Thacher Magazine Spring 2021

The Magazine of The Thacher School / Spring 2021

Finding Our Way Together Learning From A Year That Challenged Us To Do Hard Things

CONTENTS 14 • Upended

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Every day, we ask our students to step out of their comfort zones, to embrace challenges, and to support one another in a spirit of the greatest collective good.

What happens when the whole School is expected to do that? Short answer: We learn and grow a lot (just like our students). Find out how Thacher weathered a year of challenges and how we pulled together to keep on keeping on.

24 • A Breath of Fresh Air Sherman Day Thacher’s first prospectus for his ranch school promised “out-of-door life and study.” Since then, we’ve embraced outdoor pursuits, but this year the pandemic forced our academic work outdoors in new ways. History teacher Gina Greene shares some of the history behind educating in the open air.

At the end of a year that has deprived us of so many things we once considered essential, we hear from several Thacher campers about the camping gear they learned not to need.

ON & OFF CAMPUS

ALUMNI & COMMUNITY NEWS

01 • View From Olympus

28 • Gatherings

Head of School Blossom Beatty Pidduck reflects on taking stock of our past, doubling down on our strengths, and making our way forward.

04 • The Pergola An assemblage of noteworthy School and community intelligence.

12 • Armchair Wandering FRONT COVER Gymkhana Practice: Practice is the discipline we bring to learning to do hard things, whether that may be learning to ride a horse, playing a musical instrument, or being a School community. It’s a lot more effective—and rewarding—when we practice together.

Photo credit: Carin Yates

2 Spring 2021

An update on a year in which many events were cancelled or held virtually.

32 • Class Notes, etc.

Alumni news, milestones, and news from faculty, staff, and friends.

40 • In Memoriam 49 • The Best We Can Do Healing generational and community trauma with time spent in nature. Find out how Tyfahra Singleton CdeP 1996 went from hating camping to running a summer camp for Oakland’s youth.

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

24

26 • Going Without

VIEW FROM OLYMPUS

What Did We Learn From 2020?

Despite the hardships of 2020, we were also grateful for moments of fun and togetherness, like this one during the Thanksgiving volleyball tournament.

A

year ago in this magazine, I titled my opening piece “Advanced Topics in Community,” and I wrote about the sometimes messy but always critical work of connecting across differences in our increasingly diverse campus community. This time around I was tempted to go with “So, You Thought That Was Advanced!?” A pandemic, a global racial justice uprising, and our own external investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct have intensified both the degree of difficulty and the importance of the work of building the community of trust, belonging, challenge, and growth that we aspire to be.

Throughout 2020 individuals and institutions alike faced an onslaught of challenges. The two headline stories of the year, of course, were the pandemic and a collective reckoning with systemic racism, both of which became profound forces in our own community, separating us, requiring that we question ourselves deeply, that we reimagine many aspects of school life, and, ultimately that we bring our community together, reaffirming our sense of purpose and resolve.

In this magazine, we’ll reflect back on 2020, outlining a timeline that highlights some of the impacts on our community and the ways we have responded. You’ll read about ways voices within our community called us in and demanded that we do better. You’ll read about the actions we’ve taken that have brought renewed urgency to the work of being a community, the learning process I’ve called “the curriculum beneath the curriculum.” You will also get a glimpse into the herculean community effort that went into opening the School in the fall, work that called us to make sacrifices in caring for ourselves and those around us. In the end, it was an effort that more than paid off by allowing us to be together on campus to pursue the primary business of living and learning together—a privilege that was all the more evident after a spring that kept us apart.

The photo on this page—taken during Thanksgiving break—is meant to capture some of that sense of magic and normal fun that we were able to grasp this year on occasion. We made the decision to remain in session during Thanksgiving rather than take the normal recess, which would have involved travel and required an additional process of campus quarantine. To inject some fun into the affair we held the first ever Playa de Piedra sand volleyball tournament on courts that were a centerpiece of a newly imagined afternoon activities program created in part due to the cancellation of interscholastic competition. That tournament, along with trail rides, a 5K Turkey Trot, weekend camping trips, open air Open House, and Bachata in a tent on the Upper Field, offered a profoundly needed respite. In the photo, you can’t see that the kids are wearing masks, which is what I like most about it; it’s a golden moment of outdoor fun with friends, one of the many miraculous things we were able to accomplish together last year.

In this issue you’ll also read stories about our community that are less at the center of 2020’s headlines, but nevertheless connected, stories of people in our community who remind us of the profound ripple effects of the work we do. In a year that denied us so many of the things we once believed to be essential, I think you’ll enjoy reading about lessons some of our young alums learned in the camping program about supposed essentials they learned to go without. (Spoiler alert: Despite what the stockpilers of a year ago would have you think, toilet paper is one of them.) We include a profile of Will Barkan CdeP 2002, who participates in ultramarathons despite being legally blind. I find it especially fitting that we close the issue with a profile of Tyfahra Singleton CdeP 1996 that highlights the healing power of camping and the outdoors, and offers some insights into the ways The Thacher School 1

VIEW FROM OLYMPUS

Thacher might improve the way we introduce our students to these powerful experiences.

I hope you take away from this reading some of what this year has given me in the way of hope and optimism for the essential work we do here at Thacher. We can say that 2020 was a difficult year. Yet we should not fail to note that along with all the hardship also came understanding, a focus of priorities, and an affirmation that creating a school where kids are seen fully, cared for deeply, and challenged profoundly is more needed than ever.

It was easy to see this year as a disruption, but from another angle, it was just business as usual for a school that claims to welcome discomfort as a way toward growth. Wasn’t 2020 right in our wheelhouse? Aren’t we the “step-into-discomfort” school? Isn’t it second nature for us to hope for the best and plan for the worst? Yes, this isn’t new. Despite what everybody keeps saying, it is not even “unprecedented.”

This is not, by any means, to say some years are not more challenging than others, or some challenges less carefully calibrated. In a be-carefulwhat-you-ask-for moment earlier this year, I hearkened back to some of the words I spoke at my investiture as head of school, some three years ago: Uncertainty is the reality in which we all live. Accelerated change is our constant. To thrive in this world we must be flexible and resilient, committed to growth and deeply adept at communicating, connecting, and working with those around us, especially those whose experiences and perspectives are different from our own.

We have the opportunity in this next chapter for Thacher, to double down on the values and commitments that define us, to truly walk the Thacher talk.

What Took Us So Long?

I think I’m finally beginning to understand what I was talking about, and if I was right then, I’m even more right today. But that day was more about the talk, whereas this has been the year of getting real about our walk.

This has been a year of doubling down on our values, but also of seeing more clearly when we have not lived those values fully. It has been a year of responding in a dynamic and uncertain landscape, where taking care of ourselves and others is not an simply an ideal but a necessity. It has been a year in which it often felt like we were starting from scratch as a school, each move, each decision a novelty. It has been a year in which we have had to face our own mistakes—unintended but very real harms—and learn again how to make things right.

We may debate the essential, enduring values at the center of who we are and how to parse those from time-bound, contingent values, but so long as we hold these conversations within the framework of the greatest good, so long as we approach them in a spirit of honor, fairness, kindness, and truth—and I would add relationship and humility—we won’t lose our way.

This is what I mean by doubling down. And this is what gives me the hope and courage to embrace the challenges, to walk our talk of leaning into challenges, to own and learn from our failures. 2020 was not the last time we’ll be called upon to do that, but it was an opportunity for us to practice what we teach. And we’ll keep practicing.

Some of you readers may be wondering where Thacher magazine has been for the past year. I know because a few of you wrote to ask if we had dropped you from our “subscriber” rolls. The answer is no. We made the decision to shelve our planned Spring 2020 issue on the great outdoors and Thacher’s camping traditions. We’ll get back to that topic at a later date, but it didn’t reflect the seriousness of the issues we were facing in 2020. Despite the change in theme, this issue, along with the life of the School in general, shares something in common with a camping trip that finds itself in the midst of a reroute due to bad weather, injury, illness, or simply a missed turn in the trail. In each case, we do well to pay attention, remain flexible, provide care where it is needed, talk through options, and work together. It’s a good thing most of us have had some practice at that.

As we've worked on this issue, we in the Communications Office have also had our hands full creating new web resources and contributing to the high volume of work that has gone into simply managing as the School coordinated (and communicated about) its moves from remote to hybrid to in-person (again) learning. And, like every other department at the School, we’ve been devoting time t0 reflecting on our routines and practices, gathering input and ideas, and doing the work of continual improvement that we look forward to telling you about in this issue and in every issue to come.

— Christopher J. Land, Editor

2 Spring 2021

Numeracy

THACHER The Magazine of The Thacher School Volume 14, Issue 1 Spring 2021

EDITOR Christopher J. Land ASSISTANT EDITOR Lynn Frances Jae

Testing, Testing, Testing.

Put yourself in the seat of Assistant Head of School Jeff Hooper, who engineered our covid-19 reopening plan, by considering the math behind this monumental effort*: a)

If you are 99 percent sure that each individual student is covid free, how likely is it that no students are infected out of a population of 260? (Hint: Think of flipping an unfair coin.)

b) How certain do you have to be of any given student’s covid status in order to be 95 percent confident that there are zero cases in the student population? c)

d)

e)

The covid rapid screening test used on campus has a false positive rate of 0.02 percent and a false negative rate of 6 percent. After one negative test result, how likely is it that a student is actually covid negative? Assume that without testing information the likelihood of a student being sick is the same as the general U.S. population in late February 2021, approximately 2 percent.

How confident can you be that a student is not infected if they receive three negative covid tests? Assume all three tests are statistically independent and that the false positive and false negative rates are the same as in c).

How confident can you be that there is no covid in the population of 260 students after each student tests negative in three covid screening tests?

Send answers to: thachermagazine@thacher.org Correct answers will be announced in the next issue.

W I N N E R O F L A ST I SS U E ’S P U Z Z L E Melee at the Mully was the title of the puzzle from the fall 2019 issue of the magazine.

The first correct answer (“a hair under” 50 percent), along with a precise explanation, was submitted by Nick Johnson CdeP 2016, so he is the winner. A correct response from Michael Newkirk 1978 came a day later. Faculty member Owen Coyle (our new puzzlemaster) gets an honorable mention but no share in the prize money because he is ineligible. (Also, there is no prize money.) Please visit thacher.org/magazine/2020 to see Nick’s correct answer.

PA S S I N G O F T H E M A N T L E This marks the end of Kurt Meyer’s tenure as our Numeracy puzzlemaster. He retired from Thacher in 2019 and agreed to help out until a successor could be found. With this issue, we are pleased to announce that math and science teacher Owen Coyle, whose puzzle appears above, will be taking over as the curator and adjudicator of our puzzles. Our heartfelt thanks go to Kurt for so many years of pleasing puzzlement!

CLASS NOTES EDITOR Aaron Boydston DESIGN Michael Artman, Landesberg Design PHOTOGRAPHY Christopher Land, Carin Yates HEAD OF SCHOOL Blossom Beatty Pidduck DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT AND PLANNING William P. McMahon DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Jeffery D. Berndt

Thacher is published twice a year (in ordinary years, which this was not) by The Thacher School, and is sent free of charge to alumni, parents, and friends of the School. Every effort is made to ensure that contents are accurate and complete. If there is an omission or an error, please accept our apologies and notify us at the address below.

Copyright © 2021 The Thacher School Third class postage is paid at the Oxnard Post Office.

POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to the following address.

Editor, Thacher Magazine 5025 Thacher Road Ojai, CA 93023 thacher.org thachermagazine@thacher.org 805-640-3201 x264 How to Submit Class Notes Online: blogs.thacher.org/classnotes E-mail: alumni@thacher.org Fax: 805-646-1956 (fax)

Thacher is printed by Ventura Printing using an environmentally friendly waterless printing process, soy-based inks, and recycled paper.

* Details of Thacher’s covid-19 response plan have been omitted or altered for the sake of simplicity.

The Thacher School 3

THE PERGOLA

For the first time in years, we celebrated Thanksgiving on campus, with the students. The weekend included a Coffeehouse, a Turkey Trot fundraiser for Ojai charities, a Performing Arts Concert, and pie-making in Ms. Pidduck’s yard. Athletic events kept folks active throughout the weekend, including a flag football tournament, a virtual race against Cate runners, and the first annual Playa de Piedra sand volleyball tournament on newly completed courts behind the Fitness Center. Come Thursday, students and faculty donned formal attire and came together to enjoy one of our dining hall’s legendary feasts.

4 Spring 2021

Turtle Conservancy Our symbiotic partnership with the worldrenowned conservation center just down the road continues to evolve, offering Thacher students ongoing opportunities to participate in the effort to protect, study, and sometimes even befriend endangered species. As former Thacher parent and Turtle Conservancy board member Rick Ridgeway notes, both organizations have a deep awareness of “what direct interaction with wildlands and wildlife can do for a young person.”

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

Thanksgiving—Playa de Piedra

Thanksgiving Day Concert Instead of the usual Holiday Concert, our performing artists showcased their talents this year as part of our on-campus Thanksgiving festivities. The event took place in the open air, under the stars on a special stage set up on the Upper School Lawn. Performing ensembles included the Thacher Jazz Combo, Chamber Strings Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, the Chamber Singers, along with a solo cello performance by Jennifer Yim ’22.

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

Winter Musical The Thacher community gathered in person and around computers to catch the live broadcast of the fall play, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Nine Thacher Masquers removed their masks long enough for their performance in the Outdoor Theatre, portraying 44 characters before a live audience. In keeping with the live radio theme, they created their own sound effects (foley) using things like a wine bottle in a sack broken by a hammer and buckets of water poured off the stage.

The Thacher School 5

THE PERGOLA Our New Academic Building One of the most positive recent developments is the completion of GATES, our new crossdisciplinary academic facility dedicated to the arts, technology, engineering, and science. The process of envisioning, designing, funding, and building this new academic center of the School has coincided with Thacher’s commitment to offer a curriculum in line with the School’s mission and vision as well as the interests of our students.

The new space has rapidly established itself as a vibrant center for creativity, exploration, and learning. The central focus is on empowering the learner and encouraging intellectual risk-taking. The building opened for use in March 2021.

Fall Works A Staged Return in the Fall New activities, new facilities, and new protocols defined the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Faculty, staff, and administrators worked through the summer to lay the necessary groundwork for the students’ return after the five-month absence.

As the year got underway, School traditions were adjusted to adhere to new protocols: rather than All-School Games, we began with all-dorm games. Four new riding arenas were added to the Horse Program facilities to allow for smaller riding groups and greater distancing.

6 Spring 2021

Fall Family Weekend normally affords our riders a chance to show off new skills before a live audience of family and friends. In its absence, the Horse Program borrowed a ranching tradition to provide our riders a fitting way to showcase their hard work. “Fall Works is the time when everyone on the ranch comes together to wrap up the season,” explained Horse Program Director Trinity Seely CdeP 1999. The event included a grand entry, presentation of awards, and horse games.

CdeP 2020: Off To The Next Adventure To say it was not the senior spring they expected would be an understatement. CdeP 2020 never got to take their senior portrait at an in-person commencement ceremony, but here’s what they looked like as juniors. Their leadership during the spring of their senior year helped the whole School navigate challenging times (College destinations current as of fall 2020).

Charlotte Ruby Kelliher .......................Duke University Jacqueline Quin Kong ..........................Colgate University Benjamin Pyar Lalani ..........................Johns Hopkins University James Mugo Langan ............................Brown University Vincent Ireri Langan.............................Wesleyan University Daisy Jaye Lawrence ............................Columbia University Luke Aaron Letscher ............................Colorado College Sarah Liu ................................................Columbia University Tseli Matsediso Mathebula.................Oberlin College Jacob Robert Mitchell .......................... Tulane University Isabella Ruth Murta .............................University of Southern California

Abbey Nicole Alvarado ........................University of Richmond

Grace Kapinga Mwamba .....................Barnard College

Lily Eve Annenberg ..............................Duke University

Else Ryan Harding Nye ........................Middlebury College

Jake Aboitiz Arculli ...............................Colorado College

Anna Elizabeth Pata .............................Bond University—Australia

Toby Ronald Aboitiz Arculli .................Pomona College

Luca Isabella Pieretti ...........................Colorado College

Winslow Avery Atkeson ......................Yale University

Lila Wrede Potter ..................................University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Tyler Raymond Berndt.........................Wake Forest University

Mohammed Shahriar Rahman...........Lehigh University

Amya Desjae Bolden ...........................Pitzer College

Alice Palmer Robertson.......................Johns Hopkins University

Thomas Evans Brittingham ................University of Southern California

Sydney Joy Rosenbaum.......................Dartmouth College

Claire Ellen Brokaw ..............................Colorado College

Michael Otto Sanderson......................Elon University

Riley Benson Carney ............................University of California, San Diego

Noel Anton Elder Segerstrom ............Northeastern University (NU In)

José Guillermo Carpio ..........................Colorado College

Colin Dahl Smith ...................................Columbia University

Nina Capucine Cohen........................... École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (ESMOD)

Malena Wren Quistgard Solin ............University of Chicago

Celia Ysabel Cowles..............................Loyola Marymount University

Fatoumata Soumare ............................Yale University

Marguerite Zion Sonenshine..............New York University

Isabella Williams Damon ....................University of Southern California

Eve Ruane Spalding .............................Washington University in St. Louis

James Farrell Day .................................Wake Forest University

Annika Dodge St. George ...................University of Washington

Owen Spencer Dexter-Meldrum ........Occidental College

Christina Haviland St. George ............University of Colorado, Boulder

Ian MacArthur Dunne ..........................Colgate University

Kyle Junlong Sun ..................................Colorado College

Olivia Louise Edwards ..........................University of Oregon

Hadrien Yu Tang ....................................McGill University

Tomás Aidan Fanning ..........................University of Chicago

Jacqueline Duryea Thacher.................Wake Forest University

Carina Wing Fung .................................Stanford University

Matthew Anson Thacher .....................Claremont McKenna College

Richared Garner ....................................Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Tea Clara Alphea Wallmark .................Dartmouth College

John Carmichael Geyer ........................Dartmouth College

Justin Wei ...............................................Stanford University

Nina Haskell Harbison .........................University of St Andrews—Scotland

Kevin Isaiah Williams ..........................New York University

William Schaw Harding .......................University of Chicago

Bryan Christopher Yoo .........................Occidental College

Jackson Wolfe Hollins ..........................Santa Clara University

Ian Lin Zhang.........................................University of Pennsylvania

William Russell Keeling ......................Northwestern University

Jina Zhao ................................................Georgetown University The Thacher School 7

THE PERGOLA

Staying Active

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

With the cancellation of our normal interscholastic athletic activities due to covid, creativity and flexibility became the name of the game. Once we repopulated campus in the fall, our Athletics Department and versatile coaching faculty lost no time in rolling out a multi-phased program. Designed to keep students active, fit, and healthy while also meeting ever-evolving covid protocols, the program set up new activity venues all over campus—including an open-air workout space, outdoor climbing wall, two beach volleyball courts, new disc golf holes, dance tent, and mountain biking flow course. Between all that and our existing fields, courts, trails, and bouldering sites, there was no shortage of ways to try new things, build skills, and burn off energy.

8 Spring 2021

OUTSIDE OUTLOOKS VISITING SCHOLARS, ARTISTS, AND EXPERTS SPARK NEW IDEAS AND INSPIRATION

CORNEL WEST Dr. Cornel West, American philosopher, political activist, social critic, author, and public intellectual, headlined a stellar roster of presenters at Thacher’s second-annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Leadership Summit: Tomorrow is Today– The Urgency of Now. Dr. West participated in a dialogue with Bakari Kitwana.

BAKARI KITWANA Joining Dr. West on stage for a dialog was Mr. Kitwana, an internationally known cultural critic, journalist, activist, and thought leader in the area of hip-hop, youth culture, and Black political engagement. He is the executive director of Rap Sessions, which for the last 14 years has conducted over 150 town hall meetings around the nation on difficult dialogues facing the hiphop and millennial generations.

SAM QUINONES Journalist and author Sam Quinones visited Thacher to share insights from his most recent book: Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic. He argued that the epidemic has been fueled by a breakdown in our social fabric and the increased isolation faced by many Americans. Mr. Quinones’ visit was sponsored by the McCloskey Speaker Series.

NADYA OKAMOTO Nadya Okamoto, a women’s health activist and founder (at the age of 16!) of PERIOD, a youth-run organization fighting to end period poverty and stigma, spoke to the Thacher community via Zoom. “Period inequality and poverty are prominent issues that get little airtime due to a lack of willingness to talk about menstruation,” explained Maggie Sonenshine CdeP 2020, who introduced Ms.Okamoto.

COLUM McCANN Award-winning author Colum McCann visited Thacher, virtually, to speak about the value of stories in our lives. Mr. McCann co-founded the organization Narrative 4 “to bring young people together from across the world to step into one another’s shoes and tell one another’s stories, in an act of radical empathy.” Jackson Hollins CdeP 2020, who has attended Narrative 4 workshops, said, “Our normal lives may be stripped from us, but our stories from them can’t be.”

BRANDALE RANDOLPH CdeP 1994 This year’s Orrick Lecture Series speaker, Brandale Randolph CdeP 1994, talked about manufacturing change, one bike at a time. Mr. Randolph founded the 1854 Cycling Company to help end generational poverty by offering living wages to the formerly incarcerated, particularly women, military veterans, and former juvenile offenders.

JON MEACHAM The McCloskey Speaker Series hosted a webinar with Jon Meacham, a renowned presidential historian, Pulitzer Prize winner, and #1 New York Times bestselling author. Mr. Meacham focused on the need to disagree agreeably in political discourse: “Free government, popular government, is based on the capacity for mutual concessions of opinion, on give and take.”

PEGGY ORENSTEIN New York Times bestselling author of Boys & Sex, Girls & Sex, and other notable works on adolescent sexuality returned to Thacher via Zoom. Much of her talk addressed hook up culture and her recent work understanding the male side of the equation, some of which was informed by interviews with Thacher boys during a previous visit to campus.

The Thacher School 9

THE PERGOLA

From The Archives

125… 110… 100… 50… 25… Years Ago at Thacher A Backwards Glance Through the Pages of CdeP Publications

125 years ago 1895

50 years ago 1970

10 years ago 2010

Casa de Piedra … and the settlement of buildings that marked the location of Mr. Thacher’s Ranch School are in ashes excepting the barn, the sentinel-like chimneys, and the blackened stone walls of the school building which gave the place its name.

The essential nutriment for voluntary associations, of which Thacher is one, is the loyalty of its constituents. There is nothing to be ashamed of in expressing loyalty and gratitude to one’s school, and, indeed, indications that such loyalty exists are important to that institution’s health. Requisite, too, are tolerance and open mindedness with respect to opinions which differ from our own; humility must replace arrogance.

It’s a triple play you’ll never see on a baseball diamond. In fact you’re unlikely to see it very many places outside of Southern California.

But last weekend, seven students and Director of Camping and Outdoor Programs Brian Pidduck CdeP 1992 geared up for a weekend trip of skiing, rock climbing, and surfing … all of it within 48 hours and a 30-mile radius of campus.

As published in the Ojai newspaper, according to Makepeace, page 100.

100 years ago 1920

You may argue with a man so that he has to admit the truth of all you say, but he will act the next minute in accordance with what he feels. … Our differences are largely intellectual. Emotionally, human nature is a good deal alike.

Sherman Day Thacher to Horace Thacher, Taft-Thacher Letters p. 76.

75 years ago 1945

Since Christmas vacation three Upper Uppers and one Lower Upper have left to enter, or prepare to enter, the armed service... It is probable that other older boys will be leaving before the school year is finished, and, as Mr. Thacher pointed out. it imposes a typical wartime challenge when boys of leadership and ability leave the school suddenly. It demands more effort and “spirit” from each remaining individual in order to maintain the vitality of our life, whether it be on the athletic fields or in the classrooms.

The Thacher Notes, February 28, 1945.

Twin Peeks Approaches to limiting the spread of a pandemic may not have changed much over the course of a century, but the means of spreading the message have. On the left is a postcard sent to Sherman Day Thacher by health authorities during the H1N1 Influenza pandemic of 1918–1919. On the right is an infographic the School shared with families as part of the Back-to-School Playbook we distributed in August.

10 Spring 2021

Ted Sanford’s baccalaureate remarks at the end of a turbulent year as summarized in Huyler, 219.

25 years ago 1995

The [Outdoor] Chapel offers me comfort on any bench I choose. Here I can experience contemplation, solitude, and spirituality in my own way. The ritual of sunset allows me to fit the pieces of myself together, and the Chapel allows me to take advantage of this.

As I slowly rise, brushing the dirt off my jeans, I hope that tomorrow I can come again.

Siobjan “Skye” Rohde CdeP 1995 in the Spring Summer 1995 Thacher News, page 47.

Thacher website news April 8, 2010.

5 years ago 2015

[The] Creativity Symposium offered a critical opportunity for the community to contemplate the School’s plans for a redesigned humanities building and a new, permanent C-Lab on campus. …

“The Creativity Symposium was a kind of beta test for our curriculum,” said Blossom Pidduck, director of studies at Thacher. “What does it look like when we amplify and expand opportunities for students to engage in their learning with creativity at the forefront?

This was an essential step in our Humanities Building redesign process. Before we build a creativity lab, before we retool classroom spaces to meet the needs of our evolving curriculum, we need to have a clear idea of what that curriculum looks like in action.”

Thacher website news December 7, 2015.

Blurb & Squib

PUBLICATION The New York Times published an op-ed by William Bryan Logan CdeP 1970 on October 6, 2020, entitled: I Hallucinated When I Had Covid-19. Here’s What I Saw. “It all began,” he writes, “with an endless gray tunnel.

And ended with a vision of how to rebuild our lives.”

Anna Reeser CdeP 2007 had her short fiction piece, Octopus VII, included in the Best American Short Stories 2020 anthology. Guest editor Curtis Sittenfeld, who curated the collection, praised Reeser’s contribution for “its spot-on depiction of creative young people and various kinds of privilege, including the privileges of money and gender.”

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

Zoey Poll CdeP 2012 published a story in the New York Times about a textile conservator who works with garments that were worn by victims of atrocities. Preserving Brutal Histories, One Garment at a Time, published on January 22, 2021, opens a window into the ways we “lend human specificity to an unthinkable act of violence.”

BOOKS

PUBLICATIONS

The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames is the title of the first book by Justine (Thompson) Cowan CdeP 1984. According to Publishers Weekly, “Cowan debuts with an impressive memoir about the unearthing of her deceased mother’s secret past and a generations-long cycle of family trauma. This frank account of a real-life Dickensian dystopia captivates at every turn.” A New York Times Book Review “What to Read Now” pick, the book was also among the Saturday Evening Post’s list of “Ten Books to Start 2021.”

Science teacher Dr. Chris Vyhnal published several papers on the interdisciplinary work in chemistry, art, and archeology he pursued during his sabbatical. Titles included Contextualizing Chemistry in Art & Archaeology: Inspiration for Faculty and A pottery workshop in Pompeii unveils new insights on the Roman ceramics crafting tradition and raw materials trade. Co-authors for one of the publications included fellow Thacher faculty members Elizabeth Mahoney CdeP 1988 (Arts) and Henry Wadsworth (Science).

Justin Grant CdeP 1977 recently published his first book, entitled Business & Spirituality: Secrets of Personal, Professional, and Planetary Evolution. The work offers a pragmatic path for truth seekers in the global era. The textual content is brought to life with more than 50 inspiring images and illustrative diagrams.

Dr. Jon Swift and his students in Thacher’s Astronomy Program continue to add their names among the authors of abstruse papers.

Along with Doc Swift, Mohammed Rahman CdeP 2020 and Holland Stacey ’21 were co-authors of SN 2019ehk: A Double-Peaked Ca-rich Transient with Luminous X-ray Emission and Shock-Ionized Spectral Features. Doc Swift was joined by George Lawrence and Julien Leubbers, both CdeP 2019, as co-authors of First Radial Velocity Results From the MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA).

Yao Yin CdeP 2019 teamed up with her teacher to co-auther a pair of circulars as part of a collaboration with the Laser Interferometric Gravity-wave Observatory (LIGO). For more information on these and other publications, visit thacherobservatory.org.

Our Ojai, a recently published coffee table book celebrating the beauty of the Ojai Valley, features the work of several Thacher photographers: Brian Pidduck CdeP 1992, staff photographer Carin Yates, and Christopher Land, director of communications. The book also features the words of Sherman Day Thacher, Tony Thacher, and other notables who have made this valley home. Our Ojai is the brainchild of Thacher parent Carolyn Vondriska P ’21 and her father, Thacher grandparent John Broesamle.

The Thacher School 11

ARMCHAIR WANDERING

CROSSING GREAT DISTANCES GA INING CL A R IT Y ON THE TR A IL W HILE HIK ING BLIND

By Katie Harmon Courage CdeP 2001

12 Spring 2021

Will takes a pause at Forester Pass (13,153 feet), the highest point on the Pacific Crest Trail.

W

ill Barkan CdeP 2002 is no stranger to challenge. A couple of years ago he ran his first 100-mile ultramarathon through the steep mountains around Lake Tahoe. In 2016, he through-hiked most of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Before that he spent six years serving the U.S. Department of Defense as a civilian intelligence officer in Afghanistan. He has done all of these things with his classic brand of good-natured humor and perseverance. And very little eyesight.

When Barkan was about 8, he began to lose his vision due to an inherited condition called Stargardt’s disease. Now 37 and the associate principal technical lead for Election Integrity at Google, he has been legally blind for more than two decades. But that has clearly not kept him from ambitious career achievements and challenging-for-anyone wilderness adventures.

He’s picked up some scrapes along the way, but also some good stories—and useful perspectives for anyone in challenging times.

THACHER MAGAZINE: What inspired you to undertake the Pacific Crest Trail?

BARKAN: I’d

wanted to hike the PCT since I was about 18 years old. But it took me until I was 32 to pull the trigger. I left my job as a daily briefer in the Pentagon, went back to California, put all of my stuff in a storage pod, and I went for a long walk. It gave me time to think a lot, and more clarity came with time.

My first day on the trail I felt pretty confident because I’d gotten a lot of backcountry experience at Thacher and elsewhere. (My sophomore year I put together a pack-float trip in the Sespe Gorge canyons, where we pretty much ran out of food.) What surprised me was how many people I encountered had never hiked before. I coached them through it a little bit. I try to be a good teacher on the move.

Meeting a lot of people along the way is helpful. The desert was tricky because most people do some hiking in the dark, when it’s cooler. But night on my own is pretty much a no-go. One night I was following along with a group of 19-year-olds. It was a terrible mistake! I totally lost them, and it was basically sheer cliffs. So I laid down not so much in a tent but on a little pile of my gear and waited for daylight.

Another time, I was near Mount Shasta, and

it had been raining hard for about four days. At that point, you don’t stay dry, you just have to keep moving. Your morale is kind of broken. I had been navigating by smartphone. On the fourth day, I was at a fisherman’s camp and met two people I had hiked with earlier on the trail.

Their dad was a recreational “trail angel” who helps out hikers in the area, and he gave us all a lift into town to dry out. On the trail the goodness in people definitely comes out. After my career, trust in strangers was not really a thing. And learning how to be a good stranger all the time was a very humbling and centering experience.

TM: How does your vision impairment change the way you hike? What is it like for you out there on the trail?

BARKAN: I have very limited focal vision, but my peripheral vision is more or less intact. It causes challenges in depth perception, navigation, and spotting fine detail on the trail. On a clear trail, it’s not a big deal. You bang up your feet a little bit more. So I slow down. (I was worried about rattlesnake country, but then I talked to other people who said, “I can’t tell if it’s a pile of rocks or a rattlesnake,” so, I was, like, “Oh, same problem!” It turns out no one sees those things. You just have to listen for the rattle.)

When you get into conditions where it’s snow or bad weather or large deadfall areas with no apparent trail, that’s a lot harder for me. I generally can’t follow compass orientations the same way as most people because I can’t judge grades very well. So I depend a lot on GPS and phone apps. You just get a very high tolerance for making mistakes. I do a lot more doublechecking. And I focus on maintaining good organization and logistics.

TM: What got you into running ultramarathons?

BARKAN: When I got diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease my dad knew I wouldn’t be able to play baseball, so he took me to a track club. And I’ve been running ever since. At Thacher I ran cross country with coaches Pierre Yoo and Jamie Dial (and went backpacking a lot with Derf [Fred Coleman, who was, himself, an ultrarunner]).

I’d been doing marathons for a long time when I rediscovered trail running. I got connected with another blind runner who ran ultramarathons (races longer than 26.2 miles). I had

never considered a race that would require me to run in the dark. For long races like these, most people use pacers, and I use guides that are also pacers. At night I’ll run right behind a guide who will call out every obstacle on the trail—rocks, roots, water, snow, or racoons.

“AT NIGHT I’LL RUN RIGHT BEHIND A GUIDE WHO WILL CALL OUT EVERY OBSTACLE ON THE TRAIL—ROCKS, ROOTS, WATER, SNOW, OR RACOONS.” For the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run—my first 100-mile race—I got great coaching from Sarah Lavender Smith CdeP 1986.

I had never run more than 62 miles, so the whole realization that I’d be running for a full day and night and into the next day was new. She and my guides and crew got me through it.

TM: What

is it that draws you to these—some might say extreme—endeavors?

BARKAN: Disability—especially perception disability—seems to lead to a crisis of confidence.

So I might have a greater need to feel self-reliant and physically strong. And I get that in part by doing hard things. Even though I need a guide these things are a pretty big challenge. I would say it gives me some real peace of mind about working through disability. And also I enjoy the challenge.

In a lot of ways, modern life lacks a little bit of primal connection. And you get that out of ultrarunning. If running a big marathon is like going to a busy nightclub, running an ultramarathon is like sitting in the woods with a few people you really know sharing a conversation around a campfire.

I would say that whether running ultramarathons or hiking the PCT, it really helps to focus on building toward a goal that’s outside of everyday life. They’re very different, but I think there are cases for both in doing something different and making the most of experiences in the wilderness.

The Thacher School 13

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

PULLING TOGETHER TO SET THINGS RIGHT IN A

14 Spring 2021

UPENDED

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

YEAR THAT WENT SIDEWAYS

The Thacher School 15

16 Spring 2021

T

he year 2020 served up heaping portions of challenge, some we hope will prove temporary, others likely more enduring.

It was a year of ups and downs, with ups like upward infection curves and uphill battles for fairness and justice, and downs like dismal doom scrolls and Zoom calls. It was all enough to make a Toad wonder if it might be time to trade in Pegasus for Sisyphus. For many of us, and for Thacher as a whole, the year brought versions of the same questions: Is this the country or the School I thought I knew?

How do I care for myself and others? Am I part of the problem?

How can I be part of the solution?

Most of us are still sorting through these questions, but as we gain a little distance on 2020, it might be time to reach for some perspective. So, here is a timeline to help us step back and take stock of what we just came through. You’ll see a few national and world events for context, but the focus is on the events that impacted Thacher and how the School and its community responded. Two things, we hope, will become more clear than ever now that we have emerged from 2020: One is that the world’s challenges are Thacher’s challenges and no longer can be imagined to stop at our gates. And the second thing is that when we stand together, united by our values, acting out our commitments, and showing up for one another, we have the ability to keep becoming the School we want to be.

JAN

20

25

FEB

7

MAR

Dr. Cornel West speaks with Bakari Kitwana at Thacher’s second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Leadership Summit. Other participants include Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson and Jasiri X. Advocating integrity, courage, and service, Dr. West challenged his audience to form habits of moral and spiritual greatness, to defy conformism, and to love across lines.

Was there ever a year when Thacher felt a greater challenge to walk its talk? We were pushed to try new things. Do the old things differently. Welcome discomfort, learn from mistakes, try again. Practice honor, fairness, kindness, and truth—not in an individualistic way, but within a community that prioritizes and celebrates interconnectedness and the greater good. And do it all while staying apart.

Alumni Day brings Toads from more than 58 classes to campus.

Dr. Cornel West headlines Martin Luther King Jr. Day event.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern.

14 20 30

Ahmaud Arbery is killed by white vigilantes while jogging in Glynn County, Georgia.

Winter Camping Weekend.

The Dow plunges 1,190.95 points, or 4.4 percent.

23

25 27

Governor Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency in California due to the pandemic.

Stanford moves classes online and USC says it will test online classes for three days.

As the seniors take on the faculty in basketball, the gym bleachers hold a crowd for what will be the last time in a long time on the last night before the School recesses for Spring Break.

4

6

7

M ARCH

Thacher holds its annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day. Most of us didn’t know how long it would be until we saw our grandparents next.

The WHO chooses covid-19 as the name for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2.

11

19

Author Sam Quinones speaks on campus about how to stop an epidemic. In this case, it’s the opiate epidemic.

6

FEBRUARY

Students return to Thacher campus from Winter Break and resume their Thacher routines.

8

JANUARY

The Thacher School 17

MAR

26

MAR

13

“Alright, Mateo, what do you say? Shall we get this started?” Head of School Blossom Beatty Pidduck and School Chair Mateo Thacher met up in the deserted Centennial Amphitheater to host Thacher’s first virtual Assembly. More than 300 viewers, some on campus but most back at home, logged in as the School took one of its first steps up the pandemic’s steep learning curve. “It’s not the adventure that any of us expected,” said Blossom, “But if I know anything about us Toads, it’s that we are up for the challenge.”

BLOSSOM BEATTY PIDDUCK CdeP 1992

27

MAR

In my many years as a member of this community— from newbie Toad to head of school—I have come to believe that one of the most powerful lessons of a Thacher education is what it means to take real responsibility not only for yourself but for those around you. It’s how we learn to create and sustain community, to live for the greatest good. In this moment, we’re called to put that understanding into practice.”

9

MAR

Italy declares a country-wide quarantine.

The Dow drops more than 2,000 points, the largest fall in history

up to that point.

9

Breonna Taylor is killed by police in her Louisville,

Kentucky, apartment.

13

faculty and staff continue the monumental project of The

gathering, packaging, and shipping student belongings home.

The International Olympic Committee and Japan suspend the

2020 Summer Olympics.

27

26

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) is

passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.

First-ever virtual All-School Assembly.

27 The Porch Portrait Project, images captured by Carin Yates of faculty

and staff sheltering in place, gets lots of likes on social media.

26

24

14

Spain goes into lockdown.

16 The Dow falls by 2,997.10, the single largest point drop in history.

Blossom Beatty Pidduck informs students that the return

from Spring Break will be delayed and that, in the interim, Thacher will be conducting classes online.

13

The CDC declares covid-19 a pandemic.

12 Several sports milestones: MLB suspends spring training,

NHL and NFL suspend seasons, NCAA cancels basketball championship tournament.

11

9

The Elk Grove Unified School district becomes the first in California

to close after a student tests positive for covid-19.

7

18 Spring 2021

9

APR

14

APR

22

MAY

Our faculty soon discovered that for all of its drawbacks, Zoom opened the door to classroom visitors we might never otherwise have been able to host. Here, Stanford psychology professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo joins Ms. Carney’s psychology class via Zoom to discuss his famous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment. (Special thanks to Yvette Fung, mother of Carina CdeP 2020, for arranging the interview.)

With our campus community sheltering at home, our normal spring Extra-Day Trips were out of the question, so Brian Pidduck CdeP 1992, director of the camping and outdoor programs, worked with faculty and students to design a variety of “EDT in Place” offerings that ranged from living room forts and backyard s’mores enjoyed together via Zoom to sharing moments of outdoor inspiration in the form of photos, videos, drawings, poems, etc.

22

MAY

BLOSSOM BEATTY PIDDUCK CdeP 1992

Despite the setback this feels like today, I’m inspired by the opportunity this moment provides for us all to do good for one another and in the world. As I wrote to the students, I am hopeful that, when we look back on this time, we’ll all be able to say that we did and gave our best, that we helped those in need, that we showed what a powerful and positive community we are.”

As part of a series of Zoom calls with families, Head of School Blossom Beatty Pidduck CdeP 1992 is joined by author, sociologist, and alum Christine Carter, PhD CdeP 1990 for a webinar about helping teens develop agency.

Starting today, the Thacher Board of Trustees holds its first virtual meeting via Zoom, spread over three weekends.

Senior Exhibitions take place online, allowing far-flung friends, family, and other supporters to join the audience and learn from our seniors.

22

25

30

In response to the cancellation of the Annual Fund’s largest single fundraising event, the Parents Auction during Big Gymkhana Weekend, the Alumni and Development Office holds the Walker Bell Challenge, which included 20 virtual events and saw participation from more than 1,000 donors.

Undaunted by the impediment of a pandemic, seniors Vincent Langan, Celia Cowles, Maggie Sonnenshine, andJustin Wei deliver Spring Sing as a podcast, a gift to our far-flung community.

We make do by learning to EDT in Place.

22

22

President Donald Trump announces Operation Warp Speed, a publicprivate partnership to accelerate the development and production of covid-19 vaccines and therapies.

15

17-22

Thacher’s medical advisory board meets for the first time to provide guidance to the School’s reopening planning process.

5

Though it was a far cry from the conventional victory lap that is the senior spring at Thacher, throughout the month of May, we celebrated our graduating class with a Seniors Unscripted series on social media.

Thacher offers families a partial tuition refund. More than half of families will return their share to the School to help defray covidrelated costs.

17

M AY

Zimbardo Zooms with Ms. Carney’s class.

Pegasus Project, an online hub for a far-flung school community, is launched.

10

14

Blossom Beatty Pidduck announces that Thacher will be continuing with online education for the remainder of the spring term.

9

APRIL

The Thacher School 19

efore the pandemic made so urgent the need to care for ourselves and others, before a new round of police killings of Black people highlighted structural injustices that were also being magnified by the pandemic, Thacher had begun the 2019–2020 school year reflecting on the diversity of experiences our members bring to this community, and the need for curiosity, humility, empathy, and mutual support if each member of our community is to be allowed to reach their full potential here.

Head of School Blossom Beatty Pidduck set the tone at the New Year’s Banquet in September by encouraging everyone to “create opportunities and spaces to talk about the difficult stuff, and to take care of one another while you’re doing it. Let yourself be challenged, even if you have the privilege of avoiding that challenge.”

These themes were deepened at Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Leadership Summit in January of 2020 and its program entitled: Tomorrow is Today–The Urgency of Now. We all now know that whatever urgency enlivened our MLK Day activities in February only grew in the days and months that followed.

A series of police killings of Black people, most notably George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, caught the nation’s attention and escalated the awareness of structural racism and injustice, spreading protest and unrest across the country and bringing this reckoning to Thacher with a breadth and depth of activity beyond anything we have seen in recent memory.

Our BIPOC students and faculty expressed powerful feelings ranging from anger to concern and deep pain, making it clear that despite having many of the right words and intentions, our

B

DO BETTER

Spring was made memorable as much by what did not happen as what did. Early June usually means the appearance of a huge white tent on the Upper Field, but CdeP 2020 was forced to settle for a virtual Commencement, with the in-person celebration postponed until we can safely gather again. Reunion classes of the ’00s and ’05s faced a similar disappointment.

30

MAY

actions and our impacts were not adequate to the task of bringing about the kind of community we aspire to be.

Calls for reflection, accountability, and change arose from many voices within our School community. In June, more than 300 young alumni signed a letter calling on the School to take a more active stance in the fight for justice. A letter from alumni of color demanded that Thacher “acknowledge the decades of hurt and trauma that has been inflicted on non-white students, especially black and brown students, by enabling and overlooking a culture of racism and white supremacy on campus.” During a faculty meeting, faculty of color shared some of their own painful experiences and called upon their white colleagues to join them as allies and accomplices in taking anti-racist action.

All across the country, Instagram accounts began sharing the experiences of marginalized groups within academic institutions, and Thacher began to hear from three anonymous accounts outside of the School’s control that shared stories from our community illuminating BIPOC experiences, LGBTQ+ experiences, and experiences of a culture of sexism and misogyny. As the managers of the BIPOC@Thacher Instagram put it, the goal of all these postings was to “mobilize efforts, both institutionally and individually, in order to make Thacher a space where everyone feels welcomed.”

Before the summer was over, Blossom, with strong board support, pub-

BIPOC@THACHER INSTAGRAM POST

lished a set of commitments and began the process of putting them into action. Thacher’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion worked with the Alumni and Development Office to conduct many Zoom listening meetings to gain a better understanding of the experiences of our students and alumni, to shape affinity spaces, and to map a plan of action for the coming months and years.

But first, came a time of sharing, of listening, and of reflection, which was not always easy. Not for those reliving painful experiences they were sharing. Not for those who felt themselves implicated in past injustices. And not for those committed to helping Thacher be the best School it can be, many of us who were recognizing—some for the first time—the extent of the work we have yet to do. For the institution, however, it was a necessary pause to set the stage for the ongoing, long-term work of bringing our practices more fully into alignment with our values. This is nothing less than we ask of our students: Recognize and respond to the needs of others; do the right thing when nobody is watching; step into whatever discomfort you might encounter along the way; and pick yourself up when you fall short, endeavoring to do better the next time.

In short: Do better.

BIPOC@Thacher begins posting on Instagram.

20

“We hope by creating this page, people will become aware of the experiences of BIPOC people and members of the Thacher community will mobilize efforts, both institutionally and individually, in order to make Thacher a space where everyone feels welcomed.”

The first of many Zoom calls with alumni affinity groups to learn

about their experiences at Thacher.

11

2

Young alumni send a letter demanding that Thacher do better.

11 Alumni of color send a letter demanding that Thacher do better.

JUNE

George Floyd is killed by Minneapolis police.

30 CdeP 2020 graduates via Zoom; in-person celebration to follow.

25

20 Spring 2021 JUL

29

Thacher’s Covid Response by the Numbers

Temporary campus structures brought in to help manage the pandemic included 15 modular dorm rooms for quarantining and the eight-bed clinic for testing and isolation in the event that we had oncampus cases.

5

AUG

BLOSSOM BEATTY PIDDUCK CdeP 1992

Thacher’s mission calls us to practice the art of living for the greatest good. To do so we must learn to listen deeply, to hear what our community—what our world—is asking of us, and to take action. That is the work in front of us.”

any of us have become amateur data analysts this year, as we’ve tracked positivity rates, 7-day case averages, and vaccine efficacy stats. Although it’s no secret that covid-19 did a number on our normal routines, you might be surprised to learn all that figured into our response. In that quantitative spirit, here’s a data snapshot of how the coronavirus pandemic impacted Thacher and the many ways we have pulled together to find strength in numbers.

M

DAN YIH, BOARD CHAIR, P ’10, ’12, ’15

It is impossible to say where these efforts will take us or how long these processes will take, but I can assure you that the board and Blossom undertake this work guided by our values of honor, fairness, kindness, and truth.

We also have the humility that goes with the recognition that we have not lived up to these essential values in everything that we have done in the past.”

COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS

18

AUG

JUL

18

JUL

28

Blossom articulates a set of commitments to anti-racist work that will guide the School for the remainder of 2020 and into the future.

(See page 23.)

Another anonymous, unaffiliated Instagram account, @rpecultureatthacher, begins to post allegations of sexual misconduct at Thacher and interactions that are seen to normalize such misconduct, including the ways the School has or has not responded. These allegations will prompt the board and administration to initiate an external investigation.

28

29

Thacher receives a waiver to return to in-person instruction from the county.

Thacher releases an online “Back-to-School Playbook” to families as a guide for safely beginning the school year.

Anacapa Scholar Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson begins leading the faculty in a series of professional development trainings to help them better align curriculum with anti-racist perspectives.

Seniors, the first class to arrive on campus, begin the first of two rounds of viral molecular testing. The other classes will follow as part of a staged return.

19

21

25

30

SEPTEMBER

On August 19, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom reported that the state was battling 367 known fires, many sparked by intense thunderstorms on August 16–17. By the end of the year, nearly 10,000 fires will have burned more than 4.2 million acres of the state, making 2020 the largest wildfire season recorded in California’s modern history. Many Thacher families are impacted by these events.

Thacher Board Chair Dan Yih announces that the School has engaged an external law firm to conduct an impartial review of any allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment that have been put forth in social media posts and recent alumni forums.

(As of press time, this investigation has estimated that it will share its findings in June of 2021.)

18

19

Death Valley hits 130 degrees, thought to be the highest temperature on Earth in nearly a century.

Joe Biden announces Kamala Harris as his running mate.

11 16

The Facilities team readies campus for a safe opening in the fall.

5

AUGUST

@queeratthacher, an anonymous Instagram account not managed

by Thacher, begins posting.

18

JULY

The Thacher School 21

NUMBER OF TEMPORARY OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING 14 TENTS, INSTALLED ON CAMPUS.

NUMBER OF MODULAR DORM ROOMS INSTALLED ON CAMPUS TO PROVIDE QUARANTINE SPACES.

2

NUMBER OF NEW RIDING ARENAS ADDED TO ALLOW SMALLER NUMBERS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IN RIDING GROUPS.

TOTAL NUMBER OF YOGA MATS, BLOCKS, AND STRAPS PURCHASED

STAYING ACTIVE

90

15 20

8

NUMBER OF PORTABLE HAND-WASHING STATIONS PLACED AROUND CAMPUS.

100+

NO-TOUCH SOAP DISPENSERS INSTALLED TO CONFIGURE ALL CAMPUS BATHROOMS AS HANDS FREE.

78

9

NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL HORSES ADDED FOR SPRING 2021 TO ACCOMMODATE UPPER GRADE RIDERS WHO MISSED BIG GYMKHANA IN 2020.

47

TONS OF SAND HAULED IN TO CREATE THE TWO NEW SAND VOLLEYBALL COURTS.

NUMBER OF NEW AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES INTRODUCED INCLUDING SOCCER AND BASKETBALL LEAGUES, SURFING, SKATEBOARDING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, VARIOUS FITNESS PROGRAMS, AND BACHATA TO NAME ONLY A FEW.

EACH SCHEDULE COORDINATED 46 TEACHERS AND 260 STUDENTS AMONG 75 CLASSES IN 20 CLASSROOM SPACES THAT SHIFTED BETWEEN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AS CONDITIONS CHANGED.

20

NUMBER OF NEW “HOLES” ON THE DISC GOLF COURSE

25+

5 *as of 4/23/21

COVID CASES IN THE STUDENT AND FACULTY POPULATION*

0

NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ACADEMIC SCHEDULES—RANGING FROM ONLINE TO HYBRID TO IN PERSON—CREATED BY DIRECTOR OF STUDIES TRACY MILLER.

NUMBER OF NASAL SWABS TESTED*

7,485

500

NUMBER OF ELECTROSTATIC DISINFECTION MISTERS USED BY OUR CUSTODIAL CREW,WHICH TRIPLED IN SIZE DUE TO INCREASED CLEANING NEEDS.

NUMBER OF THACHER BRANDED MASKS GIVEN AWAY

BY THE ALUMNI OFFICE:

BOXES OF STUDENT BELONGINGS PACKED AND SHIPPED HOME BY FACULTY AND STAFF AFTER CAMPUS WAS UNABLE TO REOPEN AFTER SPRING BREAK 2020.

1,082

STAYING SAFE

Ninth graders arrive on campus to be tested and begin their quarantine.

Sophomores arrive.

Thacher’s Admission Office hosts the first of many virtual admission fairs and information sessions. Despite the challenge of recruiting students without being able to bring them to campus, the team will attract a record number of applicants this year.

Juniors arrive, completing our staged return to campus.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87.

Thacher holds a candlelight vigil in response to the recent grand jury findings in the Breonna Taylor case.

6

12 12

13 18 26

Having completed their quarantine on campus, new riders report to the barns for the first time.

Jeff Hooper sends instructions for a health monitoring app to faculty and staff, part of our plans to safely reopen campus.

4

29

Faculty families have made the best of canceled summer plans by enjoying socially distanced movie nights on the lawn outside the dining hall.

1

22 Spring 2021

BRANDALE RANDOLPH CdeP 1994

25

NOV

27

NOV

7

OCT

Be the good in the world. Be the beacons of light in the world full of darkness. Show people what’s possible by being that person that’s not afraid to go out there on your own.”

Construction crews were required to adhere to our strict covid protocols as they continued the construction project taking shape on the site of the old Anson S. Thacher Humanities Building. By the end of the year, GATES, our new academic building for arts, technology, engineering, and science was nearly ready for occupancy. It opened for classes in March 2021.

1

OCT

Dr. Derrick Gay begins work with the Board of Trustees on developing a DEI framework and practices aligned with the mission of the School.

Science classes continue their work at the Turtle Conservancy, one of the few off-campus activities possible.

In an effort to keep the fun outdoors and spread out, the Pidducks host Open House on the Pergola.

Amy Coney Barrett is sworn in as a Supreme Court justice.

An updated version of the Thacher website goes live with features to help guide prospective families through an application year that will not include in-person visits. Changes include a new virtual campus tour, updated video content, and a series of virtual events with students, faculty, administrators, and current parents.

Virtual Fall Check In gives families a peek into campus life.

Thacher’s coalition of affinity groups and allies presents a virtual panel on the topic of Race, Immigration, and the Economy on the Eve of the Election.

3

7

23

26 26

29 30

Director of the Camping and Outdoor Programs Brian Pidduck CdeP 1992 announces that Twin Peaks Basecamp was completed by a team of students and faculty. It’s one of several close-to-campus and on-campus sites that we’ll be using to log nights under the stars until we can go farther afield.

Biden/Harris defeat Trump/Pence in the presidential election.

A coalition of Thacher’s anti-racism groups present a virtual event entitled Understanding and Disrupting Racial Battle Fatigue.

1

3

13

NOV EMBER

Brandale Randolph CdeP 1994, founder of the 1854 Cycling Company, speaks via Zoom as this year’s Orrick Lecture Series speaker.

1

OCTOBER

The Thacher School 23

We have partnered Strategenius and its founder, Orpheus Crutchfield, to audit all aspects of recruitment, hiring, support, and retention, with a focus on BIPOC candidates.

Between 2019 and 2021, 10 out of 16 faculty hires have self-identified as people of color and/or LGBTQ+.

HIRE ADDITIONAL BIPOC FACULTY AND INCREASE THEIR REPRESENTATION IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AT THACHER.

Thacher has engaged several experts to develop our capacity to advance this work on our own in ways that fit our School. As one example, Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson, a visiting scholar on sabbatical from UCLA, has worked with faculty all year to help them develop their anti-racist teaching pedagogies and practices. Meanwhile, in partnership with adult and student affinity and ally groups, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion sponsors frequent workshops and speakers for the community.

IMPLEMENT ANTI-RACIST AND ANTI-BIAS EDUCATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT ALL LEVELS OF THE INSTITUTION.

s the world beyond our gates erupted in a racial justice reckoning and our own community demanded action, Thacher responded first with active listening, learning, and critical self-reflection. Recognizing that action was the critical outcome, in August, Head of School Blossom Beatty Pidduck CdeP 1992 published a set of commitments to guide long-term strategic efforts focused on the goal of making our lived community ever more congruent with the aspirations expressed in our mission and values. Seeing inequity as an impediment to the greatest good, this work at Thacher begins with giving everyone in the community the tools to recognize and redress inequity, and to live honestly, fairly, kindly, and truthfully. Below is a digest of Thacher’s commitments and a few highlights of the work that has been accomplished to date. For more complete and current coverage of this ongoing and unceasing work, please visit wwww.thacher.org/dei.

A

PULLING TOGETHER

Recognizing that the work of manifesting our values throughout School life is constant and continual, the administration, board, faculty, and staff are committed to this perpetual project.

NEVER STOP DOING THE WORK.

representing all constituencies will partner with Equity Meets Design to map out the School’s long-term DEI strategy.

ASSEMBLE A DEI TASK FORCE TO GUIDE OUR ONGOING WORK AND TO HOLD THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABLE. With findings from the AIM survey in hand, a group

Equity Meets Design is facilitating a process to ensure that our practices, courses, and programming are equitable, inclusive, and reflective of our student body. As part of this effort, this spring we will implement the NAIS Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM).

ENGAGE AN EXTERNAL DEI CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE A FULL AUDIT OF OUR INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES, AS WELL AS CONDUCT A COMPLETE INVENTORY OF OUR CURRICULUM.

Equity Meets Design is engaging with students and adults in a design thinking process to envision new avenues for multicultural student support through the creation of community resources, including a multicultural resource center in the Hills Building. We have strengthened support for and expanded the number of affinity and ally groups, including working with alums and current parents to develop affinity resources for them.

CREATE A MULTICULTURAL RESOURCE CENTER ON CAMPUS.

Students depart for Winter Break, which will eventually be extended due to strains on local healthcare capacity. Campus will not be repopulated until February 19, 2021.

Sandra Lindsay, a New York nurse, is the first person in America to receive the newly approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

13

15

The calendar year ends, but the work continues.

The FDA authorizes emergency use of the covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

11

31

New stay-at-home orders activated in SoCal as ICU capacity falls below 15 percent.

7

After months of putting in extra hours to keep campus free of covid, Vicki Edwards, director of the Valley View Clinic, rolls up her sleeves yet again, but this time to receive her first dose of the covid vaccine.

Peggy Orenstein presents a Head’s Invite on adolescent sexuality and hook-up culture.

6

23

The Horse Program showcases student progress with Fall Works exhibition.

5

The School breaks in the new sand volleyball courts with the Playa de Piedra Volleyball Tournament.

GATES, our new creativity and technology building, nears completion.

27-28

25

For the first time in many years, students and faculty celebrate Thanksgiving on campus together.

The Dow closes over 30,000.

24 25-28

As covid cases climb, Ventura County moves from the red tier to the most restrictive purple tier.

16

Our expanded team of counselors now better reflects the diverse needs of our community with a broader set of backgrounds and areas of specialization. In continuous support of our students and their well-being, we offer online counseling at no cost, both remotely and on campus. These resources are also available to our faculty.

Presidential scholar Jon Meacham joins us via Zoom as a McCloskey Speaker to help put the recent election into context.

15

HIRE THERAPISTS OF COLOR WHO SPECIALIZE IN ISSUES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI).

A BREATH OF

FRESH A I

“A continuous bath of light and air”

By Gina Greene, PhD

O

n any given day on Thacher’s campus, in spite of the concerning situation across the country, a small miracle occurs. The intellectual hum of the classroom carries on unabated and, in some ways, more vibrantly than ever. A stroll across campus reveals students analyzing poetry and composing their own thoughtful prose in response. Budding marine biologists dig into the messy work of squid dissection during a lab with Ms. Grant. Contemporary ethical dilemmas ranging from healthcare access to the gender wage gap get hotly debated under Mr. Carney’s guidance. Calculus students cluster around a whiteboard debating ways to solve a particularly tricky equation. Indeed, this seems like a typical 24 Spring 2021

glimpse into the rich world of Thacher’s intellectual community but for one singular detail: Every moment of it happens outdoors.

While there were many components to Thacher’s innovative plan to bring the campus back to life this fall in a safe and sensible way, one of the most essential decisions was elegant in its simplicity: bring the classroom experience outdoors. With 23 outdoor classroom spaces, most carefully outfitted with the necessary equipment, lighting, technology, and chairs, Thacher was able to do what seemed hard to even imagine at some points earlier this year: safely bring the entire campus together into teaching and learning spaces where the collaboration and hands-on learning that are hallmarks of a Thacher education could continue as strong as ever. It’s an extraordinary feat by any measure.

A classroom at the école de plein air in Suresnes, France, circa 1935.

R

But perhaps even more surprising is this: it’s nothing new. A deep and fascinating history of open-air classrooms and schools precedes the innovative covid preparations at Thacher.

Indeed, across Europe in the 1910s and 20s, when anxieties were rampant about first the flu and then the more enduring plague of childhood tuberculosis, were rampant, an entirely new type of school was developed, the école de plein air, or open air school which, like Thacher, harnessed the light- and air-filled outdoor spaces for both pedagogical and health reasons. In the early twentieth century, with no effective therapies for tuberculosis in sight, the need to create safe environments where children could learn and play without fear of transmission became of paramount concern.

Improvised at first in parks and on building rooftops, a movement soon developed that would sweep across Europe and, eventually, the globe. Ultimately, gorgeous glass-walled openair schools with large retractable walls that could spill out into outdoor spaces became a hallmark of early architectural modernism. The schools mixed ambitious utopian ideas about children’s physical and moral regeneration that circulated in the interwar period with practical hygienic improvements. Permeability of indoor and outdoor spaces became integral to the design and to a way of looking at the world, and pedagogy, that prized access to nature.

Such schools, it was hoped, would immerse young bodies and minds in “a continuous bath of light and air.” A century later, the open-air school, in all of its improvised glory, has made an unexpected comeback here on campus to keep students safe and healthy during the current coronavirus crisis. Dr. Tracy Miller, director of studies, notes that, last spring, “as our understanding about COVID evolved, our thinking about how to teach during the pandemic did too.” “[W]e started,” she continues, “to really think about how to maximize use of the outdoors as part of our reopening plan. It evolved from, ‘Let’s

R get a few Adirondack chairs’ to ‘Let’s go deeper.’”

Facilities and Technology Department staff went the extra mile to make sure that 14 brand new spaces would be ready to go by the fall. “Thacher is a beautiful campus with incredible natural resources,” she continues, “and moving our teaching and our learning outside...I can’t think of a better place to do it. It’s been a great way for everyone to be a little more away from screens, especially after a spring spent on screens. To just kind of unplug a little bit.”

Teachers and students couldn’t agree more.

One student notes, “When it is a nice day out, the outdoor classroom allows us to feel free and makes me feel awake and joyful.” Another notes, “It is so nice being able to be outside and appreciate this beautiful campus.” It has, she continues, “been very calming to me during my classes.”

While construction noise, or the unexpected appearance of a faculty dog can occasionally add a comical touch to the new classroom environment, students and faculty are overwhelmingly positive when reflecting on these outdoor spaces.

Ms. Grant shares, “I love the flexibility that working outdoors provides.” Using the tented classroom, equipped with a whiteboard and screen for any lecture or brainstorming on the board, she would then send students off with a

specific question or problem to puzzle through.

“Students would choose spots in the courtyard or in the general area and I’d roam around to answer questions and provide information. I loved the change that getting up and moving to different physical spaces provided.”

“Catch and release” is what her co-teacher Zoe Clute, our newest Fisher Fellow, calls the strategy. Another teacher observes, “I have found it interesting to see the students spread out to do their work—some lying on the grass, others in the white Adirondack chairs. It feels very much like Thoreau.”

Outdoor teaching has also worked beautifully with other new innovative approaches to teaching. Dr. Miller has also observed that the “expansiveness of outdoor teaching” works well with our new 80-minute block schedule. And it has made the opportunities for interdisciplinary learning even greater by making our teaching and learning “really visible.” As Dr. Miller notes, teachers and students “can walk around and see what is happening in each other’s classrooms.”

“There is an energy and visibility” that is new this year and that connects with some of our biggerpicture pedagogical goals.

Inevitably, life will return to normal but there’s a sense on campus that the things we’ve

learned about the possibilities of outdoor education can be integrated into our teaching going forward. With the recent completion of GATES, a new creativity and technology building intentionally designed with glass walls and teaching spaces that spill out onto the perimeter of each classroom, there will continue to be opportunities to bring learning into outdoor spaces. Teachers and students can still take a break from the more traditional classroom spaces to gather under a tree to read a poem, or puzzle out a math problem, or, just generally, enjoy connecting with others in the community.

“The nicest part,” one student notes, “is being in an open space instead of an enclosed indoor space. Often, friends or faculty would walk by and we’d get to say ‘Hi’ to them, and when we took breaks we got to run on the Upper Field or throw sticks for faculty dogs. It was nice being in a space that was more open to the greater campus.”

“It has just been so nice,” another reflects, “being able to appreciate the beautiful place around us.”

Gina Greene is a member of the Thacher History Department. Her doctoral dissertation included a look at pediatric health and the architecture of learning spaces in the early 20th century.

The Thacher School 25

Going Without: An

A

backcountry adventure is as much about the things we leave behind as it is about the things we go in search of. And while those glossy gear guides—alluring curations of must-haves—have become a staple of outdoor-oriented publications, what seems more in keeping with a spirit of going without is a guide to the things you can leave behind.

To that end, on the heels of a year that asked us to both stay at home and go without, we thought it might be appropriate to ask some of our experienced campers to share their favorite “leave-home-without-it” items. Several of those you’ll hear from below hail from CdeP 2020, which knows a thing or two about going without after having to forgo a proper graduation last spring, something the School means to make up to them when the time is right.

A Pillow One piece of camping gear that I once considered essential but no longer bring with me on my adventures is a camping pillow. I learned this while preparing for a trip when I couldn’t find the little camping pillow that I usually brought, so I went without it and stuffed my sleeping bag stuff sack with whatever soft things I could find (extra jacket, T-shirt, etc.). It worked just as well; I no longer bring a camping pillow. I can’t exactly remember where I first got the idea to bring a pillow, but it probably stemmed from the fact that I had never slept without one before Thacher. The most significant benefit of no longer packing a camping pillow is the extra space in my backpack. With more room in my pack, I can hold more group gear, a book I’ve been dying to finish, or even a sketchbook!

Luca Pieretti CdeP 2020

Hiking Boots

Toilet paper

I was on a trip sophomore year and we had a lot of stream crossings to do, and I was sick of having to take my shoes off every time so I ended up hiking in my Crocs, and since then, most of my hiking has been done in Crocs and I find them to be more comfortable than boots. Hiking boots are what is conventionally used and they are better for most people, but if you get a lot of blisters, try hiking in Crocs.

They work for Riley Carney CdeP 2020, and Ms. Popa CdeP 2010 and I haven’t heard of anyone who has tried hiking in Crocs and had a bad experience. They are also great camp/ water shoes and are very light.

It was my teachers who helped me realize that toilet paper was an unnecessary luxury while camping. I had a few different mentors who would all go without. After a while, I figured it was worth a try, and I never looked back. Not having to pack my used TP out was a game changer. Snow is definitely the best substitute (spring snow being ideal; cold winter snow doesn’t hold together as well). Smooth river rocks, or lamb’s ear leaves, are solid second options. Less ideal but still functional are handfuls of grass, pine cones, or assorted leaves. Of course, all of these must be collected carefully to ensure no one plant is stripped, and no overly visible mark is left for others.

It sounds silly to say, but reducing weight is always a factor. I also find the more things I leave behind, the fewer chores I have in camp, and the less organizing I have to do. I end up with more time to simply enjoy the mountains, which is what it’s all about.

Jake Arculli CdeP 2020

Liam Kirkpatrick CdeP 2017 26 Spring 2021

Anti-Gear Guide

Illustrations by

Walker Cahall CdeP 2003

Leatherman

Utensil set I used to bring a whole bunch of things for eating meals—a mug, a bowl, a set with a fork, knife, and spoon. I realized that you really only need a mug and a spoon. I decided to try it out one camping trip, and it just made a lot of sense to drop the unnecessary stuff. Of course I still had a pocket knife, so I could use that if I needed to cut anything up. And I didn’t miss the bowl at all because you can eat pretty much anything out of a mug, and then enjoy some hot chocolate after dinner if you like. I was attached to the idea of treating camping meals like dining room table meals. The truth is, they’re just not the same, and camping meals should require a little more creativity. It’s nice to have fewer dishes to clean at the end of the day, and, of course, it leaves your pack a little bit lighter.

One item I suppose I stopped bringing is my Leatherman knife (though it hurts me to say this in a place where Mr. Pidduck, who has traditionally awarded one to each new B-camper, might read it). A butter knife is superior for peanut butter and cheese, and while a sharp knife is fun and is theoretically useful to fix things or cut moleskin, it’s sort of heavy for its essential uses. It’s also really difficult to get on a plane with. Another insight is that I always fill my backpack absolutely to the brim, no matter what size bag it is, but that a smaller bag prompts better paring down to the essentials. A 15 liter bag, 37 liter bag, and 65 liter bag all fulfill my needs for a day of climbing with different levels of creativity, and experimenting with what size one’s bag is is helpful for thinking about how we expand to fill the space that we have—thinking tiny house or dorm room vs. a big house with lots of space—it turns out that happiness is found closer to how we choose what’s essential to us, rather how much physical space we have.

Edel Galgon CdeP 2017

A Tent Tents are central to most people’s ideas of camping. However, most of the time, especially when camping in Southern California and the Sierra during the summer, a tent is not necessary. A light tarp shelter will do. On my Muir Wise trip at Golden Trout sophomore year, we used our own light tarp shelters supplemented with Tyvek, a lightweight fabric used in construction. This was more than ample for the rain and hail we encountered, as well as the cold mid-June Sierra Nevada. Using tarp shelters in situations where rain is unlikely has served me well because they haven’t gotten in the way, and most of the time I don’t have to use them, especially in Ojai and the Sespe.

When I have used tarp shelters and Megamids in high-wind and snowy scenarios, it isn’t always pleasant or comfortable, but I find that to be worth the other 90 percent of the time when they don’t come out of my pack.

Luke Letscher CdeP 2020

Claire Brokaw CdeP 2020

Mug After spending several years camping, I began to realize that having a mug was just adding additional weight and not benefiting my overall experience during camping. I thought that on cold mornings, I would need a hot cup of hot chocolate but I quickly figured out that I could drink hot chocolate from a bowl or even from my water bottle, if I wanted. The overall weight of my backpack has decreased as I don’t carry a mug or as many packets of hot chocolate mix.

Annika St. George CdeP 2020

About the Illustrator Walker Cahall was a founding member of the Red Reef Rangers, under the tutelage of legendary faculty member Chuck Warren.

He did five terms of trail building as a sport.

During that time he built a small trail that goes from the ridge line to Gymkhana Field. He also participated in many EDTs to the Sespe to work on trails out there.

“It was my favorite time,” he says. We always had poison oak, got too close to some rattlesnakes, and had a blast listening to Blue Oyster Cult and Led Zeppelin on a boombox powered by a car battery. “I hope it is still an option as a ‘sport.’”

The Thacher School 27

GATHERINGS ALUMNI DAY 2020

“As always, it’s like a home away from home.”

Katie Vining CdeP 1994 TOADS SPANNING 58 CLASSES—1962 through 2019—returned to campus on January 11 for Alumni Day. The 12-hour day was packed.

Brunch in the Michael Kent and Joy Sawyer Mulligan Hall was the first alumni meal in the new building and graduates were impressed by the beautiful views and the ability for everyone to fit into one room. In her after-dinner remarks, Ms. Pidduck described the building as a physical embodiment of the community we so value.

Planned activities gave alums a window into the Thacher of today, including a sampling of current programs, priorities, and passions on campus. The student organization fair was a hit: Sarah O’Brien CdeP 1986 said, “It was great to have some new additions to the day like the student fair.” Families with small children had a chance to create together in the new Hills Building classrooms. And then, we had the old favorites—trapshooting, horseback riding, rock climbing, varsity vs. alumni sporting events, interscholastic sports, and Open House at the Pidducks’. The boys’ varsity basketball game was easily the most exciting event of the day. The Toads defeated the Cate Rams in triple overtime in front of a standing-room-only crowd in the Voit Gym.

Mateo Thacher CdeP 2020 with grandfather Tony Thacher CdeP 1958.

Tseli Mathebula with grandparents.

Elle O Hill ’23 introduces her grandparents to her horse.

Grandparents and Special Friends Days ANY DAY A GRANDPARENT gets to spend with grandkids is a good one, especially if it also means learning about the Thacher Horse Program and watching Toads compete in sports. Such was the 2020 edition of Grandparents and Special Friends Day, held in mid-February, before the pandemic had unleashed its torrent of event cancellations.

Grandparents attended the Winter Musical, Into the Woods. Guests also enjoyed classes with their students, Assembly, golf cart tours, and delicious meals in the new Mulligan Hall. The Jazz Band and Chamber Singers performed during Sunday dinner and Ms. Pidduck welcomed the group. Director of the Horse Program Trinity Seely CdeP 1999 added an indepth look at the program to the schedule, with horse care, packing, and herding demonstrations. Monday afternoon, many of the elders relaxed in the Milligan Center for the “Get to Know Thacher!” program.

28 Spring 2021

Investigating U.S.–China Relations IN JANUARY, the Marvin H. Shagam Program for Ethics and Global Citizenship sponsored a symposium on U.S.–China relations at a lunch program in San Francisco. The speakers— Dr. Orville Schell, director of the Center on U.S.–China Relations at the Asia Society in New York; Dr. Joseph Felter, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution; and William J. Perry fellow, at the Center for International Security and Cooperation—shared their unique insights with CdeP‑ers from 1956 through 2015, as well as par‑ ents, grandparents, and friends. Special thanks go to trustee Henrique Cordeiro Guerra CdeP 1989 for spearheading and sponsoring the event.

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

THE WALKER BELL COMMUNITY EVENTS THE COVID-19 SHUTDOWN TRIGGERED the cancellation or redesign of virtually all of the School’s spring events including the cancellation of Big Gymkhana Family Weekend and the benefit event that is a cornerstone of Thacher’s financial aid fundraising. Our development team conceived a plan to unite the community virtually, both socially and in financial support of the School: The Walker Bell Challenge.

The week kicked off with 200 people attending “Not‑So‑Formal” Dinner.

Blossom welcomed the group; for grace, Jake Jacobsen read the “Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi,” and the Chamber Singers performed Domine virtually. Then attendees joined small dinner groups hosted by faculty and alumni as they enjoyed their meals at home. There was something for everyone during the week: literary and current events discussions, exercise classes, a webinar with author Colum McCann, and Assembly followed by grammies and milk. The culminating event, Spring Sing, the annual stu‑ dent theatrical production, was performed as a podcast this year. Crazy Girl, Crazy Girl was the brainchild of seniors Vincent Langan, Celia Cowles, Maggie Sonnenshine, and Justin Wei. With 20 virtual events, 86 volunteers, 1,114 donors, and over 1.4 million dollars raised, the week of events answered the community’s desire to connect while also generating support for the School.

At press time, Walker Bell Challenge 2021 was shaping up to be another successful community event. Look forward to full coverage in the next issue.

The Thacher School 29

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

GATHERINGS

30 Spring 2021

Reunion 2020

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

Twelve classes, from graduation years ending in zero or five, attended “Virtual Reunion” gatherings via Zoom in early June. Each meet-up included a brief slideshow about campus updates and a greeting from Blossom. Reunion year alums also had access to special resources, including Thacher-themed Zoom backgrounds, archival audio recordings, a reading list of books by Thacher authors, and even a ringtone of The Banquet Song.

The Thacher School 31

CLASS NOTES Local gathering at the Kirkpatrick’s (starting front center and going clockwise): Mark Hayne ‘86, Doug Kirkpatrick ‘86, Brooks Crawford ‘51, George Montgomery ‘51, Sam Wright ‘48, Gillian Kneass ‘91, Elliot Hayne ‘48, Peter Dunne ‘48, Sandy Walker ‘48, Jim Acquistapace ‘61, Peter Dunne ‘81, Isobel Hayne ‘14, John Bosche ‘72, Cabot Brown ‘79, and Katie Ballou Calhoun ‘83.

Kirk Kirkham ’50 got hurt going to sleep. The late Jack Huyler with Russell Callander ’59 and Russell’s wife, Sue.

INDICATES REUNION YEAR CORRESPONDING PHOTO ABOVE

Includes all class notes originally slated for Spring 2020 issue which was never published.

1948 JOHN BISSELL updates, “I am here,

healthy and happy in Boca Grande, Florida. Sorry about all the fires. Hope Thacher is safe! Clare and I are slowing down, but actually enjoying this new reclusive lifestyle. This has been our first ever summer in Florida, and yes it was hot, but still, there were beautiful migratory birds, flowering trees, clouds, lightning storms, foamy surf, downpours of blinding rain, plus air-conditioning. A fun pastime has been sorting old photographs. I even found an album of my father’s days at Thacher and Stanford. Let’s all stay in touch via e-mail or perhaps Zoom.” CHARLTON LEWIS reports, “For the last five years I have lived at a life-care place (Meadow Ridge) in Redding, Conn. But for the last 18, I have spent most of my time with Roxanne Wilke, a fellow Asian scholar whom I met at Berkeley in 1964. In 1972, she got herself invited to China where she interviewed Mao Zedong’s wife and wrote a book about it. I’ve worried about California—and especially Thacher—with the fires. I spent a night at Big Sur some years ago and there was a fire down the coast with ominous smoke over the whole area so I can dimly imagine what it would be like to have a house there. California is my home state and I still miss it.” SID LIEBES shares, “Linda and I sold our forested Atherton home of 50 plus years that, when we moved in, had on one side an acre with a one-bedroom cabin, and on the other 20 acres of foxes, raccoons, and skunks. We moved to a retirement community in forested Portola Valley (the Sequoias). We’ve been covid-confined to the property for months, and have experienced no virus cases among some 300 residents. This has been surely the most bizarre of times: covid, global-warming-compelled lightning-ignited wildfires galore, and an escalating fear for the future of life on Earth. Hoping for the evolution of a global culture operationally appreciative of the miracle of existence.” SANDY WALKER says, 32 Spring 2021

1950 KIRK KIRKHAM

shares, “We’d been complying meticulously with covid-19 protocols but come 4th of July, we couldn’t resist our traditional adventure to the Big Sur area. My son James (51) and I (87) finally knocked off my bucket list an all-day hike down Gamboa Ridge.

Having made it back without injury, I sat down exhausted on the edge of my bed, fell asleep, plunged to the floor, and ended up with a black and blue swollen left hand and gravel-rashed nose and forehead. The irony makes me laugh every time and fills me with gratitude that I can still foolishly risk wilderness adventures.” Read Kirk’s entire note at blogs.thacher.org/classnotes

1953 JOHN CARVER had a “Delightful semi

annual lunch with STEPHENSON, FUNSTEN, CRAWFORD, and FOLLETT earlier this year—when we were still allowed to socialize! Note: lies increase exponentially each year. All of the participants were in relatively good health considering age and mental acumen. All badgered Follett for not submitting class updates or any item at all. Stephenson paid!”

1958 JIM LEVY notes, “I’ll be publishing

Chekhov’s Mistress in June. It consists of 26 essays about nineteenth and twentieth century writers.”

1959 RUSSELL CALLANDER

writes, “In my recently published book Jottings of a Geriatric Judge, I acknowledged Jack Huyler: ‘The late John S. ( Jack) Huyler, MA, teacher, writer, diarist, horse whisperer, and friend, at The Thacher School, Ojai, California, for recommending me to jot.’ He did just that. Jack—and others—indelibly stamped me with guidance and perceptions that helped contour my life as a lawyer and judge in New Zealand.

How fortunate I was to learn from talented and memorable teachers, but also to understand the USA of humane and reasonable concepts, of social justice, and independent thoughts and actions.”

CHRIS HENZE updates, “I have just completed my memoir. Here’s an excerpt about Thacher: ‘To this day, I have followed the principle of doing what I have to do before doing what I want to do. Take care of your horse before you take care of yourself. Thacher taught us how to write, a skill that proved invaluable in my later career. Two years of Latin plus three years of French laid the groundwork for my lifelong love of French and interest in languages generally. In sum, I truly believe I gained a lot more from Thacher than I ever did from college.’”

1960 BOB GARDNER says, “CdeP 1960

was really looking forward to our 60th Reunion until some virus thing upended the celebration.

Meanwhile, we had a good turnout for a Zoom reunion and anticipate a strong in-person turnout next June.”

1962 ROGER IGNON reports, “I stepped

into the breach to provide personal protective

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

*

“The fires are awful and continue. I am looking out the window and can’t see the Bay for the smoke. One daughter lost her cabin in Big Sur and her daughter escaped in the middle of the night and is now quarantined at Oxford for a PhD in refugees. I am pretending to do architecture and have another daughter who is a pediatrician so we are blessed. We sold our house in Napa just before the plague and then the fire.” SAMUEL WRIGHT reports, “In December 2019, a 50-yearplus tradition was renewed once again with a luncheon gathering of Thacher Alums at the Pacific Union Club in San Francisco dubbed ‘San Francisco do nothing except have Christmas lunch club.’

SFDNEHCLC was originally centered around CdeP (male only of course) from the classes of 19471949. With the passage of time and coeducation, this year’s group of 15 featured a 66-year spread from the class of 1948 to Isobel Hayne from the class of 2014. More recently, with the mandatory ‘sheltering in’ I have been inspired to go through old files, boxes, and albums—something like an archeological dig, in that one finds layers of one’s past in receding order. Amongst my diggings are notes of projects unfilled—that I have enjoyed taking up again—and much of Thacher. Pictures of the soccer team, the Upper School, glee club, Los Trobadores with Van and Barbara Griggs, etc.—all of which regenerate memories of those wonderful four years. With the loss of BUD LESTER and CHRIS BOYLE our class is now seven strong. Our place in the hills above Watsonville has proved an ideal environment in which to stay virus-free. Stay well.

This too shall pass.”

Chris Henze ’59 recently completed his memoir. Eric Sweet ’63 with his family at Chez Lapin in Portugal. Family and friends gather at the memorial plaque for Brooke Halsey ’00.

Kim Chase ’68 visited a house in Maine designed by Dyke Messler ’68. Brad Macneil ’68 at the Pasadena Museum of History.

equipment for health professionals during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Using business acumen and ties within the Chinese business community, I provided thousands of FDA medical grade face masks and shields for the covid-19 unit at Torrance Community Hospital in Southern California. During the height of the controversial period when state governors were forced to bid against one another for the equipment, my order temporarily disappeared, was blocked in Hong Kong by China, blocked again by U.S. Customs, and was finally successfully sourced through Direct Relief (the toprated multinational humanitarian organization).

Perseverance furthers.”

1963 ERIC SWEET

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

details, “My wife, daughter, and I caught the coronavirus in late February. We left on a one-week trip to Switzerland in the last week of February, with symptoms, but unaware what we had. Upon returning to Portugal, we stayed at home, although the population had not yet been ordered to quarantine. It soon became evident that we had the coronavirus. My 50-year-old wife had a

more severe case, with fever, pain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. We gritted it out at home because I was afraid that we might be swallowed up by the hospital and never reemerge. At that time, we knew nothing about this virus. I was symptomatic for about four weeks, with profound lethargy, sleeping thirteen hours each night, and an additional two or three hours in the afternoon. For at least another month I would appear to be well on one day, only to have my symptoms reappear on the next. Now we are well, and I have begun exercising again. I get out of breath after moderate effort and do not know if it’s due to permanent lung damage or deconditioning. Time will tell. Hopefully, now we are immune.”

1965 WOODY HALSEY

shares, “We moved back to Boston from Connecticut in March when my youngest daughter’s school went online.

We’re around the corner from my sister’s place and a short walk from where my third daughter and her family will be living. I will be able to see two of my seven grandkids every day. In

Don Reed’s life-size statue of President Ronald Reagan amidst fires. (image credit Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

November, I enjoyed a family reunion in Ojai with all five daughters, my sister, and their families.

We gathered near the Jameson field to mark the tenth anniversary of my son’s death, beneath the boulder that bears a plaque in his memory and honor.”

1967 ROBERT BALDWIN reports, “I have

retired this year from my construction business and am living in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Wash.” DON REED’s life-size statue, “Along the Trail,” at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., survived recent fires.

1968 KIM CHASE

shares, “I went to COTTON DAMON’S (Thacher Maintenance) memorial last summer back in Maine. Saw and spent quality time with TERRY and CRICKET TWICHELL, DYKE MESSLER ’68, NELSON CHASE ’66 and saw Dyke’s incredibly beautiful hillside and waterside homes in Camden, Maine, that he designed and had built à la the world famous ‘Green House’ in Pasadena that his family used to own. Dyke’s homes are works of art and well worth seeing.” CHARLES EVANS JR. is “setting up films in Ventura!” BRAD MACNEIL says, “Sending my best to all my friends from Thacher. I have recently curated an exhibition at Pasadena Museum of History titled Starting Anew: Transforming Pasadena, 1890 - 1930. If you find yourself in the ‘Crown City’ come check it out!” DYKE MESSLER writes, “I split my time between Maine and South Carolina and have wintered in Charleston, S.C. since 2006 where I have a wonderful, pre-revolutionary house built 25 years prior to the formation of the United States!

I decided to depart two months early this year due to covid when beaches, parks, restaurants, and stores were closed. At the moment South Carolina is a covid hot spot while Maine seems to The Thacher School 33

CLASS NOTES

Michael Torre ’68, Trav Newton ’68, and Trav’s mother, Joanna Bard Newton, before handshakes were taboo. Daniel Gregory’s ’69 new book.

John Savage ’70 and Sally Brands. Scott Ream ’71 and Debra moved to Maine.

1969 DANIEL GREGORY

updates, “My book was published June 30, 2020, from Princeton Architectural Press: The New Farm: Contemporary Rural Architecture, with an introduction by Abby Rockefeller. It’s about how recent generations of farmers around the globe have reinvented the family farm and its traditions, embracing organic practices and sustainability and, along with them, a bold new use of modern architecture.” STEPHEN HUYLER shares, “In January, ‘the three Geezers’ (so named by a spouse): SCOTT WILSON, PETER

Steve Huyler ’69, Scott Wilson ’69, and Peter Goodrich ’69 in South India.

34 Spring 2021

GOODRICH, and STEVE HUYLER, all Class of 1969, traveled together for a two-week adventure in South India. We explored remote regions, ancient sites, small villages, temples, and palaces while staying in a range of accommodations from the simple to the phenomenal. We feasted on local foods and thoroughly enjoyed our time together—learning new things and reminiscing on our years spent together at CdeP 50 years earlier.

We geezers feel lucky that we traveled in perfect health before the entire pandemic hit...”

1970 JOHN SAVAGE

reports, “Sally (Brands) and I are still in Rifle, Colo., six grandchildren, semi-retired. I Hope to see as many of you as possible at the 50th Reunion— whenever it is.”

1971 PETER NIELSEN writes, “How we spent

our time in lockdown. We accepted a request from the Ojai Retreat, next to the Krotona Institute, to caretake the vacated cottages. We picked a room as compensation and we weeded, mowed, blew, and cleaned for weeks. We enjoyed one of the most beautiful views of the Valley including looking up to Thacher and Topa Topa. What

a pleasure. What an honor.” SCOTT REAM updates, “Debra and I have moved to Maine and have been very busy with renovations of our Bar Harbor home! We also are new grandparents.

Everett Angelo Yodice was born the day before Thanksgiving. I had fusion back surgery in March— one week ahead of covid-19 going out-of-control.

I was so fortunate to have it done as my sciatic pain was bad. I’m making great recovery progress.

Tennis, golf, and other fun lower back tortures will be on hold at least for six months. Wishing all my fellow toads and their families safety and good health.” STEPHEN SCOTT says, “Unique times we’re in. Lynne, our kids and their kids, are all handling the covid-19 event well, and our son-in-law’s deployment (Marine pilot) was postponed, so that’s a great thing! We’re feeling lucky that we have only the first-world problems of missed skiing and missed trips, and that in retirement we’ve figured out how to be content at home.

Aloha and best wishes to all.”

1972 JOHN BUSTERUD announces, “I was

recently appointed as regional administrator for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9. The Region, headquartered in San Francisco, is responsible for administering and enforcing federal environmental laws and programs in California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, 148 Tribes, and the Pacific Island Territories. I lead EPA efforts to protect the environment and advance public health for the 50 million Americans who call Region 9 home.” JOHN MARDER “Retired last year from 43 years in commercial banking. Our 4-year-old grandson lives with us so that has been fun. Staying somewhat busy with banking industry association RMA Orange County board, church board, and more importantly, more golf!” ART WAHL shares, “It was my great pleasure to lead about 75 members of the South Coast Geological Society into the local patch of ‘Franciscan mélange’ near Midland School. I revisited this area—after mapping it 30 years ago for my UCSB thesis—looking for conclusive evidence to explain the history of this most enigmatic complex of rocks. Of course, this involved camping out, and waking up to the fog in the valley with a large ‘greenstone’ block nearby.

My report is in final review for publication by the

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have matters well under control. My return south will depend on the state of the virus! Stay well, everyone!” TRAV NEWTON shares, “MICHAEL TORRE visited my 102-year-old mother Joanna Bard Newton and I in February before handshakes were taboo. We acted in Shakespeare’s The Tempest in the outdoor theatre in 1964 when Michael weighed 75 pounds. We rode to the Sespe freshman year with DAVE TWICHELL ’36, and with BOB MILLER junior year when Bob became lost and we made dry camp. Joanna’s father, Richard Bard, was a trustee 1923 to 1965.

Her uncle was PHIL BARD ’17, and brothers were DICK BARD ’40 and ARCHIE BARD ’41.”

John Marder ’72 (L) with his family. Geological society members assembling on a blueschist “knocker” led by Art Wahl ’72. L to R: Kat and Jamie Edwards ’73, and Jeff Stivers ’73 at a CdeP 1973 get together. CdeP 1977 Med Bennett and Peter Martin in Jackson, Wyo. L to R: CdeP 1981 Marci Dabbs, Leila Hemaidan, Carol McConnell, Carolyn Chandler, Dianna Marguleas Dar, and Criss Leydecker Troast in Santa Barbara. Peter Cole’s ’83 new book, Foraged Art, invites you to see nature in creative ways.

in the Eastern Pacific (Costa Rica and Mexico) in 2015. I’ve personally tagged tiger sharks and photographed and filmed numerous shark species underwater around the Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean off of South Africa, spending up to 11 days at sea in the process.”

1980 BECKY BECKETT announces, “I have

retired from my position as director of alternative education for the Ojai Unified School District. I submitted my letter before the coronavirus hit, but I think my timing was pretty good! I am fostering kittens, getting back into dog training/behavior modification (really more for dog owners), going for long walks, reading and listening to books, and looking forward to being able to go on road trips!”

1981 ALEX CALHOUN III writes, “With the Steve Peletz ’77 has been tagging and photographing sharks—photo taken by Steve.

California Geological Society. What a fantastic journey it has been.”

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1973 ANDREW HERR

reports, “On Saturday, January 18, DR. JOHN RUBENSTEIN and JEFF STIVERS organized the third annual class of ’73 mini-reunion in San Francisco.

Seven ’73ers made it: JAMIE EDWARDS and his wife Kat, TIM HOLLIDAY, MIKE JONES, JON O’DONNELL, John Rubenstein, Jeff Stivers, and me. John denies that the dinner starting time (5:30!) was due to our advancing age.” JOHN RUBENSTEIN was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in April. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit scholarly society established by a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership and provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations. John studies how the developing brain organizes itself.

1974 REUBEN HALLER

shares, “My whole profession—variety entertainment—basically disappeared on March 14 of this year. For me personally, this was somewhat of a blessing as it enabled me to stay home, rather than run from

gig to gig. This enabled me to concentrate on making art and to create a website for this work— www.reubenhaller.com. I do Hebrew calligraphy, inspired by liturgy and by the chant practice that my wife and I enjoy at our synagogue. Take a look if you want.”

awesome support of my wife, KATIE BALLOU ’83, I ended a 30-year career as a commercial real estate appraiser to pursue a career in teaching. I am halfway through a two-year training program at Town School for Boys, in San Francisco, Calif.

I am learning a lot; second grade boys are a ton of fun. Look me up during these strange times of social distancing. I am not hard to find!”

CAROL MCCONNELL shares, “I joined CdeP 1981 classmates DIANNA MARGULEAS DAR, MARCI DABBS, LEILA HEMAIDAN, CAROLYN CHANDLER, and CRISS LEYDECKER TROAST in Santa Barbara for a fun weekend celebrating shared memories of our years at Thacher. What a joy it was to spend time with life-long friends. In April, I retired as chief veterinary officer at Nationwide after 13 years on the job.”

1983 PETER COLE 1977 PETER MARTIN

updates, “I’m now living in Portland, Ore., focusing on multifamily real estate investment. I am also in my second year of a four-year clinical herbalism course. This July, I met up with MED BENNETT in Jackson, Wyo., where we biked and floated on the Snake River.”

STEVE PELETZ “recently founded Deep Blue Monthly and began helping shark biologists tag and track tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks

tells of “Two milestones for our family this year: Jarka and I celebrated 20 years of marriage, and we sent our only child off to Babson College in Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Now we need a dog. Oh yeah, we got a dog during the pandemic, and, no, she is not called Covid, but it’s tempting. In the last few years, I published the book Foraged Art with a co-author friend from Middlebury College—a copy of which I have sent to the Thacher Library. The book invites you to see and play with nature in creative and temporary ways.”

The Thacher School 35

CLASS NOTES

Eric Gross ’85 at Winter Alumni Day. Raul Pacheco ’86 and his horse Heidi. CdeP 1986 gathering via Zoom. Sarah O’Brien ’86 and her family at Winter Alumni Day.

says, “This school year, I got to experience dropping my son off to start his freshman year at Thacher. Not sending him back after spring break is a shame because he loves it there. During parents weekend and Winter Alumni Day, I was able to connect briefly with PETER KONG ’85, CHRISTINA CHIU ALFANDARY ’85, DAVID GRIFFITH ’95, JOHN STACEY ’85, ED EVANS ’85, MOLLY TWICHELL PERRY ’85, and other alumni. It was a good thing too, because my son was way more interested in his friends than in spending time with me. We did get to ride up Horn Canyon though. I also had a great time visiting DAVID GRIFFITH at his beautiful house. I got to work with JEN DE FOREST in a professional capacity, after running into her at a conference last year. I really enjoyed our class’ virtual reunion and all the spin-off connections with classmates that have grown out of it. My son can’t wait to return to Thacher for in-person school. Similarly, I am eager to have a real, in-person reunion next summer!” RODD KELSEY writes, “I hope everyone is well and staying healthy. We are doing fine and, while my wife works in healthcare, we’ve avoided any direct impacts so far. I’m still living in Sacramento after 17 years. I continue to work for The Nature Conservancy, now leading our work on wildlife-friendly agriculture and water use, with the goal of saving salmon and migratory birds. I’ve recently rekindled my love for mountain biking and have been bike-packing and racing.

Super fun, but probably not the smartest decision for someone moving towards their mid-50s!

Please reach out if you’re passing thru.” ANNIE WALLACE shares, “It was great to ‘see’ everyone during our class ‘Zoom union.’ The last few months have been spent retooling myself for teaching French online. I’m truly hoping we can find a way to function with kids in school without seeing covid-19 surges. Very grateful to be able to head outdoors and spend time in my garden, see my horse (yes, still riding!), and social distance with my family. Stay safe everyone!”

evermore connected with Thacher again. She is a fourth generation Toad, joining her greatgrandfather, grandfather, and me!” TOM HALE reports, “Like everyone else, I’ve found myself at home with my kids and spending more time on Zoom. While Zoom is no substitute for in person connections, I’ve really enjoyed reconnecting with lots of people from years past, in particular, the memorable filmmakers of Tri-Snake Productions: MIKE KIM, JOHN REDFERN, and DAVE RICHARDSON—all ’86. When an original script of their seminal Thacher film The Man with the Golden Chain (in dot matrix printing no less) surfaced, Mike Kim decided to bring the cast and crew together for a viewing of the short 007 parody via Zoom. I guess covid-19 downtime has its benefits, including finding long lost artifacts— like a picture of RAUL PACHECO and his horse Heidi. Sending calming and healthy thoughts to everyone!” CAROLYN REED KIRKPATRICK writes, “On March 7, we had a CdeP 1986 gathering for ‘local’ classmates to say hello to Dr. Michael Kim who was finishing up his trimester as an Anacapa Scholar teaching history at Thacher. It was fantastic having Mike and his wife Yujin on campus and we even had the opportunity to meet their son,

1986 BUCKY CLYDE is “feeling extra

nostalgic as my daughter, Louisa, will be an incoming tadpole in the fall—class of 2024! I am thrilled to have an excuse and reason to be

36 Spring 2021

Rodd Kelsey ’85 has been mountain bike packing and racing.

Henry, who is attending Dartmouth and came to Thacher for his spring break. Other Thacher folks at the Kirkpatrick’s gathering included CdeP 1986 classmates LARRY HSU, MARK YEH and his wife Zelia; ALLISON REED ’89, faculty members MOLLY PERRY ’85, DERICK PERRY ’83, SARAH DeLVECCHIO and her husband Greg; former faculty members FRED COLEMAN, and DON and SUSAN REED.” See more at blogs.thacher.org/classnotes.

SARAH LAVENDER SMITH shares, “After some 25 years of living in the East Bay Area, MORGAN ’85 and I are moving year-round to the outskirts of Telluride. We have spent the past three years planning and building a home and barn. It’s been a long, exciting process, and we encourage alumni to get in touch and visit us. This summer, in addition to continuing my work as a running coach, I’m attending a program to learn and improve ranching skills, a.k.a. ‘cowgirl camp.’ It feels like my life is circling back to the horsemanship and outdoor skills taught at Thacher!” SARAH O’BRIEN says, “It was wonderful to see fellow classmates CAROLYN REED KIRKPATRICK, TOM HALE and MIKE KIM at Winter Alumni Day. Mike was teaching for the trimester at Thacher as an Anacapa Scholar and it was great to meet his

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1985 ERIC GROSS

Kate Twichell Mason ’86 enjoyed their class zoom call. L to R: Mike Kim, Larry Hsu, Mark Yeh, Dave Richardson, all CdeP 1986. CdeP 1993 JJ Eklund McGawn and Jean Richards in San Jose, Calif. Nate Toll ’94 teaching physics in Oklahoma. Ren and Casey, children of Annie Jack Riddell ’95. Justin Grant ’97 published his first book.

wife Yujin from South Korea. Carolyn is doing an amazing job along with her team as the director of alumni relations. It was awesome to eat in the new dining room and also catch up with ERIC GROSS ’85, DAVID GRIFFITH ’85, and PETER KONG ’85. My husband, Aaron, and our boys, Pierce (12) and Ronan (10), had a beautiful ride up Horn Canyon.” KATE TWICHELL MASON says, “I am loving my job at Business Wire as senior director, people development + engagement and my husband, Paul, has fully embraced his role as a business development officer within New Academic Ventures at CAL. Go Bears! Our son, Cole (13), is enjoying baseball and scootering during this time! I also had a fun time joining the class of ’86 zoom call hosted by MICHAEL KIM to watch Trisnake Productions Man with a Golden Chain.

Lots of fun to see so many classmates!” MARK YEH celebrated his 50th birthday in Pasadena, Calif., with classmates MIKE KIM, LARRY HSU, and DAVE RICHARDSON.

1989 MARIELLE WARREN is “still happy

with the choice to move to Santa Cruz almost four years ago with husband Daniel and son Ezra (almost 13 years old now). Life weaves intricate threads sometimes, and I find myself as the head of school at an independent elementary and preschool. It is the best job I have ever had. Who knew that being a ‘fac brat’ and seeing everything behind the scenes would come in so handy!”

1991 CARMIESHRA GORMAN writes, “All of

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my love. All of my support. All of my thoughts and prayers for my class, and the Thacher staff, friends, and family!” JOSHUA JADE says, “Meet Julian! Yup, a one-year-old and a teenager, and I couldn’t be more blessed. Otherwise, still out here trying to make some music—remotely at the moment— with my ensemble Sonic Liberation Players. Stay

safe, be strong, and keep an eye out for those in need during these trying times. Much love.”

1993 JJ EKLUND MCGAWN

reports, “Over Presidents’ Day weekend 2020, JEAN RICHARDS and I both had daughters playing in the same ice hockey tournament in San Jose, Calif. So great to see each other!”

and downs. Both NATE (high school) and I (early childhood) are still teaching in person at Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City. Our teenage daughters Adelaide and Josephine also keep us on our toes. We dream of travel and live through Zoom.

Wishing health to all.”

1994 MEREDITH BRESSIE HERRENBRUCK

writes, “Marc, our two girls (Elyse and Olivia), and I have been settling into our home in San Rafael with renewed enthusiasm. A little farm on the hill—I like to think of it; we have a mini orchard, chickens, veggies, and a place to watch the sunset. It’s important to find sanity and calmness these days, and we have found it by watching the sunset. Its consistency is something to look forward to, and you can get lost in the colors and variations while the kids are bouncing their brains out on the trampoline. Serenity Now!” RIKA HOWE TOLL says, “NATE and I are now both teaching our students virtually. Since the new year I have become a full-time teacher again. We now both work at the same independent school, Heritage Hall. Staying home and hoping our world heals from covid-19.” MARY EVERETT CONARROE says, “Hello fellow Toads! Well, the time has come for my family to move on from Cal State Bakersfield in California. My husband has been named the head men’s basketball coach at Colorado College.

We are both CC alums and are excited to go ‘back home’ to a place that we consider to be extremely special. Don’t hesitate to stop by. Our boys Caleb (10) and Cooper (7) have mixed feelings about it all but are being troopers. A pandemic is a very strange time to change jobs, sell a house, move, and start in a new city and school!” RIKA HOWE TOLL writes, “We continue to marvel and balk at the world during 2020. A daily roller coaster of ups

Mary Everett Conarroe ’94 and her family.

1995 ANNIE JACK RIDDELL

says, “We’re digging out after a big, beautiful winter in Jackson Hole! Our kids Casey (4) and Ren (3) are taking full advantage of childhood in the Tetons. We always love to see Toads on their way through town—drop us a line!”

1997 JUSTIN GRANT

shares, “I recently published my first book entitled Business & Spirituality: Secrets of Personal, Professional, & Planetary Evolution. It offers a pragmatic path for truth seekers in the global era.” AMY PURDIE WHITE reports, “My husband Richard and I are going on year four of living in our bus and still loving it. This last year we’ve been parked in South Carolina where Richard’s new business is building, remodeling, and servicing Prevost buses like ours. I was promoted to director of analytics at MoveOn where I have the opportunity to explore new and interesting ways to apply analytics to important and timely issues on a

HOW TO SUBMIT DIGITAL PHOTOS

• Identify every person in the photo, state time and place, and suggest a caption.

• Shoot using your camera’s best photo setting. Files should be 200k or larger.

• We can accept good old-fashioned prints as well. Unfortunately, we cannot accept photocopies or images from magazines or newspapers.

• Save photos as JPEG files.

• Two ways to submit photos: 1. Email digital files as attachments to alumni@thacher.org.

2. Mail prints or digital discs to: The Thacher School Alumni Office 5025 Thacher Road, Ojai, CA 93023 The Thacher School 37

CLASS NOTES

Mike Back ’01 and Wes Myers ’01. Walker Cahall ’03 lives in Portland, Ore. Jessica Israel ’04 camping in her back yard with her kids. Lachlan Nutting ’14 and GreaseSpot at his new home in Pennsylvania.

2001 WES MYERS

notes, “Just like riding a bike... MIKE BACK ’01 and I dusted off our Thacher boots for the new year.”

2002

BROOKE TOELLER KATHREIN says, “We joyfully announce the arrival of our daughter Caroline and her proud big brothers and couldn’t be more excited. In other news, I have decided to step away from corporate life and my 13-year career at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, in Los Angeles, to focus on family and our three little ones. I have a feeling this will be the toughest yet most rewarding job yet!”

2003 WALKER CAHALL

is “working as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator in sunny Portland, Ore. I work with companies big and small to create vibrant and optimistic illustrations in the realm of climate change, outdoor adventure, and environmentalism. I’m also an adjunct professor at Portland State University, teaching freshman and sophomore level design classes.

My partner, Natalie, and I are making a life together: building a garden, going on adventures, painting, and high fiving every day. I have a dog and a cat and a beautiful life! I’m always open to collaboration and love to explore crazy ideas.” Ed. note: See pages 24-25 for some of Walker’s work.

next month. All three of us are looking forward to putting down roots for good. Quarantine has been rough but if I learned one thing at Thacher it was that when the going gets tough the tough go camping. So, we have been camping in our back yard. All our best to everybody at Thacher but I have no doubt the students and staff there will weather this storm just fine.” WARD SORRICK announces, “My wife, Genesis, and I are pregnant with our first child! She is due in September. We couldn’t be more excited!”

2005 BEN CASTANON notes, “I’m just

holding down the fort in NYC during the quarantine. Brighter days ahead soon hopefully.

Hope you and yours are staying well and safe!”

2006

MARTHA GREGORY gives her “greetings from Brooklyn! After three years of teaching film at Kenyon College, I’ve moved back to NYC to continue making films full time. I’m working on a few documentary projects and also just navigating quarantine life. I’m feeling even more grateful for the Thacher community in these strange times. Sending CdeP lots of love and good health!” ALEX LOUIE shares, “California’s Outstanding Airmen of the Year Banquet was held at the Santa Clara Convention Center. As a technical sergeant, I received the California State Guard Award for Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year. I’m currently assigned to the

38 Spring 2021

2007 ANNA REESER says, “I’m honored

and excited to share that my short fiction piece Octopus VII was selected by guest editor Curtis Sittenfeld for The Best American Short Stories 2020! The anthology will be published on November 3, 2020. In other news, my husband and I moved to San Francisco (Inner Sunset neighborhood) in September. We’re enjoying the city and are happy to be back in California.”

2010 NICHOLAS ORR announces, “I married

Rebecca Wong in March and I’m in my final semester at the University of Michigan Law School and will be joining the Palo Alto office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett as a litigation associate. Becky graduated from Stanford Law School and is now a deputy public defender in Contra Costa County.”

2013 ELENA MCGAHEY reports, “I started

grad school at UCSF last fall in the epidemiology department. My research area of interest is enabling mental health help-seeking behaviors in collegiate and professional athletes. When I’m not in class on Zoom (hope everyone’s doing well in quarantine!) I’m usually FaceTiming TAYLOR TOBIN or jogging around the Mission. Lots of love to my classmates!”

2014 LACHLAN NUTTING

was thrilled to welcome 22-year-old GreaseSpot, safe and sound, to his new equine residence in Pennsylvania this spring. GreaseSpot was Lachlan’s freshman horse.

She will be giving him a retirement home.

2004 ANDERSON CLARK writes, “For

those near the San Diego area, or just passing through, I’d love for you to come visit either of my restaurants! I’m humbled to say that my first restaurant, Common Stock, has remained open for business every day this year, serving free meals to those experiencing economic uncertainty, while finding tremendous support from those who could. It is with tremendous excitement that we announce we have been asked to take over an existing, outdoor restaurant, called The Farmer and the Seahorse. I would be elated to serve any of you a chicken sandwich!” JESSICA ISRAEL shares, “The kids and I moved to Connecticut from Queens in August 2019. We are very happy here. We found a house to buy and are closing

129th Rescue Wing’s Emergency Management Flight as a CBRN defense trainer and hazardous materials technician.”

2016 ROBERT WELCH will begin a PhD

program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the earth and planetary studies department in the fall.

Alex Louie ’06 is a CBRN defense trainer and hazardous materials technician.

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daily basis. In my free time, I’ve gotten into mountain bike racing and thoroughly enjoy seeing how much I can improve through consistency and dedication.”

MILESTONES 1

2 BIRTHS

MARRIAGES

DOUG HOLT ’83 and Julie are proud to announce the birth of their son, Douglas Guthrie Holt III, on August 6, 2019.

CHRIS GORDON ’07 is pleased to announce that he married his partner of 10 years, Leah Abrahams, last October in Hopland, Cali. “The wedding served as a mini reunion as there were four different CdePs in attendance: 2008, 2007, 2003, and 1960. We live in San Francisco and would be happy to welcome any Toads into town!”

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3

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2 JOSHUA JADE ’91 welcomed Julian this past year. “Meet Julian! Yup, a one-yearold and a teenager, and I couldn’t be more blessed.”

3 Ava Lenora Ann was born to MILES ARMSTEAD ’95 and his wife, Melina, on July 29, 2020. Miles passed away before he was able to welcome his baby girl into the world with his family. “She’s our angel baby—she looks just like her dad.”

JULIA ROMANO ’00 had twins on October 22, 2019. “Eleanor Noble and Alice Campbell Gray took up their mortal coils, joining their brother Raffi and the Romano-Gray family at large.

Not pictured here is husband and photographer Montgomery Gray, a very happy and tired daddy. We are in awe of life every day, and very, very in love.”

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6

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5 LAUREL PETERSON ’02 and Ben welcomed Graham Orrick Johnson on April 27, 2020. “We are living in New Haven, Conn., and are enjoying this time with him.”

BROOKE TOELLER KATHREIN ’02 joyfully announces the arrival of their daughter, Caroline, born on May 18, 2020. “Will and Jack are proud big brothers and couldn’t be more excited to have a little sister.”

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7 KATIE KUHL ’03 and her husband welcomed Lucia Alicia Vela into the world in October 2019. “She is a delight!”

ELLA CARNEY STUEVE ’04 and John welcomed Luca Benjamin Stueve to the family on March 15, 2020.

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10 CECILIA HAYNE ’07 married Mike Regan in August 2020. “We had a ‘mini-mony’ and will have a big celebration next year.

Our dog is Mozzarella.”

NICHOLAS ORR ’10 and Rebecca Wong married on March 1, 2020, in Santa Barbara. MAX HOFFMAN ’10 officiated. The couple met on their first day of class at Middlebury College.

Toads in attendance: TIM REED ’10, ALEX MACMILLAN ’10, JACKSON BERLER ’10, SEBASTIAN SCHELL ’10, NICK KOHLI ’10, SARAE SNYDER ’10, NAN MACMILLAN ’13, CHRIS NICHOLS ’94, BRIAN and BLOSSOM PIDDUCK ’92, MICHAEL MILLIGAN ’62, and TERRY and CRICKET TWICHELL. 11

SOPHIE SUBIRA ’10 married Kyle Smart on July 13, 2019.

12

13 MARK WHITLEY ’10 and Katie Berkelmans were married in London, Ontario, on June 29, 2019. “After 11 years, thousands of miles, multiple schools and different cities, including my time at Thacher, we were finally long enough in one place to celebrate our enduring love. Today, we live happily together in Toronto.”

CARSON LAND ’11 and Jessica Bachetti were engaged on October 18, 2020. They are planning a wedding for October of 2022.

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The Thacher School 39

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IN MEMORIAM

John M. Erskine CdeP 1938 Dr. John Morse Erskine died January 20, 2019. A fourthgeneration San Franciscan, he came to Thacher for his Upper Upper year. While at Thacher, “Erk” established the School’s first basketball team; played soccer, tennis, and baseball; and “always did the extra bit of work that brings him good grades” (El Archivero). Dr. Erskine completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard then graduated from Harvard Medical School. He spent two years as a doctor in the Army of Occupation in Japan, returning to Harvard for more study at Massachusetts General and the Peter Bent Brigham Hospitals. He returned to San Francisco where he joined the teaching and consulting staff of California Pacific Medical Center. Dr. Erskine’s specialty was vascular surgery. His interest in surgery was inspired by his great grandfather, Dr. John F. Morse, and by his grandmother, Dr. Florence N. Ward. Dr. Erskine became the prime mover in creating and operating an artery bank in 1955. He was on the board of directors of the San Francisco Blood Bank and contributed yearly articles to Lang Medical Books. From early childhood, the mountains of the West were his passion. With his parents, Dorothy and Morse Erskine, he explored the Sierra. In later years he enjoyed backpacking with friends and developed an intimate knowledge of the southern Sierra where he walked the John Muir Trail. Dr. Erskine is survived by three nephews and two great-nieces.

He was predeceased in 2015 by his companion of many years, Kathryn Kendrick McNeil.

Samuel McKee Mhoon CdeP 1939 The School was unable to obtain details about Mr. Mhoon’s death or his life after Thacher. At Thacher, he was commonly known as “The Frog.” He was always “deep (up to his neck at times) in various business ventures ranging from the selling of Coca Cola to managing the well-known Pound.

His success in balancing accounts gained for him the position of business manager of EI Archivero” (El Archivero).

40 Spring 2021

John L. Nichol CdeP 1941

Charles W. Tuttle Jr. CdeP 1945

John Nichol died at his home in Vancouver, peacefully, after a brief illness, on February 24, 2020. He was a beloved husband to Rosann Cashin and to his late wife Elizabeth Fellowes Nichol; father to Marjorie Nichol, Barbara Nichol, Sarah Milroy; and was loved and admired by his six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and cousin. He will be remembered also by Rosann’s children Heidi Cashin, Maria Cashin, Laurence Cashin; and her two grandchildren. John will also be deeply missed by generations of friends at Savary Island and Hernando, where he was legendary as a skilled fisherman, amuser of small children, splendid storyteller, wit, and gifted mixer of martinis—and he loved his dogs. If a man’s life can be measured by how many loved him, there could have been no bigger life. John was a good student at Thacher, very active in School life, and his whistling could be heard from great distances.

He was a proud Canadian, serving as a Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Navy during WWII, and in the Canadian Senate from 1966 to 1973. He was a passionate liberal all his life, active in federal campaigns, and was president of the Liberal Party of Canada in the 60s. He was founding chair of the Lester B Pearson College of the Pacific and the Pacific Parkinson Research Institute at the University of British Columbia. In 1980, he was made an officer of the Order of Canada, and was promoted to companion in 1996.

Charles Whitcomb Tuttle Jr. died December 7, 2019, after a brief hospitalization. He was born in San Francisco on August 21, 1927, to Charles and Oma Tuttle. His sister Sue was born on his birthday three years later. As a fourth-generation descendent of pre-statehood pioneers, Charlie was a member of the Society of California Pioneers, the California Historical Society, and the Colusa County Historical Society. At Thacher, he received academic commendations and filled various roles across campus, including prefect, track team captain, and church pianist, among others. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, then attended U.C. Berkeley and Davis, graduating with a BS. For decades, he farmed in Colusa County and served on civic and professional association boards. In 1952, he married Frances Elizabeth Lowe “Betsy,” and together they lived a wonderful life filled with family, friends, and the many advantages of Colusa’s outdoor, country, and social life. He was a founding member of the Colusa Tree Commission; a lifelong member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church; a trustee of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California Endowment Fund; and a delegate to seven Episcopal Church General Conventions. His sense of honor, integrity, keen sense of morality and decency, kindness and mercy, and especially his humor will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

Charlie is survived by his sister, Sue Tuttle Noack; his three daughters, Catherine Ottmar, Carole Fruechtl, and Cynthia Sanderson; six beloved grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

David W. Russell CdeP 1943 David Winthrop Russell was born in New York City and died peacefully at home in San Mateo, California, surrounded by his beloved family. David and his brother Scott H. Russell CdeP 1946 spent two years at Thacher. During his time here, David studied hard and rode a great deal; he established notable records for himself and held leadership roles: secretary of the Pack and Saddle Club; exchange editor for the Notes; biography editor for El Archivero. While he was known as quiet and reserved, he “astounded everyone with his violent exhibitions of jitterbugging” (El Archivero).

David was an inspiration to all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Hauck Russell; his sister, Florence Otis Russell; his son, Timothy Russell; his daughter, Katherine Russell Pani; and four grandchildren.

James P. Thurber Jr. CdeP 1947 James Perry Thurber Jr., distinguished diplomat and community volunteer, died on June 16, 2018, after a brief illness. Jim spent a fifth high school year at Thacher where he took an active part in School life including driving to town for supply runs. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in journalism and a master’s degree from George Washington University in international relations. In 1950, he married Emily Forrest and they had four children. Following careers in journalism (Wall Street Journal) and university administration (Stanford), Jim served in

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Includes obituaries originally slated for Spring 2020 issue which was never published.

the Foreign Service for 23 years. He held positions in Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Canada. In 1980, The State Department honored him with the Award for Valor for his actions during the takeover of the American Embassy in Islamabad. In 1990, he received the USIA Superior Honor Award for his role in developing a Fulbright Exchange Program between the U.S. and Canada.

Jim lived in Los Altos from 1956 to 1967 and returned upon his retirement in 1990. He volunteered locally and in the broader Bay Area, serving on the Los Altos City Council; as mayor for four years; and for several other civic and educational organizations. Jim was active in the Democratic Party in California: was a member of the local and state Central Committees, president of political organizations; and was the Democratic candidate for Congress in 1962. Jim is survived by his children: James Perry Thurber III, Harriette Thurber Rasmussen, Alexander Forrest Thurber, and Mary Thurber Martin; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Christopher G. Boyle CdeP 1948 Christopher G. Boyle passed away in March of 2020. Mr. Boyle spent three years at Thacher and dove into the School’s many activities. He participated in almost all sports and was a member of the first teams for soccer, track, and baseball. He played Captain Fluellen in Henry V and entertained fellow students in more casual environments. His leadership positions included membership on the Committee of Ten and the Indoor Committee. Following Thacher, Chris attended Amherst College where he majored in English and went on to a lifetime career in that field. While at university, he met his wife, Mary Ella, who attended Mount Holyoke College. Mary Ella preceded Chris in death.

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Bernadotte P. Lester Jr. CdeP 1948 Bernadotte “Bud” Lester Jr. died on February 17, 2020, at Villa Gardens, Pasadena, California, due to complications from late-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. He was born on May 24, 1929, in Pasadena to Bernadotte Perrin Lester Sr. and Margaret Burton Lester. According to El Archivero, Bud’s two great loves were athletics and horses.

He had a deep interest in sports and rose high in the gymkhana ranks on his faithful horse Papoose.

He also displayed considerable skill in dramatics with his excellent portrayal of the Bishop of Ely in Henry V. He received a BA in history and master’s in business administration from Stanford University. In 1952, he married Marilyn Jane Roth and they divorced in 1982. He married Patricia H. Cook in 1982. Bud had a 60 plus year career as an investment banker. He was a member of the University Club of Los Angeles, the California Club, and the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. Bud was the loving father of Mark Abbott Lester and Melanie Burton LeBoeuf, step-father to Hally Cook Prater and Sterling Smith Cook. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, four stepgrandchildren, one great-grandchild, and one step-great-grandchild.

“I was deeply saddened by the recent death of our classmate Bud Lester. Bud and I roomed together on the third floor of the Upper School. We were both on the gymkhana team. We camped together on Extra Day Trips in the Sespe. And much else. Bud may have been the most popular guy in our class. Always cheerful. Great wit and humor. An infectious laugh. I felt so fortunate to have had him as a friend.” -Charlton Lewis CdeP 1948

Wellington “Hendy” S. Henderson, Jr. CdeP 1949 Wellington Smith Henderson, Jr., known as “Hendy,” passed away on September 26, 2020.

Hendy served as president of the Thacher Alumni Association and on Thacher’s Board of Trustees from 1973–1976. Two of his sons, Charles CdeP 1976 and James CdeP 1978, and his grandson, Clinton CdeP 2008, were Thacher alumni. After graduating from Thacher, Hendy attended MIT and subsequently earned a chemical engineering degree from Princeton. He went on to serve as an officer in the U.S. Navy until 1956. Hendy switched careers in the 1960s, worked at Wells Fargo, joined his fathers’ firm—Henderson Boston Company—and ultimately served as president of Henderson Investment Management. Hendy was a true outdoorsman, an ultra-marathoner of 100-mile races, a skier, a golfer, and a passionate patron of the arts. Hendy was always generous to Thacher. He established the Henderson Family Fund as part of Thacher’s permanent endowment, providing unrestricted support for the School in perpetuity. Hendy is survived by his wife Patty, his sons Charles CdeP 1976 and Mark, his daughters

Joan and Elena, thirteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Hendy was preceded in death by his son Jim CdeP 1978.

Michael B. Burr CdeP 1950 With great sadness, we pay tribute to the life of Michael Burdick Burr, who passed away September 1, 2019. He was born in Seattle in 1932, to Wallace and Dorothy Burr, who later settled in Ojai where they helped establish the Ojai Valley School. He and his brother, Skip, spent most of their formative years in the small town atmosphere of Ojai. He married Ione Archer Smith and they spent many happy years together in Ojai and Santa Barbara, where they both graduated with honors from UCSB. Together they raised three children, eventually building a small family farm in Cayucos, California. Michael had earned a BS in education from UCSB, and a master’s in education from UC Berkeley. He taught and coached at Morro Bay High School. Michael was a creative thinker and educator who taught his students and children the value of hard work and perseverance and followed a strict moral compass. At Thacher, “Burdie” proved himself to be one of the most brilliant players on the undefeated soccer team of 1950. He was also an expert tennis player and accomplished thespian. His wife, Ione was his pride and joy; when she passed away, he moved to Walnut Creek, California, to take care of his ailing father. There he met and fell in love with Holly Markel, with whom he spent the remainder of his life. Michael is survived by: his partner Holly Markel; his three children Patrick Burr, Alan Burr, and Erica Huntzinger; five grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

Wade W. Loo CdeP 1950 Wade Loo passed away recently. He was known as an avid sports enthusiast while at Thacher and, according to El Archivero, he was also a good student, an expert bridge player, and a capable manager of the food supply. His mild manner and ingratiating good humor made Wade a favorite among his classmates. Wade is survived by his older brother Fred CdeP 1948.

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IN MEMORIAM

Edward Wilder Emery Jr. passed away October 3, 2019, in Manchester, Michigan, after a lengthy illness. Born in Illinois to Joan Wilder Emery and Edward W. Emery Sr., he grew up in Chicago and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where he spent many happy days on the water. Ed loved his time at Thacher— he credits it with some of the most formative experiences of his life. His heart glowed with warmth as he recalled his horse Midnight, camping trips, learning the harmonica while in the saddle and boyhood friends. After Thacher, Ed attended Beloit College where he met his wife, Ginny. He served in the Navy for three years and eventually settled into farming in Bedford, Indiana.

He and Ginny divorced in 1970 but remarried in 2000. In 2009, they moved to Manchester, Michigan, where he spent his final years. He held a special reverence for nature and delighted at the sight of a rare bird or family of deer. His memory was astonishing; he enjoyed telling old stories and hearing new ones. He read his Bible every day, and his strong faith sustained him. Ed believed he had been granted several second chances, and he worked hard to deserve them. He is survived by his sisters, Lucy Otzen and Joan; brother William H. Emery CdeP 1967; his loving wife, Virginia Burch Emery; their children, Edward Emery III, William Emery, and Anne Adams; his children with his second wife, Marlene (Batz) Emery: Timothy Emery, Joan Emery, and Christopher Emery; and six grandchildren.

Peter Voevodsky CdeP 1953 Peter Voevodsky, born in 1935 in Illinois, died peacefully at home February 16, 2020, in Tucson, Arizona. As a child he fell in love with horses during family vacations in Tucson.

Peter’s father died in his 50s, making Peter the man of the family at 15. He, his mother, and brother Jack moved to Tucson and Peter headed to Thacher. He arrived at School as a sophomore with a broken coccyx from a riding accident so he was not able to ride and he missed out on making friends as a freshman. His brother Jack’s arrival the next year was a key turning point.

Together they were involved in unknown exploits.

An avid horseman, he was an inaugural member of the Silver Dollar Club, and was elected captain of the Green Gymkhana team his senior year. After

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Thacher, he studied at University of Arizona, met and married Josephine “Reyn” and they had two sons, Steven and Michael CdeP 1953. He served in the military and worked as a cowboy for a year before deciding to become a lawyer. During law school, he raced cars and won the SCCA West Coast Championship. Hard work and good fortune led to a successful law practice, which took him all over the world promoting world peace as corporate counsel to Up With People. It brought him great joy to see his granddaughters Paule CdeP 2012 and Mia CdeP 2014 attend Thacher.

Preceded by his brother, John “Jack” CdeP 1955; Peter is survived by his wife, Reyn; sons, Steven and Michael; and three grandchildren.

Christian de Guigne IV CdeP 1955 Christian de Guigné IV, a fifth-generation California native, died peacefully in San Mateo on October 20, 2019. Mr. de Guigné was born on March 13, 1937, and raised in Hillsborough, California. He was the son of business executive Christian de Guigné III and Eleanor Christenson de Guigné, an elegant mainstay of the “International Best-Dressed List,” who gifted much of her haute couture collection to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. For high school, Mr. de Guigné attended Thacher and the Gunnery. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, he began his career in labor relations at Stauffer Chemical Company, which had been founded by his grandfather. Mr. de Guigné was a preeminent expert on firearms and an avid collector of antique weapons and wristwatches.

An ardent lover of Northern California and its history, Mr. de Guigné enjoyed spending time outdoors and had a deep respect for all animals and wildlife. For more than 30 years, he served on the board of The Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation. He also served as president of the Society of California Pioneers and was a member of the Brook in New York, the Bohemian Club, the Burlingame Country Club, the Cypress Point Club, and the Pacific Union Club. Mr. de Guigné is survived by his ever-adoring family: his wife, Vaughn Hills de Guigné, and their two daughters, Alyson and Eleanor.

S. Allan Johnson CdeP 1955 Stewart Allan Johnson passed away in April 2020. Allan was the great-grandson of the founder of Johnson Controls and a true Californian. He was an astute businessman and board governor, having co-founded technology companies and serving on

many corporate and nonprofit boards. He was actively involved in the schools to which he went including the Chandler School, Berkeley, and—of course—The Thacher School. Allan was a wonderful man who loved Thacher. While attending Casa de Piedra, Al could frequently be found producing music from a piano and was one of the first in his class to make “A” camper. He served on the Thacher board of trustees from 1989-1997 and was an exceedingly helpful voice as the School worked through the leadership transition from Willard Wyman to Michael Mulligan. Al was someone who always prioritized Thacher in his philanthropic life. In 1984, he established the S. Allan Johnson CdeP 1955 Fund, supporting trustees and administrative needs in the operating budget. Perhaps his most notable gift was the endowment he started to establish the Bonnie Moon Robinson Chair in memory of one of Thacher’s great and most beloved teachers.

Al is survived by wife Marguerite, and daughters Julie and Laura CdeP 1983.

James C. Taylor CdeP 1955 On April 5, 2020, James Campbell Taylor passed away peacefully saying goodbye to his beloved family with his most important thoughts and keeping his sense of humor.

Born in New York, Jim grew up in Texas as the youngest of six children. He attended Thacher with a smile and quick wit and graduated from Davidson College and Montana State College. In 1960, he married Beatrice and they moved to Montana to oversee his family’s ranches which he loved and eventually took over.

They had four children and 15 grandchildren which Jim considered his proudest accomplishment and supported them with delight. Jim and Bea traveled to over 100 countries, often taking their children to far-flung locations. Jim’s involvement in the community, local business, mining and oil, education, musical arts, and healthcare was extensive. He served on numerous boards— including Thacher’s—won an award for board service, loved to fly and helped grow an airport, co-owned a mine, received honorary degrees, and was always ready to offer helpful analysis on new initiatives. In recent years, Jim and Bea wintered in Indian Wells, enjoying golf and friendships. Jim stayed engaged with family and the world, and was always ready to listen, story tell, and offer balanced perspectives. He was a hard-working, fun-loving gentleman that cared about people. He is survived by his wife, Bea; his children, Deborah

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Edward W. Emery Jr. CdeP 1952

McAtee CdeP 1981, Betsy Schamberger CdeP 1988, James Taylor CdeP 1985, Susan Taylor CdeP 1982; and 15 beloved grandchildren including Beatrice O’Neill 2012 and Jacob Nelson CdeP 2013.

J. Leland Mothershead III CdeP 1956 John Leland Mothershead III passed peacefully on March 1, 2020, at home in Pasadena with his wife Therese. Born in Boston, Lee grew on the Stanford campus with his elementary school on the Stanford farm. He thrived in academics and activities at Thacher, being the first student to win the Gymkhana high-point award three years in a row. He graduated from Carleton College and Brown University, where he met Therese, and they started at Chadwick School, then Flintridge Prep and several Pasadena-area schools. Lee devoted 45 years at San Marino’s Southwestern Academy in guiding the faculty and students through the mysteries of calculus, adolescence, and life. As dean and board chair, his wild Friday neckties, wry jokes, soccer coaching, and his comfort and support are warmly remembered by Southwestern’s alumni. Lee took delight in the youth, planting trees, watching games, supporting the lower-grades, and the best part was presenting graduates with honors and diplomas and a firm handshake. Lee found a special way to serve others through San Marino Rotary Club as the district governor. When Rotary made plans to eradicate the polio virus worldwide, Lee enthusiastically joined in years of effort to travel with teams for national inoculation days. Ending polio worldwide is not yet finished, but it’s coming close thanks to dedicated Rotarians such as Lee. Therese and Lee have been proud of many accomplishments, but none more than raising their son John to be a business success while being full of the Mothershead spirit of service.

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Herschel E. Post Jr. CdeP 1957 Herschel E. Post Jr. MBE CdeP 1957 passed away peacefully on August 25, 2018, in London, England. He had an amazing life and left a lasting impression on all he shared it with. His profile in El Archivero said, “Herschel has been number one in the class since he first arrived as a Middle Schooler.” He was also editor-in-chief of El

Archivero. But, his activities weren’t limited to the scholastic realm. “He is a white-glove horse inspector, a Simon Legree Library committeeman, and ...secretary-treasurer of the Pack and Saddle.”

He was an avid trail builder and camper. After Thacher, Herschel attended Yale then Oxford University, BA; Harvard Law School; Oxford University, MA. At the outset of his career, he worked as a Wall Street attorney. In 1969, he and his wife Peggy (Mayne) adopted a son, and Herschel moved to the Parks Counsel of New York where he began as executive director and culminated his career there as first deputy administrator of the New York Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Administration. In 1978, he, Peggy, and their three children moved to London. Over the years, he held leadership roles in several investment companies as well as the London Stock Exchange. For decades, he was involved with the charity, Earthwatch, which engages the layman with environmental science. His memory will be lovingly cherished by his wife Peggy; his children Day, Clarissa, Eliza and Olivia; and seven grandchildren.

Christopher J. Carpenter CdeP 1958 Chris Carpenter passed away on February 11, 2015, after a long and brave struggle with cancer. Born in California, Christopher’s father, a diplomat, moved the family to Beijing when he was 6 years old. After early schooling in China, and then a private boarding school in France, he returned to California in 1949 after the Chinese revolution. At Thacher, Chris rode Bucky and was known for his casual way. He was active in tennis, soccer, Gymkhana, mileage walking, Masquers, and was a faithful Giants fan. Post Thacher, Chris graduated from Amherst as a political science major, served in the Navy, and received his master’s from Berkeley. He then went on to work for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. His 30-year career with the UN brought him all around the world and after retiring in 2000, he worked on infrastructure projects in rural Vietnam through a nonprofit he founded. Chris was particularly close with his sister Didi, and he spent many holidays sailing the coast of Italy with her and her family. He returned several times to California to visit his relatives and friends there. During his prolonged illness, Didi and her family lovingly supported and cared for

him. His family recalls his easy charm and sense of humor and his lifelong commitment to those in need. He will be missed by all who knew and were influenced by him. Christopher’s grandfather Lewis G. Carpenter CdeP 1905 predeceased him.

Credit to Amherst Magazine for content.

Charles R. Hawkins CdeP 1958 Charles “Chuck” Hawkins passed away at Stanford in March 2020. He was born in San Francisco and lived nearly all of his life in Hollister. While at Thacher Chuck was captain of the School Gymkhana team and the Green Team, and was a member of both Bit and Spur and the Outdoor Committee. He was on the Gun Board and won the Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot his senior year with a 24/25. His senior year, he also supported his dorm as a prefect. Chuck matriculated at Stanford and Oregon State University. He married his wife, Barbara, in 1963 in Reno, Nevada and they renewed their vows many times over the years.

Chuck owned and operated Hollister Garage from 1969 to 2001. He and Barbara were members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and enjoyed traveling all over the world on cruise ships. He was a great lover of the outdoors, an avid hunter, and collected and showed antique cars. Chuck is survived by his wife, Barbara, his two sons, Brian (Heidi) and Robert; his siblings, James “Jim” T. Hawkins CdeP 1955 (Sharon) and Peggy Widelock; and six grandchildren.

Daniel B. Meehl CdeP 1958 On February 24, 2020, heaven took back their angel. The Honorable Judge Daniel Burnham Meehl was born in Pasadena, Calif., and learned humor early on. At Thacher, Dan always had a cheerful smile and witticisms, and he participated in soccer, tennis, gymkhana, and the notes board. After graduating Stanford with his Juris Doctorate, Dan worked for a chief justice and then private practice and considered empathy important. In 1969, he married the love of his life, Maureen Jones Warren.

Unfortunately, Maureen died in 1971, leaving Dan as a single father working as a magistrate judge.

Eventually retiring as a fifth district judge, Dan continued as a state judge. He was active in community service and supported charities, and enjoyed tennis, football, and traveling. Dan truly shined in his personal life. As a 32-year-old The Thacher School 43

IN MEMORIAM

Mark Lambert CdeP 1961 Dr. Mark C. Lambert CdeP 1961 passed away on July 5 in Hospice Care at Cedars Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles surrounded by his family. Born in San Francisco to Scott and Cleo Lambert, he attended both Town School for Boys and Thacher. While at Thacher Mark was a prefect, Glee Club president, served on the El Archivero Board and Masquers Board. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree from Stanford, then a medical degree from Columbia University, and returned to San Francisco to complete his internship, residency, and nephrology fellowship at UCSF. Mark practiced internal medicine and nephrology for many years in Marin and was pleased to serve a term as chief of staff at Marin General Hospital. He loved his work and his patients and continued to work part time at his practice even after he and his wife Mary relocated to Los Angeles. Upon full retirement from Marin, he covered two nephrology practices at Cedars Sinai, and worked part time until diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Mark loved sailing, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and spending time at the family’s vacation home in Truckee. He also greatly enjoyed living in Los Angeles, taking pleasure in the weather and the city’s many cultural offerings. Besides becoming a devoted theater goer he loved attending concerts performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is survived by his wife, Mary, son, Nicholas, and his brother, Scott.

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Willis M. Baldwin III CdeP 1962

John H. Lowe III CdeP 1964

Thacher has received the news that Willis M. Baldwin III CdeP 1962 passed away; we have no information about his life after Thacher. During his years at Thacher, Bill contributed a great deal to School life, both socially and fidelity-wise. He was renowned for having the lowest bed, the biggest surf-board, and the fastest golf cart this side of the Ojai Valley Inn. In his senior year, he was an A.S.L. delegate, played on the varsity soccer team, and competed in intramural tennis.

John Homer Lowe III passed away in his home surrounded by his loving family on June 23, 2020, from complications due to cancer. In his four years at Thacher, John had great success on the soccer field, the baseball diamond, in theatre, and, as a prefect giving life advice to freshmen. Having served two tours of duty in Vietnam, Lowe was a decorated army veteran who proudly served his country. After the war, John began a career in theatre as an assistant stage manager for the Broadway revival No No Nanette which starred his mother, Ruby Keeler. From that, John would go on to serve as production manager, director, stage manager or producer for over 85 productions throughout the world. He worked with Bert Shevelove, Gower Champion, Bob Fosse, and Hal Prince, among others. He spent three years as vice president and general manager of production for Radio City Music Hall, and enjoyed six separate contracts as production manager for Norwegian Cruise Lines. John’s passions spread beyond the theatre, most notably to supporting and cheering for his children at their theater productions and soccer games. He joyfully embraced being “Puppa” and playing with his two grandsons. He also spent his last years supporting and representing his fellow veterans in programs at his local Department of Veteran’s Affairs. John is survived by his children, Sarah and Sean; two grandchildren; his sisters, Theresa, Christine, Kathleen; and companion Adriana Rabida.

Donald D. Cooksey CdeP 1962 Don Cooksey died February 8, 2020. The class of 1962 and bracketing classes will remember Donald as the riotous and skilled honky-tonk piano man, complete with boater and sleeve garters— Rich Look CdeP 1962 once compared Don to Knuckles O’Toole! And, oh man, could he ever cut the rug with a brilliant “Charleston.” A stellar athlete, he co-captained the cross-country team, shot hoops for the varsity five and was the ace middle-distance man on varsity track. With others—including the late Ted McKay CdeP 1962— he founded the Black Cat section of the Upper School and produced howling remembered to this day. After earning degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering from UC Davis, Don served the US in the Peace Corps in Thailand. Classmate Don Porter CdeP 1962 recounts, “Upon his return to his home in Berkeley, I had the privilege of hearing some wonderful stories. He had ridden his motorcycle all over the country—he preferred the Yamaha store in Bangkok because they also sold pianos. I wonder if his self-professed penchant for horse racing and slot machines was born there. CdeP 1962 had no more loyal, or kind and thoughtful classmate and friend. He loved Thacher and we will miss him.

Our sympathies go out to his loving and devoted sister, Helen.”

James P. Richardson CdeP 1969 Jim Richardson passed away on November 4, 2020. One of Thacher’s first Black graduates, Jim was a proud member and longtime class representative of the class of 1969. He was also one of Thacher’s first Black trustees, serving on the board from 2005-2012. While at Thacher, Jim received a commendation for math and was an active athlete—playing on the basketball first team, lacrosse second team, and soccer third team. After graduating from Thacher, James attended Stanford and Cleveland State Universities, eventually becoming President of his own firm, James P. Richardson CPA, Inc. James provided pro-bono CPA support to organizations that served inner-city youth and residents at large, including the

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widower, he raised his four children—ages 10 to 16—as his own after having adopted them in 1970.

He taught them unconditional love and the value of being committed and that you can love family fiercely without a genetic obligation. He introduced them to grace, dignity, faith, and respect; and the joy in making people laugh. No matter the situation—play times, serious times, good or bad—Dan showed his kids love and acceptance. Daniel was preceded in death by his wife Maureen, a grandson, and a great grandson.

He is survived by his brother, John Burnham CdeP 1961; children Mark S.T. Meehl, Helen Meehl Flinn, John D. Meehl, and Robert C. Meehl CdeP 1979; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

THE HARDEST THING TO DO

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In a year that has drawn so much attention to racial injustice and the experiences of Thacher students of color over the decades, it seems fitting to take the occasion of Jim’s passing to reflect on his legacy as one of Thacher’s three pioneering Black students. The following tribute was submitted by Jim Richardson’s son Byron. “... It’s the hardest thing to do, making it on your own as a Black man in America, and I did that. You understand?”

Those were some of the last words I heard my father say as he clung to his final breaths. In that instant, the statement was all at once jarring, fitting, and yet most unsurprising if you’ve spent any amount of time with James Richardson. It was the consolidated thoughts of a man who had accepted his life’s journey. He was a proud individual who stood on the shoulders of his own achievements. Even so, they were achievements so profound that until that exact moment, I don’t think he ever took the time to sit back and reflect on them. He was a man always striving and always climbing to where the triumphs seemed ever fleeting. Someone whose work ethic was so potent that my mother ultimately purchased a timeshare down south to force him to pause for a week’s vacation once a year.

James Philip Richardson was born on August 20th, 1951, in East Oakland, California, the youngest of three. James’ father, Charles Richardson, served in the army in both World War II and the Korean conflict, while his mother, Dorothy Richardson, served as a supervisor in the Navy. With a military upbringing, he was raised on rigid discipline, accountability, and no excuses. Attributes instilled in a black adolescent during 1960’s America that looking back today seem callous. Nevertheless, these traits would serve him here and throughout life as well as providing the framework for constructing his future.

“I was used to being top of class back home, but it was a rude awakening. I could hold my own in math, but I required private instruction with Mr. Goode. I had to drop out of a class because academics were tough for me. … Athletics was a different ball game.”

James was accepted into Thacher as a sophomore in 1966 after participating in a six-week developmental workshop for inner-city kids the previous summer. He would join classmates Bert Hammond and Neal Howe as the first Black students to attend.

Excelling in academics at both Gompers middle school and his single year at Castlemont High, James found the transition into Thacher’s heightened demands a bit staggering.

Having been exposed to the arduous curriculum during his time with the workshop, this adjustment was unexpected. However, what was unbecoming was his first-hand introduction to race and class. This was not a time when many were willing to appreciate the extra burden carried by students of color admitted to historically white institutions.

Especially to a fourteen-year-old who had, up to that point, lived his life among the protection of his race. Seemingly innocent occurrences such as how Mr. Huyler insisted on calling him “Jim” instead of his preferred address of “Jimmy” would leave him taken aback. Having to be privately tutored to not fall behind in subjects his peers seemed to come already equipped with. Other realizations that ate deeply at James would be how many of his classmates could travel abroad or take holidays to summer homes during student’s off time, and he’d have to stay back on campus, alone, tending to the horses or assisting in the kitchen. These are just a few microcosms of the difficulties he and his black classmates dealt and lived with while they traversed the rigors of Thacher life.

His upbringing of rigid discipline, accountability, and no excuses would be his compass in navigating this new paradoxical world. Despite his afflictions, James’s traits, as mentioned earlier, eventually allowed him to flourish in academics, athletics, and social life, sometimes at the cost of his self-respect. He was ultimately able to acquiesce and evolve into a more well-rounded individual. As a result, so did those around him as he developed and nurtured lifelong friendships that made CdeP 1969 one of Thacher’s most cohesive and prominent graduating classes.

“The true nature of friendship. Friendship transcends race. It doesn’t matter. If you are a friend of someone, then you overcome your cultural differences. You don’t overcome them, you learn them and you tap into and respect them. But you do get to a person’s inner core if you are a true friend of that person. You understand?”

Evergreen Baptist Church and the Maya Angelou Library and Literacy Center of Oakland, CA. He was a proud member of the National Association of Black Accountants for over 40 years and a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants for 30 years. On the occasion of his Thacher 50th reunion in 2019, which he helped to arrange, Jim wrote the following note to his classmates: “There is something special about the Ojai Valley. It happens whenever I go there. I get centered all over again. It is a place where I am most comfortable with me.” As much as Jim valued his Thacher experience, it also included challenges, and during that reunion Jim and his two Black classmates shared some difficult stories of their experiences at Thacher that many classmates had not heard before, stories that gave their classmates a new understanding of what it was like to be Black at Thacher at that time. “Jim truly was one of the best among us,” wrote one of Jim’s white classmates afterwards, “With the benefit of hindsight I am pretty shocked at just how naive and oblivious I was when we all were at Thacher together regarding the unique challenges that Jim, Bert, and Neal were dealing with, and I deeply regret that.” Said another: “Jim was in contact with so many of us, like the hub of a wheel, quietly moving through the universe at his own pace.” Jim was a loyal, kind, and generous man who most graciously, ably, and generously served not only Thacher, but the communities in which he lived. He is survived by his two sons, Byron and Alex. His sister Judy. His niece Doree and two nephews Jeferey and Henry.

Zeth Michel Campe CdeP 1990 Zeth Campe passed away unexpectedly in March 2019 near his family’s home in Inverness, California. Zeth was n accomplished outdoorsman, distinguished veteran, lifelong adventurer and free thinker. At Thacher, Zeth engaged in a variety of social justice and human rights activities including serving as an independent monitor of the 1990 Nicaraguan elections. He attended the University of Chicago, joined the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army and subsequently the Special Forces, after graduating from their elite training school. He served numerous tours with distinction as a combat medic in Kosovo, Iraq, Jordan, and Afghanistan.

After his service, Zeth pursued a doctorate in political philosophy at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he also taught The Thacher School 45

IN MEMORIAM

Miles B. Armstead CdeP 1995 Beloved Miles Bailer Armstead died May 1, 2020.

He was a person defined by devotion who enriched everyone’s lives. His early years were heavily influenced by his parents’ focus on education, spirituality, music, networking, and world travel. At age 13, Miles recovered from major medical issues, was impacted by the outpoured support, and chronicled his life changing experience. Miles captained JV basketball at Thacher and graduated from USF. His financial career led him to Fremont Bank in 2014 where his unprecedented service and support— rooted in the mission of community first—won him numerous awards, and his colleagues became his professional family. In 2002, Miles married Alexandra Leigh Brown and they raised three beautiful children. Though the 11-year marriage ended, Miles remained a devoted father.

In 2017, Miles married Melina Ann Esquilin. He loved Melina’s daughter as his own, and they had a child together, born shortly after Miles’s passing.

Miles was actively devoted to his children’s lives at school and in play, by coaching, by creating community, and instilling a passion for sports.

Miles participated in many volunteer and business activities and always led with a passion to serve.

In 2019, Miles and Melina joined their church leadership to help people experience God, family, and fulfillment—a mission that encompassed Miles’s life to the end. Miles is survived by his wife, Melina; children, Chloe, Quinn, Elle, and Isabella; mother, Bonnie Bailer; father, Dennis Armstead; siblings, Bradley, Terence, and Stephanie Douglas; grandmother, Marvelyne Bailer; and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and his dog, Macho.

46 Spring 2021

Hilary A. Tisch CdeP 2002 Hilary A. Tisch CdeP 2002 passed away August 10 in Los Angeles following a bout of depression.

Hilary attended Thacher during the 1998–1999 school year. Her father, Giants co-owner Steve Tisch wrote: “Hilary was a kind, caring and beautiful person. Her mother, sisters, brothers, and I are devastated by her passing. It leaves a hole in our hearts and our lives. She, like so many others, bravely fought the disease of depression for as long as she could. We love and will miss her dearly. Our family is utterly heartbroken and is mourning its tragic loss.” Hilary’s love for antique jewelry inspired her to become a jewelry designer and gemologist; she was a founding partner of Doen and volunteered with Operation Smile. As a final act of her generous spirit, Hilary chose to donate her organs to save and improve the lives of others. In addition to her father, Hilary is survived by her mother, Patsy and her siblings Will, Elizabeth, Holden, and Zachary.

Evan C. Werlin CdeP 2004 R. Evan C. Werlin CdeP 2004 UCSF chief resident passed away on May 27, 2020 following a three-year hard-fought battle against a rare form of cancer. Evan excelled at everything he did; graduating from Brown University Magna cum Laude in biology and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and went on to become a stellar general surgery resident at University of California San Francisco. Evan received the prestigious Teaching Excellence Award for Cherished Housestaff (T.E.A.C.H. Award) in 2017, the William P. Schecter Trauma Resident of the Year Award in 2019, and very recently matched at his top choice for Fellowship in Vascular Surgery at UCSF. He was a gifted surgeon with a deep passion for his chosen profession. Evan lived life to the fullest and pursued his dreams wherever he could. He loved music, travel, snowboarding, bicycling, marathon racing, cats, and throwing pottery—to name but a few. His passion for living was boundless and he continued to be positive and strong throughout this terrible ordeal. Those who loved him are heartbroken and devastated by the loss of such an incredible young man. Evan’s Toad sisters are Rachel C. Werlin Schumacher CdeP 1997 and Emma R. W. Miller CdeP 2005.

Faculty, Trustees, and Friends Lynn G. Braitman, former trustee 1995-1996 Lynn G. Braitman passed away in August. Lynn was the parent of two Toads, Laurel CdeP 1996 and Jake CdeP 2000. She served on the Thacher Board of Trustees as the parents’ committee chair during the 1995-96 academic year. Lynn had a zest for life, as an avocado grower and fly fisher, small plane pilot, scuba diver, and a reading teacher at the Ventura County jail. She worked at the White House, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and served as a docent at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Alice M. Chesley, former faculty 1957-1986 Alice Chesley passed away on April 28, 2020, in Boise, Idaho. She was a well-known member of the Thacher and Ojai community. Spouse to alum and former faculty member, Robert Chesley CdeP 1950, parent and grandparent of alums, she is survived by Thacher community members Matt CdeP 1981 (her son) and Peyton CdeP 2011 (her granddaughter). Alice’s husband, Robert, taught math, physics, and science from 1957 to 1970, and served as business manager from 1983 to 1986.

He passed away in 2003. Alice and Robert leave behind two endowed scholarships in their family name that support financial aid.

Richard T. Driskill, former faculty 1979-1984 A Tribute to Terry Driskill by Brian Kopperl CdeP 1982: A Friend and Teacher from Another Era. “Terry Driskill grew up in Southern California, by his own admission an indifferent student who favored the guitar. From a modest family, he readily accepted a college scholarship in 1964 and signed over four years to the military. At Cal State Terry became, in his words, ‘completely radicalized’ about the war in Vietnam, convinced that it was unjust and racist. With a lot of integrity, he faced a serious decision: would he fulfill his duty or find a way out? He chose to become a Marine Corps helicopter medivac pilot. Throughout his tour, Terry spent nights in the pilots’ house waiting on the emergency bell (‘60 seconds, and you’re in the air’). All the while, under the orange glow of night lights, he read great works of literature left by

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

undergraduate philosophy courses, and had begun writing a thesis on the philosophical and moral case for democracy in the workplace. In 2017, he completed a solo thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Zeth is survived by his parents, Jim and Pam, his brother Carson Campe CdeP 1994, sister in law, Vashti Van Wyke, and their four children. He was deeply loved by his nieces and nephews, teaching them about nature and navigation, while preparing memorable campfire meals, leading outdoor adventures, and offering endless wrestling matches. Physically imposing, but with the gentlest of demeanors, Zeth will be dearly missed for his fierce intellect, intrepid spirit, and quiet loyal affection for those he served with and loved.

earlier pilots. In the end, Terry Driskill showed us that we can always take a different path. He found a way to do his duty when others needed him most. He wasn’t angry returning from Vietnam: He had served in a painful war, but in a way that squared with his conscience. He stood on the Pergola in his Marine Corps uniform, with his young son resting on his shoulder. I quietly bowed to him in respect. He hadn’t run from the conflict but didn’t glory in it either. Seeing up close that his country wasn’t always right, he chose to do right as he saw it. Terry wasn’t destined for a long life, but he shared so much. I miss his calm power and un-boastful ways. His voice seems like one from another world, a long, long time ago.”

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

Dennis Hill, former staff 1988-2015 Dennis Hill, devoted husband, father, and friend died September 24. Born April 2, 1948 in Toledo, Ohio he was to become big brother to three sisters, Bonnie, Gayle and Sharon. Denny graduated from Metamora High School, Metamora, Ohio in 1966 and enlisted in the Seabees, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He served our country in Vietnam and ended up in California upon discharge. On a beach in Ventura, Dennis met the love of his life, Beth. It was love at first sight. Dennis knew this would be the woman he would spend the rest of his life with and swept her off her feet right then and there. She was his sweetheart from that minute on. They married September 11, 1971 and had two daughters. He became a skilled auto mechanic. In 1988, Thacher borrowed Dennis from Ojai Foreign Car and never gave him back. He was here thirty years until he retired. He loved connecting with the students, faculty and animals, maintaining the vehicles, driving the bus, working the backhoe, and even fighting a fire in his vintage fire truck. Transporting the burros to and from Lone Pine was a highlight of his time at Thacher. Dennis is survived by his wife, Beth, daughters Jodie Hill, Kendra Villa, son-in-law; sisters, Bonnie Diller and Gayle Vasko; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Mary Hill and his sister Sharon Hill.

Winthrop Hubbard Segur, past faculty 1961-1968

Patricia A. Wing, former nurse 1990-2007

Winthrop Hubbard Segur passed away November 9, 2019, in Rancho Mirage, California, after suffering with Alzheimer’s for 10 years. Born in 1936 to Aletha and Win Segur, he grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where his family had roots dating back to the 1600s. After a brief stint in the Army, he earned a BS from Trinity College, and an MA from Bowdoin College. In 1961 he joined the Thacher faculty and taught math until 1968. Hub earned an MS and a PhD at UC Davis—his dissertation was titled “Representation Elections for Farm Workers: Voting Power Under Alternative Rules of Eligibility.” Hub was known professionally for his thoughtful and thorough work, the quality of his research, his dedication to his students and colleagues, and his role as teacher/coach. Throughout his career, he taught at the University of the Pacific; California State University, Chico; Menlo College; and University of Redlands where he became economics department chair. He relinquished the chair after helping to develop the Cambridge Study Abroad Program and the Whitehead Leadership Society— programs specifically for part-time adult learners.

After his retirement, he was awarded professor emeritus status at the University of Redlands.

He also worked for the United Farm Workers at various times during his life. In the 1980s, Hub helped to build a defense against three major lawsuits filed by growers against the union. Hub remains in the heart of his wife Vivian. He was preceded in death by his sister Jo.

Pat Wing passed away in Ojai on October 19 with her family and loyal dog by her side. Pat directed the Thacher Health Center from 1990–2007. At Thacher, she was beloved by her colleagues in administration, faculty, and staff, as well as by the many students to whom she was not only a nurse, but also a confidant, surrogate mother, and friend. She lived on campus before moving down Thacher Road to the Pierpont Cottages, where she lived until her passing. Pat was born in West Virginia in 1942 and grew up in Key West, Florida before becoming a nurse, getting married, traveling the world, moving to California in 1970, and becoming a mother.

Although she suffered from health problems over the years, Pat persevered as a wonderful mother, friend, nurse, and grandma by dedicating herself to a healthy lifestyle of good food, projects, writing, gardening, traveling, and spirituality. After retiring from Thacher, she became a licensed clinical aromatherapist and devoted much of the past 10 years to her business, Ojai Healing Essentials. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her children, Eric and Elizabeth, and her grandchildren, John, Evan, Luca, Georgia, and Paloma. She is dearly missed and will always be remembered.

Ginevra M. Hunter, former trustee 1976-1982 Ginevra “Gini” Hunter served on the board from 1976 to 1982 at the time that her daughter, Cynthia CdeP 1980, attended Thacher. The School was newly coeducational, and Cynthia was one of the first female CdePs. Gini’s husband, Phelps CdeP 1924—a Thacher graduate and a former trustee—passed away in 1986. Gini was a steadfast supporter of the School and a champion of the horse program. An accomplished English equestrian herself, she fully understood the power of the program and the centrality of the horses in fulfilling Thacher’s mission. In addition to her daughter, Gini is survived by grandson John B. Cavalier CdeP 2008.

Since the magazine’s publishing deadline, we have learned of additional losses within the Thacher community. We will include these memorials in the next magazine issue.

The Thacher School 47

LOOKING AHEAD

We close this retrospective issue with some images of GATES, our new academic building for creativity and technology. As relaxing covid protocols allowed the campus community more freedom in gathering, GATES began to serve the functions for which it was designed, offering a flexible, inspiring, and welcoming place for learning and exchange. We look forward to sharing more about this new facility and the exciting academic work it supports in coming months.

48 Spring 2021

THE BEST WE CAN DO The Healing Power of Joy in Nature How Tyfahra Singleton CdeP 1996 went from hating camping to running a summer camp for Oakland’s youth.

WHAT KIND OF WORK DO YOU DO?

Since 2019, I’ve been the executive director of Camp Phoenix (www.campphoenix.org), a nonprofit that closes the opportunity gap by offering an affordable three-week immersive summer camping experience for roughly 100 middle-schoolers each summer. Our programs combine academics with outdoor fun and adventure and social-emotional and environmental learning.

HOW DID YOU GET TO THACHER?

I came to Thacher from South Central LA through the A Better Chance Program. I picked Thacher because I was interested in riding horses, but once I got there, I didn’t love it, especially the part where you rise at 5 a.m. daily to pick up horse poop. Once I finished my requirement, I didn’t get on a horse again.

WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER THACHER?

After Thacher, I went to Oberlin, which was just what I needed. After never getting anything better than a B in English at Thacher, my first paper at Oberlin was an A-. I was well prepared. I had developed a love of languages at Thacher and ended up double majoring in Comp Lit and English, eventually ending up at Cal for a doctorate. My dissertation considered jazz as an archive of American trauma; think of Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit.

HOW DID YOU END UP RUNNING A CAMP?

When I was still in academia, I noted the lack of people of color, so I gravitated toward teaching in places that might change that. But education reform is stressful and political, so I gravitated toward this summer camp and the healing it could offer young people from my community. So, in some ways, I came to Camp Phoenix for a personal escape and realized that it was also a healing remedy for the students. There is no better antidote to generational trauma than intentional community and the joy and fun of healing together, especially when you are gathering in nature.

PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT HERE

HOW DO YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE OUTDOORS INFLUENCE WHAT YOU DO AT CAMP PHOENIX?

I hated camping and hiking at Thacher and felt terrified every time. So I get it when our campers arrive, often scared and homesick; I know how deep those feelings can run. Most of our campers report having very little connection to nature in their normal routines, so we don’t throw them out into the wilderness. We start with day hikes and offer increasingly more challenging experiences. We try to overcome the illusion of a disconnection from nature; it is a myth of systemic racism that we help them unlearn.

We acknowledge the Ohlone peoples whose land the camp occupies and talk about our ancestors’ relationships with the land, about stewardship.

WHAT MIGHT THACHER’S HORSE AND OUTDOOR PROGRAMS BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM CAMP PHOENIX?

Generations of exclusion from nature makes it such that, when we students from excluded backgrounds get our first reintroduction to nature, it can be

mired in a culture of systemic oppression and elitism. Although I appreciated every moment I got to be completely alone in nature at Thacher, I found the camping program to be overly competitive and defined by an intensity that did not work for me. I eventually found a different way of experiencing the outdoors, on my own terms and as part of a mutually supportive community. My hope is that that is more in line with Thacher’s Outdoor Program today. The important thing is to provide each of us—and especially growing children—ways of accessing nature that will allow healing if we need it and a fuller understanding and expression of our own humanity.

HAVING MADE IT THROUGH 2020, HOW HAS YOUR VIEW OF YOUR WORK CHANGED?

Like all schools and camps, ours suffered when we were unable to hold sessions in person. Yet, as difficult as the pandemic and the re-witnessing of systemic racial injustices have been, they have changed others’ outlook towards our work. Funders more easily understand the healing power of joy in nature for Black and Brown youth. I see an increase in compassion and a willingness to give. And something else happened: My 10-year-old dissertation, which linked lynching and police brutality to other traumas my community has borne, saw a 5,000 percent increase in downloads. As people were finally ready to see these connections, I joined the Oakland Police Commission, and UC Berkeley offered me a visiting scholar appointment to finally publish my research.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR CAMP PHOENIX?

I’m actively exploring the possibility of finding new venues for our camp and we are grateful to have been offered the use of Golden Trout to expand our program as soon as covid-19 is under control and we can raise the funds. We’ve also been helped recently by fellow CdePers in setting up a Thacher friends of Camp Phoenix group. Rachel Reinhard, one of our most loyal supporters, is married to Chris Johnston CdeP 1993 and they have helped attract a growing Thacher group of supporters—including Chris’s parents, David and Phyllis Johnston—who all understand how powerful experiences in nature can be.

The Thacher School 49

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During the “super worm moon” on March 28, 2021, Thacher’s observatory heads executed an ambitious and highly coordinated plan to get this shot that required perfect timing, lots of bushwhacking through chaparral, and the photographic skills of Jack Chung ’23.

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Securing Accessibility Almost 20 percent more Thacher students receive financial aid than at the beginning of the campaign.

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58 percent Endowment increase.

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