in shape, Covid-free. My mind is kept in shape working for a Silicon Valley startup in real estate technology built on blockchain and always challenging as we ‘pivot’ often, most recently to NFTs. My 22-year-old son is at Pace

University in NYC, my daughter in college here in Eugene, and I see my mother, Phyllis Hamel, every other day. She’s living independently, painting, gardening, volunteering and hooking rugs at 94. Jenny Hamel ’79, is settling nicely into her new house in PA and our brother, Eric, is still teaching, however, in Rochester, MN.” That’s a wrap. I look forward to hearing from you all as the year passes. Be well!

1977

Sandra Benson Cress sbcress@aol.com

Julia Penick Garry wrote: “I pretty much laid low during Covid, working from home and emerging briefly early on to adopt a rescue pup, Lily, who is now my constant companion.

Julia Penick Garry ’77 with Lily “My son James outdid me by getting engaged, buying a house, getting hired at TikTok, and finishing his college degree that was on hold during music pursuits (no graduation, sob). His fiancé, Virginia Henry, is an English teacher in Nashville where they live. “My other son, Matt, finished law school (no graduation, sob), clerked for a year for a federal district judge, and now is living in Brooklyn and working for Davis, Polk, a fine Manhattan law firm. He also plans to marry his long-time partner, Miya, whom he met in Toronto six years ago. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in modern dance history at UCLA. “Both future daughters-in-law are smart, funny, kind, engaged in helping their communities, and beautiful to boot. They also let me give my sons stuff from my house as I de-accession things like my insane number of dishes, and are super polite about it. I feel blessed.”

Christy Black added: “Best I can come up with is that Julia and I went back to Broadway when it opened last fall. Subsequently, we saw another play, Clyde’s, on opening night no less, due to Julia’s theater connections. We even attended a happening after-party with hip, unmasked strangers and excellent food.”

Quinn McCord shared: “Really looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion! As for

Christy Black ’77 and Julia Penick ’77 back to Broadway news for the McCord family, sadly, my mom, longtime PDS Lower School teacher, passed away in February. Her service was February 26. Sad as it was, she would have been pleased at how it went. It was well attended by friends and family with a great day afterwards telling mom stories. “As for us, I’m enjoying retirement and can’t wait for the warm weather. My wife, Mary Eileen, is still working. (Someone has to work!) Son Patrick has a baby—aren’t grandkids and grandfathering great! Older son, Quinn M., is working for Blue Cross Blue Shield in IT in Philly.

“I had a long talk the other day with Michael Patterson who is up on Martha’s Vineyard; I’m trying to get him to the reunion. “I hope everyone is doing great and can’t wait for details on how everyone is doing…….” Clooie Sherman added: “My mom turns 90 next month, so we’ll be flying East to celebrate that. Looking forward to being with family in person!” Tim Brush wrote: “Cass and I ‘survived’ Covid craziness by living and playing in a thinly populated area three miles west of Gunnison, CO (skiing and working part time at Crested Butte is the exception). We ‘thrived’ by selling our Breckenridge house of 29 years last January. While we miss the convenience of living in Breckenridge and

Lex Arlett Kochmann ’77, Laura Farina ’79 and Caroline Hartshorne ’79 met up with PDS soccer coaches Alan Taback and Isaac Ballard. sPRING 2022

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Crested Butte, we love the trade-off to relative isolation, uncrowded trails, and the Gunnison River 100 feet out our back door.

Tom Gates ’78’s daughter, Sheridan Gates Montemarano ’10

“Speaking of rivers, we got VERY lucky by scoring a coveted permit for a five-day raft trip in mid-June on the Gates of Lodore section of the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument.

Tom Gates wrote: Our daughter, Sheridan ’10, married Colin Montemarano on August 28, 2021 in Nashville. It was a wonderful day filled with love. Tracey and I feel blessed!

“Meanwhile, we ski deep snow at Crested Butte until April. Then we’ll break out the bikes and boats as trails dry and rivers rise.”

Finally, my (Sandra Benson Cress) own news: I was thrilled to get a visit in Portland from Kerin Lifland in February. Otherwise, after facing serious headwinds in the job search in December I finally decided to hang up my “RETIRED” shingle. What a gift to be able to just indulge in my many interests— choral singing with the Trinity Cathedral Choir, flamenco and castanets classes, guitar, and working with Afghan refugees resettling in Portland. My choir has a tour planned to London this August to sing a week of Evensongs at St. Paul’s, and a few services at St. Georges’ in Windsor Castle, after which I will be walking the Camino de Santiago. Other than that, I finally convinced my mother to move out to Portland after a few fits and starts, and this should be completed by the time this publication goes to press. I have a trip to Barcelona/Limerick/Paris planned in April/May, en route to our PDS 45th. Our daughter, Lauren, is finishing up her master’s in ethnochoreology at University of Limerick, and Doug continues to consult for the UN Environment Programme, blessedly from his home office in the basement.

Kerin Lifland ’77 (L) visited with Sandra Benson Cress ’77 in February

1978

Nora Cuesta Wimberg nlazz@mac.com

Ann Hunter Lepkowski continues to work as a maple sugar volunteer. “It’s at MSU (Michigan State University) Tollgate Farm and Education Center. It’s on a beautiful and active working farm and property. It has been a wonderful way to stay active, outside in the winter, and involved in an interesting process where we also provide educational programming to school-aged children and adults. The JOURNAL

Ann Hunter Lepkowski ’78’s sons, Avery and Cameron, and daughter-in-law, Kas. key to staying active and outside during winter in Michigan is in the dressing: insulated Carhartt overalls, layers, good boots, hat and gloves all help! Sue Fineman Keitelman wrote: Daughter, Becky, got engaged and will be getting married in March of 2023. By the time this Journal has been printed, my oldest son, Jordan, and his wife will have had their second child (my second grandson) in February.

“I’m still busy teaching Jewish studies to seventh graders and Jewish cooking to high school-aged students. Even though I hate baking and cooking, I love teaching it! I’m also working at a preschool (once again, after swearing in 2013 that I would NEVER teach preschool again). Have you seen my marbles because, apparently, I have lost my mind! “In December, my son Paul flew in from Oregon to Virginia for a visit. I hadn’t seen him in two years. He (and my husband) both got Covid that week, so the visit wasn’t the best it could have been. Not sure how I avoided catching it from either of them, but all is well now.”

“While in Nashville last week (January 26), I had a chance to go for a walk with Zanne. (Suzanne Vine) We had, as usual, many laughs! It was great to connect for a way-too-brief hour. “And in November, Wally (Mike Walters) made a NJ appearance! We enjoyed lunch together.”

1978 classmates Tom Gates and Mike “Wally” Walters this past November

1978 classmates Suzanne Vine and Tom Gates had lunch in Nashville in January.

Allison Ijams Sargent wrote: “Hello to all ’78ers, hope everyone has been healthy and staying sane. All is well here, feeling a bit flattened by the past two years, though we have been extraordinarily lucky in almost every realm: health, economic stability, and no small children to usher through this perplexing maze. I teach ESL to underserved women which has all been relegated to Zoom, a big adjustment and no substitute for the joy of classroom learning. Our grandson, Charlie, was born on April 1, though no April fool, only a smiley, silly, joyful dude who makes me laugh every time he’s near. Other kiddos are fine. Brooklyn for two, Boston for one. Are we a year away from some terrifying reunion? Our 45th? Didn’t we just graduate? Love to all.”

Liz Mason Cousins wrote: “Since Neal and I both lost our moms this past year, we decided we needed to change up the whole holiday routine. So, we rented a VRBO right on the water in Rockport, MA, and headed north in a rented minivan with our son who lives here in Philly, our dog, and my sister. Our daughter and her husband bought a historic home in North Reading, MA last spring and she hosted the Christmas meals and celebration. It was a lovely change of pace. Watching the ocean out the rental windows was healing for us all!”

Mike Walters wrote: “Still teaching and coaching in Tampa. My oldest son is in his second year at the University of South Florida majoring in finance. My twins will enter college this coming fall. One has an opportunity to study in England while also playing soccer. The other is receiving scholarship offers to play football. Exciting times for them. We look forward to traveling to see our sons play…. Hope all is well with everyone. Looking forward to our next alumni gathering. If you are ever in the Tampa area, please look me up.”

Keith Baicker wrote: “I remain quite active in photography. At the encouragement of friends and family, I have started exhibiting at art festivals.” In September 2021, Charlie and I (Nora Cuesta Wimberg) went with our friends to Myrtle Beach for our yearly two-week

Jeff Ritter ’78 on the slopes this past winter Jeff Ritter wrote: “I’m spending most of the winter skiing the Pennsylvania highlands, playing music, hanging out in Pittsburgh, and delving deeply into web3 and decentralized autonomous block chain platforms bringing about interesting change and equity for education.”

Return to the Great Road Alumni Speaker Series: Brad Dickerson ’04 Speaks with REx Students Dr. Brad Dickerson ’04 spoke to students as part of our Return to the Great Road Alumni Speaker Series. Dr. Brad Dickerson ’04 recently made a virtual return to Princeton Day School to meet with Research Experience (REx) program participants about his career in STEM. As the School’s signature experience for science students who apply for the junioryear program of independent study, REx is designed to offer multiple opportunities for students to engage with notable scientists, engineers, mathematicians and more. He graduated from Swarthmore in 2008 with a degree in biology and received his Ph.D. in 2015 from the University of Washington. Dr. Dickerson was a scholar at Caltech from 2015-2019 and a faculty member at the University of North Carolina from 2019 until January of this year. He recently returned to Princeton to work in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute as an Assistant Professor at Princeton University, and he can’t wait to get his lab up and running. The work of his lab was the topic for his discussion with REx students during his visit. “One of the things my lab strives to do is think about timing at the level of sensory and motor systems, using genetic tools in the context of behavior in flies,” he explained. “To do so, we study the flight of the fly. By studying this, we can leverage the powerful genetic toolkit available for the mapping, imaging and manipulation of neural circuits.” Dr. Dickerson’s experiences with science were an important part of his life inside and outside of Princeton Day School, which he attended from 1st through 4th Grade and then 9th through 12th Grade. “My grandmother got me those National Geographic magazines for kids and this old Time-Life book about fish. These were a huge inspiration for feeding my interest. That interest stayed with me throughout all of my schooling, but definitely by the time I entered the Upper School, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in science, and I knew I’d have the support and resources from the School to explore that.” Returning to PDS as an expert was exciting for Dr. Dickerson. He recalls, “When I spoke to the students during the REx visit, I felt a little nervous that maybe I was out of practice with talking to students and that I wouldn’t be able to connect with them. But that wasn’t the case at all! The students were great. They asked such thoughtful questions. Returning virtually was also such a fun experience as an alum because I was speaking to the students in a room that was newly renovated when I was a student at PDS. It was really a full circle moment.” vacation. Once again, we hooked up and had a wonderful breakfast with Lucy Englander van den Brand and her husband, Peter. It is always so wonderful to see them and catch up. The years go by and we never run out of things to talk about!!

Sue Fineman Keitelman ’78’s grandson, Ezra Brian Trubee wrote: “I just moved over to Sequim, WA. I am renting a house for a few months. I hope to purchase a house on the Airpark at Diamond Point. My plane is hangered over there and I am looking forward to building and selling furniture when I am not flying, biking, hiking and exploring the Olympic Peninsula.”

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

1978 classmates Lucy Englander van den Brand and Nora Cuesta Wimberg and their husbands had breakfast in Myrtle Beach this past fall.

I would love to mention a trilogy that has been published by Muna Shehadi ’79, daughter of our wonderful math teacher, Mrs. Shehadi. I have already read the first one and am on my second! They are about the three daughters of a movie star who find out, twenty years after her death, that she couldn’t have children.

The covers of Muna Shehadi ’79’s newest books sPRING 2022

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Return to the Great Road Alumni Speaker Series Dr. Chris Baker ’06 Visits REx Program Dr. Christopher Baker ’06 recently made a virtual return to Princeton Day School to meet with Research Experience (REx) program participants about his career in STEM. (REx is the School’s signature experience for passionate science students who apply for the junior-year program of independent study followed by summer internships in their preferred fields of scientific inquiry.) As a principal thermal engineer at the Northrop Grumman Corporation in Dulles, VA, he has primarily supported the thermal design, testing and mission operations of commercial satellite-servicing spacecraft. Examples include the award-winning Mission Extension Vehicles 1 and 2, as well as the next-generation Mission Robotics Vehicle and Mission Extension Pods. Dr. Baker says that while he enjoyed science and math from a young age, his decision to pursue engineering was reinforced by his Upper School experiences at Princeton Day School. “The chemistry, physics and calculus classes I took with Dr. Steve Gadd, Mr. Tom Palma and Ms. Sarah Latham were a huge part of the reason I wanted to pursue engineering,” he explained. At Duke University, Dr. Baker found his passion exploring heat transfer as an engineering discipline through research and course work. He received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Duke in 2010 and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia in 2015.

Stone magazine declared a musical group in Memphis “the best unsigned band in America.” That band is Neighborhood Texture Jam, aka NTJ, Joe Lapsley’s band. And on June 11, they will be performing a reunion gig at the Railgarten in Memphis, along with Joe’s current band, called PortmanteauZone, out of Chicago. Evan is going. Join him….

I, Cathy White Mertz, had the dubious pleasure of hosting Evan at my home for an interminable four days in August, when he brought his lovely daughter, Hartley, from Texas to Brookline. Evan could write a book on the ridiculous, and sometimes hilarious, chaos (which follows him wherever he goes) as he navigated the trip and helped Hartley move into her apartment. The amazing highlight of the visit was a hastily organized gathering at our home with Evan and Hartley; Ben Dubrovsky, his wife, Alice, and daughter, Sarah; and John Partridge. We reminisced, pulled out The Link, told stories, and laughed until the wee hours of the morning! A few months later, Evan came up my way again to spend Thanksgiving with Hartley. We got to spend a few hours together while I packed to leave for the week, and he moved in. Against my better judgment, I had agreed to provide lodging in exchange for cat-sitting while we were away. Bold, on my part, I know.

1981

Camie Carrington Levy camie@palousetravel.com Kirsten Elmore Meister kmeister5@yahoo.com

Gary Hatke has “been working for MIT Lincoln Laboratory for 32 years now. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was promoted out of line management to ‘grey beard’ status (and if I grew a beard, it would be plenty grey...). Still biking, singing and playing golf. Not necessarily in that order. My house is probably seven miles from Sarah Sword Lazarus, but we never see each other... maybe there will be a local eastern MA reunion this summer….” Scott Egner wrote: “All is good in Boston. Josie is 12 and growing up quickly. She graduates from The Advent School in June and is applying to a number of schools in the greater Boston area, as well as part of the pool for Boston Latin School. We still live in the Back Bay, 16 years, and get to see lots of friends and family in VT over the summer.” In early December 2021, ’81 alums Philip Ferrante and Mike Dobkowski (aka Karttikeya) hit the slopes at Snowbird, UT, for a few days of high-altitude shenanigans.

Dr. Baker appreciated reconnecting with the School through the REx program’s series of expert sessions with working scientists. “I applaud PDS for holding these virtual visits during the pandemic and providing this kind of learning opportunity for the students,” he shared.

1979

Catherine White Mertz cathywhitemertz@gmail.com Evan R. Press EvanRPress@gmail.com

So, we continue to live in an interesting and chaotic world. We hope you and yours are weathering it well. Evan R. Press umpired 438 games in 2021. He may never recover. His son, Nevin, is enjoying his sophomore year in college in San Antonio, TX, whilst daughter Hartley, is exhaustingly busy in Brookline, MA, in her first year of grad school to obtain a master’s in dosimetry. (Google it.) JOURNAL

Geoff George is freezing his ass off in Minnesota. Delighted that winter is almost over. He and his family are headed to California for spring break. His daughter, Olivia, is currently in a musical and his son, Max, is done with another season of hockey and on to travel soccer. “Yes, my kids are much younger than all of yours. God help me, and that goes for my wife, Ashley, too.” Nick Donath still delights in residing in Las Vegas. His law career is doing well, and he looks forward to putting Evan, Ben Dubrovsky, Eric Reichard, Chris Price, Chris Horan, Geoff George and Jonathan Baker behind bars in the near future. A notice to all: In the early 1990s, Rolling

Cathy White Mertz ’79, Evan R. Press ’79, and Evan’s daughter Hartley, at Cathy’s house last summer.

Suzie Haynes Hallé wrote, “Fun joining the PDS Hall of Fame Board for a three-year term this year. My primary focus is on bringing along my young horse (being invited to try out for the U.S. Developing Young Horse Program was a highlight). Looking forward to our debut in the competition ring soon.”

Suzie continued. “Joined the paddle tennis league for giggles and having a ball. Having all three of our kids living in Denver is a great joy. Keeping bees and harvesting honey during summers is a fun hobby and sprinkling in as many girls’ get-aways as often as I can keeps my heart full. Looking forward to seeing all and catching up at reunions.” Kip Thomas has quite a bit going on in his life. He shared, “Mark Egner still hasn’t returned my leaf blower.”

Dr. Baker approached his presentation with the goal of sharing his perspective from “the other side” of high school and college. While he explained the highly technical programs he studied and the fascinating work he has done since graduating from PDS, he also made sure to include some of the wisdom he’s gained along the way. “If the students took away two things from my talk,” he reflected, “I would hope that one, they could see what one possible career path through STEM looks like, and two, they understand what tremendous potential is stored up inside them, built up by their families, the School and their community, not to mention all their hard work. Now is the exciting time when they get to start directing that energy towards a future career that will be fulfilling and of service to others.”

Lindsay Suter ’82 (left) and Jaakko Tapaninen (AFS student ’82) at Jaakko’s favorite lunch spot in Helsinki, Jungenshal

1981 classmates, Philip Ferrante and Mike Dobkowski (aka Karttikeya) hit the slopes at Snowbird, UT

In an update from Idaho, Cam Johnson wrote: “I won’t make it back for the 40th as I will be on Maui that week. Would be fun to see everyone but not going to happen this time.” If you are ever in Idaho, don’t hesitate to look Cam up. Leslie Pell wrote: “Many fun travels with PDS friends this year.”

1982

Lorraine M. Herr LHerr@herr-design.com

Ben Dubrovsky ’79, Cathy White Mertz ’79, John Partridge ’79 and Evan R. Press ’79, at Cathy’s house last summer.

1980

Suzanne Albahary DAmato suzannemndamato@yahoo.com Karen Kelly k2pk@comcast.net

Lindsay Suter wins the “best salutation” award. He addressed his email, “Hyvää päivää, Lorraine.” Lindsay was in Finland earlier this year, on an artist’s residency at Fiskars (the company that makes those scissors with the orange handles). He wrote, “I am considering a return to furniture making (after years of my own architecture practice and teaching), and the town of Fiskars has many talented designers and makers of furniture. It also happens to be a stone’s throw from Amminefors, where Jaakko Tapaninen (AFS student ’82) lives with his family. Coincidence? Not at all!” Despite the miserable weather (it’s February in Finland Lindsay, what did you expect?!), Lindsay loves it—saunas, nature and a great community of artists!

Above: (L-R) Bonnie Bershad Zinn ’83, Leslie Pell ’82, Suzie Haynes Hallé ’82 in Vail last year Left: Suzie Haynes Hallé ’82 at Winter Training in Colorado 2022 with Sunday Serenade

In October 2021, Jeff Perlman ’82 (left), an ordained minister, performed the wedding ceremony for John Vine ’82 (right) and his bride, Yoohyun Kim. John was dressed in traditional Korean garb for the big day. The event was at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. As for your trusty class correspondent, Lorraine Herr and her husband are celebrating son Emerson’s graduation from the University of Colorado, Boulder in May 2022. Emerson is 23 and graduating with an aerospace engineering degree. He earned his pilot’s license when he was 16. Last summer, he competed for the first time in aerobatic competitions—taking first place nationally as the top collegiate aerobatic pilot. We are quite proud. Our younger son, Holden, along with a friend, biked unsupported from Portland to the Washington Monument late last summer. He’s currently studying to become a firefighter.

1982 classmates Leslie Pell, Carolyn Kuenne Jeppsen, Jen Powers Mitchell and Kitty Ijams at the MLK Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Above: Lorraine Herr ’82 and her son, Holden, at the end of his cross-country bike ride. Above right:: Lorraine Herr ’82’s son, Holden, with his friend as they started their cross-country bike ride. sPRING 2022

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1983

1989

Rena A. Whitehouse renawhitehouse@hotmail.com

1990

Noelle Damico revdamico@gmail.com

1984

Edward J. Willard tcwillard@mac.com

It is with a sad heart that I report the passing of Michael Blaxill. As an obituary and details have been hard to find, the best news I can report is that he passed on January 23, 2022, from a brief illness (not Covid related). Please say a prayer for Michael and his family.

1985

Lynch W. Hunt, Jr. lynchhunt@alumni.upenn.edu Marisa Petrella sales4metoo@msn.com

calendar year and he is loving it! It had just been School of Mommy up until then, so it’s been a nice change of pace for everyone.

Doria Roberts doriaroberts@yahoo.com

Other than that, back in November I caught up with Nate Smith and Emily Penick ’04 via Facetime. It was a ton of fun reminiscing (mostly about the PAP) and talking about the crazy times we live in these days.

Deborah Bushell Gans gansdebby@gmail.com

1991

Aly Cohen alycohen@yahoo.com

From Chris Jones: “I started a new job in December as Head of Business Development with Metajuice, a metaverse games company.”

Richard McColl ’96 with Karen Pilar Masciulli ’96 and her partner in Mompos, Columbia

From Julie Roginsky: “My nonprofit, Lift Our Voices, was behind recent bipartisan legislation to eradicate forced arbitration for sexual harassment and assault, which President Biden signed in March. It took many years to get it done but I am happy to say that it is one of the most significant labor law changes in the last 100 years.”

From Aly Cohen: I’m very excited to share that my last book, Non-Toxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World, published by Oxford University Press, was a best seller and is now on its third printing! I’m hard at work on a new book connecting everyday chemicals to immune system health effects (e.g. autoimmune disease, allergies, thyroid conditions). Stay tuned!

Above left: Tonya Elmore Davis ’85’s daughter, Adleigh Faulkenburg, was valedictorian of her senior class. Above right: Tonya Elmore Davis ’85 with her husband, Glen Davis

1992

Melissa Woodruff Mccormick mwoodruf99@yahoo.com

Sofia D. Xethalis sxethalis@yahoo.com.au

1988

Mike Lingle mlingletonic@yahoo.com JOURNAL

Mandy Rabinowitz Plonsky mandyplonsky@gmail.com

1998

Giovanna Gray Lockhart gray.giovanna@gmail.com

1999

Joanna Woodruff Rominger jbw1980@gmail.com

Sapna E. G. Thottathil sapna.thottathil@gmail.com

1995

1987

Ellyn R. Rajfer Herkins ellynrajfer@gmail.com

1993

Cynthia Shafto Cynthia.678@icloud.com

Mollie D. Roth mollie.roth@pgxconsulting.com

1997

2000

1994

1986

Who else has reconnected lately? Send me the details and if you’re lucky enough to have aged backwards like Karen and Richard, a photo too! :)

Judson R. Henderson jhenderson@callawayhenderson.com Darcey A. Carlson Leonard darceyva@gmail.com

Tonya Elmore Davis ’85 with her dad, Dr. Jim Elmore, and her sister, Leslie Elmore ’86

Sounds and looks beautiful! Hey Richard, can we have the name of the hotels so we can all book a stay? I’m thinking 30th Reunion...

1996

Dana DeCore Falconi dana.falconi5@gmail.com

Hello Class of ’96! You know, some of the best notes come when our classmates reconnect. This spring we heard from Karen Pilar Masciulli and Richard McColl. Karen and her partner, Dmitry, visited Richard and his wife, Alba, in Mompos, Columbia, where they own and operate two small hotels. Karen shared: “It was an amazing experience! Richard and his family were incredible hosts. They took us on several walking tours of Mompos, a truly magical city, and invited us to a beautiful lunch in their home.”

Natasha Jacques Nolan

Krishna Andavolu wrote last fall that he is “the anchor of VICE News Tonight, and we just won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Newscast. ABC World News, NBC Nightly News, Nightline, and the Rachel Maddow Show, were the other nominees in the category.” Congratulations, Krishna!

2001

Carolyn Yarian Morgan carolyn.morgan2012@gmail.com Wilson H. Weed wweed1@gmail.com

2002

Johanna Dickson started a Master of Science in Communications at Northwestern University in fall 2021. She travels to Chicago four times a year and will graduate in August 2022. She is currently living in Harlem, NYC and is still working at PublicAffairs, a division of the Hachette Book Group.

Speaking of books, Sarah Maloney’s second novel, Clean Air, is out now and available wherever books are sold! She wrote, “If you’re looking for a story about a woman who keeps crossing paths with a serial killer in a strangely Utopian future that follows a pollen apocalypse, then this is exactly that book.”

Sarah Elmaleh wrote that she’s been keeping busy and has been “trying to navigate the challenges of dating and dancing tango safely in these times.” She expressed gratitude towards being able to work through the pandemic as a voice actor and voice director. “The end of 2021 was a nice snapshot, with a happy cluster of news: the release of Halo: Infinite (I voice several featured characters), the Chapter 2 finale of Fortnite (I voice season antagonist The Cube Queen, and voice-directed most of the other actors), and the announcement of The Wreck, an intimate indie game I consulted on, cast and voice-directed out of France, with an all-French cast. Wishing everyone in ’02 as fine a year as all this permits!” Kelly Carr Thewes had her second baby, a little girl named Frankie, in April 2021. She joined her big sister, Sadie, who was two at the time I wrote this article. They spent their summer as a family of four at a lake house she owns with her brother, Ryan Carr ’00. She also noted that Brian Smith has spent Christmas with her family every year since we graduated from PDS. Meanwhile, Christina Koerte Christ became a new mom in December. “My husband, Jon, and I happily welcomed our son, Jack Martin Christ, on Christmas Day 2021. (Yup, we get all the jokes.) We couldn’t be happier and love him so much.

Aviva Perlman Fintz aperlman26@gmail.com

It’s been a hot sec since we last had some class news featured. What better timing than on the eve of our 20th reunion (WHAT??) I don’t have much to update about my life, personally (thanks Covid). My son, Simon, who will be four by the time this is printed, started preschool at the beginning of the

Christina Koerte Christ ’02’s son, Jack, born on Christmas Day

Ari Paul moved to Miami in 2021 and has been loving the climate and respite from the Covid craziness. His company, BlockTower, grew into a general asset management firm. They now manage three funds and $1 billion. In his free time, he’s been diving into electric guitar and ‘effective altruism’ philanthropy. Dan Mykytyn bought a house in Woodinville, WA this past November. This upcoming September will mark 15 years living in the state of Washington.

2003

Allison Marshall amarshall220@aol.com

2004

Katherine Chimacoff Dickens Mrskatedickens@gmail.com Scott E. Rosenberg rosenbergse@gmail.com

2005

Hilary Richards Conger hilary.conger@gmail.com

2006

Jacob “Mendy” M. Fisch mendyman@gmail.com

Liad Onitiri wrote to announce the grand opening of his music entertainment and general business consultancy, iPutOn Agency. The ribbon cutting took place on October 14, 2021, in downtown Trenton with representatives from Trenton Downtown Association and a visit by Mayor Reed Gusciora. The agency’s offices are located at 118 South Warren Street in Trenton where they help musicians get their music out into the world. Since the grand opening, iPutOnAgency has produced the popular artist showcase “One Shot One Mic” at Green Paradise on 132 East Hanover Street, in addition to other inspirational events and concerts. iPutOn Agency is active on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the handle @iputonagency.

2007

Nina Crouse ninacrouse@gmail.com Vishal Gupta vishgupta2@gmail.com Alexandra Hiller Rorick ali.rorick@gmail.com

2008

Tessica Glancey Crampton tessicaglancey@gmail.com

2009

Ashley Smoots asmoots@gmail.com Vinay Trivedi vt1090@gmail.com

2010

Anna D. Otis annaotis92@gmail.com Alexandra W. Feuer Portale awfeuer@gmail.com

Joshua Meekins is the New Jersey Program Director for Give Something Back.

Anna Otis lives in Jersey City, NJ and recently started a new role at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation on the brand marketing team. Alex (Raquel) Phillips recently accepted a position as Vice President of Television for J.J. Abrams’ company, Bad Robot.

Below: Celebrating the wedding of Chris Gibson ’10 and Katie Brossman ’08 were (L-R) Katie Gibson ’11, Coby Gibson ’17, Chris and Katie, Margie Wallace Gibson ’84, Cord Gibson ’12 and Will Brossman ’17. Bottom photo: Chris Gibson ’10 and Katie Brossman ’08 on their wedding day.

Onitiri also wrote: “Conor Meara and I are also working to open a recreational cannabis dispensary in downtown Trenton with the help of John Lehmann who is fighting fires in Oregon.” Onitiri added that “Conor is also doing an amazing job as a single father, and I want to note how proud I am of his accomplishments thus far.”

Onitiri remembered Mimi Reed ’05, who passed away in August 2021, and Ms. Gwen Reed, the Diversity and Multicultural Coordinator, who passed away in June 2014.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

his wife, Shannon. They got a pandemic puppy, Coda, who is now one-and-a-half years old, very cute, and a little too smart for his own good. His favorite words include “dinner” and “treat.”

Rachel Maddox ’12 and the Power of Education

Rachel Maddox ’12 does the work to lift up communities. As a non-binary Black educator and playwright, Maddox is determined to show students of all ages that people who identify similarly can be successful in whatever sets their hearts on fire. For Maddox, that’s education and theater. Maddox teaches second grade in Providence, RI, and also devotes significant time to teaching theater classes after school. “My big claim to fame is this class that I teach about Hamilton: An American Musical. A lot of times, kids come to class and they want to show me how many Hamilton songs they have memorized. But that’s not what I’m interested in, and that’s not what I’m interested in teaching. We spend a lot of time talking about the fact that this is a musical created by people of color for people of color in a medium and genre that was created by people of color,” Maddox explains. Representation is a major theme in Maddox’s life, including making sure that underrepresented communities are at the forefront of lesson plans and plays. Part of this passion comes from Rachel’s own past and often feeling like they were the only person of color in the room. “When I was at Princeton Day School, I was often the only Black kid in class. Teaching in Boston and the Providence area, there are only kids of color in my classes. It’s interesting and, honestly, really cool to be in that environment for myself, but also to give kids a teacher who looks like them.”

Maddox’s experience of feeling isolated and unvalued in the eyes of the educational community has been at the center of Princeton Day School’s extensive diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion initiatives in recent years. The current DEI Work at PDS reflects a thorough reassessment of all of the ways in which the School connects with everyone in the community. Maddox says, “During my time at school, I deserved better and the School should’ve done better. But it’s been ten years since I graduated and I truly believe in growth and change; I’m not who I was 10 years ago. Even flipping through the fall and spring Journal magazines, I can see that things are really looking different than when I was there.” Maddox’s lifelong passion for learning and teaching was fueled by their family’s educational values. “Both of my late grandmothers were classroom teachers and my father is a professor at Mercer County Community College. My mother (Sheila Maddox née Newsome ’76) actually went to PDS, went on to obtain her law degree and works as an attorney and financial advisor,” Maddox shares. Despite challenges at PDS, Maddox believes that particular educators and programs at the School helped shape who they have become. “My mom wanted me to apply, so after I attended Princeton Friends School through the sixth grade, I was admitted to PDS and went there from the seventh grade until I graduated in 2012. During that time, especially around the halfway point of high school, I absolutely fell in love with theater. I cannot say enough good things about the PDS English Department and how they supported me to try new things. I want to specifically call out former PDS playwriting faculty Susan Stein, because she changed the trajectory of my life.”

During Stein’s classes, Maddox was introduced to reading plays for the first time. “As I was reading these plays, I was realizing, ‘Oh, this is what I want to do! I want to write plays.’ Once we got to the end of the class, the final assignment was to write a play in the similar format of one of the plays that we’d read, and so I picked The Laramie Project, and I wrote about 9/11. I did a lot of work interviewing my peers and faculty members. This was in 2011, so it was the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, and I think that gave a lot of people the opportunity to reflect. When I had finished writing the play, I was able to have it performed at the Spring Performing Arts Festival.” Seeing the play performed after having written, cast and directed it was a pivotal moment. As Maddox recalls, “Being encouraged to have the play performed and then seeing it all come together was a huge deal for me. I was like, ‘This is what I want to do. This is exactly where I want to be.’” This passion carried Maddox to Connecticut College, where they would pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Theater with a Playwriting Concentration and an Elementary Education Teaching Certificate. Maddox has gone on to write numerous plays that center on underrepresented voices and that use the same approach to teaching. “Storytelling is powerful and language matters—I want to inspire that in all of my students as well as audiences.”

Lizzy Yellin ’10 with her new husband, Jesse Talmud

Evan Seto is still living in Brooklyn and has been at Vimeo for longer than he’s ever held down a job previously. He is reveling in the idea that this might be how normal people conduct their careers.

2012

Rachel Maddox rachelhmaddox@gmail.com

2010 classmates (L-R): Tracy Rosen, Tara Glancey, Morgan (MJ) Stewart McManus, Adrienne Esposito and Alex Feuer Portale at Lizzy Yellin’s wedding Elizabeth Yellin got married to Jesse Talmud in Philadelphia this past January. Evan Quinn lives with his wife, Krista, in Atlanta, GA. He was recently named a Five Star Wealth Manager. He still plays music on the side. Evan misses Hoagie Haven!

Annie Nyce annienyce@gmail.com

Peter F. Powers peterfpowers@gmail.com

Kathryn T. Cammarano camm1217@aol.com Helen Healey helen.healey97@gmail.com Peter W. Klein pwklein3@gmail.com

2017

Abigail Atkeson abigail.atkeson@gmail.com Tyler A. Birch tbflyers@gmail.com

2018

2013

Leah G. Falcon lgfalcon04917@gmail.com

Mary G. Travers marygrtravers@gmail.com

Ben Levine sent: “Ahoy me hearties!! In November 2021, eight PDS alumni from the Class of 2014 took t’ the high seas for a weeklong sailin’ trip around the British Virgin Islands! Led by our Cap’n (Sam Shannon) and First Mate (Culver Duquette), us Scallywags made stops, and friends, at the likes of Potters, the Soggy Dollar and Willy T’s! It was a grand trip on this friendship.”

2011

Evan D. Seto eseto17@gmail.com

Caylin Brahaney wrote: “I’m well into my first year of medical school and can confirm that it is as crazy and overwhelming as people say it is! On top of that, I got engaged in October and we are getting married this July during my first and last summer break. We could not be more excited!”

2016

Madison Mundenar ’18 and Caitlin Tucker ’18 after a lacrosse game in March between Bucknell (Caitlin) and St. Bonaventure (Madison). Rivals on the field, but old friends off.

Annie Nyce-Questell wrote: “2021 was one for the books. My husband and I got married and before the end of the year we welcomed our son, Andrew James! We are happily living in Virginia.”

Rory E. Finnegan ref8af@virginia.edu

Sheridan Gates Montemarano married Colin Montemarano of Pennington, NJ in Nashville on August 28 after postponing for a year due to Covid. They are happily settled in Nashville. Last year, Sheridan launched a business called New Roots that mentors developing female artists (wearenewroots.com).

Caroline R. Lippman crlippman@gmail.com

Hallie B. Hoffman halliebryn@gmail.com

2014

Sheridan Gates Montemarano ’10 and Colin Montemarano on their wedding day last August

Grace Lee gracelee6666@gmail.com

Natasha Rao recently published a debut collection of poetry, Latitudes.

Robert S. Madani robert.s.madani@gmail.com

Meade Atkeson is still living in Boston with JOURNAL

Courtney Klein will soon celebrate four years in clinical research at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Courtney primarily works with children with rare neurological diseases and experimental gene therapies.

2015

Members of the Class of 2014: Lewie Blackburn, Connor Bitterman, John Egner, Andrew Clayton, Ben Levine, Sean Timmons, Culver Duquette and Sam Shannon enjoyed a sailing trip around the British Virgin Islands.

2019

Amon M. DeVane amond1234567@gmail.com Raina Kasera raina.kasera@gmail.com

2020

Needs Correspondent

2021

Needs Correspondent We love hearing from you. Please send your news to your class correspondent; if no correspondent, please send your news to classnotes@pds.org or you may submit them via pds.searchwavelength.com. If using USPS, mail your Class Notes submissions to Alumni Office, Princeton Day School, PO Box 75, Princeton, NJ 08542. If your class is without a correspondent, and you would like to volunteer, please contact Ann Wiley ’70, editor of Class Notes, at classnotes@pds.org. Please know that the Journal, including Class Notes, also will appear online in our digital archives of the Journal at PDS.org.

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Former Faculty & Staff Notes Steve Bailey reported: “This year brought a welcome break from the pandemic as we got vaccinated in March and finally were able to fly to Seattle in May to visit our son, Dave ’98, and his wife, Natasha. It had been 18 months since we had seen them in person. We all packed into a minivan and drove to Bend, OR for a week of hiking and biking, including one day of skiing on Mt. Bachelor, a 10,000 ft. volcano (inactive!). A highlight of the trip was renting a hot tub boat and tooling around Lake Union in Seattle. Heather and I also managed to fit in a week of exploring the Colorado River and some slot canyons near Page, AZ. “It was great to have Melissa ’00 only an hour away from us in Vermont during the pandemic. We were able to hike and ski with her several times during her time in our state. She is now in Boulder, CO where she is doing a fellowship at CU Boulder in environmental journalism, studying how climate change is affecting human health. Her being there gave us a great excuse to visit her in December for another round of hiking through the beautiful mountains of the Front Range. We were lucky to be joined by Dave and Natasha in time for us to celebrate Christmas as a family. “We are so glad that the Omicron wave is finally subsiding. We have been able to resume our volunteer activities and are looking forward to traveling a bit more in 2022.”

Peter Buttenheim wrote: “Frances and I moved from Wilmington, DE to Kendal at Longwood in Kennett Square, PA on March 2, 2021. We felt that a Continuing Care Retirement Community was the right move for us. The philosophy of the community is Quaker-based, which is a very good fit for us.

JOURNAL

Laurie Curtis wrote: “Hal and I have just become grandparents. Our daughter Eliza Curtis ’08 and her husband, Richard Worsman, had a

“So far, we have found the management to be very professional and engaging, the staff to be most helpful and kind, and our fellow residents to be extremely well-educated and enjoyable.

“A highlight of the summer was meeting John Gordon ’72 and his spouse, Bobbie, in Manchester, VT, for a long and enjoyable lunch. John and I have been staying in touch by exchanging good murder mysteries and Vermont maple syrup. “Our two daughters, two sons-in-law, and three granddaughters are all well and thriving.” Kay Haartz Cortelyou wrote: “Kip and I are now settled in Spring, TX, close to our son and two granddaughters. I currently have four horses, and Kip has several acres of vegetable gardens at and near our home. At the recent Morgan Grand National Horse show in Oklahoma City, my carriage horse, Double Oh Seven, and I won a Grand National title in Carriage Turnout. Kip, my son and his family were there to share the excitement and celebrate with me. Another of my horses, Ram Jam Tony, and I were second in his Grand National driving class. Kip and I are healthful, very busy and physically active. We were fortunate to have moved before Covid. If alums are now traveling to or living in or near Houston, we enjoy connecting.”

“We both have remained active in education. Becky logged more than 20 years as a middle school science teacher ... several as department chair, and now spends time supporting organizations focused on improving the education for the underserved communities. This, in addition to playing tennis competitively and for fun several days a week. I recently completed a stint on the board of Kimball Union Academy, the last four years as chair.

“Let us know if you are in Naples!” Eileen Hohmuth-Lemonick had a solo show at the Arts Council of Princeton this past winter.

Above left: Laurie Curtis with her first granddaughter, Lillian “Lily” Josephine Worsman. Lily is the daughter of Eliza Curtis ’08 and Richard Worsman. Above right: Laurie Curtis and her first grandson, Charlie Parker Curtis. He is the son of Parker Curtis ’02 and Mary Sisson Curtis, former PDS teacher baby girl, Lillian Josephine Worsman (“Lily”) on December 23, 2021. Our son, Parker Curtis ’02, and his wife, Mary Sisson Curtis, a former PDS Middle School teacher, had a baby boy, Charlie Parker Curtis, on January 13, 2022. The babies were both born in Boston within three weeks of each other, and we live close by. We are leaping with joy and loving every minute. Suzanna Curtis ’04 has nearly completed her Ph.D. and will be moving back East in the spring. I am still very involved with the reading buddy program and admissions work at Our Sisters School in New Bedford. We miss all our friends at PDS!” Jeff Cutts wrote: “Becky (Johnson) and I have fond memories of our time at PDS. Even though brief, it seemed like a decade given our experiences there ... not to mention that PDS is where we met. We even had our wedding reception at Colross! “We are now full-time residents of Florida living in Naples.

Kay Haartz Cortelyou with granddaughters Kyla (6) and Maya (8) in Kay’s “gig” after her victory pass

Becky Johnson Cutts and Jeff Cutts who now live in Florida

“We both enjoy golf when the opportunity presents.

“We still spend the summer months at our home in Williamstown, MA. In 2021, we were able to see a few plays at the Williamstown Theater Festival, Shakespeare and Company and The Barrington Stage Company.

Steve Bailey with his wife, Heather, and their kids, Dave ’98 (and wife, Natasha) and Melissa ’00 in Boulder, CO Hank Bristol ’72 wrote: “In the past year, I’ve been busy as a new grandfather, deacon, occasional artist, and striving to keep up with changes, history and how we see ourselves these days. My hope, as always, is in remembering the students we taught and that clear and eager optimism in their eyes.”

Hank Bristol ’72 art

“I am still working for a small but growing actuarial consulting and pension administration firm called October Three, where my duties include business development in addition to leading our relationship management and consultant relations teams.

Judy Michaels “has been lying low these past two years, spending a lot of time in Maine at her family’s lakeside cabin with brothers and sister dropping in and out. This Christmas up there featured snowy woods, a half-frozen lake, and a lot of walks, climbs, books and baking. “Another great happiness has been reading former students’ poetry books and novels: Sarah Matthes ’93’s collection of poems Town Crier, which won Persea Books’ Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in Poetry; Natasha Rao ’12’s Latitude, winner of the 2021 APR/Honickman First Book Prize, and Sarah Maloney Blake ’02’s second novel, just out at this writing, Clean Air, which ‘provides the suspense of a first-rate thriller with nuanced characters whose world is shifting due to climate catastrophe.’ Sarah’s first novel, Naamah, won the National Jewish Book Award for Debut Fiction.” Judy highly recommends all four books (though she’s only 10 pages into Clean Air) and looks forward to catching their authors on Zoom readings. She enjoys exchanging poems and poetry news in emails with Kate Westhaver. Judy’s fourth book of poems, This Morning the Mountain, has found a publisher and will be coming out in March 2023.

Jenny “Grammy” Mischner with granddaughter, Margot shop and a library within walking distance. Our timing was very lucky. Middle daughter, Sarah ’06, works at the Shedd Aquarium here and our youngest, Lindsey ’08, and husband are in Madison, WI. We had time to get acclimated to new activities, celebrate some holidays and meet some people before Covid hit. The five of us became a ‘pod’ so we could still spend time together, but missed Kaitlin ’05 who lives in Manhattan. Lindsey and her husband had a baby in October 2020!! We went to Madison every other week until August 2021 to be our little red-haired girl’s daycare. My new moniker is Grammy! I keep busy playing pickleball and doing yoga three-five times a week, and have found book, handbell and knitting groups. I hope if you find yourself in the Midwest that you will let me know!” Marie Shock wrote: “I am happy to announce that I’m finally a grandma! Our son, Patrick, and wife Steph welcomed identical twin boys, Cameron and Caleb, in August 2021. Fortunately, they are only a short drive away in Plymouth Meeting, PA and I usually volunteer to help with them once a week, so I’ve had the good fortune to see them often. I’m enjoying retirement with bridge, tennis, walks, reading, travel and many lunches with friends.”

Cameron and Caleb Shock, grandsons of Marie Shock

Top right: Jane Spencer’s dog, Phillie, with her litter of puppies born/whelped January 15, 2022. Top left: Phillie (now five-yearsold) and Tiny Tim, Jane Spencer’s dogs. Above: Jane Spencer’s Tiny Tim (born December 20, 2020) with some of his awards at the Twin Colonies Dog Show in Bridgewater, NJ, September 2021. Jane Spencer wrote: “Our news, once again, focuses on our dogs. Dog shows and breeding have kept us busy over the past year. Tiny Tim (born December 20, 2020) is already more than halfway to his Championship.” Kaye Vosburgh has written a book: Creations from the Garden–Growing Plants for the Art of Flower Arranging. “Gardeners and flower arrangers alike should enjoy it. I have included both ikebana and creative and traditional designs made with the shrubs and trees from my garden. I am still teaching ikebana in person and on Zoom. I also teach NGC’s Flower Show School for judges. The book was the perfect pan- Kaye Vosburgh’s new demic project.” book

Nancy Miller ’57 is “very happy at Pennswood Village. It’s such a welcoming place, even in the time of Covid. I never had to worry about vaccinations as they were all arranged for us right here. When big winds howl or snow flies around, I don’t have to worry about losing the electricity. That’s very comforting, indeed.” Jenny Mischner reported: “Ken and I moved to a prewar condo in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago in early 2020. Requirements included a view of Lake Michigan to the east with a sunset to the west, a bell choir, and a yarn

A small retiree group met in February: Barbara Brent, Jody Erdman ’72, Hank Bristol ’72, Ann Wiley ’70 and Donna Zarzecki

Anastasia Yonezuka and Marie Shock celebrated Anastasia’s birthday in February sPRING 2022

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In Memoriam The School has learned of the passing of the following members of the Princeton Day School community. We wish to extend our deepest sympathies to their families and friends.

Morton “Mort” Collins

Susan Carter Avanzino ’60

Isaac Cutler-Kreutz

Sister of Elizabeth Carter Bannerman ’58

Nancy Whitney Pritchard Bear

Mother of Janet Pritchard ’74, Christina Pritchard ’75, Suzanne Pritchard Fladd ’78, William Pritchard ’79, Nancy Pritchard ’85 and Peter Pritchard ’87

Hannah Blakeman ’66

Brother of Phillips Van Cleve Blakeman ’60

Michael Blaxill ’84

Brother of Mark Blaxill ’76, Susan Blaxill Deal ’78 and David Blaxill ’79; and Uncle of Grace Blaxill ’18

Jonathan Brown

Father of Claire Brown ’90 and Michael Brown ’94; and Grandfather of Jake Brown ’33 and Max Brown ’35

Diane “Didi” Burke

Stepmother of James C.E. Burke ’80

a school that can and should boast of the strength and reach of its faculty, we will remember Frank as a standard bearer for that august group.”

Franklin “Frank” Jacobson

Much loved and highly respected former PDS Music Department Chair, teacher, conductor and director of several PDS music programs from 1967-1997, Frank Jacobson passed away on March 26, 2022, at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Even after officially retiring, Frank continued to help support music and performing arts programming at PDS. In 2004, the School recognized his successful tenure and impact by naming its highest musical honor for him: the Frank Jacobson Music Scholars program of independent study for the School’s most advanced musicians. In fact, until just a few years ago, Frank attended every Jacobson Scholars performance, taking his customary seat in the theater (center section, right side) and watching proudly as the program he made possible unfolded before him. In his statement about Mr. Jacobson, Head of School Paul Stellato described him as “kind, genial and filled with expectation of and for his students, his colleagues and himself. Frank helped to shape the fortunes of our School in its early days and provided decades of leadership as it grew to be the Princeton Day School we know today. At JOURNAL

Former Lower School music teacher Louise Topp McClure recalled, “Frank was a generalist, teaching orchestra, winds lessons, brass lessons, music theory, music history and choir—not to mention auto and bicycle repair—and an after-school bike-riding club in lieu of gym. But he was also a specialist, founding his Madrigals group and leading them many times to win international competitions. His theater group was invited to perform at Circle in the Square in NYC. And he involved so many kids in music who otherwise would not have considered it. Several of them went on to become professional musicians or theater people. When I arrived at PDS, I’m sure Frank went to bat for me… allowing me to grow at my own pace. For that, I can never thank him enough.” Sandra Benson Cress ’77 wrote, “I am incredibly indebted to Mr. Jacobson for my musical development. I have enjoyed a lifetime of choral singing, which all came from my years with Mr. Jacobson. At PDS, he directed me in chorus and Madrigals, as well as in the high school musicals. Mr. Jacobson also accompanied me when I auditioned for music schools and other outof-school musical competitions. He was always available for any student requests.” Kirsten Elmore Meister ’81 noted, “Mr. Jacobson brought musicals to life for me and it was always with patience and kindness. In my 13 years at PDS I never once saw him lose his temper, pout, scold or demean any student and I promise you there were a few times I deserved it!” Aly Cohen ’91, who performed in many PDS musicals with Mr. Jacobson as the musical director, wrote, “He was a lovely, lovely

Judith (Judy) S. Burks

Wife of former Board Chair and Trustee Emeritus Dr. William “Bill” P. Burks; Mother of Katharine (Kathy) Burks Hackett ’75, Holly Burks Becker ’77, Deborah (Debby) Burks Southwick ’81 (Michael Southwick ’81) and William (Whip) P. Burks, Jr. ’86; and Grandmother of Hilary B. Becker ’06, William F. Hackett, Jr. ’06, Robert M. Hackett ’08, Lindsay S. Becker ’09 and Elizabeth (Eliza) A. Becker ’12

Kun Ho “Peter” Cho

Father of Julia Cho ’88 and James Cho ’91

man... He always had a smile on his face and was essential to every memorable musical event that I can recall at PDS. The world has lost a kind and wonderful musician with his passing.” Evan Press ’79, a former member of the PDS Performing Arts program, wrote, “Mr. Jacobson’s patience was limitless and unfathomable, as was his enduring joy in working with all of us. He took it all in with an eternal bemusement. He was a huge part of so many lives and so much happiness.” Andy Sutphin ’80 added, “Mr. Jacobson was the silent force behind all things bicycles at PDS. His inspiration led to numerous students racing for local bicycle club teams and riding across numerous continents.” Former PDS Poet-in-Residence faculty member Judy Michaels remembered, “When I arrived at PDS seven years after Frank, he quickly discovered I was an amateur cellist and pianist and could sing tenor—and I quickly discovered a friend, who generously shared his musical and teaching skills as conductor, accompanist and coach in everything from Madrigals to Broadway musicals. His thousands of students were very, very fortunate, and so was I.” In addition to his career at PDS, Mr. Jacobson was a part-time church musician; he served as organist and choir director in various churches in the New Jersey area. For 30 years, he was music director at Calvary Episcopal Church in Flemington, New Jersey. Most recently, he was music director at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Saranac Lake. Additionally, he was harpsichordist with the Bar Harbor Music Festival String Orchestra, Bar Harbor, Maine, for more than 25 years. Frank is survived by his wife, Jeanette, his daughter Paula ’93 and four grandchildren: Rayona, Zev, Ami and Ruth.

Former Trustee; and Father of Melissa Collins Scott ’91 Son of English teacher and Sustainability Coordinator Liz Cutler and Tom Kreutz; and Brother of Sam Cutler-Kreutz ’08 and David Cutler-Kreutz ’10

Ann “Polly” Dickinson Dale ’48 Philip D’Arms ’55 Edward Dobkowski

Former Head of Buildings and Grounds; and Father of Mike Dobkowski ’81

R. Linwood Faxon

Father of Lower School teacher Krista Atkeson; Father-in-Law of PDS Middle School Technology and STEAM Coordinator James Atkeson; and Grandfather of Meade Atkeson ’11, Mary Atkeson ’13 and Abigail Atkeson ’17

Luke W. Finlay

Father of former Trustee Laura Hanson; and Grandfather of Eliza Hanson McDonald ’10, Abigail Hanson ’12 and Perry Hanson ’14

Abigail Clark Ford ’67

Sister of Christine Clark Kerr ’66

Edward Frohling ’39

Brother of Marie Frohling ’43 and Betty Frohling Curtiss ’45

Priscilla Grindle

Former Classical and Modern Languages teacher

Millie Harford

Mother of James Harford ’73

Gilbert Harman

Father of Elizabeth Harman ’93 and Olivia Harman Carosello ’00

Gary Hart

Husband of Cary Smith Hart ’64

Louis Hujber

Father of Business Office staff Audrey Vareha; and Grandfather of Samantha Vareha ’19

Franklin “Frank” Jacobson

Former Chair of the Music Department; and Father of Paula Jacobson ’93

Gairda “Lolly” Jensen

Mother of Christian Jensen ’76, Andrew Jensen ’79 and Eric Jensen ’82; and Grandmother of Garret Jensen ’12 and Sophie Jensen ’15

Wallace “Wally” Kain

Father of William “Will” Kain ’78

Robert M. Katin

Father of Andrea “Andy” Katin ’73

Nancy Knipe

Former substitute teacher; and Mother of Peter Knipe ’92 and Daniel Knipe ’95

Karen Cooper Lindholm ’53

Sister of Penelope Cooper Hall ’55

Continued on next page

Sara M. Schwiebert h’05

Esteemed former PDS Head of Lower School Sara Schwiebert h’05 passed away on February 19, 2022 in Birmingham, AL. Sara and her husband, Ernie, first got to know Princeton Day School as parents when they enrolled their son, Erik ’83 in 1971. Sara, a skilled educator who had taught at Princeton’s Johnson Park School, began to substitute teach and tutor at PDS, then quickly moved to a fulltime position teaching first grade. In 1974, Sara became the Head of the Lower School, a position she ably held until her retirement in 1997. Head of School Paul Stellato, in writing to the PDS community upon learning of her passing, stated, “Given her many gifts, there was one that distinguished Sara and for which she will be remembered: her devotion and commitment to the faculty with whom she served. Sara engendered in her colleagues a sense of kinship and shared duty, for although she shouldered the unique responsibility of leading the Lower School, she moved step-by-step and arm-in-arm with the faculty in her care. Those with whom Sara served will say that her belief in them proved inspirational and enduring.” Mr. Stellato continued, “Sara possessed all the attributes one would hope to find in a school colleague and leader: wisdom, humor, commitment, compassion, vision and discipline. Her tenure coincides with a period of tremendous expansion at our School, as it shook off its early growing pains to become a preeminent, influential independent school. Of course, Sara had a good deal to do with that journey: she led and shaped much of it.” Upon her retirement in 1997, she was made an honorary member of the Class of 2005. The Class of 2005 were fourth graders in 1997 and, therefore, Sara’s last graduating class from the Lower School. Following retirement, she returned to PDS for several years and diligently worked to organize the school’s archives. Former PDS Interim Head of School and Head of the Upper School Sandy Bing wrote, “Sara was certainly an outstanding leader and a wonderful colleague. But most of all, Sara was my friend, and I knew I could always depend upon her for an honest opinion and constructive advice.

“Most mornings, I ‘walked’ the school, and invariably, my first stop was the Lower School. The highlight of the year for me was always the Lower School Halloween Parade. Sara usually insisted that I participate with the Lower School faculty and dress in full costume. No one came close to recognizing us the year we dressed as Minnie and Mickey. Sara loved and admired her students and her colleagues.” Hilary Richards Conger ’05, who attended PDS from Kindergarten through Grade 12 and is currently a sixth grade teacher at The Churchill School in New York City, wrote, “Mrs. Schwiebert will always hold an important place in my early memories of PDS. I can still vividly picture her sitting in her office at the end of the Lower School hallway. She was kind, supportive and cared deeply about the PDS community. I hope that the values and traditions she instilled in her students are still being upheld today.” Nancy Miller ’57, a PDS Lower School teacher from 1968–2001, remembered, “Sara had a gift for seeing both sides of a problem, whether a disagreement between faculty members or a teacher and a parent. She was also very good at handling children who found themselves in trouble. Although I’m sure that no one wanted to ‘go to Mrs. Schwiebert’s office,’ they always seemed to be relieved and happy that the problem was resolved. She was a dear friend and I miss her.” A few years ago, Sara moved to Birmingham so that she could be closer to Erik and his family. She is survived by her beloved son, Erik Mills Schwiebert ’83, his wife, Lisa Marshall Schwiebert, and grandchildren, Elisabeth Marshall Schwiebert and Turner Marshall Schwiebert.

sPRING 2022

Winifred S. Vogt Beloved former Miss Fine’s and Princeton Day School teacher and administrator Winifred “Winnie” Vogt passed away on died October 9, 2021 in Brattleboro, VT. Mrs. Vogt began teaching at Miss Fine’s School in 1953. She taught English and was the Seventh Grade homeroom advisor. Mrs. Vogt is fondly remembered for her twinkling eyes, big smile and memorable literary studies of books beloved by the students as well Mrs. Vogt. In 1965, after MFS and PCD merged and the new Princeton Day School was opening its doors for the first time, Mrs. Vogt and four others were chosen by the Board of Trustees to become the Faculty Operating Committee. Mrs. Vogt, along with Bev Williams, Mike Merle-Smith and Herbert McAneny, were known as the “Fearsome Foursome” and ran the day-today operations of the Middle and Upper Schools while Madeline Weigel headed the Lower School. The PDS history book, From These Roots, states, they “decided many of the issues of concern to the faculty prior to and during their first year in the new building. Especially important were their recommendations with respect to new appointments to the faculty... The[ir] influence... was especially notable in eventually alleviating much of the wariness that existed between the two faculties.” In a 2015 Journal article on the merger, Mrs. Vogt comments, “Everyone understood we’d… banded together to make this experiment work. In fact, although it felt like a tough challenge for the School at the time, having the headmaster leave at the outset may have helped galvanize the integration of the faculty that would become the cornerstone of the success of the new school.” Former Miss Fine’s and PDS Crafts teacher Jeanne Duff, who worked with Mrs. Vogt, reflects, “She was highly adaptable and giving.... and able to gravitate towards wherever she needed to go to meet a need.”

Former PDS History teacher, Bill Stoltzfus, Mrs. Vogt’s nephew, recalls, “Aunt Winnie was my second of three moms while my folks were overseas. I was in boarding school, a hapless/indifferent student my freshman year in danger of failing math and English. My mom gave her sister the hopeless task of tutoring me on vacation breaks—the challenge of which Aunt Winnie accepted unconditionally… I am eternally grateful to her for my 37-year career at PDS.”

Patricia McCord

In 1972, Mrs. Vogt and her husband, Roy Vogt, moved to Vermont where she continued her teaching career at Bellows Falls Middle School for 19 years. In 1985 the school yearbook was dedicated to her.

Sister of Penelope Cooper Hall ’55

According to her obituary, Mrs. Vogt was one of the founders in the late 1980s of the nonprofit Windham County Reads, a Vermont literacy organization. For many years she worked tirelessly on the board, reading to children at “Books & Breakfast,” and promoting the bookmobile. She also volunteered at children’s events at Naulakha (Rudyard Kipling’s Vermont home) and was a long-time board member at the Lydia Pratt Taft Library in West Dummerston. She looked after the elderly, visited the sick and bereaved, organized receptions for funerals, provided meals and transportation to the seriously ill, and stuffed packages with books and nonperishable foodstuffs for the needy at home and abroad. Mrs. Vogt received a Senior Solutions Successful Aging Award in 2012 and was further honored by a Vermont House concurrent resolution. “Mother, wife, teacher, friend—Winnie was passionate about civil rights, equal rights for women, literacy, children, and charitable works. She was big-hearted and generous beyond measure,” stated the obituary. Mrs. Vogt is survived by her son, Henry Theodore “Ted” Vogt ’72; her daughter, Ginna Vogt ’73; her nephew, former PDS US History Teacher Bill Stoltzfus; and nieces, Winnie Stoltzfus Host ’80 and Rebecca Stoltzfus Dineen ’85. Her sister, Janet Stoltzfus, former PDS US English teacher, died in 2004.

Correction to Fall 2021 Journal In Memoriam The acknowledgment of the passing of Edward M. Gorman ’39 should have read: Father of Kathleen Gorman Colket ’69 and Stephen M. Gorman ’72; Brother of Frank T. Gorman, Jr. ’34, Elizabeth Gorman Parmentier ’39 and Constance Gorman ’48; Uncle of Martha Gorman Nielsen ’65, Frances T. Gorman ’67, Jeanie Gorman Wilson ’69, Elizabeth Gorman Moyer ’71, Celia H. Schulz ’77, Emily K. Schulz ’80, Edith C. Schulz-Ogden ’84 and Daniel H. Gorman ’88 JOURNAL

Former Lower School teacher; and Mother of Quinn W. McCord ’77, David M. McCord ’79 and Lindsay McCord Norman ’82

Luke McEachern

Former History teacher

Louise Manning Moon-Miller

Mother of Jody Miller-Olcott ’73 (Townsend Olcott ’71)

Marcia Goetze Nappi ’52 Robyn Nini

Mother of Olivia Nini ’18

Sonia Osborne

Mother of Jennifer Osborne Prescott ’86

Diane Cooper Parker ’50

THEN 1948

Richard Partridge

Father of Elizabeth Partridge Raymond ’76 and John Partridge ’79

Alice “Kitty” Roberts Pierson ’47

Mother of Alice Dunn ’74 and Eric Dunn ’75

Haskell Rhett

Father of Kathryn E. Rhett ’80 and Cecily C. Rhett ’83

Kenneth C. Scasserra ’53

Brother of Linda Scasserra Masada ’61 and Andrea “Andy” Scasserra ’72

Sarah Schwiebert h’05

Former Head of Lower School; and Mother of Erik Schwiebert ’83

Betsy Howe Smith ’44 Olive Scola Smith

Mother of Director of Communications Melanie Shaw

Frances Sze

Mother of former Trustee Debbie Sze Modzelewski; and Grandmother of Kristen Modzelewski ’05, Kevin Modzelewski ’06, Dana Modzelewski ’09 and Derek Modzelewski ’14

MAYPOLE Dance Each spring, the Princeton Day School community gathers on the back lawn of Colross to watch a tradition that dates back to the earliest days of Miss Fine’s School – the Maypole Dance. This year, second graders lined up to perform their much-practiced “A-B-A-B” dance pattern on a beautiful Thursday morning with family and friends joyfully watching.

NOW 2022

Ruth C. Thornton

Mother of Andrew Thornton ’83 and Kim Thornton Taggart ’85

Tian Tu

Former Classical and Modern Languages teacher

Kinsa Turnbull ’57

Sister of Camilla Turnbull ’59

Mathilde van Perlstein

Grandmother of Philip Stadulis ’08, Benjamin Stadulis ’09 and Sara Stadulis ’12

Patricia Venable

Former Science teacher; and Mother of Mark Venable ’86 and Amy Venable Ciuffreda ’88

Martha “Pat” Wiser

Mother of Ann Wiser Fries ’70 and Forwood C. Wiser III ’76 SPRING 2022

PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL makes news every day!

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Planned gifts make a BIG difference at Princeton Day School. Why I am giving a planned gift

10 WAYS TO GET THE LATEST NEWS ONLINE Panthers everywhere can celebrate the Princeton Day School community and stay up-to-date all year by going to pds.org for news and following our PDS social media platforms. • PDS website................ pds.org • PDS news feed............ pds.org/school-news

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‘‘

I have been blessed to be a part of the Princeton Day School community since 1966 as a student, faculty member, coach and alumnus and it is an honor to be able to continue to support this institution that has meant so very much to me. While the campus and facilities have changed dramatically through the years, the heart and soul of the School has remained steadfast, particularly in its commitment to service. I am proud to support PDS as the School continues to provide rich, challenging, and nurturing experiences that shape students into thoughtful global citizens, striving to reach their fullest potential in all arenas.

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— Ellen M. Fisher ’73

The May Margaret Fine Society: Established in 1998, the May Margaret Fine Society recognizes those loyal alumnae/i, parents and friends who have informed the School that they have made provisions for Princeton Day School in their estate plans. Including the School in their will, establishing a charitable trust while maintaining life income, or naming the School as a life insurance beneficiary are some of the ways these individuals have helped secure the long-term strength of Princeton Day School.

When you take the step of naming Princeton Day School as a beneficiary, you help our great School continue to thrive. A planned gift won’t affect your lifestyle now but it will make a tremendous impact on our faculty and students in the future. We are happy to help you make a big difference. Please contact: Courtney Hodock in the Advancement Office at chodock@pds.org or (609) 924-6700 ext. 1251.

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