QuakerMatters Wilmington Friends School
Spring 2016
Mock Trial Girls Swimming & More Winter News A Birthday Tribute to Violet Richman
QuakerMatters Wilmington Friends School
Spring 2016 From the Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 For Alumni & Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 From the Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Mock Trial State Champs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Virtual Realities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Robotics & Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Winter News & Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A Tribute to Violet Richman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 In Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 In Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside back cover BOARD OF TRUSTEES Chair Vice Chair Treasurer Secretary Andrew J. Aerenson ’81 Jennifer G. Brady Karen-Lee Brofee Denise H. Chapman Brett D. Fallon Scott W. Gates ’80 Ellen L. Gay J. Harry Hammond Susan Janes-Johnson
Susan Kelley Dorothy Rademaker Christopher Buccini ’90 Russ Endo Omar A. Khan ’90 Christopher Lee ’82 Rosalind McCoy-Gardner Deborah Murray-Sheppard Laura K. Reilly Jocelyn Sutton Stewart ’82 David Tennent Harvey Zendt
Alumni Association Board Liaison
Thomas S. Scott ’70
Home & School Association Board Liaison
Debbie Pittenger
ADMINISTRATION Head of School Assistant to the Head of School Associate Head for Finance and Operations Assistant Head for Academics Head of Lower School Head of Middle School Head of Upper School Acting Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Director of Communications Director of Development Strategic Marketing Manager
Kenneth Aldridge Ann Cole William Baczkowski Michael Benner Annette Hearing Jonathan Huxtable Rebecca Zug Melissa Brown Tracey Quillen Carney ’80 Chad O’Kane Susan Morovati Finizio ’87
ALUMNI BOARD 2015-2016 Christopher Lee ’82, Clerk Matthew Lang ’08, Vice Clerk Melissa Fagan Billitto ’87 Stanita Clarke ‘06 Carolyn Gates Connors ‘81 Alexandra Poorman Ergon ‘77 Joseph Gutierrez ‘07 Amy Curran Harper ‘94 Raven Harris ‘06 Jamie Jenney ‘94 Joshua Klein ‘98 Student Liaisons Patrick Haubert ’16 Eleanor Napoli ’16
Mission statement: Wilmington Friends, a Quaker school with high standards for academic achievement, challenges students to seek truth, to value justice and peace, and to act as creative, independent thinkers with a conscious responsibility to the good of all.
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Adrienne Monley ‘02 Katharine Lester Mowery ‘02 Raymond Osbun ‘71 Kristin Dugan Poppiti ‘03 Richie Rockwell ‘02 Thomas Scott ‘70 James Simon ‘60 Martha Poorman Tschantz ‘85 Nicole Caddell Wample ‘03 Josiah Wolcott ‘97
Brendan Wren ’16 Caroline Wren ’16
Professional photography by Elisa Komins Morris, Larry Kuhn, Antonio Celso Hunnicutt Cortada, and Ted Rosenthal/Izmaddy Studios. Design/layout by Jacquelyn Quinn Dickey. Please send any comments or corrections to info@ wilmingtonfriends.org. On the cover, the 2016 Delaware State Champion Mock Trial Team. This page: Scene from the fifth grade class production of Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. (see more photos, inside back cover).
From the Head of School Dear Friends, One of the speakers at this year’s National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference was the prominent public interest lawyer Bryan Stevenson, a native of Delaware, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and author of the acclaimed best seller, Just Mercy. Stevenson works with “the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned.” It is not always comfortable to read or listen to his take on justice, but it’s always hopeful; in fact, it is hopeful because it is uncomfortable. And it invariably brings me back to the mission of Quaker education. Like many eloquent advocates for justice, Stevenson tells us that we do our smartest and most creative work when there is a mind-heart connection, when we recognize the bond among all people, when we measure character in terms of compassion and care. He backs those messages with powerful illustrations, both stories and statistics, from the criminal justice system showing the human consequences of disconnection. He argues that we must be willing to be uncomfortable—to be “proximate” to profound issues, problems, and vulnerabilities—in order to have hope in the work we want to do. At Quaker schools, we speak to “that of God in every one” not just to celebrate promise but to excite the mind and spirit to act. The testimonies printed on the banners outside our doors (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, stewardship) are a challenge to make the world a better place. And that encompasses a challenge, inherently uncomfortable, to be honest about problems. Friends School inspires students to analyze and question with both intellectual and moral integrity, to define what problems they want to solve, and to chart a hopeful path forward. It is not the hope of blind optimism, but the kind of hope that Vaclav Havel described in a quote Bryan Stevenson cited, as “an orientation of the spirit….not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good….”
At Quaker schools, we speak to “that of God in every one” not just to celebrate promise but to excite the mind and spirit to act.
Our students and our graduates earn great successes, but it is how they do it—with integrity and hope, and with the courage to be proximate to what matters most—that gives Quaker education its unique promise and responsibility to make a better, more just and peaceful world. I hope you will feel, as I do, an inspiring sense of hope in the news of what our students, teachers, and alumni have been doing recently. And please share the hope of your work with us this spring. In friendship,
Ken Aldridge Head of School
To view Bryan Stevenson’s much viewed and discussed TED Talk, visit https://www. ted.com/speakers/ bryan_stevenson.
Friends kindergarten students make signs on the theme of peace (all the more poignant in one student’s original “pyes” spelling), then carry them to lead the annual Lower School Peace March in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
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FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS
From the Alumni Association Clerk Dear Friends, What an interesting winter it has been! From snow and frigid temperatures to 60 degree days, it’s been quite an unpredictable few months. I am certainly ready for spring. Not only do I love the warmer weather, but I also look forward to attending the spring and fall events at WFS. We’re busy planning a new Spring Fling scheduled for May 14, and don’t forget to save the date for Homecoming Weekend 2016, October 21-22. This issue is full of details about past and upcoming events, and I want to highlight Spring Fling. The format of Spring Fling is different this year, and there is something for everyone. We’re excited to feature lawn games, children’s activities, and food trucks, as well as a dunk tank with an opportunity to “dunk” a few WFS coaches. I encourage all of you to attend! Not only is this a wonderful event to catch up with friends, it will also be an opportunity to check out some of the new facilities if you haven’t had a chance to visit yet. I hope to see you at one or all of the upcoming WFS events, and I encourage you to contact me if you are interested in becoming more involved with the School. There are several ways to volunteer, including joining the Alumni Board. We meet four times a year, select the Alumni Award recipients, and discuss the happenings of WFS today. Please email alumni@ wilmingtonfriends.org if you would like to hear more about the Alumni Board, or share any alumni engagement ideas. In friendship,
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the #wfsdancechallenge and had fun with us in February. With almost 100 videos and more than $82,000 donated for school programs, it was a huge success—and we moved a lot closer to our $950,000 Annual Fund goal. We are deeply grateful for the generosity—and creative good humor—of our community.
Chris Lee ’82
Join Us. Facebook Twitter
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Students writing notes at our “Thank-a-Thon” events during Annual FUNd February.
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LinkedIn Instagram
Summer Internship Available The WFS Alumni/Development Office offers a summer internship program (unpaid) with both range and depth of real-world experience. Our interns have an opportunity to develop skills in: writing, social media, web content development, fundraising, video production, event planning, networking, and more. Send your resume to alumni@wilmingtonfriends.org, connect with us on LinkedIn, and let us know if you’re interested! Young alumni are encouraged to apply.
FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS
Save the Date!
Homecoming 2016 October 21-22
Auction for Friends 2015, Thank you! In this year when we don’t have an Auction for Friends, we want to give our 2015 sponsors another shout out! Thank you so much…
Sapphire Level:
Anonymous Nowland Associates, Inc.
Royal Level:
Ellen Barrosse and Paul Antle Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. ~ Compliments of Gary and Mae Scott, Class of 1982 Potter Anderson Corroon, LLP
Indigo Level:
Boss Enterprises Susan and Bernie Kelley WFS Board of Trustees
Mark your calendars now for Homecoming 2016— Alumni Reunions (classes ending in 1 and 6), sports, food, fun for kids, and more! Please make sure the Alumni Office has your up-to-date email and mailing addresses so you can receive Homecoming information. You can check with us at alumni@ wilmingtonfriends.org or 302.576.2981. Go Quakers!
Turquoise:
Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics ARG Communications, Inc. Chandler Funeral Home, Inc. EDiS Hayman Creative Promotional Products Agency, Inc. KDI, Inc. Pinter Law, LLC popdot/Sir Speedy
Navy:
Anytime Fitness Bea Massih Cider Mill Landscapes Concordville Nissan/Subaru DCANet Delancey Street Partners, LLC Elaine and David Singleton First American Title Insurance Garnet Valley Farms Massage Envy McKenzie Brew House Patterson Schwartz Real Estate Paul Campanella’s Auto and Tire Center Salwa Khan and Omar Khan ’90 Tara and Karl Agne WFS Alumni Board Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters
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Since 1748, the faculty, staff, and community at Friends have demonstrated that we serve students best when we model and teach a commitment—spiritual, intellectual and active—to core Quaker principles: integrity, community, equality, peace, stewardship and simplicity.
Be a part of the timeless tradition of Quaker education by making a gift to the WFS Annual Fund. Whether using blocks, light tables, or 3-D printers, WFS students engage in a process of learning designed and experienced as a journey that both inspires achievement and embraces joy. Our Alumni are a testament to our success.
Gifts to the WFS Annual Fund are an important part of our tradition. We were founded through donations from members of the Wilmington Monthly Meeting, and every year we are sustained by a generous community of alumni, families (past and present) and friends. You help our faculty and staff start each year with the resources they need to nurture and inspire learning. Join us in our commitment to model and teach Quaker principles by making a gift today. Contact Sarah Driscoll, Director of Annual Fund, at sdriscoll@wilmingtonfriends.org or 302.576.2976, or make a gift online by visiting www.wilmingtonfriends.org/donatenow. 4
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—From the WFS Archives— Remembering The Friendship Fair By Terence Maguire, WFS Archivist In the last issue of Quaker Matters, dealing with the AFS and AFSC programs bringing international students to Friends School, reference was made to the Friendship Fair. A companion article on the various programs that allowed Friends School students to travel abroad was promised—but it is not ready yet. Instead, this shorter piece will focus on the Friendship Fair, begun in 1962 and lasting at least until 1979. The information following has been gleaned from articles in the Whittier Miscellany, the variously titled alumni magazines, and other school publications. Coverage of this event was uneven. As has often been the case in these archive articles, we would welcome input—both corrections of errors and additional information— from alumni who remember. We are indeed compiling crowdsourced school history. The front page of the November, 1962 issue of the Whittier featured a somewhat fuzzy photo of two smiling seniors, Sally Naumann and Ginny Poole, holding a sign announcing the start of a new tradition: the First Annual Friendship Fair on Satur1962 day, Dec. 8, from 11am-4pm. With a combination of parental help and student responsibility, every class from 1st-12th hosted a booth to raise money. There were flower arrangements, handwriting experts, bake sales, candy booths, plant sales, pick-a-prize raffles (formerly and, in retrospect, inappropriately known as “Chinese auctions”). Veteran teachers recall many of the rooms of the first floor of the School being devoted to the different booths of the Fair. The WM article stated that the proceeds would be divided three ways: to help the American Field Service to bring an international student to Friends, to help bring a student from a SHAPE School to Friends, and to help send a Friends School pupil to SHAPE.
1963
Booth Variety There was much creativity involved in coming up with new booths. Given the December timing of most, Christmas themes abounded, though several looked back and featured haunted booths. Soon babysitting booths were standard. The seniors of the third Fair auctioned some of their class members, though in what capacity was not made clear….By 1966, there were 27 different booths, including one on karate. Games of all sorts, puppet shows, magicians, used book and record sales, faculty baby contests (again, unclear…cuteness? quantity?), volleyball tournaments, carousels, Saturday evening dances, rides on Tom Marshall’s Stanley Steamer, German Fairy Tale themes, a birchbiergarten—all of these were among the attractions over the years. During the early 1970s, the Fair featured a Classy Tie Booth, with wide, flamboyant neckwear supplied by teacher Rick Reynolds, who had strong connections with NYC street vendors. One year, John McCoy ’29, arguably Friends School’s most acclaimed artist, donated a painting to be auctioned off.
Profits The subsequent Whittier announced that the Fair had grossed $1414, and that accounting became a tradition of the reporting, each Fair hoping to break the previous record. The following year, the Fair grossed $1700, as did the third. In 1966, the fourth took in more than $2200, while the fifth Fair grossed almost $3000. The 1969 Fair had a $2300 profit. The take before expenses for the 1971 Fair was more than $5000. These figures may seem slight by today’s standard, but please realize that in the late 1960s, a person could purchase a brand-new car for about $1800. (OK, it would have been a Volkswagen.)
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In most, if not all years, all classes were represented, from first grade to twelfth, and sometimes kindergarten.
Nationality Themes If not initially, soon after the Fair began, the planners began to gear them to the nationality of the visiting AFS student. The following are Friendship Fair themes discovered in school publications, though there may have been more. 1967—Norwegian/Harald Bergmann 1968—Swedish/Bengt Eckerdahl 1971—Japanese/Kazu Watanabe 1972—German/Thomas Wellauer 1974—Swedish/Elis Langemar 1975—multinational/AFS students from Finland, Belgium, and Greece 1976—Turkish/Belkis Eskinat 1977—Brazilian/Consuelo Loyoza 1978—Portuguese/Filomena Martins 1979—Greek/Anna Tsigou
1968-69
How the Friendship Fair ended… 1972-73
Cooperation of Students, Teachers, Parents One of the more interesting aspects of this not quite twenty-year run of Friendship Fairs was the sharing of responsibility among student leaders, parents, and Friends School teachers. At least during some years, the leadership was elected. Student leaders included Carol Bancroft ’68, Ginny Fraser ’65, Leonora Petty ’66, Debbie Pearce ’76, Johanna Robinson ’69, Marty Schiek ’67, David Schweitzer ’75, Dee Sultzer ’73, and Alice Zino ’78. Each year, a new set of parents was in charge: Mrs. Julian Agoos, Mrs. Wendell Broad, Mrs. Harry Cress (twice), Mrs. A.W. Fraser, Mrs. Robert Hackett, Mrs. Robert Peterson, and others. Nicky Ellis ’36, alumna as well as parent, aided on several occasions—quite fittingly: she had served as an ambulance driver during World War II, like those who founded AFS after WWI.
1976-77
The first faculty sponsor of the Friendship Fair was Jane Rittenhouse, French teacher and exemplary Quaker. She began at Friends in 1947, and in the summer of 1950, she visited former AFS students from Holland and France. In 1954 she 1981 left WFS for two years to help with the restoration of and teaching at Friends Girls’ School in Tokyo, which had been largely destroyed during World War II. She then returned and taught until 1968. No Friends faculty member could have been more committed to the goals of AFS and Affiliated School programs: engendering mutual understanding of young people of different cultures in the hope of promoting peace.
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After Rittenhouse retired in 1968, her place as Head of Foreign Languages and sponsorship of Friends Fair was taken by Doug Wenny, who taught at Friends for 25 years—another Friend devoted to the Quaker Peace Testimony. For three years, social science teacher and later administrator Harry Hammond, another Quaker, was faculty sponsor. They were joined in faculty sponsorship by foreign language teachers, including Suzanne Donovan, Suzette Angell, Mary Beth Vernon, Cecily Tréhu, and Christa Anderson. Others not teaching foreign languages shared that responsibility—librarian Marty Lyons, social science teacher Lorraine Schwartz, and English teacher Maude Riches, for example.
…is unclear. The last news article on the Fair seems to have been for that of the 1979-80 school year. There is a photo in our archives that indicates Head of Upper School Bill Bickley was cleaning up in the school kitchen in 1981, but nothing else (including Bill himself) supports that. Why, after nearly 17 years, did it cease? Hammond said in an interview, “When the Fair stopped, it was because no one was willing to do it” any longer. He recalled the considerable difficulty of dealing with teachers and representatives of so many classes (and this was a time before email, remember). According to Bickley, “I don’t know when the Friendship Fair ceased to be, or why it was dropped, but I think it fell of its own weight…scheduling courses had expanded, things were getting more complicated. There were more demands on people’s time.” Regardless of exactly when and why the Fair ended, its goals—supporting international cultural exchange, enriching the lives of visiting students and, probably even more, the lives and perspective of the Friends School community—were of profound worth. And for many years, that collaboration of parents, teachers, student leaders, and individual classes, while surely difficult, was in itself a valuable educational experience. Though few remember it and fewer still recall the experience in detail, the Friendship Fair was a part of the development of a commitment to global awareness and greater international understanding at Wilmington Friends.
MOCK TRIAL – STATE CHAMPS! 2016 marked the 25th year of the Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition, organized by the Delaware Law Related Education Center. In the program, teams are provided a case to analyze and present; the Center works to use cases that will be of interest to students and that raise important social issues. This year’s case involved a shooting death and whether it was an act of vigilante justice. During the Mock Trial, students play the roles of the witnesses and attorneys. In the four preliminary rounds, each team has a chance to present both sides of the case. The finals are held before a panel of trial court judges, attorneys, and others in the legal community, always including one Delaware Supreme Court Justice. Overall, more than 250 members of the judiciary and Delaware Bar act as legal advisors to the teams and as judges and jurors for the Competition. Last year, Friends came close to making the finals and finished fourth. In 2016, the Quakers went all the way—not only
making the finals but winning the competition and earning the right to represent Delaware at the National Mock Trial event in Idaho this May. Senior Jodi Lessner (co-captain) won a total of six best lawyer gavels—five in five rounds of competition, plus the overall best lawyer award; junior Katy Shannon went twofor-two in best witness gavels; and sophomore Jason Saville earned one best witness gavel. Other members of the championship team: seniors Joslyn Gardner (co-captain), Chloe Hudson, and Emilio Ergueta; juniors Simone Veale, Allie Fulginiti, and Nick Gauthier; sophomores Fiona Saunders and Mary Agne; and freshman Danny Nakamura.
Above, the State Champs with their coaches and advisor just after winning the competition in February.
Seniors on the team include Emilio Ergueta, Joslyn Gardner (co-captain), Chloe Hudson, and Jodi Lessner (co-captain).
The team’s lawyer coaches are Jody Barillare and Ericka Johnson, and the faculty advisor is history teacher Betsy Cepparulo. Way to go, Quakers! On to nationals.
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Virtual Realities GOOGLE EXPEDITIONS
DAN’S EXPEDITIONS
This winter, Friends served as a pilot school for the beta version of “Google Expeditions.”
As many Friends students were experiencing virtual reality (“VR”) through Google Expeditions, junior Dan Goodman was learning to develop computer code to implement VR compatibility into video games that are able to support it. In other words, he has been making his own virtual reality. Dan is one of several upper school students doing independent study projects that build on course work—in his case, art classes and the computer science courses on interactive systems.
To introduce Expeditions to those of a certain age…remember “View-Masters”? Expeditions is Google’s high-tech version. Using an iPad, the teacher leads the tours, while students experience the sites looking through 360 degree, 3D virtual reality viewers. Students can look left and right, up and down and really get a sense of being at the destination, and the teacher can use arrows and circles to guide the view and highlight certain features for discussion. During the Friends Expeditions day, lower school Spanish students visited Barcelona, and others toured different sites related to their studies, including ancient Roman ruins, the White House, and National Parks. Middle school science students went underwater to study plate tectonics. Other trips go to the surface of Mars, deep inside caves, and to famous art galleries. Lower school librarian Kate McCarron coordinated with Google to have Friends participate as a pilot school. At the end of the visit, Kate said simply, “It has been an amazing day.”
VR, Dan says, is already a part of our everyday lives, and he wants to investigate how that might develop... Just the list of materials required for Dan’s project is impressive. To name a few items, with parenthetical explanations nicely provided by Dan: Oculus Rift (the headpiece with screen and custom goggles), Control VR (a body piece that captures motion from the waist up to put your movements into a game), Unity (a program in which to create an interactive environment compatible with VR), Unreal Engine 4 (a suite of integrated tools to help design simulations), and Open Broadcaster Software (a free streaming program). Dan’s goals for his project range from studying the history and evolution of VR to developing an original interactive environment, including hands and full-body tracking. He recognizes the value of the Google Expeditions application—the ability to have real-world based experiences that otherwise might not be accessible—and also is exploring how VR “brings your imagination to life.” VR, Dan says, is already a part of our everyday lives, and he wants to investigate how that might develop, including how VR can increase productivity without being de-humanizing. In short, Dan said, he wants to answer the question, “Is VR the next big thing since the modern computer?”
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Above, junior Dan Goodman’s independent study project on virtual reality and video games in the upper school computer lab.
Above & left, lower school students touring Barcelona and U.S. National Parks via Google Expeditions. And the Expedition viewers.
robotics & mentoring The WFS “Bad News Bots,” the upper school robotics team, finished an impressive eighth competing against teams from four states at the Diamond State FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics championship. The Robotics Team meets and works in the new Ira T. Ellis, Jr. ’52 Design Lab and is clerked by juniors Margaret Sullivan and Andrew Slomski. Faculty advisors for the team are physics teacher Matt Cauchy, computer science teacher Jenks Whittenburg, and math teacher Sarah Stock Patterson.
ence with robotics mentoring was in designing and leading hour-long workshops in the After School Program at Friends. For the Brown Boys & Girls Club, Hannah recruited eight other WFS uppers school student mentors and developed a series of lessons for Club members, ages 10-12. Meeting twice a week for eight weeks, the group spent 90 minutes on robotics and 30 minutes on homework help. great
At the FTC event, “Robots are a junior Hannah way to excite kids Kushner received The Club already special recognition had six Lego about STEM fields.” for her leadership robot sets (but in creating a robotno one to teach ics mentoring program at the Brown programming) and was able Boys & Girls Club in Wilmington. Stuto purchase an FLL “Senior dents at Friends were already involved in Solutions” challenge board, mentoring members of the Club through the kind used at middle Mike’s TEAM, a twice weekly projectschool competitions. Hannah based and homework-help program. developed a modified FLL Hannah built on that partnership, recogscore sheet to give some of the nizing that, as she said, “Robots are a feel and rewards of robotics great way to excite kids about STEM competition without the presfields.” sure, allowing Club members to develop skills at their own Hannah participated in the FIRST Lego pace. League (FLL) program in middle school and has been an active member of the The Club members and men“Bots” in upper school. Her first experitors worked in small groups, first to build a basic robot following the model provided by Lego, and learning code with Lego Mindstorms. Club members then progressed to modify their robots, without pre-existing instructions, in ways that seemed appropriate to solve the challenges on the board—for example, modifications that allowed the robot to lift or grab small objects.
Above, the WFS “Bad News Bots” at the First Tech Challenge competition in February.
Applauding Hannah’s outstanding leadership, WFS physics teacher and robotics coach Matt Cauchy said he hopes that the mentoring program will become fully integrated into the robotics team’s activities in future years. In addition to the recognition at the FTC competition, Hannah also received a distinctive service award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware. Left, Club members show their robots with pride.
Team member Hannah Kushner and other mentors from Friends working with students at the Brown Boys & Girls Club.
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Winter News & Events History Bowl
Chinese New Year
The first Saturday after winter break, Friends hosted the regional Delaware History Bee and Bowl. It is the third year Friends has hosted, thanks to organizer and History and IB Theory of Knowledge teacher Javier Ergueta. Hosting gives the School six free team entries, and WFS students took full advantage this year and then some, with a record 40 students participating as 10 teams. The varsity “A” team earned a spot in the playoffs; JV team “H” earned the right to attend the National History Bowl in Washington, DC; and the middle school team earned the right to attend the Middle School national championship in Rosemont, Illinois.
Middle and upper school students— both those in the Chinese language program at Friends and those otherwise interested in Chinese culture—were invited to an in-school New Year celebration, featuring traditional holiday food and a speaker from the University of Delaware. The interactive presentation focused on Chinese opera, complete with costumes and masks. WFS students also led an art activity for the community Chinese New Year celebration at the Delaware Art Museum.
Food on Friday
Head of Lower School Annette Hearing announced a new service initiative that started in January: “Our faculty service committee brought a proposal to a full faculty meeting, which met
Opening the 2016 History Bowl in the renovated Library Learning Commons, and one of the WFS teams in “uniform.”
with strong support and approval to move forward. We’re calling it ‘Food on Fridays,’ and here’s how it will work: We’re inviting children and faculty/staff to bring a non-perishable food item to school each Friday morning for placement on the new shelving in the front lobby. Each grade level will take a month to organize and pack the donated items for delivery to a service agency in conjunction with the service work done by middle school advisories. It seems such a good way to teach the children that, when we work together, we really can make a difference.”
AFS Student Chosen for Conference
Hanna Strietzel, our AFS student this year, was selected to represent the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange at the 2016 “Better Understanding for a Better World” conference. The conference theme was, “facilitating a mutual understanding and appreciation between students from diverse regional, economic, social, religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.”
Lax Goalie Honored
Senior Jakob Katzen was chosen as a Frank Menschner Scholar by Guardian Sports. Three goalies were honored with this scholarship to a national lacrosse competition; the scholarship recognized, “dedication to and love of the game.” Jakob has committed to play lacrosse at McDaniel College.
Above, the Food on Fridays shelf in the lower school lobby, and an eighth grade advisory at the Lutheran Community Services Food Pantry. 10
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WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
Anticipation of.... the answer to a math problem!
Swim Team Service Drive
The WFS Swim Team held a drive for a Wilmington family who lost two children and all of their possessions in a house fire near the Hicks Anderson Community Center, where our swim team practices and hosts meets. Donations included pillows, household goods, kitchen items, toys, and gift cards to Target, Walgreens, and ShopRite.
Multiplying fractions. Fifth grade teacher Kelley Cox used a little friendly competition, and student-centered technology, to excite the passion of her students. They entered answers on their laptops— often under entertaining (age and school appropriate) aliases—and then waited for each answer and a running tally of correct responses to display on the classroom Smart Board.
Presentation by WFS Teacher Sue Geoghegan
Sue, a pre-k teacher, accompanied her daughter, Sara WFS ’08, on a hiking adventure along the Pacific Crest Trail. Walking 1,600 and 2,600 miles, respectively, Sue and Sara carried their food, shelter, and supplies and experienced some of the most beautiful wilderness in the United States. Sue shared photos and tales from the trail in an evening Home & School presentation in January.
What Would You March For? In middle school, the eighth grade Peace Committee took the lead in MLK Day planning. After viewing and reflecting upon the role of children in the Civil Rights Movement, the committee created space on the middle school bulletin board and invited students and faculty to list causes for which they would march.
Four School Speaker
Fifth graders thoroughly engaged in a friendly math competition, using their school-issued laptops and the classroom Smart Board.
Upper School MLK Workshops
Upper school held its third annual series of teach-in workshops. Student clubs, faculty members, and outside speakers led activities related to local, national, and global justice issues. Some of this year’s topics included a simulation based on gun laws in the United States, hosted by the Amnesty International Club; a seminar on feminism in America, hosted by the Half the Sky Club; and activities to foster racial understanding, led by the African American Affinity Club. In addition, the World Affairs Club held a lunchtime debate on the issue of Syrian refugees.
Upper school teachers Betsy Cepparulo, Sarah O’Brien, and Ildiko Miller lent creative support to their students on the girls’ basketball team.
“Privilege” Discussions in Middle School
Seventh grade was the first middle school class to participate in a series of small-group exercises and conversations around the issue of “privilege.” The sessions were facilitated by a team of seven middle school teachers and five upper school students. The exercises and videos initially prompted conversation focused on the “privilege” of financial security, of American citizenship, of membership in a school community such as Friends, and of developed talent such as in math, music, or athletics. Students soon started to understand that “privilege” is something that can be afforded people as a function of their gender or skin color. The conversations are continuing with middle school students through the second semester.
In late January, the WFS Home & School Association hosted this year’s FourSchool Speaker, an event for parents that rotates among Friends, Sanford, Tatnall, and Tower Hill. This year’s speaker was Ken Ginsburg, M.D., M.S. Ed., who presented a workshop called, “Resilience in Action: Raising Children and Teens Who Are Prepared to Thrive.” Ken Ginsburg is the author of three books, and was nice enough to do book signings before and after the workshop.
Scholastic Art Competition +
Senior Olivia Garber participated in this year’s Senior Olivia Garber has shared Scholastic Art her culinary and artistic talents Competition, and in many ways—including publishing a book, participating in earned the silver the Scholastic Art Competition, medal for photogand organizing an art show on raphy and three the theme of feminism. honorable mentions for drawing and painting. In honor of Leap Day in Mirrors late February, Olivia also organized a In what is becoming a tradition of feminist art show, with work by Friends student-led productions, senior Joslyn students and others she met during her Gardner and junior Emily Rossi directed School Year Abroad in France. Mirrors, a one-act play by John O’Brien, with a cast and crew of upper school students. There were two performances in January. Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters
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WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
Winter Concerts Thank you once again to the Performing Arts Department for a wonderful concert season. In addition to the concerts at school, off-campus highlights this year included a group of eighth graders singing at the Country House retirement community and the Chamber Singers’ performance at the A.I. du Pont Hospital for Children. The opportunity to perform at the Hospital was in recognition of the Chamber Singers’ winning the WSTW Caroling for the Kids Contest. The group also received a $500 prize (see page 16 for the “big check” photo), and had a song included in the WSTW holiday collection and play list. In January, Friends hosted a three-school choral daylong workshop and evening concert. Choirs from Sanford and Tower Hill joined the Chamber Singers to work with Dr. W. Bryce Hayes, Associate Director of Choral Activities at James Madison University. At the evening concert, each choir performed individually, and then the combined ensemble of 93 voices presented Haydn’s Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, with Dr. Hayes conducting.
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WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
Middle School Shoe Collection
In a partnership with Community Recycling and Stand Up 2 Cancer, WFS Middle School hosted a shoe drive, January through early March. Donated used shoes were distributed to those who needed them, and for each container filled, Stand Up 2 Cancer earned a substantial donation.
How Do Young Children Commemorate MLK Day? WFS lower school commemorates Dr. King’s life and legacy with a themed Meeting for Worship, preceded by a Peace March, led by kindergarten students carrying messages of peace. Each class then does a morning service project, like the kindergarten making animal feeders. A preschool class created artwork for our school community, reminding all of us to “walk cheerfully over the world,” answering the very best in everyone we meet. Among many favorite kindergarten messages, “Peace wins”—all the more poignant in its original spelling.
Collection boxes for the middle school used shoe drive.
WFS Blood Drive
The annual Blood Drive in February met its goal of 40 donors. The upper school student committee always makes an effort to fill as many donation appointments as possible with students and faculty/staff. But because blood donors must be at least 17 years old, and because student-athlete participation is limited, it can be difficult. So parent participation was most appreciated. The Blood Drive was organized by a senior committee led by clerks Nina Tennent and Kate Mraz, with help from junior Sadie Proud. Thanks to all of the students, faculty, staff, and parents who donated.
Poetry Out Loud
Congratulations to junior Gustavo Silveira, who for the second year represented Wilmington Friends at the State Poetry Out Loud competition. Congratulations and thanks also to the other finalists in our school event, freshmen Bella Stuccio and Connor Nisbet.
Each class then does a morning service project ... A preschool class created artwork for our school community, reminding all of us to “walk cheerfully over the world,” answering the very best in everyone we meet.
Second graders again presented prototypes of inventions, made largely from repurposed materials, to a “shark tank”style panel. Spring Spring2016 2016••QuakerMatters QuakerMatters 13
WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
A Baseball Team of (i.e. Nine) School Leaders Valentines
The sudden winter storm couldn’t stop the Quaker Youth Leadership Conference, co-hosted this year by Lincoln School and Moses Brown School in Providence. Representing WFS were Evie Kortanek, Maddie Malone, Cecelia Ergueta, Alyssa Nathan, Evelyn Wakeley, Mary Agne, and Sarah Gooderham.
Football Sportsmanship & Maxwell Club Awards
At the Delaware Interscholastic Football Coaches Association banquet, senior Jon Gardner was named as recipient of this year’s sportsmanship award for WFS. Jon was also recognized Honorable Mention by the Maxwell Football Club, a program new to Delaware high schools this year.
BIG Field Trip to The Opera
Some 70 upper school students—from IB Group 6 (visual and performing arts) classes and the Music & The Theater elective, along with designated 11th grade English students—attended the final dress rehearsal of Opera Philadelphia’s production of Cold Mountain. The rehearsal was at the Academy of Music, and, yes, the opera is based on the novel by Charles Frazier.
For Valentines Day, preschool and pre-k students visited middle/upper school to share the love (homemade cards and lollipops). Fifth grade and kindergarten buddies also made cards in Spanish to practice color names while celebrating friendship.
Seventh Grade Service – Lasting Impact
Ken Aldridge shared an interesting observation when he returned from the 2016 National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference in San Francisco. If we’re not missing anyone, Wilmington Friends administrators now or will soon head nine independent schools, and with quite a reach:
Harry gives a valentine to his new friend, senior Brendan Wren.
All seventh graders at Friends do a service/stewardship project, often in pairs or small groups. The seventh graders pictured helped at the Girls on the Run 10th Birthday 5K, distributing water bottles and snacks to a crowd of more than 3,000. One current sophomore, Max Okolo, grew his seventh grade service project into a global non-profit, distributing clothing in developing countries. Another family, the Selekmans—at first reluctant participants in their then-seventh grader’s project to foster puppies— now has a real passion for the work, including fostering one litter of seven puppies and looking forward to more.
• Ken in Wilmington; • Bryan Garman at Sidwell Friends in Washington, DC; • Leo Dressel at All Saints Episcopal Day School in Phoenix; • Lisa Darling at the Awty International School in Houston; • Landis Green at the Wildwood School in Los Angeles; • Matt Micciche at Baltimore Friends; • Katherine Dinh at Prospect Sierra in El Cerrito, California; • Rob Lake at Collingswood School in West Vancouver, an appointment effective July 1, 2016. • And Danny Karpf has been named the next head of Rodeph Sholom School in New York City. Danny will serve in an apprentice head role in 2016-2017 and begin his official headship in July 2017—a version of the Wilmington Friends leadership transition model.
Shout Out to Eighth Grade Families
The “entry fee” to an eighth grade fourschool dance at Friends included donations of non-perishable foods, deeply appreciated by the LCS food pantry, especially after our January snow storm. The grade and event coordinators also continued a stewardship initiative, originally conceived by Dee Durham ’79 (an eighth grade parent), to use coolers for water rather than plastic bottles at all class events. And they have donated the coolers to the School, so that other classes can do the same.
GSA Lock-In
The Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club in upper school hosted its annual “lock-in” in February. All interested students were invited to participate for the event, which included dodgeball and other games, a film with discussion, and, of course, food. Thanks to student clerks Myla Brilliant and William Stanborough and to faculty advisor Kathleen Martin for organizing the event. 14
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Ken Aldridge with former Heads of WFS Lisa Darling and Bryan Garman. Landis Green, former WFS senior administrator and now Head of Wildwood School, took the photo.
Seventh grade volunteers at the Girls on the Run event.
PRISM Night
The annual PRISM Night in March showcased students and faculty performances in song, dance, poetry, and more. Visual artwork was also on display. Proceeds from the evening (mostly through the sale of snacks) help to fund the annual publication of the PRISM arts magazine. Thanks to senior clerks Demetria Ruhl, Jessica Saunders, and Rebecca Sakaguchi.
Friends students again participated in the worldwide Hour of Code, with middle school students working together in the new Flex Lab.
WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
Giant Rabbit! And Lemonade After reading the book Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money, WFS kindergarten students were inspired to host a winter lemonade stand, raising money to split between the Brandywine Zoo and the School’s Annual Fund. And yes, they also practiced their math skills by counting the money. In thanks for the service fundraiser, the Brandywine Zoo sent one of its program animals, a Flemish Giant Rabbit, to visit the students. Needless to say, a very popular guest.
The H&S Used Book Sale
The Meeting Room overflowed with donations for the Annual Home & School Association Used Book Sale.
National Math Competition
Thanks for representing WFS to the students who took part in the American Mathematical Competition: middle school students Yiwei Chen, Luke Munch, Kiera Patterson, and Anne Sweeney; freshmen Liam Johnston, Eric Runlai, James Tallman, and Krystal Xu; sophomores Danny Adebi, Sam Huo, Sissy Jian, and Doug Nie; juniors Nick Brennan-Martin, Gustavo Silveria, Andrew Slomski, and Margaret Sullivan; and seniors Jackie Connors, Charlotte Donoho, Patrick Haubert, Lizbee Orth, and Jess Saunders.
UK College Tours
The annual and almost-worldfamous Home & School Association Used Book Sale attracted more than double the usual number of book donations this year. Co-chairs, parents Dawn Manley and Stephanie Wolynetz, extended thanks to the donors and volunteers, shoppers, the Pantano and Okolo families, members of the basketball team, Coach Chris Loeffler, WFS students, and their own family members, who cleaned up at sale end and readied leftover books for donation to charity. They also extended special thanks to the School’s facilities staff.
Sixth Graders Testify at City Council
Inspired by the “Red Carpet Project: Waste Warriors” unit in sixth grade science, students Zaire Nicholson, RJ Toogood, and Vincent Valdivieso testified before Wilmington City Council in support of legislation to reduce the distribution of single-use plastic shopping bags. The students presented the last testimony in the public comment portion of the session. And the resolution supporting statewide action to reduce the distribution of plastic bags passed unanimously.
Congratulations to Director of College Guidance Kathleen Martin, who received one of only four scholarships awarded by the British Council to pay for a tour of UK colleges. College counselor Jess Smith also will tour UK colleges through the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS). Of course, both also visit dozens of US colleges each year. Thanks to Kathleen and Jess for their ever expanding research and outreach in service to our students.
Speaking Of…The World’s Biggest Ball of Plastic Bags!
B+ Dance-a-Thon
Lucky 13
The B+ Dance, which raises money to support pediatric cancer research and support for families, raised more than $19,000 this year. Many thanks to all who participated and donated.
WFS is participating in a campaign to raise awareness about the environmental and health impacts of plastic bags. Families were invited to bring in plastic bags to help make the Guinness Book of World Records’ largest plastic bag ball! After the event, the ball will be sent to the TREX factory and repurposed into a bench. Middle school teacher David Gertler earned his 13th (wow) Delaware Chess Championship in March. Dave teaches computer science at Friends.
The annual IB Museum Research Trip to Washington, DC included students in 3D Studio/ Design, Visual Arts Major, IB Visual Arts, IB French, and French IV and V. Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters
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WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
The Chamber Singers accepted the ceremonial “big check” for winning the WSTW Caroling for the Kids Contest (see page 12 for more).
Science Olympiad
The Upper School Science Olympiad Team competed at the Delaware state tournament in March. Junior Andrew Slomski won two medals, and senior Owen Tolton, junior Margaret Sullivan, sophomore Donovan Aldridge, and freshman Toby Bulk each won one.
Lego League Robo-Fest
Unfortunately, due to some rescheduling by sponsoring organization, the WFS middle school robotics teams were not able to participate in regional competition this year. BUT the teams made up for it by demonstrating their programming and presentation prowess in a middle school-wide exhibition in the Theater. Student-generated technological marvels brought sixth, seventh, and eighth graders to their feet in the spirit of a gamewinning buzzer-beater.
Charter Challenge
Congratulations to sixth grader Donnie Morton who, in the words of teacher Javier Ergueta, “romped” at the Charter Challenge, a middle school academic competition. Donnie earned the second highest score (out of 64 competitors!) in the newcomers division.
Each lower school class dedicates a bulletin board to one of the Quaker testimonies; the kindergarten “peace quilt” was inspired by the book Peaceful Pieces by Anna Grossnickle Hines.
viable solution papers selected to advance to the second round of judging: Andrew Slomski, Margaret Sullivan, Alyssa Nathan, Sarah Gooderham, and Hannah Kushner.
WFS Hosts Second Apple Site Visit
On March 8, WFS hosted its second Apple Site Visit. Apple invites representatives of other schools to attend the event to see the Friends one-to-one MacBook learning program in action, with both panel discussions and classroom demonstrations. The AppleCore student tech team helped to organize and lead the Site Visit. The Friends laptop program was recently named an Apple Distinguished Program for the second time.
“I’m Not Racist….Am I?”
The Home & School Parents for Multiculturalism committee hosted its annual Movie Night on April 1. The evening featured a screening and discussion with the film’s producer, André Robert Lee, of, “I’m Not Racist....Am I?” Part of the event was a collection for two local elementary schools for students in need of clothing for school, and to increase the schools’ supplies of games, sporting equipment, and more.
In out-of-school sports leagues for the Quakers this winter, the Friends team, coached by Meg Gehret Erskine ’83, won the indoor field hockey league. And freshmen Connor Nisbet was recognized as the top U14 boys’ tennis player in the USTA Middle States region.
Moody’s Mega Math Challenge— Moving on!
Two WFS teams of upper school students participated—and one moved on to the second round of judging!—in Moody’s Mega Math Challenge, a mathematical modeling contest for high school juniors and seniors. Students work in teams (on a weekend) to address a real-world problem under time and resource constraints—kind of like industrial applied mathematicians. The Challenge is sponsored by The Moody’s Foundation and organized by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). The all-junior WFS team was one of only 174 out of the 1,084 teams that submitted 16
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The third grade global landmarks project included 3D-printed models and “green screen” presentations about the landmarks, linked by QR codes, so visitors could watch the student presentations.
WINTER NEWS & EVENTS
Buddies
PreK in the STEM Lab
Student “buddies,” in the formal sense, at Friends include different level classrooms partnered at lower school and seniors partnered with first graders. The buddies met several times this winter for activities, from Meeting for Worship to classroom projects to holiday-season celebrations. They will continue to get together through the spring, including for a senior-first grade picnic.
Just on one morning…WFS pre-k students did a treasure hunt in the sand tables, figuring out which magnets could pick up the most treasure—and telling Teacher Tim Dalby why. And then the students made patterns (some free and others matching challenge patterns) with magnets on stands, using repelling magnets to make the “spaces.”
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WINTER SPORTS
Making History, Together, in Girls Swimming • Regular season 9-1 (undefeated in conference dual meets) • First Place at Delaware Independent Schools Conferences (DISC) Championship Meet (first title for WFS) • Third Place at DIAA State Championship Meet (best ever for WFS) After just barely losing its first dual meet of the season, the Quaker girls’ swim team never looked back, going on to nine straight dual wins, a dominant performance in the DISC Championship Meet, and a third place finish in the DIAA State Championship—a remarkable accomplishment for a small school with few swimming specialists. The 9-1 regular season included a sweep of the conference meets vs. Tower Hill (98-54), Sanford (96-69), St. Andrew’s (101-65), and Tatnall (96-72). At what was expected to be a very close DISC Championship competition, the Quakers put on a show, with eight out of 11 possible first place finishes and 110 overall points. It is the first conference championship in swimming for WFS. Head Coach Robin Lebauer reported that, rising to the pressure of the occasion, 95% of WFS swimmers posted personal best times at the DISC meet. WFS girls claimed five of the eight spots on the All Conference First Team. It was on to states, where depth was the key to the Quakers’ third-place team finish. As Robin said, “We had one swimmer on the podium [top three] at states—Atim Kilama’s second place in the 50 freestyle. But we scored in nine out of
the 11 events, and had multiple scorers in four out of the eight individual events. Even more remarkable for a small team, we qualified all three relays into the finals with two finishing fifth and the other finishing ninth.” Robin, along with Assistant Coaches Chris Verry and Tracy Bukowski, also pointed to team chemistry as a key to success. “The girls team had nine seniors, seven freshmen, and two eighth graders. With that age differential, you might expect a team that would just come
together on meet days and otherwise not have much in common. We found quite the opposite. The remarkable upperclassmen went out of their way to make the freshman and eighth graders feel welcome. This wasn’t just being nice to them during practice; it was doing things like helping them to clean lockers, walking with them up to the blocks during DISCs to calm nerves. The atmosphere among the girls was always positive—a number of opposing coaches commented on how our team cared so well for each other.” Chris added, “Each swimmer on this team respected all of the others, whether they had been swimming all their lives or had picked it up this year. But the respect went deeper than that. They really looked out for each other, including all the outside-the-pool factors that can affect student-athletes. When a swimmer had a personal record, the team would give a huge cheer, no matter where the person had finished in the race. Every time the coaches saw underclassmen getting ready for an event at DISCs, there would be upperclassmen there right with them. The DISC championship was truly a team victory. It was the same at states. They were like a family.” Above, The DISC champs with their trophy; left, the final team scores at the State Championship.
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WINTER SPORTS
DISC Championship Meet Members of the three winning WFS relay teams at DISCs were: Margeaux Pantano ’16 (tri-captain) Demetria Ruhl ’16 (tri-captain) Caroline Wren ’16 Blair Atkins ’17 (tri-captain) Atim Kilama ’18 Ashley Chompre ’20 Kate Saber ’20 Individual conference champions were: Atim Kilama – 50 free and 100 free Ashley Chompre – 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke Kate Saber – 100 backstroke
Ashley Chompre ready on the block with Atim Kilama and Demetria Ruhl keeping an eye on the competition in a state championship relay.
Atim Kilama, right, with her second place medal (and just to show versatility, wearing her WFS track jacket).
DIAA State Championship Finals (top-16 finishes score points) 200m freestyle relay - 5th (Kate Saber, Blair Atkins, Ashley Chompre, Atim Kilama) 400m freestyle – 5th (Demetria Ruhl, Margeaux Pantano, Ashley Chompre, Atim Kilama) Medley relay – 9th (Kate Saber, Blair Atkins, Demetria Ruhl, Caroline Wren) Atim Kilama - 2nd in the 50m freestyle and 14th in the 100m butterfly Ashley Chompre – 4th in the 100m breaststroke and 6th in the 100m butterfly Margeaux Pantano - 9th in both the 500m freestyle & the 200 freestyle Demetria Ruhl - 8th in the individual IM Blair Atkins - 10th in the 50m freestyle and 11th in the 100m breaststroke Kate Saber - 10th in the 200 freestyle
Above, showing the team’s “family” spirit that the coaches credited as a key to success; below, in colorful warm-up suits at states, Anna Erskine ’18, Ashley Chompre ’20, Caroline Wren ’16, Kate Saber ’20, Demetria Ruhl ’16, Margeaux Pantano ’16, Blair Atkins ’17, and Atim Kilama ’18.
All State First Team and All Conference First Team Ashley Chompre ’20 All State Second Team and All Conference First Team Atim Kilama ’18 All State Honorable Mention and All Conference First Team Demetria Ruhl ‘16 All Conference First Team Kate Saber Margeaux Pantano All Conference Second Team Blair Atkins
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WINTER SPORTS
Wrestling
Among the team’s five wins in dual meets, the Quakers beat conference rivals Tatnall (63-18) and Tower Hill (4226), along with Brandywine, Newark, and Wilmington Christian. In the DISC Championship Tournament, WFS finished second as a team. AllDISC recognitions are determined by individual placement in the conference tournament (conference champions are first team, runners up are second team). Both of the state qualifiers from Friends won their round of 16 matches to finish in the top eight in the state in their brackets. State Qualifiers (and top-8 in the state) Stephen Maguire ’16 Matt Denney ’17 All Conference First Team Matt Denney ’17 All Conference Second Team Stephen Maguire ’16 Alex Trudel ’16 Matt Hinderhofer ’17 Jack Coons ’18 Jeff McAbee ’18 Above, Matt Denney ’17, Stephen Maguire ’16, Dalton Ramsey ’18 Josh Pincus ’16. Academic All State Peter Cauchy ’19 Lawson Chou ’18 Jack Coons ’18 Nate Crock ’19 Matt Denney ’17 Blaise Glowiak ’16 Matt Hinderhofer ’17 Jeff McAbee ’18 Josh Pincus ’16 Nick Sotiropolous ’18 Maya Johnson ’16 (manager)
Boys Basketball
Boys basketball went 10-10 this season with a tough schedule. In addition to conference wins over Tower Hill (twice), Tatnall, and St. Andrew’s, Coach Chris Loeffler’s ’00 squad beat Charter (twice), Archmere, Wilmington Christian, Red Lion, and DMA; AND the Quakers scared eventual state champion Sanford by taking a lead late in the third quarter and losing by only six points. All Conference First Team Jordan Perkins ’17 All Conference Second Team Quinn Kirkpatrick ’16 20
Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters
Above, Quinn Kirkpatrick ’16; above right, boys basketball seniors Cameron Kendle, Quinn Kirkpatrick (captain), Andrew Conces, Jonathan Gardner, and Jakob Katzen; right, Jordan Perkins ’17.
Girls Basketball
Season highlights included wins over St. Mark’s, St. Andrew’s (twice), Red Lion, Tower Hill, Wilmington Christian, and Middletown. In addition, the Quakers had three heartbreakers, losing by just one or two points. Coach Carolyn Gates Connors ’81 loses two seniors from one family after this year, Joslyn and Sydney Gardner. All Conference First Team Natalie DePaulo ’18 All Conference Second Team Margaret Sullivan ’17 All Conference Honorable Mention Jayna Jones ’17 Top, basketball captains Margaret Sullivan ’17, Sydney Gardner ’16, Megan Flanagan ’17, and Joslyn Gardner ’16; center, Natalie DePaulo ’18; right, Jayna Jones ’17.
WINTER SPORTS
Winter Track & Field
The winter track team competed in regional and quad meets, December-late January, leading up the State Championship Meet in February. Dani Nathan ’19 for the girls and Naza McMillan ’16 for the guys qualified individually for states, both in high jump, in what Coach Paul Nemeth described as an “awesome effort by both.” AND Dani then finished tied for second in the state meet! Both the girls’ and boys’ 4 x 200m and 4 x 800m relays also competed at states. In addition, following one of the early, regional events at Haverford College, Coach Paul was proud to report some impressive results, which included three school records and a top-10 finish for the boys’ team: Dani Nathan ’19 6th in high jump (3 pts), 7th in long jump (2 pts) Naza McMillan ’16 2nd in 55m dash (8 pts), 4th in 55m hurdles (5 pts, school record), 8th in long Jump (1 pt) Jordan Carter ’17 4th in 55m dash (5 pts), 6th long jump (3 pts) Chris Wallace ’17 8th in shot put (1 pt, school record) Boys 4 x 400m relay (Naza McMillan ’16, Peyton McNeill ’19, Anthony BurgosHarris ’17,and Aaron Brick ’18), school record
Boys Swimming
Naza McMillan ’16 competing at states.
The boys’ swim team had four dual-meet wins—vs. Dickinson, Sanford, Caravel, and St. Elizabeth—and posted some impressive post-season results. Sophomore Sam Huo finished first at the DISC championship meet in both the 50m and 100m freestyle, and went on to take fifth in the 100 free and seventh in the 50 free at states. Sophomore Nate Ruhl also qualified individually for states in the 200 free. Also at states, the 200m freestyle (Nate Ruhl, Jake Luckangelo, Sean Cochran, Sam Huo) and 400m freestyle (Nate Ruhl, Douglas Nie, Sean Cochran, Sam Huo) relays qualified for consolation finals, finishing in the top 16. All State Second Team and All Conference First Team Sam Huo ’18
Ready to compete on championship day at states: Nate Ruhl ’18 (co-captain), Sam Huo ’18, Sean Cochran ’17 (co-captain), Douglas Nie ’18, and Jake Luckangelo ’18. Above center, Aaron Brick ’18 pushing around the outside; above, Dani Nathan ’19 with her second place medal at states; left, Fiona Saunders ’18 in the lead.
The winter track team photo, including seniors Chloe Hudson, Michael Ly, Naza McMillan, Chris Stanborough, Summer Tyler, and Katie Zucca. State championship photos courtesy of Ted Rosenthal/Izmaddy Studios.
Center, Sam Huo ’18; above, Nate Ruhl ’18.
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TO VIOLET On Her Birthday
his spring, we join in celebrating T the 90th birthday of Violet Richman, for whom the Friends Theater
She showered me and all students she taught with that unconditional love. She never passed judgment. She always pulled out from me what I never knew I had inside.
Lobby is named. Theo Nix, Jr. ’72 started thinking about ways we could honor Violet, a teacher of the arts (and a lot more) at Friends across four decades, from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. With a tenure like that and a reach like Violet’s, many of our readers know her well. Others may have been introduced more recently through the Theater Lobby dedication and the world premiere at Friends of Ultraviolet, a piece commissioned in her honor and performed by the ensemble Mélomanie. On the occasion of her birthday, we are offering a simpler tribute that we hope shares the magic of Violet with all and, most important, expresses our thanks and love. One measure of those sentiments is that we asked just a few people each to contribute a paragraph about Violet…and ended up with several multi-page essays and a poem. The complete texts will be sent to Violet, of course (along with any other birthday tributes that readers would like to send c/o info@ wilmingtonfriends.org). Excerpts follow.
Violet Richman started smiling at Friends in the 1960s.
From Theo Nix, Jr. ’72 Violet found in me a talent I didn’t know was there and one that certainly hadn’t been cultivated. That was the ability to sing. Violet pulled out my best. From having me act as Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Gina, Violet’s daughter, as my stage mother, to being able to sing and dance across the stage in her various musicals, I thrived in Violet’s classes. I found a purpose, a ministry, and had lots of fun along the way.
Still smiling, with Theo Nix, Jr. ’72 and his mother, Lulu Mae, March 2016.
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But there was something more apparent in Violet that I never recognized as a boy but now understand as a man. Violet had a deep spirituality of “agape” love. She showered me and all students she taught with that unconditional love. She never passed judgment. She always pulled out from me what I never knew I had inside. And her laugh was, and remains, infectious. I have been taught by some of the smartest people around, whether in undergraduate school, mortuary school, or in law school. But I have never been taught by someone like Violet whose humanity, spirituality, character, grace, and class, and her unfettered love and
thirst for life, have left an enduring legacy and an indelible imprint etched forever in my heart, yesterday, today, and for all eternity.
About Denise Nix Thompson ’75 (from Theo) While in the 11th grade at Friends, Denise was invited to audition at the renowned Arthur Mitchell’s Dance Theatre of Harlem, which would require her to live and train in New York. Denise passed the audition and was offered a scholarship to Dance Theatre of Harlem, potentially with the opportunity to become a member of the Company and travel around the world. Friends School had never had the experience of a student completing high school away from campus. Upon hearing of the dilemma, Violet Richman sprung into action! Of course she should go, Violet said. The School could provide her with assignments, and Denise would complete them and send them back on a weekly basis, Violet proposed. Although there were still skeptics, Violet assured all that she would take the responsibility for monitoring Denise’s work so that she did not fall behind in any of her subjects. After many meetings with the School
administration and staff, Denise was granted permission to accept the Dance Theatre offer. Throughout that year, Violet served as mentor and liaison, dedicated and determined that Denise could not pass up such a great opportunity. Denise kept up her school work, attended classes at Dance Theatre, and ultimately was invited to become a member of the company. She was able to complete all of her academic requirements for graduation. Toward the end of Denise’s ballet training program, Violet arranged for Denise to perform several ballets at Friends School. Violet remains an honorary Nix and we an honorary Richman. We thank God for her life and our relationship. Many more years Violet. With Love.
From Ray Osbun ’71 I am one of the many WFSers who claim with pride the Violet Richman experience. And I can elaborate further by affirming that I was transformed by this exposure. I was absent of vocal skills, but Violet coddled me through Chorus and the humiliation of singing solos in the presence of others. She amazingly cultivated my desire to continue with the choral experience, and it was only a matter of time before I was singing and dancing in her annual musical productions. Regardless of our stature—flyman, drummer, artist, electrician, actor, ensemble, or doorman—Violet expected us to leave our egos at the door, and raised us as equals. No one felt unappreciated (unless you were late for rehearsal).
During my Friends School tenure, Violet’s magic was revealed in the portrayal of several characters by accomplished male athletes. One of her uncanny abilities was the scouting, recruitment, and coaching of these students, untrained in theatre and voice, to become something bigger than themselves in a medium foreign to their nature. I recall Neil Vosters ’69 (West Side Story), Bill King ’70 (My Fair Lady), and Randy Frye ’71 (Our Town). My recollection of certain choral and theatre performances is greater than my memory of the greatest football victories I participated in while at Friends. In closing, I draw recognition to Violet’s role as an ambassador for WFS. If I am historically correct, it was during my tenure at Friends that the school’s choral proficiency was such that Violet took us “on the road” to community venues. Of particular import to me were the visitations to the Wilmington Friends meetinghouse, where we would perform from the balcony. I believe that it was at one of these performances, the WFS Concert Chorus under the direction of Ms. Violet S. Richman, performed in its entirety Handel’s Messiah. I still stand today (sometimes alone!) and can still sing many of the verses when I am present for the singing of “The Hallelujah Chorus.” Throughout the world, there are legions of WFS graduates conditioned to do the same.
Googling Violet In addition to sharing his own reflections, Ray Osbun ’71 shared a description he found online of the color violet—a description he said, that seemed to hold a “strong association with the individual we are honoring.” It read, in part: “The color violet inspires unconditional and selfless love, devoid of ego, encouraging sensitivity and compassion. Violet encourages creative pursuits and seeks inspiration and originality through its creative endeavors. It likes to be unique, individual, and independent, not one of the crowd…Violet is the color of the humanitarian, using its better judgment to do good for others. Combining wisdom and power with sensitivity and humility, violet can achieve a lot for those less fortunate.”
From Trina Tjersland ’75 I chaired the Drama Department at Tower Hill School for 26 years and directed roughly 50 plays during that time. As a student at Wilmington Friends School during the seventies, my exposure to Violet Richman’s unique approach to theatre, and to life, profoundly affected my directing style and my relationship with the students. Violet was never afraid to bring her own creativity and flavor to a show, whether it was the black and white of the yin & yang symbol in Mass or a magically abstract set (often purple!). It might not have been in the script, but it bloomed in the lush garden of Violet’s creative mind. Some directors choose a more traditional and conservative approach, but I got to work with Violet Richman, and
A smiling selfie with Tracey Quillen ’80 and Trina Tjersland ’75, February 2016.
that has made all the difference! Now that I have retired, I’ve been able to act again. Lucky for me, I was taught early to listen to my own creative voice, a voice that sometimes sounds just like Violet’s saying, “Oh honey, that’s great!” Because honestly, when our own creative voice melds with the warm and encouraging voice of our talented mentor, haven’t we really found our way home?
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From Tracey Quillen ’80 Violet is a magic person, the kind of person you can’t resist even if you want to. Her powers of perception and translation at once enlarge and connect the world, with an appreciation for the yinyang complements in apparent opposites. She inspires us to listen, really listen, and not just to music; she requires of us an honorable answer to what we experience and witness. Violet has few if any “former” students or colleagues; for a remarkable number and variety of people, Violet is for life. My phone case is purple because it lets me think of Violet every day. I call people I love “darlin’,” and when something really isn’t right, I look over my glasses and say with something between a grimace and a grin, “Oh-oh, honey.” Violet was at my wedding (where Handel was featured, per one of her gifts), and she visited me in the hospital when I was sick. She is one of the people who gives us permission, by her practice and her personification, to speak about love— even “huge hugs” of it.
From Harry Hammond, longtime colleague Since 1972, when I came to teach at WFS, Violet has been a touchstone, the person to be with when human happenings got too serious, too absurd, or too promising not to talk about. Those decades of candid dialogue began in the WFS cafeteria, coffee in hand. Our friendship may have taken root in a shared identity (she was from North Philly, I from Wilmington, the city not the country club). We dropped in on each other’s classes, jointly planned happenings for students, and closed out semesters with afternoon-long lunches at nearby restaurants. The setting changed over those years, but not the themes of conversation: the arts, politics, friends and family, change makers, and the wonderful and terrifying craziness of life. Working with the same teenagers was also common ground. Violet had an eye and ear for human potential. Her ability to be both within and an observer of school dynamics helped me and other colleagues stay real, get a grip, tolerate ambiguity and paradox, and focus on serving students, hundreds of whom found their voice while in her care. I benefitted from substantial collaborations, 24
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timely commiseration, celebration, and—it’s this that I most appreciate—her ongoing inspiration. The color violet, which is always in something she’s wearing, otherwise on her, or in her hand, is a harbinger of a deeper, self-renewing quality, which I think of as fluorescence. Yes, she’s lit from within. It’s the joy she brings to each encounter. It’s her soulfulness, her genuineness. Violet notices and connects with sympathy; she’s a furtherer. Her heart pounds for humanity, particularly for the less advantaged and for the creativity that waits within each of us to be released to the world.
From David Smith ’66 Benjamin Franklin once said: “ Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Violet was my teacher at Friends, and during her first year (and thereafter), we would sit on the bench outside of her classroom, and our discussions covered many topics. Some I forget! But eventually, Violet taught me that it’s ok to have a swing in your living room. It’s ok to always carry a Kleenex box and to write with purple markers. And, it’s ok to paint your house “Violet.” After several months, Violet began to really get me involved. She let me drive her beloved Karmann Ghia. She got me involved in music and song, and I even played Captain Morton in her first production at Friends, Folk Song. She got me involved with her family, especially her children and now, many years later, with her grandson, Sam. I still see her smile from all those years, and I hear her distinctive voice and her laughter. She helped shape my life, and she is a true Best Friend. She is generous, compassionate, unselfish, and as she always ends it, lots of love and hugs! Special thanks to WFS Archivist Terry Maguire for the pre-2016 photos.
A Description of VIOLET ~ a COLOR A Reflection of LIGHT from a SURFACE. This Surface is pigmented with the qualities of the Color VIOLET. A DESCRIPTIVE… Mythical, Mystical, MUSIC AESTHETICS, Value WOMAN, Teacher, Colleague Fantastic, FRIEND Respect, Perspective A Mentor CREATIVITY, Commitment Encouragement, EDUCATION Passionately involved. A Color that is an “ARTISTIC MAGNET.” This Hue Accentuates in human EXPERIENCE. A Color perceived in its RELATIONSHIP to other Colors… VIOLET REFLECTS to All in an “Unqualified Love,” Allowing for opportunities for EXTRA-ORDINARY THINGS. VIOLET, Yin and Yang, A BALANCE, whose interactions influences the DESTINIES of many Creatures and Things. VIOLET, MUSICIAN OF COLOR, sees, feels, and experiences each INDIVIDUAL Color in its many ENDLESS COMBINATIONS with all other Colors. I am honored as many are that VIOLET has Colored and continues TO COLOR OUR LIVES. VIOLET. A COMPOSITION. A JOYFULLY “FABULOUS DARLIN’.” - cynthia stan mellow ∆• (written for Violet Richman and delivered to her at her retirement from Wilmington Friends School)
CLASS NOTES
1948
Condolences to Barbara Chantler Shellenberger on the death of her husband, Bill, in November.
1951
Chick Altmaier (See 1953.) Charlie Davis (Actually, wife Elaine— see California Reunions box, page 27.) Jane Marsh Dieckmann and her husband, Dick, wrote in late 2015, “We are back from an eight-day cruise on the Mediterranean— complete with beautiful weather, interesting sights, strenuous schedule, and horrendous return trip ending with lost luggage. We are happy to be home for quiet holidays and send you best wishes of the season. As usual, our year has been busy with concerts and travel and visits. Dick paints all the time, especially city and landscapes, and I continue regular writing jobs on classical music, piano and choral singing, the garden, some volunteer work. We both enjoy good health, but the time has come to go to the local Kendal retirement facility. The slow and sometimes painful process of clearing out has begun, and we hope to move by June. As the year comes to a close, we continue to wonder about our deeply sad and chaotic world. We send out messages of hope for understanding, reconciliation, some move toward peace on earth. With our love, Jane and Dick” From Art Hill and his wife, Peg: “2015 has been a busy and fruitful year—10 weeks in Pooh Cottage in Maine; lots of travel—to Puerto Rico, Montana, Ocean City, NJ, Poconos, and Florida; Peg’s full knee replacement in March went very well; Art on the other hand is doing OK, had another episode of fainting in Maine, but after medical examination nothing was found; otherwise they are enjoying their new digs at Cokesbury Retirement Community in Hockessin where Art is on the Resident Council.” Art Littman and his wife, Wendy, wrote, “We have been retired for a long time and, Lord knows, we’re no spring chickens, but 2015 might just have been the year we figured out ‘what we want to be when we grow up’!” With that, they mentioned how grateful they are for the retired life and for the loving family they so enjoy. They explained that this gratitude finds expression in service to others in a variety of ways. “The Shrine continues to be a focal point allowing us to support in many ways the Children’s Hospitals and Burn Centers. We also recently became members of the Elks to assist Veterans. Another organization dear to both of us is Southeastern Guide Dogs, especially their program, ‘Paws for Patriots.’ Furthermore, every Saturday, Wendy goes to a nearby assisted living facility, Pines of Sarasota, where she volunteers as a visitor to those who have outlived all those who might otherwise be visiting them.”
The Class of 1952 “Southern Reunion” attendees: Fred Pardee, Rufus Jones, John Nice, Bob Hodge, Bill Quillen, and Lew Doughton. And their cake!
1952
Members of the Class of ’52 gathered for their almost annual “Southern Reunion” at the home of Bob Hodge and his wife, Elizabeth Hodge, on March 19, 2016, in Frostproof, FL.
1953
From Joel Poorman, husband of Ellie Alexander Poorman: “By springtime, the Class of 1953 will have three ‘inmates’ at the Country House. Ellie and Joel Poorman moved in the end of January—to join Tom Herlihy, the classmate in residency, and to be followed ‘some time’ this spring by Frannie Walker Altmaier and Don (Chick) Altmaier ’51 to one of the cottages.” Stuart B. Young* (See 1994.)
returning to Miami on July 1. “We have sailed through the Caribbean, down the coast of Brazil, across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa’s west coast around the Cape of Good Hope, and up the east coast of Africa to Madagascar, where I have realized one of my dreams to have a live lemur hat—just joking (See photo). In addition, I had a chance to visit my recently discovered third cousin in Cape Town, South Africa, and toured the Jewish area and learned the history of Cape Town. (See photo.) We are excited to be learning so much from the many different cultures and societies we have been fortunate to visit on our 94 port trip. Today (February 20, 2016), we are heading to Tanzania. We have a blog for classmates and friends at www.travelpod.com/members/snowfish to follow our adventures.”
1957
Dick Haedrich wrote, “Since retiring from Memorial University of Newfoundland, I miss the fish and fishing activity that thrived there. But helping Vermont trout clubs manage their ponds has filled the gap.”
Charlie Jacobson ’59 in Madagascar; and in South Africa with his cousin at a street named for another cousin, Rabbi Mervish, who was the Chief Rabbi of South Africa.
Patty Poole Benzien (See 1962.) Dick Haedrich ’57 fishing in Vermont.
1959
From Bill Amend: “Bill and Connie ’61 have settled into their new life on the east coast, and even managed to fly out of PHL on [snowy] Jan. 24th, on the fourth plane to fly that Sunday. They have now returned from a three-week trip to South America, cruising from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso with visits included in the Falkland Islands and Antarctica. It was a delightful adventure!” Charlie Jacobson wrote from Madagascar where he and his wife, Diane, were about a quarter of the way around the world on a cruise with Oceania’s ship Insignia. The ship left Miami, FL January 3, and will be
Peter Morrow (See 1969.)
1960
Linda Lee Spencer wrote, “My husband, Chuck, and I are thrilled with our first grandchild born in October 2015. His parents are our son, David Spencer, and his wife, Tina. We are lucky that they live near Seattle, WA, not too distant for frequent trips from our home in San Jose, CA.”
1961
Connie Roberts Amend is looking forward to the 55th reunion in October, and hopes all her classmates have it on their calendar! (Also see 1959.)
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CLASS NOTES Daniel Statnekov wrote, “I was married on Valentine’s Day (2016) to my beloved Deborah in a private ceremony on Salt Spring Island in B.C., Canada.” The ceremony was attended by their four sons and their wives/significant others.
1962
Rich Weigel nicely sent a photo of himself with Patty Poole Benzien ’59, from a lunch last summer in Charleston, SC. (See photo.)
Daniel Statnekov ’59 and his wife, Deborah, at their wedding in February.
1965
Please see box story, below right.
1968
Charles Osbun wrote, “It’s been a long while since you Rich Weigel ’62 and may have received Patty Poole Benzien any updates on my ’59 in South Carofamily. My son, lina last summer. Charles, Jr., has four beautiful daughters (ages 8 to 2 mos.). They live just a mile away, so Biddy and I see them almost daily! Our daughter, Lawton, recently married Colin I. Macleod from Glasgow, Scotland. They also live here in Birmingham, so Biddy and I are very blessed! I am in my 27th year in the Trust Division of Regions Bank as head of Birmingham Estate Administration. I have not decided exactly when to retire. My health is good. I enjoy fishing, golf, and hunting. As you no doubt know, my brother, Raymond ’71, lives here in Birmingham, as well. We attend the same church, so we usually see one another while participating in various related activities.”
1969
From Barry Snyder: “Proving that platform tennis is indeed a sport for a lifetime, Peter Morrow ’59 and Barry Snyder teamed up in the Philadelphia Platform Tennis League in the
Barry Snyder ’69 and Peter Morrow ’59 were platform tennis partners in the Philadelphia League this season. 26
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fall of 2015. They defeated Herb Bascome and Blair Leroy of Philadelphia. The match was notable for the combined age of the four players, a total of 306 years. Herb is 85 and Blair is 84. Peter (74) and Barry (63) felt like youngsters for one brief night.”
1970
Bill Sussman wrote, “Still down here in sunny Augusta, GA, practicing law with occasional visits to Tybee Island. I am proud to announce that my son, Robert, has joined my firm, effective February 1, 2016; he will focus on litigation—primarily criminal, personal injury, and family law in GA and SC. My daughter, Erin, who is an attorney and licensed in FL is in Atlanta working in a personal injury firm and taking the GA bar on February 22, 2016. My daughter, Sarah, also in Atlanta, is applying to medical school (thank god!). Everyone is well here, and I have enjoyed following various classmates on Facebook. No one has aged a bit—especially me!”
Liz Haven (See California Reunions box, page 27.)
Ken Haven (See California Reunions box, page 27.)
1971
Raymond Osbun (See 1968 and page 23.)
1972 1974
Pev Hukill (See California Reunions box, page 27.) Scott Lauter moved from Lancaster, PA, to Morristown, NJ, to take a new job as Chief Medical Officer of the Chilton Medical Center, part of the Atlantic Health System. He was the founder of Medical Associates of Lancaster, went on to become the Director of Hospitalist Services at Lancaster General Health, and, most recently, was the Chair of the Department of Medicine as well as the Medical Director of Care Management at Lancaster General Health. Scott and his wife of 22 years, Carol, who is an RN, have two children; Derek is a second year anesthesia resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center,
Class of 1965 Endowment Fund Over Homecoming Weekend last fall, the Class of 1965 reminisced about faculty and staff members such as Violet Richman, Ambrose Short (“Shorty”), Sally Longstreth, and Art Hill; relived their glory days on the athletic fields; toured our new, and old, facilities; and rekindled friendships. It was an exciting and inspiring 50th Reunion; 21 of 47 classmates attended. Reflection, fond WFS memories, and reconnection with classmates inspired an effort to create the Class of ’65 Endowment Fund, which was officially established when it surpassed $50,000 in contributions this spring. Donations honor teachers who made the class’s WFS experiences possible, as well as “pay it forward” to future generations.
Hugh Kenworthy, Lex Tarumianz, Vivian (Gerry) Lessey Pas, Ron Pownall, and Leslie (Mouse) Davis Guccione are the fearless leaders of the class gift. They knew they wanted to do something meaningful for the School. When asked what motivated them to establish the Fund, each committee member cited teachers as at least one of their reasons. “I am a perfect example of teachers and administrators finding that inner light,” Leslie Davis Guccione explained. “They encouraged me to expand my horizons, and to take my creative nature seriously.” Last fall’s 50th reunion inspired the Class of 1965 Endowment Fund.
Ron Pownall added, “We all learned and absorbed so much of the Quaker spirit at Friends. Generosity is certainly one of those values.” Hugh Kenworthy added, “I hope that our effort can be a template for future classes.” (Unfortunately, fund leaders Leslie Davis Guccione and Vivian Lessey Pas were among those not able to attend Homecoming, but they were quickly inspired, too!)
CLASS NOTES
California Regional Reunions California Dreaming! Ken and Cassandra Aldridge, Clerk of the Board Susan Kelley and husband Bernie, and Director of Development Chad O’Kane traveled west for two regional reunions held in The Golden State. On February 27, Anne Adams Kahn ’69 and Tim Kahn hosted Friends in the San Francisco area; on February 29, Pev Hukill ’74 and husband Jon Spain hosted Friends in the Los Angeles area. We had a wonderful turnout of alumni and friends who now live on the West Coast. Thanks to all who were able to join us. For those that couldn’t make it, we hope to see you at the next event out West.
Above, Cassandra Aldridge, Lauren Kelley ’12, Susan Kelley, and Elaine Davis, wife of Charlie Davis ’51. Right, Kate McKusick ‘77, Liz Haven ‘72, Rosie McKusick (Kate’s daughter). The photo was taken by Liz’s brother, Ken Haven ‘70.
and Alison is a fourth year medical student applying for ophthalmology residencies.
1983
1978
In case you missed the casting credit as it rolled by following Spotlight, the Academy Award winner for Best Picture, it included Paul Schnee. Paul is a principal in Barden-Schnee Casting, which also counts among its recent credits Sisters and Z for Zachariah.
Bob Davis (See photo 2006.)
1984
Chris Cashman (See photo 2006.)
1979
Diane Hoffmann Heck (See photo 2006.)
Susie Tattersall Davis (See photo 2006.)
Randy Sabbagh wrote, “My husband, Dr. John Shearer, Randy Sabbagh ’79 and I were officially and John Shearer married in Texas on celebrating their July 5, 2015, followmarriage in Texas ing the Supreme Court last summer. ruling in June. We also celebrated our 25th anniversary in June. Funny enough, we wore the same shirts to our wedding in San Francisco in 2008 right before we moved to Texas.”
1980
Karen Cashman Hunt (See photo 2006.) Holly Woodward Thatcher (See photo 2006.)
1981
Martha Lemons Sherrill shared a few updates about classmates. “Lauren West Lane wrote, ‘Our boys are turning 16! My husband, Ron, and I are still practicing veterinary medicine in our own practice, and I just re-certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practice Canine/Feline Specialty.’ We saw Andy Aerenson and his wife at the lacrosse NCAA national championships in Philly, where Andy’s alma mater, Denver, won. Ned Bancroft wrote, ‘We have been going to Wilmy a lot to see my dad who isn’t doing well. My only update is that Matty-O (Matt O’Brien) and I went to The Masters together last April, and his son Logan and Andy’s (Andy Aerenson) just graduated from Friends.” Linda Cashman (See photo 2006.)
Ken Aldridge with LA-area host Pev Hukill ’74.
Class of 1985 friends Sam Brickley, Nari Bush Brickley, and Martha Poorman Tschantz at a Cornell ice hockey game this winter.
1985
Martha Poorman Tschantz wrote, “Great catching up with Sam Brickley and Nari Bush Brickley in Hanover, NH, this past weekend. We had a great time watching Dwyer Tschantz ’13 and the Cornell men’s ice hockey team defeat Dartmouth. Sam, a Cornell alum ’89, picked right up on the cheers for the Big Red.”
1986
From Elaine Logothetis Jack: “My husband, Matt, our son, Leo (8.5 yrs), and I continue to enjoy living in Wilmington, NC. I was fortunate to travel in 2015 trips to Puerto Rico, Florida, Boston, Greece, Washington, D.C., and a solo trip to India in October. India and its colors have fascinated me since I was young, and finally, the stars aligned. First, I traveled
Left, Elaine Logothetis Jack ’86 traveled to India in October; right, exploring the Yellow Fort in the Pink City of Jaipur.
with an international yoga group. Yogis from 36 different countries convened in New Delhi, took the train to Hardware and Rishikesh, then took a long and windy bus ride along the Ganges River and up the mountains to the village of Uttarkashi. Here, I stayed in an ashram overlooking the Bhagirathi River (the headwater branch of the Ganges), studied yoga, visited Hindu temples, bathed in the Ganges (seven dunks washes away the sins of seven generations before and after me), hiked the lush hills, explored the village, and relished the delicious spices, teas, and cuisine. Next, I traveled to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and Red Fort, then onto the state of Rajasthan, beginning with sight-seeing safari in Ranthambore National Park. Ranthambore National Park and Fort was formally the game preserve of the Maharajahs of Jaipur. I was very fortunate to see five Bengal tigers on four jeep safaris as well as other endemic flora and fauna, e.g. freshwater crocodile, sambar and spotted deer, antelope, langur monkeys, peacocks, and numerous other birds. Elephants and especially camels are abundant as beasts of burden in Rajasthan. In the Pink City of Jaipur, I explored the Yellow Fort and pink palaces of past Maharajahs and Mughals, museums, Hindu temples, mosques, rode an elephant, and took a cooking class. For my final day in India, I thought it fitting to spend it with Gandhi visiting the Gandhi museum and memorial in New Delhi. Gandhi’s practice of non-violence, truth, freedom, and love are tenants of Quakerism instilled in me at WFS. I have a 10-year visa to India so I will return!” Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters
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CLASS NOTES
1991
2002
Rob Tattersall (See photo 2006.)
Stephanie Adams (See photo 2005.)
1994
Ann Young Saban and her husband, Hanoch Saban, welcomed a second son, Yehoshua Or, into their family on February 9, 2016. Ann wrote, “He was named after his late PopPop, Stuart B. Young ’53. Stuart’s Hebrew name was Yehoshua; Or means light. Yehoshua’s big brother, Giladi, now almost two-and-a-half, had the blessing of knowing Stuart for the first 10 months of his life. May Yehoshua be blessed to carry on some of his PopPop’s many wonderful qualities.”
Yehoshua Or, son of Ann Young Saban ’94 and her husband Hanoch Saban, was born in February; Stuart Young ’53* with his grandson, Giladi, son of Ann Young Saban ’94 and her husband, Hanoch Saban.
Class of 2002 alumni David Trainor and Jenny Kittle Trainor and their daughter, Kaylee Lynn.
2001
Congratulations to Alex Mellow and her husband, Mauro Giuffrida, on the birth of their daughter, Claudia Mellow Giuffrida, on February 4, 2016. Proud grandparents are Emil Mellow and WFS upper school art teacher Cynthia Stan Mellow.
David Trainor and Jenny Kittle Trainor welcomed Kaylee Lynne Trainor on December 17, 2015. Proud grandparents are Athletic Director Dick Kittle and his wife, Sharon.
Alex Mellow ’01 with daughter Claudia, proud grandmother Cynthia Stan Mellow, and aunt Phoenix Mellow ’08. And Claudia.
Opposite page, Katie Adams Schlender ’05 with fellow 2005 WFS alums at her wedding in September. (left to right) Ellen Johnston, Alisha Wolf Emerson, Katie, and Kristen Mraz; (left to right) Doug Adams ‘07, Stephanie Adams ‘02, Marie Adams, Katie, Joel Schlender, Connie Adams, and Keith Adams.
Class of 2009 – Where Are You Now? Hannah Brilliant graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor degree in English. She wrote, “I am currently living in Wilmington and serving a ten-month AmeriCorps term of service through Public Allies Delaware, a leadership training and development program. I am placed at Great Oaks Charter School, a brand new middle school located in downtown Wilmington, where I provide daily tutoring in math and ELA and help to manage the after-school program.” Looking back at her Friends education, Hannah said, “Working as a teacher has given me even more appreciation for the safe, peaceful hallways of Wilmington Friends, where I was given the opportunity to succeed AND fail, both equally important in developing my own intellectual curiosity and empathy for others. Friends gave me a space to begin to learn about who I am (still a work in progress) and what I value, both inside and outside the classroom. My teachers throughout my time at Friends also showed me that a large part of my role as an educator is to nurture everyone’s inner light so that all students have equal opportunity to shine (excuse the cheesy metaphor).” Hannah volunteers through Public Allies, working with a small group of Allies and community members in Claymont to develop a project to help support families of those affected by the opiate epidemic. Todd Gerry studied Political Science/National Security Studies at Dickinson College. He wrote, “I am serving as an Air Defense Artillery Officer in the US Army, stationed at Fort Sill, OK. In 2015, I earned my commercial pilot certificate and will be applying to airlines across the country this summer when my active duty contract is fulfilled.” His reflections on Friends included, “The friends you have at WFS stay with you forever. I’ll admit the college transition was especially easy since I was accompanied by a few members of my graduating class, including some of my closest friends. People in my fraternity were usually frustrated with me for wanting to hang out with my high school buddies instead. My senior exploration project included working in aviation, and still today I’m working towards that career path.” Todd volunteers for the Special Olympics and Lawton Animal Shelter. 28
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Claire Goodill attended Tulane University. She has been working in the tech/fitness industry for ClassPass for about two years. She lives in the Bay Area and has traveled to London and through the Pacific Northwest for work. She wrote of WFS, “I loved the opportunity to touch so many student organizations. Attending a small high school, where ‘upper management’ really encourages student leadership, I was fortunate enough to co-chair the Welcoming Committee and serve as Treasurer of the student body. These two roles helped me land the role as President of my major, Communications, at Tulane, ultimately leading me to the contact that got me my first job in PR in NYC. I’m forever grateful for the leadership opportunities available to students at WFS!” Chelsea Gunter received a BA in Communications from Virginia Tech. She wrote, “After completing a summer internship between my junior and senior year of college, I was hired as a full-time employee at Nike, Inc. I currently work for Nike out of WHQ and live in Portland, OR. I spent two years working in digital marketing with a focus on running, women’s and sportswear. I currently work on our Global Community Impact team. We’re committed to unleashing human potential through sport and physical activity. We focus on creating active school environments, and increasing access to youth sports on a global level. You can learn more about Nike’s community impact here: http://about. nike.com/pages/commuity-impact. My parents currently live outside of Charlottesville, VA. My sister, Ashley, is finishing her anesthesia residency at the University of Chicago and is currently applying for an anesthesia pediatrics fellowship program.” Chelsea continued, “WFS has had a larger impact on both my career and education than I ever expected. WFS encouraged both service and curiosity. I spent four years finding my identity through participating in sport, journalism, theater, and other various activities. We were trusted to challenge ourselves both in and outside of the classroom. If you did not want to show up to class, do your homework or participate in the discussion, that was your decision. Your grades were a reflection of the choices you made.
CLASS NOTES
2005
Katie Adams married Joel Schlender on September 5, 2015. The wedding was at The Woodlands in Bozeman, MT. The couple lives in Bozeman and both work in the Real Estate and Building Industry. (See photos.) Ricki Kaplan wrote to let us know that she and Meredith Seitz were both married in 2015. They were also each other’s attendants of honor in their respective weddings.
Bride Ricki Kaplan ’05 with her maid of honor, Meredith Seitz ’05. Above, many Friends alumni and current students attended the DC wedding of Katie Hunt Weaver ’06 and her husband, Josh. Bottom Row: Conner Brennan ’28, Sophie Brennan ’23, Alex Brennan ’23, Ryan Tattersall ’25, Robby Tattersall ’23. Middle Row: Grace Heck ’06, Diane Hoffmann Heck ’79, Karen Cashman Hunt ’80, bride Katie Hunt Weaver ’06, groom Josh Weaver, Elissa Cashman Dalton ’07, Susie Tattersall Davis ’84, Diane Tattersall. Back Row: Bob Davis ’83, Holly Woodward Thatcher ’80, Hunter Witmer ’10, Haley Cashman ’09, Chris Cashman ’78, Rob Tattersall ’91, Linda Cashman ’81, Connor Dalton ’08, Bob Tattersall.
Various teachers were more than happy to serve as mentors, but again, it was your decision to reach out and take the time to build those relationships. WFS taught me to be independent, to seek challenges, and to own my career. You cannot control everything that happens in your life. However, I have learned that you can own your decisions to react, choose, and persevere.” Chelsea’s volunteer work is related to her work; as she described it, “In my current role, I am leading our Rio16 Olympics legacy plan. We’re partnering with the City of Rio to inspire the next generation of athletes and drive change through sport. Learn more about our partnership with Rio and its Olympic Villages here: http://news.nike.com/news/rio-s-olympic-villages-inspire-the-nextgeneration-of-athletes.” Ellie Kelsey attended the University of Delaware and received a BS in Health Behavior Science in 2013 followed by a BS in Dietetics in 2015. She wrote, “I am completing the dietetic internship in Washington, DC, and will become a registered dietitian this summer. I am currently roommates with my older sister, Anne Kelsey, WFS class of 2007.” She continued, “Mr. Kittle is who I remember most about Friends. He taught me that doing what you love, along with hard work and a great attitude, will get you where you want to be in life. He also taught me how to laugh at myself and that a sense of humor will sometimes be more important then your intellect. Friends gave me a desire to be the best and to always search for learning opportunities from my life experiences. This led me to a college career that ended with two bachelors degrees, an award for academic success and leadership from my department, as well as the respect of my professors.” Part of Ellie’s internship was at an organization named Food and Friends, which delivers free nutrition counseling and food to people with life challenging illnesses such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. Maya Koretzky received a BA from Cornell University in 2013. She wrote, “Following Cornell, I worked for two years as a fellow in the
Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health. I’m currently in my first year of an MD/PhD at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. My PhD will be in the history of medicine, and I am planning to specialize clinically in psychiatry of infectious disease. I also just adopted a wonderful dog named D’Arcy!” Asked about her WFS experience, Maya responded, “I really appreciated the Quaker emphasis on commitment to service and community, which I have tried to emphasize in my own life and choice of career. Running cross country in high school also taught me the perseverance (and masochism) necessary for medical school!” Maya volunteers for an organization called CASE, teaching sex education to middle school students in the city of Baltimore. She has also been involved with Charm City Clinic, a free medical clinic in East Baltimore, and volunteers in her neighborhood (Patterson Park) with nature education and sports activities for local kids. Kieran Reichert earned a BA in English Literature from Swarthmore College in 2013. He wrote, “After graduating from Swarthmore in the spring of 2013, I moved to Madrid, Spain, to teach English, which I did until the following summer, when I returned to the States for an internship at a literary agency in New York. After several months of editing book proposals and manuscripts, I took a job with fast-growing startup WeWork, living in Brooklyn and working in Manhattan until the summer of 2015. Around that time, I decided to pursue a life of writing more directly. I moved first to the Delaware beaches to build and polish my fiction portfolio for MFA programs in creative writing, and now, I am continuing that while living in New Haven, CT, working in a coffee shop part time, and waiting to hear back from those MFA programs.” Julia Roberts attended Washington University in St. Louis and received a BS in Architecture and Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where she earned a Masters in Architecture.
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CLASS NOTES
2006
Brett Fallon wrote, “I am currently working my way through my second semester at the Villanova University School of Law. In two weeks, I will be taking 10 days away from school to take a trip to Berkhamsted, England, and Amsterdam with fellow Class of 2011 graduate Louis Belson. Also, this summer, I will be working on [WFS parent of alumni] John Carney’s gubernatorial campaign as a full-time campaign staff member.”
Grace Heck (See photo, previous page.) Katie Hunt Weaver was married on December 19, 2015 to Josh Weaver in Georgetown, DC. (See photo, previous page.)
2007
Doug Adams (See photo 2005.) Elissa Cashman Dalton (See photo 2006.) Anne Kelsey (See 2009 – Where Are You Now?)
2008
Connor Dalton (See photo 2006.) Nick Dowse is working as a research intern for Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA. He received his MA in International Affairs last May from The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. Phoenix Mellow (See photo 2001.)
2009
Haley Cashman (See photo 2006.)
2010
Amy Leviton sent in news about son, Josh Leviton: “Joshua graduated in May 2015 from the University of Maryland with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, but Beatboxing has always been a passion of his. He performs independently but also with a well known Jewish a cappella group that performs both nationally and internationally. Joshua per-
Josh Leviton ’10 performed with The Maccabeats at the White House for the Obamas and the President of Israel.
formed in December during Chanukah at the White House with The Maccabeats, met and took a photo with both the Obamas and President of Israel, and Josh did a vlog that was carried online in the Jewish Standard/Times of Israel (search Maccabeats) with thousands of views.” Reed Salmons wrote, “I got into medical school at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. I’m very excited for the road ahead, and believe that the principles that WFS instilled in me have helped me immensely in the college/admissions process!” Hunter Witmer (See photo 2006.)
2011
We were delighted to receive word that Danielle Delpeche is working in Iga-shi, Mie, Japan in the field of education.
2012
Michael Armstrong (See 2013 and photo.)
From Julian deOliveira: “I am currently in my third year at the University of Delaware, pursuing a degree in International Business and Finance. After exploring my international interests in Spain last year, I now look forward to gaining experience in the financial world as I will intern at Bloomberg LP as part of their Sales and Analytics program this summer in New York City.” Leah Handwerk recently won the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers Student of the Year award for her work as a Social Work intern at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. Leah is the Lycoming College Class of 2016 Service Scholar. She is also the Service Chair for Beta Phi Gamma Sorority, a member of the Order of Omega Greek Leadership Service Honor Society, and on the Board of Directors for the Greater Lycoming Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Leah plans to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work, starting in the fall of 2016.
Class of 2009 (continued) Lindsay Schmittle attended the University of Delaware and received a BFA in Visual Communications. She wrote, “I am currently living in Landenberg, PA, staying busy running my Design & Letterpress printing studio, Gingerly Press. I’m in the process of organizing a crowdfunded project to hike the Appalachian Trail next spring and to create a series of printed products based on my experience on the trail.” She continued, “I think Friends taught me how to work hard for what I want my life to be, instead of sitting back and letting someone else dictate my life path. That work ethic has led me to enjoy my life as my own boss.” Lindsay continues to donate blood every two months, a service she has continued since she first gave blood at Friends when she was 17. Sammi Shay graduated from Connecticut College with a BA in Dance and American Studies. She wrote, “I am currently living in Chicago and working in Development at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, a nonprofit performance stage in Millennium Park. The Theater’s mission is to provide artistic resources to local artists as well as to make the arts accessible to more diverse audiences through a number of community outreach initiatives in low-income areas in Chicago. I still keep in touch with friends from my WFS class of ’09; Mary Williams and Ellie Kelsey recently came out to Chicago to visit, and we ate a lot of deep dish pizza. Life is good!” Sammi reflected, “WFS has had a lasting (and still growing) impact on me. Friends instilled a need for community, and an understanding of the importance of serving and giving back to it. I felt that I had a voice at WFS; this, the IB program, and the general sense of value of a well-rounded education led me to feel confident about my pursuit of the arts in college and my professional life. I still reflect often on the Quaker values I learned and experienced while at WFS (SPICES, 30
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consensus—how every opinion was worth hearing), and I try to reflect and integrate these values into the way I live my life now.” Sammi also has been volunteering at a soup kitchen near her neighborhood in Chicago and on the Associate Board at a nonprofit called Links Hall, which supports experimental performing arts. Nathan West completed a BS in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He wrote, “Hey Friends! I’ve been doing great ever since graduating REI. I currently live in my own apartment in New York, and about a month ago, I started as a Software Engineer at Dropbox.” Nathan added, “Probably the biggest way Friends influenced me was it gave me an appreciation for the liberal arts—music and art and theatre and even history—in a way that influences even my technical computer work.” Nathan will soon be volunteering, through Dropbox for Good, at OATS, a charity focused on enabling and connecting seniors with modern technology. Mary Williams attended Haverford College and earned a BA in Political Science. She wrote, “After a year working at Sidwell Friends School with Bryan Garman, I returned to politics and am working in the digital department of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Capitol Hill. My work focuses on digital fundraising for Democratic congressional candidates.” She continues. “I spent NYE in Chicago with Ellie Kelsey and Sammi Shay, who showed Ellie and me around her new hometown. Ellie Kelsey, Emily David, and I also visited Perrin Downing in Richmond, VA, for an awesome, over-the-top Valentine’s weekend. I’m so happy to have Emily David, Elizabeth Connolly, Ellie Kelsey, and Marlee Raber here in DC with me!”
IN MEMORY
1941
Lauren Kelley (See California Reunions box, page 27.)
In February, Cavender Salvadori, a member of the William & Mary track team posted this article (right), which was followed by a profile on outsports.com (search Cavender Salvadori). Cav said, “I wanted to do the article for the specific purpose of sharing my story and maybe helping some kid out there who feels alone.”
John (Jack) Naglee Simons, a longtime resident of New Kent, VA, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2016, at the age of 92. He served in the US Air Force as an airplane mechanic during WWII in the Asian/ Pacific Theater. Upon return to civilian life, he began a lifelong career with Sun Oil Co., and married his sweetheart, Lucy Johns. They were married for 54 years. After retirement, he pursued his passion for flight with an active membership in the Richmond chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Together, Jack and Lucy traveled the country, and were among the founders of Knox Reformed Presbyterian Church, PCA, where he played an active role as treasurer, deacon, and member of the choir. He is survived by a sister, Caroline Simons Kent ’45 of Swarthmore, PA; a daughter, two granddaughters, and a great-granddaughter, along with a host of nieces and nephews.
Dwyer Tschantz (See 1985.)
1942
2013
After a record setting season, Lindsay Aleman, Catholic University, was selected to the NCAA Division III Women’s All-MidAtlantic Region Soccer Team. Ben Hanson and his Indiana University lacrosse teammates hit the road in early spring; one stop was Vanderbilt where Ben met former teammate Michael Armstrong ’12 on the field. Michael plays middie for the Commodores. (See photo.)
TyLisa Johnson attends Florida A&M. She wrote, “I am currently the editor-in-chief of our awardwinning magazine, Journey. I am a news editor and beat reporter for our award-winning newspaper, The Famuan, as well. I sometimes speak on the radio show. I volunteer with the Democratic Executive Committee of Tallahassee in my free time. During the summer of 2015, I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain, at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. I’ve been published multiple times in the Tallahassee Democrat, one of the biggest newspapers in Florida, and the main newspaper in Florida’s capital.”
2014
Coach, Paul Nemeth sent in this photo of Rachel MacKelcan competing for Merrimack College. Rachel wrote of her life beyond track and field, “April will be a big month. I’ll be competing in a slam poetry battle against Salem State at the Mass Poetry Festival, entering some work in the poetry contest here at school, getting inducted into the International English Honors Society.” In addition to her success on the field hockey team, Elena Veale made the basketball team and saw playing time this winter for Haverford College.
Former Faculty
Friendly lax opponents Michael Armstrong ’12 and Ben Hanson ’13.
Rachel MacKelcan ’14 will most likely also be doing disc, javelin, and hammer this spring season at Merrimack College.
Thanks to trustee and former faculty/administrator Harry Hammond for sharing news about John Mahoney, who taught math at WFS in the upper school before moving on to Sidwell Friends, where for many years he chaired the math department. He also served on the board of Sandy Spring Friends School. Fifteen years ago, John took a position at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, DC, an “alternative” public high school for students seeking a highly structured and rigorous academic program. John wrote in a note to Harry, “Two years ago, my invention/robotics club at Banneker invented a device to keep classroom doors from opening from the outside. At our school, as in many, classroom doors can’t be locked from the inside. ‘DeadStop’ fits over the hydraulic door closer and the top of the door. We received a generous grant (our 2nd) from the LemelsonMIT InvenTeams program to develop our invention. A national law firm offered to do the patent application work for us on a pro bono basis and the application was filed this past June. In September, we were the only HS invited to present at the Smithsonian’s Innovation Festival. I completed my six-year term on the AP Statistics (test) Development Committee last summer. I’ve been working on a College Board AP Calculus project since March and am also a consultant on a Census bureau project which involves lesson plans based on census data.”
Betty Jane Gooding Starr, age 91, died on December 24, 2015. A Wilmington native, she was a graduate of Marjorie Webster College, class of 1944. Betty was employed as an executive secretary for 18 years with Goodwill Industries. Mrs. Starr was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Wilmington for more than 20 years before moving to Virginia Beach, where she united with Kempsville Presbyterian Church. Betty was especially blessed by the ministry, friendship, and prayers provided by her Bible Study groups at both churches.
1943
Robert F. Mancill II passed away peacefully at Pocopson Home on July 5, 2015. Born in Wilmington, he was the son of the late Norman B. and Anna Marshall Mancill of Mendenhall, PA, brother of the late Norman Mancill, and twin brother Alan Mancill ’43. He attended Wilmington Friends School, the George School in Newtown, PA, and graduated from Lehigh University in 1949. Robert and his twin brother, Alan, served our country in the US Army, 12th Armored Division from 1943–1945; Alan was killed, and Bob was taken prisoner of war. Robert married Janet McGrath in1958 at Christ Church in Wilmington; Janet predeceased him. Robert was the proprietor of Mancill’s Hobby and Photo Shop in downtown Kennett Square for 30 years. He was also a longtime member of the Kennett Lions Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters
31
IN MEMORY Club. Robert was a quiet man, a talented photographer, an avid reader, and a lifelong sports fan, especially baseball. He enjoyed spending time with his family, Sunday drives along the Brandywine River, and entertaining on the back patio in the summers. He is survived by three sons and their families, including six grandchildren.
1945
Arthur Gordon Diver, age 88, of Wilmington, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2016. Art was born and raised on Broom Street in Wilmington, the sixth of eight children. While growing up, he enjoyed many summers at Buck Hill Falls in the Pocono Mountains, where he developed a lifelong love for the game of golf. At Friends, Art served as the president of his class and played football, basketball, and baseball. After graduation, he enlisted and served in the United States Army during World War II in the European Theatre. He then enrolled at the University of Delaware. While in college, he served as the president of the student body and his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta. After graduation, he re-enlisted in the Army and served in the Korean War. Art was a gentleman of the Greatest Generation, a man who believed in duty, patriotism, loyalty and honor, which became the pillars of his life. Art then joined his family’s automobile business before becoming a financial advisor, a career that he enjoyed for more than 40 years. Nothing was more important to Art than his family. He married Nancy Lowe in 1958 and they raised their four children in Wilmington. It was rare for Art to miss any of the athletic events of his children and grandchildren. He was a lifelong member of Wilmington Country Club, where he proudly served as the chairman of the golf committee and enjoyed playing weekly games of squash with many good friends well into his 80’s. Art inherited a great appreciation for music from his father, and he and Nancy regularly attended the Delaware Symphony. He also enjoyed dancing and was always at the top of everyone’s dance card. Art was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, and his brother, Frank W. Diver Jr ’46. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nancy Lowe Diver; sisters Frances D. Burt ’40 and Edith D. Lennox; brothers Clifford P. Diver and Richard A. Diver ’47; sons Arthur G. Diver, Jr. ’77 and Richard L. Diver ’78; daughters Deborah D. Kephart and her husband, Scott, Ann D. Diehl and her husband, Jeffrey, and seven grandsons. Among his other survivors is nephew David Diver ’76. John “Rex” Kaiser passed away peacefully on January 8, 2016 with his family by his side. He was 88. Rex was born and raised in Wilmington but also spent many of his early years in Ventnor, NJ, where he met his wife, Claire. He also spent nearly every summer of his married life in Edgartown, MA, aboard their family’s sailboat “Claire.” Rex attended Ursuline Academy before graduating from Wilmington Friends School. He enlisted in the Navy as a Bosun’s Mate in 1945. He later attended Parks Aeronautical School of Engineering, then 32
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received his bachelor’s degree from University of Delaware and his law degree from Washington and Lee University. He went on to form Kaiser Yachts in 1960 to design and build semi-custom cruising sailboats before he retired in 1985. The most popular design was the “Gale Force,” of which he produced 35 that continue to be sailed around the world today. In addition to his love of life, food of all types, music of all types (Broadway being his favorite), skiing, tennis, squash, and sailing, Rex will forever be known as a delightful storyteller. Rex was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Robert Kaiser ’47, and his daughter, Annette Kaiser Voorhes ’77. He is survived by his wife, Claire; children John Kaiser ’79 of Annapolis, MD, William Kaiser ’82 of Manchester, MA, David ’83 and Jennifer Kaiser of Mattapoisett, MA, and Aimee ’86 and Paul Satterfield of Nottingham, PA. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and his nieces and nephews.
1949
Robert Fielding Altmaier passed away quietly on March 21, 2016. He was 84 years old. Bob is survived by his wife of 61 years, Joan Dobb Altmaier of Wilmington; two sons and a daughter; six grandchildren and one step-grandchild; three great-grandchildren; and his brother, Donald Altmaier ’51, and his wife, Frances ’53, and their family including daughters Annette ’75, Katrina ’77, and Priscilla ’82. Bob was born in April 1931 in Brooklyn, NY; the family moved to Chadds Ford, PA, in 1939. Bob attended the University of Virginia and Washington College of Chestertown, MD, and graduated with a BS in psychology. He joined the DuPont Company in 1955 in the Textile Fibers Department. Five years later, he transferred to the Advertising Department, retiring in 1990 after 35 years. While he handled the advertising for a number of DuPont products, he particularly enjoyed his time as advertising manager for DuPont’s “Stren” fishing line products, a leader in its field. Bob and the family enjoyed their summer home on the Sassafras River in MD. Later in life, he volunteered for many years as a depression support group facilitator for the Mental Health Association in Delaware. He spent many hours researching and wrote numerous articles about the life of his great grandfather, gunsmith Peter Altmaier, one of the first to receive a patent for breech loaded rifles. With the digital age, Bob wrote and published articles online in the Gun Report and The Monthly Bugle Magazine. David Clyde Henke passed away quietly on January 28, 2016. He was 83 years old. Dave was born in Milwaukee, WI, to Clyde Overbeck Henke and Mildred Katterhenry. When he was six months old, the family moved to Wilmington. His birth mother died when he was four. He was 15 when his father married Arney Anderson. David attended Wilmington Friends School from kindergar-
ten through the 12th grade, becoming a true Friends School “lifer.” He graduated from the University of South Carolina. Dave’s Army service began during the Korean War. Trained as a guided missile specialist, he was based in Van Nuys, CA. While there, he married his high school sweetheart and classmate Constance Howard ’49. After his discharge, they returned to Wilmington and he began his career as a stockbroker with Laird Bissell and Meeds. He continued with the firm and its successors for 47-plus years, retiring in 2003 from Morgan Stanley. Dave was a man of principle, honesty and integrity. He was devoted to his clients, his work, and Clorox. Dave and Connie were married for over 61 years. They loved to travel and visited every state in the US, every province/ territory in Canada, and more than 50 other countries, including an around-the-world trip in 1992. Time off was spent on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Dave thoroughly enjoyed lawn bowling and playing bridge. Earlier, golf at the Wilmington Country Club was his game of choice. He was a devoted Flyers fan and season ticket holder. David loved nothing more than family gatherings, especially at Christmas time. He was a longtime member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and had served as a trustee and finance committee chairman. He is survived by his wife, Connie; his sister, Joan Henke ’52; his daughter, Carol Johnson ’74, and her husband, Steven; two granddaughters, Lindsay Johnson and Jennifer Davis and her husband, Keith; and son, David B. Henke. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Jane Henke ’52.
FRIENDS OF FRIENDS
Former trustee Roelof Pieter Steijn passed away peacefully on December 30, 2015 at age 95 in Simsbury, Connecticut. Roelof came to the United States with a mechanical engineering degree after WWII, sponsored by the Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, PA, where he enrolled in the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He later transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he received both a Masters and a PhD in metallurgy. After a year in Texas, where Roelof taught at Rice University, he returned to Delaware in 1954 to work at DuPont, in the EDL laboratory. Roelof specialized in tribology: studying friction, wear, and the topography of interacting surfaces in plastics and other materials. Over his lifetime he did research for the Franklin Institute, was an award-winning Fellow of the American Society of Lubrication Engineers. After retirement, Roelof re-kindled his interest in art and teaching, and was an enthusiastic participant in the Delaware Academy for Lifelong Learning. Always an advocate for more education, he enrolled in a graduate program in art history at the University of Delaware and earned a second Master’s degree. He greatly enjoyed the Dutch master painters, classical music, poetry, writing, bicycling, and his children and grandchildren. Roelof had a warmth and a keen interest in people of all walks of life, and due to his wartime experiences in the Netherlands, a true feeling for the horrors of war. This led him to the Quakers and work on international peace and justice. He was an active member of Wilmington Monthly Meeting. Roelof was predeceased by his wife, Evelyn; he survived by two sons, two daughters, and 10 grandchildren.
IN CLOSING
2016 Class Musicals With every member of the class involved, the eighth grade presented Carousel this year, and the fifth grade presented Disney’s Aladdin Jr. Many thanks to the Performing Arts Department and our parent volunteers.
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Non-Profit Org.
101 School Road Wilmington, DE 19803 www.wilmingtonfriends.org
U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1249 Wilmington, DE
Coming Events Thursday, May 12
PS/PreK Spring Concert K/First/Second Grade Concert
Saturday, May 14
WFS Spring Fling – ALL NEW!
Wednesday, May 18
Annual Fund Leadership Committee Thank You Reception
Thursday, May 26
Third/Fourth/Fifth Grade Concert
Saturday, June 4 Commencement
See inside for more about the WFS girls’ swim team, setting a new standard. Spring 2016 • QuakerMatters