What’s in a name? D
uring our work-from-home months early on in the pandemic, I missed the interactions with my colleagues. I missed the sound of boys walking to and fro outside my window in Dunlap Hall. And I missed my daily walks on campus, exploring the indoor places and enjoying the outdoor spaces. Perusing the plaques dedicated to Old Boys, Andrean families, and staff members has been a pastime since I started working at SAC in 2017. There are a lot! Names on buildings and sporting facilities. Names on trophies and awards. Names on wings, rooms, and objects. New names and old names. In fact, the cabinet where the Communications team congregates over coffee is dedicated to the memory of Stan Macfarlane. Of course, being a curious journalist, I needed to know all about Mr. Macfarlane, and my research showed he taught French, Spanish, and Latin at SAC from 1974 until he retired in 1982. During his time at the school, he led European bicycle tours during the summer and was a beloved faculty member, known as the “Mr. Chips” of St. Andrew’s.
What other stories are waiting to be told of the people memorialized on plaques and the people who chose to preserve these memories? I figure if I’m fascinated to learn more, readers of The Andrean will be, as well. The magazine is sent to friends of the school and parents of students as well as Old Boys, so quite a few readers aren’t familiar with all the places and spaces on campus. Following is an abbreviated “behind-the-scenes” feature on a select few of our named places, spaces, and things.
4 The ANDREAN Fall 2021
– Julie Caspersen, Andrean Editor
