departmentsspotlight

BU L L E T I N
SUMMER•1998
Volume 68
Number 4
SPOTLIGHT
Never Surrender .......................................................... 2
Varian Fry ’26 Rescues Intellectuals and Artists from Vichy France
By Julie Reiff
Collegium in China .................................................... 8
Taft’s Premier Singing Group Goes on Tour
Alumni Weekend ...................................................... 14
Coming Back from Near and Far
Commencement ....................................................... 20
Remarks by Susan Graham, Head of the Gunnery School
Annual Fund ............................................................. 26
New Facts, Figures, and Faces
DEPARTMENTS
Alumni in the News .................................................. 28
Citation of Merit, Alumni trustee, Saving Penn Station, Tennis
in St. Louis, Alumni author, Dinner in Florida, and more...
Around the Pond ...................................................... 33
Odden honored, New faculty chairs, DuBois Fellowship, Field
day, Visiting artists, Speaker series, NAALSA conference, Jazz
concert, Student awards, and more...
Sport ......................................................................... 40
By Steve Palmer
Endnote .................................................................... 44
By David Bartlett, Yale Divinity School
On the cover
Front: Lance Odden leads the Alumni Day parade with this year’s Citation of Merit
winner, Lee Klingenstein ’44, and his wife, Daney.
Back: Lacrosse coach Jol Everett and Chris Watson ’88 prepare for the Alumni vs.
Varsity contest in May.
The Taft Bulletin is published quarterly, in February, May, August, and November,
by The Taft School, 110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, CT 06795-2100 and is
distributed free of charge to alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of the school.
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(110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, CT 06795-2100). So let’s hear from you!
Visit Taft on the Web to find the latest news, sports schedules, or to locate a
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NEVER SUR
By Julie Reiff
E
“
ver since the Russian Revolution—in fact,
even before—France had been the haven
of Europe’s exiles. Whenever a change of
government in another land, or invasion by a foreign
power, had obliged men to flee for their lives, France
had opened her arms to them.”
—Varian Fry ’26, from the introduction
to his autobiography, Surrender on Demand
It was 1940, and France had fallen to
Hitler. The armistice decreed that France
must “surrender on demand” any German refugees wanted by the Gestapo.
France was also divided into occupied
and unoccupied regions, the unoccupied
zone being run by the Vichy French government in cooperation with the
Gestapo. And so what has been called the
largest manhunt in history began as thousands of politicals, artists, and
intellectuals from across Europe who had
fled Hitler’s regime sought refuge in the
South of France on their way—hopefully—to some place safer.
At age 32, a journalist named Varian
Fry took a one-month leave of absence
from his job as an editor at the Foreign
Policy Association to go to Marseilles
(with $3,000 taped to his leg) and
smuggle out two hundred of the most
famous intellectual refugees. By the time
he was done, over a year later, he had
helped over 1,200 men and women out
of France.
He did all this with little or no help
from the U.S. government, which was
still trying to stay out of the war and to
cooperate with the Vichy French government. The U.S. Consul in Marseilles
c Surrealist André Breton and wife, Jacqueline Lamba Breton, are shown here with Varian Fry
in his office at the American Relief Center as a legal cover for his secret operation.
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RENDER
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THE
EVENTS
1935
As a journalist, Varian Fry travels to
Berlin and witnesses the first pogroms
where Jews are dragged into the
street and beaten by Nazi storm troopers. France increasingly becomes
home to artists, writers, musicians,
scientists, educators, Jews, and antiNazis from across Europe.
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repeatedly warned Fry to leave France.
In response to a cable from the French
National Police, the U.S. State Department wrote, “This government cannot
countenance the activities reported of Dr.
Bohn [who was trying to help several
European labor leaders] and Mr. Fry and
other persons in their efforts in evading
the laws of countries with which the U.S
maintains friendly relations.” Under
those laws Marc Chagall and Hannah
Arendt might well have been sent to the
gas chambers.
And so Fry’s work went increasingly
underground. Where once he had tried
to obtain visas and exit permits legally,
“Reminiscent of Casablanca, forgeries, bribes,
smuggling routes through the mountains,
illegal ships on night missions to North Africa
now became part of the everyday life of this
Harvard classics major and son of a New York
stock broker.”
S
he soon undertook all means necessary
to help get much of the artistic and intellectual talent of a generation to safety.
Reminiscent of Casablanca, forgeries, bribes, smuggling routes through the
mountains, illegal ships on night missions
to North Africa now became part of the
everyday life of this Harvard classics major and son of a New York stock broker.
At first he knew nothing about underground work, having agreed to take on
the assignment only when the Emergency
Rescue Committee in New York could
find no one else. He quickly learned from
Bohn and others whose support he enlisted early on.
The refugees Fry worked with were
amazed that one man, an American,
would accept such a task by himself. They
throughout the unoccupied zone. “Word
had apparently spread,” Fry wrote,
“...that an American had arrived from
New York, like an angel from heaven,
with his pockets stuffed with money and
passports and a direct connection with
the State Department enabling him to
get any kind of visa at a moment’s notice.”
Fry was besieged with nearly two
thousand refugees, only a few of them
on his list. Each night he and his new
colleagues evaluated cases, deciding
which had merit and who was in most
need of help. But the need was too great.
He soon set up the Centre Américain de
Secours (American Relief Center), both
as a cover to their underground operations and to help some of the thousands
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JUNE 1940
Paris falls to the Nazis. The new Vichy
government in “unoccupied” France
signs an armistice that promises to “surrender on demand” every non-French
refugee wanted by the Gestapo.
AUGUST 1940
Varian Fry is sent to Marseilles by the
Emergency Rescue Committee.
FALL 1940
He moves to a villa outside town,
which becomes a temporary home for
several Surrealists.
DECEMBER 1940
Fry and his colleagues are imprisoned
on a boat in Marseilles harbor for
three days.
JANUARY 1941
“Fry was besieged with nearly two thousand
refugees, only a few of them on his list. Each
night he and his new colleagues evaluated
cases, deciding which had merit and who was
in most need of help.”
were surprised both by his idealism and
his naïveté. Fry wrote later in his autobiography that he took on the project out
of deep political conviction, gratitude for
the pleasure those artists’ work had given
him, and first-hand experience of Hitler’s
oppression.
As a young journalist he had traveled to Berlin in 1935 and witnessed the
first major pogrom against the Jews. He
saw elderly men knocked down and
kicked in the face, women dragged crying down the streets, and Jewish
businesses smashed while “Nazi toughs
chanted their terrible song: When Jewish blood spurts from the knife, Then
everything will be fine again!”
Within a week of setting up at the
Hôtel Splendide in Marseilles in 1940,
refugees began arriving in droves from
of refugees trapped in Marseilles. They
rented a storefront in town, feeling the
hotel was getting a little too public after
several Gestapo checked in.
Within a few months, the chaos that
followed the occupation gave way to even
stricter travel regulations. Even for those
refugees able to obtain visas to enter the
U.S. or some other country, French exit
permits became almost impossible to
obtain. Increased pressure from several
quarters for Fry to stop his work eventually led him to rent a house outside of
town where he could occasionally escape
the ceaseless demands on him.
The long-neglected villa quickly
earned the nickname “Château EspéreVisa, since half its inhabitants were
waiting for proper papers to leave the
country.” At any other time it would have
With increasing pressure from the
Vichy government, the U.S. Consulate
confiscates Fry’s passport until he is
willing to leave the country.
APRIL 1941
Marc Chagall is arrested, along with
other Jews staying in Marseilles hotels.
Fry intervenes, saying, “The whole world
would be shocked, Vichy would be
gravely embarrassed, and you would
probably be severely reprimanded.... If
he isn’t out in half an hour we’ll call up
the New York Times and give them the
news.” Chagall is released.
SEPTEMBER 1941
Fry is arrested. The reason: “Because
you have protected Jews and antiNazis.” He is forced to return to the
United States by the Vichy government and the U.S. State Department.
DECEMBER 1942
Fry writes an article in The New Republic entitled, “The Massacre of the Jews.”
1945
France is liberated, and Fry can safely
publish his book, Surrender on Demand, without endangering his former
colleagues still in Europe. It receives
critical acclaim but little public notice.
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The following is only a partial list of
those Fry and his confederates helped
to escape. Some are household
names, and all are evidence of one
man’s compassion and conviction to
follow through with a seemingly impossible task.
Hannah Arendt, political scientist
André Breton, artist
Marc Chagall, painter
Marcel Duchamp, artist
Max Ernst, painter
Lion Feuchtwanger, writer
Konrad Heiden, biographer of Hitler
Heinz Jolles, pianist
Edgar Alexander-Emmerich,
Catholic writer
Fritz Kahn, scientist and educator
Otto Klepper, former prime minister
of Prussia
Wanda Landowska, harpsichordist
Jacques Lipchitz, sculptor
Heinrich and Golo Mann
(Thomas Mann’s brother and son)
André Masson, artist
been idyllic, Fry wrote, but war rations,
lack of central heating, and police
searches detracted from its splendor. It
was clearly the company that more than
made up for any detriments.
Here, Fry was able to spend time with
some of our century’s great artistic talents
he was hoping to rescue. André Breton
and his family moved in and held reunions
of the Surrealist crowd on Sunday afternoons. Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold
and socialite Peggy Guggenheim stayed for
awhile, as did Max Ernst (who would later
become her husband).
Imprisoned once and brought in for
questioning several times, Fry was eventually forced to leave France. Authorities
refused to renew his passport until he was
ready to leave, and then escorted him to
In 1942, with information from his
recent contacts in France, he wrote
frightening accounts of the Nazi atrocities—slow starvations, human cattle
cars, gas chambers, death camps, mass
executions—accounts most people in
this country were still dismissing as exaggerated wartime propaganda. Again,
he pleaded for the U.S. to “offer asylum... to those few fortunate enough to
escape from the Aryan paradise.”
But his tenure at the magazine
didn’t last long. He resigned in 1945
because, wrote Alfred Kazin, “he could
not bear the lingering Popular Front
sentimentality about Stalin at The New
Republic.” Before the war he had been
an editor of The Living Age and Common Sense magazines. He was also the
“…Fry was able to spend time with some of
our century’s great artistic talents he was hoping
to rescue. André Breton and his family moved
in and held reunions of the Surrealist crowd
on Sunday afternoons. Chicago heiress Mary
Jayne Gold and socialite Peggy Guggenheim
stayed for awhile, as did Max Ernst (who would
later become her husband).”
Walter Mehring, writer
Otto Meyerhauf, Nobel physicist
Bernard Reder, sculptor
Bruno Strauss, art critic
Franz Werfel, writer
Others, such as André Gide and
André Malraux, refused to leave their
homes. Among those Fry did help
were professors, poets, journalists,
trade union leaders, economists,
musicians, artists, and intellectuals of
every sort. He worked with the British as well to help a number of their
trapped soldiers.
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the border. He used the opportunity to
check out escape routes and contacts in
Spain and Portugal first hand. But his
work for the committee was finally over.
• • •
Fry spent 13 months in France, longer
than he stayed at Taft. (He spent one semester here after an unhappy career at
Hotchkiss but wound up graduating
from Riverdale Country School in New
York.) Upon his return he got a job at
The New Republic.
author of War in China and other books
on political and economic problems
published as Headline Books by the
Foreign Policy Association.
The rest of his life was surprisingly
quiet. Max Frankel wrote in the New
York Times, “Fry lived on obscurely to
age 59 with the art, letters, and books
of his former clients but little of their
friendship.” He dabbled in a number
of other endeavors, including a small
motion picture company that made
mostly radio and television commercials. He remained active as a member
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“[Fry] was an American, and he gave us
the impression of something particularly
American: that confidence in man which
we, in Europe, had lost between two
world wars.... He represented the
‘Promise of America’ and, without
being delegated and sometimes
even in conflict with diplomatic
officials, he made himself a delegate
of the true spirit of his country.”
of the boards of directors for the American Civil Liberties Union and the
International League for the Rights of
Man. Shortly before his death he took
a job teaching high school Latin.
In 1967, he received the French
Croix du Chevalier de la Légion
d’honneur. In 1991, he was posthumously awarded the Eisenhower
Liberation Medal, and in 1996 he was
honored at Israel’s Yad Vashem as the
first American “Righteous Among Nations” (one of only three gentiles, along
with Schindler and Wallenberg).
Hans Sahl, who came to America
under the auspices of Fry’s committee,
remarked, “[Fry] was an American, and
he gave us the impression of something
particularly American: that confidence
in man which we, in Europe, had lost
between two world wars.... He represented the ‘Promise of America’ and,
without being delegated and sometimes
even in conflict with diplomatic officials, he made himself a delegate of the
true spirit of his country.” One of Fry’s
co-workers later wrote, “I should confess here that I and the other ‘Europeans’
on the committee occasionally criticized
him for being a ‘typical American,’ an
‘innocent abroad.’ But we had it all
wrong. That seeming innocence turned
out to be precisely
his strength. Had
he known from
the outset the
odds he was
up against, he
might never have
achieved what
he did.”
• • •
Va r i a n’ s
book, Surrender on
Demand,
has been reprinted by
Johnson Books with the United States
Holocaust Museum. Scholastic Inc. has
released Fry’s revised version for young
readers, Assignment: Rescue: An
Autobiography by Varian Fry. An exhibit, “Assignment: Rescue: The Story
of Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee,” was organized by the
United States Holocaust Museum in
Washington, DC, and traveled to the
Jewish Museum in New York City, and
the Field Museum in Chicago. A videocassette of the same name is also
available, narrated by Meryl Streep and
produced by Richard Kaplan.
FURTHER
READING
Assignment: Rescue:
An Autobiography by Varian Fry
Scholastic Inc.
Surrender on Demand
By Varian Fry ’26
Johnson Books
Taft Bulletin
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Collegium
in China
For eleven days during March break, 32 Taft singers performed in
schools, colleges, and universities throughout China. Beginning in
Hong Kong and moving on from there to Shanghai, Guangzhou
(Canton), and finally Beijing, the group peformed a “primarily
American program with a few twists.” They sang hymns, spirituals, classical pieces
including Howell’s “Magnificat,” a contemporary medley by Duke Ellington, and
songs of the sea, featuring faculty member Amy Bernon’s original composition,
“Where Sky Meets the Sea.” Director Bruce Fifer hopes to keep in contact with some
of the schools they visited; he was especially impressed with the conductor at the
Experimental Middle School in Guangzhou, whom he described as world class.
b At the Great Wall.
Front Row Left to Right: Bruce Fifer, Jason
Donahue ’00, Elson Liu; 2nd Row: Christof
Pfeiffer ’00, Emily Piacenza ’00, Winnie So ’99,
Amy Bernon, Shaun DePina ’99; 3rd Row:
Emily Garvan ’99, Nicole Dessibourg ’00,
Emily Smith ’00, Kelly Ohman ’00, Rachel
Brodie ’98, Zach Stanley ’99; 4th Row (standing): Bryan Moore ’00, Kate Parkin ’00, Ginger
Stevens ’99, Sara Lin ’99, Mariya Chhatriwala
’98, Mythri Jegathesan ’99, Danielle Perrin
’99; Behind Mariya and Mythri: Addie
Strumolo ’98, Molly Rosenman ’98; Back Row:
Nicole Robertson ’99, Zach Heineman ’99,
Eileen Fenn ’98, Stephen Sandvoss ’98, Andrew Bostrom ’99, Taylor Smith ’98, JR Young
’98, Ribby Goodfellow ’00, Abby Fifer.
This is the first Collegium tour under
the direction of Bruce Fifer, who came
to Taft last year. With the help of
Lance Odden, who has traveled extensively throughout China, Bruce
scouted out the possibilities of a tour
there. According to Bruce, “Taft parents were an invaluable asset in
planning the trip, and it is they who
finally made it happen.”
During their travels, the Collegium were hosted at New World
Hotels by Henry and Katherine Cheng,
parents of Adrian ’98, Sonia ’99, and
Brian ’01. The Chengs also hosted the
group for an evening of dinner and
karaoke on their yacht, Sonia, in Hong
Kong harbor and set up most of the
school concerts. Patricia Chow and
Lady Ivy Kwok Wu put together a
lovely luncheon for the group at a scenic revolving restaurant. Senior Rachel
Brodie’s parents, Maureen and William
Shenkman, hosted a dinner for the
group at Café Deco, overlooking Hong
Kong harbor.
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c Combined choirs
at the Guangzhou
Experimental Middle
School.
b Averie Wong ’01,
Serena Lam ’98, Nick
Kotewall ’01, Neville
Kotewall ’99, Karen
Kwok ’01, Winnie So
’99, Clayton Chen
’98, Rex Lo ’00,
Justin Mak ’98, and
Evan Chow ’00 with
mothers of Taft
students who joined
the group for lunch.
Many students called this “the trip
of a lifetime.” Between concerts and social gatherings came some unforgettable
sightseeing: the Great Wall, Tiananmen
Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace,
Ming Tombs, Chinese Opera, and
Beijing Acrobatic Show. With some upperclassmen of the group having
participated in Collegium’s earlier trip
to Australia, this group is becoming truly
“world class.”
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“We sang at the Guangzhou Experimental
Middle School and had the exciting chance
to listen to some of the most beautiful singing and instrument playing of all the
concerts we attended while on tour.”
—Ribby Goodfellow ’00
“The section of the Great Wall we visited
twisted up the side of a sizable mountain.
Those who reached the top first were extremely excited by the great view—so excited
in fact that they broke into a rousing chorus of ‘Oh Sing Joyfully’ by Benjamin
Britten, one of Collegium’s most highly acclaimed pieces.”
—Danielle Perrin ’99
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. At the Sun Yat
Sen Memorial in
Guangzhou.
m Collegium and the choir of Shanghai High School at Fudan.
. Taft chaperones Bruce Fifer, his daughter Abby Fifer, Amy Bernon, and Elson Liu.
“Tiananmen Square is almost exactly how
it looks on TV, except bigger. Almost one
million people packed into a single area. It
is difficult to imagine thousands of students
demonstrating here and hundreds being
killed because they asked for simple freedoms we take for granted.”
“Although we only ventured within
China for eleven days, we were absorbed
by the friendliness and hospitality of everyone we met. China has left an indelible
mark on the Collegium travelers’ hearts,
never to be erased.”
—Ribby Goodfellow
—Zach Heineman ’99
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m On the bus to the airport at 5 AM, the busy
itinerary takes its toll.
m Oriocos pose by the pagoda at Beijing Middle School: Andrew
Bostrom ’99, Adrian Cheng ’98, Bryan Moore ’00, Stephen Sandvoss
’98, Taylor Smith ’98, JR Young ’98, and Zach Heineman ’99.
m Bruce Fifer with
Katherine Cheng on the
Cheng’s yacht, Sonia.
“We perform our last concert at Middle
School #4 in Beijing, but, for me, the highlight is not our singing but other odd
moments. The Oriocos [those with dual
membership in Collegium] pose for a picture in the pagoda. Barefoot and ties in
pockets, five of Collegium’s finest hoopers
square off againt #4’s in a game of halfcourt pick-up ball.”
—Zach Heineman
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“At rehearsal today in the hotel restaurant,
the sea songs had a magical quality as the
kids sang looking out over the misty Hong
Kong harbor.”
—Amy Bernon, faculty
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c In front of the floating restaurant in Hong
Kong: Sara Lin ’99, Mythri Jegathesan ’99,
Ginger Stevens ’99, and Nicole Robertson ’99.
b At the final dinner
in Beijing, everyone
shows off the traditional Chinese attire
they’ve purchased.
Abby Fifer, Emily
Smith, Amy Bernon,
Bryan Moore ’00,
Rachel Brodie ’98,
Katie Parkin ’00, and
Eileen Fenn ’98.
Photography by
Elson Liu.
“I went with a friend to the harbor, which
our hotel overlooked. After seeing the neon
light glowing incessantly against the foggy
night sky and hearing the water slap against
the protective walls surrounding the building, we decided it was time to shop.”
“Along the way we heard hauntingly beautiful Chinese music, ate strange and exotic
fruits, and met strangers who felt like close
friends after an hour.”
—Amy Bernon
—Ribby Goodfellow
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ALUMNI WEEKEND
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50th Reunion Chairman Dave Fenton (holding sign), Harvey Zeve, and Directory Chairman Don Post ’48 lead
their class in the parade.
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m Members of the
Class of ’43: George
Parr, Dick Dirkes,
Woolly Bermingham, Sam Marsh,
Betsey Whittelsey,
Doug Demarest,
and Dawn Parr.
c Arnold Wolk,
Doug and Lois Purdy,
Al Jeandheur, and
Robert Keane ’48.
. The men of 1948.
ever has the sun
shined so well
nor so long for
returning alumni and
their families. From the
golf tournament on Friday afternoon to the fun
run on Sunday, hardly a
cloud came by to dampen
the festivities. This year,
Taft was honored again
to have her “old boys” and
“old girls” return from
around the world to visit
their alma mater. From
Hong Kong and New
Zealand, Germany and
England, Texas, California, and Connecticut,
you came back in the
spirit of reunion and
celebrated friendships
renewed and others
once-again sustained. You
were taken by the beauty
of the campus and the
talent of today’s students,
but mostly you enjoyed
yourselves in the fun of the
moment. Happy reunion
one and all!
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m Lois and Steve Ruskin ’47 visit with faculty emeritus Ed North.
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m Michael Sandifer ’68 (the eventual winner), Al Reiff ’80, and Mark Deschenes ’99
await the start of the fun run.
b Evie and Doug Cochrane ’35 with Allen
Hubbard ’33.
. Visitors enjoy a panel discussion of “Future Trends in Investments and Medicine.”
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m All the way from New Zealand, Bayard ’39 and Sylvia Sheldon
chat with Mike Tenny ’43, center.
b ’93 Classmates Ron Gonzales, Tyler Wigton, Henry Simonds,
Jim Stanton, and Liza Crowell at the barbecue on Saturday.
. Dan Searby ’53 with classmates Michael Brenner and Jim Ayer.
m Ed Barakauskas ’48 and Don Post ’48.
c The Alumni Lacrosse Team.
. Loretta and Claude Williams ’73.
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m Lance and Patsy Odden welcome the
Klingenstein family. From left, Al ’72,
Lance and Patsy, Lee ’44, Daney, Jo ’78,
and Paul ’74.
b The weather is perfect for a little al fresco
dining at the barbecue on Saturday night
at the Oddens’.
. Eric Mendelsohn ’88 catches up with
classmate Rachel Vickers, who flew in from
London for the reunion.
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m Cricket Laun, Orin
Lehman ’38, Joan
Rivers, and Louie
Laun ’38 at the luncheon on Saturday.
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m Janine Flohe ’88 returns to campus from
Germany, along with Alexander Francke,
for her 10th Reunion.
b The headmaster congratulates 50th Reunion Chairman Dave
Fenton. The Class of ’48 received the Snyder Award for the largest
dollar amount contributed by a reunion class.
. Dick Dirkes, center, leads his class in the parade.
. A future generation of Tafties tests the limits of gravity against helium.
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Commencement
By Susan Graham
I
n 1943, Albert Einstein received
a letter from the president of
Swarthmore asking him to be the
commencement speaker. He replied:
“Sincere thanks for your kind invitation. Regrettably, I must decline. I find
that I have nothing to say.” Two and a
half years later, after the United States
had dropped two atom bombs, the
president of Swarthmore received a
letter from Albert Einstein. It read, “I
write to inquire if the invitation to
speak at commencement is still open.
It seems as if I have quite a lot to say.”
Although I was at first tentative about
accepting the honor to address the
Class of ’98, I, too, find that I now
have a lot to say.
108th Commencement Awards
The William and Lee Abramowitz Award for Teaching
Excellence at the Taft School
A teacher who has made the subject matter come alive
and thereby induced enthusiasm and a love of learning
among her students.
Robin Osborn
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The Aurelian Award
The 1908 Medal
For sterling character, high
scholarship, and forceful
leadership.
The senior whose influence
has done most for the
school.
Adaline Rose Strumolo
Devin Brooke Weisleder
The Heminway Merriman
Award
The seniors whose gentle
concern for others best
reflects qualities of Junie
Merriman ’30.
Ernest Obeng Kwarteng
Jonathan Knight Wood
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Susan and Daniel Christman with
Catherine ’98
Penelope Eaves, Christian ’98, Peter ’95,
and Lasse Becker
We are gathered here this morning to
honor the transformation of young lives
and to salute them as their grand odyssey begins—gathered here together in
this extraordinary place—the place now,
to borrow a metaphor from Shel
Silverstein, “where the sidewalk ends.”
And there the grass grows soft and light
And there the sun shines crimson bright
And there the moonbird rests from flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.”
(Shel Silverstein)
“There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins
As Taft graduates you are bound by much
more than a place, though. You are bound
by a powerful legacy, a legacy informed
by three common values which stand as
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The Class of ’98 enjoys perfect weather that
day in the Centennial Quadrangle.
tight compass for what lies beyond the
sidewalk’s end.
New Chaplain Michael Spencer watches seniors process into the quadrangle in his first
graduation at Taft.
The Berkley Matthews
Award
Young women whose
gentle concern for others
best reflects qualities of
Berkley Matthews ’96.
Alison McCann Coope
Melanie Adrienne Royster
The Class of 1981 Award
For most overall improvement during his or her
years at Taft.
Rachel Dawn Brodie
The Joseph I. Cunningham
Award
The seniors who have
worked selflessly for the
betterment of the Taft
community.
First, COMMUNITY. Above all else Taft
is a model of an almost ideal academic
community, prizing intellectual adventure. Your success or failure in college will
depend on whether you build on this and
continue to learn as much as possible,
honing the skills of analysis and assessment while sustaining the capacity for
creativity. Fencing masters instruct their
students to grip the sword as you would
a sparrow. If you hold it too tightly, it
cannot breathe. If you hold it too loosely,
it will fly away. Good thinking bears analogy to the fencer’s grip. It combines
control with freedom.
The 21st century will be no time for
mediocrity or tentativeness. By 2002, the
The Maurice Pollak Award
The Roberts Scholarship
$1000 aid to a deserving
member of the graduating
class.
$1000 aid to a deserving
member of the graduating
class.
Eileen Elizabeth Fenn
Sarah Mirium Akhtar
Courtney Christensen Camp
Timothy Babson Kirkpatrick
Taft Bulletin
21
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Class speaker Courtney Camp received the
Joseph I. Cunningham Award.
year most of you will graduate from college, the rate of change will challenge
even the most able thinker. To survive
you’ll need:
• To be quick. The digital convergence
has revolutionized technology, creating
10,000 times more bandwidth capacity. Warp speed sets the pace.
• To be clear. The complexity of the
modern world begs for order, clarity,
sequence. Truth must be separated
from technology.
• To get beyond your borders. As citizens of the world and future members
of transnational companies, fluency
across cultures will be your greatest ally.
• To be resilient. The accelerating
change which is upon us demands
bounce and endurance.
Valedictorian
Matthew Gabriel Allessio
Salutatorian
Mariya Khuzem Chhatriwala
22
Summer 1998
Chloe, Renee ’92, JR ’98, Laura ’94, and
Mark Young
Rod ’62, Roddy ’97, Clay ’98, and Alice
Moorhead
Taft is also a model of an experiential
community, dedicated to the education
of the whole human being. Learning here
never stops at 3 PM. And it’s the late-night
lessons which often demand the most.
The lessons about honor, tolerance, justice. The lessons gleaned from conflict,
managed dynamically as part of the educational process.
And Taft is a model of global community, offering both context and
content to your understanding of rapidly
changing, increasingly complex world
and fragmented world.
There’s a troubling transience and isolation in this world today. The value of
community has diminished, and the communication it once fostered—the
one-on-one, person-to-person discourse—
has fallen short, despite all of the promised
technological enhancements. The news is
full of glaring examples every day.
Addie Strumolo is given the Aurelian Award for outstanding scholarship and leadership.
Cum Laude Society
October Inductees: Matthew Allessio, Timothy Carter,
Daniel Chak, Adrian Cheng, Mariya Chhatriwala,
Anthony Guerrera, Johannes Haushofer, Byung Huh,
Elizabeth Macaulay, Michelle O’Brien, Joseph Petrucelli,
Stephen Sandvoss, Adaline Strumolo, James Robert
Young, and Jonathan Wood. June Inductees: Georgie
Grace, Wayne Lai, Jane Li, Katherine Penberthy, Taylor
Smith, Warangkhana Songsungthong, Carolyn Starrett,
Benjamin Steele, Prapun Suksompong, Chad Valerio,
and Anna Wilkens
The Sherman Cawley Award
The Bourne Medal in History
Excellence in English
scholarship.
In honor of Edward
Gaylord Bourne, roommate
of Horace Dutton Taft at
Yale College in 1883.
Stephen James Sandvoss
The David Kenyon
Webster ’40 Prize
Excellence in Writing.
Georgie Grace
Matthew Gabriel Allessio
Elizabeth Rodger Macaulay
S
Dads and Grads: Alumni fathers and their soon-to-be graduates at the Friday dinner
Kip Kinkle, a child in the margins
whose anger exploded in the horrifying
murder of family and friends. Obviously,
he lost the ability to communicate. Or
maybe nobody was listening. India’s—
and then Pakistan’s—stunning decision
to detonate nuclear bombs. Some pundits propose that India needed to be
heard, needed to grab attention and to
weigh in as a bold nation with a role in
the international conversation.
Indonesia’s recent riots led primarily by
students frustrated with an autocratic and
arbitrary president, who for too long
didn’t listen to the people. And the disconnection last week of 40 million
Americans from their satellite pagers,
wreaking havoc on households, businesses, and hospitals.
Listen to your friends and your parents—and always listen to your enemies.
Tell them what you think, and why you
think it. I believe that Carol Gilligan is
right that all morality begins in attachment, that the most important
benchmarks of your lives will be those that
measure your relationships with others.
As you move into a world inextricably bound through technology but
surprisingly out of touch, the Taft com-
The Daniel Higgins Fenton
Classics Award
Elizabeth Rodger Macaulay
The John S. Noyes
French Prize
Katharine Wiley Sands
The German Prize
Timothy Wild Carter
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From Left, Cliffe and David Killam ’70,
Clay and Rod Moorhead ’62, Victoria and
Spike Hasler ’59, Peter and Harry Scott
’62, Ross and Bruce Gammill ’64, Chris
and Tom Castle ’70, Addie and Tom
Strumolo ’70, Laura and Eduardo Mestre
’66, Paul and Paul Cowie ’66, Scott and
Jonathan Britell ’62, Christina and Greg
Oneglia ’65, Katharine and Ted Sands
’65, Jonathan and Rick Wood ’72. Not
pictured are Taylor and CD Smith ’60.
Steve Schieffelin presents the Sherman Cawley Award to Georgie Grace.
munity will serve as an alternative
model—a model of compassion, justice,
and hope for the future. Robert Bellah
writes in Habits of the Heart that “the
virtues of friendship” are not merely private; they are public, even political, for
a civic order is above all a network of
friends. Treasure this community. As
Yeats said, “Think where man’s glory
most begins and ends, and say your
glory was you had such friends.”
COMMITMENT is the second value—
the second directional marker. Taft has
demanded commitment and you’ve delivered. But commitment alone can be
bleak. My hope for you all is not only
that you commit yourself to things that
matter but that you go for broke. Enthusiasm literally means “to be inspired,
to be possessed by a god.” And when
enthusiasm accelerates into PASSION it
mimics the divine.
The Spanish Prize
Lauren Elena Mestre
The Mathematics Prize
Anthony Guerrera
The Chemistry Prize
Anthony Guerrera
The Bill Waldron
Memorial Prize
The Chinese Prize
Stephen James Sandvoss
Computer Science Prize
Daniel Chak
The Physics Prize
Prapun Suksompong
The individual who has
contributed most to the
technical aspects of drama.
The Japanese Prize
Adrian Chi Kong Cheng
The Alvin I. Reiff
Biology Prize
Warangkana
Songsungthong
Theater Award
Damon Paul Cortesi
Scott Peter Britell
Taft Bulletin
23
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Headmaster Lance Odden congratulates
Valedictorian Matt Allessio.
No greater model for this exists than
your headmaster, Lance Odden. His passion
to create a school which is a model of what
all good schools should be has literally trans-
Susie, Julia ’01, Sarah ’98, and Jim Graham
Alex ’98, William, Carol, David, Will, and
Christopher Browne
formed Taft into one of this country’s preeminent independent schools. Without
question, the greatness of this institution lies
in the lengthening shadow of one man and
is a tribute to his passionate commitment.
It is with a continuing salute that I consider
him my most valued mentor.
As Neil Simon said at Williams
many springs ago, “Passion is the
superbowl of enthusiasm. To have passion for life is not only to wake up in the
morning and hear the birds singing, but
it’s taking the time to open the window
to see where they’re perched. That’s one
of the side effects of passion; you pay attention to the details, and it’s the details
that determine the quality of life.”
Commitment and its companion piece,
passion, take courage, and success in life is
proportional to courage. Take a chance, entertain risk—and failure. Think back on your
experiences here at Taft. I suspect that for
many of you it was the triumphs in the areas
you were initially afraid of that, in the end,
have meant the most.
Don’t be afraid of failure—but don’t
be afraid of success. We actually suffer from
a national ambivalence about success. Even
Cully Platt receives the Non Ut Sibi Award from Volunteer Program
director Baba Frew.
Mark Potter Award in Art
Excellence in studio art.
Lindsey Marie MacDonald
Abramowitz Award winner Robin Osborn with Dean of Faculty
Linda Saarnijoki.
Thomas Sabin Chase
Award in Art
The Dance Award
Alison Morgan Hanger
Significant perception,
originality, and developing
talent.
George H. Morgan Award
Daniel Anthony McArdle
Melanie Adrienne Royster
Contribution to the
success, effectiveness, and
well-being of Taft singing
organizations.
Adaline Rose Strumolo
24
Summer 1998
The P.T. Young Music Award
Contribution through
leadership, personal
achievement, and
dedication to music at Taft.
Timothy Wild Carter
The David Edward
Goldberg Memorial Award
For outstanding independent work.
Melanie Adrienne Royster
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Henry, Adrian ’98, and Katherine Cheng
Gillian, Laura ’98, Christina, Eduardo
Mestre ’66, and Edward
education generally asks too little of students. Checkout counter journalism and
talk TV flourish, highlighting failure, mediocrity, indiscretion and moral relativism.
Shortcomings, not achievement, feed the
leviathan of popular culture.
Many of you have probably been reading about the baseball player, Mike Piazza.
His is an all-American success story of the
first degree. This guy came out of nowhere.
He was picked up in the 62nd round in the
June ’88 free agent draft—the 1,390th player
chosen. Needless to say, his fortunes have
changed. “When I began in ball,” Piazza said,
“my father gave me two pieces of advice. One
was don’t be afraid to fail. The other was
don’t be afraid to succeed. Some people are
just happy to be in the middle of the road. I
wanted to give 110 percent and not to have
to look in the mirror years later and have
regrets that I could have given more.”
there on my desk was a framed copy. I
believe it’s attributed to Coolidge:
“Press on. Nothing in the world can
take the place of persistence. Talent will
not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will
not; unrewarded genius is legend. Education alone will not; the world is full of Headmonitor Devin Weisleder gets ready
to set the cornerstone for the Class of ’98.
educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
So here we are at the edge—at the place where the sidewalk ends, values intact,
path ahead.
The third big sign at the curve in the road
reads “PERSISTENCE.” The first headmaster to hire me had a quote hanging
in his office—a quote which I remember reading as I sat nervously trying to
convince him of my worth as a young
English teacher. When I walked into my
office at The Gunnery for the first time,
“Non Ut Sibi” Award
For service and work
outside of Taft which best
exemplifies the school’s
motto.
Thomas Collier Platt IV
Now— “It’s time to leave this school where the wind blows green
And the dark path winds and bends
Past the Jig and the Wu where the new trees grow.
You shall walk a walk that is measured and slow
And watch where the chalk white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes, you’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow
And you’ll go where the chalk white arrows go.
For the children, they mark, and the children they know
This place where the sidewalk ends.” (Adapted from Shel Silverstein)
Welcome to the world beyond the sidewalk—the world which so needs and waits
for you.
Susan Graham is head of school at The Gunnery. She has three children, including Sarah
’98 and Julia ’01.
Marion Hole Makepeace
Award
Lawrence Hunter Stone
Award
Senior Athletic Awards
The girl who has contributed most to Taft athletics.
The person who has
contributed most to boys’
athletics.
Besnard, Camp, Coope, Coppola, Costanzo, Fenn,
Fields, Hills, Johnson, Kawecki, Kozel, Leibowitz,
Macaulay, Merck, Oneglia, B. Otto, S. Otto, Pettit,
Ramich, Skovran, Starrett, Stover, Strumolo, Swiderski
Adaline Rose Strumolo
Christopher Steven Fields
For six or more varsity letters.
Taft Bulletin
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1997-98
Taft Annual Fund Report
Snyder Award
Largest amount contributed by a
reunion class
David W. Fenton ’48
$162,730
Chairman of the
Board of Trustees Award
Highest percent participation from a
class less than 50 years out
George M. Hampton, Jr. ’60
86%
Class of 1920 Award
Greatest increase in support from a
non-reunion class
Henry G. Brauer ’74
$25,239
McCabe Award
Largest amount contributed by a
non-reunion class
Henry G. Brauer ’74
$86,124
Young Alumni Dollars Award
Largest amount contributed from a
class less than 10 years out
J. Kingman Gordon ’88
$15,543
Young Alumni Participation Award
Highest participation from a class
less than 10 years out
Daniel D. Trombly ’97
64%
26
Summer 1998
R
aising $2.1 million in Annual Fund gifts is a singular accomplishment.
To exceed that milestone by 10 percent during a $100 million capital
campaign speaks to the extraordinary generosity and commitment of the
Taft family. I am deeply grateful to Taft’s alumni/ae, parents, parents of graduates,
grandparents, and friends for their tremendous dedication in sustaining the
first-rate education that our school provides. Thank you for your wonderful loyalty.
Alumni/ae support topped $1.2 million, and alumni participation was 42 percent.
Reunion classes made a critical difference by raising $402,519—20 percent of the alumni
total. Dave Fenton, class agent for the 50th Reunion Class of ’48, raised $162,730 in total
commitments and won The Snyder Award, presented to that reunion class agent whose class
contributed the most dollars to the Annual Fund. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Award, presented to that class, less than 50 years out, with the highest percent participation
was awarded for the third consecutive year to George Hampton, and the Class of 1960, for
hitting 86 percent participation. I would also like to acknowledge Woolly Bermingham,
Ross Legler, and the Class of ’43 and Rib Hall, Class of ’33, as perennial leaders in alumni
participation for all classes with 90 percent and 96 percent participation, respectively.
Taft’s current parents, led by Toni and Chuck Peebler, parents of Todd ’99, continue
to respond to their children’s school in extraordinary fashion. By raising $818,061 with
94 percent participation, our current parents have broken last year’s record and have once
again sent a clear message that they strongly endorse the work of Headmaster Lance
Odden and his faculty. What a magnificent way to show that support!
The generosity of Taft’s alumni and current parents is remarkable. However, without our
parents of graduates and grandparents, the Annual Fund goal would not have been met. For
the fourth consecutive year, that group raised over $200,000—10 percent of all Annual Fund
gifts—and the 332 donors deserve special recognition for their terrific response.
If you have visited Taft recently, then you have seen your contributions at work.
Every single Annual Fund dollar supports a dedicated faculty who provide excellence in
education to a talented, diverse student body. A strong Annual Fund ensures that our
school will continue the mission of Horace Taft to “educate the whole person.” On behalf
of the Taft Board of Trustees, I thank you for making that goal possible.
Thank you.
Geoffrey W. Levy ’65
Annual Fund Chair
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Faces of the Annual Fund
Joyce Romano ’92, Assistant
Director of the Annual Fund
Paula Murphy, Parents’ Fund
Coordinator
Ann Ruegg, Gifts Officer
Sally Membrino, Alumni Records
Olivia Tuttle, Annual Fund Director
Olivia Tuttle
As of July 1, Olivia Tuttle will be the new
director of the Annual Fund, replacing
Bob Campbell ’76. After eight years in
the Alumni Office, Bob is joining the
Dean of Students’ Office to work with
Rusty Davis. Olivia came to Taft in 1994
as director of alumni relations. For the
last few years, she has been working on
The Campaign for Taft, running regional
dinners and working with the headmaster as he solicited alumni and parents.
With the highly successful campaign
as a training ground, she looks forward to
tackling the challenges of the Annual
Fund. She is excited about meeting as
many class agents as possible and working with them, trying to involve more of
their classmates and to increase class participation in the Annual Fund. Olivia
plans to hold receptions around the country where alumni can meet and learn more
about the great changes that have occurred
at the school. She is the mother of Spencer Tuttle ’98 and Beecher Tuttle ’00.
Joyce Romano ’92
Joyce Romano ’92 is the assistant director
of the Annual Fund. Her job entails processing all gifts of securities and preparing
and distributing fundraising assignments to
250 volunteers. She will work with Olivia
trying to increase alumni participation by
focusing on the younger classes.
has worked in the Development Office for
17 years and is the mother of Roger
Ostrander ’87 and Amy Ostrander ’89.
Ann Ruegg
Ann Ruegg is in charge of processing all gifts
to the Annual Fund and The Campaign for
Taft. She has been at Taft for 18 years.
Paula Murphy
Sally Membrino
Paula Murphy coordinates the Parents’ Fund.
Under her guidance, the fund has consistently
raised gifts from 94 percent of the constituency, leading all other secondary schools. Paula
Sally Membrino handles all name and address changes for the entire Taft constituency,
a body consisting of over 13,000 members.
She has been at Taft for 10 years.
Taft Bulletin
27
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
Alumni
IN THE NEWS
Jim Taylor ’40
named to
Aviation Week
Laureates’
Hall of Fame
Citation of Merit
Lee Paul Klingenstein ’44
The Taft School praises one of her finest
for a life well-fashioned from the spirit
of her very motto: non ut sibi ministretur
sed ut ministret. You have fully taken to
heart and nobly answered Horace Taft’s
charge to his students to get out of themselves, to work for others, to go into
things and make them work.
For selfless service to the idea that
the trail to growth passes through rigor
and challenge, you have earned Outward
Bound’s highest acclaim, the Kurt Hahn
28
Summer 1998
Award. Taft friend and trustee exemplar,
you have served your school with distinction over four decades. Steward of
resources, tireless worker, wise counselor,
always you have put into practice your
personal credo that commitment is key
and overcommitment to the things which
matter is crucial.
All that you have done for others
you have done with consummate skill,
deep personal regard, loving devotion,
and your trademark good humor and
James B. Taylor was named to Aviation Week Laureates’ Hall of Fame,
which honors individuals whose careers epitomize the values of the
global aerospace industry. Jim was
cited for his “leadership, honesty, integrity, dedication, and his ability to
put together great teams.”
An executive in the commercial
aircraft industry, he was CEO of
Canadair and Gates-Learjet Corporation, and for the past six years has
been an advisor to VisionAire. As a
“Laurel Legend,” he joins eight other
aeronautical giants, including Igor
Sikorsky. The Carrier Test Pilot Hall
of Honor, aboard the USS Yorktown
in Charleston, SC, is named after
Jim’s father, a Navy test pilot.
twinkle in the eye. All that you have
done has brought great honor to your
alma mater. It is therefore with great affection and appreciation that we confer
upon you Taft’s highest award, the
Alumni Citation of Merit.
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
Albert ’79 Elected Alumni Trustee
During his four years at
Taft, Jonathan was an
honor roll student, lettered in wresting for four
years, and was co-captain
his senior year. He was a
member of the photography staff of The Annual
and The Papyrus and
graduated cum laude. He
graduated magna cum
laude from Amherst College in 1983 with a BA in
international relations. In
1986, while working full
time in New York City,
Jonathan attended The
Wharton School’s executive MBA program and earned his degree in 1987.
Jonathan is currently a director and officer of Albert Brothers,
a fourth-generation family-owned metal recycling business that was
started in 1895. Since 1992, he has spearheaded a diversification
program into real estate acquisitions and food and beverage operations. He is the chairman of Fusion Enterprises, which owns
exclusive rights for Burger King in Hungary and the Czech and
Slovak Republics. Recently, he formed Jump Higher with NBA star
Michael Jordan to develop, license, and operate Michael Jordan restaurants nationally and internationally. He is president of
Cornerstone Management, which supplies management and consulting services to companies such as Hyatt Hotels, Suissotel, and
Designation Hotels and Resorts. Prior to joining his family business, Jonathan was a managing director and partner at Dean Witter
Realty, responsible for the acquisition and development of hotels,
parking garages, and high-rise residential projects.
Jonathan is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization
and a member of the Board of Directors of AAMCO Transmissions. He is a member of the UJA National Young Leadership
Cabinet, a trustee of his local Jewish Federation, chairman of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Waterbury and Northwest
Connecticut’s endowment fund, a member of the King David Society, and a board member of a newly-formed local synagogue. He
has assisted in fund raising at Amherst and was on the committee
for the Watertown Area Campaign For Taft.
Jonathan lives in Middlebury, CT, with his wife Rachel, and two
children, Sarah and Jake. He enjoys relaxing with his family, skiing,
traveling, and photography.
Phil Howard ’66 works
to save Penn Station
As a student at Taft, Phil Howard remembers the
train ride from the hills of Kentucky to arrive at New
York’s Penn Station, that was already in the process
of being demolished. “I was dragging a trunk,” he
told The New York Times, “and I remember the chaos
of being in a building that was obviously grand, and
that for some reason was being torn down all around
me. I knew that something bad was happening.”
He may have been powerless then to stop the
destruction of Penn Station, but as a best-selling
author and influential New York lawyer, he has
joined forces with the Municipal Art Society, as
chairman, to help bring it back.
The Municipal Art Society, which led the fight
for the Landmark Preservation Law and later saved
Grand Central Station, has brought forth plans to
turn the General Post Office, which stretches from
Eighth Avenue to Ninth, into a new Penn Station.
The neoclassical building was designed by McKim,
Mead & White, as was the original Penn Station.
Under the new plans, the station would have a
ticketing hall and a seating concourse each the size
of Grand Central’s. But support for the plan is not
unanimous. Several city, state, and federal agencies
have worked together to create their own plans, and
many of the original proponents of the idea favor a
more modest plan than that drawn up by the Municipal Art Society. The Post Office has only agreed
to give up one fifth of the building, so far.
Source: The New York Times
Lawyer and best-selling author Phil Howard
’66 has turned his energies to saving New
York’s Penn Station.
29
Frank Thompson ’35 Establishes Tennis Center
Jim Driscoll ’96
Takes Major Golf
Tournament
UVA coach Mike Moraghan is calling Jim Driscoll “one of the finest
collegiate golfers in the country.” No
surprise when Jim, a sophomore, “put
up some numbers in Las Vegas that
were quite impressive, even in a town
that is not easily overwhelmed.” In
March, he won the prestigious Golf
Digest Collegiate Tournament, finishing 9 under to win by one shot.
His final round of 64 put him 7 under par on a day when only three of
the 73 players broke 70.
“It was the strongest play of any
tournament until the NCAAs,” said
Moraghan, “and it’s probably the best
stroke-play tournament for him since he
won the New England Amateur in
1995.” The Las Vegas tournament put
Jim on a national stage. Moraghan called
this UVA’s biggest win in nine years.
Frank Thompson is proud that St. Louis has produced so many tennis champions
and has spearheaded the construction of the Thompson Tennis Center (in memory
of his father) and St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame to spread the word.
So far 28 St. Louis players have been named to the Hall of Fame, including
Jimmy Connors and the late Arthur Ashe. Frank has enlarged and framed a number
of photographs from his own collection, which looks at fashion and personalities of
the sport back to 1885, for the center.
Frank earned a few trophies himself, including six national senior doubles championships and only gave up playing at 78 after bypass surgery. He won his first
national championship in 1960 and continues to supervise training for about 100
players each summer in the Youth Foundation Tennis Center, which he founded in
1966. He is also a director of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI.
Source: Marianna Riley, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Photo: Wayne Crosslin, Post-Dispatch
Sources: Ron Balicki, Golfweek; Jim
McCabe, Boston Globe
Photo: Boston Globe Staff Photo
Jake Fay ’96 NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year
A sophomore at Wesleyan University, Jake
Fay received the school’s Bacon Award as
the team’s most valuable player as well as
the New England Small College Athletic
Conference [NESCAC] Offensive Player
of the Year award. Jake was the starting
quarterback in seven out of eight contests,
missing one start due to an ankle injury.
Connecting on 113 of 211 attempts
30
Summer 1998
(53.6 percent) for an individual seasonal
team-record 1,906 yards, he tossed 14 touchdown passes while being intercepted just four
times. He was named NESCAC offensive
player of the week three times during the
year and was chosen for the Eastern College
Athletic Conference [ECAC] New England
Division II weekly honor roll once.
With his 147.5 passing efficiency ra-
tio, Jake finished 17th in the country among
NCAA Division II players and first among
New England quarterbacks. His rating was
the 11th highest ever recorded by a New
England Division III player. His 1,799 yards
of total offense also represented a Wesleyan
team record. The Cardinals posted a 7-1
record for the season, the squad’s strongest
showing since going 8-0 in 1969.
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
Defining
Success with
Disabilities
A very trusting A.J. Mleczko ’93 does a little show-and-tell with her gold medal.
Getting a Good Look at the Gold
Taft students got a good look at an Olympic gold medal when A.J. Mleczko ’93
[Spring 1998 issue] came to Taft this spring. After her victory in Japan with the
US women’s ice hockey team, A.J., like her fellow teammates, took time to
speak around the country about their unforgettable experience.
While at Taft, she gave a morning meeting talk, and spoke with students
afterward about hockey, the Olympics, (whether or not she really sleeps with
the medal), and what her plans might be for the future. She told how it was at
Taft that she first learned women’s ice hockey would be an Olympic sport in
1998 and began to think about that as her goal.
She downplayed her own sacrifices to make it to the Olympics, highlighting instead what other members of her team gave up and how much those risks
and the intense preparation paid off. “What is so inspiring,” said her former
coach Patsy Odden, “is that AJ is not necessarily the most gifted hockey player
to come through this school. She took the talent she had and with incredible
commitment and drive, became a world-class player.” A.J. is continuing her
studies at Harvard this fall.
John Dunham ’59 Reaches 300th
Win at Trinity
Trinity College’s Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach John Dunham won his
300th career game this past winter. The championship game victory over
Amherst College in the Ben McCabe tournament brought his career record
at Trinity to 300-214-18. Under his direction, the Bantams have had twelve
play-off appearances and four ECAC North/South Championships. The
men’s ice hockey team finished 11-11-2 and lost in the first round of the
ECAC East Tournament, 3-1 at UCONN.
Henry Reiff ’71 and two colleagues recently published
Dr. Henry
Exceeding Expectations: Reiff ’71,
Successful Adults with co-author of
Learning Disabilities. To Exceeding
write the book they inter- Expectations.
viewed 71 people who
overcame learning disabilities to excel in
their careers of choice. Among the subjects there are a paleontologist, a
biomedical engineer, a corporate executive, a psychologist, and more than one
professor. Twenty-nine hold doctorates.
In the process of their interviews
Henry and his co-authors learned that
perseverance was the key to success for
many, but that adaptability and “learned
creativity” allowed them to perform well
when they had difficulty with the usual
methods. “They learned to develop various systems,” he writes, “that played up
their strengths.... They learned that there
were many ways to solve most problems,
and that their idiosyncratic method was
equal to anyone else’s approach. They did
not just cope—they creatively excelled!”
While the book is thorough enough
for people in the field, it is also accessible to the average reader. The interviews
themselves and anecdotal information
throughout are interesting and often poignant, particularly when interviewees
talk about growing up with learning disabilities and the challenges they faced.
Henry is associate dean of academic
affairs and professor of special education
at Western Maryland College. He is also
the author, with Paul Gerber, of Speaking for Themselves: Ethnographic
Interviews with Adults with Learning Disabilities (1991); and Learning Disabilities
in Adulthood: Persisting Problems and
Evolving Issues (1994).
Taft Bulletin
31
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
Florida Dinner
During Spring Break, Lance and Patsy
Odden joined seventy alumni, parents, and
friends for dinner at the Riomar Country Club in Vero Beach.
Hosted by Sis and Del Ladd ’44, GP ’99, the elegant dinner
gave the headmaster an opportunity to discuss The Campaign
for Taft and to comment on the architectural changes that have
occurred to the campus in the last few years. Patsy Odden also
gave a fascinating account of her trip to the Olympic Games in
Nagano, where she cheered on her former player A.J. Mleczko
’93, as the women’s ice hockey team won the gold medal.
Many thanks to the dinner committee, headed by Sis and
Del Ladd: Linda and Nobby Holmes ’57; Ann and Allen
Hubbard ’33, P ’59; Noreen and Van Midgley ’40, P ’66;
Marilyn and Bob Smith ’48; Heidi and Bob Stott ’48; Carolyn
and Bill Stutt P ’86; Fran and Bud Travis ’39; Thea and Harry
Walker ’40, P ’74; and Nancy and Chic Young ’35.
Nobby Holmes ’57, Linda Holmes, and Chris Davenport ’56.
Ann and Allen Hubbard ’33, P ’59 with Jean McLeod GP ’91, center.
Sis Ladd GP ’99 and Bill Hatch ’48.
Judy Prosser P ’93, David Culbertson GP ’01, Bob Prosser P ’93,
Helen Culbertson GP ’01, Marilyn and Bob Smith ’48.
Roy Cheney ’40, P ’69; Geg Buttenheim ’40, P ’73, ’77, and Peg
and Jim Taylor ’40, P ’67.
32
Summer 1998
AROUND THE POND
pond
Odden Doubly Honored
Headmaster Odden was twice honored
in May. First, he received Princeton
Country Day School’s highest alumni
award. The award is given for excellence
in one’s chosen field and for service to
community. In addition to his 26-year
headmastership of Taft, Lance [PCD ’54]
was recognized for his broader leadership
in education, including his work as a
trustee of six other schools, as a member
of the Executive Board of Governors of
the National Association of Independent
Schools, trustee of the Mattatuck Museum, former chairman of the board and
member of the Executive Commitee of
A Better Chance, and as past president
of the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges, the Headmasters’
Association, and the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools.
Lance was similarly honored by
Hamilton College, where he was named
doctor of humane letters. A graduate of
Phillips Academy and Princeton University, Lance received his master’s from the
University of Wisconsin in 1967. He was
named headmaster of Taft in 1972 at the
age of 33, making him the youngest
headmaster of any New England boarding school. Under his leadership, the
school’s endowment has grown from less
than $2 million to over $90 million, and
$40 million of new construction has
completely renovated our campus.
Lance Odden receives an honorary degree at Hamilton College’s commencement
exercises in May.
Taft Bulletin
33
AROUND THE POND
New Faculty Chairs Established
The Holcombe T. Green Chair of
English, established in 1998 by
Holcombe T. Green, Jr. ’57, is awarded
to an outstanding member of the English
Department. Debbie Phipps will hold
this chair.
The John B. Small Chair, established
through the bequest of John B. Small,
Taft master from 1951 to 1987, and
through the support of his students and
friends, is awarded to a member of the
faculty whose devotion and inspiration
challenge students to find and appreciate their unique strengths. Steve Palmer
will hold this chair.
New chair holders Steve Palmer, Debbie Phipps, Willy MacMullen ’78, Yen Liu, and Bruce Fifer.
Willy MacMullen now holds The Edwin
C. Douglas Chair with the retirement
of former chair holder Don Oscarson ’47
from teaching. Oscie continues his work
with student services at Taft.
Four new faculty chairs have been created at Taft thanks to the generosity of alumni,
parents, and other friends of the school.
The Harold and Elizabeth Marvin Chair,
established in 1996 through the bequest
of Dr. Harold Marvin and the generosity
of his son, John T. Marvin, Class of 1946,
is awarded to an outstanding member of
Taft’s Music Department. Bruce Fifer is
the first recipient of the chair.
The Kathryn Wasserman Davis Chair
of Distinguished Teaching, established
in 1998 by Gale and Shelby M. C. Davis
in honor of his mother Kathryn
Wasserman Davis, grandmother of Lansing A. Davis ’97, supports the study of
East Asian language and history in recognition of the essential role that Chinese
culture and economic vitality play in international affairs. Yen Liu is the first
recipient of this chair.
34
Summer 1998
Traveling Exhibit of the Connecticut
Women’s Hall of Fame
The Taft Library hosted the Traveling Exhibit of the Connecticut Women’s Hall
of Fame during the month of April. The mission of the Hall of Fame is “to honor
and give formal public recognition to Connecticut women, past and present, who
have ‘broken new ground’ or have emerged as leaders in their fields of endeavor.”
The exhibit consists of 54 pieces which contain the images and biographies
of Connecticut women of great achievement past and present. Included in the
exhibit are women writers, legislators, suffragists, philosophers, archeologists.
Ella Grasso, Katharine Hepburn, and Sarah Porter are a few of the women
honored. Writer Annie Dillard will be one of this year’s inductees.
“We are pleased,” said librarian Carolyn White, “that so many people joined
us in celebrating these women and their extraordinary achievements and contributions as leaders and pioneers.”
AROUND THE POND
Admiral Crowe Addresses School
Through DuBois Speaker Fellowship
On Thursday, April 23, Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr., former chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, spoke at Morning Meeting through the auspices of the newly-formed
Rear Admiral Raymond F. DuBois Fellowship.
Admiral Crowe has had a distinguished career. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he took his master’s degree in education at Stanford and his Ph.D. in politics
from Princeton University. His military career had many points of distinction. He
served in submarines, was a naval attaché to President Eisenhower, and a senior
advisor to the South Vietnamese Navy. As rear admiral, a commander of U. S. Naval
Forces in the Persian Gulf, and then commander-in chief of NATO forces in Southern Europe, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Forces, the largest geographic
command in the U.S. Military, and ultimately the eleventh chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff appointed by President Reagan in 1985, he served as chairman of the
Joint Chiefs until October of 1989. Since then, he has been American ambassador
to the United Kingdom and chairman of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, while managing to author the distinguished book The Line of Fire in
1993. Ambassador Crowe has been decorated by twenty-six foreign nations, holds
the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Air Force
Medal, among other great American awards.
Raymond DuBois ’66 helped established the fellowship in memory of his father, Rear Admiral Raymond F. DuBois. When Ray was an undergraduate at Taft,
his father, an admiral at that time in the Navy, talked to the student body about the
issues before us in Viet Nam. “It was a riveting speech,” said Lance Odden, “one
which all of us present will remember always. It is fitting that his colleague Admiral
Crowe should be the first speaker through this fellowship.” After morning meeting,
Admiral Crowe met with history classes and talked with students about his experiences during the Cold War, and particularly his ground-breaking discussions with
his Soviet counterpart.
The Meaning in
Meeting
Chaplain Michael Spencer brought
a series of speakers to school this
spring for Morning Meetings. The
first was Professor David Bartlett, academic dean of The Divinity School
at Yale University, as well as an accomplished Biblical studies scholar,
professor of preaching, and an ordained Baptist minister. He offered
his “Reflections on Easter” and was
accompanied by the Collegium
Musicum. (See Endnote, p 79.)
On April 30, Rabbi Eric
Polokoff from B’Nai Israel Synagogue in Woodbury shared his
thoughts with the Taft community
on “The Meaning of Israel” in conjunction with the 50th anniversary
of the founding of the state of Israel. The Collegium also performed.
Mrs. Joyce Willig, Connecticut’s
first recipient of a liver transplant,
spoke the following week on “Organ Donation and Transplantation:
The Gift of Life.”
Michael Spencer said that in
the years to come he plans to continue the practice of inviting
distinguished speakers into our
community to speak on topics pertaining to the religious, spiritual,
and ethical life of the community.
When possible, speakers are encouraged to extend their time at
Taft to meet informally for discussion with students or to visit classes.
Ray DuBois ’66, Rear Admiral Crowe, and Lance Odden
Taft Bulletin
35
AROUND THE POND
First Climbing
Competition at
Taft Wall
Taft 209-Berkshire 178
AP Environmental Science student Julie Feldmeier ’99 works with first graders from
Baldwin School in Watertown during a field day her class planned.
First Grader Field Day
AP Environmental Science students, under the direction of Bill Zuehlke, hosted an
ecological field day for the entire Baldwin School first grade on May 21 at White
Memorial Conservation Foundation in Litchfield. The AP class organized all of the
activities for the day, which included nature walks, pond and stream studies, birds of
prey activities, plant identifications, and other games and activities. The Baldwin
first graders were very excited about their day in the woods. One of their teachers,
Mrs. Orsini, wrote, “I can only stand back and admire the enthusiasm,
dedication, and expertise that you exhibit as you have
so unselfishly given of your time
and talents to my
first grade class
this year.... Each
of my students
came away from
White Memorial
with memories of a
wonderful experience.... It is truly
exhilarating to hear
the children tell what
they learned. You’d be
surprised!” Bill said he
has hopes of making this
an annual event.
36
Summer 1998
On May 6, the Taft climbing team
hosted the first climbing competition ever held at Taft. The Ritt
Kellogg Mountain Program climbers from the Berkshire School faced
off against Taft climbers Mike Reilly,
Molly Rosenman, Bino Cummings,
Brooke Carleton [cover girl of the
winter issue], and Ryan Burns.
During eliminations, climbers
attempt to climb four different routes
and are awarded points based upon
the highest hold reached. Mike managed to onsight (no falls without prior
knowledge of moves) all four of the
elimination climbs. Molly onsighted
three of four, and Brooke, Bino, and
Ryan two of four. The top Berkshire
climber onsighted three of the four
elimination climbs, falling on only
the last move of the final climb.
The top three climbers from
each school advanced into the finals,
during which the climbers were isolated so that they could not see
anyone attempt the route before their
turn. Again Mike managed to onsight
the route for a perfect score of 87 (first
place), while all other climbers fell off
the route somewhere below the half
way point. Brooke and Molly competed in the boys’ division. Also, Taft
had all five of its climbers in the top
six after the elimination rounds.
Rockwell Visiting Artists
Richard Benson, dean of The School of Art at Yale University and “the world’s expert on photomechanical/photo-electronic reproduction,” gave a lecture in the
Woolworth Faculty Room on Thursday, April 2. His remarks touched on the history of photography as well as his career as a photographer, MacArthur Foundation
“genius grant” recipient, and other exploits.
On April 28, Bernard Chaet came to Taft as the third Rockwell Visiting Artist
for the year. [Potter Elizabeth MacDonald was the first.] He gave a lecture entitled
“Drawing: What it is” at Morning Meeting to the whole school, and spoke again in
the afternoon about works of the Great Masters. During the day he gave critiques in
painting classes taught by Jennifer Glenn Wuerker ’83.
Mr. Chaet taught art at Yale University beginning in 1951 and is the author
of three books on materials and drawing. He retired from Yale in 1990 as the
William Leffingwell Professor of Painting. He also received the College Art
Association’s Distinguished Teaching of Art Award in 1986. Mr. Chaet is a painter
of modernist landscapes and exhibited his work at the M. B. Modern Gallery in
New York City in April.
The Rockwell Endowment for Visiting Artists at Taft was originally proposed
by veteran art teacher Gail Wynne and created by brothers Sherburne B. Rockwell,
Jr. ’41 and H.P. Davis Rockwell ’44.
Visiting artist Bernard Chaet gives a critique in the art studio as part of the Rockwell
Visiting Artists program.
Alex Nagy, right, with Señor Antonio
Moya Tudela from the Majadahonda
Conservatory.
Student Musicians
From Spain
A group of 35 musicians from the
Majadahonda Conservatory of
Madrid, Spain, came to Taft for several days in April. Together with the
Chamber Ensemble they gave a concert in Waterbury as well as a concert
in Bingham. They also gave a series
of lectures on Spanish art, poetry,
nationalism, and Spanish flamenco.
They visited some Spanish classes
and participated in other school activities. Jen Ferrara, a senior violinist,
told The Papyrus, “It is really interesting playing with these people
from Spain because not only do we
experience a part of Spain but they
also teach us to play music better.”
The Spanish group was very interested in Taft and in finding out more
about the workings of an American
private school. Upon their return,
their headmaster wrote, “For our
pupils, and of course for all the faculty, the few days spent in
Watertown in the marvelous facilities of The Taft School will be
unforgettable.” The visit was organized by Taft’s director of
instrumental music, Alex Nagy.
Taft Bulletin
37
AROUND THE POND
Malcolm Lee Speaks at Minority Leadership Conference
On April 4 and 5, Taft’s Native and African American and Latino Student Alliance
[NAALSA] students hosted a leadership
conference for students of color. Students
kicked off the weekend with a D.J. dance.
Several peer schools brought students
from their multicultural groups; nearly
100 attendees were on campus for the
dance or Sunday workshops.
On Sunday, NAALSA welcomed independent filmmaker Malcolm Lee to give
a presentation and screening of his film
Morningside Prep, which has won numerous awards, including Warner Bros.
post-production award for excellence in
filmmaking. The film depicts the issues
faced by an African-American student at
a predominately white prep school as he
attempts to negotiate living within two
very different worlds; it is provocative and
challenges the viewer to examine his or
her own stereotypes and assumptions. The
film sparked great conversations, but the
students moved beyond the film to discuss issues of race relations, multicultural
education, inter-racial dating, and more.
Eyram Simpri ’99 said the leadership
weekend “was the most productive thing
NAALSA has done in my three years at
Taft.... [It was] a time for minority students
to get together to talk about issues at their
[respective] schools.” Lower mid Khayriyyah
Muhammad said, “I thought [Taft] was a
secluded school, but now I know that there
are others that feel the way I do.” Shaun
DePina ’99 added, “It was important because students of color from boarding
schools got together and found out there are
common issues. We talked about solutions
[to the problems we experience].”
According to NAALSA advisor
Mennette DuBose San-Lee ’87, “The sentiment that was repeated most often was that
this weekend allowed the students of color
to meet others who share similar experiences
on their respective campuses. It was an opportunity to network, to form a larger
community, and to understand that they are
not alone. Many times adolescents feel that
their experiences are unique to them, which
may cause a sense of isolation. This can be
particularly true for students of color when
they are obviously in the minority on campus and have few, or in some cases, no
faculty with whom they can readily identify. This weekend gave the students an
opportunity to come together,” she said,
“not only to socialize, but to really talk about
what their experiences are like as a minority on a prep school campus.”
Big Band Diva Jazzes Up Bingham
Diva, an exceptionally talented 15-member, all-female, hardswinging big band, came to romp and stomp on Sunday,
April 19. “Steeped in the history of jazz but infused with the
progressive harmonies of today,” the band is self-described
as “grooving in the classic traditions of Buddy Rich, Count
Basie, and Woody Herman orchestras.”
Also known as “No Man’s Band,” Diva is comprised of
professional female musicians with years of experience in other
big bands, and in other genres of music. Led by drummer
Sherrie Maricle, the band performed its first concert in March
1993 and has since released two CDs: Something’s Coming
and Leave it to Diva. Diva plays contemporary, mainstream
big band jazz arranged by band members and renowned musicians. Among its many concerts, Diva has played (a sold-out
performance) in Carnegie Hall with Skitch Henderson and
the New York Pops, at The Kennedy Center in Washington,
DC, and at The Academy of Music with Peter Nero and the
Philadelphia Pops. They have also made their mark internationally, performing in Italy, Finland, and the Caribbean.
Appearing twice on CNN and featured on CBS Sunday
Morning, Diva has been praised by critics and reviewers. According to The Jazz Times, “The band punched, kicked, roared,
and swung with a disciplined abandon and an unaffected joie
de vivre.” The Hartford Courant noted, “Diva’s ensemble sound
crackles with clarity, precision and power.... The all-female
band strikes a mighty blow against the sexist stereotype that
women can’t cut it in the male-dominated jazz world.”
Source: Taft Press Club
38
Summer 1998
AROUND THE POND
Upper Mid Awards
The Dartmouth Book Prize
Intellectual leadership and postive
contribution to extracurricular life.
Jocelyn Elizabeth Green
The Holy Cross College Book Award
Sincere concern for others and a
responsible attitude in all endeavors.
Mythri Jegathesan
The Smith Book Award
Academic achievement, leadership
qualities, and concern for others.
Marcella Therese Szablewicz
The Brown University Award
Ability in English expression, both
written and spoken.
Seth Ian Caffrey
The Bauch and Lomb Honorary Science Award
Outstanding work in science.
David James Morris
Laura Ives Stevens
The Hamilton College Prize
Excellence in communicating ideas and
raising the level of class discussion.
Seth Ian Caffrey
The David Edward Goldberg
Memorial Award
Outstanding independent work:
A solo dramatization of three women
of 20th century China.
Marcella Therese Szablewicz
The Michael’s Jewelers Citizenship Award
Contribution through volunteer service
in the community.
Mara Gabriela Ardon
Marjorie Miller Barefoot
Robert Keyes Poole Fellows
Upper mids Zach Bernard, Ben Cirillo,
Alix Connors, Sara Lin, Bea Ogden, and
Elizabeth Petrelli, and middlers Emily
Blanchard, Emily Kaplan, Irina
Magidina, Krissy Scurry, Emily Smith,
and Jason Tucker have received Poole Fellowships for summer volunteer projects.
Source: Taft Press Club
All-State Music
Competition
Clarinetist Tim Carter ’98 and tenor
Adam Krug ’98 both attended the
Connecticut All-State Music Festival.
Both scored very high in their
auditions: Adam in the top 10
percent of all tenors who auditioned
throughout the state, and Tim in the
top 1 percent of all clarinetists.
According to Arts Department
Head Bruce Fifer, “Tim is probably
one of the best clarinetists to come
along in the state for a while, especially
if you combine this All-State honor
with his recent acceptance to Julliard
School of Music in New York, as well
as to every other conservatory he
auditioned for. He was offered the only
clarinet spot available at the Cleveland
Institute of Music.”
The All-State Festival took place
at Norwalk High School in early April.
Corrections: Missing from the last issue [Around the Pond: “Testing, Testing”] were the
names of Alexander Nagy, Taft’s director of instrumental music, who is also a reader for
the College Board’s AP program, and Jim Mooney, who was a former reader of the
Physics exam. Our list was far from complete. Research in the archives has turned up the
names of Taft faculty who read for the College Board as far back as the 1920s.
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal
Excellence in mathematics and sciences.
Sonia Chi Man Cheng
The Harvard Book Prize
High scholarship and character.
David James Morris
The Xerox Award in the Humanities
and Social Sciences
Outstanding work in humanities and
social sciences.
Tyler Geoffrey Doyle
The John T. Reardon Prize in United
States History
Best essay in history: The role of the
media in the rise of McCarthyism.
Julie Mather Feldmeier
Bill and Christy Camp help the Taft crew dedicate its newest boats in honor of Christy
Camp and in memory of Rolf Sandvoss, father of Steve Sandvoss ’98.
Taft Bulletin
39
S
P
O
R
T
sport
Boys’ Tennis
The boys’ tennis team finished the season with a 7-8 record and a fourth place
finish at the New England Tournament.
After some disappointing losses, the
strong finish at New Englands—one of
Taft’s highest in the past 15 years—was
an encouraging sign. Throughout the
season the team was led by the powerful
strokes of Tyne Brownlow ’99 at #1 and
the relentless drive of senior captain Kris
FitzPatrick at #2. This was perhaps the
strongest 1-2 punch Taft has enjoyed in
many years: their combined singles
record for the season was 23-3, and both
won their respective Founders’ League
titles—the second year in a row for
40
Summer 1998
FitzPatrick. At the big New England
tournament, Tyne finished fourth in the
#1 draw, and Kris closed out his remarkable tennis career at Taft with a stirring
come-from-behind 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory
in the #2 draw. In addition, Kris also
earned the Founders’ League sportsmanship trophy, and there could be no
worthier recipient. According to coach
Peter Frew, “Kris has an extraordinary
dedication to the game. He is the most
committed player I have seen, and he is
an impeccably honest competitor.”
Girls’ Tennis
An early 4-3 win over a powerful Miss
Porter’s team set the stage for a spectacular season for the girls’ tennis team. In
the end, their 12-2 record was good
enough for second place in the league.
For the past four years, the team has been
led by standout Elizabeth Merck ’98 in
the #1 spot. Merck is the first to play four
straight years in the top spot for Taft, and
this year, finally, she was selected as an
All-League player. The team should continue their winning ways as they return
nearly all of their top players, including
a number of talented middlers. At the
core of next year’s squad will be the duo
of Jessup Sheen ’00 and captain-elect
Lindsay Tarasuk ’99, who were undefeated all season as the #1 doubles team.
Softball
The softball team had a rollercoaster season, ending at the peak with stirring wins
over league leader Hopkins and rival
Hotchkiss. After a slow start—3 wins in
their first 8 games—the team went 5-1
over the final six games to finish with 8
wins and 6 losses. Among those 5 victories was one of the most exciting games
in recent memory against a very strong
Hopkins team. At 12-1, Hopkins came
into the game as the leader in Western
New England, but the game was a
closely-fought battle from the first inning. Hopkins evened the score in the
top of the seventh, but Taft came back
for the 12-11 win when senior captain
Jenny Ferrara singled in the winning run
with one out. The Big Red then went on
to crush Hotchkiss in their final game,
20-13, to end the season on a high note.
Girls’ Track
The girls’ track team enjoyed another
strong season with a 6-2 record and a fifth
place finish at the Division 1 New England Meet. Senior captain Kristen
Kawecki led the team all year and placed
in both hurdle races at the New Englands,
fifth in the 100m hurdles and second in
the 300m hurdles. However, this was a
team loaded with young talent, notably
S
freshman Chrissie Murphy, who ran undefeated all year in the 400m, 800m, and
1500m, and placed first in the 800m and
second in the 400m at the New Englands.
The 4x400m team of Karla Timmons
’00, Heather Lindenman ’00, Falguni
Mehta ’99, and Murphy also set a school
record in placing second with a time of
4:12. With most of the team returning,
including captain-elect Nicole
Robertson, the girls’ track team should
be a leading contender next year.
Boys’ Track
After losing seven of the top ten scorers
from last year’s squad, the boys’ track
team looked to fill some holes and did so
with steadily improving performances
through the season. Though the team
won only one of their last three meets,
they put together their best team efforts
in nearly every event versus league leaders Loomis and Choate. The highlight
of the season came in between those two
losses, a convincing 91-54 victory over
rival Hotchkiss—a meet that looked to
be close before the start. The team finished with a 5-5 record and a seventh
place at the New England Meet. At that
meet, senior sprinters Michael Jordan and
Ernest Kwarteng placed third and second
in the 100m and 200m respectively. And
the season ended on an exciting note
when the 4x400m team of Chuck
P
O
R
T
Crimmins ’99, Mark Deschenes ’99,
Kwarteng ’98 and Nick Kyme ’99 set a
school record of 3:28 to place fourth in
the final event. Captain-elect Crimmins
set the one other school record of the season in the 300m low hurdles and will
look to improve on that mark next year.
Girls’ Lacrosse
Before the season began, coach Jean
Maher knew that she had a talented
group, but she did not imagine that this
year’s girls’ lacrosse team would live up
to and beyond all expectations. In the
end, this tough, spirited team left all others in their wake on the way to an
undefeated season (13-0), the Founders’
League Championship, and the Western
New England Championship. Most of
the opponents were no match for the allaround talent of this team, which scored
205 goals while giving up only 84 goals.
Senior All-American goalie Liz McCarthy
anchored the defense with a .680 save
percentage, and captain-elect Emily
Townsend and senior All-American Sarah Otto led at the other end of the field
with 45 goals and 40 goals respectively.
There were a few close games, however,
and the highlights of the season were a
hard-fought 12-10 overtime win over
Andover and an impressive come-frombehind victory over arch-rival Greenwich
Academy—always one of the top teams
in New England. The Big Red got off to a
slow start in that game, falling behind 2-8
late in the first half before storming back
for a convincing 17-11 victory. This perfect season was a fitting close to a
phenomenal run by a team that has not
lost a game in three years; some of the seniors on this team have a combined record
of 42 wins, 0 losses, and 2 ties over those
three years—a record that resembles the
undefeated streaks of the girls’ soccer teams
of the late ’80s and the girls’ ice hockey
teams of the early ’90s.
Boys’ Lacrosse
With some key injuries and a couple of
tough losses early on, the boys’ lacrosse
team seemed to be fighting an uphill
battle all season. The team dropped an
11-9 heartbreaker to eventual league
champion Westminster, yet coach Jol
Everett saw his squad come together under adversity. They closed out the season
with two solid wins, 8-4 over Trinity Pawling and 10-7 over Kingswood.
According to Everett, “This was a team
that played with a lot of heart, especially
when things could have fallen apart.” The
offensive attack was led by senior Clay
Moorhead, who finished his career with
70 goals, sixth on the all-time Taft list.
Taft’s defense, again the strength of the
team, was anchored by two-year standout
Chris Hills in goal and captain-elect Brad
D’Arco ’99, who was a Western New
England All-Star selection.
Taft Bulletin
41
out of the 21 teams at the K.I.T, making
up for some of the inconsistencies earlier
in the season.” In fact, Taft’s team score of
407—their low score for the year—placed
them within 5 strokes of second place.
Senior Jay Mann also had a career day,
posting a season best round of 75 for
fourth place overall out of 126 golfers.
Throughout the spring, senior Andrew
McNerney’s steady play earned him AllLeague status, and he finished with an 85
stroke average for the entire season.
Baseball
Girls’ Crew
It was a strong season in the smaller races
but a disappointing one in the big regattas for the girls’ crew team this spring. At
9-3 and 5-1 respectively, the first and second boats posted impressive records for
the regular season races. Yet, some bad luck
and stiff competition prevented them
from advancing past the first round at the
Pomfret Regatta and the New England
Championships. According to coach Al
Reiff, “We won the races we should have
but couldn’t quite pick off any of the leading teams.” Throughout the season, the
team was led by three highly competitive,
accomplished rowers: Carolyn Starrett ’98
was a strong stroke for the #1 boat,
Courtney Camp ’98 was the consummate
team captain, and Annie Stover ’98 was
perhaps the most improved as the stroke
of the #2 boat.
Golf
Before the season began, the golf team
expected more than their 11-8 record suggests, but they did save their best play for
the most important tournament, the
Kingswood Invitational. According to
coach Jack Kenerson, “We finally played
up to our level of talent in placing fifth
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Summer 1998
At the close of this phenomenal baseball
season, coach Mark Davis summed up
the secret of his team’s success in two
words, “Character and heart.” The team
faced a rough start to the season, losing
key personnel and struggling through
continued injuries, but in the end the Big
Red went 10-2 to capture the Colonial
League Championship for the first time
in four years. At the center of their great
season were two emotionally charged,
hard-fought wins over league rival Avon
Old Farms; both games were won, 4-3
and 6-5, in the final inning following
spectacular defensive plays to keep the
games within reach. Then, on a beautiful Alumni Weekend, the league
championship came down to one game
versus a talented Choate team. Taft was
overwhelming in the end, breaking open
a close game with 19 total hits for a 10-5
victory and the league title. It was a fitting end to a great season, including a
number of heroic moments in front of a
throng of appreciative Taft students, faculty, and alumni. Senior Brent Kozel’s
late-game double and RBI was one such
moment, for Kozel had missed several
games after having his jaw shattered in
practice. But, with an extra protective
batting helmet, Kozel delivered a crucial
blow to Choate’s chances, beginning the
surge of runs over the final innings. According to coach Davis, senior leadership
was at the center of this team’s triumphs.
Seniors Chris Fields, Rob Palleria,
Jonathan Marlow, and Charles Cummins
also played important roles, and PG
Jonathan Lord was the “go-to” man on
the mound all season. Lord started both
games against Avon and the final against
Choate, and finished with a 5-0 league
record while batting .372 at the plate.
Next year’s team will be led by two of
this year’s strongest hitters, Jed Richard
’99 and Devin Haran ’99, who batted
.500 and .386 respectively.
—Steve Palmer
S
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Spring Big Red Scoreboard
Baseball [Colonial League Champions]
Softball
Head Coach: ...................................................... Mark Davis
Captain: ....................................................... Chris Fields ’98
Record: ......................................................................... 13-5
Stone Award:........................... Chris Fields, Brent Kozel ’98
Captain-Elect: ............................................... Ben Cirillo ’99
Head Coach: ............................................... Steve Schieffelin
Captain: .................................................... Jenny Ferrara ’98
Record: ........................................................................... 8-6
Softball Award: ............................................... Jenny Ferrara
Captains-Elect: Samantha Page ’99, Catherine Schieffelin ’99
Girls’ Crew
Boys’ Tennis
Head Coach: ............................................................ Al Reiff
Captain: ................................................ Courtney Camp ’98
Record: ........................................................................... 9-3
Crew Award: ............................................... Courtney Camp
Captain-Elect: ....................................... Whitney Morris ’99
Coach: ................................................................. Peter Frew
Captains: ............. Kris FitzPatrick ’98, Charlie Spalding ’98
Record: ........................................................................... 7-8
Man Tennis Award: ...................................... Kris FitzPatrick
Captains-Elect: .......... Charlie Baker ’00, Will Cleveland ’99
Golf
Girls’ Tennis
Coach: ........................................................... Jack Kenerson
Captain: ...................................................John Frechette ’98
Record: ......................................................................... 11-8
Galeski Golf Award: .............................. Brian Leibowitz ’98
Captain-Elect: ........................................... David Morris ’99
Coach: .............................................................. W. T. Miller
Captains: .................... Elizabeth Merck ’98, Justine Rice ’98
Record: ......................................................................... 12-2
Gould Tennis Award: .................................. Lindsay Tarasuk
Captains-Elect: ...........Lauren Chu ’99, Lindsay Tarasuk ’99
Boys’ Lacrosse
Boys’ Track
Head Coach: ........................................................ Jol Everett
Captains: ...................... Chris Hills ’98, Clay Moorhead ’98
Record: ........................................................................... 5-8
Odden Lacrosse Award: ...................................... Chris Hills
Captain-Elect: ............................................ Brad D’Arco ’99
Head Coach: .................................................. Steve McCabe
Captains: ................ Onaje Crawford ’98, Gordon Faux ’98,
Matt Johnson ’98
Record: ........................................................................... 5-5
Captain-Elect: .................................... Charles Crimmins ’99
Girls’ Lacrosse
Girls’ Track
[Western New England and Founders’ League Champions]
Head Coach: .................................................. Steve McCabe
Captain: ................................................ Kristen Kawecki ’98
Record: ........................................................................... 6-2
Beardsley Track Award: ............................... Kristen Kawecki
Captain-Elect: ..................................... Nicole Robertson ’99
Coach: ............................................................... Jean Maher
Captains: ................ Sarah Graham ’98, Addie Strumolo ’98
Record: ......................................................................... 13-0
Wandelt Lacrosse Award: .... Sarah Graham, Addie Strumolo
Captains-Elect: ..... Samantha Hall ’00, Emily Townsend ’99
Team schedules will be available on the web after September 1. Scores and coaches’ commentaries
will be posted after the first contest. Simply visit http://www.taftsports.com.
Taft Bulletin
43
E
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—By David Bartlett
I
Here’s what we know.
A child named Yeshua ben Yosef
was born to a woman named Myryam in
what turns out to be about the year 4 BC
or four years before the common era of
Christians and Jews.
Because the earliest books about
Yeshua were written in Greek people
usually know him by his Greek name,
which we call Jesus—and people usually
know his mother by her Greek name,
which we call Mary.
Jesus grew up in Nazareth which
was really at the outskirts of Palestine.
When he was a young man he was
associated with a prophet named John who
was famous for condemning social injustice and for living a rather weird lifestyle—
dressing in animal skins and eating bugs
and honey. When people wanted to change
their lives and become more just and upright they often came to John, who took
them into the Jordan River and baptized
them, dipped them down into the water
and raised them up again.
One day John baptized Jesus, and
not long after that two things happened.
John was arrested and killed as a rabble
rouser, and Jesus set out on his own.
Whatever else he was, Jesus was also a
prophet, and he must have known when
he heard news of John’s execution that
he would not live a long life himself.
As a prophet, Jesus called people to
a radical devotion to God, a devotion
that meant being less devoted to both
political and religious leaders than people
might otherwise have been.
Both Jesus’ preaching and some of
his anti-government actions got him into
real trouble, and after he had been active
for only a few years, he was arrested.
He had gone to Jerusalem for Passover, celebrated a Seder on Thursday night,
and later that night was taken by the police.
Palestine was occupied by Roman
44
Summer 1998
troops, and the Roman leader was Pontius
Pilate, who has a reputation in Roman
sources as being something of a tyrant.
Anyway, after Jesus was arrested Pilate
tried him and condemned him to death.
Like many people who had offended
the Roman authorities, Jesus was crucified. That is, he was probably both tied
and nailed to a cross. A cross was a
vertical pole with a horizontal board
across the top. Crucified people were put
up in such a way that eventually they
smothered to death under the weight of
their own bodies.
Today lots of people wear crosses as
jewelry, but it’s worth remembering that
the cross was really the first century equivalent of the electric chair—not pretty at all.
II
Jesus was killed on a Friday, and on the
next Sunday something happened that
his followers would always remember.
There are really two sets of stories
about what happened on the Sunday.
One set of stories stars the apostles
who were Jesus’ closest followers. According to this story Jesus appeared to
some of them, that is they saw him alive
on that third day after his death.
The first one to see him alive was
apparently Simon, whose nickname was
Peter, which is Greek for Rocky. At least
from that day on Peter was one of the
most important of the apostles because
everyone remembered that he was the
first to see Jesus after Jesus had died.
In those stories it is not altogether
clear whether Jesus was supposed to have
a body with flesh and bones when he
appeared or whether what the apostles
saw was more like a vision of Jesus. What
we do know is that the apostles believed
it really was Jesus they saw.
The other set of stories stars the
women who were also Jesus’ followers,
but who did not become as famous as the
men. In those days it was often the case
that women did equal work but didn’t
get equal glory for the work they did.
At any rate, there are several stories about how the women, several of
them named Mary, came to the tomb
where Jesus had been buried on Sunday morning. They wanted to complete the hard business of embalming
his body, and of course they also wanted
to grieve for him.
According to these stories, when the
women got to the tomb they found that
it was empty, and that a large stone that
had been placed over the door of the
tomb had been rolled away.
In one version of the story angels
talked to the women; in another version of the story it was a young man. In
either case there was an announcement: “Jesus is risen.” The women
rushed to tell the apostles, some of
whom didn’t believe them.
That Sunday when the tomb was
empty or when people saw the vision of
Jesus—or when both those things happened—that was the first Easter.
“‘Grace’ was Paul’s word for the absolutely
unexpected, unpredictable, amazing, and
wonderful way that somebody’s life can be
turned altogether around.”
E
III
It is hard to get the details of the story
absolutely straight.
It may be that both sets of stories are
equally true. Some saw visions and some
found an empty tomb.
What is indisputably true is that the
lives both of the apostles and of the
women changed on that Sunday.
Friday and Saturday they were sure
that Jesus was dead and everything he
stood for had been lost. The men had
already headed for the hills and their old
jobs; the women who were braver had
stayed longer but there was no doubt that
they would soon be heading home, too.
By Sunday night they were sure
Jesus was alive and most of them would
never head home again. They would
scoot all over the Roman Empire telling
everyone who would listen how important Jesus had been as a prophet—and
claiming that he was still alive and would
be present with people who believed in
him and in the God who sent him.
IV
There is one more thing those early Christians believed. They believed that since
Jesus had risen from the dead, he was alive
forever. Sometimes they said he was set
loose in the world. Sometimes they said
his spirit was set loose in the world.
What they believed was that not
only had he had the power to inspire and
change people in his short ministry from
the year 26 to the Year 29, he had power
to inspire and change people still—in
the year 51 and presumably in the year
451 and 1951 and on and on.
And there are some amazing stories
of people being changed and thinking
that it was Jesus who changed them.
Paul of Tarsus lived in the first century
of our era, and he didn’t like Christians at all,
nor did he like what he heard about Jesus.
In fact Paul disliked Christians so
much that he rode around like a kind of
first century sheriff trying to round them
up and heard them off to prison for being
disturbers of the peace.
One day when Paul was heading off on
just such a round-up of Christian suspects,
he saw a bright light, a light so bright that it
blinded him and threw him from his horse.
Then he heard a voice that called
his name.
When he asked the voice who it was,
the voice said “Jesus.”
When Paul asked the voice what he
wanted, the voice said he wanted Paul to
stop persecuting Christians and to join them.
To become part of that community of faith
and to honor Jesus. That was Paul’s Easter.
And for whatever reason, Paul was convinced. His entire life changed that day in the
most surprising and lasting way. Instead of
chasing down Christians, Paul became a
leader of Christians and spent the rest of his
life encouraging others to join him.
One way Paul talked about what
happened to him was to talk about the
Risen Lord who revealed himself to Paul.
Another way Paul talked about what happened to him was to talk about “grace.”
“Grace” was Paul’s word for the absolutely unexpected, unpredictable, amazing, and wonderful way that somebody’s
life can be turned altogether around.
When Paul said that grace was everywhere he meant that since the resurrection Jesus still had the power to surprise people and turn them around in the
most amazing way.
V
Seventeen hundred years after Paul
there was another traveling man named
John Newton.
Paul scurried around the Middle
East trying to capture Christians. John
Newton sailed back and forth across the
Atlantic carrying newly-captured slaves
from Africa to the American colonies. As
far as we can tell, the fact that he ran a
slave ship never bothered John Newton’s
conscience one bit, and if he ever had a
thought about God or about Jesus we
N
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don’t know what that thought was.
Then one day there was a terrible
storm at sea, and John Newton was quite
sure that the ship was going to be wrecked
and everybody on it die, including himself.
So he prayed to God in Jesus’ name,
and he said, “If you really are a good God
and if there really is such a thing as your
grace, save me, surprise me, and I’ll turn
around, too. I’ll give up the slave trade.”
The storm stopped, and the ship landed
safely, and that was Newton’s Easter. John
Newton not only gave up the slave trade, he
became one of Britain’s leading abolitionists,
working very hard to bring slavery to an end.
John Newton wrote a song about
the way in which his life turned around;
it was his tribute to his belief in Easter, to
his belief that Jesus, who showed up and
changed people’s lives in the first century, was still showing up and changing
people’s lives in the eighteenth century.
Whether we believe Newton was right
about that or not, we can acknowledge that
there was a huge change in his life and that
he wrote a great song about that change.
Amazing grace,
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see.
Through many dangers toils and snares
I have already come.
’Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
That’s why Christians celebrate Easter;
because they think that through Jesus
God still brings us home.
Professor David Bartlett is academic dean of
The Divinity School at Yale University, as
well as an accomplished Biblical studies
scholar, professor of preaching, and an ordained Baptist minister. He offered his “Reflections on Easter” last April and was accompanied by the Collegium Musicum.
Taft Bulletin
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