BrewsterConnections Spring 2007
Transcription
BrewsterConnections Spring 2007
BrewsterConnections Spring 2007 Inside: • Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn • Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture BG Hodges ’66 Brewster Academy 2006-2007 Board of Trustees Daniel T. Mudge, President (Tapley-Ann ’98, Ashley ’02) George J. Dohrmann III (George ’05) Leslie N. H. MacLeod, Vice President (Todd ’97) Peter Ford ’80 Rex V. Jobe, Treasurer (Reagan ’01) Helen S. Hamilton, Secretary Michael Appe Roy C. Ballentine (Brian ‘97 and Susan ‘94) Susan Harger (Kelsey ’07) President, Parents’ Association Michael Keys (Matthew ’04) Lynn Kravis (Jay ’07) Anthony J. Leitner ’61 Nancy M. Black (Nicole ’02, Robbie ’05) Derek J. Murphy ’77 C. Richard Carlson, Estate Trustee James E. Nicholson David L. Carlson ’54 Todd P. Parola ’89 Candace Crawshaw ’64 President, Alumni Association Arthur O. Ricci, Estate Trustee Dr. Mitchell Sanders ’82 The Reverend Nancy Spencer Smith Estate Trustee Shawn Smith (Susan ’08) Steven Webster (Brooke ’08) Trustee Emeriti Walter N. “Rink” DeWitt ’54 P. Fred Gridley ’53 Grant M. Wilson (Grant ’87, Kirsten ’88) BrewsterConnections Brooke Webster ’08 Spring 2007 Inside 2 A Message from the Head of School 6 Creating Opportunity Out of Tragedy The Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture 8 Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 11 Huckleberry Finn and the Power of Theater Essay by Drama Director Dan Clay Head of School Dr. Michael E. Cooper Assistant Editor Layout/Design Peggy Comeau Assistant Director of Communications Contributors Dan Clay, Peggy Comeau, Mike Cooper, Marcia Eldredge, Beth Hayes ’81, Matt Hoopes, Bob Richardson, Shirley Richardson, Martha Trepanier ’83 Brewster Alums Share Their Post-Brewster Lives With Students 17 Teacher Appreciation Celebration Director of Advancement Tim von Jess Editor Marcia Eldredge Director of Communications 12 Comedian, Environmental Educator, Marketer, Singer- Songwriter 19 The Pendulum Project: Helping Children With AIDS 21 Brewster’s Re-Accreditation New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. Grants Continued Accreditation 30 Welcome! New Trustee Michael Appe 36 Morgan Huntley ’00 Building His Future While Building Boats 38 Hoopla: The Write Stuff Bruce Hawkins ’01 and Noelle Lamperti ’89 58 Writing Brewster’s History: “Scott’s Palace” A Glimpse Into the Life of Brewster Students from 1911-1915 On the cover: Scenes from the winter trimester taken by talented community photographers. Phil Stiles Mark Deering ’09 and Scott Cameron ’08 Departments BrewsterConnections is published three times a year and mailed to alumni, parents of students, and friends of Brewster Academy 80 Academy Drive Wolfeboro, NH 03894 www.brewsteracademy.org 3 16 24 25 28 31 45 53 In the News Around Campus Athletic Awards Community Service Projects Fine and Performing Arts News Advancement Office Update Class Notes In Memoriam Laura Kingston ‘08 and Alison Waldorf ‘08 A Message from the Head of School A s I write this, the days are becoming longer and brighter, but we are still wrapped in winter here in Wolfeboro. Winter in Wolfeboro, as it is in most of the northeast, is one of those times when we hunker down to wait out the arctic blasts for signs of spring and a rebirth of what the earth has to offer. For those of us living on the big lake, hunkering down against the blast of the cold north wind is like trying to insulate an old house, no matter how much you bundle up and brace yourself, somewhere, somehow, the cold will find its way through those protective layers. But even though that cold seeps its way inside, things are still warm and cozy on the inside, and that certainly is true of the halls of the “Ac,” not only because of the layers of clothing we don, but mostly from the camaraderie and warm feelings we gain from one another. Winter is also a time for contemplation, planning, and renewing of thoughts, especially for those of us in education. We use this time of year to begin looking ahead at a new school year and to new beginnings. And this winter has been no exception. One of those new beginnings is taking stock from the fact that we have been granted re-accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Dr. Michael E. Cooper, Head of School Colleges, our decennial review of programs, services, and activities at the Academy. You can read more about the review later in these pages (21-23), but let me briefly summarize that it was an affirming process for everyone as we were given wonderful feedback about how we go about our daily affairs and how we are educating young people. To have validation that what we are attempting to accomplish as a school is, indeed, recognized by outside reviewers and from our own self-study, is energizing and offers us motivation to continue to strive toward excellence in everything that we do. Another new beginning is the brand concept that we will be unveiling over the coming months. In a recent Wall Street Journal article (December 12, 2006) titled “How to Keep Your School from Being Brand X,” the author sums up the importance of brand by quoting the dean of Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business, “… the customer’s risk is high because you can’t test drive multiple schools and you can’t change your mind once you make your purchasing decision. That makes brand extremely important as a trust mark that helps reduce the customer’s risk.” We have taken that sentiment to heart as we have been developing our brand concept. The preliminary feedback that we have received confirms that we have developed an exciting and compelling message. Please look for it over the next few months. Finally, it became abundantly clear to me in the fall, through independent reading and travel, how global we are becoming. A trip to Asia confirmed for me that, not only has the world shrunk on one level, but also on another, just how large it can feel. That largeness transcends physical size and really points to the magnitude of the population in different parts of the world and what that means for our educational system here in the United States. While a topic for future pages of Connections, it certainly requires our time and attention as we plan for our future, and in fact, has become a compelling theme as we move forward. These are challenging and exciting times, and I want you to know that we are giving our full attention to what they mean for the future of the Academy. The state of the school is good, but like any enterprise, could be better. We continue our quest to move from good to great and hope you share in the excitement that we feel. We intend to continue to reach out to you over the coming months and to learn more about your thoughts and ideas for the future Brewster Academy. For The School, Michael E. Cooper, Ph.D. BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 In the News Topher Grace ’97 to Appear in Spider-Man 3 Topher Grace will star as Eddie Brock/Venom in the movie Spider-Man 3, due out in May. Grace has appeared on TV in That 70s Show and on the big screen in Ocean’s 11 and In Good Company, among others. He currently has three other films in production. l Gregory Douglass ’99 Records Sixth CD Instinct magazine says of Gregory Douglass’ sixth and newest album, Up & Away channels everyone from Stevie Wonder to Fiona Apple in a way that’s terrifyingly mature for someone so young.” Douglass composed and recorded the material for his first two albums while still a student at Brewster. Read about Douglass’ participation at the recent alumni career panel on page 12, and more about his music at www. gregorydouglass.com. l Bruce Hawkins ’01 Publishes 131 Box: Path of Purpose Bruce Hawkins, Brewster graduate, Brooklyn native, and current law school student, has writtten a book about how he fought for his dreams in a world of crime, drugs, death, and hopelessness. 131 Box refers to a game that characterizes the mindset and the culture of the people he grew up with. While most people would probably consider basketball as the game that characterizes the ghetto – or maybe football – Hawkins says, “The lottery best captures the essence of the ghetto. For if one is able to understand the diverse motivations of its players and enthusiasts, I believe one could comprehend the difficulty of life in the ghetto, and, more importantly, life in poverty. Learn more about Hawkins and his book in this issue’s Hoopla section, page 39. l 2006 Winnipesaukean Earns Outstanding Recognition Jostens, Inc., publishers of Brewster’s yearbook, recently selected the 2006 Winnipesaukean for recognition as one of the year’s outstanding high school yearbooks out of the thousands it publishes each year. Congratulations to the editor Melissa Fortin, advisor Andrea Cooper, and the students who worked so hard and long on last year’s edition! l l www.brewsteracademy.org l In the News Marta Filip-Fouser Travels to Poland for Peace Jenn Clements ’07 Crowned Miss New Hampshire Teenager The group of U.S. legislators, the Holocaust survivors, the mayor of Oswiecim, and translator Marta Filip-Fouser (second from the left.) History teacher Marta Filip-Fouser traveled to her native Poland in February to serve as a translator for a delegation of U.S. state representatives. The delegation made the trip as part of the Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation Project – “a symbol of remembrance and meditation uniting the people and nations of the world in order to create a life in peace.” Filip-Fouser was invited to join the group by Janusz Marszalek, mayor of Oswiecim, her hometown. Renamed Auschwitz during World War II, Oswiecim was the site of the infamous Nazi concentration camp. The Mound is being built by former camp prisoners and will include symbolic stones from around the world – stones from people and places committed to peace. During an official ceremony in the presence of Polish National TV and other Polish media, the U.S. delegation members presented commemorative stones to be placed at the Mound. Jenn Clements, on the right, with last year’s Miss National Teenager On March 17, Jenn Clements ‘07 of Wolfeboro was crowned Miss New Hampshire National Teenager. Participants in this contest are judged on academic achievement, school/ community involvement, interview, poise and personality, personal expression, and public speaking. Among her prizes and honors are scholarship and tuition assistance offers. Clements will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to compete for Miss National Teenager in July. Read more about Clements in a community service profile on page 26. In addition to the nine senior state lawmakers, a Wall Street Journal writer and a Rwandan genocide survivor and best-selling author were among the delegation. Filip-Fouser has been an educator for English and Swedish speaking visitors to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial in Oswiecim. She is fluent in Polish, Swedish, and English. “Auschwitz is usually associated with terror, genocide and death,” said Filip-Fouser. “I think it is important to be aware that, in history, hatred and intolerance resulted in the death of millions of innocent people. … The more that governments and organizations commit to the cause of peace and remembering those tragic events in history, may make our population more tolerant and less hostile toward other ethnic groups.” “As a Pole living in the United States, it made me feel proud to be able to serve as a translator for a group of American policymakers who came to my hometown in Poland.” l BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Marcia Eldredge In the News Chen-Hsu Wang ’07, Ross Randall ’08, James Simoneau ’07, Owen Dennis ’07, Burke Lord ’07, Connor Dunn ’10, and Kevin Crosby ’09 work out in the new crew tanks. Coach Mark DeNitto is standing on the far left. Friends of Brewster Crew Bring Rowing Indoors Anyone who has wandered through the east crescent of the Smith Center for Athletics and Wellness in the past two months has seen the latest addition to the facility – an indoor rowing tank. Friends of the Brewster crew team, which includes current and alumni parents as well as current students and alumni, raised nearly $90,000 to make the indoor rowing tank a reality for Brewster. The tank is actually two fiberglass tanks connected by decking, which has eight seats and oar riggers attached. Each tank holds about two feet of water. The tank was manufactured by the Durham Boat Company in New Hampshire. “The tanks are two above ground pools with seats and riggers in between. The rowers sit between the two pools and use the oars that are attached to the pools,” explained rower James Simoneau ‘07. “The crew team is extremely excited for these tanks. Many of the top crews in the country use this same type of tank to get a step up on the competition.” l At any time, despite weather conditions outside, the 8-person rigger allows coxswains to practice commands while oarsmen work on their timing and fine-tuning their blade work and body position, said Crew Coach Mark DeNitto. “Novice rowers will have a chance to ‘get their feet wet’ without getting their feet wet, while Brewster’s experienced rowers can stay sharp through the winter and better prepare for the early spring races,” he said. Simoneau and his teammates believe that this addition to the crew program will put Brewster on the map as a rowing school. “The tanks are everything that the team had hoped they would be,” he added. Brewster Academy is now one of two independent schools in the country with an indoor rowing tank. l www.brewsteracademy.org l “Novice rowers will have a chance to ‘get their feet wet’ without getting their feet wet, while Brewster’s experienced rowers can stay sharp through the winter and better prepare for the early spring races.” Creating Opportunity Out of Tragedy The Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture By Marcia Eldredge H ead of School Dr. Michael E. Cooper opened the 18th Annual Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture by reminding the community that out of a tragedy 18 years ago – the death of Trey Whitfield ’89 – came the unfolding of a legacy, a legacy of a young man who touched many lives in his short life and whose legacy has created opportunities for others. That legacy even extends beyond the Trey Whitfield School to Brewster Academy, which has enrolled 24 Trey Whitfield School graduates over the past 18 years. One of those inspired by Trey Whitfield was the day’s guest speaker, Dr. Joyce L. Ferris, former academic dean at Brewster. Like Ferris was about to do, Cooper reminded everyone in the standingroom only Anderson Hall that hopes and dreams can carry us through our darkest moments. The Trey Whitfield School Choir entertained with a series of inspirational songs. Trey envisioned a world where everyone, regardless of ethnic background, has equal access to the educational opportunities that they need to reach their potential in life; that every child will have a helping hand and every young person will get support from someone who cares about their future. Photos by Marcia Eldredge “His parents took that legacy … and made it into something spectacular and powerful affecting many, many lives,” Cooper said, referring to the educational opportunities afforded by The Trey Whitfield School (formerly Bethlehem Baptist Academy) to primarily inner city kids from working class families. A.B Whitfield and Janie Whitney, Trey’s parents, run the Brooklyn, New York, pre-K through eighth grade school that sets the foundation for strong character and high academic standards in students and where “respect for others and self is paramount.” Ferris talked about how the Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture arose from one of those dark moments. It was 1990 she explained and Trey’s parents, A.B. Whitfield and Janie Whitney, along with numerous family and friends, including Ferris herself, were still in much pain from Trey’s death. Ferris, A.B., Janie, and then-headmaster David M. Smith came up with the idea for a memorial lecture in Trey’s memory. “It helped to ease our pain,” Ferris said. “It never occurred to me that I would be here as the speaker,” she added. Anticipating with delight this year’s concert were seniors Carole LeBlanc, Janna Anctil, Alyssa Hennigar, and Elaine Fancy BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 With the lecture, we also wanted to make a connection to Martin Luther King Jr., a man whose dreams and legacy have created opportunities in the lives of others, Ferris said. “Trey and Martin Luther King were excellent examples of showing what it meant to be wonderful human beings.” Ferris and Trey first met while Trey’s older brother Alvin was a student at Cushing Academy and where Ferris was the director of studies. “We called [Trey] the little guy and I couldn’t wait to have him as a student,” Ferris said. After Trey’s freshman year at Cushing, he transferred to Brewster. A year later, Ferris joined the Brewster community as the academic dean. Ferris spoke candidly about her trepidation at being new to the community; however, she recalled having the good fortune of arriving at Brewster for the Sunday night barbecue during opening-of-school weekend. She described feeling intimidated, standing at the edge of the crowd, watching students reunite after summer break and welcome new students. Trey Whitfield School graduate Whitney White ’07 with A.B. Whitfield and Annie Debow ’07 “Here comes across the lawn, running, not walking, dodging people … there was my friend Trey, his arms outstretched … he lifted me, spun me around.” “I was a small person, but Trey made me feel tall and regal, like a queen.” “If I was in with Trey, I was in at Brewster. I had it made,” she recalled smiling. “In the midst of this good time, this reunion, he was thinking of me.” And that was Trey Whitfield. l A.B. Whitfield, Dr. Joyce L. Ferris, Janie Whitney, and Dr. Michael E. Cooper Although often remembered as a 6’5” athlete who performed magic on the basketball court, Ferris recalled Trey the scholar, remembering fondly the day that every teacher cherishes, when he or she witnesses one of their students “get it.” It was a mythology lesson and Trey chose to write about Theseus, the Greek god who was known to have relied on his knowledge, not his physical strength, to meet his challenges. “I remember very well and understand what Trey got out of that class,” Ferris said. “He read the material. He listened. He formed an insight that was meaningful to him. Trey chose the mind.” Ferris offered more stories of Trey, each one describing a young man who genuinely cared about his friends and teachers but who remained open to their strength when he needed to draw on it. And with that, she advised students to reap all the benefits of their education and the opportunities offered at Brewster. “I want you to listen to your teachers because they really do listen to you.” “Trey and Martin Luther King were excellent examples of showing what it meant to be wonderful human beings.” “I found it to be inspirational, and it really gave me a feel of what he was like,” commented Alison Waldorf ‘08 after the lecture. Before Ferris concluded, she joyfully introduced the Brooklyn, New York-based Trey Whitfield School Choir, always a highlight of the annual lecture. The choir, comprised of students in grades 2-8 and under the energetic direction of Donna White (Whitney’07), delivered a powerful, uplifting performance of inspirational songs. l www.brewsteracademy.org l Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn February 23-25 Presented by Brewster Academy Performing Arts By Peggy Comeau “I was completely entertained and amazed at the talent that erupted on the stage last night from our student body and faculty.” ~ faculty member Rob O’Blenis “I was able to travel to school [from Connecticut] to see the fabulous performance of “Big River”and fully enjoyed myself.” ~ Nancy Peterle (David ’09) “I think it was the best production that we’ve done so far.” ~ faculty member BG Hodges ’66 (Anne ’03, Sara ’07) I n rehearsals since October, it was evident that the cast and crew, along with the drama and musical directors, worked very hard – and with great success – to produce this entertaining musical version of the story of Huck Finn. What a pleasant surprise it was to discover how much talent – including good voices, dancing, and stage presence – so many of the Brewster community cast members possess! The Big River cast This epic tale set in 1840s Missouri is a timeless reminder of the internal struggles adolescents face in the process of self-discovery. During his eventful trip down the Mississippi River on a raft with Jim, a runaway slave, Huck is confronted with making decisions on what actions to take and what values to use as a guide. Their journey is a symbolic one, in which Jim and Huck question the nature of freedom, slavery, and their own beliefs. With music and lyrics by Roger Miller (of “King of the Road” fame), most of the ensemble songs had a strong bluegrass and country sound, and Vince Herrington played Tom Sawyer Miss Watson (Leigh Feldman) and the Widow Douglas (Sarah Thompson) sing “Do You Want to go to Heaven?” to Huck Finn (Nik Krainchich) BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Jim (Jose Docen) tells Huck about his plans once he escapes to the North. The Duke (Ryan Cooper), the King (Eric Burns) and Huck sing of the riches they plan to collect from the unsuspecting townspeople Pap Finn (Andy Campbell) decides to steal Huck away from the Widow Douglas the lyrics were sometimes wacky but always clever, in the Miller tradition. The Broadway production of this adaptation by William Hauptman won 10 Tony awards, including Best Original Score and Best Musical, so the songs were a treat to hear. The orchestra consisted of versatile and talented local musicians on piano, guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, violin, harmonica, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, trumpet, and drum. Members appeared to be an extension of the cast, clad in denim jeans and plaid shirts for the occasion. Nik Krainchich ‘08 was in fine voice as Huck Finn. His part was a demanding one, as he had the most solo songs and sang and danced in most of the ensemble pieces. Jim was played by artist-in-residence Jose Docen, whose acting and singing talents are huge. Memorable performances were also given by Leigh Feldman ’07 as Miss Watson; Sarah Thompson ’07 as the Widow Douglas; Vincent Herrington ’08 as Tom Sawyer; Ryan Cooper ’09 as the Duke; music director Andy Campbell as Pap Finn; systems administrator Eric Burns as the King; Brittanie Pierce ’10 as Mary Jane Wilkes; Amanda Graham ’10 as Alice; and the Young Fools, played by Grace Apfeld ’10 and Campbell’s children John, 5, and Helen, 8. This adaptation opens with Miss Watson and the Widow Douglas, joined by the Company, all singing to Huck, “Do You Want to go to Heaven?” which has the refrain: “You better learn your readin’, and you better read your Bible or you’ll never get to Heaven ‘cause you won’t know how.” Huck is not sure he’s interested in getting to Heaven because he doesn’t like going to school or reading the Bible. Dragged away in the night by his drunken father, Huck escapes to an island to hide for a few days and discovers he’s not alone – there’s a runaway slave, Jim, also hiding there. During their journey, Huck learns that Jim hopes to escape to the north and buy his family out of slavery, and Huck realizes that Jim is more than a runaway slave, that he is a human being with feelings and hopes for the future. l www.brewsteracademy.org l Huck is mistaken for Tom Sawyer by Tom’s aunt Millie (Ally Reiner) A memorable – and quite moving – part of the play is when Huck and Jim sing “Worlds Apart,” in which Jim observes: Huck realizes that he’s falling for Mary Jane Wilkes (Brittanie Pierce) after he helps The Duke and The King steal from her and her orphaned sisters. I see the same stars through my window That you see through yours But we’re worlds apart Worlds apart And I see the same skies through brown eyes That you see through blue But we’re worlds apart, worlds apart Then together, they sing: I see the friendship in your eyes That you see in mine But we’re worlds apart, worlds apart Together, but worlds apart Huck questions what he’s been taught in school and church about what is right and what is wrong, and in the end decides not to turn Jim in, but to help him gain his freedom. “All right, then, I’ll go to Hell!” is the classic line that shows Huck’s maturity and resolve in standing up for what he feels is right. By deciding to help Jim escape, Huck has chosen to go against what school and religion have told him is illegal and immoral. Huck comes to terms with his decision to help Jim escape to the North. Huck and Jim encounter con artists, bounty hunters, and angry farmers during their adventure down stream, and many of the scenes were laugh-out-loud funny while some were quite poignant and thought-provoking. The production of this adaptation was a great choice in terms of the subject matter, the quality of the libretto and score, and for showcasing the talents of all those involved in this great entertainment provided for the Brewster community. Congratulations go out to Drama Director Dan Clay for another successful production! l A mourner (Sarah Thompson) belts out a sorrowful tune at Mr. Wilkes’ funeral There were many energetic song and dance numbers in the production. Photos by Peggy Comeau and BG Hodges ’66 10 Caitlyn Edson, Leigh Feldman, Anna Purvis, Grace Apfeld, and Sarah Thompson portrayed simple and poor townspeople who are scammed by The Duke, The King, and Huck. BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Huckleberry Finn and the Power of Theater By Dan Clay Human beings will always be hardwired to draw immediate conclusions about situations in order to protect themselves from harm. We use our eyes to make quick assessments about what is safe or dangerous, and we will always have the tendency to make assumptions about people or ideas that are unfamiliar to our own experience. I believe that it is how we respond to these situations, how much responsibility we take for our own behavior, that defines our character. This is what fascinates me about the theater and its possibilities. When we watch good theater we are given the opportunity to “become” each character. In other words, a good performance has the power to allow us to live vicariously through its characters and to accompany the protagonist on his or her journey and to understand and emphasize with his or her experiences so that we might change our perspective. Good theater can also afford us the chance to explore the bigger questions that are on our mind, to have a debate in a forum outside of ourselves, and look for answers in a safe, “fictional” environment. In February our school gathered together as a community to enjoy this year’s musical, Big River, based on Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Even if you haven’t read the novel, you are probably at least marginally familiar with this story about the journey that a young white boy and a runaway slave share on the Mississippi river in the mid-1800s. Big River is an edited version of Twain’s story set to music by the popular folk/country singer Roger Miller. At the start of both Twain’s version of the story and ours there appears: “Notice: Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted …” Here Twain is being facetious. He means that there is most definitely a motive within the narrative. Brewster’s Theater Department chose to produce this story because we felt that Twain’s motive is still very relevant today. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn withstands the test of time because it explores freedom and the quest for freedom. For example, “freedom” has been in the public consciousness a great deal lately as we debate the implications of war in Iraq and what “freedom” means to those who are directly or indirectly affected by it. In Twain’s story, Jim is in search of freedom from slavery, which was an unfortunate reality during the time in which the story l is set. Huck is in search of the freedom to think for himself, to make up his own mind about what is moral in a society that can be contradictory and corrupt. If we stop and think about it, I think we can all relate to the search for freedom in one way or another. My hope was that when we watched Big River together we could begin to see through the eyes of both Jim and Huck, so we could all experience what it might have been like to be a slave in the mid-1800s or a young boy in search of the truth in a society with questionable moral standards. Obviously, slavery is a touchy subject for everyone and even if you haven’t read the novel, you may have a strong emotional reaction, positive or negative, upon hearing even its title, based on what you have heard or experienced in the way of the book’s subject matter. The book has certainly been the subject of controversy for its treatment of religious, moral, or political themes. But if good theater affords us the opportunity to “become” each character, then actors and directors have a responsibility to be as real as we can in our attempt to tell a story. Even if that story has the potential to make us uncomfortable. I believe that our version of the story was a very sensitive retelling of Twain’s story and that we took great care to make it real and accessible to our audience so that we did not offend or alienate anyone. It is my belief that even the painful parts of history should be discussed, as long as they are addressed in a forum that’s safe and respectful, a forum outside of ourselves, so that we may look for answers in a healthy, “fictional” environment. I believe that kind of discussion is the backbone of moral education. I also believe that theater is the ideal forum to start that discussion. Here’s to the hope that Big River created a respectful dialogue, but above all, that our audiences enjoyed the show. There was quite a moving duet between Huck (Nik Krainchich) and Jim (Jose Docen) at the beginning of the second act. Jim sang, “I see the same skies through brown eyes that you see through blue, but we’re worlds apart.” The song happens after an argument that brings Huck to a moment of painful realization. Huck’s perspective begins to change as he and Jim share experiences and eventually understand one another. This is the power of theater. l www.brewsteracademy.org l 11 Comedian, Environmental Educator, Marketer, Singer-Songwriter Brewster Alums Share Their Post-Brewster Lives With Students By Marcia Eldredge Discipline, perseverance, preparedness … practices instilled at Brewster years earlier played a role in launching the successful careers of four alumni who returned to campus in January. The four Brewster graduates – Rob Gorden ’90, Kit Van Wagner ’89, Gregory Douglass ’99, and Chris Petronio ’01 – were back in Wolfeboro to talk to students about their careers, how they came to those careers, and what impact Brewster had on their choices. They came with jokes, reflections, adventure stories, and advice. Here are their stories. Rob Gorden ’90: Comedian R ob Gorden, who arrived at Brewster as an actor and hasn’t stopped acting since, opened the panel with a reflection on his own days at Brewster. “Last time I was behind a podium at Brewster, I was the student council president and I was about to be impeached.” Gorden began doing stand up comedy at age 16 while at Brewster. Since then he has added Boston, New York, and Chicago to his venues. “I realized after graduation that I was not Robert De Niro.“ Maybe not. But Gorden has made a name for himself in the entertainment world. Currently, Gorden is “Last time I was behind a podium part of a comedy duo The Rob and Mark at Brewster, I was the student Show and together council president and I was about they host SpikeTV’s “Geek-Ray Vision.” to be impeached.” Their show has been seen on The Oxygen Network and their performances have been a New York comedy highlight. Long before the SpikeTV and The Rob and Mark Show, however, Gorden earned a B.F.A. from Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts, and studied with Shakespeare & Company in the Berkshires. He has performed in commercials, film, and theatre, including appearances on CBS’s “The World Wild Web”, QVC, and the classic B movie “Drainiac.” Gorden’s interest in the Civil War Photos by Marcia Eldredge and his role as a reenactor led to a voiceover role 12 in the award-winning film “Gettysburg: The Boys of Blue and Gray.” Rob and Mark are songwriters, too. Their songs have earned airtime on WFNX in Boston, WZON (owned by Stephen King), in Maine, XM Satellite Radio, and the legendary Dr. Demento show. They have written songs for the Boston Red Sox, and their video “The Subway Song” recently premiered in New York City. So, how did Brewster help launch his comedy and songwriting career or, as Gorden put it to the All-School audience, “what does acting comedy have to do with Brewster?” First Gorden had to explain, “I was like the kid in all the smart classes who maybe shouldn’t have been there.” And one of those classes was Dick Fahy’s AP History class. Gorden respectfully, but humorously, talked about how the late Mr. Fahy was quick to remind his students that he was a Marine and when you’re a Marine, if you fall down, you get right back up. And Mr. Fahy, Gorden exclaimed, expected that same discipline of his AP History students. “I hate writing comedy, but I have to, otherwise I won’t have a job. I hate it because I don’t think [my writing] is funny.” In these moments of writer’s doubt and angst, Gorden hears Mr. Fahy. “I was in the Marines. I was in the mud, you get up, you get writing.” And so the need for discipline ingrained many years ago in a Brewster history class from a teacher with high expectations, has helped Rob BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Career panel particpants, l-r: Chris Petronio ’01, Gregory Douglass ’99, Rob Gorden ’90, and Kit Van Wagner ’89 Gorden get his work done so he can realize his dream – making people laugh – and there’s nothing funny about that. The next panelist came to Brewster as a day student and remembered that she found the small community of Wolfeboro somewhat of a shock after having lived in London; Kobe, Japan; and Oslo, Norway. Kit Van Wagner ’89: Environmental Educator While at Brewster Kit Van Wagner ’89 realized her interest in both the arts and sciences. In fact, she spent hours and hours in the school’s darkroom and discovered a love of photography, something she knew she wanted to be a part of what she did with her life. She just wasn’t sure how that would come together. Following graduation, she yearned to return to city living. She enrolled at Simmons College in Boston but soon realized that city life really wasn’t what she wanted. She transferred to the quieter campus of Middlebury College in Vermont, where she earned a degree in environmental studies. Upon graduation and in search of a warmer climate, Van Wagner headed south to the Florida Keys where an internship l awaited her at the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute. After four months, she became a science instructor at the Institute and at its summer program, Seacamp. It turned out to be everything she wanted and she spent every day in the water. She stayed for four years and during her fourth year, she added divemaster, deckhand, and kayak guide to her responsibilities. During this time, Van Wagner was taking advantage of all the opportunities around her that would build her professional portfolio and complement her studies. This included obtaining her U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license and scuba instructor rating and learning to sail. With these certifications and her expertise, Van Wagner has worked for nearly a decade as an onboard naturalist on small expedition ships in the South Pacific, New Zealand, the islands of the Caribbean, Alaska, Costa Rica, and Baja, Mexico. She spoke with regret about not having been involved with Brewster’s sailing program while she had the opportunity. The Pinckney Boathouse had just been completed and the sailing program could have given her a jump start in a direction she would soon find herself heading. She encouraged students to take advantage of all www.brewsteracademy.org l 13 that Brewster offers, never knowing what seed might be planted along the way. “It’s up to you to take advantage of things here.” Van Wagner admitted that luck and timing had something to do with finding the right jobs and career path for her but the hard work and perseverance that precedes that luck or the good timing, puts a person in the position to be ready for it when it comes along. “The friends you make here are for life.” After four years with the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute she returned to school, earning a master’s degree in science education from the Florida Institute of Technology. “I had planned to move out of Florida after graduation but the reality was the best opportunity for getting jobs was right there.” She spoke about her knowledge of the Florida ecosystems and having made professional connections in the community. So she stayed and worked for a local government land conservation program as an education specialist. In addition to creating meaningful outdoor experiences for audiences of all ages, she has enjoyed developing educational brochures, interpretive exhibits and signage, interactive touch-screen kiosks, teacher workshops, and acting as a liaison with her community. Van Wagner now works for the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Rhode Island. She is the education coordinator and her “office” is Prudence Island in the middle of Narragansett Bay, which means she arrives for work each day by ferry, never far from the water. Before closing, Van Wagner spoke briefly about Brewster friendships. “The friends you make here are for life,” she assured the community. Gesturing to Gorden she explained how they hadn’t seen each other since graduation day but the night before, upon running into each other at the Wolfeboro Inn, they sat down and talked like no time had passed since that day. Chris Petronio ’01: Marketer While time was passing between when Gorden and Van Wagner had last seen each other and would meet again, Chris Petronio ’01 enrolled as a junior and was having his own Brewster 14 experiences. The third panelist empathized with today’s students, saying, “It’s not easy at your age to leave your comfortable environment and move here. You are risk takers.” The self-described risk-taker talked about his college to work transition. He graduated from college on a Monday (the College of Wooster, with a degree in history), moved to New York City on that following Friday, and started looking for a job on Monday, motivated as much by all the possibilities Manhattan could offer as by the need to survive and pay big rent in the big city. Petronio began enthusiastically searching for a career in business and sales. The first job – selling online office products – ended up being the “absolute wrong job for me.” Then another job came along that he really wanted and for which he thought he was the best candidate. When he didn’t get the job, he called back to say that he wanted to work “It’s not easy at for the company, that he thought your age to leave he was right for your comfortable the company, and asked them to environment and consider him for move here. You ot h er op en in g s. He e-mailed once are risk takers.” a month to check in and see if any opportunities had come up. One day, out of the blue, something had opened up and the opportunity was his. Along the way, between jobs, one person who hired him was a Brewster alumnus and although it wasn’t the job for Petronio, he and the alum parted amicably and Petronio urged students to remember his name because maybe some day he could help one of them. He now works for the direct marketing company, ParadyszMatera, where he is the coordinator for various accounts, including Smithsonian, Financial Times, Fidelity Investments, TV Guide, and Vonage. As the panelists before him had imparted, Petronio encouraged students to appreciate their Brewster experience. “Do get to appreciate it here. There are so many people out there who would kill to be here.” BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 He has co-billed with They Might Be Giants, India Arie, Jason Mraz, and Melissa Ferrick. How does he make it happen? “I’m pretty much a workaholic these days as I am self-managed on a fulltime basis. Usually writing/ creating/recording happens in waves or chunks of time where I put everything else on hold to stay in the ‘groove’ of inspiration. Otherwise, I’m booking and promoting myself until all hours of the night and performing/touring as much as possible.” Gregory Douglass ’99: Singer-Songwriter The final panelist of the day chose the piano bench from which to relate to students. Gregory Douglass, born and raised in rural Vermont, taught himself to play the piano and guitar and during junior high began writing his own songs. “I liked to sing and write songs,” Douglass said. That was a big part of his decision to attend Brewster. He was looking for a college-like experience and found that experience at Brewster and more, referring to the school’s recording studio, which gave him the opportunity to demo his music early on. When Douglass graduated from Brewster in 1999, then-Headmaster David M. Smith presented him with a music award and announced that Douglass was the first student he has ever encouraged not to go to college. Douglass immediately acted on that advice and began pursuing his passion fulltime. That passion has led to the release of six records as an independent artist. He composed and recorded the material for his first two albums while at Brewster. His accolades include being a finalist for both the 2005 International Songwriting Competition and the 2004 Independent Music Awards and winning the 2003 GrammyFest Awards in New York City. In 2003, he was the inaugural performer on the American Red Cross “Save A Life Tour.” l And what does Douglass do for fun? “I don’t do much else honestly but the occasional movie or concert always fuels a little inspiration and some times I can even get a new song out of it.” Between performing songs at the All School, the 26 year-old singer-songwriter offered this advice to the current students of his alma mater: “Follow “Take a close your dreams, as clichéd as that look at what sounds, I think we need to.” “Take a close look at what you want to do and how you can make that happen. Find out what you need to do realistically.” Douglass performed “Sail the Sea” from his fifth record, Stark, and “Up & Away” from his sixth record, Up & Away. In April, he embarks on his 2nd Annual National House Concert Tour, which will have him traveling around the country through August. you want to do and how you can make that happen. Find out what you need to do realistically.” Despite his success, Douglass isn’t all that removed from his days at Brewster. Driving over to campus from Vermont that morning, he realized he was wearing his holiest jeans. With a wide smile he commented, “I’m so not in dress code right now and I’m really enjoying that.” For more information on Douglass, to order cds, or to check concert schedules, please visit www. gregorydouglass.com. l www.brewsteracademy.org l 15 Around campus Ting-Chun Lin ‘09, Chen-Hsu Wang ‘07, David Liao ‘07, and Hyun Ku Cho ‘07 enjoy the Mardi Gras-themed winter formal dance. Tara Mead ‘07, Gina Commissiong ‘10, Jess Palmer ‘09, and Kerry Mead ‘09 Winter Formal Andrew Borden ‘07 and Denise Sprague ‘07 Teagan Lewis ’08, a guest, and Chanita Susewi ’10 Chanelle Roy ‘08 and Christine Merry ‘08 Basketball star Emmanuel Negedu ‘08 can skate, too! Contenders at Winter Carnival: Channel 4 News 16 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Fun at the Pop Whalen Arena! Teacher Appreciation Celebration By Beth Hayes ’81 Yee Haw! O Co-chair of the Local Parents’ Association Anne Sprague (Leah ‘04, Denise ‘07) shares in the delight, along with the rest of the crowd, of history teacher and team leader Charlie Hossack, who won the grand prize trip of three nights in Key Largo! Faculty members Brittany Ames and Michelle Rafalowski-Houseman kick up their heels. n Saturday night, March 3, Brewster’s Pinckney Boathouse was transformed into the BA Corral! Over 100 Brewster faculty and staff members and their guests enjoyed a knee-slapping, toe-tapping night. Thanks to the creativity and generosity of the Brewster parents, there were gift baskets piled as high as the eye could see. Every faculty and staff member who attended selected the basket of their choice as their raffle number was called out by Anne Sprague, co-president of the Local Parents’ Association, and faculty member and emcee Byron Martin. In addition to the gift baskets, there were 12 special prizes in a faculty raffle that brought the folks to their feet in anticipation of winning one of these beauties. Faculty winners and their prizes included: Emily James - a MacGregor putter, donated by Paul and Phyllis Tessier and Bald Peak Colony Club Chris Byers - $100 gift certificate to Garwoods Restaurant, donated by Melinda Fitting and James Eastham (Katherine Eastham ‘08) Jim Weeks - A gourmet dinner including wine for six donated by Jim and Kathy O’Brien (Jimmy ‘04, Katie ‘06) Sharon K. Lee, TJ Palmer, Byron Martin, Rob O’Blenis, and Bill Lee each won two bottles of fine wine, donated by Jim and Kathy O’Brien (Jimmy ‘04, Katie ‘06) Jaime Garzon - Six Red Sox tickets, donated by Grant Wilson ‘87 Kevin Lawlor - Two round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S., donated by Rex and Sharon Jobe (Reagan ‘01) Sarah Anderson - L.L. Bean gift bag with wine and $100, donated by Susan and Ernie Whitehouse (Spencer ‘09) Charlie Hossack - Grand Prize Winner -Three nights for two in Key Largo, donated by Peter and Bea Citron (Matt ‘04) l www.brewsteracademy.org l 17 Marsha Brooks from the Business Office shows a few country steps to faculty member and emcee Byron Martin. You can’t have a proper hoedown without proper vittles and music. Jim Carey and Lionel Tandy from Brewster’s mess hall put on quite a a spread: Texas-style beef brisket, barbecued chicken, Southwest mac and cheese, quesadillas, and corn bread were just a few of the fixin’s, not to mention the Southern Comfort peach cobbler. And you should have seen those teachers dance! They bootscooted, boogied, sidestepped, and high-heeled all over that dance floor to the sounds of country classics and Southern rock. English teacher Sarah Anderson (with Aengus, 5 months) catching up with math teacher and team leader Kevin Lawlor. Kevin and his wife, dorm parent Jillian, became parents in December. Thank you to all of the parents who sent baskets, gift certificates, and sponsorships. YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN! Thank you to the cowhands who went to market, wrapped, hauled, and decorated for the night’s festivities. A special thanks to Anne Sprague (Leah ’04, Denise ‘07) and Patti Edson (Caitlyn ’08, Megan ’09), who co-chaired the event, and to the parents who stayed at the event until the last of the cowboys/girls went to their bunks. Also, a special thanks to BA parents Linda and Lou Siracusa (Liz ’07) of Linda’s Flowers, who created wondeful centerpieces that resembled the Arizona desert in bloom. Our parent and friend volunteers also included: Kristine Apfeld (Luke ’09, Grace ’10) Judith Braun-Colcord (Alex Colcord ’09) Christie Bravo (Andrea ’05, Ethan ’08) Karyn Caldwell (Robert ’07) Sue Corby (Emily Oas ’09) Catherine Drouin (Nate ’10) Kathy Engel (Mike ’09) Kim and Warren Gould Mary and Roland Lefebvre (Nicole ’09) Lisa Lucier (Chezney Aubert ’07) Bobbie Moulton (Alex ’08) Jeanne and Mark Pierce (Brittanie ’10) Cathy Roy (Jordan ’09) Robin Webster (Brooke ’08) l Some of the incredible gift baskets created by Brewster parents. Well over 100 baskets came in from across the country! 18 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Photos by Peggy Comeau The Pendulum Project: Helping Children With AIDS All-School December 15, 2006 By Peggy Comeau E llen McCurley, executive director of The Pendulum Project, used to have a high-paying job at a corporate marketing firm. Realizing that she wanted more – to help people in need on a grassroots level – she went back to school and earned first her master’s in social work, then her master’s in public health. Then, six years ago, she founded The Pendulum Project, a non-profit humanitarian foundation that helps families and communities care for, support, and protect orphans and other vulnerable children in Malawi, where the HIV/AIDS epidemic is raging. The Pendulum Project links those who help these at-risk children with those who can provide resources and hope. She explained that every family in Malawi is affected by the AIDS crisis – the death rate among children five and under is 23 percent; the life expectancy of an adult is age 42; and 25 per cent of all children are orphans, many of whom are caring for not only their own brothers and sisters, but cousins and other unrelated children who have no family left. McCurley recently returned from the project’s office in Malawi, where she spends an average of four months each year. Her son and daughter, both college students, accompanied her on this most recent trip, and it was a life-changing experience for both. She told the Brewster students that no matter what they ended up doing in life, they should realize they are part of a small world, a global community, and should look for ways to help, to take over from the generation now helping but getting older. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, philanthropist Warren Buffet, and even pop singer Madonna were praised for their help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. McCurley stressed that the funds her organization raises via grants and other donations world-wide do not go to pay for high salaries nor benefits for the project’s staff, but for helping Malawi children’s aid organizations at the most basic level with medicines, education, books and other school supplies, training, and simple technology. Ellen McCurley, founder of The Pendulum Project, smiles as she tells the students about Gladys, an orphan who was very sick when they met but who was helped by an aid organization supported by the project. On her recent trip back to Malawi, McCurley found Gladys in better health and back in school. “AIDS is not just something we can contain to one continent or turn a blind eye to. Africa is not a lost cause. It’s time for our generation to take a stand.” ~ Amberlee Jones ’08 Photos by Peggy Comeau l www.brewsteracademy.org l 19 McCurley urged the students to consider accompanying her group to Malawi in the future. When asked what kind of help a student could offer, McCurley explained that some have helped the aid organization workers learn how to use a laptop; some have helped build houses, taught guitar, or helped with planting farms. McCurley stressed that just going over and working with the children, letting them know that other people care about their plight, is a tremendous help and gives hope to a generation without a lot of hope. Students and faculty gathered around McCurley after her talk to ask questions about her work and how they might get involved. Students and adults also admired the handiwork of the Malawi children on display, purchasing necklaces and bracelets McCurley explains to students and faculty how they can help the orphans and other priced at $1 to support the project in a small way. l vulnerable children in Malawi. Annie Debow ’07, Brooke Webster ’08, and Annie Dearborn ’08 admire their purchases, jewelry made by the children of Malawi. Upcoming All-Schools April 13: Travis Roy April 27: Russell Cosby May 11: Talent in the House May 18: School Elections May 23: Spring Sports Awards Lady Hoopsters Also Selected for New Englands Continued from page 24 averaged 14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals per game and was the leader in all four categories. Seniors Beth Gallugi and Elaine Fancy (Moncton, New Brunswick) also added to the team’s success. Both Gallugi (Swampscott, Massachusetts) and Fancy missed eight games due to injury, but when they were on the court, Brewster was obviously a much better team, Jacobs said. Fancy had the second highest scoring average at 6.5; Gallugi was right behind her with 6 points per game and was the second leading rebounder for the team. “We are going to miss the athleticism of all three of these seniors. It will be hard to replace their stats,” Jacobs said. 20 “What is great about this year, is that we made the playoffs, and all of our younger players got an opportunity to play and improve,” he added. Seven players will return next season: juniors Hannah Byers (Wolfeboro) and Sam Brown (Bedford, New Hampshire), sophomores Emily Oas and Taylor Callahan, both of Wolfeboro, and freshmen Margaret George (Wolfeboro), Ellen Hayes (Wakefield, New Hampshire), and Kelsey Hammond (Wolfeboro). • BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Brewster’s Re-Accreditation By Dr. Michael E. Cooper I n November 2006 The Commission on Independent Schools informed me of its vote to grant Brewster Academy continued accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC). Independent schools desiring accreditation by the NEASC must undergo re-accreditation every 10 years. Brewster has received continued accreditation since its initial membership with the NEASC in 1933. Upon confirmation of Brewster’s re-accreditation, the Commission commended Brewster for following its mission with clarity, for innovations in teaching, (e.g. “best practices”), and for the Brewster Academy Summer Institute, which has involved the entire faculty. The NEASC is the regional accrediting body for New England and American/international schools in more than 60 countries. It accredits programs from pre-K through the doctoral level. The Re-Accreditation Process The evaluation program for re-accreditation is a three-step process, which includes a selfstudy by the school, an evaluation by a visiting committee, and a follow-up program by the school to implement findings from its self-study and the valid recommendations of the visiting committee. For the Brewster community, the re-accreditation process began with the appointment in early 2005 of Bonnie Medico, director of personnel, and Raylene Davis, director of the English as a Second Language program, as co-chairs of Brewster’s reaccreditation process. The self-study began in spring 2005 with a goal of examining how well Brewster met the accreditation standards of the NEASC. Every teacher, administrator, and staff member served on one or two committees during the self-study. Each committee was responsible for writing a specific section of the self-study report. Additionally, parents provided feedback and input to committees via questionnaires, and where appropriate, students served on select committees. The self-study committees focused on the following areas of the Academy: Mission, Students and Parents, Professional Staff, Governance, Administration and Faculty, Institutional Issues, and Culture and Climate. In writing the reports, committee members examined what Brewster says it does while looking at how well the school actually does it. Members also identified – and made recommendations for – areas needing improvement. The self-study groups worked for nearly 18 months, producing final drafts by Summer 2006. The reports were then sent to the Visiting Committee, appointed by the Commission on Independent Schools, that would visit Brewster for four days in October. This Visiting Committee comprised eight administrators and faculty from independent schools throughout New England. This group was charged with determining if Brewster passed the NEASC standards, assessing if Brewster’s self-study was a true reflection of the institution, and making commendations and recommendations. While on campus, they conducted interviews with faculty, staff, administrators, and students. I received official notification in mid-November that Brewster was granted re-accreditation. Photos by Stephen Allen l www.brewsteracademy.org l 21 What Does Brewster’s Re-Accreditation Mean? After reviewing the self-study reports and concluding their campus visit, the Visiting Committee responded to a “checklist” of standards for accreditation. In all, there were 77 standards to which each of the Visiting Committee members responded to regarding Brewster’s commitment to and practice of fulfilling its mission and, ultimately, how well it serves the needs of its students. Committee members voted unanimously, in the affirmative, on 67 of these statements. Of the 10 standards that did not receive a unanimous affirmative response, each one received between five and seven affirmative responses. Thus, all standards received a majority of positive votes. Overall, an excellent “grade report” for Brewster Academy and, most importantly, for the students whose needs are being well served by Brewster’s programs. As it was validating to learn that what Brewster thinks it does best, is indeed what Brewster does best, the school also was eager to learn where committee members indicated there was room for improvement. Recommendations for improvement ranged from fundraising priorities and maximizing human and financial resources, to a review of equity in staff assignments and assessing and clarifying roles in certain areas. At the heart of Brewster’s strength is its mission and the commitment of administrators, trustees, and faculty to allow the mission to guide them in planning and decision making in all areas of the school and for this the Committee commended the Academy for this clear articulation of mission. 22 The specific recommendations, taken directly from the Visiting Committee’s report: •Give every priority to the building of the infrastructures required to increase annual and capital giving to the school while maintaining high levels of enrollment, given the pressures on the operating budget as a result of low endowment. •Review the equity of coaching, teaching, and residential life assignments to ensure parity. •Assess communication about and the role of faculty involvement in the creation and evolution of policies in the school. •Clarify the role of the faculty and administration in curriculum development. •Assure that communication is open and clear between Maintenance, Housekeeping, and the Administration in order to maximize the benefits of human and financial resources. What Does Brewster Do Best? At the heart of Brewster ’s strength is its mission and the commitment of administrators, trustees, and faculty to allow the mission to guide them in planning and decision making in all areas of the school and for this the Committee commended the Academy for this clear articulation of mission. Another significant commendation by the Committee – and directly related to how we best serve our students – is Brewster’s benchmark practice. When questions arise about Brewster’s ability to adequately meet the needs of an applicant who BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 has additional academic support needs, a benchmark committee convenes to thoroughly assess the applicant’s ability to achieve success within the Brewster program. The benchmark program coupled with a thorough application process for all applicants has helped produce a high retention rate (approximately 96 percent) of students who return to Brewster. The Committee acknowledged that this practice is directly connected to a high rate of student success at Brewster. The committee’s major commendations, taken directly from the report: •Brewster recognizes the developmental levels of children and takes them into consideration in planning programs and teaching methodologies. Through the Brewster model and the core beliefs underpinning teaching methodologies, Brewster Academy establishes itself at the forefront of pedagogical development and is clearly pro-active in the development of curriculum that is student-centered and takes into consideration individual differences. •The Academy prioritizes time for teachers to plan together and discuss students. Of particular note in this regard is the creation of the team structure that is grade specific and brings together in regular meetings teaching faculty and advisors to discuss individual students of concern or note. This collaborative sharing creates both in perception and reality a system that ensures no student will go unnoticed or un-supported. •With the opening of the Smith Center for Athletics and Wellness, Brewster Academy admirably fulfills that part of its mission, which speaks to the education and development of the whole child both in mind and body. In particular, a first-class athletic training system exists for the prevention and care of athletic injuries. •In an environment where many schools struggle with the internal competitions of programs, Brewster Academy is remarkably committed to sustaining the focus as outlined in the mission. Brewster’s latest re-accreditation report reveals that •Brewster Academy’s sophisticated utilization of technology enhances the delivery of its mission through the evolution and implementation of curriculum. Technology also enhances the Academy’s ability to communicate in an effective and intentional manner to both internal and external audiences. At every turn, Brewster Academy puts students at the center of every decision – from program pedagogy and teaching methodologies that consider individual learning styles to prioritizing time for teachers to collaborate and share their students’ progress and challenges so no student goes unsupported. Brewster’s latest re-accreditation report reveals that the Academy’s commitment to mission is foremost and it is this commitment that allows the school to stay focused on its most important goal – serving the needs of its students. the Academy’s The final and third step in the process takes place in 2008 when Brewster will report on what steps it has taken in response to each recommendation. most important goal Anyone interested in learning more about Brewster’s re-accreditation is welcome to contact me ([email protected]). For information on the NEASC and accreditation in general, please visit the NEASC website at www.neasc.org. l l www.brewsteracademy.org l commitment to mission is foremost and it is this commitment that allows the school to stay focused on its – serving the needs of its students. 23 Varsity Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coaches’ Award Sean Arrington Coaches’ Award Grant Hope Coaches’ Award Jonas Lalehzadeh Boys’ Varsity B Basketball Leadership Award Matt Fontaine Coaches’ Award James Ellison MIP Stone Lauderdale Girls’ Varsity Basketball MVP Kelsey Harger Coaches’ Award Taylor Callahan Coaches’ Award Hannah Byers Varsity Alpine Ski MVP MVP Coaches’ Award Katherine Welch Scott Cameron Max Weinstein Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey MVP Sam Avoine Coaches’ Award Will MacNeil Coaches’ Award Grant Gosselin Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey MVP Suzanne Fenerty MIP Teraysa White Coaches’ Award Kristen Ezard Nordic Skiing Career Achievement Sara Hodges Career Achievement Andrew Borden Junior Varsity Boys’ JV Basketball MVP MIP Coaches’ Award David Liao HyunKu Cho Yu-Nien Chien Boys’ JV B Basketball MVP Matt Nichols MIP Kanji Nada Coaches’ Award Ting-Chun Lin Girls’ JV Basketball MVP Coaches’ Award MIP Boys’ JV Ice Hockey MVP MIP Coaches’ Award Girls’ JV Ice Hockey MVP MIP Coaches’ Award 24 Ellen Hayes Gina Commissiong Isabel Ritter Alex Hutchins Chris Cason Evan Price Tara Mead Anna Schaefer Annie Dearborn New England Finalists T he boys’ varsity basketball team enjoyed another successful season finishing with a record of 29-6, which earned them a final ranking of 5th nationally. It’s the sixth consecutive year the team has been ranked in the top 10 nationally. The 29 victories also set a new school record. During the playoffs, the team won an overtime contest in the NEPSAC Class A quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas More (97-91) as well as an exciting victory over South Kent School (85-83) in the semifinals before losing in the championship game to Bridgton Academy, 67-80. During the season, the Bobcats captured the New Hampton Invitational for the first time in school history. The team was led by cocaptains Andre McFarland (Las Vegas) and Emmanuel Negedu (Kaduna, Nigeria), who provided tremendous leadership throughout the year. The boys enjoyed outstanding support from the Brewster community during the year. Over 100 NCAA Division I coaches made the trek to Wolfeboro to evaluate and meet with members of the team. Many have earned scholarships and will continue playing at the collegiate level. Brewster will have new alums at the following universities this fall: Andre Walker of Flossmooor, Illinois (Vanderbilt), McFarland (Idaho), Craig Brackins of Palmdale, California (Iowa State), and Phil Stiles Winter Athletic Awards Dogus Balbay of Istanbul, Turkey (Texas). Others will make their decisions later this spring. “Overall, the year was most successful and I look forward to staying in touch with the guys in the future, as well as following their college careers,” Coach Jason D. Smith said. • Lady Hoopsters Also Selected for New Englands T he girls’ varsity basketball team, led by head coach, Michael Jacobs, also saw post-season play but lost in the quarterfinals to #1 ranked Kimball Union Academy. “We surprised a lot people by getting in this year,” Jacobs said. “Although we didn’t have an overall winning record, we did have a winning record within Class C, our league. Most of our losses came to Class B and A schools.” BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 “Playing a very tough schedule actually helped us get selected for post-season play,” he said. Six of the teams’ losses and one of their victories came against schools that won the New England Championship for their class. Senior Kelsey Harger (Glenview, Illinois) earned team MVP honors. She Continued on page 20 Community Service Projects In this issue of BrewsterConnections, we highlight students who are involved with community service projects that directly impact individuals in the local Wolfeboro community. What Are You Doing With Your Free Block? Marcia Eldredge Dallas Aho D uring his free block on Fridays of winter trimester, Dallas Aho ’07 wasn’t doing his homework and he wasn’t chillin’ in the Estabrook. He was driving around Wolfeboro delivering meals – Meals on Wheels. Aho first became familiar with Meals on Wheels this past summer in his hometown of Vancouver, Washington. Meals on Wheels is a non-profit group that prepares nutritious meals for people who are unable to prepare their own meals. “This summer I helped out at a place that delivered Meals on Wheels, but I wasn’t old enough to be a driver so I rode along on a route. Then one day during my free block in Wolfeboro a car drove past me with a Meals on Wheels sign. I thought that it would be a good community service project – since I was now 18, had a car, and a free block during lunch time.” Dallas Aho ’07 stands beside his wheels he uses for delivering Meals on Wheels “ ... we both developed strong bonds and had meaningful experiences in the very same place 73 years apart.” l And so on Fridays Aho would drive the 2/10s of a mile to the local Huggins Hospital where the meals were prepared. He’d load them in his SUV and head out to make his deliveries. “On the Wolfeboro route, there are usually about 10 meals. At the drop-off it’s really just a quick exchange of a meal, a smile, and a greeting.” But Aho remembers one of his delivery stops fondly. “One of my most amazing experiences with Meals on Wheels was when I got to deliver to Ms. Pollini. ... Inside her home can be found a Brewster quilt on the rocking chair. When I asked her about the different Brewster items in her home, she told me that she graduated with the class of ‘34. To me it was really cool to think that she and I had walked the same halls and were part of something powerful. ... It was the idea that we both developed strong bonds and had meaningful experiences in the very same place 73 years apart.” l www.brewsteracademy.org l 25 Community Service Update Putting Smiles on Faces With Her Dancing: Jenn Clements J enn Clements ’07 of Wolfeboro has been dancing ballet since she was three and plans to continue dancing when she heads to college next year. In between classes and sports commitments (she’s a varsity field hockey and lacrosse player), and her own ballet classes, she shares her love of dance with the young and the old right here in the Wolfeboro community. Once a week she heads to a local ballet studio to teach ballet to beaming three year-olds. “It’s my favorite thing to do. They are so driven to do well and want to learn.” Last summer she brought one of her dance routines to the Adult Day Center at nearby Huggins Hospital. The center serves mainly community members afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Clements would perform Faith Hill’s “Breathe” on pointe for the attendees, her grandmother among them. She says the experience was very rewarding, and she continues to share her love of dance and Alzheimer’s awareness with other communities as a participant in local and state pageants where she has the opportunity to speak about the disease and it’s impact on families. “People don’t realize how it affects families and how families suffer from it as well as the patients,” she said. Jenn Clements ’07 On March 17, Jenn was crowned Miss New Hampshire National Teenager and will be competing for Miss National Teenager in July in Nashville, Tennesee. l Did you know? During the 2005-06 school year, Brewster students completed nearly 7,000 hours of community service. 26 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Community Service Update Don’t Throw Out That Can! Bring it to the Goodwin Girls B eginning in January, every Tuesday after their dorm meeting the girls of Goodwin House head out to a few dorms to collect returnable bottles and cans. So far they’ve collected about five large trash bags, according to Marika Deppmeyer, the girls’ community life parent. But the girls aren’t just recycling for the sake of recycling, although that alone would be a good cause, the girls have another mission. Through Director of Residence Life Jaime Wehrung, the girls learned of a local woman who was collecting recyclables and bringing them to Maine for the 5cent redemption per can and bottle. (New Hampshire does not offer a redemption for recyclables). This woman’s goal is to earn enough money to pay for a much needed prosthetic device for her arm and hand. “The girls in Goodwin were passionate about recycling, and we wanted to take that and translate it to a community service project that the girls would be excited about,” Deppmeyer said. The girls will continue their collection efforts through the end of the school year l The Girls of Goodwin (l to r): Susan Ngai, Emily Lesko, Maria Schaefer, Christie Sharlow, Suzanne Fenerty, Nicole Louiseize, Tara Mead, Jenn White, Alyssa Hennigar, Marika Deppmeyer, and lounging across her dorm mates is Kelsey Glencross. l www.brewsteracademy.org l 27 Fine and Performing Arts News Friends of the Arts S everal Brewster students submitted their artwork this year to the Friends of the Arts show at Plymouth State University’s Silver Center for the Arts. Juried into the show were a 7-inch by 9inch photo titled “Norway Streets” by Paul Algate ’07 and a 19” ceramic vase by Denise Sprague ’07, both of whom are from Wolfeboro. Shannon Doherty ’08 of Wolfeboro and Susan Ngai ’08 of Hong Kong both received Honorable Mention in the ceramics category for their 19” vases. • 19-inch vase by Denise Sprague ’07 “Norway Streets” by Paul Algate ’07 Brewster Music Department Concerts November 14: Music For The Crescent Moon in Anderson Hall HOWL chorus, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble performed. December 12: Roll Over, Beethoven in Anderson Hall HOWL and Chamber Orchestra warmed up for the Beethoven Mass in C gala at the University of New Hampshire. Jazz Band and the Wind Ensemble also performed. December 16 and 17: Clearlakes Chorale presents A Radiant Christmas at Saint Katherine Drexel Church Featuring Magnificat of J. S. Bach and Carols from Victorian England 28 January 20: Beethoven Mass in C Major at the University of New Hampshire HOWL was again invited by the director of Choral Activities at the University of New Hampshire on January 20 to join with a few other area high schools in performing Beethoven’s Mass in C with the UNH Concert Choir and Orchestra. Those participating in the UNH concert included: Grace Apfeld BoKyung Choi Mark Deering ChangSuk Oh SongJi Choi Caitlyn Edson Anna Parker YoungEun Choi Katherine Fan Brittanie Pierce HyunJi Chung Marina Garland Caroline Prozer Karin Clement HyunSoo Kim Elena Rukhadze Ryan Cooper Nik Krainchich Chanita Susewi PJ Dailey Lauren Landau Sarah Thompson Alex Moulton BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Fine and Performing Arts News Spring Drama Production THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ABRIDGED is a high-speed roller-coaster condensation of all of Shakespeare’s plays and is not recommended for people with heart ailments, bladder problems, inner-ear disorders, and/or people inclined to motion sickness. Watch what happens when a group of Brewster students attempt to perform all of Shakespeare’s plays in just 90 minutes. Romeo and Juliet is performed by two people, Othello becomes a rap, all the comedies melt into one, the history plays are done as a football game, Titus Andronicus is a cooking show, and Hamlet is done backwards! This wacky play will be performed by just five Brewster students who have been rehearsing all year during their E-block acting class. Starring are Amberlee Jones ’08, Alex Moulton ’08, Brittanie Pierce ’10, and Alison Waldorf ’08, with a surprise guest appearance by another Brewster drama favorite! Performances for the upper school will be on May 17, for the lower school May 18, with a public performance on May 19 at 8 p.m. Performances will be held in the Rogers Building. l February 22 – 25: Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Brewster’s Theater and Music Departments teamed up once again to tell this tale of adventure and self-discovery which begins on a raft on the Mississippi River in the 1840s. (see story page 8) April 20: Family Weekend Adventures in the Performing Arts at the Black Box Theater Featuring HOWL, Chamber Orchestra, and Theater students l Stephen Allen January 30: Winter Carnival Concert in the Rogers Building Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band featured. April 1 and 3: A Mozart Gala Concert The Brewster Academy Chamber Orchestra played a joint concert with the Mountain Top Community Orchestra on Sunday, April 1 at Salyards Museum in North Conway, New Hampshire, and on Tuesday, April 3 at Anderson Hall on campus. The concert featured the renowned clarinetist, Joe Rinaldi, performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Other Mozart gems were performed as well. l www.brewsteracademy.org l 29 Welcome! Michael Appe, New Trustee B rewster Academy is pleased to welcome Michael Appe as the newest member of its board of trustees. Appe and his wife Irene retired to Wolfeboro from the Seattle area following a career with Microsoft Corporation. He retired as vice president of sales, United States. Michael and Irene Appe Since his arrival in the Lakes Region, Appe has been an active volunteer with the Wolfeboro Area Children’s Center and has served on the board of directors of the Wolfeboro Area Recreation Association since 2001. the University of Vermont with a degree in mathematics. He and Irene are avid golfers and are members at both the Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club and Kingswood Golf Club. The Appes hosted a wonderful silent and live auction this fall at their home as part of the Shamrock Open to benefit the John Naramore Scholarship Fund at Brewster Academy. Their niece, Marlowe Appe ’10, of Charlotte, Vermont, is a Brewster student. • Born and raised in the Albany, New York, area, Appe graduated from D uring the February Board of Trustees meeting, Brewster hosted a luncheon for trustees and community leaders. The luncheon provided an opportunity for trustees to meet communtiy leaders and for those leaders to meet trustees and become more familiar with the Brewster community. 30 Among those community leaders who were able to attend were: Mary DeVries (Executive Director, Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce), David Owen (Wolfeboro Town Manager), Linda Murray (Wolfeboro selectwoman), Bob Varney (attorney), Jane Milligan (Rotary Club), Edie Desmarais (N.H. Workforce Housing Council, Eastern Lakes Region), Lou Siracusa (Lions Club), Susan Whiting (Executive Director, Wolfeboro Area Children’s Center), and Robert Reid (Wolfeboro selectman) l BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Advancement Office Update Dow Cabinet Finds a Welcome Home at Brewster I n the fall of 2006 Marjorie Dow of Dow’s Corner Shop in Center Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, donated a massive solid mahogany cabinet to Brewster. Crafted in the late 1800s, the cabinet was used for displays by a department store in upstate New York. Marjorie and her late husband, Albert H. “Sandy” Dow Jr. ‘41, acquired the cabinet and used it as a display piece in their shop for many years. This magnificent mirrored cabinet stands eight feet tall and eight feet wide. It took some Yankee ingenuity and many hours and men to move it from Center Tuftonboro to Wolfeboro. Its new home is the hallway outside of the Kenison Library where the Academic Building and the Wilson Center for Teaching and Learning join. The Dow cabinet, as it is now known, will be used to display student artwork. The inscription on the plaque inside the cabinet reads: Given in memory of Albert H. Dow, Sr. ’06 and Albert H. Dow, Jr. ’41 by Marjorie H. Dow The Dow Cabinet in its new home outside the library Benefactor Marjorie H. Dow with family friend (and Brewster instructional support teacher) Jim Monahan Photos by Peggy Comeau l www.brewsteracademy.org l 31 Alumni News Advancement Office Update Recent Gatherings Colorado I n November, nearly 50 alumni and friends turned out to enjoy a night of fun and getting reacquainted at the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver, Colorado. Former Headmaster David M. Smith and wife Sheila, a former admission officer, were in attendance as were sons Tim ’91, Dan ’93, and James ’95, who all live in Colorado. James’ band, Interstate Stash Express, played several sets for the group. E. Anton Rainold ‘87 shared a video showing his recent business venture, Colorado Kiteforce. The Frisco, Colorado-based company runs daily kite ski and snowboard excursions. Two of Brewster’s most recent alums, Rachel Berman ’06 and Eric Reusche ’06, took a break from their studies at the University of Denver to join the fun. Dick Weeks, former Brewster faculty member and dean of students, with Anton Rainold ‘87 and Sage Daly Wirth ‘88 in Denver. Weeks is A special thanks to David Collins ’84 for co-hosting the currently Head of School at the Bridge School in Boulder. event and helping the alumni office organize this evening far from the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Upcoming Events If you would like to inquire about hosting or helping with an alumni gathering in your area, please contact Craig Churchill at (603) 569-7146 or craig_churchill@ brewsteracademy.org. l Boston Museum of Science Thursday, May 10 Reunion Friday, June 1- Sunday, June 3 Bobcat Open Monday, June 25 at Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club Photos by Craig Churchill and Martha Trepanier ’83 32 David Collins ‘84 and former Headmaster David M. Smith at the Denver reception held at the Wynkoop Brewery. BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Alumni News Advancement Office Update California: Taking Their Game to the West Coast H ead of School Dr. Michael E. Cooper and wife Andrea along with trustee Dan Mudge and wife Kathy welcomed Brewster parents, alumni, and friends in Calabasas, California, the first week in December. The occasion was the Stoneridge Holiday Prep Classic basketball tournament to which the boys’ varsity Bobcats were invited. The Coopers hosted a post-tournament reception at the Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas. Mike Cooper The tournament included nationally-ranked prep school teams South Kent School (Connecticut), Boys to Men (Illinois), St. Thomas More (Connecticut), Findlay College Prep (Nevada), Stoneridge Preparatory School (California), and Brewster Academy. The Bobcats picked up wins against Stoneridge Prep (10697) and Findlay Prep (79-73) but lost to Boys to Men (88-98). l Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dan Mudge and wife Kathy hosted a pre-game breakfast for Brewster’s basketball team, coaches, and families. l www.brewsteracademy.org l 33 Alumni News Advancement Office Update Scott Bixler ‘98, Martha Trepanier ‘83, Meridith Mucci ‘98, Michael Means ‘98, Bruce Hawkins ‘01, Geoff DeMeritt ‘98, Rachael Brown ‘02, CJ Britt ‘02, Steve Kasulke ‘02, Nick Millette ‘99, Andre Jesse ‘99, and Jeff Goldberg ‘97 at the 18th Amendment in Washington, D.C. Washington, DC A nother great alumni turnout in D.C. on January 27 at the 18th Amendment club! Thanks to faculty member Doug Kiley and special thanks to Jake Harrington ’99 for suggesting the location and to CJ Britt ’02 for his Hilton connections. Thank you Meridith Mucci ’98 and Rachael Brown ’02 for entertaining us and Scott Bixler ’98 for managing the bar when we needed him to! Thank you Michael Means ’98 and Jeff Goldberg ’97 for your enthusiasm and ideas on how to make your 10-year Reunions special … let’s do it! And to all of you, thank you for coming out to visit with other Brewster folks. Please save the date – January 26, 2008 – and join us next year. l Photos by Martha Trepanier ’83 Bruce Hawkins ’01 and Andre Jesse ’99 were among the alumni at the Keyhole Bar at the 18th Amendment. Hawkins is in law school at Howard University and Jesse is studying at George Mason University. (See story on Hawkins’ new book in the Hoopla section, page 39) 34 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Alumni News Advancement Office Update Penn Club, New York City T he Mudge family again graciously hosted Brewster at The Penn Club of New York on Friday, February 23. The New York Brewster community gathered to hear Mike Cooper and Lynne Palmer, director of admission, enthusiastically share Brewster’s innovative new marketing concept. Special thanks to the Mudge family for their generosity and outstanding commitment to the Brewster community. • Special thanks to our host and chairman of the board of trustees Daniel Mudge Rob Gorden ‘90, history teacher TJ Palmer, and Chris Petronio ‘01 Jeff Goldberg ‘97, now in Virginia, and Brewster’s Bob Simoneau (James ’07) share ideas for Jeff’s 10-year Reunion in June. Photos by Deb Gurka and Martha Trepanier ’83 Lynne Palmer congratulates Tara Stein ‘95 on the recent birth of her third son. Katie Boote ‘96 and Heidi Jessop ‘96 congratulate Liz Chapman ‘95 on her engagement. l Freddy Friedman (Molly ‘10), Kate Considine ‘03, and Brewster community leaders Charlie and Michele Hossack and Maureen Simoneau (James ‘07) www.brewsteracademy.org l 35 Alumni News Morgan Huntley ’00 Building His Future While Building Boats By Martha Trepanier ‘83 S Martha Trepanier ’83 tanding well over six feet tall, Morgan Huntley ’00 proudly takes Brewster faculty member Byron Martin and me on a tour of The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design in Arundel, Maine. Here, he has found his passion – the art of boat building. Huntley, a student at this school located along the Kennebunk River, explains that he is on one of two teams of six students working with an instructor (not unlike at Brewster). Their project is to build – completely by hand, with only wood and glue – a 27-foot Arundel powerboat in 10 months. The boat has already been sold so the deadline is real. Instead of laptops, students at The Landing are armed with planers, clamps, chisels, levels, and saws. All measurements are taken using the metric system in order to be most exact. Huntley describes the concept of cold molding, or building a boat without screws. The team builds the stern by gluing dozens and dozens of layers of wood together and holding them with clamps until they are dried and shaped. Huntley’s general boating knowledge is stronger than his woodworking knowledge, and he now recognizes the value of patience. He has never been too far from the water. He grew up on Long Island, New York, and then, as a Brewster “lifer,” spent four years on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Huntley in the workshop of The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design “No matter what you think now, when you think back, your memories of Brewster are always fonder ...” 36 Tim Radley, one of Huntley’s former Brewster dorm parents, remembers him as a real individual “… who created a ‘get well’ video for me when I was battling cancer by recording best wishes and commentaries from a broad cross-section of the Brewster community.” BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Alumni News Jennifer Huntley Even college couldn’t keep Huntley off the water. While attending The New School in Manhattan – where he completed his liberal arts degree and graduated in 2006 with a 3.68 GPA – he lived for two and a half years aboard Crimson Tide, a 35-foot wooden Chris Craft. During that time he hosted two floating Christmas parties complete with guests and a lighted Christmas tree! He moored in Northport, New York, and Jersey City, New Jersey, as well as at various marinas. “I loved the flexibility, being able to move whenever I wanted,” he explained. There are a variety of challenges in living on the water, he conceded. Huntley smiled as he said, “Those batteries for the fridge get pretty expensive, especially in mid-July.” Martha Trepanier ’83 Although Huntley will be at The Landing for the next two years, he’s already contemplating his next move. “I am not interested in the West Coast – I’d like to stay on the East Coast, although I don’t see myself staying in Huntley’s Crimson Tide Maine.” He’d like to be in a metro area, where he could build boats and gain experience, and then move into management. “Florida is where everything is happening. They are building boats year-round, they have bigger The boat has already been sold so the deadline is real. suppliers – basically there is 10 times the boatbuilding activity as there is up here. I’ve already had some interesting job offers for down south.” Huntley says The Landing School has an excellent reputation for placing graduates, and he’s glad to be a part of the program. If you’re interested in the boating industry keep your eyes open for Huntley – our bet is he will be building some terrific boats, maybe even designing his own – the “Huntley” does have a nice ring to it! l Huntley explains the boat building process to faculty member Byron Martin l www.brewsteracademy.org l 37 Alumni News Hoopla The Write Stuff A ll those alums who once upon a time were trapped in my sophomore English classes and thereby forced to read my collection of short stories will stand up and cheer upon learning that I no longer am writing fiction. Actually, when I moved down to the Bahamas 12 years ago, one of my goals was to do more writing. Well, ok, I have been writing, but mostly those annoying “Class Notes” postcards, Reunion letters, and the “Hoopla” columns focusing on young alums. While I do enjoy keeping in touch, I really do want to get back to my exciting stories and/or the long-postponed novel. A few years ago I tried my hand at nonfiction, having been asked to write the history of the area on Eleuthera where I now reside, and I spent three years collecting information for “Rainbow Rising.” It was an interesting task, but one I’ll never again attempt. I still do help edit a local newsletter/ magazine here on the island, but that’s more of a political piece, one which constantly causes me to plunge into troublesome waters. Yet, hopefully, someday soon, you’ll be able to wander into your local bookstore and ask for Hoopes’ latest short story collection or hot novel; but until then, here are reviews of two young alums’ published masterpieces, which readers will enjoy far more than those dreaded Hoopes’ tales of yesteryear. Alas, the response to my recent plea to readers for topics for future columns has been nil. I’m really interested in your topic suggestions so please do send them. The next Hoopla is likely to focus on young alum online entrepreneurs offering various forms of art, be it written, photographic, or otherwise. Another possibility: alums who sell expensive automobiles (you’d be surprised at the number) or failing that, I’m quite certain I can persuade Bill Meehan ‘92 to write Chapter Two of his “Fun and Games in Selling Life Insurance.” Now please enjoy reading about the writings of Noelle Lamperti ‘89 and Bruce Hawkins ‘01. And please write to me at my island e-mail address: [email protected] or you can write me in care of my mail-forwarding address: Hoopes, P.M.B. #100 411 Walnut Street Green Cove Springs FL 32043 Keep on writin’! Matt Hoopes hard at work in the Bahamas 38 Matt Hoopes was a faculty member from 1975 to 1996. During this time he and his journalism students founded The Brewster Browser, the Outcroppings literary magazine, and the BAPA (Brewster Academy Photo/Address) book. Since his “retirement” from the classroom in 1996, Hoopes has worked as the Young Alumni Correspondent from his hilltop house in the Bahamas or from his island in Maine, helping to keep the alumni connection alive. In each issue he brings life-after-Brewster stories to the pages of his Hoopla column. BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Alumni News Hoopla Bruce Hawkins ’01: Author, Law Student I did not meet Bruce Hawkins until he returned to Brewster last June for his 5th Reunion. I recall I was chatting with some members of the class of ‘96 when he joined us at the table, just sitting and listening quietly. When the others moved on, Bruce introduced himself and we talked a little about his days at Brewster. Somewhere in the conversation Bruce let slip that he was writing a book. My interest piqued and I started to press for more details but was dragged off to give a slide show. Bruce looked me up Sunday before leaving and thus began many months of enjoyable e-mail dialogue. I couldn’t wait for his book to be released and for a copy of 131 Box: Path of Purpose to make it down to the Bahamas. The cliché “I couldn’t put it down” proved true for me as I’m sure it will for many of you. The intensity of the details as he relives the stages of his inspirational “path of purpose” is a lesson to humble all of us. Metaphorically speaking, [my lottery number] 131 box represented my ticket out of the ghetto and the poverty of mind, body, and soul... B ruce told me his story in his e-mails, and some of the reasons he wanted to write about it, but it wasn’t until I immersed myself in his book that I felt I understood what he was trying to say, and that feeling only grew as I turned the pages. The reader actually gets hooked in the preface where Bruce points out that 131 Box refers to a game that characterizes the mindset and the culture of the people he grew up with. While most people would probably consider basketball as the game that characterizes the ghetto – or maybe football – Hawkins says, “The lottery best captures the essence of the ghetto. For if one is able to understand the diverse motivations of its players and enthusiasts, I believe one could comprehend the difficulty of life in the ghetto, and, more importantly, life in poverty. Lotto is the only game that plays against you … [it] can become a habit or an addiction, in which purpose is completely disconnected from the act of playing.” Hawkins goes on to explain his choice of title: “131 box was the number I played. My birthday is January 31, so 131 is a numerical representation of me. [If you played “box,” the winning numbers could be in any order.] My box is the combination of skills, experiences, attributes, and dreams that make me unique and allows me to empower others ... Metaphorically speaking, 131 box represented my ticket out of the ghetto and the poverty of mind, body, and soul...” In his book Bruce tells of a close friend who encouraged him to pursue his greatness and to accomplish his sense of purpose – this was uncommon in Bruce’s community, just as it was uncommon to maintain a dream. Bruce tells of how devastated he was by the death of this friend and that was when he decided to write a book to inspire others as his friend had inspired him. Continued on page 42 l www.brewsteracademy.org l 39 Alumni News Hoopla Noelle Lamperti ‘89 Children’s Book Author Noelle was smart enough to avoid my sophomore English class, and cleverly ditched my journalism class as well, so I can’t claim that I had any influence on her literary career, nor her pre-Brewster charming art work. In both cases I wish I could have taken credit! W hen I started searching for Brewster authors for this column, I was surprised to turn up less than a handful and several of those I’d included in earlier articles. I can’t recall just who mentioned to me that Noelle had written a book, but I quickly phoned in an order. As I had to wait about a month for the copy to make it to the islands, I had lots of time to guess about the plot. I recalled that Noelle was a good friend and classmate of the late Trey Whitfield and wondered whether her book would include any references to Trey, as she was close to his family. Emptying my weekly mailbag on the floor, I spied the bookstore’s label on a package, but it was the wrong shape, the wrong size. At first I was really disappointed to see that it was a children’s book, geared for 3- to 7-year-olds. “Hmmm ... How can I review this? I don’t even know or care for anyone 3 years old, and I certainly don’t know what they like!” And then I sat back and read it, over and over again. I was hooked. Brown Like Me (originally published in 1979 as Noelle’s Brown Book and re-released in 2002 with the new title) is an autobiography of a young African-American girl who is encouraged by her white adoptive family to seek out the beauty of being brown-skinned. The book opens with a close-up of a smiling Noelle and the text, “Hi, I’m Noelle, a girl who likes brown. I like to look for things that are brown like me.” And Noelle does just this by taking the reader through photos of herself “in action” – discovering brown items from leaves to horses to her own self. The last page shows Noelle flexing her arm muscles with the text, “I am strong brown.” Noelle also includes her own artwork, showing what she discovers on her quest to overcome her sometimes lonesomeness for brown. Jacqueline Wallen, an associate professor at the University of Maryland, and a mental health professional, wrote in the introduction, “I recommend this book to parents and children of all colors. In celebrating families and the color brown, this book enriches all of us and is sure to delight a whole new generation of ‘strong brown’ children.” And it does just that – I’ve shared Brown Like Me with several Bahamian families whose children have loved the book, turning the pages back and forth, smiling at the drawings, enjoying the story. There is a great combination of photography, artwork, and text at the end of the book. One of the last pages shows Noelle coming to the end of the “path” that she’s been traveling in her search for brown objects and on the 40 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Alumni News Hoopla opposite page she’s staring at herself in a large mirror, smiling, and the text reads: “When I am lonesome for brown I look in the mirror. I can see my bright brown eyes, curly brown hair and smooth brown skin.” And it’s her smile that says it all! In the afterword of the book there is a stunning photograph of a grown-up Noelle leaning against a tree. Next to the photograph is her reflection on Brown Like Me: “I was reminded of the importance of this book when 10 years after it was published I went into the local library in Hanover, New Hampshire. A small brown girl about six years old saw me, and I overheard her saying to her adoptive mother, ‘Mom, is that Noelle?’ Her mother looked at me and I heard her say, ‘I’m not sure; why don’t we ask.’ They stopped me and the woman asked if I was Noelle from the Brown Book. I told her I was, and she said the book had been very important to them, and they read it all the time. Helping to create the Brown Book was a wonderful experience for me as a child. Being encouraged to create both a story line and drawings made me feel special. Most importantly, writing this book was an affirmation of who I was and am. In a community where very few people looked like me, the Brown Book was something that I could look to and be reminded that being brown and looking different was a good thing. I think that this book is great for everyone in its celebration of diversity.” In corresponding with Noelle during the past several months, I was able to put the “missing l years” together since her graduation from Brewster in 1989. Noelle met her husband, Robert, while attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Robert, who was from England, was on an exchange year from the University of Sheffield. They both graduated in 1996 and left for eight months of traveling in Central America. At the end of their trip they returned to the States and got married in Vermont, where Noelle had grown up. Shortly after their wedding, they moved to London. They worked and played in London for five years and in 2002 they decided to return to Vermont – and build a house. Noelle is presently working in the Career Development Office at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover. She and Robert live in Norwich, Vermont, and soon will be completing their “dream house.” For those alums with children, or even old solo types like me, who would like a copy of Brown Like Me (and believe me, you will like it!), rush your order to your nearest bookstore or write: Noelle Lamperti 513 New Boston Road Norwich, VT 05055-0027 l www.brewsteracademy.org l 41 Alumni News Hoopla Continued from page 39 “I was 13 when I left my family, my friends, and my comfort zone and moved about six hours away to be in good company and received a wellrounded education. It would become one of the most important decisions of my life.” Bruce wrote me that “one of the major challenges in writing the book was to try to incorporate my life into a book, being as detailed as possible on each point of transition.” Bruce continued to brainstorm but had difficulty starting to write. The idea that the lottery was an analogy to life broke a long period of writer’s block, and the most challenging moment finally arrived – writing the first word – and from here he knew that the rest of the words would come. I was impressed that a man as young and busy as Bruce – completing college and gaining admission to a prestigious law school – could still have the time and desire to write a book. It took me many attempts and many more years before I was able to do so, but I didn’t have Bruce’s desire, his need to repay an important friend. I asked Bruce if he had always written so well and so easily and he replied that he always felt that he was creative, that he enjoyed poetry, music, and other art forms. Bruce concludes each chapter with a poem that circles back on the meaning of the chapter. Bruce is quick to point out that financial profit was not a factor in his decision to write and publish 131 Box: Path of Purpose and that he was satisfied in knowing “… that in my view I made a quality work that should motivate others to give their In Good Company best.” As the book’s You would be surprised by how much easier it jacket states, “Many people speak of is to accomplish a dream the importance of When among inspirational people, places, or leading a purposethings driven life, but Our expectations for ourselves grow and it is not an easy become more detailed task for those Our friendship and relationships grow in depth who live in abject as well. poverty.” Bruce describes how he 42 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 forgot to realize his dreams in a world defined by crime, drugs, death, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. Bruce mentioned to me that he had attended the private Bethlehem Baptist Academy in Brooklyn starting at the age of three. I didn’t make the connection until much later when I realized the school is now called The Trey Whitfield School, in memory of a member of Brewster’s class of 1989 (see page 6.) With the close connection between Trey’s parents and Brewster Academy, Bruce’s decision to attend Brewster made sense. When I asked him if he looked at other schools and why he chose Brewster, Bruce replied, “I decided to attend the school because it was future-oriented, and because of the computer model, the professional look of the Brewster students, and the emphasis on academics, all of which attracted me to Brewster over other prep schools.” He continued, “I was 13 when I left my family, my friends, and my comfort zone and moved about six hours away to be in good company and received a well-rounded education. It would become one of the most important decisions of my life.” While Brewster Academy’s campus was beautiful, Bruce points out that it was also quiet – almost too quiet. He was used to hearing ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, and even gunshots throughout the night. “There were noises that penetrated my walls from upstairs, downstairs, or next door. The total silence that I experienced at Brewster actually frightened me for awhile.” When asked how he felt as a minority in a predominately white school of 350 students, Bruce replied that he fielded many questions concerning controversial issues such as slavery, Alumni News Hoopla drug use, and oppression. He said he felt “… as if the weight of my culture were on my shoulders with each answer to those questions. I felt my answers had to be thorough and expressed within a context that could explain the intricacies of my culture. Furthermore, I knew that an understanding of my culture was one way in which my stay at school could be made easier.” Another Brewster challenge was financial-related. Bruce told me that he had attended Brewster on an academic scholarship – not a full one, but one that covered most of the costs. Brewster exposed him to a community in which the citizens were less burdened with financial conditions than he was used to. Many of the students were able to dine out, shop, and vacation without giving it a second thought. “I was presented with several opportunities to realize the meaning of the dollar and how little spending power I had. I never felt poor, but I was able to recognize the various economic classes that surrounded me, and I was certain that I was near the bottom.” The family weekend and senior fund-raising auctions made Bruce uncomfortable, even alienated, although he realized these events benefited students in terms of scholarships. “Over time I matured and learned how to better handle these obstacles. The issues regarding my environment, social matters, and finances became less stressful to me. I became the change I wanted to see in others, and eventually I found my comfort zone.” After talking with Bruce during last year’s Reunion weekend, it was obvious to me that he had been very involved with the school during his four-year stay. He was low-key about what he had done, but position after position came up as we talked about his interests and his involvement. He apparently was a good athlete and willing to try new sports, but basketball was his favorite, even though he stepped down from his team to take on other responsibilities. It was obvious by his election to his many posts that he was respected and popular. By the time of his graduation his list of accomplishments was more than impressive, truly outstanding: student-body president, member of the National Honor Society, proctor, prefect, and member of the Judicial Board. “Within my four-year attendance at Brewster, I had grown into a smarter, more mature, and more responsible young man. There is no doubt that I made a huge impact at Brewster, but it made an even greater impact on me. I continue to reap the benefits of Comfort Zone school through Oh how different we walk, we laugh, we talk, we long-lasting play friendships that How different we sleep, we dress, we eat, we span the globe. pray Enrolling at prep How different is my hometown school was one of from the place where I sleep and study now the most important How long can I last being different? decisions of How much can I change without changing at my life. My all? experiences left me anxious for college, All I need is a visit but confident that From someone or a trip somewhere that I I was well-trained knew before. for any obstacles that would come my way.” While Bruce obviously enjoyed his four years at Brewster Academy, there were times that he did experience changes in friendships with some of those he left behind in the city. Bruce spoke of the difficulties of returning home for a vacation – the readjustment and the cautious and l www.brewsteracademy.org l 43 Alumni News Hoopla somewhat curious reactions he received from former friends. In his book, Bruce described one incident that occurred at a pickup basketball game that could have easily ended in injury or possibly his death. He pointed out that “It is a challenge to accept success when those you love seem to have no avenue to accomplish their dreams. However, it makes your path. Your success is even more special because you represent so much more than just yourself.” 131 Box There is a game that we play that is not meant to be played Because it blindly grips the dreams of the weak and the brave It handicaps our lifestyles into that of a slave Repeating the harsh cycles of poverty again and again. We play for the fortune and we miss the luck Believing that all will be well... When we get our bucks But if you can win the jackpot and still feel poor Do what people tell you is right and still need more Then you have to ask yourself why do you play this game for What do you really need? And how can you get more? The jackpot or the prize is purpose itself Become naked to the world and look deep inside yourself Where do you want to go? What do you want to be? What do you love to do? What dream do you need to see? You need to believe in yourself before you try to do it Even if you need some help and struggle you can get through it 44 Bruce Hawkins graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2005 and is now a student at Howard University School of Law where he will graduate in the spring of 2009. To those who would like to read Bruce’s 131 Box: Path of Purpose – and I would strongly suggest it, as my attempted review really does not do the book the justice it truly deserves – it can be purchased for $12.95 by going to Bruce’s website at www.131box.com or to the publisher at www.wheatmark.com. l These words come to me like a story I wrote Like a life that I lived that started when I was a kid Used to get in line to play that game Looking for my way out ... then my jackpot came But not in any coin or dollar amount Not from following the dreams from the next man’s mouth Not from repeating the cycle or being too scared I was being myself and God made me prepared To think outside my box ... to read between my lines Analyze the game and in the game I would find A way to explain my past thoughts ... the struggles I climbed A metaphor of the diseased body, soul, and mind Good day and One night and to all much love Thanks for your hearts and minds ... all of the above This is 131 Box in exchange for yours The blueprint of a struggle ... to help you control your course BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Alumni News Class Notes Tell Us How You’re Doing! We want to know what you’re up to. Whether it’s a new address, a job change, a marriage, a new baby, or any other news you’d like to share with your classmates, please drop us a line (and/or a photo) and we’ll try to include it in the next BrewsterConnections. 1944 Helen Hatch would love to get up to Wolfeboro for the next Reunion. She lost her brother A. Ross Adams, Class of 1942, in 2005. Hilary T. Masters has a new novel: “Elegy for Sam Emerson.” Lucille Macolino writes, “I wish all my classmates the best in 2007. I have six grandchildren and have three greatgrandchildren. I joined the senior center club last year and also sing in my church choir. My husband Ray and I celebrated our 57th anniversary on November 26. Best of luck to all.” 1945 Hope MacDonald’s granddaughter Maggie MacDonald graduated from Brewster in 2006. Maggie’s brother Tyrel will graduate in 2008, and her sister Gwen in 2010. “I am a retired X-ray technician, and I worked at Castle in the Clouds for years. I have been a widow for seven years. My grandchildren are following in the path of their father, my son John ’74. 1946 Shirley Wharff is a retired R.N. She has three children and two grandchildren. She has had a knee replacement and a mild stroke. “Greetings to all the class of 1946.” Give her a call at 978-740-2762, in Salem, Massachusetts. 1947 60th Reunion! Roger Tracy was an aeronautical engineer. He writes that he is well and retired. He’d like to hear from his friends from his Brewster days. Send your news to: Office of Alumni Brewster Academy 80 Academy Drive, Wolfeboro, NH 03894 or e-mail us at [email protected] Jim Wallace holds an Ed.D. Professor Emeritus at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He has completed his seventh book, which was published earlier this year. He is working on another one about the Scott sisters of Wolfeboro who were early 20th-century teachers (see “Writing Brewster’s History,” page 58). Jim and his wife have a beautiful summer home on the Oregon coast. Barbara Spalding and her husband, Sam, have seven grown children. Herb MacMartin graduated from the Univeristy of New Hampshire and became a U.S. Army commissioned officer during the Korean War. He is now retired and working as a troubleshooter for various businesses. His specialty of course, is “the books.” Richard McQuillen writes, “My wife, Emilie, and I celebrated our 53rd anniversary recently and enjoy good health, save the aches and pains that come with more than seven decades of wear and tear. A long time ago we drove with our two sons to New Hampshire to revisit old haunts and to introduce the family to them – BFA, and Camp Tecumseh at the far end of Winnipesaukee on Moultonborough Neck, where I washed pots and pans to earn my fee in the summer of ’43. Sadly, that was my last visit. I’d dearly like to see the Academy and the town once again.” Nancie Buell writes, “I lost my beloved husband of 58 years last January. I am hoping to make our 60th Brewster Reunion. Charlie Hatch is already encouraging our attendance!” l www.brewsteracademy.org l Become a Class Agent! Brewster is looking for alumni to serve as class agents. As a class agent you will reconnect with classmates while getting in touch with those you haven’t heard from in years, learning how they’ve changed (or not), and what is new in their lives. You’ll also help us update our records and, as an added bonus, you’ll have the chance to help us raise the much-needed dollars to keep us competitive in the growing world of independent schools. Don’t delay; contact Craig Churchill at 603.569.7146 or at craig_churchill@ brewsteracdemy.org. Help make a difference at Brewster today! 45 Alumni News Class Notes Class of 1957 50-Year Reunion! On Saturday, June 2 at 3:30 p.m. there will be a Class of 1957 get-together at the home of Dave and Ann Pollini, 443 South Main Street, Wolfeboro. Classmates and their spouses are invited. From there, we will go down to the school for cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m., followed by dancing and reminiscing about old and new times, to complete the evening. Questions? Want to help rally our class? Call Dave Pollini ‘57 (603) 569-3420 Bob Bishop writes, “Although retired from private practice I continue in the medical field as the senior medical officer for three large insurance companies.” Charlie Hatch and his wife, Iva, are planning to visit Wolfeboro and the Academy to mark his 60th out of Brewster. He’d like some phone calls at (616) 363-6600. He’ll be staying with his brother, Steve ’48, at 3 Greenleaf Street in Wolfeboro – (603) 569-3866. After a long and successful career with the U.S. Army and a longer one with the Honeywell Corporation, Charlie has turned his talents to fiction writing and has recently completed a mystery/fiction novel about a small New Hampshire town called Wolfred. Charlie anticipates a 2007 publishing date. Roger Moody has been married for 53 years. He has two children and one grandchild. He retired from the State of New Hampshire after working for 34 years as an engineer. He sends his best to all of his classmates. 1948 Joe Ford is serving his 29th year as selectman in Lee, New Hampshire. 46 Paul Wheeler and his wife, Marguerite, spend summers in Wolfeboro next to the Kingswood Golf Club, and in Ormond Beach, Florida, in the wintertime. According to classmate Steve Hatch, Paul is known as one of the best PG football players ever! 1952 55th Reunion! Muriel Massey writes, “Hello fellow classmates, wherever you are. I am now living in Alexandria, Virginia, near two of my sons who live in the Mount Vernon area. I am living in an independent senior living complex and keep very busy with volunteering here. Of course, I’m ready to “go” whenever the children call. I hope to hear from someone in the Class of ’52 to see who is coming to Reunion. I do plan to be in Wolfeboro at that time.” 1954 Jackie Murray moved back to New Hampshire in August 2006 to be near her grandchildren. 1955 Jim Poelman writes, I am still involved in China as before, but now I am also pastoring BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 a growing church in Singapore. Everyone is young except me and my wife, but it is a very rewarding ministry. We did a Christmas Cantata on December 23, 2006, with a very capable Singaporean director, and the house was packed. I regret that we were unable to attend my 50th Reunion in 2005, but I had to be out of the country at that time. Brewster has held and always will hold a special place in my heart, and I am thankful for my experience and education during those four years.” 1956 Dianne Rogers Quayle writes, “William B. Quayle, a retired mechanical designer from Ohio, and I were married on December 1, 2006. We met in August – he is my cousin’s brother-in-law. Happily, he loves New Hampshire, water, fishing, etc., so Wolfeboro will continue to be my – and our – home. It is never too late to live happily ever after. Ken Gould got elected to his seventh term in the New Hampshire State Legislature, and Harry Merrow to his third. Class governance has led to state governance.” Alumni News Class Notes 1957 50th Reunion! John Wardner is retired and he keeps active in senior games. 1961 George L. Eldridge writes, “I am now fully retired. I retired from the U. S. Navy in 1985 and have had my own advertising business since. After becoming 100 percent disabled, I sold my business and fully retired. In September 2006, we visited back in Center Ossipee and Wolfeboro with our motor home. We’re going to Utah in the spring.” 1968 David White writes, “With our children raised, Linda and I moved home to Illinois in 2005 and built a home on a farm that has been in our family for 103 years. We constructed a log home and a horse barn and await the arrival of our third grandchild in June. We also look forward to my 40th Brewster class Reunion in 2008!” Carl Smith graduated from Springfield College in 1972 and went to Europe to study diplomatic history. He writes that he has had many professions: “I worked for Dunn & Bradstreet for three years and then owned my own business in Massachusetts.” In 1993 he received an M.A. in counseling and psychology from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Carl and his wife Patricia live in Swampscott, Massachusetts, in the summer and in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, in the winter. They have two children – Amanda, 30, and Grant, 26. Carl helps with the PGA ProGolf Tournament at T.P.C. (Tournament Players Club) Sawgrass. 1969 1970 Carlos Noble works at Northern Trust Bank in Coral Gables, Florida. He and his wife Georgia have two children, Rebecca,16, and Juan Carlos,13. Carlos called Dave Pollini ’57 to congratulate him on being inducted into the Brewster Athletic Hall of Fame. Carlos likes to play golf at the Biltmore in Coral Gables and spend time with his family. His dad previously taught Spanish at Brewster and coached JV basketball. His mother lives nearby in Coral Gables. 1976 Mel Foster and his wife Brenda have recently returned from a 10th anniversary trip to Italy. He writes, “We also enjoy renting RVs around the United States. Our interests also include motorcycles, boats, and touring the Tim Holz has two daughters, Erika, 4, and Kayla,1. He writes that he is very busy in nursing school. Marcus Daugherty writes, “I just want to say hello! I’m still alive and want to reconnect.” Scott Mason writes, “Life is great on Hampton Beach! My son, Alex, will be off to college in the fall for film production and my daughter, Kelsey, will be a senior in high school. I am a software engineer for Liberty Mutual.” 1979 Susan Cutts writes, “I’m living in Tasmania, Australia, for six months. It is amazing. Beautiful birds and animals. I had the good fortune of spending a weekend with Paige Livingston ’80 at her home in Sydney in September. She works for ABC and is doing well and has two beautiful children and a great husband.” Rich O’Brien is still living in Denver. He writes, “I am still single with no kids and loving it! I am still a property manager of 65 ‘Brittany House’ apartments.” 1982 25th Reunion! Mitch Sanders writes, “In January I founded a new angel investment group in Worcester, Massachusetts: www.Boyntonangels.com. Next fall my wife Lisa is opening a cafe called John 7, Joe 9, and Tommy 7, sons of Beth Hayes Scala ‘81 and Pi that will serve decadent desserts her husband Dino and international coffees at Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Life Science Complex (Gateway Park). Our kids countryside in a convertible. The newest addition to our family is a 5 lb. toy poodle are getting huge, and we hope to bring them up for the Reunion.” named Lola.” Fritz Tai writes, “I have been doing clinical research in cancer at Eli Lilly & Company for the past two years. Prior to that I was in private practice in oncology in Bloomington, Indiana, for 12 years. I have a son who graduated from Purdue University, and he is a computer engineer at Intel. My daughter is a junior in high school. I appreciate your sending me news about Brewster.” 1978 Debbie (Warner) Al-Harbi writes, “I am back in school doing two years in one, studying to be a psych counselor. My daughter is teaching in Spain. My son Adam is in college and my son Samuel is in school. My husband is in research at his job – busy busy busy. Hello to you all.” l www.brewsteracademy.org l 1983 Rick Clay-Storm writes, “I may be moving from our island paradise to the Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire to start anew in our mountain paradise and perhaps begin a new business venture.” 47 Alumni News Class Notes Jonathan Hibbard got married on New Year’s Eve 2005. “I am getting ready for retirement this coming July. I’ve started breeding wire fox terriers. Boating is still wonderful, but how could time on the water not be? My private business, OSHA Safety Training, is doing well. Look forward to seeing everyone again.” 1985 Chris Aeschliman writes, “I have changed jobs at Labcorp in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and am now a member of the materials management team. My tennis team, the Great Bay Tennis Team, is 2-1, and my individual match record is: #1 singles 1-0; #2 singles 2-0.” Hank Nusloch writes, “My daughter Caroline is now 3 1/2 and Mary is 5. We are all doing fine in New Orleans and managed to escape major damage from Katrina. I will finish my master’s in English teaching next semester.” Nick Tepper writes, “Lots of things changed for me this past year. I got married to a beautiful and intelligent and humorous woman named Anna last June at my sister’s place in Oyster Bay, New York. We are expecting our first child this coming May, a son (point guard). I have been working harder than ever as a busy litigator here in Los Angeles. Last year was by far my best year ever and 2007 looks promising too. In December I attended a Brewster basketball game out here which, unfortunately, they lost. I guess they could have used a little more outside shooting from the likes of Mike Roach! I then had dinner with the new head of school, Dr. Michael Cooper and his wife, Andrea, and other Brewster luminaries. Needless to say, it looks like the school is in exceptionally good hands. I really feel disconnected from my old friends from that one great year I had back there. I would love to e-mail with any of you, especially Mike, Chris, Yasu, and Judy. What’s up?” Andy Weiner writes, “So I hit the big 40 a few months ago. I can’t believe I was once a teenager. I have been with Brinks Inc. for about four years now. I started as a crew chief and am now the branch trainer for all aspects – firearms, driving, and basic training. I enjoy it but miss the old days of information technology. I have been married almost eight years to Marcia, and we have a beautiful 4-year-old, Rachel, and her best friend Gizmo the Shih-Tzu.” 1986 Bruce Pennypacker writes that he’s currently at his fifth startup, a company called Third Screen Media that provides all the tools needed for advertising on mobile phones. After 15 years of volunteering for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Bruce is retiring. He’s still active in theater and is currently working on his 33rd production since he started doing “techie” stuff and lighting design back in ’99. Bruce is on the board of directors of a small community theater in Reading, Massachusetts. Bruce’s e-mail is [email protected]. Mark Roelli writes, “Simone and I married in January 2002, and Gabriella was born on October 21, 2006. I currently work for GE, maintaining their corporate aircraft at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York.” e! t a d e h Reunion 2007 ve t Sa 48 June 1-3 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Mike Hope ’85 with his wife Paulette and their sons Turner and Dillon Katie (Wolfe) Ruesch writes, “Nothing too new. My husband (Bill) and I moved from Chicago to North Carolina about three years ago. We really like it here. I still get Christmas cards from Heather (Monroe) Rohner ’87 and Tamah French-Proops ’87. I would love to hear from some former classmates.” Joanna Lavarello works as an R.N. in the emergency department of a trauma/ emergency medicine hospital in Seattle. She is taking a second trip to New Orleans to help rebuild homes. Her whole family is in Seattle now – her sister Steph ’87 finished chemotherapy/radiation for breast cancer last year, and Joanna is proud of her. Jesse Alexander writes, “Save the cheerleader ... save the world!” 1987 20th Reunion! Tom Daoulas writes, “I switched into the education field from accounting five years ago. I am now in my third year as a classroom Alumni News Class Notes teacher. I teach sixth-grade math. My wife, daughter, and I love life on the South Shore of Massachusetts, and I hope all from the class of ’87 are doing well.” 1988 Megan (Scully) Orlandi would love to hear from any alumni in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area! “I have put off writing for years but this time I want to catch up. I met my husband, Dave, while living in Boston in 1998. From Boston we moved to Boulder, Colorado, and then to Sausalito, California. We got married in 2002, and in 2003 Dave was transferred to Charlotte with his job as a software consultant for Embarcadero Technologies. We have two children, Abe, 2 1/2, and Ginger, 3 months. I stay at home with them, which is fun, crazy, and lonely all at once. I stay in touch with Courtney (Crane) Munroe and Julie (Kaplan) Saloman. Sister Liz ’87 just bought a town house in Watertown, Massachusetts, and is a project manager for a company called Name Media.” Hilary Walton writes, “I’ve taken teaching to the next step – I’m now a public high school biology teacher in Los Angeles. I’ve begun to have some sympathy for the Richardsons, Mr. Friend, Mrs. Fallon, Mr. Carpenter, and all the others that had to deal with me!” as well as sailing. I am happy – the position I now have is a chance to work at the national level. In a few years I hope to be a director of a small, low-key nature center on a nonformal educational facility somewhere near the ocean out west. I’ve even had thoughts of going after a Ph.D. I still work for a small ship cruise company and spent almost three weeks in November in Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.” Jason Rockwell writes, “I am entering my seventh year at Hargray Communications – I am a corporate sales manager. My kids are growing fast! I put on the Fourth Annual Sycamore at the Stadium baseball camp in Savannah [Georgia] this year. I also resumed playing baseball again in the adult baseball league in Savannah, playing for the league champion Savannah Bombers!” Todd Willens writes, “I reside and work in Washington, D.C. My wife, Morna, and I recently welcomed the birth of a fourth child – we now have two boys and two girls. I changed jobs in October from Capitol Hill to the Department of the Interior. I keep in touch with Jay Howren and John Mautz. They are doing well too.” Katie (White) Yesinko writes, “We had our second child, Maeve Lucy, on March 14, 2006. She is a total dream. She is loud though – must get that from someone other than her mom. We hope to come up as a family soon for a weekend visit. Congrats on the mention in Sports Illustrated for Brewster b-ball, great news!!” 1990 Jonathan Gibbs is still the manager of the Bar GS Ranch in Oak Creek, Colorado, where he has a herd of 50 mother cows, which will all calve out in April and May. He and his wife, Heidi, have three kids aged 8, 5, and 2. Jon is still playing his guitar in a couple of local bands. He sees classmates Jon Davenport and Kim McDermott in Steamboat Springs from time to time. Keith Johnson got engaged last summer and bought a condo in Lexington, Massachusetts. “We will be eloping this summer and traveling to the French Riviera and Vienna,” he writes. 1991 Laurence Seiterle writes, “My wife and I recently became investors and partners in a new ‘ultra premium’ tequila called TequilaMe. The product is of exceptional quality (aged three years) and the feedback from the tequila connoisseurs has been Jon Konheim writes, “Carly Megan, our third girl, was born January 22 and all is well here in Southern California. I am currently in transition on the work front (out of airplane parts) and should be all settled in a new position in a month or so.” Jim Snidow is still a reggae DJ for KUCI in Irvine, California, where he’s been doing a top ranking three-hour reggae show since he started there in 1997. He said he’ll be working on a new music film called “HOME.” He’s been in touch with former classmate, Todd Philips, who’s now making films. 1989 Kit Van Wagner writes, “I returned to Brewster to participate in the Alumni Career Panel All School held in January. (see article, page 12) I’ve been living and working in the Florida Keys for years, doing research work Michael and Elizabeth (Palmer) Traverso ’89 with Lily and Mr. T l www.brewsteracademy.org l 49 Alumni News Class Notes remarkable. San Antonio’s real estate business is booming and keeping me busy, but I still have time to be president of the San Antonio men’s lacrosse team, and I still race motorcycles.” Elizabeth Jennings-Lax writes, “My wife and I welcomed our daughter, Caitlin Lee, on June 1, 2006. After giving birth I decided not to return to work in Manhattan. I am now practicing law part-time so I can be home full-time with our daughter.” Beth Dales has moved back to Wolfeboro and is working at the Wolfeboro Area Children’s Center. “Jack is five years old and doing great, and we have a new puppy named Samson.” 1992 15th Reunion! Beth Davies writes, “I have been a teacher in Cherry Creek School District [in Colorado] for six years. I recently became engaged to Kevin Brutsch, and we are moving to the Vail Valley next summer.” husky named Samoya and a hyper beagle named Basil. Reach me at bucks4me2@ verizon.net.” 1994 Andrew Ninios writes, “I will be competing in the Miami Marathon. It was months ago when I embarked on this journey. Through the AIDS/Marathon Foundation I trained and raised money for the WhitmanWalker Clinic for AIDS patients, here in [Washington] D.C. A great experience that is now coming to fruition. In addition to being involved and contributing to such a great cause my desire for competitive running has been re-ignited. I used to run Division 1 at the University of Hartford. In April I will run the 10-miler Cherry Blossom and am also looking forward to joining a running team after the Miami Marathon. My work at Quality Support, Inc. is going well, as well as my new life here in D.C. I can’t wait until the 2009 Reunion to see old classmates from the class of ’94 as well as teachers. I just turned 30 in October … wow!!!! Time flies. Not too long ago, or so it seems, I remember formal dinners, playing pool with Geoff Rich ’95, Cory Hunter ’95, and others in the student center, or basketball with Viktor Orlovic, Spencer Sullivan, John Leebow under coach Bolduc.” Andrew Leeds writes that he now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, and teaches eighth grade physical science at The Pine Crest School and says that he can’t think of anything he’d rather do, since becoming a pro surfer or golfer didn’t work out! E-mail him at [email protected]. Mandie (Myers) Giroux writes Cameron and Ellie, children of Kim (Boyce) Seefried ’90 that she and her husband, Todd, and her husband Charlie have moved from New York City to Los Angeles, where she Bryan Bucklen wrote that he’s now living is currently working for a company called in Elkhart, Indiana, with his beautiful wife, EssaySolutions (www.essaysolutions.com), Mellisa, and two cute girls, Makayla, 4, and which is an essay consulting company for Heather, 2, and are expecting another this undergrads and MBA students. “We don’t April. “I work for HomeCrest Cabinetry, write the essays, but rather give them a crash a division of MasterBrand Cabinets. I’m course in writing.” Her exciting news is that having a blast doing environmental work she and Todd were expecting their first child, for them. I have two cool dogs as well, a a daughter, in February. 50 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Carly Megan Konheim was born January 21 to Amy and Jon Konheim ’88 1995 Mike Kirschner attended the Brewster phonathon in November at Jamie Hill’s ’86 Manhattan office and told us that he is engaged! 1997 10th Reunion! Farleigh (Goss) Barnhart married Sean Barnhart on September 4, 2004. “We will try to be at Reunion, and we are looking forward to it.” Jessica Ridgeway writes, “My master ’s thesis in natural resource management and certificate in ecological design are well under way with the creation of a new school garden and education for sustainability curriculum for sixth graders. I love living in Burlington, Vermont, where my husband, Seth Lewis, has joined me after completing his master’s in education and California teaching credential at the University of California Santa Cruz. I ran into Coralia Miller last year and still hope to catch up with Jackie Pottle in the near future.” John Zisis writes, “I am looking forward to our 10-year Reunion. I spend my days working for the family, motorcycling, and I have just started golfing. I never thought I’d say it, but I miss Brewster and its faculty. See you all soon.” Brian Ballentine wrote that he’s engaged to a nice southern girl he met at Brown University where they are both getting their doctorates. They’re both on the championship softball team and are enjoying life in Providence. Alumni News Class Notes Bridget Buckler writes, “I moved in with my boyfriend, Christian Demers. We’ve had fun traveling to Ireland and Colorado. I am now working at the Comfort Suites/Hampton Inn in White River Junction, Vermont.” Topher Grace will appear as Eddie Brock/ Venom in the movie Spider-Man 3 due out in May. 1999 Peter Aberg writes, “I’m working behind the bar at the world famous Cheetah Club of Sarasota [Florida], gaining experience before I open my own bar in a couple of years.” Travis Ferland recently returned from two amazing and rewarding years of Peace Corps service in the West African country of Senegal. “I was a small-enterprise development volunteer and taught classes on management and computers to entrepreneurs, adolescents, and young women in a rural town called Kedougou.” Julie Holt writes, “I graduated from Boston University (again) in May with dual master’s degrees in business administration and public health. I’m working in marketing for a healthcare software firm in Boston. Tyler proposed in October 2005, and we are getting married in August in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula wine region, so that’s keeping me busy! Hello to all!” Gregory Douglass ’99 released his sixth CD, Up & Away in November 2006. He recently performed at Brewster’s alumni career panel All-School (see story page 12) 2000 Blair Pyne wrote that he’s been working for a large marina in Boca Raton, Florida, since college and is now moving to Houston to work in a family business. 2001 Brett Danahy is working in sports consulting at Velocity Sport Agency in Norwalk, Connecticut. Bruce Hawkins published a book, 131 Box, about growing up in an underprivileged, inner-city community and the challenges Dan Slipp ’03 in the lobby of the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on a visit during his study-abroad program in Finland he has overcome to find success. (See the Hoopla story on page 39.) 2002 5th Reunion! Tyler Sandberg writes, “I graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in May 2006 with a degree in religious studies and a concentration in international religious violence. I spent the fall in Connecticut and New Hampshire working on two congressional campaigns. While in New Hampshire I rallied Brewster students to help with campaign phone calls. Since December I’ve been working on democracy promotion in China and East Timor at the International Republican Institute (IRI). l www.brewsteracademy.org l I’ve been in touch with Carly Mankus ’03, Jon Hydeman, Jason Heimbuck ’01, Ryan Barber, and Catie Callahan. They are all doing well. I hope to see everyone at the Reunion this spring.” Abby Wood writes that she’s “... looking forward to catching up with everyone at the fifth-year Reunion. I have been back at Brewster every summer to teach the Royal Thai Scholars, but it’s never the same without the people from your school year.” Nicole Black writes, “Hi everyone! What’s new with me? Well, I just started my second semester of law school in White Plains, New 51 Alumni News photo by Tim von Jess Class Notes Sadie-Wright Ward ’03 scores for UNH in a game against the University of Maine on January 12. UNH won 7-0. York, at Pace University School of Law. It’s definitely tough, but I’m enjoying it so far. I hope everyone’s doing well! Take care!” Dan Mufson writes that he’s started his own music production company, Dan Mufson Music. “I have been busy composing, writing, and recording music for TV commercials such as Rolaids, Under Armor, IcyHot, and Listerine. My music will be featured in a film featuring Samuel L. Jackson, ‘Farce of the Penguins.’” Dan’s website is www. danmufson.com. 2003 Laura Guerin writes, “I can’t express how excited I am to be graduating in May. All I can say is ‘it’s about time.’ I enjoyed Pacific: playing soccer, joining Alpha Phi, and doing crew, but now I’m ready to do new 52 and exciting things with my international business and finance degree. After I graduate I’m going to London to live with my sister for six weeks and then traveling with Kristen Leone around Europe the rest of the summer. After that, I plan to move to San Francisco with my boyfriend. It couldn’t happen a second too soon, I can’t wait!” Joe Rizzo is a senior business major at the University of Delaware and a four-year member of the Delaware Bluehens ice hockey team. He spent the summer working for AstraZeneca in the corporate marketing division. Dan Slipp is in Finland at Lappeenranta University studying international finance. It is part of a study-abroad program with Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia. BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 2004 Kyle Wilson has been selected for the Mustang summer consulting and public relations program this summer in New York City for 10 weeks. 2005 Jessica Hughes is hoping to transfer to the University of Maine Farmington in the fall to pursue early childhood education. 2006 I a n H o c h m a n - R e i d i s a f re s h m a n at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania. l In Memoriam Charles W. Colman ’26 Dr. Charles W. Colman, 97, died suddenly on December 13, 2006, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, N.Y. He was born September 22, 1909, in Brookfield, a place he always loved and where he will be returned to in the spring. Colman graduated from Brewster in 1926 and received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a master’s from the University of Bordeaux in France. He spent part of the Depression as an interpreter in Heidelberg, Germany, and then received his doctorate from Cornell University. He began his teaching career as a Romance Language professor at the University of Illinois. He also taught at the University of Mississippi and the University of Nebraska. Colman moved to Albany, N.Y., in 1964 and was the director of international programs for SUNY Albany until his retirement in 1979. He was predeceased by his wife of 68 years, Ruth I. Colman, and a daughter, Charlotte A. Payne. He is survived by his daughter, Martha Sue Ferro of Albany, N.Y.; sons, Charles W. Colman, Jr. and wife Nancy of Raleigh, N.C. and John D. Colman and wife Sandi of El Paso, Texas. He also leaves 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He is missed by his beloved dog, Sasha, and his cat companion, Ginger. Funeral services will be held in May in Brookfield. Those who desire may contribute in his memory to the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society, 3 Oakland Ave., Menands, N.Y. 12204. John B. Rogers ’30 John B. Rogers, 94, died November 10, 2006, at his home in Keene after a long period of declining health. 1926 He was born in Wolfeboro on February 21, 1912, the son of Nathaniel and Margaret (Wallace) Rogers. He attended local schools and was a member of Brewster Academy’s Class of 1930. He had lived in Boston for many years before moving to Keene in 1989. 1930 Profoundly deaf for most of his life, Rogers nonetheless was friendly and outgoing and had a unique sense of humor. He believed that the cornier a joke, the more frequently it should be told. He enjoyed his career as an electronics technician and was wellliked by his fellow workers, first at LFE in Boston and later at EG&G outside of the city. Rogers was a wonderful father who had the patience to teach his four children how to drive a stick shift on the streets of Boston and, a talented tennis player, he taught them all how to play tennis. He also loved photography and developed and printed his own pictures by turning the family kitchen into a darkroom many Saturday nights. While he was still able to hear, Rogers took piano lessons and continued to play until a few days before his death, even though he could not hear what he was playing. He loved his hometown of Wolfeboro, where he vacationed every summer and where his ancestors were among the original settlers. Survivors include his wife Marie (Mahoney) Sharp Rogers and a son, l www.brewsteracademy.org l Charles W. Colman December 13, 2006 John B. Rogers November 10, 2006 1931 Louise C. Fournier December 4, 2006 1933 Leona Chandler Dalpe September 6, 2006 1943 Richard William Detscher, Jr. October 10, 2006 1947 Roland “Bill” Carignan July 3, 2006 1949 George C. Greer October 28, 2006 1953 Gwendolyn (Barnard) Bierweiler January 7, 2007 1955 Barbara (Swinerton) Hersey January 8, 2007 1971 Anne Danila Berenbach December 22, 2006 2005 Marlon Howe II December 12, 2006 Former Athletic Director Stephen Perry McLoy November 6, 2006 53 In Memoriam Thomas Rogers, both of Keene; three daughters, Mary Rogers of Boston, Jacqueline Cleary and her husband Wi l l i a m o f We s t m o re l a n d , a n d Christine Rogers and her husband Marc Croteau of Ivoryton, Conn.; and three grandchildren, Elizabeth Cleary of Walpole and Jon and Genevieve Croteau. He also leaves a nephew, James Rogers, of Wolfeboro and Savannah, Ga. He was predeceased by his first wife, Elizabeth (Donovan) Rogers, who died in 1989. Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice in care of HCS, 312 Marlborough Street, Keene, N.H. Louise C. Fournier ’31 Louise C. Fournier, 93, a lifelong resident of Wolfeboro, died peacefully at Huggins Hospital on December 4, 2006 Fournier was born in Wolfeboro February 20, 1913, daughter of the late Charles and Elizabeth (Britton) Chick. She was predeceased by her husband of 49 years, the late Harold L. Fournier, in 1980. She was a former employee of the Wolfeboro National Bank, now Citizens Bank, and was a longtime local manager of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen shop. She was a devoted parishioner of St. Cecilia’s Parish in Wolfeboro and recently at St. Katharine Drexel Church in Alton. She was a tireless contributor to numerous church functions and causes. Fournier was a 1931 graduate of Brewster Academy and remained an active alumna over the years. She was a longtime volunteer at various organizations in the local area, including the initial 13 years of operation of the former Clipper 54 Home of Wolfeboro, now SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation Center. She also was on the board of directors of the Hearthstone Homes of Wolfeboro (The Ledges and Christian Ridge). Richard W. Detscher, Jr. ’43 Her greatest joy came from spending time with her family and friends and always put their needs before her own. Her other passions included cooking, gardening, and animals. Born in Manchester on March 6, 1924, he was the son of Richard W. Sr. and Marion E. (Blood) Detscher. Survivors include her son, Bradley H. Fournier and a daughter Joy Anne Fournier, class of 1964, both of Wolfeboro; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was held in December. Burial was at Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro. Donations may made in Fournier’s memory to the Lakes Region Humane Society, P.O. Box 655, Ossipee, NH 03864 or Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers (a US Catholic Church in Mission overseas), P.O. Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545. Leona Chandler Dalpe ’33 Leona Chandler Dalpe, 91, died September 6, 2006. At the time of her death, Dalpe lived in Arlington, Mass. She graduated from Brewster Academy in 1933. She was the beloved wife of the late J. Frederic Dalpe. She is survived by daughters Diane Dalpe and Cynthia Delleville and granddaughter Charisse Delleville. A Remembrance Service was held in September at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Lexington, Mass. BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 Richard William Detscher, Jr., 82, of Meredith died peacefully October 10, 2006, at Golden View Health Care Center in Meredith. Detscher grew up in Manchester and Wolfeboro and graduated from Brewster Academy in 1943. He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran, and had been a resident of Meredith since 1957. He worked as a life insurance salesman for many years including at Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and Loyal Protective Life Insurance Co. He also worked for many years as a real estate and land broker, working for Cotney Associates, I.T.T. Community Development Corp. in Palm Beach, Fla., and Lamprey and Lamprey in Center Harbor. Detscher was an active member and officer of the Chocorua Lodge #83 of Masons F&AM in Meredith and helped organize the local DeMolay Chapter. Detscher was a member and past director of the Winnipesaukee Shrine Club, member and past director of the Bektash Temple, officer of the Bektash Temple Mini-Bike Patrol, and served as chairman of the Parks and Playgrounds Commission of Meredith. He also served as a captain on the Doris-E mail boat on Lake Winnipesaukee. He was predeceased by his wife Billie Jean (Harper) Detscher. Other survivors include four children: Christine Dow and husband John of Canaan; David Detscher and wife Sylvia of Meredith; Lynn Allen and husband William of In Memoriam Center Harbor; Dwight Detscher and wife Suwanna of Las Vegas, Nev.; eight grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren; two brothers: Allan Detscher and wife Carol of Ft. Meyers, Fla., and Thomas Detscher and wife Betty Lou of Villa Rica, Ga.; one sister, Dorothy Walton and husband Tom of Alton; and many nieces and nephews. Queen City Athletic Hall of Fame. He served Ward 2 as alderman in the early 1980s and was very active in numerous social and civic organizations. Among his many contributions to the city, was instituting the Carignan Amateur Softball League. Since his retirement, he loved spending his winters in Bradenton, Fla., and his summers in Belmont. A graveside service was held at Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro. Donations may be sent to the Chocorua Lodge of Mason, PO Box 1153, Meredith, N.H. 03253. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Mary (Ecker) Carignan of Concord; one son, William Carignan of Manchester; four daughters, Patricia Beaulieu of Hooksett and Sandra Sukiennik, June Keusch, and Ann Demers, all of Concord; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one sister, Eva Chouinard of Hooksett; and a nephew and niece. Roland “Bill” Carignan ’47 Roland “Bill” Carignan, 83, of Concord and a long-time Manchester resident, died July 3, 2006, at Concord Hospital after a brief illness. Carignan was born in Manchester on September 20, 1922, the son of Frederick and Leocadie (Lefebvre) Carignan. He attended Straw School and was a 1941 graduate of Manchester High School Central. He also attended Brewster Academy and Marianapolis Prep School. Carignan was awarded a full scholarship to play football at Boston College. He chose to serve his country in World War II, however, and was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the South Pacific and Japan. Carignan retired from Manchester Parks and Recreation, where he worked as the first and only program director. Prior to that, he had been employed as a Manchester police officer for 14 years. He was a highly decorated officer and attained the rank of sergeant before leaving the department. He was an outstanding athlete, having lettered in all sports at Central High School, and was inducted into the Burial was at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. Donations may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 495 Old Connecticut Path, Suite 220, Framingham, MA 01701. George C. Greer ’49 George C. Greer, 79, of Wolfeboro, died October 28, 2006, at his home with his loving wife at his side. Greer was born October 22, 1927, in Franklin the son of the late Alfred and Edith (Costa) Greer. Greer left Malden High School in Malden, Mass., before graduating to join the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. Upon discharge from service, he finished high school and earned his diploma at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, graduating in 1949. He continued his education at the University of New Hampshire and graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in biology. l www.brewsteracademy.org l While working summers as a lifeguard and swim instructor at Brewster Beach in Wolfeboro, Greer discovered an aptitude and true love for working with children. He changed career paths, leading to a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. Greer ’s lifelong work with children was two-fold and spanned more than 30 years. His primary career was with the Winchester School District in Winchester, Mass., where he influenced countless lives as an elementary school teacher and curriculum planner. In later years he shared his invaluable experience at Tufts University, teaching graduate courses. His second career, and his true labor of love, was Frontenac Ski Area. Frontenac was a children’s winter ski camp in Plymouth, opened in 1963 by Greer, his first wife Nancy of 39 years (who predeceased him), and his brother’s family. With the continuing help of other loving family members and the teens who had grown up at camp, Frontenac ran until 1992. Greer was a charter member and charter board of governors member of the Wolfeboro Corinthian Yacht Club, serving on the board from 1982-1990 and several more times until 2003. He was a member of the buildings and grounds committee and, along with Joe Balboni, donated the use of his heavy equipment, time, and expertise to reconfigure much of the landscape at the Club as well as the boat storage area on Route 109A. Along with John Burt, he built the clubroom. In 1992, he served on the long-range planning committee. He joined the Wolfeboro Lions Club in 1995, where he chaired and was a member of numerous committees, 55 In Memoriam including Operation Dog Sight, formed to raise money to purchase guide dogs for the blind. He also was on the board of directors for Lions Camp Pride. He was a member of “Team 10” formed to charter new Lions Clubs and was instrumental in forming the Loudon Lions Club. He was twice chosen “Lion of the Year” and was awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest honor bestowed on a Lion. Greer was a communicant of St. Katharine Drexel Church in Alton and attended daily masses and also served as Minister of the Eucharist, altar server, and assistant at funerals. He headed up the CCD program at St. Joan of Arc Church in Alton and was on the fundraising committee for the new St. Katharine Drexel Church. Greer was predeceased by his first wife Nancy (Magee) and his son Steven, and is survived by his second wife Nancy (Raza) Greer of Wolfeboro, first cousin of his first wife and named after her. He also is survived by his daughter, Nanette Novak and his son-in-law Bruce; and grandsons Chad Novak and Darin Novak, all of Dover; his two brothers, Alvaro Greer of Framingham, Mass., and Alfred Greer of Hooksett; two sisters, Edith Smith and Theresa Woolley, both of Malden, Mass.; as well as many nieces and nephews. Interment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Manchester at a later date. Gwendolyn (Barnard) Bierweiler ’53 Barbara (Swinerton) Hersey ’55 She was born January 7, 1935, in Keene and had lived in Wolfeboro most of her life. Bierweiler was a member of Brewster’s class of 1953 and later graduated from Nasson College in Springfield, Maine. She worked for the Wolfeboro Municipal Electric Department for 20 years and was a member of the First Congregational Church of Wolfeboro. She was born November 25, 1936, in Rochester, the daughter of the late Lawrence and Anna (Adjutant) Swinerton, and had lived in Wolfeboro for most of her life. Gwendolyn (Barnard) Bierweiler, 72, of Wolfeboro died peacefully in her sleep at home on January 7. Bierweiler is survived by her husband of 50 years, Robert A Bierweiler ‘53 of Wolfeboro; two sons, Robert A. Bierweiler, Jr. of Ossipee and Steven D. Bierweiler of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; a daughter, Linda Marie Mitchell of Daytona Beach, Fla.; and a granddaughter, Robin Bierweiler of Rochester. She also is survived by a sister, Norma Richmond ‘62 of New Hartford, Conn., and several cousins. Bierweiler was predeceased by grandson Mark Bierweiler. A private ceremony will be held at a later date. Donations in her memory may be made to the Hospice of Southern Carroll County, PO Box 1620, Wolfeboro, NH 03894 or the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, Attn. RLF in Wolfeboro, 360 Rte 101 Unit 8, Bedford, NH 03110. Donations in his memory may be made to St. Katharine Drexel Church Building Fund, PO Box 180, Wolfeboro, NH 03894, or VNA/Hospice of Southern Carroll County, PO Box 1620, Wolfeboro, NH 03894. 56 Barbara (Swinerton) Hersey, 70, of Somersworth died January 8 in Rochester. She was a 1955 graduate of Brewster Academy and had worked at the Wolfeboro Inn for many years. Hersey was the widow of the late Carroll F. Hersey of the class of 1948. She is survived by her sons David Hersey and his wife, Deborah, of Wolfeboro, and Michael Hersey and his wife Heidi, of Wolfeboro; four grandsons: Seth, Brandon, Jory, and David Hersey, Jr.; two granddaughters: Kelsiegh and Sayge Hersey; two brothers, Lawrence “Sonny” Swinerton, class of 1961, of Wolfeboro, and Alan Swinerton of Ossipee; as well as a sister, Jane Sanborn, class of 1958, of Wolfeboro, and several nieces and nephews. Memorial services were held in January at the Wolfeboro Falls Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Hersey Cemetery at a later date. Anne Danila Berenbach ’71 Anne Danila Berenbach, 53, of Wolfeboro died December 22, 2006, at home after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Minneapolis, Minn., on March 14, 1953, the daughter of Eugene and Daphne Berenbach. Berenbach attended Brewster Academy where she graduated as the salutatorian BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 In Memoriam in 1971. She then continued her education at Middlebury College in Vermont, receiving a degree in fine arts. She was a phenomenal artist and loved all forms of art, especially watercolor painting and pencil sketching. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wolfeboro and enjoyed doing service projects with church members. She was enrolled in hospice classes with the Hospice of Southern Carroll County. Berenbach is survived by her three children, Kaela, Ava, and Isa Raku of Wolfeboro, as well as her father, Eugene Berenbach of Wolfeboro. She will be forever in the hearts of those who knew her and will be dearly missed. Burial was at Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro. Donations in her memory may be made to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wolfeboro, NH 03894. Marlon Howe II ’05 Marlon D. Howe II, 21, died December 12, 2006, at Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego, after a two-year battle with bone cancer of the spine. Born in Poway, Calif., Nov. 4, 1985, he grew up in San Diego, San Marcos, and Fallbrook and attended local schools through his junior year of high school. A promising basketball player, Howe was highly sought after by coaches around San Diego county because of his work ethic, personality, athletic ability, and potential. He was recruited and sponsored by Nike, Reebok, and Adidas to play on traveling teams that took him around the country. In 2004, he was a McDonald’s All American High School Boys Basketball Nominee. Howe enrolled at Brewster Academy for his senior year but after two months into the program, he was stricken with osteosarcoma of the spine. While Howe was in treatment at Rady Children’s and UCSD medical facilities, he took the opportunity to reach out to others and made a great impact on other patients’ families, as well as staff members. His presence was so noticed that he was labeled the mayor and the ambassador on the oncology floor. A Celebration Of Life ceremony for this beloved grandson, son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend was held at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Fallbrook. The family suggests donations in memory of Marlon D. Howe II to College Bound Scholarship Funds, Children’s Hospital, and San Diego Blood Bank. Stephen Perry McLoy Former Athletic Director Stephen Perry McLoy, 62, of Concord and Hebron died November 6, 2006, at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston of complications of acute myloid leukemia. McLoy was born in Concord on January 23, 1944, and was the son of Edward Francis and Cynthia (Perry) McLoy. He was a graduate of Concord High School and the University of New Hampshire. He went on to become athletic director at Brewster Academy, where he also coached basketball, football, and lacrosse and taught environmental education courses until 1984. While at Brewster, he directed the Institute for Environmental Education and edited the Teacher ’s Guide to l www.brewsteracademy.org l Environmental Education, published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He wrote and administered several environmental education grants from the Ford Foundation and the EPA and directed the summer intern program “Clean Water.” Prior to working at Brewster, he taught government and writing and coached football at the Tilton School for seven years. For 12 years prior to his retirement in 2004, McLoy worked for the state of New Hampshire and most recently was chief of operations for the New Hampshire Office of Emergency Management and wrote and administered Federal Emergency Management Grants. McLoy enjoyed fly-fishing, wildlife photography, cooking, and travel, especially to Italy and the Caribbean, and spending time with friends and family at Newfound Lake. He was a member of Trout Unlimited and the Sunset Mountain Fish and Game Club. He was an avid reader and passionately followed world news. He leaves his father, Edward McLoy, of Penacook; two sons and their wives, Jason and Kara McLoy of Hingham, Mass., and Britton and Melissa McLoy of Georgetown, Mass.; his partner of five years, Priscilla Gemmill of Concord; four grandchildren; and several aunts and cousins. He was predeceased by his mother. A celebratory gathering for family and friends was held November 19 at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Memorial gifts may be sent to the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, 26 S. Main St., Suite 279, Concord 03301. 57 Writing Brewster’s History “Scott’s Palace” A Glimpse Into the Life of a Brewster Student From 1911 to 1915 by Bob and Shirley Richardson D r. James M. Wallace, Class of 1947, related to us that he discovered a remarkable diary when he was going over the records of his mother and his aunt, twin sisters Ethel Scott Wallace and Edith Scott Tinker, both members of the Class of 1915. While Edith diligently kept a daily diary in which she recorded details about her schoolwork, meetings, conversations, and social engagements, Ethel carefully kept every piece of required written work, including comments by the instructors, over their four years of schooling at Brewster. These two collections not only give us a valuable insight into the social life of a teenager in Wolfeboro at the time, but also the academic demands made by the school and the quality of instruction offered. Dr. Nathaniel Harvey Scott, the twins’ father, graduated from medical school at Dartmouth College in 1874. He began his medical practice in Sandwich and moved it to Wolfeboro in 1880. In 1881, he moved his family and practice to Ethel and Edith Scott in front of the Scott house barn a building located on the northeast side of South Main Street at Pickering Corner, opposite Photos courtesy of Dr. James M. Wallace ’47 the Civil War statue. 58 BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 It was here that Dr. Scott became widely known and respected as a practicing physician and strong supporter of civic activities in Wolfeboro. He soon was elected to the Board of Trustees of Brewster Academy and was a long-lasting influential trustee whose love for Brewster would extend into the 1940s. He became a close friend of both John Brewster and John’s son William. With a growing family, living and office space became a problem for the Scotts, who had six children: Margaret, Bernice, Louisa and Harlan (both Class of 1911), and the twins, Ethel and Edith (both Class of 1915). Dr. Scott expanded the house by building a large addition including a barn where he stored his famous gasoline-powered buggy, one of the first in Wolfeboro. Included in the new addition were several rooms that Dr. Scott rented out to boarding students from Brewster. Serving as dorm master for two or three students each term was a new role for Dr. Scott, but the location was ideal. Students could easily scurry to school in the morning, come back for a lunch prepared by Mrs. Scott, return for afternoon classes, and then hang out with friends until the required study hours at night. The term “Scott’s Palace” soon entered the school vocabulary. Living in “Scott’s Palace” placed the twins in a position to participate in Writing Brewster’s History school activities and carry on a social life with other students. Wallace points out, “It appears that the twins’ parents permitted them to participate in frequent activities, including coed hikes with a variety of friends. The parents knew the town and its families and institutions well and felt that it was safe for the twins to engage in a range of activities with a variety of friends.” (Wallace, The Scott Twins at Brewster Free Academy [1911-1915], manuscript; p. 11). Ethel’s diary records that Miss Anna Leila Pitman was her English and history teacher while Miss Evelyn Spring taught Edith. Mr. W. Herbert Merrill was their fearsome Latin instructor with Ms. Eva A. Mooar in French, Mr. Harry Merritt in mathematics, and Ms. Sarah L. Bates in domestic science and elocution. After sorting out all of Ethel’s papers by class subject, it was obvious that most of the demands were placed in English and history. During a 32-week school year, Miss Pitman assigned and corrected in detail nearly two English papers per week while in history she demanded a paper every other week, many more papers than did her colleagues. Papers were assigned on Hawthorne’s Twice Told Tales, Scott’s Ivanhoe and Lady of the Lake, Irving’s Rip Van Winkle and Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Dodge’s Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates, Havell’s Tales from Herodotus, chapters from The Bible, Whittier’s Snowbound, and poems by Longfellow and others. Like generations of English teachers Miss Pitman examined papers for “unity, coherence and emphasis.” She read carefully, noting spelling errors, giving suggestions on grammar and structure, writing positive comments, and assigning a grade. While the “Scott’s Palace,” home of Dr. Nathaniel Scott’s medical practice, his family, and a few Brewster boarding students. It stands across the street from Brewster’s Monument Field. Pitman teaching demands were high, it is assumed that similar demands were made in other courses. Debates were required by each class, as were dramatic productions. One can only imagine the many afternoons at “Scott’s Palace” as these enthusiastic young people practiced their debate and elocution skills. The junior and senior classes presented dramatic productions each year, while choral groups made formal presentations several times yearly, most importantly at commencement and class days. Voices and songs could be heard coming from the rooms of “Scott’s Palace” in preparation for these performances. “A lot of us had to stay after school tonight for whispering … I stayed an hour.” It appears that short class trips and outings supplemented the curriculum. Sometimes students ventured on foot to the Libby Museum at Mirror Lake – a round-trip of almost six miles. Some of what they learned was reinforced through required writing l www.brewsteracademy.org l 59 Writing Brewster’s History about their extracurricular events. Certainly the editors of the weekly newsbooklet The Brewster worked at bringing student literary works into print by applying great pressure on young poets and even sports writers who were present at every event. “Scott’s Palace” offered a unique opportunity for students to gather together to share and discuss ideas and school happenings. Ethel’s diary briefly describes numerous occasions during which these gatherings promoted social interaction and learning. here after school and we played it all afternoon and evening. It is a Columbia and the records are disks.” And again she writes, “Clinton, again, had Woodman’s phonograph downhere today. Harlan (Ethel’s brother) and I danced up in Clinton’s room for over an hour. He taught me the “Boston Two-Step.” On August 28, she recorded; “Met Mr. Haley and almost started to run because it was almost seven and it felt as if I was breaking study hours.” (Mr. Haley was one of her teachers and the principal. During the school year, students were expected to keep study hours, even those who lived off campus.) Another entry, on September 3: “I have been reading A Tale of Two Cities. I have got as far as the knitting women ... I don’t know as I ever shall dare read farther because I liked Sidney Carton almost better than Evremonde. I had almost rather Evremonde died.” And on October 15, 1912, Ethel recorded, “It is lots of fun to study nights with lamps, much cozier.” (Apparently the house had been electrified, but the family still used oil lamps sometimes.) [Wallace, The Scott Twins ..., manuscript, p.7, 4/28/06] “Met Mr. Haley and almost started to run because it was almost seven Standing (l-r): Dr. Scott, Mrs. Scott, Louisa ’11, Bernice, and Harlan ’11. Seated (l-r): Ethel ’15 and Edith ’15 and an unnamed gentleman. January 15, 1912 – “Went snow shoing this afternoon … the snow shoing really wasn’t good but we had a dandy time.” Then, the next day – “A lot of us had to stay after school tonight for whispering … I stayed an hour.” April 5, 1912 - “Clayton came to rehearse a violin piece that he is going to play in C.E. Sunday.” (This is Ethel’s first mention of Clayton Wallace, whom she married nine years later. C.E. is Christian Endeavor.). Later, she writes, “Clinton (possibly Clinton Greenwood, Class of 1911, a classmate of Harlan who boarded at the Scott House) had Woodman’s phonograph down 60 and it felt as if I was breaking study hours.” Both twins graduated from Brewster and the University of Maine, returned to Wolfeboro, married Brewster boys (Clayton Wallace ’15 and Herbert Tinker ’16) and continued to be very active community members. Today, “Scott’s Palace” stands next to the “Corner Store” gas station and convenience store. It is occupied by several small businesses, with some rooms standing vacant. The shutters have been removed, the bricks painted grey, and a seasonal antique shop occupies the barn. Only the memories of those familiar with the Scott family and the informative and special collections of Ethel and Edith are left behind to remind us of an era gone by and the young people who gathered at “Scott’s Palace” as they discovered themselves and planned their future. • BrewsterConnections l Spring 2007 “My education at Brewster was top notch,” said Charlie. “I can think of no better investment than helping to assure future generations of Brewster students the same experience. This is why I made a provision in my estate plans – a bequest.” 1887 Heritage Society Member Charlie Carter ’51 C harlie Carter ’51 fondly remembers growing up in Wolfeboro. His parents moved to New Hampshire to become the proprietors of the Windrifter Resort on South Main Street. Charlie attended Brewster and when his family sold the resort, he stayed on as a boarding student. Though currently living in northern Vermont, Charlie still feels drawn to Wolfeboro and is considering returning to the area in the future. “I have wonderful memories of my years at Brewster and was well-prepared for my college education at Brown and Cornell.” “My education at Brewster was top notch,” said Charlie. “I can think of no better investment than helping to assure future generations of Brewster students the same experience. This is why I made a provision in my estate plans – a bequest.” Now retired from a career with the state of Vermont targeting the economic growth and development of the Northeast Kingdom, Charlie recognizes the importance of his gift to Brewster Academy versus another institution that has larger endowments. “Frankly, I feel that my dollars are more critical to Brewster and will have a greater impact on the school.” • Charlie Carter invites you to join him as a member of the 1887 Heritage Society, a special society for members of the Brewster family who have made arrangements for a planned gift to Brewster Academy. For more information regarding planned giving options available at Brewster Academy, please contact Tim von Jess, director of advancement (603) 569-7140 or via e-mail at [email protected] EXPECT MORE Expect to live in a community where you grow strong in mind, body, and spirit. A community you help create, together with new friends from across the world. A community where everyone respects everyone else and everyone has fun. EXPECT GREAT THINGS. OF US. OF YOURSELF. Office of Admission • 800-842-9961 Brewster Academy 80 Academy Drive Wolfeboro, NH 03894 www.brewsteracademy.org • [email protected]
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Watercolor of the Academic Building presented to the Academy by Leslie ’31 and Irene York and their friend and artist Philip Schnering in 1994
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